Dell to make cloud computing acquisition
November 2, 2010
Dell is also going to build up a tablet computer product line, spreading out from the 7-inch and 5-inch Streaks launched in September. Michael Dell was speaking at an event in Hong Kong.
Dell lost out to HP in a bidding battle for 3PAR, which HP bought for $2.4bn in September. The InServ storage array from 3PAR had proved to be attractive to cloud computing providers because of its ability to scale, as well as its storage efficiency and highly automated management that integrated well with VMware.
The nearest available storage array competitor to 3PAR is Compellent, but its products do not scale as high up as the 3PAR products, although an enterprise-class product is due. It has been rumoured that Compellent has talked to Qatalyst, the financial institution used by 3PAR in its dealings with Dell and HP.
Of course, cloud computing could mean a networking or software acquisition just as much as a storage one. Watch this space