We've been promised a look at Dell's new blade server technologies (be still my beating heart), along with a server designed to make virtualization easier. In addition, these new technologies claim to reduce power by up to 40%, cut costs by 50% and reduce deployments from days and weeks to minutes and hours.

We'll see. I wish I could tell you more about the secret Dell meetings going on today, but I wasn't even invited. I did manage to wrangle a sneak peek, but they told me that if I said anything I'd be taken on a Texas sleigh-ride. So I guess you'll just have to wait on that.

As for Dell's business server plans, I'll have more, from the event, as it happens (they're running a bit late, it was supposed to start at nine pacific, here it is 9:25, and nothing's happening but a warmed over and slightly lumpy breakfast.

Dr. Kevin Kettler, the CTO, and the director of server products, Jay Parker are the main speakers here, and now, finally, they are sitting down and it has begun.

Dr. Kettler is talking broadly about technology at Dell, and how new technologies are becoming more important at Dell.

So here's the basics of what Dell launched (after the jump):

The new "Project Hybrid ", which claims to change how businesses install and manage technology. Project Hybrid will focus on reducing complexity of servers and data centers, and by reducing power consumption. It's called "hybrid", because it brings together three different components.

The first, Dell's core, includes optimized server products that, according to Parker, are "unlike anything the industry has seen today." These servers will be optimized for a particular environment, including the ability to rapidly deploy plug-and-play virtualization, high performance computing, and a range of other specific solutions for business computing needs.

The second involves a set of unique integrated software that's embedded into the products, and help enable both virtualization and energy efficiency. Dell also claims that the software will ease deployment, and reduce management headaches. Some of the software will be developed in-house, others will be integrated in from off-the shelf components. According to Dell, their software should let you move from the physical to a virtual environment in minutes or hours, rather than days or weeks. The goal is to cut deployment time dramatically.

The third component involves a renewed commitment to service. Dell plans on deploying a new and more comprehensive services group that will help companies deploy these hardware and software solutions. However, they took pains to differentiate their services group from the expensive, custom services offered by HP and IBM's Price Waterhouse Group. It's more like Geek Squad (Dell Dude Squad?), where specific packaged solutions are rolled out to clients using standard, off the shelf hardware and software packages.

All this will be coming in the second half of this year.

The presentation was long on vision and short on details. But one new product was unveiled on stage, a new blade architecture that will be the first piece of "project hybrid". The 16-slot blade chassis will be 20% more power efficient than those from HP and IBM, and will include multiple redundant cooling components and power supplies, along with a built in switch fabric for networking and storage. That blade server is also due later this year.

-- Jim Louderback