This Ready Stack provides the following key benefits:
- Resiliency—The Ready Stack architecture ensures that no single point of failure exists. Redundancy is incorporated in the critical aspects of the Ready Stack, which includes server high-availability features, redundant networking, and multipath storage.
- Virtualization support—We designed this Ready Stack for general-purpose virtualized workloads. Each server is equipped with suitable processing power, memory, and converged network adapters (CNAs) that support Ethernet and Fibre Channel (FC) as required for virtualization.
- Scalability—You can configure this Ready Stack to suit your specific needs for a virtualized infrastructure. The Ready Stack supports flexibility in the form of various options, such as server model, number of compute servers, server processor model, server memory capacity, type of FC storage, and FC storage capacity.
- Software-defined networking (SDN) with BCF–-BCF SDN provides network automation and operational simplicity with Dell EMC Open Networking switches.
- Powerful all-flash storage—PowerMax storage is a high-end addition to Dell EMC’s broad all-flash portfolio. It is well suited for organizations that are seeking a future-proof scale-out storage architecture that is based on the latest NVMe technology, massive consolidation at scale, and rich data services. Included is PowerMaxOS, an operating system with an integrated machine-learning engine to support next-generation media.
- Integrated data protection—The IDPA DP4400 preconfigured backup solution combines protection storage and software, search, analytics, and simplified management. In addition, Dell EMC RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines provides protection at VM-level granularity with local and remote replication for recovery to any point in time.
- Integrated Dell EMC management—This Ready Stack includes the following Dell EMC and Big Switch management tools:
- Dell EMC OpenManage Integration for VMware vCenter—A virtual appliance that enables administrators to view physical host details in VMware vSphere.
- Dell EMC Virtual Storage Integrator (VSI)—A vCenter plug-in that enables administrators to view, manage, and optimize storage for vSphere servers and hosts.
- Dell EMC Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 9 (iDRAC9)—An out-of-band (OOB) management tool for Dell EMC PowerEdge rack servers and blade servers. iDRAC9 has its own HTML5-based UI and can be accessed using various methods including SSH, RACADM, and the Redfish API. iDRAC9 Group Manager provides a one-to-many console for accessing the details of multiple servers. Administrators can also use Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise Modular Edition to manage server content that is accessible through iDRAC9.
- OpenManage Enterprise Modular Edition—A comprehensive embedded systems management system. It provides key functions of OpenManage Enterprise management within the chassis for the entire environment and serves as a single management point for compute, storage, and networking. You can simultaneously deploy and monitor multiple chassis, roll out changes and templates faster, and integrate the system with third-party tools.
- IDPA System Manager—An HTML5-based UI that provides administrators with configurable dashboards to simplify and automate data protection management, monitoring, and reporting.
- BCF Integration for VMware vCenter—Comprehensive network management and automation for VMware virtual environments. Along with Big Switch Networks BCF, the BCF plug-in for vSphere Web Client provides VM administrators a window into the network management of VMs, specifically VM-to-VM network monitoring and troubleshooting.