Automated cluster creation with Dell HCI configuration profile

Figure 52. Automated cluster creation workflow

The Microsoft Azure Stack HCI operating system comes pre-installed with the AX nodes from the Dell factory. After the initial rack and stack activities, a simple deployment workflow in OMIMSWAC will automatically create the cluster. The Auto Cluster Creation feature uses OpenManage Integration snap-in that enables update of AX nodes while creating the cluster. This helps in hardware configurations compliance of selected nodes with Dell recommended hardware configurations. For optimal cluster performance, the OpenManage Integration performs a solution symmetry check to ensure the homogeneity of all cluster nodes before the deployment is initiated. This integration can also apply hardware solution updates, such as for BIOS, firmware, and drivers, at the same time as operating system updates, as part of cluster creation -- all with just a single reboot. To summarize the benefits of automated cluster creation, here are a few points:

Save time and reduce risk associated with manual deployment efforts.
Optimal cluster configuration using a consistent, repeatable, and guided process.
Hardware compatibility and symmetry checks ensure that hardware configurations are validated against Dell HCI Configuration Profile.
Perform hardware updates for connected or edge/disconnected nodes.
Compliance report of operating system, BIOS, firmware, and drivers.
Remediation before cluster build.

Cluster expansion

Cluster Expansion is another significant value add which helps prepare the cluster nodes before adding them to the HCI cluster. OMIMSWAC readies the cluster nodes before adding them, but expanding a cluster requires some steps recommended by Microsoft. For details about creating and expanding clusters, see HCI Operations Guide—Managing and Monitoring the Solution Infrastructure Life Cycle. The new node to be added is checked for high-level compatibility, licensing, and HCI Configuration Profile to ensure it can be added successfully and consistently. Following these checks, a compliance check will be performed to ensure the new nodes’ BIOS, firmware, and driver versions are consistent with those running on the cluster. If in case the new node is non-compliant the workflow will guide through an update process where the node is updated followed by a reboot.

CPU core management

CPU core management feature right sizes the cluster for workloads which creates the best Return on Investment (ROI). The Azure Stack HCI operating system is billed based on subscription which is on a per core basis for on-premises servers. This can become expensive because many servers are equipped with high core count processors. OMIMSWAC can help lowering this expense and optimizing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by modifying the CPU core count dynamically. The tool provides a summary of current CPU core configuration along with available cores for expansion or reduction. Users can adjust and simultaneously apply the CPU core count BIOS settings without leaving the OpenManage Integration extension with a reboot-now or on a next-reboot option. Because this happens through Cluster-Aware Updating, the mandatory reboot of servers will not interrupt the running workloads.

1-Click full stack LCM using cluster-aware updating

Figure 55. 1-Click full stack LCM workflow

As with any production system, it is critical to apply operating system and hardware updates routinely to protect businesses from security vulnerabilities and to take advantage of innovative new features and performance and reliability enhancements. Microsoft releases quality and security updates for the Azure Stack HCI operating system, and Dell releases updates for BIOS, firmware, and drivers regularly. To keep the system up to date, Dell OpenManage Extension installs a snap-in to Microsoft’s Cluster-Aware Updating extension. This produces a simple consolidated workflow that orchestrates the updates of the OS and the hardware. All these updates only require a single reboot per node in the cluster, with no impact to running workloads. Below is a summary of benefits and reduced risks:

Single workflow orchestrates operating system, BIOS, firmware, and driver updates.
One reboot per cluster node at a time with no interruption to workloads.
Node validation checks ensure cluster update readiness.
Dell Repository Manager created solution catalog for edge/disconnected scenarios.
Fully automated experience with the online solution catalog.
Compliance report and remediation.

Infrastructure lock for AX nodes

The AX nodes are protected from unintended changes that occur in a data center for various reasons by Infrastructure lock built into the tool. With this lock turned ON, the feature prevents the infrastructure from any configuration changes or updates to be done to the BIOS, iDRAC, firmware, and drivers. The tool facilitates these setting changes across all the nodes in the cluster. It also allows administrators to disable the infrastructure lock for HCI and failover clusters for the intended configuration changes, and update the cluster, and enable it back automatically after the operation is finished.

Secured core

This feature allows you to enable Secured-Core server for the infrastructure (failover clusters) running on Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server 2022.

In OpenManage Integration extension, this feature enables advanced hardware protection of the Secured-Core server consisting of hardware root-of-trust and firmware protection at the BIOS level in a cluster-aware manner.
In Windows Admin Center Security extension, this feature enables dependent operating system security features in failover clusters.
OpenManage Integration leverages the Windows Admin Center security extension tool to display the secured core status of clusters and cluster nodes at the operating system level.
With the Secured-Core server feature in OpenManage Integration extension, when combined with the operating system capabilities enabled by Microsoft WAC security tool extension, your infrastructure is fully protected against current and future threats.

Note: Dell Technologies and Microsoft recommend enabling Secured-Core server for Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server HCI 2022 that includes both the Dell Infrastructure and Microsoft Operating System security features to protect the infrastructure from external threats. The Secured feature is supported on 15 ^th generation of AX node servers with AMD Milan or Intel Ice Lake processors running Azure Stack HCI version 21H2 or Windows Server 2022.

Cluster monitoring and management

The Dell OpenManage Integration extension’s home page is carefully designed to give an overall health status of the cluster in a single view. Its monitoring, inventory, and troubleshooting capabilities include:

Real-time health status
Overall cluster status
Status by node
Component level health
iDRAC integrated management
Hardware and firmware inventory and compliance
Support for traditional or new dark theme

Figure 57. Dell OpenManage integration with Windows Admin Center – overall health status page

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Important features of OMIMSWAC