Data Management Glossary
Dell PowerScale
Dell PowerScale is the name of Dell Technologies’ scale-out network-attached storage (NAS) solution. It is designed to provide high-performance storage for unstructured data workloads and is well suited for demanding file and object storage requirements. In 2020, Dell rebranded many acquired EMC technologies, including EMC Isilon, under the PowerScale name.
PowerScale is widely used in industries such as media and entertainment, healthcare, research, and financial services, where large-scale data storage, high performance and data-intensive workloads are critical.
What is Dell PowerScale and how does it support high-performance unstructured data workloads?
Dell PowerScale is a scale-out NAS solution from Dell Technologies designed to deliver high-performance storage for unstructured data workloads. It supports demanding file and object storage requirements and provides the scalability required for data-intensive environments. Following Dell’s rebranding of EMC technologies such as EMC Isilon, PowerScale became the unified platform for these scale-out storage capabilities.
Because it is purpose-built for unstructured data, PowerScale is deployed in environments where performance, scalability and the ability to manage large volumes of data are essential.
In which industries is Dell PowerScale commonly used and why?
PowerScale is used across industries where large-scale storage and high performance are mission-critical. This includes media and entertainment, healthcare, research and financial services. In these sectors, organizations handle data-intensive workloads that require scalable infrastructure capable of supporting demanding file and object storage requirements.
The combination of scale-out architecture and performance makes PowerScale suitable for environments where data growth and workload intensity continue to increase.
How does Dell PowerScale support cloud tiering, migration, and storage cost optimization?
For use cases such as cloud tiering, cloud data migration, optimizing performance and reducing storage costs, Dell PowerScale can be integrated into broader unstructured data management strategies. With Komprise, organizations can identify data that can move to Dell PowerScale targets and forecast storage savings and ROI associated with PowerScale (Isilon) environments.
PowerScale ECS storage supports access to object data without lock-in and enables migration of object data into Dell PowerScale ECS. These capabilities help deliver a Smart Data Migration while managing unstructured data costs more effectively. The platform supports scaling on demand and provides an easy, fast, no-lock-in path to the cloud for on-premises file and object data.
Learn more about Isilon data migration.
How does Dell PowerScale enable scalable growth and flexible data management?
PowerScale’s scale-out NAS architecture enables organizations to scale on demand as data volumes grow. By supporting both file and object storage requirements, it allows enterprises to adapt to evolving workload needs while maintaining high performance.
When combined with intelligent data management approaches, PowerScale can help organizations manage unstructured data costs more effectively and maintain flexibility in how data is migrated, tiered and accessed across on-premises and cloud environments. See Komprise data tiering.
Dell PowerScale is a scale-out NAS solution designed for high-performance unstructured data workloads. Used across industries that depend on large-scale storage and data-intensive operations, it supports cloud tiering, data migration, cost optimization and scalable growth. Its architecture enables organizations to manage file and object storage efficiently while maintaining performance and flexibility.