Dell PowerVault DL2000 - Manual (Page 8)

8 #215296 ©2009 IDC
Dell's PowerVault DL2000 disk backup appliance is at the junction of a number of
data protection markets. We expect that it will garner share from second-tier disk and
a host of products and vendors not limited to primary disk storage, tape hardware,
storage management software, and data deduplication. IDC believes this is a
doubled-edged market strategy. In fact, Dell will be vying against well-entrenched
vendors in both the data protection hardware and software markets. We believe that
Dell needs to define its IDM strategy and clearly communicate the value proposition
for tightly coupled, easy-to-use, and easy-to-deploy products. Dell must educate its
customers about the potential value an integrated solution will bring to their
environment. IDC believes that Dell's ProSupport consulting services will help
communicate that value considerably.
C O N C L U S I O N
Dell's strategy to move beyond its industry-standard storage offerings marks a
departure from its commodity-oriented products. Dell's new emphasis on helping its
SMB customers grapple with unabated data growth and long-term management of
their digital content represents a sea change. Many of Dell's customers need
comprehensive data management for their critical data for compliance, disaster
recovery, regulatory compliance, long-term access, and optimization. In short, many
customers need to manage their digital content from cradle to grave.
We believe that Dell's core message of reducing the cost and complexity of data
protection solutions will resonate well with its customers. IDC expects Dell will continue
to refine and enhance the DL2000 product set as well as evolve its integrated disk-
based storage strategy. The PowerVault DL2000 is Dell's first attempt at working with
strategic partners to bring an integrated storage solution to market. Furthermore, we
expect that Dell will look beyond its strategic suppliers to bring a richer set of
capabilities, particularly with regard to optimization and data deduplication.
We foresee Dell using the DL2000 and its TierDisk architecture as a building block for
larger deployments of secondary storage solutions. We believe that the PowerVault
DL2000 marks a departure from Dell's reliance on industry-standard, point-product
solutions. Furthermore, the introduction of the DL2000 is a watershed event for Dell.
This effort will allow Dell to couple its strong brand and distribution model to offer
integrated storage solutions that would normally be out of the reach of its customers.
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