Dell PowerEdgeTM 1855 blade servers introduced today combine enterprise-class features with increased density and lower cost than traditional Dell 1U rack servers to deliver an advantaged platform for data center computing.
The blade architecture supports up to 10 servers in a 7U chassis that fits into a standard rack. It is ideal for organizations with data center space and cooling constraints that deploy large-scale Web farms, application servers, and high-performance computing clusters, or as a consolidation platform for customers’ business applications.
Dell’s design addresses specific requirements cited by customers as critical in a transition to blade servers from a 1U rack server:
*Great performance per square foot in the data center: Dell blades provide up to 43 percent greater performance per square foot with up to 62 percent more blade servers than Dell 1U solutions in a 42U rack.
*Server-class features: PowerEdge 1855 servers include the latest advanced technologies available throughout the PowerEdge line of servers.
*Lower acquisition costs: PowerEdge 1855 servers provide an up to 25 percent cost advantage for large deployments versus traditional Dell 1U servers.
*Same software management, better physical management: Dell blade servers are managed by the same OpenManage software as all other PowerEdge servers with new modules to consolidate chassis and blade management functions into a single interface. Physical consolidation of associated rack cables with blades can reduce the number of cables by up to 70 percent.
*Improved Data Center Utilities Cost: The PowerEdge 1855 consumes up to 13 percent less power and generates less heat than Dell 1U servers, helping to reduce operational cost.
*Platform Stability/Investment Protection: Dell’s blade chassis will support multiple generations of its blade servers and is designed to accommodate future processor and I/O technologies like dual-core processors and 10 GB I/O technologies. See www.dell.com/servers for more details.
“Dell consistently delivers enterprise-class products and services that address our needs for performance and low cost,” says Bob Kuntz, VP of Infrastructure for LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. “The launch of the PowerEdge 1855 further strengthens this track record and signals to the marketplace that blades are ready for prime time.”
Comprehensive Services Maximize IT Investments
Dell Services offerings are designed to ensure customers maximize their blade server investment. Customers can choose design and deployment services to ensure optimal implementation of high-density servers or they may begin with Dell’s robust migration and consolidation services to ensure utmost utilization of the PowerEdge 1855 servers’ space-saving and high-performance features. Additionally, to meet diverse customer needs and environments, Dell’s enterprise support services include around-the-clock, rapid, expert support for all production systems. With features like 7×24 4-hour onsite service1 or 2-hour onsite service1 with 6-hours to repair, customers receive the critical support needed to keep production systems up and running.
Jeff Clarke, senior vice president of Dell’s Product Group, said the PowerEdge 1855 can provide both long-term and immediate total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits for customers relative to traditional server form factors.
“Dell has designed its blades to offer the right balance of performance and density at a price point that enables customers to deploy blades cost effectively alongside 1U servers,” Clarke said. “Initial blade investments from Dell are no longer prohibitive and customers will save more with every blade they install — improving their TCO as they scale out.”
A Balanced Blade Architecture Built with Best of Breed Partners
The PowerEdge 1855 incorporates the latest hardware and software technologies from Dell and best of breed industry partners, including:
*Standard, high performance server technologies such as dual Intel Xeon EM64T processors, PCI Express I/O technology, up to 16GB of DDR2 memory, dual integrated NICs, hot plug drives and redundant power and cooling features;
*Enterprise storage options such as two hot plug SCSI hard drives for internal storage and Fibre Channel support for SAN connectivity;
*Full OpenManage 4 systems management software with integrated chassis management and support for remote management with the Dell Remote Access Controller/Modular Chassis (DRAC/MC);
*Support for industry-leading ISVs, such as Microsoft and Altiris for deployment software, F5 for load balancing and VMWare for virtualization solutions; and
*High Performance Ethernet, Fibre Channel and InfiniBand connectivity options from Brocade, Intel, Marvell, QLogic and Topspin.
Pricing and Availability
The PowerEdge 1855 is available immediately. Chassis pricing starts at $2,999 and individual blade servers start at $1,699. A half-populated blade enclosure starts at $11,494 and a fully populated enclosure costs: $19,989. Additional information on the PowerEdge 1855 is available at www.dell.com/servers. Product photography is available at www.dell.com/photos.
