Dell and Symantec are offering a new bundled service that could
help small and medium-sized businesses improve the security and
archiving capabilities of their email infrastructures.
The hardware maker and the security software vendor have
partnered to offer Secure Exchange, a package of hardware, software
and services that simplify the implementation of Microsoft
Exchange.
Eric Ogren, of Enterprise Strategy Group, said this service will
help SMBs that have historically cobbled together email solutions
on their own.
"Small companies, they tend to piece things together," Ogren said.
"They have a server kicking around. They buy Exchange from
Microsoft. There tend to be a lot of holes in what they do because
they're experts in their business, not in IT. And then they have
gaps in coverage and gaps in management."
Secure Exchange includes Dell PowerEdge servers, PowerVault
storage, Dell/EMC Storage, Symantec Mail Security 200 Series,
Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange, Symantec Enterprise
Vault and Backup Exec.
"Email has become the basis of how companies interact and
conduct business processes," said Art Gilliland, senior director of
enterprise messaging management at Symantec.
Gilliland said Dell and Symantec wanted to create a combination
of software, hardware and services that would allow companies to
deploy a new Exchange environment or improve the performance of
their existing Exchange environment.
Dell engineers have created a Secure Exchange "reference
architecture," a modular, step-by-step blueprint to deploying
hardware and software based on the size and requirements of
customers. Dell's Exchange Advisor service leverages this
architecture to help customers determine the size of the system
needed for their requirements.
Charlotte Dunlap, an analyst at Sterling, Va.-based Current
Analysis Inc., said Symantec and Dell are combining their core
competencies to offer a valuable bundled solution to SMBs.
Dunlap said SMBs with limited IT resources will benefit from the
bundled product, especially companies that are looking to improve
their secure messaging capabilities.
Ogren said such bundled services could become a trend for SMBs
that don't have the resources to deploy a secure email environment
on their own.
"I think it's definitely a trend for small and medium businesses
who don't have the staff," Ogren said. "For me, I like the bundling
and the distribution channel that makes it easy for people to get
it all. It makes it drop-dead simple to use."
Ogren said the Symantec software in the bundle goes beyond
antivirus and antispam protection. SMBs will also get email
archiving and discovery services, which will help companies with
their compliance efforts.
Ogren said he felt small and medium-sized businesses are the
main target of Secure Exchange, companies with 100 or more email
users.
Ogren said this offering will save SMBs lots of headaches
associated with trying to deploy such technology on their own.
I would expect to see other vendors get in on the act," Ogren
said. "I suspect this will be a trend because everyone wants to get
into the SMB market, but it's hard to get into. I think customers
are asking for something that is easy to put together and simple to
deploy."
Let us know what you think about the story; email:
Shamus McGillicuddy,
News Writer