VxRail dynamic nodes are VxRail systems that are compute-only nodes used to form a vSphere cluster. Dynamic node clusters rely on external storage resources for their primary storage. External storage resource types can be remote datastores from vSAN clusters using VMware vSAN cross-cluster capacity sharing (formerly known as HCI Mesh) or datastores from storage on Dell storage arrays such as PowerStore T, PowerMax, Unity XT, VMAX, and PowerFlex.

Dynamic node clusters further extend the workload types that VxRail can address. Customers can deploy VxRail for workloads that might require enterprise storage-level data protection and resiliency or that can benefit from independent scaling of compute and storage for better cost economics. Customers can continue to store the workloads on an enterprise array while benefitting from the VxRail simplified LCM. For applications that might be compute-intensive or storage-intensive, with VMware vSAN cross-cluster capacity sharing, customers can use a mix of compute clusters and vSAN clusters that can result in better resource utilization and optimized license costs. When VxRail is used to form vSphere and vSAN clusters, customers can benefit from a common operating model with VxRail HCI System Software.

VxRail dynamic nodes are compute-only nodes running ESXi. Internal storage is not supported, so a vSAN license is not required. VxRail HCI System Software is responsible for the LCM of the node. LCM of the storage array is separate. VxRail dynamic nodes are available with the VE-660, VP-760, E660F, P670F, and V670F VxRail models. All configuration options that come with these models, except for cache and capacity drives, are available.

Figure 20.    VxRail dynamic nodes

Dynamic AppsON

A Dynamic AppsON solution refers to a VxRail dynamic node cluster using PowerStore T array as the source of its primary storage. VxRail has added exclusive integration for this configuration so that VxRail users can initiate PowerStore LCM operations from VxRail Manager. VxRail users can upload the PowerStore update bundle, run a health check, and initiate an update from the VxRail Manager UI. This differentiating capability further empowers the VMware administrator managing a Dynamic AppsON solution. With this integration, the VMware administrator can manage both products from the vCenter Server console, using the Virtual Storage Integrator plug-in to provision from and manage data services in PowerStore and using the VxRail Manager plug-in for VxRail and PowerStore LCM.

Figure 21.    PowerStore LCM from VxRail Manager