Among the gains with the Dell, Microsoft combo: large e-mail mailboxes that are easier and cheaper to manage; fully met compliance regulations; and, message that are easier to search and recover. Single contact support makes it all happen smoothly. Plus, there is no need for third party solutions.
Nearly two-thirds of the Microsoft Exchange installed base is on Exchange Server 2003 or older versions, says Casey Birch, Exchange Solutions product manager in Dell Products Group. Therefore, conversion rates to Exchange 2010 are likely to be high. On the surface, this appears to be a simple upgrade; but the numerous options available will likely muddy efforts and contort outcomes.
To help guide enterprise customers to the end-goals they seek from Exchange 2010, this week Dell launched two architecture models and new consulting services. An extra bonus: Dell provides a single point of contact to help customers speed deployment of Microsoft’s Exchange Server 2010, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 software portfolio.
This is welcome news to enterprise IT leaders who are stuck between costs and more costs. On the one hand, Microsoft Exchange 2003 is already in extended support, breathing its last, and requiring a hefty fee for support. On the other, migration to Exchange 2010 can be costly too, if the end-goal and the route are not mapped carefully from the beginning.
To Exchange or Not Change
No doubt about it, there is serious money at stake.
However, there are also serious gains to be had with the upgrade to Exchange 2010 and none to be had with staying with the status quo. Among the gains in the plus column: large e-mail mailboxes that are easier and cheaper to manage; fully-met compliance regulations; and message that are easier to search and recover. Plus, there is no need for third party solutions to do any of it.
“Take, for example, compliance issues with e-mail messages archived in third-party solutions that are complex, costly, and difficult to support; plus those on personal folder files, CDs, you name it,” says Birch. “For the administrators and compliance people, these are monsters ready to eat you alive.”
Since these e-mail files exist, companies are legally required to produce them on demand. “It’s hard to get your hands on all of it,” says Birch. “The problem loomed without a real solution until Exchange 2010, which has native features designed to deal with this problem. Dell’s e-mail management services teamed with Microsoft to provide a practical means to move these files to a central archive and to establish rules to prevent this huge compliance problem from continuing or re-occurring.”
The advantages of the Exchange 2010 and Dell e-mail management services combo are multiplied dramatically when you also consider High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) issues. “The combination provides easy search and recovery and is less expensive and less complex than third-party solutions,” says Birch.
Two Models of Success
The advantages are unquestionable; it’s the options between routes to get to those gains that are confusing and potentially costly. To organize the options into manageable categories, Dell created two architecture models: the Agile Consolidated Model and the Simple Distributed Model.
Dell took advantage of its broad server and storage portfolio, internal Microsoft Exchange expertise, and the Exchange 2010 Technology Adoption Program (TAP) to develop these architecture blueprints.
“There are a lot of options in both of these models,” explains Birch. “But, by selecting one of these two distinct categories, you instantly identify the options that are most useful to your specific goals.”
In a nutshell, the Agile Consolidated Model is future-looking and virtualization rich. The Simple Distributed Model is lean and mean. “You can add virtualization to the Simple Distributed Model but it would add few benefits, more complexity, and higher costs,” explains Birch. “If you know you need or will need virtualization, you’re better off with the Agile Consolidated Model.”
Dell defines the two models thusly:
Agile Consolidated Model: This architecture is ideal for customers who are building a dynamic data center through server and storage consolidation and standardization instead of deploying unique and dedicated application infrastructures. In this model, server and storage virtualization play a central role in abstracting customers’ application and operating system from the hardware infrastructure. Dell PowerEdge blade or rack servers paired with EqualLogic PS series or Dell|EMC CX4/AX4 storage area network (SAN) solutions provide the server and storage foundation for this model.
Simple Distributed Model: This architecture provides a server and storage infrastructure optimized and tuned to deploy Exchange 2010 in the simplest, most highly available and cost-effective manner. This model leverages server and storage components in two distinct manners: through the storage dense PowerEdge PowerEdge R510 without any requirement of external storage, or through a standard PowerEdge rack server with direct attached storage device like the Dell PowerVault MD1000.
Consults and Results
Beyond organizing options in Exchange 2010 deployments into workable architectures, Dell formed new consulting services to assist customers in the evaluation, assessment, design, and implementation of upgrades or complete migrations to Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.
The new Dell ProConsult services for Exchange 2010 include:
- Workshop: A roundtable session focused on helping customers understand how Exchange 2010 can benefit their organization, what to consider for enterprise-wide deployment and how to leverage SaaS-delivered services.
- Fast Track: An end-to-end service that includes assessment, design, and validation consulting performed in a phased, uninterrupted approach.
- Assessment: Delivered on-site, the assessment identifies detailed business, technical and operational requirements, and assesses existing IT infrastructure readiness.
- Design: Customers work with Dell experts to design an Exchange Server 2010 solution that can provide exceptional scalability and performance, while providing flexibility in usability and management.
- Implementation and Validation: Helps organizations efficiently and cost-effectively roll a design into production while helping to minimize risk to normal business operations.
Dell support has also evolved: Dell ProSupport services provide full support for both the computer hardware and Exchange Server 2010. By providing a single point of contact, customers can reduce the risk, costs, and time associated with implementing Exchange 2010. An additional bonus: Dell’s standard-based technology platforms are designed to help customers improve flexibility, efficiency, and scalability without promoting vendor lock-in through proprietary solutions.
“Dell ProSupport offers full support of Microsoft as well as Dell products,” says Birch. “One call addresses all.”
