The MTI team had the privilege of attending Dell Technologies World 2024, an event packed with exciting announcements aimed at both customers and partners. This year’s primary focus was on the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence (AI).
“We want to inspire you to reimagine organisations for artificial intelligence. And we want to encourage you to act fast.”
Here are six key announcements that caught our attention:
1. AI Factory with NVIDIA
Dell’s AI Factory was a major highlight, showcasing a comprehensive suite of tools, technologies, and services designed to streamline the development, deployment, and management of AI solutions. The AI Factory aims to help businesses harness AI across various industries, featuring robust and scalable hardware infrastructure tailored for AI workloads. Notable components include:
- Server Density: The new PowerEdge XE9680L server supports eight Nvidia Blackwell GPUs in a 4U form factor, providing 33% more GPU density per node and significant energy efficiency through direct liquid cooling.
- Connectivity: The new PowerSwitch Z98654F-ON switch, powered by Broadcom’s Tomahawk 5 chipset, doubles throughput and ensures low latency, critical for AI environments.
- Storage: The PowerScale F910 all-flash node for file storage offers a 127% performance increase, and Project Lightning promises reduced training times for complex AI workflows.
2. The Revival of On-Premises Solutions
The past few years have witnessed a significant resurgence in on-premises solutions, largely driven by issues like unexpected cloud costs, which have become a prominent theme. The pricing structures, which often escalate as usage increases, spurred an entire industry focused on optimising and reducing cloud expenditures.
With the advent of AI poised to substantially raise computing expenses, the cost advantages of conducting AI token generation on-site have become markedly more appealing. Dell has quantified these savings at a staggering 73 percent reduction. This financial incentive has prompted numerous companies to reconsider bringing their data back on-premises, overcoming previous concerns regarding costs, regulations, governance, and compliance challenges.
Consistently, customers have expressed a strong preference for keeping their AI technologies localised, citing apprehensions about entrusting proprietary intellectual property to third-party public clouds, primarily due to data protection concerns. Security remains a critical consideration, with practices such as air-gapping, zero-trust frameworks, and robust authentication protocols ranking among top priorities.
MTI has been instrumental in helping our customers transition into a modern software defined hybrid data centre model. With solutions deployed on-premise, our skilled and experienced team are responsible from the initial assessment phase through design and deployment, and ongoing managed services. As Dell Technologies most accredited UK services partner we are in the best position to guide you through todays complex technology choices.
3. Urgency in Addressing Trust, Governance, and Ethical Concerns in AI
Feedback from industry insiders reveals widespread enthusiasm and optimism surrounding AI, often expressed in genuine, non-clichéd perspectives across Dell’s various business units.
However, discussions on AI’s potential negative implications, such as the impact of deep fakes on elections tend to encounter more hesitation. Executives’ responses sometimes falter, not due to a deliberate evasion of political implications but rather a perceived lack of prior consideration.
It’s apparent that more attention needs to be directed towards these critical issues of trust, governance, and ethical considerations within the AI landscape. At MTI, we have implemented robust Security Target Operating models specifically designed to address concerns similar to those raised by GDPR. These models encompass stringent data protection protocols, ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks while fostering transparency and accountability in AI deployment.
Moving forward, industry leaders must prioritise developing comprehensive strategies that not only capitalise on AI’s potential but also mitigate its inherent risks. This approach not only bolsters public trust but also aligns with evolving global standards for responsible AI development and deployment.
At a recent event, MTI described how to ‘unlock the benefits of Generative AI.’ Amongst a panel of industry experts, our CISO described the potential risks and how employing MTI’s Security Target Operating Model can help customers with the challenges of people, process and technology required to take advantage of Gen-AI.. With MTI’s focus on quantifying your as-is and to-be models to develop your Information Security Model, with the necessary governance and oversight to ensure your data remains secure and protected.
4. PowerStore Prime
Dell’s PowerStore brings significant enhancements to storage performance, efficiency, resiliency, and multicloud capabilities. Key features include:
- QLC-based storage: Provides enterprise-class performance at a lower cost per terabyte compared to TLC models, supporting up to 5.9 petabytes of capacity.
- Increased Performance: Up to 66% hardware performance improvement and up to 30% higher mixed workload performance through non-disruptive software updates.
- Improved Data Protection and Efficiency: Enhanced data reduction and multicloud data mobility for better workload management.
PowerStore Prime is a key solution for many of MTI’s customers, offering an industry-best 5:1 data reduction guarantee.
5. Expanded Dell APEX Portfolio
Dell continues to evolve its APEX portfolio, focusing on AI and multicloud. Key updates include:
- Dell APEX AIOps SaaS: Utilises AI-driven observability and incident management to optimise infrastructure health and service availability.
- Dell APEX Navigator SaaS: Now includes Kubernetes storage management and support for Dell APEX File Storage for AWS, with plans to support Microsoft Azure.
6. Deep Collaborations and AI Ecosystem
Dell’s strategic collaborations enhance its AI ecosystem, providing integrated solutions and making it easier for customers to adopt AI:
- Hugging Face Collaboration: Dell offers optimised on-premises deployment of generative AI models, accelerating time to value for custom AI applications.
- Meta Collaboration: Simplifies deployment of Meta Llama 3 models on-premises with Dell infrastructure.
- AI Solutions for Microsoft Azure: Speeds deployment of AI services on Dell APEX Cloud Platform.
Ready to Transform Your Business with AI?
The advancements unveiled at Dell Technologies World 2024 present incredible opportunities for businesses to leverage AI and enhance their operations. MTI is here to help you navigate these innovations and integrate them into your business strategy. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you in implementing Dell’s latest AI and multicloud solutions to drive your business forward.
Get in touch with MTI for a consultation and take the first step towards a smarter, more efficient future.