Dell Technologies: Powering the AI Era from the Ground Up
The rapid growth of generative AI and machine learning is driving a new era of digital transformation. Enterprises must reassess how data is stored, accessed, and used to create business value. Dell Technologies Inc. has adapted its product and service portfolio to meet these demands, focusing on power-efficient compute, scalable storage, and secure networking.
Dell’s recent “Is Your IT Infrastructure Ready for the Age of AI?” event emphasized the need for IT leaders to transform their on-premises environments into innovation engines. Rob Strechay, executive analyst for theCUBE, noted that “Dell provides the essential building blocks, all designed from the ground up to support AI workloads.”
Optimized Servers for AI Workloads
Dell’s PowerEdge server lineup is central to its AI infrastructure strategy. Recent enhancements include increased optimization for fine-tuning models and generative AI inferencing, as well as flexible configurations. The company has collaborated with Intel Corp. to integrate Xeon 6 processors and Gaudi 3 accelerators into PowerEdge, improving AI workload efficiencies.
“We’re enabling AI inferencing workloads on Gaudi 3 by enabling API calls directly on PowerEdge infrastructure,” said Rakesh Mehrotra, vice president of strategy, product management, and operations of data center and AI at Intel.
Real-time Insight with OpenManage
As AI workloads scale, tracking performance and managing complex infrastructure becomes crucial. Dell’s OpenManage suite provides real-time telemetry, power and thermal insights, and automation to manage PowerEdge infrastructure. This is particularly important as AI demands increase compute power and energy consumption.
“Customers are now more energy-conscious,” said David Schmidt, senior director, PowerEdge product management at Dell. “They need the ability to measure power consumption and its influencing factors.”
Building Intelligence into PowerStore
Dell has integrated AI and machine learning into its PowerStore storage offering, including Dynamic Node Affinity, which enhances block storage performance in real-time. SmartSupport provides AI-driven analytics for support alerts and performance analyses, predicting and resolving up to 79% of potential issues.
“I call it DNA because there’s a lot of intelligence and logic built into it,” said Jodey Hogeland, PowerStore global evangelist at Dell.
Providing Resilience and Data Protection
Dell’s three-pillar strategy for cyber resilience includes PowerProtect for centralized backup and data protection, threat detection and response through a partnership with CrowdStrike, and recovery with clean data using cyber recovery vaults.
“A lot of this is underpinned by zero-trust principles to reduce the opportunity for people to get into your backup infrastructure,” said Rob Emsley, director of data protection marketing at Dell.
Confidence through Deep Integration
Dell’s ability to provide high-density GPU racks and modular systems helps organizations scale AI workloads while optimizing performance and cost. The company’s focus on hybrid solutions offers maximum flexibility for enterprise customers.
“Dell doesn’t just offer compute; it provides confidence through deep integration between compute, storage, and networking, along with a zero-trust security posture and built-in sustainability features,” Strechay said.
Dell’s innovations are expected to be showcased at Dell Technologies World, reinforcing the message that infrastructure can be an AI differentiator.
