EMC Extends Dell Pact To 2008

Some solution providers have said they often spend hours of free engineering time to create a solution only to see a purchasing manager award the deal at the last minute to Dell because of a pricing advantage.

Since forming the Dell alliance, EMC said it has done joint services training of more than 2,000 Dell employees. Furthermore, EMC said more than 4,100 customers worldwide have chosen Dell/EMC storage systems.

EMC CEO Joe Tucci said last November that one-third of the vendor's Clariion revenue comes via Dell, with solution provider and direct sales also each accounting for one-third of the product line's revenue. The Dell business, however, is the fastest growing segment of the three, Tucci said at that time.

EMC also said last November that it entered into a manufacturing agreement that enables Dell to manufacture Dell/EMC CX200 storage systems worldwide. When asked last year if Dell could eventually manufacture EMC Clariion storage arrays for the rest of EMC's channel, Tucci said he would not count out that possibility.

In a prepared statement regarding the contract extension, Tucci said: "Since this relationship was formed, EMC has continued to innovate and deliver market-leading technology, and Dell has taken that technology into previously untapped markets. Together, we're helping a wide range of customers realize the [total-cost-of-ownership] benefits of networked storage while taking market share from the competition. We both realize this relationship has been a win-win proposition."

Among the major customers deploying Dell/EMC solutions, EMC said, are Banco Santos in Brazil, The Bombay Company, Computer Sciences CSC, Cox Communications, Mercedes-Benz, Precision Resource and Warburg Dillon Read.