Dell introduces SC4000 storage SANs for SMBs

Dell plans to bring enterprise-grade data storage capabilities to mid-sized businesses with its latest range of appliances.

The Storage SC4020 is a 2U SAN and capable of powering a variety of workloads, from databases to collaboration tools. The 24-bay appliance will be scalable up to 400TB.

Use cases include the ability to support up to 10,000 Microsoft Exchange 2013 user mailboxes and Dell claims performance maxes out at 120,000 IOPS.

The USP of the SC4000 range is its advanced auto-tiering capabilities, explained Robin Kuepers, EMEA storage marketing director at Dell.

"You want to have critical data on the fastest drives. The SC4000 series allows you to mix hard drives with flash drives, and even when you're using different flash technologies like MLC and SLC, the system detects the best setup," he told IT Pro.

"This allows you to reach performance and price points where you can say from a work-load perspective we can do flash at a price of spinning disk'."

Priced between $25,000 and $50,000, the SC4000 range of appliances is targeting businesses with 100+ employees, which need consolidated storage capabilities. Dell also expects the SC4000 series to appeal to large enterprises with remote offices and public sector organisations such as healthcare and government, which have ever shrinking budgets.

The SC4020 will begin shipping in August. It marks a key-turning point for Dell as it ramps up integration of its Compellent-acquired architecture across its entire portfolio. The firm also plans on simplifying its product naming convention whereby storage products will be grouped under the "Dell Storage" umbrella.

XC range to bring web-scale

Meanwhile, Dell also plans to introduce the XC range. Powered by technology from Nutanix, this converged storage system will provide compute, storage and networking capabilities. The device features web-scale technology - allowing businesses to expand quickly compared to traditional infrastructure.

The Dell XC series will be based on the firm's line of PowerEdge servers and is expected to ship in the second half of the year, with pricing TBC.