Dell adds cyber recovery (and more) to APEX storage cloud platform

Dell Technologies wants to make its APEX storage cloud platform a de facto ground zero for all cloud app development, which is where the bulk of enterprise IT creation is headed in 2022 and beyond. 

At Dell Tech World in Las Vegas, the company’s first mostly-in-person conference since the pandemic hit in spring 2020, the Black Rock, Texas-based company today introduced a flotilla of new capabilities for the APEX development package – the most important of which is a revamped cyber recovery function that filled a big need in the package.

Just when you thought you had seen every “as-a-service” idea that could be imagined, APEX  brings to the fore a cloud service offering that amounts to a “portfolio-as-a-service.” Its versatility is why Dell believes users can funnel any kind of cloud app or infrastructure development needed into its catch-all APEX backstop.

Dell is bolstering the portfolio with the introduction of Dell APEX Cyber Recovery Services. This is the first in a series of new APEX full-stack solutions that provide full recovery of a company’s data from a cyberattack, Dell APEX chief Pete Manca told VentureBeat. 

Dell manages cyber recovery

In this APEX scenario, Dell manages the day-to-day cyber recovery vault operations and assists with data recovery. Dell provides standardized configurations, Dell-assisted recovery options and expertise from nearly 2,000 isolated vault solutions deployed globally, Manca said.

“We’re already out there with our GA APEX product on our storage services and our compute services, which is a combination of APEX private cloud and APEX hybrid cloud, our two cloud services,” Manca said. “VMware runs our fully managed service. We’ve got a full set of customized offers as well, so customers who want to subscribe to products or services specifically can do that through our flex-on-demand program. 

“What you’re going to see now that we’ve got the (APEX) basics up and running is that we’ll be adding data protection and some other features. What you’re going to see us do now is move up the stack more toward solutions.” 

Users want help reducing complexity and are seeking solutions that use a common approach to managing data wherever it lives – from public clouds, to the data center, to the edge, Chuck Whitten, co-chief operating officer of Dell Technologies, said in a media advisory. “We are building a portfolio of software and services that simplifies on-premises and multi-cloud environments and offers,” Whitten said.

Dell offers cyber recovery on-premises, in public clouds

According to a recent Gartner^{report, global information security and risk management end-user spending will reach around $168 billion in 2022, up more than $13 billion from 2021. As cyber protection continues to become a greater priority, Dell is providing new options for managed cyber recovery offerings and public cloud cyber recovery solutions for multi-cloud environments.}

Dell also announced a cloud-specific set of functions for both Microsoft Azure and AWS. Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for Microsoft Azure will join other Dell offerings available through Microsoft Azure Marketplace and will allow enterprises to accomplish the following:: 

• Deploy an isolated cyber vault in the public cloud to more securely protect and isolate data away from a ransomware attack, improving cyber resiliency and helping reduce the impact of cyberattacks; and
• Provide flexible recovery options in the event of a cyberattack including recovery within the data center, in a new Azure private network, or in an unimpacted Azure environment.

CyberSense for Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for AWS will give developers the ability to do the following::

• Use adaptive analytics, scan metadata and complete files, and implement machine learning and forensic tools to detect, diagnose and speed data recovery.
• Monitor files and databases to determine if a cyberattack has occurred and identify the last known uncorrupted copy of data to speed a more secure and confidential recovery.

Dell, Snowflake collaborate for multi-cloud development

Dell and Snowflake will work together to connect data from Dell enterprise storage with the Snowflake Data Cloud, Manca said. The collaboration ostensibly will give customers greater flexibility to operate in multi-cloud environments, meet data sovereignty requirements, and easily turn data into insights wherever it resides, he said.

Dell and Snowflake customers will be able to use on-premises data stored on Dell object storage with the Snowflake Data Cloud while keeping their data local or seamlessly copying it to public clouds. The companies will pursue product integrations and joint go-to-market efforts in the second half of 2022.

Apex availability

Dell APEX Cyber Recovery Services is available today in the United States with broader availability planned for later this year, the company said. Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for Microsoft Azure will be globally available in the second half of 2022. CyberSense for Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for AWS will be globally available in the second half of 2022.