Dell EMC Modernizing Converged Infrastructure for Cloud Era With Updates to VxBlock and Ready Stack

By Pete Manca, SVP, product development, Dell EMC, part of Dell Technologies

It’s been ten years since the first VCE Vblock debuted, the result of innovative collaboration between VMware, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., and EMC Corporation that launched the first fully integrated converged infrastructure system.

In the world of IT infrastructure, it was a groundbreaking first, and it quickly evolved to become an easy way for organizations to deploy a mission-critical cloud within a hybrid cloud strategy.

After more than 4,500 installations, which if stacked up would nearly reach Mt. Everest’s peak, the steady beat of innovation continues for the Certified Reference Systems and Integrated Infrastruture portfolio in the industry. According to IDC, the portfolio is ranked #1 with 46% revenue share ^[i]. Dell EMC happy shares some new updates to VxBlock, that in the words of a customer gives them ‘a 10-year step forward’, demonstrating again that its innovation engine never sleeps and strives for excellence for the benefit of customers.

There is a lot of value in building your data center from best-of-breed modular components, especially when those components are from the company – but customers have also found a benefit moving their core operations to a converged infrastructure platform like the VxBlock 1000.

“Dell EMC VxBlock enables us to take an almost ten-year step forward in technology with a single purchase.“ said Ryan Deppe, network operations supervisor, Cianbro Corporation (video).

What’s new in VxBlock 1000
The genius of the VxBlock 1000 CI architecture and its advantages over previous CI generations is its higher scalability, broader choice of components for consolidating mixed workloads and the flexibility to incorporate new technology while protecting previous investments in the system. All of this comes in a lifecycle-assured, cloud operations experience to help unburden IT.

Latest VxBlock 1000 enhancements broaden these choices further, with additions of the company’s storage and data protection platforms, Cisco UCS servers and deeper support for the latest components in the VMware vRealize Suite 2018.

VxBlock features announced now allow customers to:

• Deliver cloud operations faster and more efficiently with new validated support for:

  • • VxBlock Central Orchestration workflows with VMware vRealize Orchestrator version 7.5

    • VxBlock Central Operations analytics with VMware vRealize Operations version 7.0

    • vSphere 6.7 virtualization platform

• Consolidate and protect high-value, mission-critical workloads with new storage and data protection options built for efficient backup, archiving and cloud tiering, featuring:

  • • Unity Hybrid Flash (models 300, 400, 500 and 600)

    • Data Domain with HA (models 6800, 9300 and 9800)

• Optimize high-value enterprise workloads with the added scale and performance provided by new server and networking options from long-time partner Cisco:

  • • Cisco UCS 6454 Fabric Interconnect (Gen 4)

    • Cisco UCS C480, extending the range of Cisco M5 rack servers available in VxBlock 1000

“With the VxBlock 1000, we now have the ability to mix and match technologies within that frame and the trust that Dell EMC will upgrade all those components in a seamless manner, so IT professionals can focus on what’s really important to our business’ mission.“ said John Grieco, CTO, health network, University of Vermont (video).

Ready Stack joins the firm’s CI portfolio
The company continues to expand converged infrastructure to meet the diverse needs, practices, and cultures of IT organizations. Joining VxBlock 1000 in converged infrastructure lineup is Ready Stack, a portfolio of validated designs for those who seek to build their own infrastructure solutions.

With sizing, design and deployment resources, Ready Stack enables customers and channel partners to build their own converged infrastructure, with flexibility of component choice and expert guidance, all from a single vendor, Dell EMC.

And it’s announcing the expansion of the Ready Stack validated design portfolio to include:

• VMware-based IaaS on PowerEdge MX servers and PowerMax storage

• vSphere on PowerEdge 14th generation servers and Unity storage

• Hyper-V on PowerEdge 14th generation servers and Unity storage

• Build your own design using any combination of Dell EMC’s server and storage platforms, as well as open networking and data protection options

• Digital library of Ready Stack resources available at the company’s website.

Ready Stack is another way to help unburden IT so they can focus more on what matters most to their business: innovation, new applications and new services.

Stay tuned for more innovation, as the company continue to offer IT organizations greater speed and agility to deploy infrastructure for high-value apps that matter, ensure that those apps are running on the most optimal and secure infrastructure, and assure greater efficiency in day-to-day IT operations, management and maintenance.

Click to enlarge

Resources:
VxBlock System 1000    
Ready Stack
Ready Stack Solution Overview
Ready Stack PresentationReady Stack Reference Architecture Guide

[i] IDC Worldwide Quarterly Converged Systems Tracker, December 18, 2018. Dell EMC 46% share in Certified Reference Systems + Integrated Systems.