Dell EMC committed to networking, shares product and partnership plans

戴尔EMC拥有该行业最广泛的网络投资组合之一。关于戴尔EMC的方法是独特的，这是它是它自己的技术的混合，以及网络合作伙伴。此外，它还提供传统的硬件产品和仅限软件产品，并支持白盒实施。作为一个行业观察者，我一直被戴尔EMC网络的策略混淆。我知道我并不孤单，因为我谈过的其他网络专业人士呼应了这种情绪。

最近，我有机会与戴尔EMC网络和解决方案高级副总裁兼总经理汤姆伯恩斯谈论该公司的网络组合，并询问他是否可以澄清其中包含的内容。

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The majority of Dell EMC's revenue come from compute infrastructures such as servers and storage. Can you tell me if Dell is committed to networking? If so, why is it important to Dell?

烧伤:A core part of the Dell EMC strategy is to help our customers address the digital transformation that is occurring (the explosion and demand for data), and we do this with several strategic pillars, one of which is the IT transformation.

我们正在帮助客户现代化，自动化和转换其IT基础架构，为其环境提供灵活性和灵活性，并且显然网络在这一转型中发挥着关键作用。我们认为世界正在迁移到软件定义的一切，网络扮演关键部分。戴尔技术的开放网络，NSX和SD-WAN周围的综合资产为全球客户和合作伙伴提供了强烈的区别，结果，网络对戴尔战略性重要。

您如何想到人们想到戴尔网络？创新者？快追随者？价格表现 - 领导者？任何证明要点以支持您的职位？

烧伤：随着我们在开放的策略周围，我们在五年前在市场领导的分解交换，我相信我们是一个创新者和损失。全球企业和服务提供商在全球范围内承认我们的战略的好处，我们看到了我们直流业务增长的结果。我们专注于最适合客户，而不仅仅是最新的速度和饲料。值得注意的是，通过我们在该领域的领导地位，所有其他主要的网络供应商都遵循。

Dell EMC

此外，我们专注于利用我们在计算和储存中的强大立场。我们最近在MX7000发布中宣布了创新解决方案，为面料连接提供了无与伦比的支持;业界首款具有VXRAIL产品的超融合基础设施（HCI）的第一个面料自动化;并为我们的存储和数据保护组合提供嵌入式交换功能。我们在戴尔EMC与我们的团队合作，我们正在创建CI，HCI和传统的领先的端到端解决方案。

您可以提供投资组合的高级概述吗？我知道这是非常广泛的，我相信大多数网络经理都不知道解决方案的广度。

烧伤:Dell has a complete portfolio of both DC and campus switches, ranging from 1GB to 100GB of bandwidth. Our DC products, primarily our S and Z series fixed formed factor switches, provide excellent products for spine-and-leaf architectures of 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100G with multiple options around number of ports. (See illustration bellow.)

Dell EMC

In addition, we recently introduced a new set of blade networking products in support of our MX7000 next-generation modular compute platform. From a campus perspective, we have our N series portfolio and OEM relationships with both Aerohive and Ruckus(now owned by ARRIS)无线。这是戴尔EMC产品组。在Dell Technologies的家庭内，我们还提供来自NSX和SD-WAN周围VMware（以前的Velocloud）的VMware的多种产品。

当您描述投资组合时，它似乎是戴尔基础设施和伙伴关系的混合袋。为什么戴尔就此策略了？

烧伤:We partner in just a few areas:

在提供超出我们自己的OS10之外的网络软件的领域，这是我们的网络策略的核心，周围的分解和向客户选择与他们锁定到专有堆栈中。这些是大开关，积云，IP输液和纬度网络等合作伙伴。

Another area is in wireless, where we have OEM relationships with Aerohive and Ruckus. These partnerships again were strategically driven vs. our own IP to provide customers with choice and alternatives. Dell EMC is well positioned for next-generation campus networking through the unique combination of Dell Networking campus switching hardware and a choice of cloud-managed, controller-based and controller-less wireless architectures for the modern enterprise.

最终区域将在网络安全领域。我们与SonicWall和Palo Alto网络有很强的伙伴关系。

投资组合的几个部分仅是软件 - 积云，BigSwitch，开放式等。这可能表明硬件不再重要。你同意这个吗？不同意？

烧伤：绝对不同意。虽然软件定义的环境允许更灵活地配置，监控和虚拟化网络，但很多智能和服务质量来自硬件。这些软件供应商各自提供独特的NOS（网络操作系统），适用于某些使用情况或客户环境，必须具有高质量的硬件的适当支持。

此外，我们在网站网络中看到了商品硅生态系统的显着增长。具有前所未有的选择水平，我们的硬件团队不断评估这种景观来为客户定义最佳路线图。

超越商人硅，我们看到许多客户对安全供应链的兴趣表达兴趣。即使两个开关看起来类似于设计的角度，它们也来自不同的供应链。在戴尔EMC，我们始终考虑一块硬件背后的供应链作为硬件本身。

为什么OS10为戴尔这样一个重要版本？

烧伤：OS10是我们的下一代No，为客户提供硬件和软件之间的完整堆栈。它由两个关键组成部分组成：OS10基础，这是我们在Linux基础中通过OPX的开放源社区所促进的，而OS10 Enterprise Edition将基数与完整的传统协议和功能汇集。

OS10是一个完全分类的网络操作系统，使我们的客户选择网络堆栈。它是基于开放的Linux和网络协议栈，通过开关抽象接口（SAI）开发，可通过完全编程和开放接口启用系统创新和Devops Ready Solutions。

Dell positions itself as an open networking vendor. Almost every vendor claims this, though. What is Dell's position on being open?

烧伤:Open means offering choice and flexibility. Open means making real contributions to open source and endorsing the approach to our partners and customers. Name another vendor that supports not only its own NOS, but those of three or more other partners. This supportability is important and differentiated — no one does this other than Dell EMC. Name others that have made significant open source contributions to the Linux Foundation and to the OCP (Open Compute Project). While all have followed with supporting disaggregated hardware and software, few have changed their DC strategy to lead with open networking.

当网络经理正在寻找开放解决方案时，他们应该寻找什么？他们应该问供应商应该是什么关键问题？

烧伤：客户应该问自己的问题：

他们如何让我的网络更像是我的计算或越来越多的存储环境。如何通过使用常用工具进行配置，监控和管理来删除复杂性？供应商试图帮助我让事情更简单，还是继续推动专有的架构进入我的基础架构？

然后他们可以问供应商：

1. 您可以在全球范围内支持硬件和第三方软件吗？
2. 您的硬件是否支持多个叠加？
3. 您的解决方案是否创造了更大的灵活性和帮助驱动器运营成本与我们在网络上保持“现状”？

在路线图上令人兴奋的东西可以分享？

烧伤：我们已经开发出了很多令人兴奋的事情，并开始今年向我们的客户提供交付。在过去的几个季度，我们在新的平台和新的软件功能和支持中推出了几种新产品和解决方案：

1. We recently announced Dell EMC Networking SmartFabric Services for VxRail deployments, automating up to 98 percent of the network configuration steps for VxRail hyper-converged environments.
2. 我们还宣布了我们最新的25Gbe启用的S5200 - 位于顶部的交换机上，以帮助客户现代化，满足虚拟化，云计算，大数据和物联网不断增长的网络需求。
3. Last quarter we announced our new Z9264F-ON 100GbE platform, delivering open networking in a high-performance, high-density switch.
4. 我们还推出了一系列新的产品系列 - 虚拟边缘平台（VEP）。我们在SD-WAN和其他虚拟化网络功能上看到巨大的增长，以在UCPE（通用CPE）平台上运行。我们的VEP投资组合旨在明确参与这个市场。

But as we look ahead to next year and beyond, there are several things that we’re doing to enable better business outcomes for customers through our open, standards-based approach to network disaggregation across a wide variety of environments and use cases. You’ll see us grow our support of open-source technologies, including Linux Foundation OPX and Microsoft SONiC. You’ll see our collaboration with VMware continue to evolve as part of a Dell Technologies-wide approach to enabling digital an IT transformation. And you’ll see us working closely across Dell EMC to deliver the fabric that ties our entire solutions portfolio together.

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最终注意事项：I went into the meeting with Tom Burns with the intention of recommending that Dell EMC consider selling the networking business, as the approach seemed somewhat ad hoc. The interview with Mr. Burns brought some clarity to it, and I believe the strategy is both clear and differentiated. However, I think the diversity of its portfolio can also hold customers back from deploying because it may not be obvious to many network engineers when a pure software product is better than an integrated one or what Aerohive’s strengths are over Ruckus or vice versa.

戴尔EMC有一个很好的机会，建立自己作为一个主要的网络力量，但它需要投资营销和服务，以帮助客户充分利用广泛的投资组合。