Dell Technologies has unveiled a substantial update to its PowerMax operating system (OS), the backbone of its high-density storage solutions designed for mission-critical workloads.

The PowerMaxOS version 10.1 is tailored to assist enterprises in optimizing storage efficiency, bolstering cybersecurity measures, and constructing more environmentally friendly data centers.

A key focus of the update is to empower organizations in enhancing energy efficiency, thereby reducing operational costs and minimizing the environmental footprint of their storage infrastructure. The upgrade promises improvements in performance, efficiency, and cybersecurity.

In the realm of energy efficiency, the latest features include real-time monitoring and alerting of power consumption and environmental metrics based on usage patterns. The system monitors voltage, current, and frequency for all components in a rack, in addition to tracking the temperature and humidity of the rack.

A notable introduction in this version is dynamic data mobility, allowing enterprises to shift workloads across different arrays to optimize resource utilization. The update also incorporates new data deduplication and compression technology, boasting a 5:1 data reduction for open systems.

PowerMaxOS 10.1 claims to deliver up to 2.8 times more performance per watt, potentially resulting in savings of up to $207,000 in electricity costs and an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, according to Dell.

Beyond energy and performance enhancements, PowerMaxOS 10.1 introduces support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.3, incorporating stronger encryption algorithms.

A groundbreaking addition is the Cyber Intrusion Detection for z Systems (zCID), touted by Dell as the industry’s first intrusion detection capability based on mainframe storage. This feature monitors z/OS workloads, identifying normal variations and allowing users to create customizable rules for issuing alerts in case of detected intrusions.

Several security enhancements are also part of PowerMaxOS 10.1, including advanced anomaly detection of I/O patterns for improved monitoring, detection, and alerting against ransomware and malware. The update introduces ignition key support, a new data-at-rest capability leveraging external key managers to safeguard against physical theft of the storage array. Additionally, the inclusion of a data sanitizer, utilizing a NIST-compliant process to erase all data before decommissioning an array, enhances data security.

PowerMaxOS 10.1 is now available for PowerMax customers, offering a comprehensive suite of features to enhance storage efficiency, cybersecurity, and environmental sustainability.