Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch

Sales Playbook
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

What to Sell Core Differentiators

Storage Networking
Vision
Multilayer 16Gb/s
Fabric Switches How to Identify
Top Prospects

How to Sell

Programs &
Promotions
Multilayer 32Gb/s Fabric Switches 32G/s Enterprise Directors Multilayer Switch and SAN Extension Module

Best Practices
CONNECTRIX CONNECTRIX
DESCRIPTION
MDS PRODUCTS MODELS Dell EMC &
Cisco Contacts
MDS-9132T 8-96 port for entry-level to dense server rack and enterprise POD deployments
Multilayer 32Gb/s
MDS-9148T enabling scalability and performance, NVMe/FC-ready 32-Gb switches with
Fabric Switches Cost Relief Process
MDS-9396T integrated SAN telemetry and zero touch auto-zoning.

MDS-9706 Multi-layer NVMe/FC-ready directors enabling 16G to 32G transition, backward

32G/s Enterprise Directors MDS-9710 compatibility with 4/8/16G FC, integrated telemetry on 32G ports, and
MDS-9718 simplified provisioning and management.

Ideal for legacy environments, 48 to 96-port NVMe/FC-ready switches with

Multilayer 16Gb/s MDS-9148S
2/4/8Gb FC backward compatibility, and interoperability with MDS 9000 32Gb
Fabric Switches MDS-9396S
FC products.

Fixed 2U chassis configurable to 20 or 40 16G Fibre Channel and 2 x 10 Gigabit

Multilayer Switch and MDS-9250i Ethernet (GbE) ports for FCIP for remote SAN extension, remote replication and
SAN Extension Module MDS-FCIP-9700 other disaster-recovery services; 24 ports 16G Fibre Channel ports, and 8 ports
at 10 GbE and 2 ports at 40 GbE for FCIP.
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Core Differentiators Core Differentiators

Performance & Scalability Storage Networking

Designed specifically for flash, Connectrix MDS 9000 32Gb Fibre Channel (FC) switches complement Dell EMC Storage Vision
all-flash and hybrid-flash systems through delivering industry-leading performance, scalability, security, and network
connectivity in dense form factors. Connectrix MDS 9718 is the only director in the industry with scalability of up to 768 line
How to Identify
rate ports within a single switch while MDS Directors provide consistent and predictable performance regardless of frame
Top Prospects
size or throughput.

How to Sell
Built-in SAN Telemetry
Connectrix MDS 9000 32-Gbps Fabric Switches offers the industry’s first and only switch-integrated, native, line-rate storage Programs &
traffic analytics. With a built-in analytics engine on 32-Gbps modules, organizations gain complete visibility across the SAN
Promotions
for every workload supported by Dell EMC Storage all-flash and hybrid-flash systems.

Best Practices
High Reliability and Availability
Connectrix MDS 9000 switches provide Dell EMC Storage all-flash and hybrid-flash environments with the same reliability in Dell EMC &
switching, performance, and highly available component design that MDS switches are renowned for. The Connectrix MDS Cisco Contacts
9000 Directors offer redundancy for all major components, including N+1 redundancy on fabric modules which is an industry
first and provides protection against any loss of bandwidth if one of the fabric modules fails.
Cost Relief Process

Operational Simplicity
The Connectrix MDS 9000 Family promotes operational simplicity by bringing programmability, analytics, manageability,
and visibility to the SAN. MDS 9000 switches can be configured for operation in Dell EMC Storage all-flash and hybrid-flash
environments in a matter of minutes using a simple browser-based on-board switch GUI providing intuitive configuration
steps while the switches also support the Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) for configuration and monitoring
for any network events, including telemetry.

Investment Protection
MDS 9000 switches provide lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and investment protection to Dell EMC Storage all-flash
and hybrid-flash customers through enabling non-disruptive, cost-effective transition to Fibre Channel speed upgrades.
Connectrix MDS 9000 Series Directors support up to 32-Gbps Fibre Channel (including NVMe/FC) and 40-Gbps FCIP, and
they are ready for next speed upgrades without any forklift upgrade of the chassis.
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Core Differentiators

Storage Networking
Vision

Dell EMC Cisco Storage Networking Vision How to Identify

Top Prospects
By combining Dell EMC's expertise in storing, protecting, and managing vast amounts of data with the
power of Cisco's intelligent network, Dell EMC and Cisco deliver storage networking, disaster recovery, data How to Sell

replication, virtualization, and information security solutions that transform the data center.
Programs &
Together, Dell EMC and Cisco are leading customers on their journey to cloud computing and IT transformation and reshaping the cloud Promotions
computing landscape by creating a truly virtualized and eventually automated service-oriented data center infrastructure. Dell EMC and Cisco
help customers to implement flexible, standards-based cloud solutions that meet the increasing demands of virtual data centers while achieving
the lowest total cost of ownership through extensive collaboration, testing, and validation, including unleashing market-moving innovation Best Practices
through the pre-engineered, pre-integrated VxBlock Systems.
Dell EMC &
Cisco Contacts
The Connectrix MDS 9000 family, an The Connectrix MDS 9700 Series Multilayer The Connectrix MDS-9250i Series
important component of Dell EMC Storage Directors have established new benchmarks Multiservice Switch delivers state of the art
all-flash and hybrid-flash deployments, for performance, integrated SAN analytics multiprotocol and distributed multiservice Cost Relief Process
convergence, offering high performance
provides storage connectivity into the and investment protection. Connectrix
SAN extension and disaster recovery
future for mission-critical applications, MDS 9700 directors offer proactive and solutions, intelligent fabric services and
massive amounts of data, solid state predictive Telemetry architecture using cost-effective multiprotocol connectivity
drives and cloud-based environments on-module traffic access point (TAP) and including connectivity for mainframe FICON.
with a single, proven operating system Network processing Unit (NPU) to offer
and a centralized management platform a true switch-integrated SAN analytics
to enable evolutionary adoption and solution. Connectrix MDS-9718, MDS- The Connectrix MDS 9100/9300 Series
consistent SAN operations. Services- 9710 and MDS-9706 provide the industry’s Multilayer Fabric Switches are cost
effective, scalable, easy to install and highly
oriented SAN applications enable most reliable storage directors, with fully
configurable Fibre Channel switches that
centralized solutions to meet customer redundant components, fault-tolerant are excellent for small to medium-sized
needs, including data migration and architectural design and full support for businesses. The Connectrix MDS-9132T
acceleration of backup and replication future FC speed upgrades within existing offers the most line-rate 32 Gb ports in a 1
performance between distant data centers. chassis models. Rack Unit (1RU) and includes a full set of
enterprise features.
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

How to Identify Top Prospects Core Differentiators

Look for companies buying Dell EMC Storage platforms that need:
Storage Networking
Vision

How to Identify
Top Prospects

How to Sell

Higher performance, efficiency and improved cost of ownership
for running traditional data center applications (high-volume
transactional databases, CRM and analytics) including through
transitioning from local server based memory technologies
to shared network-based all-flash and hybrid storage at scale.
Companies that are upgrading enterprise Oracle, SQL Server
and SAP database systems may be looking to upgrade fabrics,
compute and storage systems.
Programs &
Support for expanded deployment of server virtualization Promotions
through handling much larger datasets with higher throughput
and lower latencies. Simplified operations and reduced risk with
pre-validated, future-proof networked flash storage solutions Best Practices
which lower total cost of ownership (TCO) by decreasing
the number of operational processes, reducing energy Dell EMC &
consumption, and maximizing resources. Cisco Contacts

Cost Relief Process

Storage networks with high-performance and deterministic,
low latencies that can keep pace with the demands of all
flash storage systems. Flash is transforming the data center
but storage speeds mean nothing if I/O bottlenecks prevent
businesses from achieving their potential.
More agility and accelerated business delivery through a flexible
IT infrastructure; improved asset utilization with less complexity
and faster provisioning cycles.
CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE 
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

How to Identify Top Prospects Core Differentiators

Qualifying Questions Customer Challenges: Customer needs Storage Networking

to share storage resources Vision
1. Do you need to increase the utilization of your storage?
• Data growth increasing and retention requirements
2. Do you have a centralized backup and data protection How to Identify
are increasingly extended.
environment? Top Prospects
• Looking to introduce or expand server virtualization.
3. Have you implemented disaster recover/business
continuity environment? • Underutilized storage resources – there’s a need to How to Sell
share storage resources.
4. Are you thinking of implementing server consolidation
or a virtualized server environment? Programs &
• Introducing new applications and additional servers.
Promotions
5. Are there SLA or performance issues in your storage
• Introducing all flash storage systems and/or NVMe-
environment?
based storage. Best Practices
6. Are you planning to transition to end-to-end NVMe?
(FC-NVMe)
Dell EMC &
Cisco Contacts

Customer Benefits: Increases storage
utilization and insight to your SAN
• Increased utilization of storage resources though
secured shared storage.
• Centralized backup and data protection.
• A data protection environment that includes DR/BC
solutions across campus or across the globe.
• A building block environment for server virtualization.
• Performance to keep pace with new all flash and
NVMe-based storage systems.
• Gain complete visibility across the SAN for every
storage workload.
Key Features: Fibre Channel, Mainframe Cost Relief Process
Connectivity, NVMe over Fabric-ready
• Reliability, availability, high performance and scalable
product offerings.
• Efficiencies improvements, energy reductions
through consolidation.
• Automated management features with threshold
support.
• Multi-protocol support for block: Fibre Channel,
FCiP, FCoE, FICON and iSCSI. All 16- and 32Gb/s
Connectrix platforms are NVMe over Fabric-ready.
• Provides the performance required for flash storage
environments.
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Elevator Pitch Core Differentiators

With NVMe-based Dell EMC Storage all-flash and hybrid-flash Storage Networking
all-flash arrays and Connectrix MDS 9000 multilayer 32Gb Fibre Vision
Channel SAN directors and switches, you can accelerate your
most demanding workloads such as high-volume transactional How to Identify
databases, CRM and analytics and expanded server virtualization Top Prospects
from edge to core to cloud, while dramatically reducing the total
cost of ownership (TCO). They combine multiple layers of network How to Sell
and storage-management intelligence with robust, flexible and
future-proof NVMe-based SAN infrastructure. With them, you can Elevator Pitch &
build highly available, scalable storage networks with advanced Key Selling Points
security and seamless management.
Objection Handling

Key Selling Points Programs &

Promotions
With Connectrix MDS 9000 multilayer FC SAN switches, your customer will be able to:
Best Practices

Dell EMC &

Cisco Contacts

Cost Relief Process

Achieve industry-leading Reduce cost-of-ownership Acquire deep visibility Gain greater flexibility Upgrade reliability and
scalability with platforms through competitive entry- through built-in hardware- through innovations availability through
supporting 8 to 768 line- level pricing, investment based analytics for faster including 32G FC and leveraging the reliability in
rate 32G Fibre Channel protection through latest troubleshooting and NVMe over Fabrics as they switching, performance
ports, MDS delivers both technology, and operational resolution to make Day 2 explore new big data and and highly available
scale and performance simplicity through operations more effective. analytics investments. component design
for the most demanding single pane-of-glass that MDS switches are
big data applications. management. renowned for.
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Core Differentiators

Storage Networking
Vision

Objection Handling How to Identify

What makes MDS 32Gb
products unique?
Connectrix MDS 9718 Director offers a
number of “industry first’s” which make it a
unique 32G director-class switch:
• Ultra-high density
‚‚ 2X Performance
‚‚ 2X 32G FC ports with 768 line-rate
32G ports
• Switch-native line-rate I/O visibility
‚‚ On-board analytics engine for data
collection
‚‚ End-to-end visibility for troubleshooting
‚‚ 100% visibility – every packet, every
flow
• Reduced complexity, seamless
management
‚‚ Power On Auto Provisioning automates
configuration
‚‚ Programmability and automation with
native RESTful API
‚‚ DCNM is the industry’s first unified SAN
and LAN management solution
• Investment protection
‚‚ Speed upgrades within existing chassis
‚‚ Alternatives require concurrent chassis/
speed upgrades
Are there unique features for
NVMe over Fabrics (Fibre Channel)
(NVMe-FC) with Connectrix MDS?
Connectrix MDS switches provide full support
for NVMe-FC resulting in the following unique
benefits:
• Multiprotocol flexibility: Connectrix MDS
switches support NVMe and SCSI (Small
Computer System Interface) simultaneously
over Fibre Channel fabrics. Enterprises can
continue to use their existing infrastructure and
roll out new FC-NVMe–capable end devices in
phases, sharing the same Fibre Channel SAN.
• Seamless insertion: NVMe support can be
enabled on MDS switches through a non-
disruptive upgrade of Cisco NX-OS Software.
No hardware changes are required.
• Integrated storage traffic visibility and
analytics: The 32-Gbps products in the
Connectrix MDS 9000 switch family offer Cisco
SAN Telemetry Streaming.
• Investment protection: FC-NVMe is supported
on current and future generations of switches.
• Superior architecture: Large enterprises
across the globe from various industry verticals
trust Connectrix MDS 9700 Series solutions for
their mission-critical data centers due to their
superior architecture.
Top Prospects
What is unique about MDS SAN
Telemetry? How to Sell
MDS SAN Telemetry uniquely provides
pervasive, always-on SAN Analytics on every
32G port on MDS switches/modules Elevator Pitch &
Key Selling Points
• Deep visibility into SAN workloads using
next-gen ASIC and Network Processing Unit
Objection Handling
(NPU)
• Programmable architecture enables support
of DCNM and supported 3rd party tools Programs &
• Capability can be enabled within seconds Promotions
vs. External TAP appliances typically used for
SAN Telemetry require re-cabling, extra rack
space, etc. Best Practices
Does Dell EMC have an entry-
level Connectrix MDS switch Dell EMC &
supporting 32G FC? Cisco Contacts
Connectrix MDS 9132T 32FC switch provides
a richer feature set at a lower price point vs. Cost Relief Process
alternative entry-level 32G FC models
• Integrated Telemetry
• Native 32FC distance – 612KM
• Field-Replaceable Modules – Yes
• Dual Power Supply option – Yes
• Ports – 8-32
• Max Switching Capacity – 1024 Gbps
• RESTful API Support – Yes
• Max. Port/Channel Members – 16 X 32G
• Port-Channel/Trunk Members across
ASICs – Yes
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Core Differentiators

Storage Networking
Vision

How to Identify
Top Prospects

How to Sell

Programs &
Promotions

Programs & Promotions Best Practices

PROGRAM SUMMARY Dell EMC &

Cisco Contacts
The Connectrix MDS 9700 Technology Refresh Program is intended to provide selected partners
Connectrix MDS 9700 32G Director
with additional cost savings on the purchase of MDS 9700 48-Port 32-Gbps Fibre Channel
Technology Refresh Program Cost Relief Process
Switching Modules.

The Connectrix MDS Fabric Switch Technology Refresh Program is intended to provide selected
Fabric Switch Competitive Technology
partners with additional cost savings on the purchase of MDS 9132T, MDS 9148T or
Refresh Program
9396T 32-Gbps Fibre Channel Switches.

Test Drives Customer product demonstration events to drive incremental MDS pipeline

Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) Provides cost savings on the purchase of SAN Advanced License for DCNM to be included with
Management Program the purchase of a new 9100 series fabric switch
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Best Practices Core Differentiators

Storage Networking
Vision
Schedule regular account mapping sessions in your territory &
engage your Cisco counterpart often How to Identify
Top Prospects

How to Sell

Bring in your local Field BDM early on opportunities Programs &

Promotions

Best Practices

Dell EMC &

Be familiar with current programs and promotions Cisco Contacts

Cost Relief Process

Document and share key wins

Leverage corporate resources as necessary

Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Dell EMC & Cisco Contacts Dell EMC

Core Differentiators
Global Product Marketing
Director
Deirdre Wassell Storage Networking
deirdre.wassell@dell.com Vision
774 277 1688

Director Connectrix Sales How to Identify

Programs
Shawn Metcalf
Top Prospects
shawn.metcalf@dell.com
508 346 9414
How to Sell
Connectrix Global GTM Lead
Chris Sauer
Programs &
christopher.sauer@dell.com
617 832 5400
Promotions

Sales Programs
(Americas & APJ)
Best Practices
Mark Gomes
mark.gomes@dell.com
Dell EMC &
508 446 8023
Cisco Contacts
Sales Programs (EMEAR)
Chelsey Fraser
Cisco Field Cisco Corporate chelsey.fraser@dell.com
Cost Relief Process
508 346 9274
US Field BDM (Central) Greater China BDM East and South Global Alliance Manager
Mike Joyce Gang Yu Dell EMC Sales Desk Richard Knight Global Corporate Technical
mikejoyc@cisco.com yugang@cisco.com Tanya Maier richknig@cisco.com Evangelist
847 404 4683 +86 10 8515 5993 tamaier@cisco.com 603 566 9560 Michael Sheets
902 989 0949 Michael.Sheets@dell.com
US Field BDM (East) APJ BDM Dell EMC Partner Manager 941 524 1400
Bill Masi Amber Ang Central and West Chris Merritt
bmasi@cisco.com ambang@cisco.com Dell EMC Sales Desk chrmerri@cisco.com Business Director of
408 894 6414 +65 9388 1540 Kyle Connolly 978 549 8156 Integrated Offerings
kyconnol@cisco.com Kelli Naglieri
US Field BDM (South) EMEA BDM 902 456 8724 Partner Marketing Manager Kelli.Naglieri@emc.com
Mark Pfizenmaier Bruno Mattei Gary Serda 508 346 9965
mpfizenm@cisco.com bmattei@cisco.com EMEA Dell EMC Sales Desk gserda@cisco.com
Sales Programs Alias
919 927 1529 +33 6 19 98 24 42 Viktoriya Nikolayenko 408 526 6161
GPSProgramsOffice@emc.com
vnikolay@cisco.com
351 21 454 1605
Dell EMC Connectrix MDS SAN Switch SALES PLAYBOOK

What to Sell

Cost Relief Process Core Differentiators

To provide additional discount above standard discount for a specific opportunity, Dell EMC must engage
Cisco counterpart. If Dell EMC does not know Cisco counterpart, he/she should engage appropriate Field Storage Networking
Vision
BDM or Dell EMC Global Product Sales.
How to Identify
Top Prospects

1 2 3 4 How to Sell

Cisco Sales Cisco PSS develops config Cisco Sales and Dell EMC Cisco PSS/AM submits
determines relief is w/ Dell EMC and Field BDM agree on exact amount of cost deal in MDM/SFDC
Programs &
needed relief required to win deal Promotions

Best Practices

8 7 6 5 Dell EMC &

Cisco Contacts
Appropriate Field Cisco AM/PSS sends final DSA Approved by Cisco Add name of
BDM creates cost BOM and approved DID to Finance containing appropriate Field BDM
relief LOA appropriate Field BDM Deal ID in SFDC to receive copy
Cost Relief Process
of approval email

9 10 11 12
Field BDM submits final Dell EMC submits claim Cisco Claims Field BDM facilitates
LOA to Dell EMC and after end customer validates against DID, resolution of any claim
Cisco Claims shipment and POS POS and LOA issues with Cisco AM/PSS
received by Cisco

Cisco Dell EMC