ENGINEERING

Customers looking for an affordable, highly available database for Microsoft Windows Server environments now can turn to Dell for tested and validated server, software and storage configurations and comprehensive implementation services. Dell, working with partners Oracle and Microsoft, is helping accelerate customer access to grid computing with an easy-to-use, highly available database solution designed to scale as their business grows. Mid-sized organizations and enterprises can purchase Oracle Database 10g Standard Edition and Oracle Real Application Clusters tested and validated with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition on a two-node Oracle cluster of Dell PowerEdge 2850 servers featuring Intel Xeon processors and Dell/EMC fibre channel storage. "Dell, Oracle and Microsoft have combined efforts to provide customers with a highly available and scalable enterprise solution at a small-business price," said Judy Chavis, Dell's director of business development and global alliances. "These clustered solutions are easy to buy and deploy, and available from one point of contact -- Dell. In addition, Dell Services can simplify, accelerate and optimize the deployment of Oracle and Windows through fixed-scope, fixed-fee offerings." Oracle Database 10g Standard Edition and Oracle Real Application Clusters on Dell servers enables customers to run packaged or custom applications unchanged in a cluster, eliminate underused standby systems costs, reduce unplanned downtime while maximizing hardware use and stability, and improve user service and application availability levels -- all key factors in accelerating customer time-to-value. "Oracle Database 10g on Microsoft Windows and Dell PowerEdge server is another powerful offering of great value from Oracle and Dell that hits the sweet spot of affordability, reliability, and performance for many mid-sized organizations," said Oracle Vice President of Platform Alliances, Judson Althoff. "Dell and Oracle are providing the entry-level building blocks of grid computing infrastructure that will give customers an affordable platform to scale out server and storage resources as their business grows." Dell: One-Stop, Comprehensive Services Dell offers implementation services for system installation and configuration as part of the cluster's package price. Dell's services team will build each system using industry best practices and collaborations with EMC, Intel, Microsoft and Oracle. A key aspect of the solution is comprehensive management through Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g, for monitoring and managing business services and applications deployed on a grid, and EMC Navisphere management tools. Dell will also serve as a single point of contact to address any issues relating to hardware, software and operating systems. System maintenance and monitoring is simple as Dell, Oracle, and Microsoft provide intuitive, standards-based management interfaces. Initial roll-out of the Dell Accelerator services are limited to the United States. "Intel, Dell and Oracle are working together to deliver customers value-driven, standards-based enterprise products, solutions and accelerator services based on Intel Xeon processor technology. The collaboration of these industry-leading companies helps to ensure customers their entire solution stack performs optimally and can scale as their business needs grow," said Neil Blecherman, director of corporate development, Customer Solutions Group, Intel Corporation. "Customers who utilize accelerator services also gain value by capitalizing on best practices from Project MegaGrid -- which includes auto provisioning and scaling of compute resources with great price performance."