EDITORIAL NOTE 3 EXECUTIVE VISION 5 - Dell · 2005-09-02 · EDITORIAL NOTE 3 Contents ... latest...

B U S I N E S S I N N O VAT I O N D I R E C T F R O M D E L L

EDITORIAL NOTE 3

Contents

PRODUCT SHOWCASE 28

28: THE POWER TO SAVEThe Dell™ PowerEdge™ 600SC and 1600SC can deliver for value-conscious customers

29: LOST DATA? NOT ON OUR WATCHScalable storage products from Dell tuck away data for safekeeping

30: R IGHT ON TARGETDell Precision™ workstations hit the bull’s-eye on flexibility and performance

31: S IZE MATTERSThe new Dell OptiPlex™ SX260 provides maximum performance with minimum real estate

32: G IVE THEM THE AXIMDell’s first foray into the handheld space puts superiorfunctionality within affordable reach

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT 34

34: OPEN THE FLOODGATESThe editors of Dell Insight ask Giga Information Group®

Analyst Stacey Quandt about the future of Linux

CUTTING EDGE 10

10: MORE POWER TO YOUHigh-performance computing clusters power scientific research aimed at making the world a safer, healthier, and all-around better place

16: UP TO ITS NEW DEVICESThe Linux® OS has found a new route into the enterprise: right through the front door

22: COME TOGETHER, R IGHT NOWCompanies in the midst of financial famine shouldwaste no time in consolidating storage systems, butexperts suggest they don’t stop the consolidationinitiative there

EXECUTIVE VISION 5

Larry gives Linux an OracleOracle’s innovative CEO is turning his company into one of Linux’s most compelling case studies

Departments

10

by Tara Swords 5

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3 D E L L I N S I G H T 1

01_03_TOCandEditor 1/29/03 3:18 PM

2 D E L L I N S I G H T F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3

EDITOR- IN-CHIEFEddie Ho

MANAGING EDITORTara Swords

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSarah CloseSara Record FringsLea Anne Bantsari

ART DIRECTORMark Mastroianni

DESIGNERSGlen AbrahamsPhu TranAmy Vest

WEB PRODUCTION MANAGERBrad Klenzendorf

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICESLisa Ho

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND

ADDRESS CHANGESSubscriptions are free to qualified readerswho complete the subscription card found in each issue. To subscribe or change youraddress, complete and return the businessreply card in this issue or visit us atwww.dell.com/dellinsight.

About Del l ComputerDell Computer Corporation, headquartered inRound Rock, Texas, near Austin, is the world’sleading direct computer systems company.Dell is one of the fastest growing among allmajor computer systems companies world-wide, with approximately 40,000 employeesaround the globe. Dell uses the direct businessmodel to sell its high-performance computersystems, workstations, and storage products toall types of enterprises. For more information,please visit our Web site at www.dell.com.

Dell Insight is published quarterly by the DellProduct Group, Dell Computer Corporation,One Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas 78682. Thispublication is also available online atwww.dell.com/dellinsight. No part of thispublication may be reprinted or otherwisereproduced without permission from theeditor. Dell does not provide any warranty asto the accuracy of any information providedthrough Dell Insight. Opinions expressed inthis magazine may not be those of Dell. Theinformation in this publication is subject tochange without notice. Any reliance by theend user on the information contained hereinis at the end user’s risk. Dell will not be liablefor information in any way, including but notlimited to its accuracy or completeness. Delldoes not accept responsibility for the advertis-ing content of the magazine nor for any claims,actions, or losses arising therefrom. Goods,services, and/or advertisements within thispublication other than those of Dell are notendorsed by or in any way connected with DellComputer Corporation.

Dell Axim, Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude, OpenManage, OptiPlex, PowerConnect,PowerEdge, PowerPath, PowerVault, Precision,and QuietCase are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of the Dell Computer Corporation inthe United States, other countries, or both. Othercompany, product, and service names may betrademarks or service marks of others.

© Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

February 2003

B U S I N E S S I N N O VA T I O N D I R E C T F R O M D E L L

insight

INSIDE TRACK 40

40: CHOOSE WISELYby Rhonda Gass · With information continuingto grow at a phenomenal rate, how does yourorganization deal with today’s economicrealities and the demand for a reliable, agiletechnology infrastructure?

41: D IRECT IN D IVERSIT Yby Bill Amelio · How do you adapt the Delldirect model for Asia Pacific/Japan?

42: PRACTICAL VALUE FOR PRACTICAL T IMESby Pete Morowski · The Linux OS leaps deeperinto the enterprise, and IT execs are welcomingits practicality with open arms

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT 44

44: ROOM TO GROWHilton® Hotels Corporation speeds its back-office processes with a massively scalablepayroll system based on Dell servers

46: AN OUT-OF-THIS -WORLD PERFORMANCEIMAX digitally remasters live-actionHollywood films using Dell PowerEdge serversrunning Linux, and launches the project withthe blockbuster Apollo 13

Departments

5O: THE QUEST FOR A CUREFive trillion calculations of biological research? It’s all in a moment’s work for the Dell-Intel®-Linux cluster at the BuffaloCenter of Excellence in Bioinformatics

54: TRADING UPDaiwa Securities gets bullish in its latest investment: a Dell-Intel-Microsoft®

distributed computing system and a Dell|EMC storage area network

58: BACK ON TRACKUsing a Dell-Intel-Oracle® solution, the DanishNational Railway Agency stopped being thelittle railway that could and became the littlerailway that does

PARTNER PROFILE 60

60: VERITAS Dell and VERITAS help customers keep datasafe, sound, and simple to manage

NEWS BRIEFS 63

46

50

60

Index of Advertisers

Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside front cover, 33, 38, 43, 49, 53Novell, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Oracle Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, outside back coverQLogic Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Quantum Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Seagate Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside back cover


[ From the Editor ]

The year 2002 was not a very good year for

IT budgets—which could entail a good year

for the cost-conscious Linux® operating system

in 2003. No matter how much buzz you’ve

heard about Linux over the last few years,

prepare to hear even more in 2003. This once-

underground operating system (OS) has grad-

uated from the hacker’s toolbox and is ready

for a white-collar job at nearly any enterprise.

In this issue of Dell Insight, we discuss where

Linux began, where the OS is today, and where

it is headed. In our talk with Giga Information

Group® Analyst Stacey Quandt, we examine

the state of Linux-based server deployments

and the tremendous value they can deliver to

IT budgets. We also follow Linux on its newest

journey into the frontier of embedded operat-

ing systems—it seems that some small-device

users are enjoying the benefits of Linux daily

without even realizing it.

We noted that a major concern about Linux is

its ability to handle massive workloads; this

issue’s article about high-performance

computing (HPC) should turn that issue into

an open-and-shut case. What about the

concern that Linux cannot operate as a highly

available platform? We left that question to

Oracle® CEO Larry Ellison in our cover story,

and we think you’ll be intrigued—if not

wholly entertained—by what he has to say.

Also in this issue, we continue our examina-

tion of resource consolidation. This time, we

shine a spotlight on storage consolidation

initiatives—which can deliver dramatic cost

savings in the data center.

We also share stories of Dell™ customer

successes—some focusing on IT triumphs

using Linux.

As always, we give you the word straight from

the mouths of Dell leaders in the Inside Track

department. You’ll also find information

about the benefits of a Dell partnership—this

time with VERITAS Software—in our regular

Partner Profile department.

We hope this issue provides insights into

what kind of year 2003 will shape up to be

for IT. In the meantime, send us your feed-

back. And don’t forget to renew your

subscription to Dell Insight by returning the

enclosed subscription card or visiting us

online at www.dell.com/dellinsight.

Have a prosperous 2003!

2003:Linux comes in from the cold




Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is

piloting an initiative to

move Linux into enterprises.

He’s also putting his money

where his mouth is—and

turning Oracle Corporation

into one of Linux’s most

compelling case studies.

B Y TA RA S W O R D S

LARRY

GIVES LINUX

AN ORACLE

Larry gives Linux an Oracle [ Executive Vision ]

[ Executive Vision ] Larry gives Linux an Oracle

Not only is Oracle CEO Larry Ellison

unafraid to speak his mind, but he

also refuses to waste time worrying

about people who disagree with his

opinions. No matter how often he

flies in the face of conventional

trends, Ellison’s legendary leadership

has turned his Oracle Corporation

into an agile company that success-

fully operates on its creator’s philoso-

phy of aggressive innovation.

These days, even Ellison himself attends the occasional sales call

because he knows that his presence at the table of a potential

Oracle® customer is worth his own weight in solid gold. At these

meetings and in highly publicized keynotes, Ellison has been

aggressively promoting a technology that—in step with Ellison’s

innovative nature—has grown from an experimental platform a

year ago to the cornerstone of thousands of mission-critical enter-

prise deployments: the Linux® OS.

What’s the hold up?

Linux may be the new kid on the block, but Ellison doesn’t

suggest that enterprises invite Linux over to play out of sheer

good will. Invite Linux to play because it can save you some seri-

ous cash. For nearly three years, Ellison has led Oracle in devel-

oping Linux-compatible software and powerful partnerships with

companies such as Red Hat, the world’s leading commercial

distributor of the Linux operating system (OS). In fact, Oracle

raced to introduce the first commercial database that could run

on Linux. Ellison and crew have long touted the reliable money-

saving potential of Oracle on Linux—citing case studies, bench-

mark results, and plain economic common sense—but often in

the face of strong skepticism.

Most enterprise customers will agree that an open source

OS such as Linux can yield big up-front cost savings because it

runs economical software on low-cost commodity platforms

like standards-based Intel® servers. But ask most enterprise IT

managers if they feel Linux can deliver enterprise-level

performance, and they answer the question with a flurry of new

questions: What about scalability? What if Linux isn’t ready for

the enterprise? And what if my Linux machines go down—

when running some mission-critical application?

Ellison has an answer to those questions, and it is an answer

that most IT decision makers probably have not heard: So what?

Strength in numbers

Ellison can brashly confront doubts about the preparedness of

Linux because his company has designed shared-disk clustering

software that makes Linux, as he boasts, “unbreakable.” How?

Oracle9i™ Real Application Clusters (RAC) groups together many

computers and makes them work like one machine. The concept

of clustering isn’t groundbreaking, but Oracle is the first vendor

to market a solution that allows a single application to run on

multiple computers when it was designed to run on just one

computer. That distinction is something to write home about.

The implication is that any company can run Linux on a

cluster of inexpensive standards-based servers and make its

applications operate faster and more affordably than before.

The configuration also runs more reliably than before. After

all, Ellison says, one or two—or even six—failed machines in

an eight-node Linux cluster are no cause for alarm because the

shared-disk cluster enables the remaining machines to operate

without missing a beat.

The configuration is absolutely fault-tolerant, Ellison says, and it

should quiet the IT execs who fuss and fret about Linux’s maturity.

“This solution overcomes two big Linux objections,” Ellison

says. “People say that it can’t do the heavy lifting. Maybe one

Linux machine cannot handle the heavy lifting, but 12 or 16 can.

People also say they can’t afford failed systems like e-mail. But if

the system is clustered, it won’t fail. If a few machines go down

in a 12-machine configuration—no big deal. The system is still

fault-tolerant because the other machines still work.”

What about the cost of all those extra machines? To prove a

point, Oracle compared three configurations of equivalent

processing power: one IBM® mainframe system, one UNIX®

system, and one Linux-based system.

“For the hardware in the IBM mainframe scenario, you have

to pay $14–$15 million. For the UNIX system, you’ll pay around

$4 million,” Ellison says. “To get the same processing power on

a Linux-based system, you’ll pay about $400,000. These are

equivalent configurations in terms of performance, but they’re

worlds apart in terms of price.” In other words, a Linux cluster



Larry gives Linux an Oracle [ Executive Vision ]

can be up to 97 percent cheaper than an equivalent configuration

of IBM iron—not to put too fine of a point on the matter.

Ellison also advises naysayers to forget their worries about the

ability of Linux to ward off hackers. With a customer list that has

included government organizations such as the CIA, the National

Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Federal

Aviation Administration, Oracle understands the importance of

building security into its products—not retrofitting security meas-

ures to products already on the market. In fact, when Oracle dared

to call its software “unbreakable” in the fall of 2002, the company

might as well have leveled a direct challenge to the best and

brightest computer delinquents in the world: “Corporate conceit

available for dismantling; apply within.” But the hacking elite

failed—miserably.

“We went from a couple of thousand attacks on our Web site

per week to between 20,000 and 30,000 attacks per week,” Elli-

son says. “Do you know how many times they succeeded in

breaking into the Oracle database? Zero. And we don’t care what

platform you run it on. Oracle on Linux is just as impenetrable.”

The Zen of IT

Ellison swears by Linux repeatedly, and he means it. For those who

still disbelieve, consider the fact that Oracle has anteed up and is in

the process of turning over many of its own mission-critical systems

to the Linux OS. Oracle is moving some of its systems’ middle-tier

servers—many of which are Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers—to Linux.

Those systems include accounting, customer relationship manage-

ment, sales automation, marketing, human resources, payroll, and

even the Oracle Web site.

Oracle’s move to Linux is part of the company’s Zen-like

efforts to simplify IT life, both for its customers and inside its

own walls. For example, customers once faced a daunting list of

150 Oracle application products; now Oracle offers just one—a

single, hearty version that helps customers minimize the need for

complicated software integration. Ellison calls it the “Japanese

garden” approach to IT: The garden isn’t complete until you’ve

removed as much unnecessary complexity as possible.

Inside its own walls, Oracle has put forth an ongoing effort

to move all corporate data into centralized databases—a simplifica-

tion strategy that has been bolstered by the company’s migration to

Linux. Since beginning the process, Ellison says Oracle has seen

quantifiable results that would thrill any budget-crunched enterprise.

“Our IT budget has dropped by about half since we started

this process. But every year, our profit margins have gone up—

even in the worst IT recession in history. The reason is that we’ve

become more efficient,” Ellison says. “Linux will help us maintain

that competitive edge.”

ANY COMPANY CAN

RUN LINUX ON A

CLUSTER OF

INEXPENSIVE,

STANDARDS-BASED

SERVERS

With a little help from its friends

Oracle now offers all of its key products—including Oracle9i

Database, Oracle9i Application Server, Oracle9i Developer Suite,

Oracle Collaboration Suite, and Oracle E-Business Suite—for the

Linux platform. Together, Oracle, Dell, and Red Hat work to

deliver those solutions in packages that address the growing

demands of customers who need mission-critical infrastructures

that lower total cost of ownership. The latest fruit of this partner-

ship is the Red Hat® Linux Advanced Server—which comes

factory installed from Dell along with Oracle9i Database and

Oracle9i Real Application Clusters in a certified configuration.

Dell provides support for the hardware and operating system,

while Oracle supports the software stack, including Red Hat

Linux Advanced Server—assuaging enterprise customers’ fears

that a Linux adoption will leave them in the lurch without

service or support. Customers around the globe can confidently

purchase and run Oracle9i Database on Red Hat Linux Advanced

Server on Dell servers because they know that if they run into a

problem—even in countries where Red Hat does not have a

presence—they can pick up the phone and call Oracle and Dell to

access world class-support for Red Hat Linux Advanced Server.

“We have seen a significant increase in Linux interest from

our corporate customers,” says Michael Dell, CEO of Dell. “Many

Fortune 500 companies are turning to Dell, Oracle, and Red Hat

to take advantage of the dramatic price, performance, and support

benefits we can provide through a comprehensive Linux-based

solution for infrastructure computing.”

Most of those benefits are unprecedented for enterprise Linux

deployments, including:

» SECURITY: The certified configurations come installed with

Oracle9i Database or Oracle9i Real Application Clusters, the

only database that provides concrete security assurance with

15 international security evaluations.

» RELIABILITY: Oracle and Dell fully stress test this system by

running extreme loads to ensure high availability in demanding

environments.

» FASTER TIME TO IMPLEMENTATION: Because the software and OS are

pre-installed in the Dell factory, implementation is instant.

» AFFORDABILITY: The Dell direct model ensures that retailers and

suppliers do not mark up the price of a Dell-based system.

» EASY PROCUREMENT: Customers can obtain quotes, configure

systems, and complete orders online.

Now that Oracle has come out in clear support of Linux in

the enterprise—with none other than the irrepressible Ellison as

its biggest advocate—the company will continue to cozy up to

open source ideals. In fact, Ellison announced to a pleasantly

surprised crowd at LinuxWorld 2002 that Oracle has created a

cluster file system for Linux—and made its source code avail-

able under the General Public License. Also, Oracle recently

released the Oracle Collaboration Suite, available on Linux,

which integrates nearly every type of modern business commu-

nication under the sun—e-mail, voice mail, fax, calendar, files,

and work flow—with wireless and voice support for anytime,

anywhere access.

As software vendors such as Oracle increase their Linux-

compatible offerings, Ellison warned a crowd of loyal, long-time

Linux devotees at LinuxWorld that their annual gathering to honor

a once-underground technology would play host to more and more

suits each year. And you can bet that not all will wear Armani.

“Linux is a spectacular new answer to some of the issues

that are facing enterprise IT managers today—especially the

challenge to deliver more performance while saving money in

this tough economic environment,” Ellison says. “After all,

Linux has transformed our own business and we’re promoting it

because we think it’s the cheapest, fastest, and most reliable

system around.”

For more information, visit:www.dell.com/linux

www.oracle.com/linux


[ Executive Vision ] Larry gives Linux an Oracle

“Linux is a spectacular new answer

to some of the issues that are

facing enterprise IT managers today.”

PowerMore


10-15 HPC 1/28/03 1:40 PM Page 10

From understanding

the heart to preventing

accidental explosions,

high-performance

computing clusters

power scientific

research aimed at

making the world a

safer, healthier, and all-

around better place

toYou

by Lea Anne Bantsari


More power to you [ Cutting Edge ]10-15 HPC 1/28/03 1:40 PM Page 11

In universities and research institutions around the globe, scientistscrank out terabytes of data annually while researching almost anytopic imaginable. From global warming to human behavior to theincidence of three-legged frogs in Minnesota, scientific researchgenerates mountains of information, and researchers require high-powered equipment to process, store, and access this data. Until the last few years, however, that equipment was extremelyexpensive to purchase and maintain.

Now, the steep cost of specialized hardware is giving way to lower-cost commodity-based systems. That trend has combined with the growing popularity of open-source software to produce theLinux-based high-performance computing (HPC) cluster—a comput-ing technique that puts fast, affordable supercomputing within reach.

Searchingfor a cure

At the Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics at the University at Buffalo (UB),

a campus of the State University of New York, researchers run a 2,000-node Linux-

based HPC cluster on Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers to perform more than 5 trillion calcu-

lations of biological research every second. Researchers combine such high-tech

practices as supercomputing and visualization with scientific expertise in genomics,

proteomics, and bioimaging.

The goal is to unlock the secrets to diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and

AIDS so that scientists in the medical field can apply the knowledge to their pursuit

of cures. The Linux-based HPC cluster puts these medical breakthroughs on the fast

track: The amount of data to be analyzed by the cluster would take approximately

2,000 years to analyze on a single computer with one processor.

[ Cutting Edge ] More power to you


10-15 HPC 1/28/03 1:40 PM Page 12

Energy savers

Like computing infrastructures, global energy sources must also be scalable and

accommodate increases in demand to be both practical and effective. Unfortu-

nately, many of the world’s current supplies of energy resources are diminishing

rapidly. That’s why Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (CGG), a leading supplier

of products and services in the oil and gas industry, is working diligently to locate

new, usable oil fields.

With the assistance of several HPC clusters running Linux on Dell PowerEdge

servers, CGG tackles complex calculations in both the United Kingdom and Houston,

Texas, that lead researchers closer to pinpointing possible new oil sites—and

possibly increasing the world’s known supply of this critical natural resource.

Servers, unite

Scientists have long sought a way to harness the full potential

of the microprocessor to simplify their work. However, many

research projects demand processing power that far exceeds the

capacity of a single CPU.

The birth of the “supercomputer”—a single computer with

multiple CPUs—enabled the processing power necessary to

handle simultaneous tasks at high speeds. The drawback: These

supercomputers require extremely specialized hardware and

software, as well as a dedicated support staff working to ensure

uptime. Despite the tremendous abilities of supercomputer

systems, their high cost is usually out of the question for research

institutions that often compete for every dollar they acquire.

“Supercomputers have large memory, exceptional floating-point

performance, and very good I/O,” says Chuck Sears, director of

Research Computing Services at Oregon State University’s College

of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. “They’re great for scientific

computing, but they’re too expensive and too specialized.”

In recent years, the clustering technique has emerged as a

viable alternative to the supercomputer. A cluster comprises

several smaller, commodity-based computers that are

networked together to act as a single larger computer. The

advantage is a great price/performance ratio: The cost of several

smaller machines often is cheaper than the price of a single

supercomputer, and the processing capability has the potential

to be nearly equal.

An open-and-shut case for open source

On the other hand, proprietary cluster packages can also require

specialized hardware and software—sometimes forcing users to

pay high dollars and work hard for interoperability. To save the

most dollars on an HPC solution, experts say users should

consider basing it on the Linux® operating system (OS). In fact,

the Aberdeen Group predicts that Linux will dominate about 80

percent of the HPC market within two to three years.1 The hope

is that this open-source, UNIX®-like operating system will finally

address the three critical concerns that have plagued HPC

proponents for years: price, practicality, and performance.

Fireextinguishers

Following the events of September 11, 2001, scientists around the world became

increasingly interested in how to minimize the danger of fires and explosions.

Whether accidental or deliberate, detonations can cause severe structural damage,

as well as human injury or death.

Now, with the help of a Linux-based HPC cluster made up of Dell PowerEdge

servers, researchers at the University of Utah’s Center for the Simulation of

Accidental Fires and Explosions (C-SAFE) study the ways in which unsafe chemical

storage can result in fire disasters. The goal is to help government and corporate

organizations improve handling of hazardous materials so that future accidental

fires and explosions might be prevented.

Linux has found a niche in the world of high-performance computing because its advantages make it a perfect match for anyone wishing to process a massive amount of data.


More power to you [ Cutting Edge ]10-15 HPC 1/28/03 1:40 PM Page 13

Heart at work

Inside the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alabama

at Birmingham, a Linux-based HPC cluster deals with matters of the heart in

the hopes that researchers might better understand the often-fatal complications

of cardiac arrhythmia.

The Linux-based cluster, on Dell PowerEdge servers, provides heavy-duty

processing power for the University’s modeling and mapping projects, which

involve complicated computerized dissections of the heart’s function and

musculature. In addition, the system’s reliability and stability help to simplify main-

tenance and administration—easing the strain on valuable staffing resources

and helping the lab to cut costs.

Indeed, Linux has found a niche in the world of high-

performance computing because its advantages make it a perfect

match for anyone wishing to process a massive amount of data.

Unlike proprietary systems, Linux requires no licensing fees and

organizations can freely distribute it across all servers in a cluster

at no cost. As the trend toward building commodity-off-the-shelf

(COTS) systems increases, the use of a flexible OS such as Linux

is a natural choice for achieving maximum value. Moreover,

availability of support and tools from Linux vendors is also

increasing. For a Linux HPC cluster, available support means

that administration and upgrades—already simple tasks—are

becoming even easier.

“Our Linux-based HPC cluster is so straightforward and has

such simplified maintenance requirements that a local high

school sophomore has installed the operating system and facili-

tates systems management,” says Dr. Andrew Pollard, associate

professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Alabama

at Birmingham.

Linux extends the lifespan of the HPC cluster by making its

components longer lasting, easier to acquire, and, often, reusable.

Because Linux clusters are based on an open-source system, they

do not require proprietary hardware or software. Instead, they can

leverage legacy or commodity-based systems and upgrade by

component as necessary. The overall result is a more practical

solution for research organizations that cannot afford to rebuild

HPC systems repeatedly.

Linux believers also rate the operating system’s performance

as top notch. Its flexibility allows it to interoperate with any

number of components regardless of manufacturer, enabling

organizations to assemble a system that suits their specific

performance needs. Linux also runs on nearly any kind of

processor. For many organizations, these qualities have revealed

a cost-effective combination of processing speed and stability.

Linux clusters in the real world

From universities to laboratories around the globe, researchers use

Linux-based HPC clusters to advance scientific discoveries in many

areas of study. By putting HPC clusters to work in the name of

science, research institutions have turned an old adage on its ear;

knowledge may be power, but in the case of high-performance com-

puting, it seems that power can also be turned into knowledge.

Sources

1 Aberdeen Group. Dell Focuses its Linux Efforts Where Customers See the Most Value. June 2002.

The finalfrontier

Under the expansive Australian sky, scientists at Swinburne University in Victoria

are boldly going where no man has gone before—with the help of a cost-effective,

high-performance cluster. Based on Dell PowerEdge servers running Linux, this

stellar HPC cluster processes data from the Parkes Radio Telescope in an effort to

map new territories in space. Additionally, the HPC cluster uses data from the Mars

Orbital Laser Altimeter to model the surface of Mars for use in educational films.

Swinburne scientists say they are pleased with the cluster’s processing capac-

ity and its price/performance ratio—which they attribute to the use of Linux in

conjunction with standards-based technologies.

[ Cutting Edge ] More power to you


10-15 HPC 1/28/03 1:40 PM Page 14

Climatecontrol

Changes in the atmosphere can affect global warming and weather patterns such

as El Niño, making atmospheric research a relevant field of study to everyone on the

planet. To study this area of science, researchers once required the capacity of an

expensive supercomputer to process continual streams of data.

Today, thanks to a Linux-based HPC cluster running Dell PowerEdge servers,

researchers at Oregon State University’s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric

Sciences have a more cost-effective means of studying the atmosphere. The HPC

cluster at this facility tackles complex research challenges more efficiently, scales to

handle new projects, and eliminates the need for costly regular upgrades.

Linux is a no-cost giveaway that anyone

can download from the Internet. But

there’s more to Linux than its lack of a

price tag. In fact, Linux can play a critical

role in the ultimate performance and

longevity of a cluster network. To make

the most of a Linux HPC deployment,

users need a packaged offering that

includes support from a reliable hard-

ware vendor to ensure speed, scalability,

and ongoing maintenance.

Dell has aligned the strength of its

PowerEdge enterprise servers with

support from Dell Professional Services

and the market-leading commercial

Linux distribution from Red Hat. What’s

more, Dell recently cranked up its HPC

program to enable greater scalability,

optimized performance and connectiv-

ity, as well as remote management

capabilities.


More power to you [ Cutting Edge ]

Good things

come in

packages

10_15_HPC 2/3/03 1:51 PM Page 15


Up to its

16_20_Linux 1/29/03 3:26 PM Page 16


Up to its new devices [ Cutting Edge ]

AS ENTERPRISES GAIN CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF

LINUX TO POWER EDGE-OF-NETWORK FUNCTIONS IN THE

DATA CENTER, THE OS HAS FOUND A NEW ROUTE INTO THE

ENTERPRISE: RIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR

When the Linux® operating system (OS) burst

onto the programming scene in 1991, it

enabled any programmer with an inkling and an

inspiration to tinker with code and mold new

programs. In lieu of purchasing software from a

corporation, programmers could simply download the

free Linux OS. It was a programmer’s dream toy and quickly

developed an underground cult status, the likes of which Star

Trek had never seen.

The transformation of Linux from cult figure to mainstream

technology has happened largely over the last few years. The

open, flexible nature of Linux brings money-saving benefits to

enterprise data centers, and—although it may still be a little

penguin in a big sea—the OS is gaining popularity at a staggering

rate. In fact, Gartner, Inc. predicts that Linux will represent

9 percent of the overall server market in 20031 and that Linux

server hardware revenue will more than double by 2007 to reach

$9 billion. These statistics make Linux one of the fastest growing

server operating systems in the world.2

Linux, best known for its flexibility, is commonly configured

to work as a router, network host, workstation, file server, Web

server, and cluster platform. But many newcomers to Linuxland

don’t realize that the grassroots OS also powers some of the most

innovative electronics on the market. Today, more and more

electronic device vendors are reaching out to business users with

equipment such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and Web

phones that run an embedded version of Linux.

by Sarah Close

new devices

16_20_Linux 1/29/03 3:26 PM Page 17

[ Cutting Edge ] Up to its new devices


The fact that it gives users

an open window to its source code means that Linux

functionality is essentially limitless

Today’s tech-savvy society is in love with gadgets that help

people manage their time more conveniently and effectively and

make luxuries such as home entertainment more mobile. As the

demand for these tools skyrockets, some experts predict that

Linux may acquire its fair share of the business-targeted small-

device market. After all, the benefits of Linux in the data center

suggest that enterprises have a lot to gain from its strategic

advantages, even when they come in bite-size equipment.

The beginning: Linux breaks the ice in the data center

As an open-source system, Linux must be freely accessible with

modifiable source code. Many people focus solely on the concept

of free distribution, believing that Linux is useful only because it

requires no licensing fees. But Linux offers much more; the fact

that it gives users an open window to its source code means that

Linux functionality is essentially limitless. This type of program-

ming freedom—coupled with the no-margin-for-error economy

of the last few years—has attracted the attention of companies

looking to cut costs in the data center.

Programming flexibility also has provided a critical

jumping-off point for what some call the “real” bene-

fits of Linux: interoperability, portability, and

reliability. Because Linux is written to be inher-

ently modular in the C programming language—a

common, system-level language—Linux holds the

potential to run on and with almost any platform.

What’s more, the Linux kernel promotes an

extremely stable environment, operating continuously

for months or years. The result is a system not subject to the

limitations of proprietary manufacturers, but one that users can

customize—sometimes piece by piece—to achieve high perform-

ance and efficiency.

Not surprisingly, these benefits can save companies big

dollars. One online retail giant reported in a 2002 Securities and

Exchange Commission quarterly filing that its recent UNIX®-to-

Linux migration cut company technology expenses by 25 percent.

16_20_Linux 1/29/03 3:27 PM Page 18

Up to its new devices [ Cutting Edge ]

By purchasing a commercial distribution of Linux from

distributors such as Red Hat, enterprises can get more bang for

their buck. They skip the licensing fees and runtime royalties and

often reap the benefits of hardware vendor partnerships. For

example, Dell and Red Hat provide Linux in conjunction with

hardware, support, installation services, and software—features

that have helped to increase Linux implementations by making

the OS more enterprise friendly.

The evolution: Linux puts power in the palm of your hand

The ability of Linux to shrink size without stifling performance

is propelling the OS into the realm of consumer electronics. Many

products synonymous with market ingenuity—including TiVo®

Digital Video Recorder and Sony® PlayStation®—leverage embed-

ded Linux flexibility to enhance user interaction and control.

And developers find newer, hipper applications for Linux

every day. One electronics company, for example, uses Linux

to power a broadband audio system capable of storing digital CDs

and playing personalized Internet radio through a home network

connection. Another company uses embedded Linux in a

cordless Web-enabled super-device that combines

voice communication, Internet access,

e-mail, voice mail, and an address book.

Linux-based devices aren’t only for the home;

in fact, this step in Linux evolution is happening

largely because high-tech devices are becoming

common business gear. As more and more business

users demand devices such as PDAs and smart phones,

developers are discovering that some proprietary systems are

too cumbersome to fit the constraints of those smaller, embed-

ded environments. Linux, on the other hand, is not so demand-

ing of system resources. In fact, its kernel is small enough to fit

on a single floppy disk.

Such flexibility is helping Linux progress in other new

markets. Venture Development Corporation Senior Analyst

Stephen Balacco says that a number of vertical markets other

than consumer electronics—including automotive, information

automation, industrial automation, and telecom/datacom—can

all expect to see “high-growth embedded Linux applications” in

the near future.3

For years, Linux has powered several edge-of-network

tasks in the data center. Now, via small devices, business users

are carrying Linux into the enterprise right through

the front door.

PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDAS)

Although most experts agree that Linux will not

overthrow Symbian, Palm OS®, Microsoft® CE, or

Microsoft Pocket PC—leading operating systems in

the handheld space—supporters of the open-source

system say Linux has earned enough credibility as a

server platform to gain serious contender status in the world of

handhelds. Linux also brings a full-size OS to the table, instead of

the condensed proprietary systems available in other devices.

The result: greater potential for running and interacting with crit-

ical, large-scale office applications.

A number of vendors have already launched Linux-based

PDAs that offer the high processing and memory capacity required

for enterprise applications. Many utilize full-color screens and


developers find newer, hipperapplications for Linux every day

16_20_Linux 1/29/03 3:27 PM Page 19

[ Cutting Edge ] Up to its new devices

slide-out keyboards that eliminate the headache

of writing in PDA-ese. Some Linux-based

PDAs also give users remote access to

corporate e-mail and data in addi-

tion to other wireless modules.

WIRELESS WEB PHONES/PADS

The wireless Web phone/pad (also

known as an Internet appliance tablet)

is another mechanism for remote Internet connectivity.

Harnessing the convenience of a handheld and the power of a

full computer, these devices put total communication functional-

ity at the fingertips. Many Web phone/pad developers favor a

lightweight embedded OS such as Linux over proprietary systems

because it enables greater power in a smaller package—and at a

more attractive price. These devices offer mobility that is espe-

cially useful in vertical markets such as health care, real estate,

and hospitality, where accessibility to full-scale application

power can immediately impact customer service and build

competitive advantage.

POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEMS

Mobile customer service is also critical in retail enterprises,

where the ability to conduct wireless transactions is often

essential to daily business. Some developers now apply the

compact reliability of Linux to portable point-of-sale devices.

Linux now powers some palmtop touch-screen computers to

process credit card payments, print receipts,

scan barcodes, and check inventory.

VISUAL TOOLS

Linux functionality is also emerging as a clear benefit in

visual-intensive business tools. For example, some Web-enabled

security cameras leverage embedded Linux to ensure system reli-

ability in an area where few businesses can afford downtime.

Additionally, Linux is working behind the scenes on some

devices to enable wireless presentation projection.

The future: The little OS grows up

The success of Linux in the server market has proven to devel-

opers and users alike that Linux holds the potential to deliver

tangible cost savings, enhanced flexibility, increased reliability,

and superior performance. Now, as the market for embedded

systems devices grows, Linux shows that it can also shine in

resource-constrained environments. As more enterprises adopt

and extend the Linux platform, embedded systems designers

likely will broaden the scope of available tools and support,

giving enterprises the confidence to take their use of Linux

one step further.

2 0 D E L L I N S I G H T F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3

The birth of an open system

Linus Torvalds didn’t set out to create a tool for the enterprise. His initial efforts at developing an operating system 11 years ago were targeted at mimicking the utility of UNIX on hispersonal computer.

Torvalds knew from his own frustration in workingwith closed environments that, from a computerscience student’s perspective, an operating systemhad to be accessible in order to be truly useful to itsusers. So he created his own open-source systemwith the help of a network of developers around theglobe. The result was called "Linux," and now it isconsidered to be the most widely used UNIX-likeoperating system in the world.

Sources

1 Gartner, Inc., J. Hewitt. Server Market Predictions 2003. November 1, 2002.2 Gartner, Inc., J. Hewitt. Linux Server Applications Today and Tomorrow.

October 3, 2002.3 Venture Development Corporation. Linux’s Future in the Embedded Systems Market.

June 2001.

16_20_Linux 1/29/03 3:27 PM Page 20

ComeTogether,ComeTogether,

[ Cutting Edge ] Come together, right now


22_26_Storage_Consol 1/29/03 3:29 PM Page 22

Companies in the midst of financial

famine should waste no time in

consolidating storage systems, but

experts suggest they don’t stop the

consolidation initiative there

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3 D E L L I N S I G H T 2 3

Right NowRight NowBY SARA RECORD FRINGS

T hese days, IT departments wear very tight belts. According to Gartner,

Inc., enterprises cut IT spending by approximately 7 percent in 2002

and will hold budgets flat in 2003.1 CIOs and CTOs can interpret those statistics to mean they

must produce competitive results without the lush budgets they enjoyed in the late ’90s. Caught

in this cash conundrum, many IT departments are rethinking their forays into distributed comput-

ing and beating a hasty retreat to the safe world of centralized IT. Many companies overwhelmed

by skyrocketing IT expenditures are riding the bandwagon back to simpler times when IT depart-

ments managed fewer “things”—servers, storage servers, applications, and people.

Reconsolidation is a popular trend, especially for servers. But experts

agree that consolidation should be more than a one-time project for a certain type of hardware;

consolidation should be a way of life.


Less is more

Consolidation is all about simplicity, and no area has a more

urgent need for simplicity than storage. After all, the world’s

largest enterprises operate hundreds or thousands of servers and

storage machines, and the amount of data they must process and

store grows exponentially every year.

In the past, companies have attempted to solve the problem

of data influx by adding more and more storage servers—often

using an inefficient direct attached storage (DAS) model. DAS

can create a mess of inefficiency because it entails connecting

each server to its own individual storage box. In simpler terms,

DAS is like carrying 10 suitcases to the airport, each only one-

tenth full. It’s a complete waste of available space and leaves

you tipping far too many skycaps for hauling your mountain

of luggage. (Then consider how much you paid for nine unnec-

essary suitcases.)

The storage snag is similar: More machines require more

people and more time to manage them—an expensive proposi-

tion for any enterprise watching its waistline. That’s why savvy

CIOs turn to storage consolidation.

Saving grace

Although consolidation is surrounded by a lot of hype, the prac-

tice has earned a good reputation. It holds the potential to reduce

costs in several areas of the IT department.

First, enterprises can save money by consolidating many

underutilized storage devices into fewer appliances. Over the life-

time of a consolidated storage system, many companies will real-

ize a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) on storage hardware.


Storage consolidation also helps

companies to leverage their

current investments

Storage consolidation also helps companies to leverage their

current investments because it creates a common storage pool

accessible to every platform used by an enterprise. Literally

hundreds of heterogeneous servers can simultaneously share the

capacity of one or more storage subsystems.

A single centralized management interface for the storage pool

enables each storage administrator to manage many times more

capacity than is possible in a DAS environment. Therefore, consol-

idation can help enterprises reduce staff size, not in a dreaded

“pink slip” way, but in a way that lets companies reallocate

employees to activities that are more profitable than operations

and support. A large tech company, for example, could increase

business agility by redeploying staff to research and development

tasks aimed at putting the company ahead of the competition.

As software requirements and business needs change, consol-

idated storage systems allow companies to transfer excess stor-

age capacity where they need it most. Because capacity can be

allocated to specific servers on an as-needed basis, storage

consolidation architectures can achieve greater capacity utiliza-

tion compared to the amount of utilization commonly achieved

in DAS environments. Plus, consolidated storage systems enable

companies to implement a standardized data backup process

that reduces the risk of lost or mismanaged data. This standard-

ized backup procedure provides valuable disaster recovery capa-

bilities, ensuring that crucial data will not go missing in the

event of a catastrophe.

Finally, fewer storage machines consume less floor space and

electricity—helping to decrease the number of necessary data

centers and taking a healthy bite out of the power bill.

Another interesting outcome of many consolidation projects

is that many organizations generate additional revenue. How? If

because it creates a common

storage pool accessible to

every platform used by an

enterprise.


Come together, right now [ Cutting Edge ]

» Higher price per MB of stored data

» Many points of failure

» Lower disk utilization

» Each unit must be managed individually

» Each unit must be shut down to add capacity

» Each unit is limited to a specific OS

» Tape drive for every DAS unit

» Cost savings

» Increased uptime

» Fewer disks necessary, reduced costs

» Simplified management, greater control

» Enhanced scalability and availability

» Increased flexibility

» Reduces number of tape drives needed

» Lower price per MB of stored data

» No single point of failure

» Higher disk utilization

» Supports network-wide storage management

» Scales to meet increased needs without interrupting operations

» Works in heterogeneous environments

» Shared tape drives

DAS vs.

Potential benefits of consolidated storagePotential benefits of Consolidated StorageConsolidated Storage

a company is more efficient, can scale for greater capacity, and

can provide an improved user experience, then it could process

more transactions at a lower cost, pass on lower costs to its

customers, and increase its customer base—all leading to

increased revenue.2

A tale of two technologies

Storage consolidation typically takes two forms: the storage area

network (SAN) and network attached storage (NAS). In the long

term, NAS and SAN will likely converge, or at the least be less

differentiated. In fact, Gartner forecasts that by 2006, 70 percent

of the worldwide factory revenue for disk storage systems will

be fabric attached storage (FAS).3 SAN and NAS both provide

enterprises with storage systems that are eventually cheaper,

more scalable, and easier to manage than DAS. But digging into

the details reveals that SAN and NAS are quite different and are

suitable for different kinds of consolidation projects.

NAS devices can take the place of network file servers, doling

out files to multiple users simultaneously. A NAS system is rela-

tively inexpensive and easy to install and configure. This model

is basically a DAS replacement that is more efficient and easier

to manage. However, NAS isn’t as scalable as some companies

might like it to be, so it’s not the right type of storage in all parts

of the enterprise.

The goal of a SAN is to offload data from the communications

network in enterprises with very large storage requirements.

Using a Fibre Channel interconnect that allows servers and stor-

age to be located many miles apart, SANs allow enterprises to

centrally manage storage that is physically distributed across

wide geographies. Enterprises can configure SANs to be infinitely

scalable, highly redundant, and fault tolerant.

A NAS implementation is a fairly low-risk project, while

the SAN model is a more sophisticated setup that requires more

up-front effort for a big payback later. But they’re not mutually

exclusive; in fact, some companies discover that they need both.

The Bombay Company, which designs and sells home acces-

sories and furniture through specialty catalogs, the Internet, and

422 retail outlets, recently installed a Dell|EMC SAN. To better

manage corporate data while accommodating future growth,

Bombay also integrated a Dell™ PowerVault™ 755 NAS server

into the SAN. “Integrating NAS on SAN into our storage strat-

egy gives us a central repository for all data and allows us the

flexibility to grow as needed in the future,” says Chris Carroll,

director of infrastructure at Bombay. Carroll says he expects

the SAN will help increase the availability and performance

of applications such as Microsoft® Exchange and Microsoft SQL

Server. “We anticipate that moving our storage from the local

area network to the SAN will reduce traffic on the network,



[ Cutting Edge ] Come together, right now


improve the performance of key applications, and decrease the

time required to back up our critical corporate data.”

A solid game plan

Companies considering storage consolidation should enlist an

experienced vendor to help determine the best plan of action.

Using the Storage Consolidation ROI Analyst Tool, Dell helps

consolidation candidates estimate the financial benefits and

costs of consolidation. Then, through the Infrastructure Consoli-

dation Readiness Assessment program, Dell experts work with

customers to outline the challenges they might face and devise

strategies to overcome potential problems before they arise.

Finally, the Dell|EMC and PowerVault family of products offer

storage equipment—plus comprehensive service and support—

to match any company’s unique needs.

As companies await an economic turnaround, many have

learned that cost-cutting measures such as consolidation might

be the best way to stop flirting with financial disaster. Regardless

of which consolidation project an enterprise tackles first, experts

suggest that execs apply a consolidation philosophy to all parts

of the enterprise, including hardware, software, applications, and

physical data centers. After all, the primary aim of consolidation

is to reduce costs and complexity—a rule of thumb that nearly

any part of the enterprise should take to heart.

Sources

1 Gartner, Inc. Gartner 2002 IT Spending and Staffing Survey Results by B. Gomolski. October 24, 2002.

2 Gartner, Inc. Asia/Pacific: Systems Consolidation, Hype or Reality?by P. Sargeant. September 30, 2002.

3 Gartner, Inc. NAS vs. SAN: Technology Overview by N. Allen, P. Rinnen, and A. Adams. November 13, 2002.

4 Gartner, Inc. Asia/Pacific: Systems Consolidation, Hype or Reality? by P. Sargeant. September 30, 2002.

� Clearly define and enforce standards.

� Designate a project leader or advocate.

� Obtain buy-in from every business unit.

� Work with a leading vendor.

� Hire a skilled IT staff.

� Explore application interoperability.

� Set reasonable expectations.

More than one-third of

consolidation projects over

the next five years will

experience major setbacks

because of poor planning.4

When it comes to preventing

those roadblocks, a little

knowledge goes a long way.


[ Product Showcase ] Dell PowerEdge 600SC and 1600SC

Today’s small businesses seek powerful

servers that can provide the performance,

expandability, and manageability that their

work loads demand, all at an affordable

price point. Dell™ PowerEdge™ 600SC and 1600SC

servers help to deliver these key benefits. Both include

the Dell Server Assistant CD for easy installation and

the Dell OpenManage™ suite of tools for hassle-free

server management. The PowerEdge 600SC and

1600SC help organizations realistically scale comput-

ing needs in accordance with business growth—all

without overloading already-stressed IT budgets.

Management made easyIn small businesses, IT simplicity is of paramount

importance. The Intel� Pentium� 4 processor-based

Dell PowerEdge 600SC packs processing power into a

simple-to-manage package. This server offers excep-

tional value as a file/print server or replacement of a

desktop peer-to-peer network. Its ease of use also

makes the 600SC an ideal server for workgroups or

small branch offices.

• Low implementation and managementcosts. The PowerEdge 600SC is a breeze to setup, run, and troubleshoot. It is an excellent plat-form for organizations that have little or no in-house IT support.

• Expandability. The PowerEdge 600SC isdesigned to grow right along with your business.

• Data protection. The PowerEdge 600SCincludes many high-availability features, helping

businesses to continue operating without inter-ruption after a memory failure.

• Disaster recovery. To protect one of yourcompany’s most valuable assets—your corpo-rate data—simply configure the PowerEdge600SC with the Dell PowerVault™ 100T TR-5tape backup unit. This option is one of themost cost-effective, easy, and affordable waysto help ensure that data is protected.

Room to spareFor organizations of all

sizes running workgroup

applications, the Dell

PowerEdge 1600SC offers

outstanding performance

and availability features in a dual-processor server at

an aggressive price. Based on Intel Xeon™ processors,

the PowerEdge 1600SC offers high-end features such

as U320 hard drives and integrated Gigabit1 network-

ing. It is an ideal solution for companies that need a

file/print server, an e-mail server for approximately 50

users, or for those building a LAN infrastructure. For

larger businesses, the 1600SC is also well suited as a

workgroup application server or for use in remote

office locations. The 1600SC supports high-capacity

tape backup solutions to help ensure that critical

company data is protected.

• Expandability. The PowerEdge 1600SC offersup to six hard drives in hot-plug configurations,providing ample room to expand internal storageup to nearly 1 TB.

• Availability. The PowerEdge 1600SC offersthe optional server availability features thatsmall businesses need to maximize uptime,including hot-plug redundant power supplies,hot-plug hard drives, and even a remote manage-ment card.

• Simplicity. The built-to-order server is easy toorder direct from Dell and easy to manage withthe Dell OpenManage suite of managementtools. All PowerEdge SC servers are backed byDell’s award-winning service and support. Dell’sbroad portfolio of professional services helpsorganizations deploy systems rapidly and main-tain the highest possible levels of system uptime.

For more information:In U.S.: www.dell.com

In Europe: www.euro.dell.com

In Asia: www.dell.com/ap


The power to saveThe Dell PowerEdge 600SC

and 1600SC can deliver

performance, expandability,

availability, and manageability

for value-conscious customers

1 This term indicates compliance with IEEE� standard 802.3ab for GigabitEthernet, and does not connote actual operating speed of 1 Gb/sec. Forhigh-speed transmission, connection to a Gigabit Ethernet server andnetwork infrastructure is required.

28 Server 1/28/03 4:15 PM Page 1


Dell PowerVault 725N, Dell|EMC CX200 and CX400 [ Product Showcase ]

Data storage capacity has become a

major concern for today’s CIOs. Storage unavail-

ability can prevent companies from accessing any kind

of data—payroll, customer records, accounting, e-mail—

making downtime an unacceptable option. As

demands for data storage increase, how can compa-

nies acquire extra capacity without upping the

complexity of management or the size of the IT budget?

Get the answer from DellDell offers a complete line of storage

hardware, software, and services designed to help

companies protect data assets. Dell™ storage prod-

ucts provide simple, cost-effective, and powerful

solutions that can address today’s storage chal-

lenges and help build a foundation of preparedness

for tomorrow.

Take the cake with Dell NASDell network attached storage (NAS) servers offer

consolidated storage that is easy to use and quick to

deploy in a variety of network environments. The Dell

PowerVault™ 725N—recently awarded the Editors’

Choice award by PC Magazine—is Dell’s entry-level

storage server solution that connects directly to a

company’s LAN and delivers full, multiplatform file

sharing to all clients on the LAN. Companies can use

this storage system for backing up

clients and servers, consolidating existing

storage, or adding incremental storage to a

network for use by clients or servers.

Join the RAID paradeFibre Channel products are an excellent choice for

customers who have rigorous demands for hardware

availability, data protection, performance, and scalabil-

ity. Dell|EMC Fibre Channel solutions provide highly

available storage for a variety of workgroup and

midrange enterprise applications. The Dell|EMC part-

nership helps customers benefit from the synergy of

Dell’s award-winning services and EMC’s best practice

methodologies, tools, and customer training programs.

The Dell|EMC CX200 storage array is an entry-level

RAID solution that delivers a feature set typically found

in higher end systems, suitable for both first-time

storage buyers and for users who require workgroup

storage solutions. The Dell|EMC CX200 is capable of

operating as direct attach storage, in a storage area

network (SAN), or attached to a Dell PowerVault NAS

server. The networked configuration helps ensure data

availability and can minimize unplanned downtime.

Companies can meet growing storage demands easily

by hot-adding disk space when necessary.

Move up the line For more demanding environments, the Dell|EMC

CX400 is a versatile, rack-dense, midrange 2 Gbps Fibre

Channel storage system that delivers cost-effective,

continuous availability into business-critical SANs or

direct attach storage applications. Comprehensive

management software enables reliable information

protection and streamlined, efficient management.

Customers can even choose optional backup and

disaster recovery software to take data protection to

a higher level.




Dell PowerVault 725N

Dell|EMC CX200

Dell|EMC CX400

Lost data? Not on our watchScalable storage products

from Dell tuck away data

for safekeeping and give IT

managers the worry-free

nights they deserve

29 Storage 1/28/03 4:17 PM Page 1

[ Product Showcase ] Dell Precision 350, 450, 650

Compute-intensive environments have

complex requirements that demand specific

levels of performance—often found in

high-priced tools. The enhanced line of Intel�

processor-based Dell Precision™ workstations proves

that high performance doesn’t have to break the

bank to deliver targeted flexibility that addresses

specific application needs.

Intensive careThe Dell Precision 650 is a heavy-duty machine. Built

for extremely I/O-intensive capabilities in areas such

as advanced engineering and 3D graphics, this dual-

processor power house boasts an Intel Xeon™ architec-

ture and 533 MHz front-side bus. High-speed

dual-channel DDR 266 MHz SDRAM provides excep-

tional memory, while AGP 8X graphics tackle extreme

design requirements. Internal U320 SCSI storage deliv-

ers up to 584 GB1 of capacity, complete with an inte-

grated RAID-0 controller, which provides disk striping

for enhanced I/O performance. Support for Hyper-

Threading technology brings you the ultimate in multi-

tasking functionality—so performance booms no

matter how many applications you need

to run. Bottom line: The Precision 650 is the tool for

strenuous technical and visual computing.

Goliath, bewareShort on space? Go long on power. The slim Dell

Precision 450 packs a surprising punch. Ideal for

space-constrained workstations where the need for

performance still dominates, this system provides

a blazing dual Intel Xeon processor architecture similar

to that of the Precision 650, but in a compact desktop

chassis. Also, like the Precision 650, this model lever-

ages an easy-access clamshell frame to simplify

administration and upgrades while reducing volume

with the Dell™ QuietCase™ acoustic environment.

On the moneyNeed serious performance for rigorous single-processor

applications—without sacrificing value? Look no further

than the Dell Precision 350. Featuring an Intel

Pentium� 4 processor with speeds up to 3.06 GHz, this

workstation thrives in entry-

level digital design environ-

ments with a price to match.

This system also supports

533 MHz front-side bus and

Hyper-Threading technology,

so performance reigns supreme. Dual-channel PC1066

RDRAM memory provides superior high-speed band-

width to satisfy fundamental requirements and beyond.

The Dell Precision workstation family features

Microsoft� XP Professional software, integrated

Gigabit2 Ethernet for high-speed network connectivity,

and USB 2.0 to support critical bandwidth-intensive

peripherals. Additionally, Dell Precision workstation

users can choose from up to four high-quality

OpenGL™ graphics accelerators, optimized for

entry-level to high-end requirements. All Dell Precision

systems are backed by Dell’s industry-leading

professional services, including three years of on-site,

next-business-day support.3





The newly enhanced

family of Dell Precision

workstations hits the

bull’s-eye on flexibility

and performance

Dell Precision 650

Dell Precision 450

Right on target

Dell Precision 350

1 For hard drives, GB means 1 billion bytes; total accessible capacity variesdepending on operating environment.


3 Service may be provided by a third party. Technician will be dispatched ifnecessary following phone-based troubleshooting. Subject to parts avail-ability, geographical restrictions, and terms of service contract. Servicetiming dependent upon time of day call placed to Dell. U.S. only.

30 Precision 1/28/03 4:18 PM Page 1

Size matters Dell OptiPlex SX260 [ Product Showcase ]

At last, you can reclaim your desktop—in

more ways than one. The new Intel� processor-

based Dell™ OptiPlex™ SX260—the smallest, most flex-

ible computer of its kind in Dell history—not only gives

you more desktop performance for your money, but it

also gives you more desk for your desktop.

Less room, more vroomFirst and foremost, the OptiPlex SX260 gives space-

conscious users a space-savvy desktop solution. Weigh-

ing less than eight pounds, the SX260 is 50 percent

smaller by volume than the existing OptiPlex small

form-factor chassis. Mount it horizontally, vertically,

under your desk, or even behind the optional SX260

flat panel monitor—you choose the orientation that best

suits your requirements. You also choose between Intel

Pentium� 4 and Intel Celeron� processors, with up to

2 GB of shared1 DDR-SDRAM. No matter how you look

at it, the OptiPlex SX260 performs.

Good thingsin a small packageThe system’s small size does not

compromise efficiency. Flexible hardware

options let you leverage legacy or modular compo-

nents for a compact, integrated solution with the possi-

bility of a lower total cost of ownership. For example:

• A hot-swappable media bay accommodates anymodule from Dell Latitude™ notebooks, so you canshare hardware components within your organi-zation to ease administration and cut costs.

• You also can be among the first OptiPlex users toenjoy the storage benefits of the new Dell USBmemory key—a removable device expected tobecome the floppy disk of tomorrow.

• And, if you already have deployed the OptiPlexGX260, share the disk image with the SX260 forhassle-free, lower cost configuration.

Networking flexibility is another bonus. Choose from

the standard integrated Intel PRO/1000 MT Gigabit2

Network Connection or the dressed-down wireless True-

Mobile™ 1180 solution, an 802.11b USB device that

mounts directly to the SX260 chassis.

Other features include:

• Integrated Intel Extreme graphics

• 845 G chipset with ICH4

• USB 2.0 ports, 2 front and 4 rear

• Lockable media bay, internal hard drive door,motherboard access door, and rear I/O

• Integrated ATA/100 with SMART II

• Integrated AC ‘97 Audio with front and rear jacks

• LegacySelect 2.0 and S3/4 Ready

• Microsoft� Windows� XP and Windows 2000

Like any Dell desktop, the

OptiPlex SX260 packs a

punch when it comes to

value. This super-compact

system can deliver all of the

above advantages, plus a

three-year limited warranty3 and next-business-day on-

site service4, for an extremely competitive price. Addi-

tionally, Dell’s world-class support experts can cover all

of your OptiPlex platform needs, from deployment to

management assistance.




The new Dell OptiPlex SX260

provides maximum performance

with minimum real estate

1 Between 32 MB and 64 MB of system memory may be allocated tosupport graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.


3 For a complete copy of our service contracts or limited warranties, pleasesee http://www.dell.com/us/en/gen/services/service_service_plans.htm.

4 Service may be provided by third party. Technician will be dispatched ifnecessary following phone-based troubleshooting. Subject to parts avail-ability, geographical restrictions, and terms of service contract. Servicetiming dependent upon time of day call placed to Dell. U.S. only.


31 Optiplex 1/28/03 4:24 PM Page 1

[ Product Showcase ] Dell Axim X5


How do some handheld devices fit function-

ality into your pocket? Simple—by thinning down

your wallet. Not so with the new Dell™ Axim™ X5.

Representing Dell’s debut in the realm of personal

digital assistants (PDAs), the Axim X5 combines sleek

design and superior features with Dell’s famous low-

cost direct sales model. The result is full-sized applica-

tion performance at a pocket-sized price.

Innovation at handFeaturing indoor/outdoor color display, navigator

button, and scroll dial—all in a stylish yet ergonomic

design—the Axim X5 is definitely good-looking. It also

packs brawn behind the beauty. The Axim X5 boasts

robust functionality, memory, and power for both

personal and business use. The Basic offering

includes the Intel� XScale™ processor at 300 MHz,

along with 32 MB SDRAM and 32 MB Intel

StrataFlash� ROM. Need more capacity? Choose the

Axim X5 Advanced, which sports an Intel XScale 400

MHz processor, 64 MB SDRAM, and 42 MB ROM.

Both versions come equipped with a number of useful

tools for tracking everyday activities, including a

calendar, contact database, and full voice recording

and playback functionality.

In today’s mobile world, however, you need more than

task management capabilities when you leave the

desk behind. You also need remote access to business-

critical data—and with the Axim X5, your important

information is always at hand. Both Basic and

Advanced devices offer the convenience of the

Microsoft� Pocket PC 2002 Premium operating

system, plus pre-installed applications such as Pocket

Word and Pocket Excel. Furthermore, using dual card

slots for Type II CompactFlash™ and Secure

Digital/MMC cards, you can store and upload data,

utilize handheld peripherals, and expand your wireless

connectivity.1 No need to worry about battery life,

either. The Axim X5 battery is removable and recharge-

able. Keep a spare charging in the sleek cradle—

included with the Axim X5 Advanced—and true

mobility is yours.

Palm before the storm? Experts agree: Users will love it, but competitors will

have an axe to grind with the Axim. Not only does Dell

enter the handheld market with an industry-leading

reputation, but the company also leverages its direct

sales model to offer the Axim X5 as one of the

most competitively priced Pocket PC devices on the

market. Both versions feature a standard One-Year, Next-

Business-Day Advanced Exchange service2—proving the

superiority of Dell support once again.

To get your hands on a new Axim X5 today direct

from Dell, visit www.dell.com/axim.

1 Access to the Internet requires purchase of separate Internet accessservice and equipment.

2 Replacement system or replacement part will be dispatched, if necessary,following phone-based troubleshooting, in advance of receipt of returneddefective part or system. Replacements may be refurbished. Defective unitmust be returned. Availability varies. Other conditions apply.

Dell’s first foray into the handheld

space puts superior functionality

within affordable reach

Give them the Axim

32 Axim 1/28/03 4:25 PM Page 32

[ Industry Viewpoint ] Q&A: Open the floodgates

Dell Insight: These days, we hear a lot of talk about “open systems.”What are open systems?Stacey Quandt: The term open systems refers to efforts of the

Open Systems Foundation, now known as The Open Group,

to create an open operating system (OS) environment. The

activities of OSF and the UNIX® vendors that joined it

promoted open systems as an alternative to the alliance

between AT&T and Sun Microsystems to deliver a single

unified UNIX OS. The benefit of the open systems movement

was that a single UNIX vendor no longer could monopolize

UNIX implementations. The disadvantage, of course, is that

vendors developed competing proprietary versions of UNIX.

This situation created a problem for software vendors

because they needed to port applications to each different

UNIX offering. Interoperability often was a problem.

DI: That’s where “open source” enters the picture. Can you explain thedistinction between “open source” and “open system”?SQ: The basic distinction is that open source means that anyone

has access to the source code, whereas an open system does

not provide this level of transparency. For example, the

Linux® operating system allows anyone to view, modify, and

distribute the source code. Users can download the Linux OS

from the Internet or purchase a distribution from Red Hat or

other Linux distribution providers. You also can replicate

Linux across multiple servers at a lower cost than you could

with other environments. Enterprise-class versions of Linux

from Red Hat, Sun, and UnitedLinux narrow the performance

gap between Linux and UNIX. Although an enterprise-class

version of Linux will cost more than a mainstream Linux

distribution, it is coupled with service and support programs.

Another important distinction between “open systems”

and “open source” is licensing. Open-source solutions are

available under a variety of licenses so that anyone can tweak

the source code, whereas providers of open systems do not

offer open-source licenses to access their source code.

DI: Other than up-front cost savings, what potential business benefitscan Linux deliver to enterprises?SQ: The main business benefit of Linux is its ability to reduce

IT costs. Another potential business benefit is that Linux

can deliver up to three to five times the performance of a

UNIX/RISC system at half the cost. The performance and

cost benefits of Linux have made it a volume operating

system second only to Windows on industry-standard Intel®

x86-based servers. In comparison, a UNIX solution is often

more expensive than Linux because it is designed to run

primarily on microprocessor architectures that have high

margins but limited market share. This distinction has

led Linux to become a flexible choice for customers—

critical to its rise as a mainstream OS.

Due to a high degree of interoperability, Linux can succeed

where UNIX has failed. This aspect has driven independent

software vendors (ISVs) to port more applications to Linux. The

advances in compatibility among Linux distribution providers

enable software applications to run on any compliant Linux


Q&AThe last few years have seen a dramatic increase in Linux adoption around the world.

The editors of Dell Insight asked Giga Information Group Analyst Stacey Quandt about

the future of Linux to learn if the coming years will bring an even bigger wave of

progress to this open-source operating system.

Openthe floodgates

34-37 OpenFloodgates 1/29/03 10:38 AM Page 34


Q&A: Open the floodgates [ Industry Viewpoint ]

system, making Linux a flexible tool for IT managers. The flexi-

bility of Linux gives customers the ability to choose among a

variety of hardware vendors, and the multiplicity of Linux

distributions means that users are not locked into buying an OS

from a single provider as they are with Microsoft® Windows.

Like any standard technology, Linux is becoming a commodity.

As this commoditization happens, increased competition

among vendors gives end users the power of choice.

DI: Compared to other operating systems, is the number of mission-critical Linux deployments still relatively low? Is this because concernsstill hinder the advancement of Linux in the enterprise and, if so, whatare vendors doing to address those concerns?SQ: First, some technical issues still hinder the advancement of

Linux in the enterprise. What I mean is that Linux has come

a long way in 10 years of development, but it is still matur-

ing. Linux is certainly a contender in midrange server

deployments and can scale well up to an x86-based 8-way

symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) system, but the Linux

community and industry vendors are working to advance

the performance capabilities of Linux up to a 64-way SMP.

The second issue that hinders the advancement of Linux is

the comfort level of end users. Some UNIX and Windows®

shops remain skeptical of swapping out a legacy system in

favor of Linux or adding Linux as one more operating system

to support. The challenge for some C-level executives is in

understanding the performance capabilities and economic

benefits of Linux. As Linux matures, this perception will

change. Of course, the best way for CIOs and system archi-

tects to overcome their concerns is to benchmark the scalabil-

ity of Linux in a test environment to see that it can support a

number of enterprise workloads.

Linux has crossed the technology adoption chasm in the

context of Web servers—Apache, for example—application

servers, and file and print services deployment. A similar

process for using databases on Linux is underway.

Today, Linux is becoming a core element in both

workload consolidation and support for the distributed

enterprise, and more enterprises are considering a Linux

platform. The availability of Linux service and support from

software and hardware vendors has made Linux a contender

in the enterprise and helps reduce the reluctance of IT deci-

sion makers. Also, benchmark tests such as TPC-C, TPC-H,

SPECweb99, and others can provide convincing arguments

about the capabilities of Linux.

Perhaps the most vital validation of Linux achieving main-

stream acceptance is the number of customer references from

companies such as the FAA, IMAX Corp., Merrill Lynch,

Reuters, Morgan Stanley, China Telecom, Amazon.com,

Stacey Quandt is an industry

analyst focusing on Linux and

open source software. Her

current research topics include

Linux distributions, the Linux

server market, and open source

issues, trends, and best prac-

tices. Stacey has advised many

North American, European, and

Latin American clients on

adopting Linux within their

enterprises and consulted with

companies launching Linux-

based products and services.

Q&

AS

tacey Q

uan

dt


[ Industry Viewpoint ] Q&A: Open the floodgates

Danish National Railway Agency, and many others.

Customers deploy Linux in an effort to reduce IT spending,

leading more executives to investigate the possibility of lever-

aging Linux within their own enterprises.

DI: But Linux isn’t the right cost-cutting measure for every enterprise, right? SQ: That’s absolutely correct. I often hear executives say, “Oh, we

should use Linux because of the cost savings that everyone

else is experiencing.” This perception does not always lead to

the right answer. For example, if users are running applica-

tions on Windows and want to migrate their IT infrastructures

to Linux, that exercise is often non-trivial. This is especially

true if users need to port their own custom in-house applica-

tions from Windows to Linux. The initial pain of migration

can pay off later—especially in the context of server consoli-

dation and associated savings on software licenses.

However, keep in mind that it is often more difficult to

port software from Windows to Linux than from UNIX to

Linux. In fact, a great deal of the cost savings highlighted

today are specific to a UNIX-to-Linux migration. Often, the

most significant savings occur with hardware cost—moving

from a RISC-based to a standards-based x86 Intel architecture.

DI: We have seen some incredible advances for Linux in the enterprise during the last few years. What major changes do you foresee during 2003?SQ: The growing stability of the Linux 2.4 kernel coupled with

high availability, robustness, and reliability will drive more

organizations to evaluate Linux for mission-critical work-

loads. This growing maturity will also lead to more scrutiny

of the comparative features and functions of Linux, UNIX,

and Windows in terms of scalability, systems management,

security, and Web application services. The anticipated

release of the Linux 2.6 kernel in 2003 will enable even

greater levels of scalability and performance. The maturation

of Linux coupled with ongoing Microsoft Windows security

issues will lead users to compare the benefits and disadvan-

tages of open-source and closed-source operating systems.

The momentum behind commodity Linux deployments

is seeping into the telecommunications industry. Telecom-

munications manufacturers are beginning to consider Linux

on Intel processor-based servers as an alternative to a

proprietary OS.

DI: Beyond 2003, where do you see Linux in five years? How deeplywill it penetrate into the enterprise data center?SQ: Since its inception 10 years ago, Linux has matured into a

strategic tool for CTOs, CIOs, and system architects to

reduce IT spending. Within the next five years, we will see

Linux evolve into a core component of enterprise data

centers and support application workloads that are primarily

supported by UNIX today.

Cost constraints and the need to demonstrate return on

investment (ROI) will continue to play a major role over the

next five years as more companies migrate their infrastruc-

tures. Based on server revenues, Linux distribution providers


The growing stability

of the Linux 2.4 kernel

coupled with high

availability, robustness,

and reliability will

drive more organizations

to evaluate Linux for

mission-critical

workloads.



Q&A: Open the floodgates [ Industry Viewpoint ]

accounted for a $1.5 billion market in 2000, a $2.5 billion

market in 2002, and will grow to a $15 billion market by

2007. If current market dynamics do not subside within the

next three years, Linux will emerge as the dominant operating

system based on unit server shipments compared to Windows

and UNIX. In addition, as next-generation hardware supports

up to a 64-way SMP system, the gap between Linux and

UNIX will narrow.

Already, Linux is a contender for database management

system deployment and the Linux platform is an attractive

infrastructure on which to deploy proprietary relational data-

bases. Although enterprises today use Linux to power data-

base programs, they generally do not use Linux for data

warehousing. Data warehousing might be an area of growth

for Linux within the next five years.

Also, Asia Pacific and EMEA very likely will experience a

greater adoption rate of Linux compared to North America.

Currently, Linux adoption is growing exponentially in geogra-

phies such as India, China, and Brazil. Over the next five

years, we expect Linux will overtake Windows in unit server

shipments to those regions.

DI: What about the future of Linux in the high-performance computing(HPC) cluster market segment?SQ: In the HPC cluster segment, Linux already can support

extremely parallel workloads such as reservoir analysis,

aerospace engine design, risk analysis, nuclear simulation,

drug discovery, and crash analysis. Customers can take

advantage of the synergies between the economics of Dell as

a low-cost hardware provider of industry-standard servers

coupled with Linux to support highly parallel systems.

Overall, the growing number of Linux supercomputers is

evidence of a significant shift for both the academic and

commercial communities. Increasingly, users in vertical

market segments such as oil and gas, automotive, life

sciences, research, and financial services are adopting Linux

supercomputers. The implication for Dell is that teraflop-level

Linux machines are becoming the norm, and Linux commod-

ity clusters are redefining high-performance computing. Linux

clusters represent a rapidly evolving market segment, with

further developments anticipated in cluster-based algorithms,

cluster hardware, system configuration, and cluster manage-

ment. Dell’s focus on Linux-powered blade servers is yet

another point in the evolution of supercomputing.

DI: Can you forecast any trends for deploying Linux on the desktop?SQ: Overall, the adoption of the Linux desktop will be

incremental—especially in North America—as a replacement

platform for office productivity applications. China,

Belgium, Peru, Spain, and other countries appear more

willing to embrace a Linux desktop.

Microsoft continues to dominate the office productivity

suite market with approximately 95 percent market share,

according to a recent survey of Giga clients. However,

Microsoft continues to struggle to convince its customers to

upgrade to newer versions of its Office suite. This fact signi-

fies an opportunity for users to consider Linux. A Linux desk-

top is likely to be a realistic alternative within vertical

markets such as government, retail, financial services, and

education. Application segments in which Linux desktops

show promise are point-of-sale systems and call centers.

We might be far from the day when the average consumer

boots up a Linux-based home PC. But the growing maturity of

Linux and its success in existing server implementations

should leave no question that Linux is here to stay and will

only get better with time.

Q&A


[ Inside Track ]


“As you choose whichstorage solutions best

meet your needs,simplicity, value,

and power are key concepts.”

Choose wisely

Networked storage has become the widelyaccepted means to help your organization protectvital information. As you choose which storagesolutions best meet your needs, simplicity, value,and power are key concepts to help guide youthrough the decision-making process.

Simplify your lifeStorage systems that leverage standards-basedplatforms have become a cost-effective, flexibleway to meet the performance and availabilityneeds of today while accommodating growth inthe future. Managing and servicing these systemsmust also be easy, intuitive tasks. Dell offers stor-age management tools that automate the installa-tion and configuration of systems, as well asprovide troubleshooting assistance. These toolsallow you to take a real-time “picture” of your stor-age area network (SAN) and e-mail it directly to aDell™ support member to determine what issuesyou need to resolve.

Inject value into your decisionsAs your business purchases storage systems, valueis of paramount importance. Storage solutions mustoffer the best price/performance ratio for yourcurrent needs, as well as a low-cost and easy wayto add capacity as your storage needs grow. For

example, Dell’s network attached storage (NAS)systems offer a migration path to a SAN if youneed the business continuance and disaster recov-ery capabilities offered by a SAN. Dell can workwith your company to integrate the SAN and NASplatforms so that you can leverage your existingstorage investments to drive down costs and extendthe life of your systems.

Empower your infrastructureStorage systems must have the power to provideconsistent data availability—whether for e-mail,database, file archiving, backup of clients andservers, or temporary spill-over storage. As newtechnology innovations come to market, Dell canoffer your business the advice and support to deter-mine how these architectures can increase thepower of your investments.

While you strive to protect information from lossor disaster, always choose the right storage systemsthat optimize the availability of vital information. AtDell, we strive to create storage systems that allowcompanies to manage network resources withgreater efficiency—and, most important, help lowerthe overall cost of owning one of the most mission-critical systems in your enterprise.

RHONDA GASS

Rhonda Gass is vice president of storage systems development in the Dell Product Group.

As your organization deals with the pressures

of today’s economic realities, the demand for a

reliable, agile technology infrastructure has not

diminished. Information continues to grow at a

phenomenal rate, and you continue to experi-

ence significant challenges in preserving the integrity of your

data, including the demands of employees, customers, and part-

ners to have “always-on” access from any location.

40-42 Inside Track 1/28/03 4:34 PM Page 40

[ Inside Track ]

Averaging 10 percent of the company’s globalrevenues, our region may be smallest in contribu-tion, but consider this: By 2003, APJ is expectedto surpass Europe as the second-largest PC market.By 2005, APJ will be the largest1 PC market in theworld. China and India alone account for nearly 38percent of the world’s population2 and PC penetra-tion rates are as low as 2.7 and 0.73 percentrespectively for these countries. The region clearlyoffers tremendous opportunity to Dell—as long aswe continue to customize our model and solutionsto fit local realities.

Direct customer feedback in Japan has contributedto the launch of innovative, relevant products suchas the Dell™ Dimension™ 4500C, Dell Latitude™ X200,and, most recently, the Dell OptiPlex™ SX260, oursmallest desktop in history for space-conscioususers. Similarly, when faced with the reality ofJapanese consumers’ preference for touching andfeeling products before purchasing them, the localteam launched the “Dell Real Site” program. Today,that program successfully features more than 30display outlets in principal cities, much to ourcustomers’ delight.

To maintain our promise of making businesswith Dell an easy experience, we have also

launched some creative customer-oriented initia-tives in China. Among various payment options,consumers here can, at their convenience, pay ondelivery through handheld terminals with theirbank cards. Or if they prefer, they can pay atselected local banks.

We have found that the best policy is to bedirect—a principle that resonates with customerseverywhere, across nationalities and geographicboundaries. A good case in point is Dell’s HighPerformance Computing Clusters (HPCC) program.Combining a large number of individual standards-based servers to function as a single, extremelypowerful system at a fraction of the cost of tradi-tional proprietary supercomputers, HPCC is increas-ingly winning over some of the region’s reputableinstitutions such as Australia’s Swinburne Univer-sity and the National University of Singapore’sSchool of Computing.

We believe that the best in customization is yetto come. How do we get there? By asking ourcustomers to keep telling us what they want—straight, simple, and direct.

BILL AMELIO

Direct in diversityIf there is one question that is most asked of

Dell in Asia Pacific/Japan (APJ) it is, “How do

you make it all work in this amazingly diverse

region?” People have a healthy curiosity about

how we adapt the Dell direct model for this

region of the world. The answer is simple: We remain attentive

and relevant to customer needs.

Bill Amelio is a Dell senior vice president and the president of Dell Asia-Pacific/Japan.

“The best policy is to be direct–a principle that resonates withcustomers everywhere,across nationalitiesand geographicboundaries.”

1 IDC. Worldwide PC Tracker, 2002 Q2.2 Population Reference Bureau. 2002 World Population Data Sheet. August 2002.3 IDC. Worldwide PC Tracker, 2002 Q2.


40_42_Inside_Track 1/30/03 12:06 PM Page 41

[ Inside Track ]


“Through strategicpartnerships and joint

initiatives, Dellalready is helping

enterprises to harnessthe power of Linux.”

Practical value forpractical times

No doubt, Linux owes part of its success in theenterprise to the rapid advancement of standards-based hardware throughout the IT industry. Contin-ued innovations in such areas as processors,memory, I/O subsystems, and storage, along withthe UNIX� heritage of Linux and the open-sourcelicensing model, provide corporations with acompelling price/performance story.

A major trend in the deployment of Linux withinthe enterprise is its use in powerful hardware-based“scale out” solutions such as clusters. Clustersinclude multiple standards-based servers that areinterconnected with storage systems to provide ahighly available, high-performance solution. Clus-tered systems are now capable of handling complexand mission-critical computing tasks at a fraction ofthe cost of their proprietary counterparts.

When you consider that enterprise IT spending fellin 2002 and is expected to hold flat throughout 2003,the savings reaped by a Linux� migration can translateinto real business value for any organization.

Linux direct from DellIn 1999, Dell brought the direct model to Linuxwhen we began factory installing and shipping Red Hat� Linux on Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers. Four years later, Dell leads the Linux server marketin the United States and ranks number two world-wide. We’ve experienced success with Linuxbecause our strategy is based on the same

principles that guide us in the rest of our business:accelerate the adoption of relevant standards;reduce cost, complexity, and risk for our customers;and decrease time to deployment. Dell is the practi-cal advocate for Linux—delivering real Linux solu-tions to help our customers derive value today.

Through strategic partnerships and joint initia-tives, Dell already is helping enterprises to harnessthe power of Linux. In cooperation with Red Hat,the number one commercial Linux provider, Delloffers a Fast Track program that helps customersquickly deploy Linux and utilize our portfolio of life-cycle services and professional services. Recently,the Dell|EMC partnership began offering PowerPath™

software for Linux to provide full redundancy inLinux-based storage systems—a feature that previ-ously did not exist. Finally, Dell and Oracle worktogether to develop Oracle� Certified Configurationfor Dell solutions, including the Oracle9i™ RealApplication Clusters (RAC) configuration to enhancecluster environments.

Linux has moved into the mainstream and itspractical uses in the enterprise are expandingquickly. At Dell, we will continue to support Linux’sgrowth because it helps us achieve one of our keygoals: to help enterprises realize lower TCO andfaster ROI through investments that drive practicalvalue today.

PETE MOROWSKI

Pete Morowski is vice president of software for the Dell Product Group.

When the Linux operating system (OS) saw its

first commercial implementations a few years

ago, it often supported edge and infrastructure

functions such as Web, file, and print servers.

Today, improved scalability and stability are

helping the OS leap deeper into the enterprise, and IT execs are

welcoming its practicality with open arms.

40-42 Inside Track 1/28/03 4:34 PM Page 42


Roomto Grow

speeds its back-office processes systemon Dell servers

Hilton Hotels Corporation with a massively scalable payroll

based

Known as one of the best brand names

in the world, the Hilton® Hotels

Corporation has a reputation for service.

As they enjoy their stay, guests at Hilton’s

2,000-plus hotels rarely have cause to

notice the small army of employees work-

ing behind the scenes to fulfill their needs.

In turn, the luxury hotel owner and opera-

tor must serve the back-office needs of its

workers—no small task for a company with

tens of thousands of employees. So, when

a 1999 merger more than doubled the size

of the chain’s staff, Hilton began looking

for a king-sized solution to its payroll

computing requirements.

In December 1999, Hilton had just

completed the initial implementation of a

PeopleSoft® payroll solution for Y2K when

the company acquired the Promus Hotels

Corporation. Promus comprised several

well-known hotel chains, including

Doubletree Hotels and Embassy Suites.

Hilton had to incorporate 45,000 Promus®

employees into the payroll system that

handled Hilton’s existing 38,000

U.S. employees.

The first task was to stabilize the exist-

ing infrastructure. The payroll solution that

Hilton had put in place for Y2K included

PeopleSoft 7.5, a Hewlett-Packard® 9000,

and a shared Citrix® server farm. Hilton

had outsourced the PeopleSoft environ-

ment because the company did not have its

own data center. But when Hilton took

over the Promus Hotels Corporation data

center in Memphis, Tennessee, the payroll

processing system was brought in-house.

However, this system was barely sufficient

to meet the needs of the additional

employees to be migrated.

The existing system was a two-tier

environment in which clients communi-

cated directly to a server. This environment

is best for small implementations because

it cannot scale easily without overwhelm-

ing the servers. The inherent lack of scala-

bility was a major problem, prompting

Hilton to move to a Web architecture.

44-45 Hilton 1/28/03 4:41 PM Page 44


Hilton Hotels [ Customer Spotlight ]

Hilton overcomes reservations

Hilton used its desire to move the payroll

system to a Web architecture as a spring-

board to drive a consolidation process.

Like many companies post-merger, Hilton

used a variety of disparate platforms. After

taking stock of the company’s existing

resources, Hilton found that many of its

machines ran Microsoft® SQL Server—a

total of more than 2,000 machines, one in

each of the hotels. These machines ran a

whopping 3,500 batch jobs each day.

Hilton considered both Oracle and

SQL Server for its long-term database

architecture. The SQL Server choice

appealed because Hilton already had

implemented it in many locations. The

company also knew it could expect some

additional cost savings because SQL

Server is a standards-based environment

that runs on standards-based hardware.

The major caveat was that a SQL Server

project had never before been imple-

mented on the immense scale that Hilton

required. After some reassurance by its

partners that the proposed solution

would work, the hotel chain took a leap of

faith and opted for SQL Server.

Dell service and support checks out

After the database architecture selection,

the task was to choose hardware for the

payroll department’s database, proxy,

application, batch, file, and Web servers.

Although Hilton did not have much

experience with Dell™ servers, it already

used Dell laptops and desktops throughout

the company. The company’s satisfaction

with Dell PCs led Hilton to consider Intel®

Pentium® III Xeon™ processor-based Dell

PowerEdge™ servers for its data center.

The hotels now connect to

the Hilton data center via

the company’s WAN. In

the purely Internet-based

architecture, a Dell proxy

server on the front-end

performs load balancing

and then connects to Web

servers. The Web servers

manage the client

components. Requests

and reports are generated on the applica-

tion server layer, and the database server

holds the data.

Dell solution gets four-star rating

Today, Hilton uses its Dell-Intel payroll

system at 400 U.S. hotels to manage

employee benefits, record hours, issue

paychecks, and track training. The new

payroll system became active in May

2002, and within a few short weeks of

implementation, had proven itself reliable

by a lack of outages.

Hilton has achieved its objective of a

real-time, purely Internet-based infrastruc-

ture that does not slow down employees

in its 400 managed U.S. properties. Hilton

now executes transactions in real time

rather than as nightly batches so that its

400 U.S. properties do not have the addi-

tional unnecessary layer of complexity

that coordinated batch jobs would require.

Individual hotels were accustomed to a

degree of autonomy because every Hilton

hotel previously had its own finance and

payroll systems; the new architecture has

retained that flexibility.

In addition to the convenience and

availability of the system, Hilton has

experienced significant performance

improvements and cost reductions.

Industry-standard hardware is more

cost-effective than proprietary

equipment—a cost savings that enabled

Hilton to introduce more computing

power into the payroll system.

By August 2003,

Hilton plans to incor-

porate its finance

department into the

Intel processor-based

Dell PowerEdge

system and use the

database architecture for accounts

payable, accounts receivable, general

ledger, treasury, and other financial tasks.

The $4 billion Hilton Hotels Corporation

—which now enjoys one of the biggest

SQL Server payrolls in existence—will

soon have one of the largest financial

implementations in the world.

» CHALLENGE Secure a reliable, scalable

server platform to support a large and growing

payroll system

» SOLUTION PeopleSoft� Global Payroll

and Microsoft� SQL Server running on Intel�

Pentium� III Xeon™ processor-based Dell™

PowerEdge™ servers

» BENEFIT Increased employee productivity,

faster payroll processing, and extreme

scalability for the future

HILTON HOTELS CORPORATION

C u s t o m e r S p o t l i g h t

Hilton has achieved its objectiveof a real-time, purely Internet-based infrastructure that doesnot slow down employees in its400 managed U.S. properties.

44-45 Hilton 1/28/03 4:41 PM Page 45

IMAX digitally remasters live-action

Hollywood films using Intel processor-

based Dell PowerEdge

servers running Linux, and launches

the project with

the blockbuster Apollo 13


[ Customer Spotlight ] IMAX

46-48 IMAX 1/28/03 4:50 PM Page 46


IMAX [ Customer Spotlight ]

When movies project onto an IMAX®

screen—up to eight stories tall and

170 feet wide—they use stunning 3D

technology to trans-

port audiences to

new worlds. Over

the last three

decades, the giant

and life-like images

projected in IMAX

theaters have enabled more than 700

million viewers to experience Africa

without mosquitoes, Mt. Everest without

frostbite, and great white sharks without

fear. Today, 225 specially designed

IMAX theaters in 30 countries offer The

IMAX Experience®.

As an entertainment company, IMAX

has set out to provide the best entertain-

ment experience available through new

technologies. In the past, films created

specifically for IMAX were shot on special

large-format film that would display on

an IMAX screen. But the latest technology

from IMAX—the IMAX DMR™ (Digital

Re-Mastering) technique—transforms

standard 35 mm feature films into a large-

frame 15/70 format. DMR technology

enables audiences to view Hollywood

blockbusters on a magnitude never

before seen.

Movie magic happens behind the scenes

As IMAX digitizes live-action Hollywood

features, the company needs massive

computer power to crunch through

terabytes of image data. Proprietary IMAX

DMR software mathematically analyzes

each frame of film and extracts the impor-

tant image elements from the original

grainy structures to create larger, pristine

forms of the original images.

State-of-the-art digital image processing

algorithms enhance resolution and reduce

noise, resulting in clearer, sharper images.

The process adjusts and sharpens colors

for the unique characteristics of the

IMAX screen. Then, the remastered film

is transferred onto the world’s largest film

format. IMAX DMR also remasters the

original soundtrack of the film, adding

another important dimension to enhance

and upgrade the original movie sound-

track to IMAX standards. When the

conversion process is complete, a typical

two-hour motion picture can contain a

whopping 7 TB of image data.

Digitizing a single image frame, which

can generate approximately 50 MB of

image data, requires massive data compu-

tation. “One of our greatest challenges

performance“Dell PowerEdge servers

give us tremendous

price/performance

advantages, allowing us

to remaster an entire

feature film in a short

enough time to meet tight

film release schedules.”

» CHALLENGE Implement a computing

architecture to process terabytes of image

data efficiently and cost-effectively

» SOLUTION Intel� Pentium� III

processor-based server farm comprising

Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2550 servers running

the Red Hat� Linux� operating system

» BENEFIT Time and cost savings by digitally

remastering 7 TB of image data in 10 weeks

IMAX


46-48 IMAX 1/28/03 4:50 PM Page 47

[ Customer Spotlight ] IMAX

was to find an efficient computing archi-

tecture for processing such a large amount

of image data at a reasonable cost,” says

Brian J. Bonnick, senior vice president of

technology for IMAX Corporation.

Dell, Intel, and Linux take front-row seats at IMAX

IMAX evaluated proprietary UNIX®-based

servers as well as several Intel® architecture

platforms. “Our software was developed

in-house, and ongoing support is critical.

The IMAX DMR system is critical to our

future business strategy and needs to

remain 100 percent operational 24 hours a

day,” Bonnick says. “We decided that

a distributed render farm based on Intel

Pentium® III processors was the right solu-

tion for this application.”

Once IMAX had selected the Intel

Pentium III as its processor of choice, the

company judged hardware vendors based

on support quality, performance, availabil-

ity, price, warranty, and consistency of

components. These criteria led IMAX to

Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers.

Dell provided IMAX with a range of

evaluation systems for IMAX developers to

conduct benchmark tests. “The ability to

evaluate Dell computers during our initial

testing process was very helpful,” Bonnick

says. “After three months of testing in a real

production environment, Dell PowerEdge

2550* servers proved to be quite reliable

and led to our decision to choose Dell

platforms as our render farm units.”

Dell support for the Linux® operating

system was another appealing factor.

Because most IMAX software is Linux-

and UNIX-based—and because the IMAX

DMR software performs best when running

on Linux—IMAX selected Red Hat® Linux 7.2

as the render farm operating system.

Dell technical advice and support helped

streamline implementation to just six

weeks. “To successfully launch a program

of this complexity, a strong partnership

between client and vendor is a must,”

Bonnick says. “Dell supplying us with

evaluation units was invaluable, as were

the consultation and support.”

The project blasts off with Apollo 13

The Dell-Intel-Linux render farm cranked

through terabytes of data each day for a

record 10 weeks to remaster Academy

Award® winner Apollo 13 to 15/70 film

format. Apollo 13 was the first live-action

Hollywood film remastered by IMAX DMR.

“IMAX DMR technology has the

capacity to process substantially more

data in a shorter period of time,” Bonnick

says. “Dell PowerEdge servers give us

tremendous price/performance advantages

and also support scalability

of our technology. This

enables us to remaster an

entire feature film in a

short enough time to

accommodate tight film

release schedules.”

Reliability gets rave reviews

To meet the exacting requirements of

Hollywood deadlines for film releases,

the IMAX DMR process must operate

flawlessly. “Dell servers have been

exceptionally reliable,” Bonnick says.

“Every PowerEdge 2550 functioned

flawlessly from start to finish during

the entire production of Apollo 13: The

IMAX Experience.”

The success of the distributed

Dell-Intel-Linux architecture has led

the company to deploy additional Dell-

based systems for future applications.

“IMAX will continue to use Dell as

our major supplier of servers and

switches,” Bonnick says. “We hope Dell

continues to develop more powerful,

high-volume, multiprocessor server

solutions and high-performance

storage solutions.”


* Newer models available at www.dell.com

46-48 IMAX 1/28/03 4:50 PM Page 48


The

questFive trillion calculations

of biological research?

It’s all in a moment’s work for

the Dell-Intel-Linux

cluster at the Buffalo Center

of Excellence in Bioinformatics

50-52 SUNYBuffalo.qxd 1/28/03 4:52 PM Page 50


Buffalo Center of Excellence [ Customer Spotlight ]

The mysteries of the human body

have eluded scientists for

centuries. Through the years, scien-

tists have performed research and

developed theories—with the help of

supercomputers—about the human

body and the deadly diseases that

attack our very existence. In some

cases, their research has resulted in

effective treatments and powerful

drugs that have all but annihilated

specific diseases. But the quest for a

cure—or at least some relief—for

threats such as cancer, AIDS, and

Alzheimer’s continues.

Today, researchers and scientists in the

field of bioinformatics focus on identify-

ing, sequencing, and understanding the

human genome—and developing molecu-

lar models of even the tiniest proteins in

biological agents. This analysis requires

high-end computing and visualization

technology to help process resource-

intensive research. Traditionally, the

discipline’s computational needs were

met by expensive supercomputers. In

recent years, however, high-performance

computing (HPC) clusters built with

commodity components have become a

viable alternative, offering a cost-effective

way to obtain massive processing power.

The newly formed Buffalo Center of

Excellence in Bioinformatics at the

University at Buffalo (UB), a campus of

The State University of New York,

combines such high-end technologies as

supercomputing and visualization with

scientific expertise in disciplines such as

genomics, proteomics, and bioimaging.

Faced with the steep costs of supercom-

puters, the center sought a cost-effective

alternative for its new facility. As director

of the Buffalo Center of Excellence in

Bioinformatics, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnick

wanted a fast, reliable, and scalable HPC

cluster to support his research in compu-

tational biology. The cluster would run

proprietary software that performs

protein-folding simulations and calcula-

tions—resulting in a huge amount of data

that required at least 10 TB of storage and

a stable backup solution.

Dell preps aroundthe clock

The importance

of this research

combined with

the need for cost-

effective processing

set the stage for a partnership that included

corporate, government, and non-profit

organizations—all to serve the bioscience

community. Dell provided the computing

powerhouse: a high-performance comput-

ing (HPC) cluster.

Dell faced a tight deadline: It had a little

more than five weeks to build a 2,000-node

Intel® processor-based cluster and a storage

area network (SAN), implement a backup

» CHALLENGE Design and install a large-

scale, high-performance computing (HPC)

cluster for bioinformatics research that requires

trillions of complex calculations per second and

at least 10 TB of storage

» SOLUTION A 2,000-node HPC cluster

comprising Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1650 and

PowerEdge 2650 servers using Intel� Xeon™

and Intel Pentium� processors running the

Red Hat� Linux� operating system; a Dell

storage area network

» BENEFIT High levels of processing power

at a better price/performance compared to

supercomputers; stable backup solution

BUFFALO CENTER OF EXCELLENCE


for a

cure


[ Customer Spotlight ] Buffalo Center of Excellence

solution, and perform acceptance testing.

Dell created two teams that worked on three

shifts. At the Long Island facility, one team

racked and stacked equipment, configured

software, and tested the configurations.

This team then disassembled each rack as

it was completed and shipped the hardware

to the UB location, where the second team

performed final configuration, testing, and

verification of the cluster. Once installed

at UB, the cluster passed all preset accept-

ance tests and goals set forth at the

project’s inception.

Dell servers provide the power to perform

A system of this magnitude requires

maximum computing power in the smallest

form factor possible to conserve space,

power, and ultimately cost. Dell™

PowerEdge™ 1650 servers had the density

required to support this type of system,

allowing 41 dual Intel Pentium® III processor-

based servers to fit in each 42U rack.

Based on Dr. Skolnick’s requirements for a

cost-effective, scalable, and reliable devel-

opment environment, Dell also installed

100 dual Intel Xeon™ processor-based

PowerEdge 2650 servers. All servers run

the Red Hat® Linux® operating system.

Designed for performance and reliabil-

ity, the SAN incorporated ninety 181 GB

Fibre Channel disk drives in a Dell|EMC

FC4700 storage array and eight disk array

enclosures. Two Dell PowerVault™ 136T

tape libraries provided tape backup facili-

ties. All SAN devices connected to two

PowerVault 57F* Fibre Channel switches.

Software enhances cluster manageability

With more than 2,000 pieces of hardware

in the cluster, the bioinformatics center

needed a simple, scalable solution for

monitoring vital statistics and maintaining

the overall health of its investment. To

provide this functionality, the team installed

Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator

and Dell OpenManage IT Assistant. Dell

OpenManage is based on the industry-

standard Simple Network Management

Protocol (SNMP) for seamless integration

into existing enterprise management

platforms.

For backup and recovery, Dell used

a combination of EMC® SnapView™ and

VERITAS NetBackup DataCenter™ software.

Massive processing delivers maximum value

The bioinformatics research performed

by Dr. Skolnick and his team requires

massive computing power, historically the

domain of multimillion-dollar supercom-

puters. Weighing in at 80,000 pounds,

the Intel-based Dell cluster provides the

necessary computing power—more than

5 trillion calculations per second—at a

fraction of the cost.

“Dell’s exceptional price/performance

allowed us to acquire low-cost servers

that will give us extremely high levels of

computing power,” Dr. Skolnick says.

“Deploying industry-standard technology

in the form of a server cluster enables us

to process the massive amount of data

that is critical when doing this type of

research.”

Success is contagious

Based on the success of this cluster, the

Center for Computational Research (CCR)

at UB decided to deploy a 300-node Dell

HPC cluster to assist general UB scientific

research efforts, such as tracking pollu-

tion in the Great Lakes. This cluster—

comprising 300 Dell PowerEdge 2650

servers, each with dual Intel Xeon

processors—has become the highest rank-

ing Dell system on the TOP500 Super-

computers Sites list.1

The new cluster will be a success if it

speeds research by even a fraction of the

time that the 2,000-node cluster has saved.

According to Dr. Skolnick, the amount of

data to be analyzed by the first cluster

would take approximately 2,000 years to

analyze on a single computer with one

processor. By using the cluster, he expects

to complete his initial data analysis in just

six months—a time savings that brings

treatments and cures to diseases such as

cancer, Alzheimer’s, and AIDS that much

more within reach.


“Dell’s exceptional

price/performance

allowed us to acquire

low-cost servers that

will give us extremely

high levels of

computing power.”

* Newer models available at www.dell.com1 www.top500.org


Daiwa Securities gets bullish in its latest investment:

a Dell-Intel-Microsoft distributed computing system and a Dell|EMC storage area network


54-57 Daiwa 1/29/03 9:04 AM Page 54

You have to spend money to make

money—every investor knows that.

The trick, of course, is knowing just how

to spend it. For any firm that wants to be

a serious contender in the fiercely compet-

itive world of financial services, IT must

be at the top of the priority list. Firms

know that IT is an area in which it doesn’t

pay to skimp.

As economic pressures put the squeeze

on budget items across the board, even IT

departments feel the pinch. That’s why

Daiwa Securities SMBC Hong Kong Ltd.

is constantly on the lookout for efficient,

cost-effective technologies to help the firm

keep pace with market requirements and

the demands of the investment community.

Daiwa Securities SMBC is an alliance

between the wholesales division of the

former Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd. and the

Sumitomo Bank, Limited—one of Japan’s

largest and most significant financial

institutions. The firm’s sales and trading

activities include equities and fixed

income securities as well as a full range

of investment banking services such as

mergers and acquisitions, initial public

offerings (IPOs), and structured financing

and underwriting.

“Our business relies heavily on timely

information and analysis,” says Derek Hsu,

vice president of the IT department at

Daiwa. At the same time, Daiwa needs to

keep its total cost of ownership (TCO) as

low as possible while achieving the maxi-

mum return on its IT investments.

Recently, Daiwa decided to install a

distributed computing infrastructure to

replace its specialized proprietary main-

frame system. Maintenance and support

costs for the mainframe network held the

potential to drain Daiwa’s precious IT

budget, and the company felt that it could

cut costs by moving IT operations to cost-

effective, standards-based hardware.

Hardware and software fit the bill

Daiwa Securities set high standards for its

new distributed computing infrastructure.

Hsu authored strict guidelines that named

high return on investment (ROI) and lower

TCO as essential prerequisites for any new

IT venture at Daiwa—especially one so

vital to the firm’s success.

To pass muster, new IT investments

must demonstrate their superiority in a

variety of areas: New systems must incor-

porate the best technology and services

offerings on the market, with an emphasis

on high-performance architecture; vendors

must provide the highest level of 24×7

support obtainable; and the system must

prove its cost-effectiveness by providing

the maximum return for the lowest

lifetime cost.

After a lengthy and thorough evaluation,

Daiwa’s careful scrutiny led to two big

names in the enterprise computing indus-

try. “The Dell-Microsoft combination best

meets our requirements,” Hsu says.

Daiwa tests the waters

Although Daiwa had

used UNIX®-based

applications for its

trading and settlement

functions, the firm

wanted to use a platform based on the

Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating

system for its subsystems and back-end

applications such as database management,

e-mail, accounting, and Web functions.

“Our evaluation provided compelling

results and demonstrated that Windows

2000 was the optimum solution for our

needs,” Hsu says, noting that Microsoft’s

worldwide presence also was a key factor

in this decision.

Database speed was a critical element

of the new system. “Our query for trading-

related subsystems is very complicated,”


Daiwa [ Customer Spotlight ]

» CHALLENGE Create a flexible, cost-effective

IT infrastructure to enhance staff productivity

and facilitate corporate growth

» SOLUTION Distributed computing

environment running Microsoft� Windows�

2000 and Microsoft SQL Server 2000 on

Intel� Pentium� 4 Xeon™ processor-based

Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers, and a Dell | EMC

FC4700 array in a storage area network

» BENEFIT Dramatic productivity gains

from increased speed and customization; greater

power and scalability; increased storage

capacity and expedited backups; superior

pricing and performance

DAIWA


“Reports are generated twice

as fast as before. That is a major

benefit because our business

relies heavily on timely

information and analysis.”

54-57 Daiwa 1/29/03 9:04 AM Page 55

[ Customer Spotlight ] Daiwa

Hsu says. Before making its decision,

Daiwa ran internal benchmarks—one of

which demonstrated that Microsoft SQL

Server 2000 ran twice as fast as its leading

UNIX-based competitor on a similar data-

base structure and hardware configuration.

“We found SQL Server much faster than

other UNIX-based database applications,”

Hsu says. He also observed a quantum

leap in performance from Microsoft SQL

Server 7.0 to SQL Server 2000.

When Hsu was ready to choose a

hardware platform, he was impressed with

Dell™ PowerEdge™ server design and qual-

ity, which he judged as “much better than

the competition.” He especially valued the

chassis design and server architecture,

which optimizes the Intel® processors. “We

have used Dell PCs in the past, but we

have not had much experience with Dell

servers,” Hsu says. “With the launch of its

PowerEdge 4300* server, however, Dell

has achieved remarkable results. We had a

good feeling about Dell servers.”

Compatible technology works as a team

From the very beginning, deployment of

Daiwa’s new infrastructure was a smooth

ride. Hsu attributes the success of the

implementation to the “harmonization”

of Intel processor-based Dell hardware,

Microsoft software, and applications

developed in-house.

Daiwa installed a network of Dell

PowerEdge Web and application servers

running Windows 2000. The application

servers host Microsoft SQL Server,

Microsoft Internet Information Services

(IIS), Microsoft Exchange, and the Daiwa

intranet. These servers also host special-

ized accounting and reporting applications

developed in-house.

A Dell PowerEdge 6400* server with

four Intel Xeon™ processors and 8 GB

of memory functions as the core database

server for the settlement department,

finance department, and the front desk.

A PowerEdge 4600 with two Intel

Pentium® 4 Xeon processors and 4 GB

of memory serves as the corporate intranet

reporting server.

Next stop: storage consolidation

In a market sector as dynamic as financial

services, firms always must be prepared

for continued—and sometimes rapid—

expansion. To support such growth spurts,

Daiwa Securities knew that it needed a

more effective, well-managed centralized

storage and backup system. According to

Hsu, the company’s previous backup

“required two tapes, and even then we did

not have a full image of the operating

system and database.”

Daiwa evaluated various Fibre

Channel-based storage options and

selected the Dell | EMC FC4700 storage

area network (SAN) because of its price,

performance, and protection value when

used in direct attach storage or large SAN

environments. The scalable architecture

and 2 GB Fibre Channel option of the

FC4700 enable quick deployment and


“We have used Dell PCs in the past, but we had

not had much experience with Dell servers.

With the launch of its PowerEdge 4300* server,

however, Dell has achieved remarkable results. We

had a good feeling about Dell servers.”

54-57 Daiwa 1/29/03 9:04 AM Page 56


Daiwa [ Customer Spotlight ]

seamless expansion—from gigabytes to

terabytes—to accommodate unpredictable

storage growth. Comprehensive manage-

ment software helps to facilitate top-notch

information protection and streamlined

administration.

The new SAN has allowed Daiwa to

consolidate its storage and backup

systems, providing a full image of its

entire database on just one tape. “With the

Dell|EMC solution, we will be consolidat-

ing two to three tape backup systems into

one,” Hsu says.

Daiwa takes stock of the results

Using the new system, Daiwa generates

vital business reports much faster than

in the past. “As we deployed Dell and

Microsoft, we immediately achieved

50 percent improvement in response

time,” Hsu says. Daiwa also expects its

Dell|EMC SAN to deliver impressive

performance gains.

The Dell-Microsoft solution has resulted

in lower costs. “Development cost has

been minimized. We are also able to utilize

our human resources more effectively,”

Hsu says. In addition, the new infrastruc-

ture has raised staff productivity because

now users can create and tailor reports to

meet their needs. “Reports are generated

twice as fast as before. That is a major

benefit because our business relies heavily

on timely information and analysis,” Hsu

says. “Users have greater flexibility in

changing parameters

to retrieve and output the

reports they want quickly.”

After the success of the Dell-Intel-

Microsoft implementation, Hsu says

Daiwa may cluster its Dell servers to meet

the company’s expanding database needs

and help enhance disaster recovery.

Immediate results from the Dell solution

have proven to Hsu that Daiwa’s server

investment was sound—a finding that

Hsu expected from the start. “We really

appreciate Dell’s efforts to constantly

improve its server product line,” Hsu

says. “Complemented by a strong storage

portfolio, we are confident of Dell’s

design quality and commitment to the

enterprise. We often

keep abreast of offer-

ings by other vendors

by checking out their

Web sites. So far,

Dell’s design is still

the best.”


54-57 Daiwa 1/29/03 9:04 AM Page 57

[ Customer Spotlight ] Danish National Railway Agency

In Europe, railways are big business.

Every day, European railways allow

people and business freight to traverse the

continent, and the state-owned railway in

Denmark is no exception. After the 1997

breakup of Danske Stats Banen (Danish

State Railway Authority), the government

wanted to establish a new organization

that would open up the Danish railroads to

spirited competition, giving more freight

companies access to the Danish market.

As more and more companies climbed

aboard the Danish railroads, the Railway

Agency discovered that it needed a more

reliable, high-performance IT system to

manage the increased traffic. In addition,

the Railway Agency’s many activities—

managing railroad operations, mainte-

nance, rail capacity, and train-freight

tolls—became more expensive as traffic

grew. Because trains on the Danish

railways must run like clockwork, the

Railway Agency decided to engineer a

cost-effective solution that would keep its

trains running on time.

Laying the tracks for the IT infrastructure

To begin the upgrade, the Railway Agency

decided to replace its traffic planning

system, which required manual coordina-

tion of train times based on data from vari-

ous platforms and operators.

To ensure that employees could keep

the trains in sync, the Railway Agency

chose P_Base, an application that

provides a single point of access for

traffic planning data. Railway coordina-

tion is a complicated production, and

P_Base gives railway employees an

instant, easily accessible overview of the

traffic information they need to fulfill

their roles.

Like airplanes, trains must depart on

time to avoid sending a ripple of disrup-

tions throughout the railway network. But

if the P_Base application were to run on

an unstable platform, Denmark’s trains

could remain stuck in the stations. That’s

why the Danish National Railway Agency

carefully examined its hardware options.


USING A DELL-INTEL-ORACLE SOLUTION, THE

DANISH NATIONAL RAILWAY AGENCY STOPPED

BEING THE LITTLE RAILWAY THAT COULD AND

BECAME THE LITTLE RAILWAY THAT DOES

BACK ON TRACK

58-59 Banestyrelsen 2/4/03 4:39 PM Page 58


Danish National Railway Agency [ Customer Spotlight ]

Climbing aboard with Dell and Oracle

IT Operations Manager Kim Remmer over-

sees the team that runs the day-to-day

system operations for the Danish National

Railway Agency. He explains that the

supplier, WM-data, would only guarantee

the stability of the P_Base application on

certain platforms—including Dell. Remmer

says this requirement was right on track

with the organization’s existing plans.

“We had already decided four to five

years ago to go with Dell as our hardware

supplier. That means we have become

quite competent on Dell systems. Through-

out all these years we have only had good

experiences with Dell, and Dell delivers

professional solutions that yield a high

return on the investment.”

To meet its latest need, the Railway

Agency chose Dell and Oracle and their

partnership platform consisting of Intel®

Pentium® III Xeon™ processor-based Dell™

PowerEdge™ servers and Oracle9i™ Real

Application Clusters (RAC) software.

Backed by this solution, the P_Base appli-

cation provides top reliability and allows

the Railway Agency to standardize its IT

shop on Dell servers and Microsoft®

Windows® operating systems.

The new IT infrastructure consists of

two Intel processor-based Dell PowerEdge

6450* servers running Oracle9i RAC soft-

ware, one 3Com® switch, and a storage area

network (SAN). The SAN uses a Dell|EMC

FC4700 Fibre Channel storage array.

Remmer says the Dell-Intel-Oracle

system has helped the organization move

from an outdated traffic planning system

to a modern system that can grow in the

future. “The cluster solution gives us

various benefits,” Remmer says. “We load

balance between the two servers, which

yields greater stability and scalability. The

system now has two nodes and is scalable

up to four, so there is plenty of room to

grow over the next several years.”

Danish National Railway Agency CIO

Kenneth Lau Rentius says another benefit is

that the costs to purchase and maintain the

solution created an attractive bottom line.

“The combination of Oracle and Dell on

a Windows-based, Intel architecture plat-

form is a supreme solution compared with

many other technical alternatives and has

given us a powerful system with a great

price/performance ratio,” Lau Rentius says.

Dell configured, built, and tested the

solution at the Dell customer center in

Ireland. There, Dell specialists helped

ensure that the system matched the qual-

ity and concise requirements outlined by

the Railway Agency. After that, the instal-

lation at the Danish National Railway

Agency was a smooth ride.

Gaining steam for the future

By providing a secure platform for the

P_Base application, Dell, Intel, and Oracle

have enabled the Danish National Railway

Agency to run an efficient, cost-effective

traffic planning system.

“From this experience, we have learned

that both Dell and Oracle have a good

understanding of our requirements,”

Remmer says. “Our joint effort with these

two companies has run without difficulty.

Oracle assisted us with the final system

configurations. Dell provided us with a

system that was ready to run when it

arrived. As a result, we did not need much

assistance from Dell Copenhagen.”

» CHALLENGE Develop a cost-efficient infra-

structure that provides a complete overview

of data, secure and reliable operations, high

scalability, and 24×7 availability

» SOLUTION Intel� Pentium� III Xeon™

processor-based Dell™ PowerEdge™ 6450

servers, a Dell|EMC FC4700 Fibre Channel

storage array, and Oracle9i™ Real Application

Clusters software

» BENEFIT Reliable traffic planning and

an attractive price/performance ratio

DANISH RAILWAY


“We had already decided four to

five years ago to go with Dell as

our hardware supplier. That

means we have become quite

competent on Dell systems.”


58-59 Banestyrelsen 2/4/03 4:39 PM Page 59


Under lock and key

Dell and VERITAS team up to give customers total solutions

that help keep critical data safe, sound, and simple to manage

60-61 VERITAS 1/28/03 5:02 PM Page 60


Under lock and key [ Partner Profile ]

Since 1989, VERITAS Software Corporation (Nasdaq: VRTS)

has provided businesses with software solutions for data

protection, application availability, and disaster recovery. Given

that most CIOs in today’s data-intensive business environment

feel immense pressure to meet the growing demands of data stor-

age, it’s no wonder that 86 percent of Fortune 500 companies rely

on VERITAS.

It’s also no wonder that Dell has chosen VERITAS as a supplier

of backup solutions to complement its own product line. In fact,

Dell has embedded VERITAS™ technology in its hardware and

resold VERITAS solutions since 1998. Together, the two compa-

nies offer a jointly tested and supported backup strategy for Dell™

customers to protect Dell’s array of systems available, including

desktops, notebooks, workstations, servers, and storage.

A good balance

In such tight economic times, customers need more than reliable

enterprise systems—they need software solutions that help make

hardware systems more manageable. That principle is the essence

of the Dell-VERITAS relationship.

The Dell business model is to sell flexible, standards-based

computers and enterprise solutions directly to customers at a

competitive price. VERITAS solutions complement Dell hardware

by providing the software that helps make data infrastructures

easier to manage. Dell and VERITAS share much more than a

simple reseller relationship; the alliance begins in the product

development stage and extends all the way through the post-

selling process to include customer support—and customers

reap benefits along the way.

COOPERATION AT THE DRAWING BOARD

The Dell-VERITAS alliance begins long before the companies

market joint hardware/software solutions. In fact, they

collaborate closely at the engineering level to ensure that Dell

customers can receive the best possible backup solutions for t

heir systems. Dell and VERITAS pool resources to complete

joint product road mapping, often taking into account valuable

feedback from existing Dell-VERITAS customers.

SYNERGY IN THE FACTORY

By pre-installing VERITAS solutions on new hardware, Dell helps

customers enjoy the cost- and time-saving benefits of its direct model.

To help enterprises maintain an agile IT infrastructure that protects

data around the clock, Dell offers VERITAS solutions that include

a suite of data protection and performance-enhancing applications:

• Comprehensive, interoperable network backup solutions to

protect data on the Microsoft® Windows® operating system

(OS), the UNIX® OS, and the Linux® OS

• IP-based replication and volume management and

multi-OS clusters

• Solutions for data and application availability

• Notebook and desktop client backup solutions for

networked, traveling, and remote users

These solutions meet unique reliability,

performance, manageability, and affordabil-

ity requirements, enabling Dell-VERITAS

customers to achieve the main goal of

nearly any IT department: successfully

doing more with less.

TEAMWORK IN THE FIELD

Dell and VERITAS engage in joint sales calls and team selling

in all regions to deliver solutions that are integrated from

the very beginning. Each company has dedicated resources—

such as sales specialists and enterprise consultants—to help

customers purchase the right solutions for their unique data

needs. Dell and VERITAS also have a cooperative support

agreement for joint customer escalation and resolution, ensuring

that customers receive timely, comprehensive support when

they need it.

The power of joint innovation

The latest cooperative initiative from Dell and VERITAS is to

help enterprises seize the cost-saving potential of a newcomer to

the enterprise IT scene: the Linux OS. VERITAS now develops

many of its main solutions for Linux-based systems, including

VERITAS File System™, VERITAS Volume Manager™, VERITAS

Cluster Server™, and VERITAS NetBackup™. Many customers that

migrate from UNIX to Linux are accustomed to using the VERITAS

Foundation Suite™ product on their UNIX systems, including the

File System and Volume Manager programs. Today, when migra-

tion candidates turn to Dell, they find a complete Dell-VERITAS

solution for smooth Linux backup and replication.

To learn more about how Dell-VERITAS joint solutions can simplify IT management

and administration in your company, visit www.dell.com or www.veritas.com.

60-61 VERITAS 1/28/03 5:02 PM Page 61


News BriefsDell sees record revenue in Q3 2002ROUND ROCK, TEXAS

Customers selected Dell™ standards-based computer products and services inincreasing numbers in the fiscal third quarter of 2002, pushing the company torecord shipments and revenue and a higher rate of profitability.

Dell’s 28 percent year-over-year rise in overall product shipmentscompared with a 2 percent increase for the rest of the industry. Companyserver volumes were 24 percent higher, nearly five times the rate for the restof the industry. Revenue from Dell enterprise products—servers, storagesystems, network switches, and workstations—was up a combined 27 percent.

For the third quarter ended November 1, total revenue was $9.1 billion,up 22 percent from last year in an industry where sales have otherwisebeen flat or down. Dell’s earnings per share reached 21 cents, 31 percenthigher. Company revenue and per-share earnings were consistent withincreased guidance that Dell provided October 1. Dell has met or exceededinitial guidance to investors for seven consecutive quarters.

Dell awarded SAP Pinnacle Awardfor exemplary customer satisfaction, supportBRAY, IRELAND

Companies running SAP� business software solutions have ranked Dellfirst in overall satisfaction and support, according to results of a customersurvey by SAP announced in October 2002.

Dell received the SAP Pinnacle Award for Excellence, a prestigiousaward given to SAP Software and Technology Partners who have excelledin developing the partnership with SAP, and have provided the highest quality products, solutions, and services to joint customers. This recognitionis the result of a survey of SAP customers that ranked Dell ahead of more than 1,000 partners, giving Dell the highest satisfaction marks in all categories.

With thousands of SAP installations globally, Dell helps customersaccelerate and simplify their deployments through its efficient build-to-order process, comprehensive services, and SAP competency centers. Dell established the centers to provide customers access to resources for SAPsolution architecture planning, sizing, implementation guidelines, and best practices to ease in the deployment of SAP solutions on Dell™

PowerEdge™ servers.

Dell ships first in family of server blades

ROUND ROCK, TEXAS

In November 2002, Dell began shipping the Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1655MC, aninnovative server blade that packages the performance of as many as 12Intel� Pentium� III processors with simplified server deployment andmanagement software. The server takes up just 51/4 inches (3U)—reducingcables by up to 80 percent and lowering consumed rack space by nearly 50percent. It is suitable for large server farms, server consolidation projects,thin-client computing, and high-performance computing clusters.

The first in Dell’s broad modular server line, the PowerEdge 1655MCconsists of an enclosure with six dual-processor server blades, SCSI harddisk drives with integrated hardware RAID, hot-plug redundant powersupplies and cooling fans, an integrated management card, and redundantEthernet switches.

The single enclosure lowers hardware expenses associated withcomparable dual-processor, 1U rack servers by up to 30 percent becausecomponents, such as power supplies, cooling fans, management cards, andnetwork switches, are shared across the six server blades.

63-64 NewsBriefs 1/29/03 9:01 AM Page 63

Latin American customers chooseDell|EMC storage systems MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

One year after Dell and EMC announced their strategic relationship, moreLatin American customers are choosing to implement Dell|EMC storagearea network (SAN) systems to meet business-critical information storageneeds. The Dell|EMC systems offer customers low cost of ownership, flex-ibility, service and support, and ease of installation.

In today's economic environment, enterprise customers in Latin Amer-ica are looking for value-added systems that can save them money bymaking it easy to standardize and expand as their businesses do. Some ofthose customers include Mexico-Dinámica S.A. de C.V., Venezuela-PetroleraAmeriven S.A., and Brazil-Rede TV.

U.S. consumers choose Dell as no.1 provider of PCs, serversAUSTIN, TEXAS

Calendar fourth-quarter data from Personal Computer Quarterly Statistics UnitedStates, a report from industry analyst firm Gartner, Inc., indicate that moreconsumers in the United States bought computers from Dell than any otherbrand, making it America’s favorite computer company at home and work.

Dell attributes the milestone to working directly with consumers who preferordering custom-configured computer technology and who enjoy a one-to-onerelationship with a company that understands their unique requirements.

Another report from Gartner—United States Growth Fuels Worldwide ServerMarket Shipments—also showed that more U.S. customers purchase standards-based servers from Dell than from any other company.

Dell and U.S. Marines announcemammoth computer acquisitionsAUSTIN, TEXAS

Dell and the United States Marine Corps announced one of the largest acqui-sitions of computers ever by the Marine Corps, including more than 60,000Dell™ OptiPlex™ desktop and Dell Latitude™ notebook computers. Thesystems are part of the Marine Corps’ Enterprise Sustainment Initiative,announced earlier in 2002.

Many of the Dell Latitude notebooks are planned for use by MarineCorps combat troops, replacing older, outdated systems with some of thelatest portable computer technology available.

The announcement allows the Marine Corps to update its worldwideinformation technology infrastructure prior to the arrival of systems from theNavy/Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) project, while remaining consistent withthe products included in that program. Working in conjunction with EDS, theprime contractor for NMCI, the Marines will be able to integrate systemsdelivered under the Enterprise Sustainment Initiative into the NMCI program.

Dell debuts point-of-sale offering for retail industryROUND ROCK, TEXAS

Dell has formally introduced a standards-based point-of-sale (POS) offeringthat will enable medium-size to large retailers to more economically managetheir businesses. Dell provides technology and services to 19 of the top 20 U.S. retailers.

Dell’s retail program matches industry-leading Dell™ desktops, servers,storage, and networking products and services with leading peripheralsappropriate for each retail customer. A typical Dell POS configurationincludes a Dell OptiPlex™ desktop, a flat panel or CRT display with standardor touch screen, keyboard with programmable keys, barcode scanner, thermal receipt printer, and cash drawer.

For more information please visit www.dell.com.


[ N e w s B r i e f s ]63-64 NewsBriefs 1/29/03 9:01 AM Page 64

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