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Harnessing the Performance of Dell EMC VxRail 7.0.100—A Lab-Based Performance Analysis
Introduction
VxRail overview
Latest updates and performance improvements
Document purpose
Audience
Authors and contributors
Test results Summary References Appendix: Test team, setup, and methodology

VxRail overview

VxRail overview

  • Dell EMC VxRail hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is the only fully integrated, preconfigured, and tested HCI system that is optimized for VMware vSAN technology for software-defined storage. Co-engineered with VMware, VxRail systems are integrated with existing VMware ecosystem and cloud management solutions. Those integrated solutions, which are optional, include VMware vRealize, VMware NSX, VMware Horizon, and all other solutions that are a part of the vast and robust VMware vSphere ecosystem. Our joint engineering with VMware and investments in VxRail HCI System Software provide customers with an optimized turnkey system at reduced risk.

    VxRail HCI System Software

    VxRail HCI System Software is a suite of integrated value-added software elements that extends VMware native capabilities and further reduces operational complexity. It encapsulates much of the key functionality that differentiates VxRail systems from vSAN Ready Nodes and other HCI solutions in the market. VxRail HCI System Software provides automation and orchestration for Day 1 deployment and Day 2 system-based operational tasks.

    VxRail HCI System Software consists of multiple integrated software elements that extend VMware native capabilities to deliver a seamless and automated operational experience. Within VxRail HCI System Software, SaaS multicluster management provides global visualization, simplified health monitoring, and multicluster management through a cloud-based web portal. These features build upon life cycle management services to increase operational efficiency, especially for customers who have a large footprint of VxRail clusters and for whom managing at scale has been challenging.

    Full-stack testing, validation, and upgrades

    The VxRail engineering team fully tests and validates the entire stack. The team performs more than 25,000 test hours for every major release, minimizing testing and validation time and costs for our customers. The HCI System Software electronic compatibility matrix ensures that every iteration of possible upgrade paths is rigorously tested. This process offers multiple direct upgrade paths, which allows customers to bypass interim updates that they may have missed.

    VxRail provides faster, more efficient upgrades in two unique ways:

    • Leapfrogging capability—Customers can choose any VxRail version they want, with the assurance that it is in a validated state, and seamlessly bypass any in-between releases.
    • Pre-staged upgrades—Each node is ready to go and provides estimated upgrade times, allowing customers to schedule upgrades at the optimal time for their organization.

    VxRail customers can take advantage of the latest updates by applying the full-stack, single-click upgrades. Customers no longer have to verify hardware compatibility lists, run test and development scenarios, sequence updates, and so on. Intelligent life cycle management functionality automatically updates clusters with pre-validated, pre-tested software and firmware components, ensuring that the infrastructure is in a continuously validated state.

    VxRail HCI supports multiple generations of hardware in the same cluster, so that current and future customers can:

    • Upgrade from many versions of VxRail and VMware software.
    • Buy the technologies they need, when they need them.
    • Future-proof their infrastructure.
    • Tap into generational software enhancements without being forced to swap out infrastructure.