Tech
Dell AI server revenues leap but storage waits on Project Lightning | Computer Weekly
Dell’s quarterly results show a huge growth in server sales, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) projects, but a relative lag in storage. Key reasons behind that might be that Dell’s current storage lags a little behind the curve in AI performance, while its massive parallel network-attached storage (NAS) that aims to plug that gap, Project Lightning, is in gestation.
Dell’s PC division usually massively outsells its datacentre products, but that’s not the case in its latest (second) quarterly results, which show 69% growth in sales of servers and networking equipment year-on-year. That equated to a revenue of $16.8bn for the infrastructure division that put the client services – i.e. personal equipment – into the shade with $12.5bn of sales.
Dell has benefited here from being the first to the AI market, with servers, the latest Nvidia graphics processing unit (GPUs), and switches compatible with high throughput Nvidia Spectrum-X networking and Ultra-Ethernet cards.
“In the last six months we have delivered $10bn worth of servers for AI,” said Jeff Clarke, vice-chairman and chief operating officer for Dell Technologies. “That’s more than was attained in the whole previous year. Demand is strong and sales of the new AI hardware has totalled $20bn for the year.”
Overall, Dell’s Q2 results showed record revenue of $29.8bn, which was up 19% on the previous year. Of the $16.8bn of revenue contributed by the infrastructure group – growth of 44% in a year – servers and network equipment contributed $12.9bn.
Meanwhile, however, storage arrays – flash and disk – saw revenues lower by 3% over the year at $3.9bn in the quarter.
Meanwhile, the client services group’s revenue growth was a mere 1% year-on-year, with enterprise PCs reporting $10.8bn revenue (+2%) and consumer products $1.7bn (-7%).
Storage the poor relation in infrastructure sales
A salient feature of these results is that the demands of AI seem to favour compute hardware more than storage.
That might be confirmed by the latest results from NetApp, which is number one in flash storage arrays, according to IDC. Here, the array maker posted quarterly results of $1.56bn in August, which equated to annual growth of 1%.
Meanwhile, Pure Storage announced revenue of $861m, and that was an increase of 13% on sales in a year – but there’s a catch. That set of figures included its delivery – unprecedented – of SSD DirectFlash Modules (DFM) to hyperscaler Meta.
Pure’s DFMs are a proprietary format in which the vendor has packed a much higher density of storage onto SSD cards. That’s because it offloads a lot of on-board cache to the array and handles data there instead.
HPE’s third quarter results showed revenue growth for servers at $4.9bn, up 16% year-on-year, but doesn’t appear to break out storage revenue.
Towards evolution in storage
Why have we seen a boost in revenue for servers for AI, but not really with storage?
There’s no doubt from a technical point of view that storage is an essential support for compute for AI; it’s possible that enterprises have staged their budget spend and focused first on processing power.
At the same time, it’s true that storage products have lagged behind in terms of performance compared with compute. For example, servers that feed GPUs are able to move data at a rate of 400Gbps or even 800Gbps. Current storage products offer around 100Gbps.
Storage suppliers have, however, centred efforts to develop AI storage around parallel file system storage for AI.
Vast Data led the way here, with massive parallel access to storage, while Hammerspace and Weka also followed.
Dell responded with Project Lightning – which comprises Powerscale, the rebranded Isilon scale-out NAS – but that doesn’t seem to have a release date yet. Meanwhile, NetApp has Ontap Data Platform for AI, while Pure has FlashBlade//Exa.
Tech
Top Western Digital Promo Code 2026
Started more than 50 years ago, data storage company Western Digital is one of the world’s largest computer hard disk drive manufacturers, and produces solid-state drives (SSDs) and flash memory devices. Western Digital makes all the essentials for home office and business digital storage, whether you want to back up via cloud storage, easily take your presentation on a USB flash drive to your next important meeting, or upgrade your home security surveillance’s storage system, Western Digital has what you need—and we have promo codes to help you save.
Recycle and Save 15% Off With Western Digital Promo
One of the biggest issues of our modern life is how to responsibly recycle e-waste. That’s why Western Digital makes it easier to recycle your old, broken, or defunct electronics. With Western Digital’s Easy Recycle program, you can safely dispose of NAS systems and internal or external HDDs and SSDs. Plus, they recycle devices from any manufacturer—not just Western Digital products. And when you go green and recycle through their program, you’ll get a 15% off Western Digital promo code that counts towards your next purchase of $50 or more when you shop online at Western Digital.
Get 10% Off With a Western Digital Coupon Code
Right now, you can save 10% on your first order when you sign up to receive emails from Western Digital. All you need to do is head to Western Digital’s promo page, where you’ll input your email to sign up for special offers, promotions, and that Western Digital promo code for 10% off. The code will be sent to your inbox where you can use it to save on tech essentials.
Does Western Digital Have Free Shipping?
Western Digital has even more ways to save, with free standard shipping on eligible orders of $50 or more for non-members. Western Digital members receive free standard shipping on all eligible orders in the lower 48.
Additional Western Digital Deals
Western Digital has education discounts, where students and teachers can get up to 15% off purchases after verifying their status with Youth Discount. Once their identity is verified, they’ll get a voucher code sent to their inbox to use at checkout. Western Digital also has a 15% discount for seniors 55 years or older. Seniors just need to verify their status with Senior Discount. Once age is verified, folks will get a Western Digital promo code sent to their email to save.
In a commitment to sustainability, Western Digital has a program with Easy Recycle, where you can safely dispose of NAS systems and internal or external HDDs and SSDs. (They’ll also recycle devices from any manufacturer, not just Western Digital). As a token of appreciation for participating in their initiative for a greener future, participants can get 15% off their next purchase of $50 or more.
Choosing the Right Western Digital Product
It’s hard to know which is the right digital storage system for you—in fact, we even made a handy guide on How to Back Up Your Digital Life, and have a whole roundup of some of our favorite WIRED-tested external hard drives. In a similar vein, Western Digital created a FAQ webpage on how to choose the right storage drive for your needs, like budget and data. A Western Digital Hardrive is a budget-friendly option that delivers the capacity needed to store years of photos, videos, backups, workloads, and archives. While a Western Digital SSD offers fast and reliable responsiveness for more large-scale operating systems and active projects.
Tech
The Best LED Skincare Deals I’ve Seen This Mother’s Day Are at Megelin
The red-light therapy market shows no signs of slowing down. According to Fortune Business Insights, the industry is projected to grow from $1.21 billion in 2026 to $1.76 billion by 2034. Riding that wave is Hong Kong-based Megelin, which is currently running its largest Mother’s Day sale yet, offering major discounts on most of its LED devices and select electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) tools.
I’ve been testing the Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask for the past two weeks as part of a six-week trial. While I’m still forming my final verdict, I already have some early thoughts (more on that below). In the meantime, check out the standout deals because some of these discounts might be too good to pass up while they’re live.
This Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask Is $270 Off
The Megelin Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask combines 660-nanometer (nm) and 1,064-nm lasers with a 660-nm LED light for a more intensive treatment. The brand claims it can help smooth wrinkles, soothe inflammation, reduce pigmentation, and minimize redness. After two weeks of testing, I haven’t noticed any visible changes in my skin just yet, though to its credit, I also haven’t experienced any irritation or adverse reactions.
My biggest issue was the initial unboxing experience: The mask had a strong chemical odor that reminded me of formaldehyde. For a device that sits against your face and doesn’t have a mouth opening, that’s not exactly reassuring. Wiping it down and letting it air out significantly reduced the smell, but it definitely made for a less-than-ideal first impression.
That said, the mask itself is extremely comfortable. The soft, flexible silicone contours well to the face, and the dual-strap design keeps it secure without feeling restrictive. Treatments are quick and easy to customize thanks to four different modes, all controlled through an attached remote. And because it’s cordless, you’re free to move around while using it.
At full price, it’s a steep investment compared to its competitors. But with the current $270 discount, it becomes a much more compelling option, especially given the added laser therapy component, which isn’t as common at this price point. I’ll continue testing through the full six-week period before sharing my final verdict, but if you’re tempted to take advantage of the sale now, Megelin does offer a 60-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty.
Tech
‘Orbs,’ ‘Saucers,’ and ‘Flashes’ on the Moon: Pentagon Drops New UFO Files
Trump first teased the release in February in a Truth Social post. The Pentagon coordinated the release in partnership with the White House, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the Energy Department, NASA, and the FBI. Many of the files in this new drop contain documents that are already publicly available. However, some versions of these known documents in the new files contain more pages, or fewer redactions, than previously released versions.
More than 60 percent of Americans believe that the government is concealing information about UAP, according to YouGov, while 40 percent think UAP are likely alien in origin, according to Gallup. Congress has held hearings into whether there’s been a decades-long program to recover “non-human” technologies, yet evidence remains elusive.
Courtesy of the US Department of Defense
“If it’s just more blobby photos or redacted documents that don’t have any details in them, it’s more of the same,” Adam Frank, an astrophysicist at the University of Rochester who studies the search for alien life, says of the new files. “What we need are actual scientific results from the investigations that should have been done if the most extraordinary claims being made are true.”
The document drop follows a week of high-profile discussions of aliens, including Stephen Colbert’s interview with former President Barack Obama, released on Wednesday. Obama cast doubt on government cover-ups about aliens by joking that “some guy guarding the installation would have taken a selfie with the alien and sent it to his girlfriend.”
Courtesy of the US Department of Defense
Members of the Artemis II crew also second-guessed the idea of a vast government-wide conspiracy to hide the discovery of extraterrestrial life in a discussion with The Daily this week.
“Do you realize that if we found alien life out there, and we came back and reported on it, NASA would never have a budget issue for the rest of eternity?” said Reid Weisman, the commander of Artemis II. “So trust me.”
Victor Glover, the astronaut who piloted the mission, added: “Why would we hide that from you?”
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