eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Today’s topics include Dell purchasing storage giant EMC, HP CEO sees the Dell EMC deal as an opportunity, Microsoft enhances Azure Cloud management, and Acer unveils a Windows 10 convertible and portable all-in-one.
Dell is buying storage giant EMC for $67 billion in a move that accelerates its efforts to become a premiere enterprise IT solutions and services vendor. The purchase will allow them to compete with the likes of Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Cisco Systems and Oracle.
For almost a decade, Dell has been rapidly expanding its capabilities in such areas as storage, networking, security, software and the cloud and expanding beyond its roots as a supplier of commodity PCs and servers.
It also has looked to broaden its strength in smaller businesses and the midmarket to become a larger player in the enterprise data center, an area in which EMC has particular strengths.
According to Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, Dell will become a debt-ridden company overwhelmed by the multiple challenges of integrating two massive tech vendors after it completes its $67 billion acquisition of EMC.
In an email to employees on Oct. 12, Whitman wrote: “Yhis [deal] is validation for the strategy that we have laid out … but we are two years ahead of the game and it will be difficult for others to catch up.”
One of the most sought-after user management and security features for Microsoft Azure has officially launched, the company said.
In an Oct. 12 announcement, Alex Simons, director of program management at Microsoft’s Identity Division, said Azure Roles-Based Access Control (RBAC) is out of beta and is now generally available. RBAC is the top request for customers evaluating Azure as the foundation for their enterprise cloud environments.
Acer has launched two new Windows 10 machines—a unique all-in-one PC that features a five-hour battery that makes it a portable device, as well as its latest Aspire R14 convertible that can be used as a notebook or tablet.
The Aspire R 14 has a 14-inch display and a 360-degree hinge that allows it to be used in a wide variety of positions, including as a notebook, tablet, lying flat or standing on its edges.
The R 14 has a brushed metallic finish and is 0.72 inches thick, while weighing just under four pounds. Both machines feature the latest Windows 10 operating system and include the Cortana personal digital assistant.