{"id":5725,"date":"2023-09-21T13:50:25","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T11:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irg-net.com\/?p=5725"},"modified":"2024-03-11T16:23:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:23:49","slug":"dell-xr4000-and-vmware-vsphere-nextgen-edge-solution-computacenter-datacenter2go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irg-net.com\/index.php\/dell-xr4000-and-vmware-vsphere-nextgen-edge-solution-computacenter-datacenter2go\/","title":{"rendered":"Dell XR4000 and VMware vSphere – NextGen Edge Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Last year at Dell Technologies World 2022<\/strong>, my mentor Marc Huppert (VCDX 181)<\/a><\/strong> and I came across the Dell XR4000<\/strong> at the Solutions Expo. I mean we have seen it all before, servers, storage and networking but this edge solution from Dell blew us away! CEO Michael Dell<\/strong> said in his keynote that by 2025, more than 50% of IT deployments will happen in the edge. And so it is, in 2023 edge computing is already the talk of the town and everyone is reporting a need for compute infrastructure in unusual areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let us take a closer look at the Dell PowerEdge NextGen Portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Dell Technologies<\/strong> portfolio is immensely large, the manufacturer divides its server models into three areas:
AI \/ ML<\/strong> with GPU accelerated servers,
Edge \/ Telco<\/strong> with ruggidized servers and
Core<\/strong> for our well known data centers, campuses, banks, retailers, military.
Depending on the use case, there is a suitable Dell server. \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now let us move on to our little star, which we saw last year at the Dell Technologies World<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dell PowerEdge XR4000<\/a><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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I want to give you a basic idea for this server models. There is a rackable <\/strong>and stackable <\/strong>option. No matter which of the two you choose, you get a fully supported VMware vSAN<\/strong> cluster. The rackable<\/strong> one gives you the ability to build a VMware Horizon<\/strong> or AI\/ML<\/strong> (NVIDIA AI Enterprise)<\/strong> environment with NVIDIA GPUs!<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both models fit perfectly into various industries such as retail (supermarkets)<\/strong>, military (tanks, submarines)<\/strong>, video surveillance and security<\/strong>, telco (5G antennas)<\/strong> but also in core datacenters. These are Dell’s most versatile server models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let me give you some more specific UseCase ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More and more fire departments in Germany are acquiring drones, and the data needs to be analyzed in the field. The XR4000’s form factor fits perfectly into the fire trucks and provides the necessary computing power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Municipal utilities like infraf\u00fcrth GmbH need reliable hardware for their dark site control systems which are both redundant and temperature resistant. With an operating temperature range of -5 to 55 degrees Celsius, the XR4000 is the perfect solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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vSAN Stretched clusters always require a 3rd site for the witness appliance, customers usually use a single server as a witness node. In case of hardware failures, the hole site would be down. This is another perfect use case for the XR4000, thanks to its redundant compute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And many more… The Usecase list is endless, because these server models can handle nearly every Workload!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Technical Specifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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We recommend both stackable and rackable <\/strong>models to all our VMware vSAN Streched Cluster<\/strong> customers who need to have a third site to deploy the VMware vSAN Witness<\/strong> appliance. Most of our customers have 1U servers at their third site for this purpose. But in case of maintenance <\/strong>or hardware failure<\/strong> the site has to be shut down completely and that is where the XR4000 <\/strong>provides redundancy on point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both models can handle temperatures from -5 (23\u00b0F) up to 55 (131\u00b0F) degrees Celsius<\/strong>, they are rated to MIL 810H<\/strong> and NEBS Level 3<\/strong> certification, have a short depth of 35cm (14″)<\/strong> and can provide up to 4 compute nodes depending on configuration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding to VMware vSphere 8<\/strong>, I must inform you that currently the systems are not supported. We have upgraded the compute nodes to vSphere 8 but only for testing purposes. It worked fine but it is not officially supported<\/strong> by VMware and Dell!<\/strong> Now let us take a closer look at the two chassis options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the XR4000z <\/strong>you get a chassis just a bit bigger than a shoebox. The chassis consists of 2 slots<\/strong> for compute nodes<\/strong>, 1 slot<\/strong> for a hardware witness node (NS)<\/strong> and 2<\/strong> slots <\/strong>for power supplies<\/strong>. The XR4000z can be screwed to a wall via VESA mount<\/strong> and operated that way. The chassis has gripper arms to stack more XR4000z enclosures.
Dimensions are without bezel & latch<\/strong> 26,6 (10.5″) x 35,6cm (14″) and with bezel & latch<\/strong> 30,4 (12″) x 45,7cm (18″).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the XR4000r <\/strong>you can configure up to 2 more server nodes compared to the XR4000z, plus this model is in 19″ rack format<\/strong>, but still with 35cm (14″) depth<\/strong>! The XR4000r chassis offers you several configuration options, including PCI\/Storage expansion<\/strong> – more on that below.
Dimensions are 48.2 (19″) x 35.6cm (14″) without bezel and 48.2 (19″) x 45.7cm (18″) with bezel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 1U XR4510<\/strong> Server Node or also called Compute Sled<\/strong> offers you following possibilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n