"Virtualization is quickly moving beyond hypervisors and hardware consolidation", stated Rick Becker, vice president of software and solutions, Dell Product Group. "Enterprises are looking for a broad array of servers, storage and services designed specifically for virtualized environments. Having been a leader in the first wave of virtualization, today we are signaling our intent to lead the second."

Dell has simplified the path to purchase and deploy virtualized Dell PowerEdge servers with updated on-line tools, new e-commerce capability and expanded factory integration. With the updated Virtualization Advisor tool, customers have more options for building validated configurations on-line for virtualization deployments before purchase. Customers can easily upgrade PowerEdge servers purchased with VMware ESXi 3.5 to full VMware Infrastructure 3 enterprise licensing in a single click. Dell will also offer in coming weeks factory integrated VMware ESXi 3.5 or Citrix XenServer Dell Express Edition across a broad range of PowerEdge servers, including the PowerEdge 2950, R900, 1950, 2900, M600 blade and M605 blade.

The new Dell PowerEdge R805 and R905 deliver servers optimized for virtualization with the PowerEdge R805 offering 2X the memory and I/O capacity of Dell's previous generation 2 socket servers. With a choice of VMware ESXi 3.5 or Citrix XenServer Dell Express Edition integrated hypervisors, the PowerEdge R805 and R905 servers can deliver the optimal platform for virtualized environments. The Dell PowerEdge R805 and R905 servers are now available worldwide with a starting price of $3049 and $6499 respectively.

The Dell PowerEdge R900 and R905 can deliver the ultimate in 4 socket virtualization performance as some of the first servers to support 60 virtual machines in VMmark testing, with 23 percent higher virtualization performance than the HP ProLiant DL580 G5, 8 percent higher than the IBM System x3850, and 16 percent higher than the Sun Fire X4450. The PowerEdge R905 delivered price per virtualization performance at 25 percent less cost than the IBM x3850, 36 percent less cost than the Sun X4450, and 15 percent less cost than the HP Proliant DL580. This is in addition to Dell's leadership with number 1 virtualization performance benchmarks in 2 socket servers with the PowerEdge M-Series blades and the PowerEdge 2950III.

Dell EqualLogic storage arrays offer new advanced SAN-aware integration with VMware Site Recovery Manager for data protection and disaster recovery for virtualized environments at no additional cost in management tools. Combined with Dell EqualLogic patented storage virtualization technology designed to eliminate the complexity of SAN deployment and management, customers can more easily provision and manage their virtual storage environments.

Dell and Egenera are making virtualization and data centre automation a reality beyond the blade chassis. The Dell PAN system is built on proven PowerEdge 1950 and 2950 servers and Dell/EMC storage, with Citrix XenServer and factory integrated as a complete, turn-key solution that consolidates and virtualizes server compute-resources into an entire Processor Area Network to be managed like hard drives in a SAN. The Dell PAN system can deliver rapid provisioning and re-deployment in minutes not weeks.

Dell has also expanded its virtualization services to include:

• Virtualization Simplification Workshop for customers looking to determine which options are the most suitable for their specific business needs today, their technical environment and to meet future growth.
• New Virtualization Operational Assessment and Process Automation accelerates selection of the right virtualization technology for their needs and define processes and tools to automate the management of virtualized environments.
• New Virtualization Healthcheck reviews existing virtualized production environments to identify technology, process and people issues impeding virtualization scale out and provides an actionable, results oriented plan.
• Expanded Virtualization Assessment, taking into account multi-vendor virtualization considerations, advanced storage options, as well as green IT data center energy efficiency improvements.
• Dell PAN Accelerator Service, integrating a full Processing Area Network within the customer environment to help ensure production readiness.
• Expanded Design and Implementation Services, which features the latest Virtualization technologies, in addition to best-of-breed disaster recovery tools and techniques.
• ProSupport Remote Advisory Services: fast access to technical experts for consulting on virtualization implementations.

These offerings are available today from Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services.