EMC delivers world's first modular high-end storage system.

EMC Corporation has opened a new era of flexibility for customers needing the functionality of EMC Symmetrix high-end integrated systems and the ability to purchase storage in modular increments. With the new, rack-mounted Symmetrix DMX800 system announced recently, EMC is reshaping conventional notions of how high-end storage systems can be purchased and deployed.

The Symmetrix DMX800 system is the modular member of EMC's new Symmetrix DMX series of high-end storage systems, also announced recently (see separate release). The Symmetrix DMX series represents the most significant advancement for high-end storage customers in the last decade. It features the revolutionary new and patented Direct Matrix Architecture, setting a new trajectory for scalability, flexibility, availability, affordability and performance, and serving as the foundation architecture for the future of high-end storage innovation.

For the first time, Symmetrix high-end systems can be installed in non-raised-floor data centers in distributed or centralized locations to support open systems applications and even more of an organization's infrastructure. Customers benefit by touching more of their business with Symmetrix functionality and performance while driving down space, cooling and power requirements and increasing operation and maintenance efficiencies.

Using the Direct Matrix Architecture, the modular Symmetrix DMX800 system ushers 100% of Symmetrix technology performance and software functionality into smaller, more cost-effective increments without requiring costly raised-floor data center environments. For example, a Symmetrix DMX800 system configured with 7.2 usable terabytes offers up to three times higher performance at a list price that is 30% lower than last year's Symmetrix 8530 system with the same capacity.

David Donatelli, EMC Executive Vice President of Storage Platforms Operations, said, "EMC has spent more than a decade defining and fine-tuning high-end storage for the world's largest, most demanding customers. With the Symmetrix DMX800, we've effectively packaged all that experience and Symmetrix value in a rack-mounted, small-footprint system that can be easily scaled as customers' needs change. Customers benefit from all the power of Symmetrix and the ability to purchase only the capacity and supporting infrastructure they need, when they need it."

Jerry Winner, Practice Lead of Storage Services, Novus Consulting, said, "The Symmetrix DMX800 fills a void that other storage vendors are unable to meet with their current offerings. EMC is the first to combine the flexibility of modular storage with all the performance and availability attributes of the high-end, without compromising any of the EMC software functionality we've grown accustomed to. By delivering high-end storage performance and functionality in a modular design, EMC's Symmetrix DMX800 dispels the previous size/performance storage paradigm by delivering a very good product in a small package."

Mike Kahn, Managing Director at The Clipper Group, Inc., said, "The DMX800 modular Symmetrix is among the most intriguing aspects of EMC's impressive new Symmetrix DMX series storage platforms. For the first time, customers have the flexibility to extend high-end solutions outside of the 'glass house' or for high-end use in medium-sized enterprises. With access to EMC's highly successful replication solutions--SRDF and TimeFinder--many new and economical architectural possibilities arise for business continuity and disaster recovery. EMC now offers a very broad line up of storage platforms, permitting the customer to pick the right platforms for the levels of service required."

In addition to delivering the same modular, cost-effective packaging found in EMC's industry-leading mid-tier CLARiiON systems family with the full power of the Symmetrix Direct Matrix Architecture, Symmetrix DMX800 embodies the complete suite of EMC Symmetrix software functionality. For instance, multiple Symmetrix DMX800 systems located across regional data collection points can replicate daily updates back to a headquarters-based data mart housed on a Symmetrix DMX2000 system.

Symmetrix DMX800 systems make it easy for customers to purchase the storage resources they need, when they need them. Customers can implement Symmetrix DMX800 either as primary storage or as an edge device remotely connected into the centralized storage network. The DMX800 system supports from 1.2 to 17.5 terabytes of raw capacity (1 to 15.3 usable), thirty-two 2-gigabit Fibre Channel ports (16 front-end, 16 back-end), and up to 32 gigabytes of global cache.

The Symmetrix DMX series joins the EMC CLARiiON family of mid-tier systems to address a full spectrum of customer storage requirements. By deploying Symmetrix and CLARiiON where appropriate, customers can strategically map varying service levels--such as degree of consolidation and recoverability objectives--to the appropriate applications and information across the enterprise.

While customers continue to benefit from the differentiated value propositions of the Symmetrix and CLARiiON families, EMC is maximizing their investments through common components. EMC is the only storage vendor to use the same physical disk drive from the low end of the mid-tier (CLARiiON CX200) all the way to the highest-end systems (Symmetrix DMX2000). For example, the Symmetrix DMX800 system announced recently uses the same disk array enclosure as the EMC CLARiiON CX600, enabling customers for the first time to convert from a CLARiiON to a Symmetrix by swapping controllers and leaving the disk drives in place.

Through unified management under the EMC ControlCenter family of open management software, pretested EMC E-Lab interoperability with the widest collection of network devices and world-renowned professional services and support, EMC is able to deliver to customers both Symmetrix high-end and CLARiiON mid-tier storage platforms in a fully integrated networked storage environment.

Symmetrix DMX800 systems are available immediately. List prices range from $409,000 to $931,000 and vary based on configuration.