Dell PowerEdge FX

Dell PowerEdge FX is the infrastructure solution on a single modular platform with the integrated storage system and network equipment.

Dell PowerEdge FX platform

2016: Dell PowerEdge FX2

On July 25, 2016 the Dell company announced release of the upgraded software in a line of management of Dell PowerEdge FX2 of building block systems. Enhanced capabilities for increase in productivity and business process optimization are offered customers.

The upgraded functionality affected selection of resources and monitoring, user support of Nagios and open source applications appeared.

Screenshot of the software window, (2015)

We released important update for PowerEdge FX2. The improved functions of selection of virtual workloads and other innovations will help customers to reach maximum efficiency at operation of DPC. At the same time they will not need to make to the existing infrastructure significant changes neither now, nor in the long term. Claire Vyvyan, vice president of Dell for corporate solutions

The organizations naturally aim to optimize and increase flexibility of the infrastructures because it allows to react to change of market conditions in real time. PowerEdge FX2 provides support of the traditional applications and new loadings arising owing to emergence and growth of popularity of social networks, mobile devices, profound analytics and cloud computing. Such capability of systems together with positive reviews of the first customers led to the unprecedented growth of their sales. Ashley Gorakhpurwalla, the vice president and the CEO of Dell on server solutions

Program PowerEdge FX2 is urged to automate and simplify the main objectives. Among opportunities — the simplified selection of virtual loadings, plug-ins for users of Nagios, flexible support of open source applications. Some of properties:

• Dell OpenManage Essentials 2.2 allows to create instantly input-output aggregators on the basis of templates that repeats appointment procedure of vLAN during distribution of ports a blade server. The new type of display allows to see all available PowerEdge FX2 on the world map with an ability to manage to 5.5 thousand systems. Integration with SupportAssist 3 allows to reduce a maximum by 90% time necessary for problem solving with the hardware, in comparison with ProSupport Plus 4 thanks to pro-active and predictive mechanisms and also a rule set for standard situations.
• OpenManage plug-in provides detailed information on PowerEdge FX2 from the controller of management of the Dell Chassis Management Controller chassis and the iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller controller for Nagios XI 1.0, thus, facilitating work of administrators of Nagios XI. Customers can continue to use the Nagios XI console for observation of the hardware of Dell without the need for installation of additional tools or personnel training.
• Additions in Active System Manager (ASM) 8.2 simplify implementation of IT services on servers, storage systems and network equipment. The special browse mode of ports allows to examine distribution of virtual and physical resources. In case of existence the administrator can easily solve problems with connection her that in general promotes quality improvement of services. The new packet of tools for developers (SDK) simplifies creation and start of difficult applications using modules open source.

2015: Dell was brought by PowerEdge FX2 FC630 to Russia

On March 3, 2015 the Dell company presented the convergent infrastructure^[1] at the Russian market^[1].

The solution is delivered in the uniform compact PowerEdge FX2 body 2U high for installation in a rack. The FX2 chassis provides installation to four dual-processor server Dell PowerEdge FC630 nodes or to eight dual-processor server FC430 nodes. Use of the four-processor modules FC830 is possible. All these server modules are constructed on the basis of processors of Xeon of E5-2600 v3 family.

Dell PowerEdge FX2 FC630, 2015

The modules Dell PowerEdge FC630 have storage capacity up to 768 GB. Hypervisors of Citrix and VMware are supported that allows to unroll virtual environment of any complexity and to start a cloud service.

Besides, in a system use of the microserver modules FM120x4 on the basis of Atom processors is possible. According to vendor, each module contains 4 single-processor microservers, and to install 4 modules in the body — i.e. 16 microservers on 2U of space.

The solution Dell PowerEdge FX also allows to install modules of data storage of direct connection (DAS) PowerEdge FD332 which include up to 16 drives (SSD drives or the disks SATA/SAS in a form factor of SFF). In combination with the PowerEdge FC630 servers modules of storage provide both high capacity for data storage, and ample opportunities for vertical and horizontal scaling. For example, installation of one module PowerEdge FC630 and three modules PowerEdge FD332 allows to implement in body 2U the dual-processor server with 50 drives of hot swap of a form factor of SFF.

Use of switching structure of PCIe, characteristic of products of Dell, with eight slots placed from the back by the chassis and an opportunity to connect them to the installed modules is provided in PowerEdge FX2. Besides, installation to two aggregators of input-output Dell Networking FN on the chassis is provided that allows to reduce number of additional cable connections and adapters of a local network / storage area network to 50% and to reduce the number of required ports in the switch at the level of a rack.

For convenience of users management of all resources (server nodes, data storage modules, network equipment and power supplies) — both locally, and far off — is provided with the controller of control of the body (CMC) by means of the unified management console.

Availability

According to statements of Dell, the Dell PowerEdge FX system (including the PowerEdge FX2 body, the server modules PowerEdge FC630 and FM120x4 and aggregators of input-output of FN IOA) are available to the order at official partners of the company.

PowerEdge FD332 storage modules, the server modules PowerEdge FC430 and PowerEdge FC830 will be available to the PowerEdge FX platform to the order in the first half of 2015.

2014

On November 11, 2014 the Dell company provided a new product to go to the program configured centers of processing and data storage - Dell PowerEdge FX.

The platform of new generation Dell PowerEdge FX represents the body of 2U in size in which about six Dell PowerEdge servers, the built-in building block system of data storage, modules of connection to external network resources (with support of reservation of all connections), the compatible to the FX2 body and supporting different workloads are installed. Equipped with the built-in functions of remote access and administration, the Dell PowerEdge FX platform provides simplicity of setup, convenient management and expansion of capacity and calculation capacity on demand, helping to create ready blocks of IT infrastructure for accomplishment of assigned tasks.

The convergent architecture of the Dell PowerEdge FX platform with the general power supply, the system of input-output, management and the built-in means of switching allows to reach the considerable density of placement of server resources: 40 two-socket servers occupy 10U rack spaces. Constructed based on the Dell PowerEdge servers of the 13th generation, the PowerEdge FX2 platform contains the functions of expanded remote access and administration considerably simplifying operating activities and management of a data processing center.

Availability

• The Dell PowerEdge FX platform, including Dell PowerEdge FX2, and the first modules (FC630, FM120x4) will become available to the order through official partners of Dell since December, 2014.

• The modules Dell PowerEdge FX FD332, FN IOA, FC430 and FC830 will be available to PowerEdge FX to the order through official partners of Dell in the first half of 2015.

Notes