Dell Introduces Three New Storage Servers

Dell Computer Corp., the biggest personal computer maker, is introducing three new networked-attached storage servers that the company designed.

The machines, PowerVault 755N, 750N and 715N, are based on Microsoft’s Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating system. They will compete against Maxtor Corp. gear and will be priced from $1,999 to $8,700, the company said.

“We’re pushing a solution which was thought of as mid-range into a new market, the small to medium business,” said Brett McAnally, senior marketing manager of Dell’s PowerVault Storage.

Customers have told the Austin, Texas-based company that it needs to broaden its range of storage products, Chief Executive Michael Dell has said. The company on Oct. 22 said it will resell more sophisticated storage devices made by EMC Corp.

A network-attached storage device allows file sharing among different operating systems. Dell, which began selling storage devices in 1998, had storage sales of $1.4 billion in the second quarter, said spokeswoman Roe Thiessen. She said Dell wouldn’t release its year-earlier figure.

Demand for network-attached storage servers is expected to increase at the expense of the direct-attached storage systems, known as DAS, where storage is directly attached to a server, McAnally said.

Dell shares rose 37 cents to close at $24.92 in Nasdaq trading Friday. They have climbed 43% this year.