Dell today announced five new servers designed for small businesses. The company says that these models will perform better, consume less power, and be easier to set up and manage than their predecessors.
The new servers--Dell PowerEdge 1900, 860, 840, SC1430, and SC440--feature dual-core Intel Xeon processors, which allow them to run multiple applications such as file serving, e-mail, and databases.
They also come pre-installed with software like Microsoft Small Business Server R2 and with management tools to simplify their operation and administration, Dell officials said during a conference call.
Dell's site has fact sheets for each server in PDF format.
Small Business Needs It Simple
Because small businesses typically lack the in-house IT resources of larger companies, they prefer hardware that requires minimal tuning and maintenance.
"Small-business owners want affordable technology products that are easy to deploy, manage, and support," said Frank Muehleman, vice president of Dell's U.S. Small Business division.
The 6.2 million small businesses in the United States will spend an estimated $98 billion in IT products and services this year, said Laurie McCabe, an analyst with AMI Research who participated in the call. "They are increasingly relying on IT and the Internet to help them run and manage their businesses," she said.
Megan Duckett, owner of Sew What Inc., a theatrical drapery manufacturer in Los Angeles, beta-tested the PowerEdge 860. She found it to be "impressive in performance" and "very reliable" in supporting her company's network of 11 PCs, she said during the call. She plans to use the 860 to host her company's Web site in house.
Server Details
Available worldwide, the new servers also target remote offices of large companies.
The PowerEdge 1900, a dual-socket tower server, has dual-core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors and is optimized for database, messaging, file and print sharing, and remote location deployments, said Jay Parker, director of Dell's PowerEdge servers. Its price starts at $1399.
Parker described the PowerEdge 840 as a "general-purpose tower server" with Intel Xeon 3000 series processors. It is designed for remote offices, retail stores, and small businesses, and has a base price of $749. The PowerEdge 860 is a 1U (U stands for "rack unit" and is approximately 1.75 inches) rack-mountable server with dual-core Intel Xeon 3000 series processors. With a starting price of $949, it is intended for edge-of-the-network, infrastructure, or Web applications.
The PowerEdge SC440 is an entry-level tower server with dual-core Intel Xeon 3000 series processors. It can be used for file and print sharing in a small-business setting or in a small workgroup, as well as for e-mail, Web, or standard applications. It starts at $599. Finally, the PowerEdge SC1430, priced at $1049 and up, features dual-core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors and is ideal for file and print sharing, e-mail messaging, and small Web server applications.
Every server ships with the Dell Server Assistant, a CD-ROM for setting up and configuring the PowerEdge system components and software.
Dell has been in a slump for some time, with disappointing financial results for the first six months of the year. In addition, it recently had to recall millions of defective laptop batteries because a few were found to overheat and catch fire. And it is being investigated by both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for possible accounting and financial reporting irregularities.
Ad Choices