Dell Delivers New Line of Commercial Desktop Solutions Designed to Simplify, Save

Dell announced a new line of OptiPlex commercial desktops, Flexible Computing Solutions and service offerings designed to reduce costs throughout the desktop lifecycle.

• Four New Platforms, Including Dell’s First Thin Client
• Cut Power Consumption up to 43 percent
• Speed serviceability time by more than 40 Percent Versus Competition
• Service-Ready Desktops - Turn On a Portfolio of Services When Needed

“As the world’s leading supplier of desktops1, Dell understands the importance of simplifying customers’ IT environments and saving them money in every step of the desktop lifecycle,” said Darrel Ward, director, Dell Product Group. “According to Gartner, a locked and well-managed system can be 42 percent less expensive to maintain than an unmanaged one2. With today’s product announcement, we are introducing end-to-end solutions that are more manageable and secure, while also giving customers the flexibility to deploy solutions outside of traditional computing models.”

New Desktops Reduce Acquisition and Management Costs

The new OptiPlex systems feature innovations in serviceability, manageability, security and power consumption to help customers simplify day-to-day operations while reducing operating expenses. The highly configurable OptiPlex portfolio is designed to reduce costs in four key areas:

• Management – remote system maintenance; designed for easy serviceability; Dell ProSupport offerings.
• Security – automated data security with full disk encryption and solid state drives for added data protection on select systems; improved chassis intrusion prevention; Dell Control Point security management, smart card authentication; remote patching and isolation.
• Stability – factory-built, pre-configured and delivered to customer specifications; up to 36-month product lifecycle; global standard platforms available on select systems.
• Environmental Responsibility – energy efficient design; post-consumer recycled plastics on select systems; recyclable packaging; leading power supply efficiency on select systems.

In total, the company is introducing four new platforms – including the flagship OptiPlex 960, the most technologically advanced, secure and durable OptiPlex from Dell. It also delivers the most environmentally responsible features of any commercial desktop from any major vendor. Dell also announced the availability of its first thin client product, the sleek and flexible OptiPlex FX160, as well as the mainstream OptiPlex 760 and essential 360 desktops. Additional details include:

• OptiPlex 960 – enables up to 43 percent less power consumption to reduce energy costs over previous generation of OptiPlex desktops; up to 89 percent recyclable packaging; at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled plastic on small form factor (desktop and mini-tower available in December 2008; an average of 28 percent faster service time than a comparable system from HP and 43 percent from Lenovo; optional QuietKit technology reduces noise by as much as 60 percent6. Available in three chassis styles (mini-tower, desktop and small form factor), the OptiPlex 960 starts at $863.
• OptiPlex 760 – offers mainstream security, productivity and energy efficient features with improved management capabilities; requires an average of 22 percent less time to service than a comparable system from HP and an average of 38 percent less time than a Lenovo. The OptiPlex 760 starts at $593.
• OptiPlex 360 – enables the performance needed to help customers build their business and drive essential office productivity. The OptiPlex 360 starts at $476.
• OptiPlex FX160 – Dell’s first thin client; supports embedded or streamed operating systems for virtual desktop implementations. The FX160 starts at $399.

Providing Choice, Flexibility and Control for Desktop Environments

Dell is expanding its Flexible Computing Solutions (FCS) to include global availability of On-Demand Desktop Streaming and the company’s new Virtual Remote Desktop offering available in the U.S. Dell’s range of Flexible Computing Solutions are network-based and use virtualization computing architectures to give customers unprecedented choice and flexibility, while enabling IT to retain full control of data and application management without sacrificing end-user performance or productivity. Details of Dell’s FCS solutions include:

• On-Demand Desktop Streaming – processing happens on the desktop where data is hosted on a partitioned server in the data center with processing happening on a local client for an uncompromised end user experience.
• Virtual Remote Desktop – datacenter processing and hosted virtual client desktops accessed from a variety of devices and locations.
• Dedicated Remote Workstation – PC-over-IP solution that connects to a Dell Precision R5400 rack-mount workstation in a datacenter for high-performance users in harsh or highly secure environments.

FCS offerings feature engineer-tested and optimized hardware – including desktops, server, storage and networking, in addition to software and support for the complete solution. Dell Services will help customers assess, design, plan and deploy the FCS solutions that meet their specific needs.

Services Designed to Simplify Deployment and Management

Dell also announced new managed services that complement existing factory customization options and have been specifically designed to attack costs throughout the desktop lifecycle.

“With Dell Global Services custom configuration offerings we can ensure that new OptiPlex systems are delivered to customers, where they want them and when they want them with all applications and system software already installed. This can save customers up to 87 percent of their system administrators’ time and eliminate driver or application issues7,” said Raj Kushwaha, vice president, Dell Global Services. “Dell can also remotely manage customers’ desktop systems and we've found that we can resolve more than 90 percent of our customers’ desktop management issues through the cloud with our Managed Desktop Solution.”

Dell’s Remote Management and Personalization services include:

• ImageDirect - customers to securely create, load and manage custom images onto the Dell desktop systems they purchase; it is fully integrated into Dell’s production systems so images are applied during the manufacturing process
• Application Packaging – allows IT departments to efficiently manage, deploy, install and uninstall applications; can significantly reduce portfolio management and application support costs.
• Desktop Manager – automates asset management, software distribution and upgrades, patches and anti-virus and malware updates.
• Software Inventory and Usage – automates applications monitoring and inventories and tracking software usage.
• Back-up and Restore – automates desktop data backup to a secure, offsite datacenter using single instancing and data compression.
• E-mail Management Services – automates e-mail backup and archiving to help prevent downtime, at a fraction of the cost of typical on-premise solutions.
• Crisis Management and Alerting – utilizes automation to provide continuous communication reaching thousands of employees in minutes and keeping them updated during a crisis or disaster.
• Dell Asset Recovery and Recycling Services – recycle systems; recover residual value for customers; dispose of older assets in an environmentally responsible manner.

This broad range of services enables Dell to deliver OptiPlex Desktops that are “service ready” – built to customers’ specifications, installed with all necessary system software and applications, and configured to allow managed services to be switched on as they are needed.

Availability

Dell’s new OptiPlex desktops, Flexible Computing Solutions (Virtual Remote Desktop available in the U.S. only) and ImageDirect, Personalization and Dell Asset Recovery and Recycling services are available globally directly from Dell and through the company’s PartnerDirect channel partners.

Dell’s Managed Desktop top services are available a la carte to companies of all sizes in the U.S. now directly from Dell and through Dell’s PartnerDirect channel partners. They will be available in Europe and Asia next year.

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