Enable efficient data protection and simplify management with Dell EqualLogic Host Integration Tools

Ed. Note: This post was authored by Nicole Werts, Dell Storage Product Marketing

I have been planning a trip to Ireland to celebrate my stepfather’s 80th birthday. Naturally, this requires a lot of decision making. For example, what landmarks should we visit during our 10-day journey? And should we choose a pre-packaged tour, or do everything a la carte? Considering our budget and my limited knowledge of Ireland, I am leaning towards an all-inclusive package. 

This example brings to mind how the all-inclusive EqualLogic model is also a simple solution for IT administrators who face a similar conundrum as they set up their data center. Customers support a variety of environments with different flavors of operating systems and software and we continue to work closely with vendors like VMWare, Microsoft and Linux to offer seamless integration between storage and software.  This way customers can keep their options open as their environment changes and grows (no one wants to wind up having to take traditional Irish clog dancing lessons when they would rather be touring a whiskey distillery). 

Today we announced the next generation of Dell EqualLogic Host Integration Tools, enterprise-class software that tightly integrates storage management with popular applications and operating platforms from VMware, Microsoft and Linux to enable efficient data protection and simplified management as well as provide support for the latest EqualLogic Array Software 7.0.  The HIT/VMware and HIT/Linux latest releases are available for download now (HIT/Microsoft release will be available later this month) without any additional costs for EqualLogic customers with an active support contract as part of our unique, all-inclusive software model. Let me describe all the new options below that can help make your journey easier:

  • The Dell Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) 4.0, part of the HIT/VMware, now seamlessly integrates into VMware’s vSphere web client, supports VMware ESX(i)™ 5.5 and vCenter Server™ 5.5 and offers role-based access controls (RBAC), VM-centric data protection, template-based scheduling, new data-protection workflows and new data recovery search capabilities.  The enhanced historical view of system and data protection scheduling with scheduling templates allows you to easily and rapidly create, manage and recover snapshots, replicas and clones.
  •  HIT/Microsoft 4.7  HIT/Microsoft 4.7 continues to offer rich functionality and simplified management with the latest Windows OS and application support (Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, SCVMM 2012 R2, Exchange Server 2013 CU2 and 2010 SP3), as well as full-fledged PowerShell tools for managing and utilizing HIT functionality for scripting and automation.
  • HIT/Linux 1.3 offers broader distribution support with Oracle Linux Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK) support [Oracle Linux 5.10 (UEK2) and Oracle Linux 6.5 (UEK2 & UEK3)].

We are always interested in your goals for your virtual and physical datacenter journey.  Follow us at @Dell_Storage or on Facebook, and keep us up to date on where you are in your journey and how we can help you reach your final destination.  Meanwhile, I will plan out my own journey to reach Ireland’s greenest hills.

Sarah Vela

About the Author: Sarah Vela

Sarah Vela is no longer with Dell Technologies.