Dell puts email, encryption up in the cloud

Dell has rolled out a SaaS package to enable European businesses to outsource functions such as email, software-licence management, disaster recovery and laptop encryption.

The Dell Modular Services package marks the company's first cloud-based services for European customers, Dell said in its announcement on Monday. The suite is already available in the US.

The software-as-a-service (SaaS) line-up is initially available in English, with other major European languages to follow by October, according to a Dell spokesman. The company will allow partners to resell the services under their own brand.

The range initially includes six offerings: Distributed Device Management, Software Inventory, Online Backup and Restore, Laptop Data Encryption, Email Management and Crisis Management. All are designed to help businesses to cut costs through the use of highly automated, cloud-based software, Dell said.

"Dell Modular Services are optimised for cloud delivery and management, giving you a better balance of technology and people," the company said. "You gain the efficiencies of the cloud while still being able to rely on Dell expertise when needed."

Customers are increasingly looking for such offerings as a result of tough economic times, Gartner said in a recent study. The research firm recommended that services providers invest in delivery methods, such as SaaS, that can grow quickly while keeping staffing costs down.

Dell said its new service package will rely on local engineers and support staff.

The services are delivered via a software agent that is included on all recent Dell machines, or it can be downloaded and installed manually onto third-party machines or older Dell products.

Customers can pick and choose from a number of different features offered as a part of each service, and businesses can add or remove features as their needs change, Dell said. For example, the Distributed Device Management service includes features such as asset management, software distribution, patch management and anti-malware management.

Dell did not give specifics on pricing but said it was designed to be flexible, with billing offered on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.

Earlier this month, Dell introduced consulting services called ProConsult aimed at helping companies plan and run datacentres.

Original article: Dell delivers SaaS package to Europe from ZDNet UK