Chris Kelly (Dell Technologies).
Dell Technologies is putting partners in the spotlight as it makes its edge operations software platform Dell NativeEdge globally available.
The platform, first revealed during Dell Technologies World this year, aims to simplify how customers deploy, manage and secure their edge infrastructure and applications.
In the lead up to the release, Dell Technologies APJ senior vice president of data centre sales, Chris Kelly said it had been working with its partner ecosystem in understanding what’s important, real challenges they were facing ‘in the field’ and introducing a platform that tries to mitigate the risks and challenges that are inherent in an edge environment.
"Our customers in the region are looking to take advantage of the business opportunity presented by rapidly evolving edge capabilities. They are also aware that as the number of use cases at the edge continue to grow, so do the complexities of edge operations,” Kelly said.
“Dell NativeEdge will enable organisations in APJ to effectively streamline edge deployments and simplify the day-to-day management of a diverse ecosystem of edge technologies.
“The platform provides a more consistent user experience whilst delivering a secure environment that safeguards data at the source.”
Kelly said partners like Canberra’s Infront Systems, have been critical in the process to make sure it was working collaboratively, building the solution right from the ground up, and enabling the ecosystem. In the past two years, Infront has achieved four Dell awards in 2021 for A/NZ Storage Partner of the Year; Innovation Partner of the Year in 2022 for APJ and A/NZ; and 2023 A/NZ Top Performer of the Year.
When deciding on what types of partners to work with Kelly highlighted it was the capability, commitment and expertise to help make this a success.
“We knew Infront had the ability to deliver on the potential of this. Not only the technology, but what we're bringing to market, the promise of this capability and the commitment to see it through,” Kelly said.
Infront managing director, Allan King pointed out the struggle to address its market when it comes to edge solutions highlighting factors such as security and scale as complexity at the edge, requires lots of staff.
“Traditionally, the federal government customers sit behind a firewall and manage multiple edge locations, but business cases are changing, IoT is creating a buzz and we're having conversations around how to simplify and scale the management aspects of edge deployments,” King said. “There was no dedicated focus product in the market that was engineered to address specific customer outcomes.
“Dell NativeEdge solving a number of issues that our customers were specifically trying to address.”
King said it was now looking at a number of use cases and developing those hand-in-hand with customers.
“Having access to the technology and edge devices, we've been able to work very quickly with customers to realise some good outcomes,” he said.
“We like to develop outcomes that are fit for purpose from day one and it's only through this type of investment that we can build rapid adoption and confidence in the products.”
Through the Dell Edge Partner Certification Program, ISVs and other channel partners work directly with Dell engineers in a dedicated lab environment to test and optimise their software before making it available to customers in the Dell NativeEdge application catalogue.
Partners have already begun working with Dell to include their software in the catalogue including Atos with its Business Outcomes-as-a-service solution jointly developed with Dell; Bosch Global Software Technologies with DeviceBridge and Eaton with software from its Brightlayer Data Centre suite.
