The audience for this document includes systems engineers, field consultants, partner engineering team members, and customers with knowledge about deploying hyperconverged infrastructures (HCIs) with the Windows Server operating system, Hyper-V, and Storage Spaces Direct. Customers who do not have Volume License agreements with Microsoft can order AX nodes from Dell Technologies with a factory-installed operating system and OEM license or as a bare-metal installation.
An Azure Stack HCI cluster can be deployed in the following ways:
- Dell Technologies Services-led—Certified deployment engineers ensure accuracy, speed, and reduced risk and downtime.
- Customer led—Customers who have the qualified level of technical expertise follow the instructions in this guide.
- The Windows Server 2019 GA build with the latest operating system updates
- The Windows Server 2022 GA build with the latest operating system updates
Assumptions
This guide assumes that deployment personnel understand the following technologies and tasks:
- AX nodes from Dell Technologies
- Deploying and configuring BIOS and integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) settings
- Deploying and configuring Windows Server core operating system Hyper-V infrastructure