What You Missed: Dell Technologies World 2023
And we’re back! Fresh off the Nutanix .NEXT conference, team CDI made their way to Dell Technologies World and took in all of the sights and sounds. Now, we’re ready to recap all of the biggest moments from one of the biggest Tech conferences of the year.
Embracing AI: ChatGPT and Dell Technology World 2023
Have you heard of ChatGPT or Generative AI? Well, if you are reading this and your answer is “no”… I am concerned.
If you know anything about these conferences, you know the planning starts a year in advance. Though the product set might change slightly due to roadmap changes, the content is known well in advance. What I found impressive, was the complete integration of the ChatGPT theme. Kudos to Dell who must have completely changed each General Session to fit the times. This allowed them to stay current and even introduce some campy humor.
Project Helix: Generative AI Solutions
Collaborating with NVIDIA, Dell aims to deliver a full-stack generative AI solution to businesses. This solution simplifies developing and deploying generative AI applications like fraud detection, customer personalization, and product development. You might think we’ve seen this before. But here’s the difference: NVIDIA has opened up its software stack, normally only found on the DGX. Furthermore, a new, complementary services team is in development.
APEX, APEX, APEX
APEX has become the talk of the town, focusing on consumption and OPEX-style services.
- APEX Compute: Dell now offers hosted bare metal servers in a Public Cloud platform
- APEX Data Storage Services: Dell’s APEX Data Storage Services is a cloud-based storage service with pay-as-you-go pricing. Offering a variety of storage services, it’s a flexible, scalable solution for businesses.
- APEX Cloud Platform: The Dell APEX Cloud Platform provides a multitude of services, including compute, storage, networking, and disaster recovery. Ideal for businesses seeking a hybrid or multi-cloud environment.
- APEX PCaaS: Dell APEX PCaaS offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model for PCs, inclusive of hardware, software, and support. It simplifies PC fleet management for businesses.
APEX Navigator
A new addition, APEX Navigator, is a cloud-based project management tool that aids businesses in planning, tracking, and delivering projects more effectively. It includes a wide range of features including project planning, task management, resource management, communication, and reporting.
“What are the features?” you ask…
- Project planning: Project Navigator provides a comprehensive project planning tool that helps businesses define their projects, identify their goals, and create a project schedule
- Task management: Project Navigator helps businesses track their tasks, set deadlines, and assign tasks to team members
Resource management: Project Navigator helps businesses manage their resources, track their time, and create budgets - Communication: Project Navigator provides a central communication hub for businesses to collaborate on projects, share files, and track progress
- Reporting: Project Navigator provides businesses with a variety of reports that can be used to track project progress, identify risks, and measure the success of projects
PowerStore and Data Portability
Continuing the theme of data portability is Dell PowerStore.
PowerStore offers a wide range of data protection features, including snapshots, replication, and disaster recovery. It’s a flexible storage solution that protects data from both on-premises and now the cloud. PowerStore integrates with Datadomain for backing up your system and will be a valuable tool for any business looking to adopt a hybrid or multi-cloud strategy.
Dell NativeEdge
Dell NativeEdge is an edge operation platform that helps businesses manage their edge devices securely and efficiently. It provides a single point of management for edge devices, no matter their location.
Personally, this is one I might really fall in love with. Through all our work at CDI, I deal with a lot of global customers, and standardization and ease of operation is the name of the game. I will be following this closely and my only hope is that it be able to encompass all the integrated appliances I mention below.
Project Fort Zero
Project Fort Zero is a zero-trust security solution. It utilizes security measures like multi-factor authentication and micro-segmentation to create a more secure environment for businesses.
Now, I know you are asking yourself… “well, what does that mean?” And honestly, I don’t know yet.
My best guess is it’s essentially a Dell-published framework with newly-forged partnerships. Think of the vBlock validated design, and apply that concept to security.
New Partnerships
Dell announced several new partnerships that will help deliver its solutions to a wider range of customers and accelerate innovation.
- A partnership with Microsoft to deliver a joint solution for hybrid cloud computing
- A partnership with VMware to deliver a joint solution for software-defined data centers
- A partnership with Red Hat to deliver a joint solution for open-source solutions.
Wrapping Up
As another conference wraps up for 2023, we look forward to what’s coming next.
It felt a little different being in Mandalay Bay, but rumor has it that Dell signed a 10-year contract with the Venetian moving the conference back to the heart of the Vegas strip. I think all attendees will be happy about that.
Several of the announcements made are “projects” that need follow-up, perhaps in a subsequent blog we will provide updates as they become available.
Next, CDI is off to Cisco Live, along with stops to catch all the news from Zscaler and HPE. Keep an eye out for our next “What You Missed” for more updates.