Provides direct access and faster bandwidth connections that enhance the service they give to customers via its SDN.

The Planet , a privately held dedicated hosting company, today announced that Nirvanix, a cloud storage platform provider, will add another node to its Storage Delivery Network (SDN) at its D2 data center in Dallas. The company claims that Nirvanix has built a cluster of storage nodes on the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia. The partnership marks the first time Nirvanix will use Dell servers and storage for its platform and the implementation is expected to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2008, it adds.

It further explains that the Nirvanix SDN provides companies with an alternative to adding network storage systems or using first-generation online storage platforms and customers are guaranteed a shorter time-to-market, along with an 80 percent savings over building their own storage operations.

"Storage has become one of the most critical elements for any organization, particularly with the monumental expansion of business over the Internet," said Steve Kahan, vice president of marketing and product management with The Planet. "For our customers who are considering cloud storage or who already use Nirvanix solutions, this represents a significant advantage over other cloud storage options. They now will have direct access and faster bandwidth connections that enhance the service they receive from the Nirvanix SDN."

"With a global client list, we evaluated a number of options for our next Nirvanix node," said Nirvanix CEO Patrick Harr. "The Planet's reputation for reliability, its world-class network and data centers, and their exclusive use of Dell servers and storage offered the best combination of products and services. With this new location, our customers now have a zero hop on the Nirvanix storage network, an even more attractive option for building and scaling their next-generation Internet applications."

"Cloud-based computing is becoming a vital part of small- and medium-sized businesses' IT infrastructure," said Vivek Mohindra, vice president of Dell's Small and Medium Business Group. "With Nirvanix cloud storage, SMBs now have access to a powerful and attractive option, backed by Dell and The Planet."