Dell Technologies launches full APEX
suite in South Africa

Dell Technologies has released Dell APEX Data Storage Services in South Africa. Powered by Intel hardware, the hyperconverged, storage and data protection solution is a storage-as-a-service offering, meaning that users pay for usage, rather than a flat fee. 

A recent survey conducted by Enterprise Strategy Group reveals that 54% of organisations would prefer a consumption-based model in which their data centre infrastructure is purchased on a pay-per-use basis. Dell APEX Data Storage Services delivers the industry’s leading enterprise storage portfolio as-a-Service. 

“This means customers pay for the storage capacity they use and can scale at the service level they need with infrastructure owned and maintained by Dell,” says Doug Woolley, general manager of Dell Technologies South Africa. “Customers and partners have flexibility and control over who performs day-to-day management operations with both Dell-managed and customer-managed options.”

This latest data storage offering from Dell Technologies helps South African organisations address challenges which are specific to the region. Firstly, a choice of consumption models allows companies to choose how and when they invest in technology, making it easier to preserve cash. Transparent costs and payments are spread over the length of the contract agreement, ensuring greater predictability.

Secondly, APEX delivers modern cloud and consumption experiences across Dell’s innovative portfolio, backed by global services, scale and supply chain leadership. This helps ensure the customer’s technology stays aligned with business requirements to that they can react quickly to capture new opportunities.

“With APEX, our customers maintain more control of data to minimise risk and maximise performance, all on their own terms,” says Woolley.

In addition, load shedding challenges can be overcome with the APEX consumption-based model that can be hosted in any data centre, including shared facilities. Customers can use any vendor-neutral data centre that provides critical engineering infrastructure, physical security and interconnections between clients and the ecosystem.

With traditional procurement models, forecasting future workloads is challenging and can result in over- or under-provisioning, leading to wasted resources or unwanted downtime. In contrast, APEX pricing is fixed in South African rand at the beginning of the contract term, and the scale-out options during the term are quoted at the same unit price. This adds even more stability and predictability to the customer’s financial commitment.

How Dell APEX Data Storage Services works

Organisations can select from multiple performance tiers for Dell APEX Data Storage Services File, Block and Backup Target, available in one- to five-year terms. Customers can easily configure and manage their data storage resources through the Dell APEX Console, a centralised platform for customers to manage and orchestrate their as-a-Service and multicloud journeys. Customers can monitor capacity, performance and usage costs in real time and configure their subscriptions as needed. 

The Dell APEX Data Storage Services portfolio includes the new Backup Target offer, a customer-managed option for secure backup storage in a pay-per-use, flexible consumption model. Dell APEX Data Storage Services Backup Target streamlines the process of purchasing, deploying and maintaining backup storage. Building on Dell’s leadership in data protection appliances and software, the Backup Target offer helps reduce a customer’s storage footprint and can increase data availability.

Dell Technologies Partner Opportunities in South Africa

Dell APEX creates opportunities for partners to offer customers flexible and simplified IT solutions. With Dell APEX Data Storage Services expanded availability, Dell Technologies Solution Providers and Storage Authorised Distributors in South Africa can earn incentives when reselling or referring these solutions. Cloud Service Provider partners can also host enhanced Dell APEX Data Storage Services on behalf of customers.

Dell Channel Services Partners holding applicable Services Delivery Competencies have an additional opportunity to grow their return on that investment by delivering deployment services for select customer-managed Dell APEX offers including Dell APEX Data Storage Services File, Block and Backup Target options.

Currently Available in South Africa (both direct and via partners): APEX Private Cloud, APEX Hybrid Cloud, APEX Data Storage Services, APEX Flex on Demand, APEX Data Centre Utility.