Protecting VxRail From Unplanned Power Outages: More Choices Available

In my previous blog, Protecting VxRail from Power Disturbances, I described the first API-integrated solution that helps customers preserve data integrity on VxRail if there are unplanned power events. Today, I'm excited to introduce another solution that resulted from our close partnership with Schneider Electric (APC).

Why is it important?

Over the last few years, VxRail has become a critical HCI system and data-center building block for over 15,000 customers who have deployed more than 220,000 nodes globally. When HCI was first introduced, it was often considered for specific workloads such as VDI or ROBO locations. However, with the evolution of hardware and software capabilities, VxRail became a catalyst in data-center modernization, deployed across various use cases from core to cloud to edge. Today, customers are deploying VxRail for mission-critical workloads because it is powerful enough to meet the most demanding requirements for performance, capacity, availability, and rich data services.

Dell Technologies is a leader in data-protection solutions and offers a portfolio of products that can fulfill even the most demanding RPO and RTO requirements from customers. In addition to using traditional data-protection solutions, it is best practice to use a UPS to protect the infrastructure and ensure data integrity if there are unplanned power events. In this blog, I want to highlight a new solution from Schneider Electric, the provider of APC Smart-UPS systems.

The APC UPS protection solution for VxRail

Schneider Electric is one of Dell Technologies’ strategic partners in the Extended Technologies Complete Program. It provides Dell Technologies with APC UPS and IT rack enclosures offering a comprehensive solution set of infrastructure hardware, monitoring, management software, and service options.

PowerChute Network Shutdown in version 4.5 seamlessly integrates with VxRail by communicating over the network with the APC UPS. If there is a power outage, PowerChute can gracefully shut down VxRail clusters using the VxRail API. As a result of this integration, PowerChute can run on the same protected VxRail cluster, saving space and reducing hardware costs.

Solution components:

• VxRail cluster with VxRail HCI System Software version 7.0.320, 4.7.540 or higher
• Dell Smart-UPS Online 5kVA DLRT5KRMXLT or Dell Smart-UPS Online 3kVA DLRT3000RMXLA
• UPS Network Management Card 3 (AP9640, AP9640, or AP9643) with NMC firmware version v2.2 or higher
• Either a 1-Year or 3-Year PowerChute license for each VxRail node in the cluster (PowerChute Network Shutdown software version 4.5 or higher)

Key benefits of this solution include:

• Unattended, graceful shutdown of virtual machines (VMs), followed by the VxRail cluster that avoids data corruption thanks to integration with the VxRail API.
• Minimal downtime after critical events have passed with a pre-configured automated start-up sequence, which is useful at remote or unattended sites.
• Full deployment within the VxRail cluster saves space and reduces hardware requirements since you don't have to deploy PowerChute on a separate machine outside the cluster.
• Edge-ready with support for Edge-ready vSAN architecture with vSAN 2-node clusters.
• Redundant VxRail API-based cluster shutdown. In a redundant UPS set-up, if one NMC3 is offline, PowerChute will connect to one or more available NMC3s to carry out the VxRail cluster shutdown.

How does it work?

This is easiest to describe using the following diagram, which covers the steps taken in a power event and when the event is cleared:

How PowerChute Network Shutdown works with VxRail

I highly recommend watching the demo of this solution in action, which is listed in the Additional resources section at the end of this blog.

Summary

Protection against unplanned power events should be a part of a business continuity strategy for all customers who run their critical workloads on VxRail. This practice ensures data integrity by enabling automated and graceful shutdown of VxRail clusters. Customers now have more choice in providing such protection, with the new version of PowerChute Network Shutdown software for APC UPS systems integrated with VxRail API and validated with VxRail.

Additional resources

Website: Schneider Electric APC and Dell Technologies Alliance Website

Solution brochure: PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.5 Brochure

Solution demo video: PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.5 VxRail Technical Demo

Video: APC PowerChute Network Shutdown 4.5 and Dell VxRail Integration 

Previous blog: Protecting VxRail from Power Disturbances

Author:

Karol Boguniewicz, Senior Principal Engineering Technologist, Dell Technologies

LinkedIn: Karol Boguniewicz

Twitter: @cl0udguide