Flexibility with Dell PowerEdge FX converged architecture
A look at hardware options and systems management.
Converge like never before
Built on new 13th generation Dell PowerEdge technology, FX re-interprets the server and combines rack and blade technologies, allowing incremental addition or swapping of small IT building blocks. This includes servers with different processor architectures and memory sizes, direct attached storage units, and IO modules, all within a 2U converged-infrastructure rack mount and rack-managed chassis.
The FX2 excels with flexibility in all aspects of its design. With four compute node options, a storage block option, up to eight PCIe 3 expansion slots, and combinations of IO modules including Ethernet and combination Fibre Channel/Ethernet, data center managers can adjust the architecture to fit specific application needs. Options range from Intel Atom processor-based FM120 microservers for scale-out, high-density applications, to FC630 servers powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family for heavier workloads. Other combinations include 1.8” SSDs with the FD332 storage unit, offering flexibility for software-defined storage solutions like SanDisk DAS Cache or VMware Virtual SAN.
By combining concepts from traditional blade and hyper-scale architecture technologies with proven rack-based approaches to management and cabling, the FX is designed for both new and experienced users of converged spaces and shared infrastructure. FX's flexible management, allowing it to be managed like a rack or a blade, breaks down barriers previously limiting adoption of hyper-dense converged spaces.
The building blocks of Dell PowerEdge FX Architecture
Figure 1. Dell PowerEdge FX server options
The Dell FX Architecture consists of the 2U PowerEdge FX2 enclosure, flexible server block options for scaling performance and density, a half-width direct attached storage (DAS) block, and networking IO aggregators.
The PowerEdge FX2 Enclosure is a 2U chassis that supports various resource blocks, integrating servers, storage, and networking into one chassis. Components slide into half-height sleds connecting to a shared infrastructure via a flexible IO fabric. Blocks share power, networking, I/O fabric, and PCIe fabric, and can be managed as a group through the FX2 enclosure or on a per-node basis.
The PowerEdge FD332 (coming soon) is a half-width storage block for scale-out computing, housing up to 16 direct-attached small form factor storage devices, ideal for software-defined storage solutions like VMware Virtual SAN or Microsoft Storage Spaces.
The PowerEdge FM120x4 server is a power-efficient option for scale-out web server farms, built on the Intel Atom processor C2000 product family, offering cost-effectiveness and high density.
For general-purpose workloads like virtualization, analytics, or dedicated hosting, the PowerEdge FC430 (coming soon) offers high reliability, density, and IO throughput.
For heavy virtualization environments, business intelligence applications, databases, or private clouds, the FC630 (half-width, half-height) features Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors and a large memory footprint.
The full-width, half-height PowerEdge FC830 (coming soon) supports up to four processors, offering dense compute and memory scalability with an expandable storage subsystem, suitable for large enterprise data centers with CPU and memory-intensive applications.
For detailed technical specifications, refer to Appendix A.
Blending the rack and the blade approach
Traditionally, data center managers chose between rack or blade servers. Rack servers offer easier deployment and management but less density. Blade servers provide high density but are more complex, require special networking, and involve higher upfront costs and separate management tools. Dell FX architecture merges the benefits of both, eliminating drawbacks.
- High density: The FX architecture offers densities ranging from full-width (FC830), half-width (FC630), quarter width (FC430), to half-width x4 micro servers (FM120x4). This allows for up to 2,688 Intel Atom processor cores or 3,024 Intel Xeon processor cores per rack.
- Minimal investment: The building blocks are less expensive than large blade server infrastructures, allowing for faster break-even. Flexibility to add nodes as business needs grow eliminates the risk of investing in hardware that may become obsolete.
Management tools for maximum efficiency are available, utilizing either per-server rack management tools with integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) or monitoring shared infrastructure elements via the Chassis Management Controller (CMC).
Flexibility in networking, IO, and fabric for maximum savings
The FX architecture supports two networking IO modules per chassis for high-speed performance and low latency. Shared infrastructure networking options for the FX2 chassis include the Dell Networking FN410s, FN410T, and FN2210S IO aggregators.
| Port availability | FN410S IOA | FN410T IOA | FN2210S IOA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x 1Gb/10GbE SFP+ ports, 8 internal ports | 4x 100Mb/1Gb/10Gb BASE-T ports, 8 internal ports | Either 4x 2/4/8Gb Fibre Channel ports, 8 internal ports OR 2x 2/4/8GB Fibre Channel plus 2x 1Gb/10GbE SFP+ ports, 8 internal ports |
These IO aggregator modules reduce cabling by 8-to-1 and cut down on up-stream top-of-rack (ToR) switches by up to 75 percent, reducing cost and maintenance. Administrators can manage these units via GUI or CLI using Dell Networking OS 9.
Save big with flexible, streamlined management
Dell PowerEdge FX converged architecture simplifies systems management with built-in tools that automate routine tasks. The Dell Chassis Management Controller (CMC) and embedded iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller provide flexible management of FX2 chassis.
Intuitive management with CMC
The integrated management tools in PowerEdge FX converged architecture allow management of the entire system—storage, servers, networking, and power—through a single pane of glass. Dell CMC offers a secure, browser-based interface with policy-based controls and one-to-many XML profile replication. CMC can also perform iDRAC functions like updates, settings changes, and remote sessions.
Figure 2. Dell CMC console for the PowerEdge FX
Using CMC, one PowerEdge FX2 chassis can manage up to 19 other chassis, inheriting profiles and settings. This simplifies new chassis deployment.
CMC FlexAddress technology links network and storage identity to the chassis slot, not the server hardware. This allows for seamless upgrades or replacements of server components without reconfiguring the entire system.
CMC simplifies data center management through policy-based controls with Quick Deploy and Server Configuration Replication. Quick Deploy allows assigning a server profile to a chassis slot; inserting a server into the slot automatically configures it. This process streamlines testing and deployment across multiple servers, ensuring consistency and adherence to organizational standards.
One-To-Many Updates via CMC allows administrators to deliver the latest firmware and driver versions to all FX architecture components simultaneously, saving significant administrator time.
Integration with iDRAC to save even more time
The integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) with Lifecycle Controller is embedded in every Dell PowerEdge FX architecture server. iDRAC helps deploy, update, monitor, and maintain FX servers, communicating with CMC for enhanced management.
New server node? No problem.
iDRAC's zero-touch Auto Configuration automates server profile application. Simply install a PowerEdge server into the FX2 chassis, connect to the network, and power it on. iDRAC retrieves and applies the desired profile from a pre-configured DHCP server. This process removes potential errors and speeds up server deployment. A study by Principled Technologies found that iDRAC Auto Configuration can save significant administrator time and reduce manual steps for large deployments.
Upping your update game
Updates to firmware or drivers require careful testing for optimal performance. Dell Repository Manager with Zero-Touch Repository Management, part of iDRAC 8, simplifies planning update cycles. Administrators can define custom repositories with driver and firmware updates, which are automatically updated as new versions become available. This eliminates the need to manually search for the latest versions.
Figure 3. Using Repository Manager to check for updates
iDRAC enables pre-staging of maintenance and automatic updates during off-peak hours, reducing IT staff burden.
State-of-the-art power management
Dell OpenManage Essential Power Center, in conjunction with iDRAC, helps manage and optimize power utilization for PowerEdge servers. This can lead to reduced operating expenses, increased uptime, and improved server density.
Get started with Dell PowerEdge FX architecture
Dell PowerEdge FX converged architecture offers flexibility, space efficiency, and easy management with numerous options to suit infrastructure needs. To learn more about adopting the converged architecture space with PowerEdge FX, contact a Dell representative or visit http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-fx/pd.
Appendix A - PowerEdge server options for FX
| PowerEdge model | Processor options | Memory options | PCIe Fabric options | Storage options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerEdge FM120x4 (16 per FX2) | One Intel Atom C2000 System on a Chip (SoC) processor with 2-, 4- or 8-core options (up to 128 cores per FX2) | Two DIMMs of memory (up to 32 DIMMs per FX2) | N/A | One 2.5" HDD or two 1.8" SATA SSDs (up to 16 x 2.5" HDDs or 32 x 1.8" SSDs per FX2) |
| PowerEdge FC430 (8 per FX2) | Two multi-core Intel Xeon® E5-2600 v3 processors | Up to 8 memory DIMMs (up to 64 DIMMs per FX2) | Access to one PCIe expansion slot in the FX2 chassis | Two 1.8" SATA SSDs (w/PCIe access) OR one 1.8" SATA SSD (w/front IB Mezzanine port) |
| PowerEdge FC630 (4 per FX2) | Two 18-core Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors (up to 144 cores per FX2) | Up to 24 memory DIMMs (up to 96 DIMMs per FX2) | Access to two PCIe expansion slots in the FX2 chassis | Two 2.5" HDDs or up to eight 1.8" SSDs |
| PowerEdge FC830 (2 per FX2) | Up to four next-generation multi-core Intel Xeon processors | Up to 48 memory DIMMs (up to 96 DIMMs per FX2) | Access to four PCIe expansion slots in the FX2 chassis | Support for up to two Express Flash NVMe PCIe SSDs |
