Dell Delivers Certified Clustered Configurations for Oracle Database 10g in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); RAC Accelerator Services Expediate Deployment, Customer Time-to-Value

Bracknell, Sept. 30, 2005 - Customers looking for an affordable, highly available database for Microsoft Windows(r) environments now can turn to Dell in Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for tested and supported server, software and storage configurations and comprehensive implementation services.

Dell, working with strategic alliance partners Oracle and Microsoft, is helping accelerate customer access to grid computing with an easy-to-use, highly available database solution designed to scale as their business grows. Mid-sized organisations can purchase Oracle Database 10g Standard Edition and Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) tested and validated with Microsoft Windows Server(tm) 2003 Standard Edition on a two-node cluster of Dell PowerEdge(tm) 2850 servers featuring Intel(r) Xeon(tm) processors and Dell / EMC fibre channel storage.

"Dell, Oracle and Microsoft have combined efforts to provide customers with a highly available and scalable enterprise solution at a small-business price," said John Coulston, Head of Alliances, Dell EMEA. "These clustered solutions are easy to buy and deploy, and available from one point of contact - Dell. In addition, Dell Professional Services can simplify, accelerate and optimise the deployment of Oracle and Windows through fixed-scope, fixed -fee offerings." Oracle Database 10g Standard Edition and Oracle Real Application Clusters on Dell servers enables customers to run packaged or custom applications unchanged in a cluster, eliminate underused standby systems costs, reduce unplanned downtime while maximizing hardware use and stability, and improve user service and application availability levels - all key factors in accelerating customer time-to-value.

"Oracle Database 10g on Microsoft Windows and Dell PowerEdge server is another powerful offering of great value from Oracle and Dell that hits the sweet spot of affordability, reliability, and performance for many mid-sized organizations," said Stein Surlien, Vice President, Alliances and Channels, Oracle EMEA. "Dell and Oracle are providing the entry-level building blocks of grid computing infrastructure that will give customers an affordable platform to scale out server and storage resources as their business grows."

Dell: One-Stop, Comprehensive Support Dell offers implementation services for system installation and configuration as part of the cluster's package price. Scheduled to be available from November 2005 in EMEA, Dell will also optimally provide the Oracle 10g on Dell Accelerator Service. These services ease management needs for customers by delivering configuration and tuning of Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control, Grid Control and EMC Navisphere management tools. Dell's professional services team will build each system using industry best practices and partnerships with Oracle, Intel, Microsoft and EMC.

Dell will also serve as a single point of contact to address any issues relating to hardware, software and operating services. Systems maintenance and monitoring is simple as Dell, Oracle and Microsoft provide intuitive, standards-based management interfaces.

"Intel, Dell and Oracle are working together to deliver customers value-driven, standards-based enterprise products, solutions and accelerator services based on Intel(r) Xeon(tm) processor technology. The collaboration of these industry-leading companies helps to ensure customers their entire solution stack performs optimally and can scale as their business needs grow," said Neil Blecherman, director of corporate development, Customer Solutions Group, Intel Corporation. "Customers who utilise accelerator services also gain value by capitalising on best practices from Project MegaGrid - which includes auto provisioning and scaling of compute resources with great price performance."

Configurations are priced according to processors, memory and storage and are available today worldwide. For more information on certified Oracle Database offerings for Dell PowerEdge servers, visit: http://www.dell.com/oracle