Dell Expands Networking Portfolio to Accelerate Productivity and Performance for Enterprise Campus and Small Business Core Networks

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept 10, 2012 – Dell today announced the Dell PowerConnect 8100 managed 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch family offering customers building blocks to deploy applications quickly, scale operations and reduce costs. The new additions to the PowerConnect family are high-density, high-performance switch solutions designed to streamline deployments for enterprise campus and small core, mid-market network infrastructures.

With the rapid growth of rich media, communications and heavy business workloads, campus and small business networks are under increased pressure to improve productivity, maximize efficiency and simplify management. Dell designed the new PowerConnect 8100 Series to meet customer demand for networking solutions that deliver a combination of scalability, performance, operational simplicity, and cost-effectiveness in 24/7 operations.

Built for today’s enterprise
Customers can replace older core and aggregation layers with scalable, higher-density solutions for the flexibility to step up to 10GbE and 40GbE infrastructures. The new switches enable a complete end-to-end 10GbE solution, featuring Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers with 10GbE onboard, as well as Dell EqualLogic and Dell Compellent 10GbE storage arrays. Key functionality includes:

• Network performance: The 8100 delivers line-rate, low-latency 10GbE performance and up to four 40GbE ports. The switches are optimized for video conferencing, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), and unified communications and collaboration (UCC) for mid-market unified campus aggregation.
• Scalable Density: Up to six switches can be stacked and managed simply, enabling businesses to quickly add capacity while delivering a reliable infrastructure that just works.
• Efficient operation: The 8100 series simplifies integration for mid-size storage area networks with iSCSI traffic flow optimization and automated configuration with Dell EqualLogic storage arrays while enabling loss-less data operations across converged (DCB) networks

Campus and small business efficiencies help reduce TCO
The PowerConnect 8100 Series builds on Dell’s Virtual Networking Architecture (VNA) delivering an open networking framework for efficient IT infrastructure and workload intelligence, backed by technology, solutions and products for data centers and campus environments. Customers can increase cost-effectiveness of their operations through:

• Platform Choice: Four models for flexible deployment: available in 24 and 48 ports, in dedicated RJ-45 or fiber models, with expandable options, including 40GbE capable QSFP+ ports. Choices enable customers to expand their infrastructure as business needs grow.
• Ease of deployment: Dell’s ReadyRails tool-less installation enables set up right out of the box in a matter of minutes rather than hours. USB Rapid Deployment ports eliminate the need to manually configure or update each switch, helping save customers’ time and money.
• Energy efficiency: Designed with Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) (802.3az) to intelligently manage power usage, reducing per port power consumption for idle or inactive ports and helping deliver OPEX savings.
• Comprehensive management and support: Simplify management with Dell OpenManage Network Manager 5.2 to rapidly manage and configure switches, while backed by Dell’s strong warranty, services and support for Dell Networking products.