Dell EMC Azure Stack HCI Integrates AMD EPYC

Dell Technologies announced that it is further enhancing its Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI. These integrations are specifically the integration of new node options that feature the AMD EPYC 2nd generation processors. The two new node options are AX-6515 and AX-7525.

Dell EMC Azure Stack HCI with AMD

It was roughly six months ago when Dell Tech announced its integrated system with Azure HCI. At the time we wrote, Azure Stack HCI was announced a bit ago, with a major new release earlier this year, it is an on-premise implementation of their Azure cloud service. The stack lives on-premises but it is integrated with Azure and comes with Azure security, performance, and features. It is now delivered as an Azure service. Dell Technologies is now offering its Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI to further optimize the Azure Stack HCI.

The initial release saw nodes built around the PowerEdge servers, specifically the R640 and R740xd or nodes AX-640 and AX-740xd. Now Dell Tech is integrating new nodes leveraging the previous generation of AMD EPYC CPUs (third generations support is said to be coming soon). While there used to be more differences in the previous generations of the two major CPU makers, the one that still stands out is core density. AMD delivers many more cores for those that need high performance. While VMware has a “core tax” there isn’t that issue with Azure HCI. So those looking for an AMD Azure HCI sold as an appliance, Dell Tech seems to be the only game in town at the moment.

Dell has gone the extra step of making adopting the new nodes easier by dropping the pro support deployment requirement, though it is still an option if you want to add it. They added support assist to those that enjoy or need to leverage the service.

AX-6515 Specifications

Chassis Configurations	8 x 2.5” front bay drives
Processors	Single socket 2nd Generation AMD EPYC Processors
Memory	64 GB to 1 TB (8/16/32/64 GB DDR4; speeds up to 3200 MT/s)
Storage controller	Internal HBA330 12Gbps SAS HBA Controller (NON-RAID)
Internal Boot Storage	BOSS with dual M.2 240GB or 480GB (RAID 1)
Storage for Capacity	4 to 8 x up to 7.68 TB SAS/ vSAS/ SATA SSDs
Min/Max Raw Storage	3.2 to 61.44 TB
Network cards	1 x Mellanox CX5 (Dual Port 10/25 GbE) or 1 x Mellanox CX6 DX (Dual Port 40/100 GbE) or 1 x Qlogic/Marvell QL41262 DP 10/25 GbE LOM: On-Board Broadcom 5720 Dual Port 1Gb LOM Mezz: Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10 GbE SFP+/Base-T Network LOM Mezz Card or Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 25 GbE SFP28 LOM Mezz Card
HCI Software	Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Edition with Hyper-V, Storage Spaces Direct, SDN Microsoft Windows Admin Center (WAC)
Out of Band Management	Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) 9 Enterprise or Datacenter for 14G IPMI 2.0 compliant Quick Sync2 (Optional)
Integrations	Dell EMC OpenManage Integration with Windows Admin Center Dell EMC OpenManage Integration with Microsoft Systems Center
Services	ProSupport and ProSupport Plus, ProDeploy, ProDeploy Plus with an add-on for Windows Server HCI Call-routing, phone home, and automated case creation supported with SupportAssist Enterprise v2.0.70 Consulting Services for Windows Server HCI
Security	Trusted Platform Module 2.0
Power Supplies	Dual, Hot-plug, Redundant Power Supply (1+1), 550W
Form Factor	1U Rack

AX-7525

Storage Configuration	All-Flash (All-NVMe)	All-Flash (NVMe + SSD)
Chassis Configurations	24 x 2.5” front bay drives
Processors	Dual socket 2nd Gen AMD EPYC (ROME) Processors
Memory	128 GB to 2 TB (8/16/32/64 GB DDR4; speeds up to 3200 MT/s)
Internal Boot Storage	BOSS with dual M.2 240GB or 480GB (RAID 1)	BOSS S2 with Dual M.2 NVMe 240 or 480 GB (RAID 1)
Storage controller	–	Internal HBA 355i
Storage for Cache RI = read intensive WI = write intensive MU = mixed use	–	2, 3, 4, or 8 x PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drives 1.6/3.2/6.4 TB (MU)
Storage for Capacity	4 – 24 x PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drives: 1.6/3.2/6.4 TB (MU) 3.84/7.68 TB (RI)	4 – 16 x SAS/vSAS/SATA SSDs: 960/1.92/3.84/7.68 TB SAS/vSAS/SATA (RI) 800/1600/3200 SAS (MU) 960/1.92/3.84 TB vSAS/SATA (MU)
Min/Max Raw Storage	6.4 to 184.32 TB	3.2 to 122.88 TB
Network cards	Add-in-cards: 1-2 x Mellanox CX5 (Dual Port 10/25 GbE) 1-3 x Qlogic/Marvell FastLinQ QL41262 (Dual Port 10/25 GbE) 1-2 x Mellanox CX6 DX (Dual Port 40/100 GbE) LOM: On-Board Broadcom 5720 Dual Port 1Gb LOM Optional OCP: Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10 GbE Base-T OCP 3.0 or Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25 GbE OCP SFP28 OCP 3.0 or Intel X710 Quad Port 10 GbE SFP+, OCP NIC 3.0 or Intel X710 Dual Port 10 GbE SFP+, OCP NIC 3.0	Add-in-cards: 1-4 x Mellanox CX5 (Dual Port 10/25 GbE) 1-4 x Qlogic/Marvell FastLinQ QL41262 (Dual Port 10/25 GbE) 1-4 x Mellanox CX6 DX (Dual Port 40/100 GbE) LOM: On-Board Broadcom 5720 Dual Port 1Gb LOM Optional OCP: Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10 GbE Base-T OCP 3.0 or Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25 GbE OCP SFP28 OCP 3.0 or Intel X710 Quad Port 10 GbE SFP+, OCP NIC 3.0 or Intel X710 Dual Port 10 GbE SFP+, OCP NIC 3.0
HCI Software	Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Edition with Hyper-V, Storage Spaces Direct, SDN Microsoft Windows Admin Center (WAC)
Out of Band Management	Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) 9 Enterprise or Datacenter for 14G IPMI 2.0 compliant Quick Sync2 (Optional)
Integrations	Dell EMC OpenManage Integration with Windows Admin Center Dell EMC OpenManage Integration with Microsoft Systems Center
Services	ProSupport and ProSupport Plus, ProDeploy, ProDeploy Plus with an add-on for Windows Server HCI Call-routing, phone home, and automated case creation supported with SupportAssist Enterprise v2.0.70 Consulting Services for Windows Server HCI
Security	Trusted Platform Module 2.0
Power Supplies	Dual, Hot-plug, Redundant Power Supply (1+1), 1400 W Dual, Hot-plug, Redundant Power Supply (1+1), 2400 W
Form Factor	2U Rack