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Transforming theData Center: Dell

PowerEdge 12thGeneration Servers

2012 Dell and TechTarget

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2 2012 Dell and TechTarget

Table of Contents

Reinventing the Data Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Components of a Transformative Data Center Infrastructure . . . . . . 4

Dell PowerEdge 12th Generation Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Addressing Current Business Requirements

with an Eye Toward the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Matching New Server Models to Business Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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e performance, availability, and reliability levels demanded by mission-critical

applications have surpassed the capabilities of traditional, one-application-

per-server data center infrastructures. In response, enterprise IT teams are turning

to virtualization, cloud computing, and mobility technology to signicantly increase

compute power while maintaining or reducing IT costs. ose technologies in turn

require a new generation of servers that includes faster processors, higher memory

density, enhanced storage capabilities, and I/O capacities that scale as workload

demands increase, as well as features that help minimize the management effort and

costs associated with power and cooling. Dells PowerEdge 12th generation

serversequipped with a host of features that deliver unsurpassed performance,

reliability, and availabilityare designed to address a wide range of enterprise

computing requirements.

Reinventing the Data Center

So how do todays enterprise data centers meet the computing demands of

tomorrow? To begin, IT departments need to assess common challenges they face

with their current data centers. For instance, what do IT departments do when the

demands of the organization outstrip the capabilities of the data center? What is the

impact on processing capacity of ever-growing data stores and increased use of

data-intensive applications, such as collaboration, business intelligence, and

voice-over-IP? How do IT administrators increase overall performance and

reliability within real-world budgetary and staffing constraints?

From a holistic perspective, IT executives are almost uniformly moving forward on

new virtualization, cloud computing, and mobile technology implementations in

order to increase overall data center capacity while holding back the reins on costs.

Rather than roll out continuous streams of dedicated, single access servers, ITincreasingly leverages virtualization technology to reduce the overall server

footprint, save money on power consumption and cooling requirements, and

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streamline management. Cloud computing further simplies server administration

by reducing the number of application installations and data stores while facilitating

anytime, anywhere access. Finally, mobile technology provides anytime, anywhere

access to applications and data, and takes full advantage of cloud services.

Virtualization, cloud computing, and mobility undoubtedly help enterprise IT

departments realize signicant benets, yet achieving true data center transformation

depends on implementing the right underlying infrastructure.

The Components of a Transformative Data

Center Infrastructure

Data-intensive applications that demand accessibility from any device or location

require increased compute power and capacity. In addition, systems management and

efficiency are key factors in reducing IT maintenance and operating costs. Transfor-

mative data center server infrastructures that leverage virtualization, cloud

computing, and mobility technology depend on the following server technology

advancements:

1. Faster processors - End users of performance-hungry applications such as unied

communication, enterprise collaboration, and business intelligence have an

expectation that information will be readily and immediately available when

needed. erefore, servers built with next-generation processors are needed to

provide the compute power for data-intensive enterprise-class applications

running across large and distributed employee populations.

2. Increased memory Servers require increased memory capacity, as the data

center infrastructure is required to perform more and larger computing opera-

tions. Similar to the benets associated with faster processors, expanded memory

options enable applications to deliver data in real time, keeping end users

productive no matter when and where they are working.

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3. Increased storage capacity Enterprise data centers will continue to experiencean incredible amount of data growth in the coming years. As a result, highly

scalable storage capacity and data management capabilities are key factors when

planning for performance and growth of enterprise applications and information.

4. Automated and streamlined management Data centers can provide better

service and maintain costs if IT management tasks are simplied. Consequently,

IT leaders are investigating automated management capabilities that allow

proactive maintenance and preserve uptime. Furthermore, standardized servers

those that support an open architecture and allow integration betweentechnologies already in placeare being deployed to further streamline

management processes by taking advantage of existing skill sets.

5. Power and cooling efficiencies Growing data centers can put a strain on utility

expenses as power consumption and cooling requirements increase. To mitigate

these costs, next-generation servers designed with built-in energy-efficiency

enhancements enable IT departments to manage the energy consumption of

intensive workloads and conserve power during off-peak times.

6. Increased density When server footprints expand, data center square-footage

requirements and costs will likely increase as well. In contrast, server technology

that maximizes physical densitypacks more compute power into less space

enables IT to deliver high levels of service while maintaining or even reducing

oor space.

Dell PowerEdge 12th Generation Servers

Recognizing the challenges enterprise data centers face and the requirements of

the users they support, Dell designed its PowerEdge 12th generation servers to

signicantly enhance data center performance and efficiencies, enabling IT

departments to realize the benets of virtualization, cloud computing, and mobility.


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Accomplish more with increased performance

Organizations invest in IT with the expectation of increased productivity, which

requires a high level of performance. For optimal use of data-intensive core applica-

tions, including communications, collaboration, and business intelligence, end users

must have both real-time application functionality and nearly instantaneous data

access.

To meet these requirements, Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers run

applications faster than previous-generation models, boosting virtualization

performance with higher memory densities, exible I/O options, and redundanthypervisors. e servers enable real-time operations by incorporating multi-core

GPU accelerators using Generation 3 PCIe with Dell High Performance Computing

(HPC) solutions.

ey also increase data access speeds 500% over previous-generation servers

utilizing Dell PowerEdge Express Flash PCIe solid-state disk (SSD) drives, Select

Network Adapters, and Switch Independent Partitioning. e drives signicantly

reduce latency and enhance database performance. For example, they can handle up

to 18 times more Microso SQL Server transactions per second than traditional

drives. Select Network Adapters and Switch Independent Partitioning enable IT

administrators to dynamically allocate bandwidth across I/O ports based on

application demand to ensure continuous support for data-intensive operations.

Database performance is further improved with increased memory, greater storage

capacity, and scalable I/O.

Because the drives are hot-swappable, downtime is signicantly minimized,

ensuring reliable data access and high availability. Drives can be maintained

without taking servers offline, and with no moving parts, they are less likely to be

compromised by physical shock.


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Improve efficiencies to reduce costs

IT departments struggling to manage operations with limited staff resources and

conservative budgets cant afford to radically increase data center performance

unless they can also realize signicant efficiencies. Dell PowerEdge 12th generation

servers deliver the performance enhancements organizations need while reducing

power and space costs as well as maintenance and management overhead.

As the server infrastructure expands, the cost of space and power to run and cool

servers is likely to increase as well. e best way to reduce these costs is to increasethe compute performance delivered per watt of power consumed. Dell PowerEdge

12th generation servers increase performance per watt 47 times over servers de-

signed three generations ago. To further reduce power usage, Dell launched its Fresh

Air programs and uses Energy Star-rated technology to build its servers.

Dells focus on efficient pooling of compute resources enables data centers to reduce

their overall server footprint by as much as 50%, meaning organizations can scale

capacity as needed without added construction or rental costs for new facilities.

Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers also help enterprise IT departments save

time and money on data center management and maintenance. Dells OpenManage

tools and Intel Node Manager not only provide visibility across the environment,

reducing maintenance time and risk of error, but also enable IT to control power

consumption and maximize rack density. In addition, enhanced performance and

operational feedback improve response times as well as the quality of operational

and decision-making support. Maintenance becomes much more proactive, which

reduces the risk of a costly crisis.

Other IT task automation and management tools yield further time savings andboost productivity. Dell Virtual Integrated System (VIS) dynamic management


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facilities make application delivery fast and automatic. Workload migration throughVISas opposed to traditional, manual processes that are time-consuming and

error-pronecan be accomplished within the span of a reboot. In addition, Switch

Independent Partitioning technology allows IT to exibly allocate resources across

specied virtual machines.

To streamline IT operations, the servers enable uniform management and seamless

integration with existing applications. e multi-hypervisor/multi-OS, agent-free

capabilities of iDRAC7 Enterprise with LifeCycle Controller simplify virtual server

management, and since OpenManage and other third-party management solutionsare integrated, organizations can leverage current IT skills and expertise. e inte-

gration of virtual management consoles also effectively reduces the amount of work

physical server management requires. For example, integration between Dell

management and VMware vCenter consoles eliminates 46 steps in the bare-metal

host provisioning process, while integration with the Microso System Center

console delivers similar efficiencies.

Ensure business continuity, security, and reliable access

Server failures and security breaches degrade reliability, which increases IT costs

and reduces overall productivity. In contrast, highly reliable servers provide end

users with anytime, anywhere access to secure, high-performance applications,

improving productivity and efficiency. As a result, IT teams are able to focus on

implementation of strategic technology rather than on crisis management. With

Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers, IT organizations can reduce the chance

of server failure, speed disaster recovery, and increase security.

SSD drives, along with fans, disks, and power supplies, are hot-swappable, meaning

they can be maintained while servers are fully up and running, ensuring minimal

downtime. Dell iDRAC7 with LifeCycle Controller automatically and rapidly


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replaces motherboard settings to further reduce the risk of downtime, and multipleRAID options allow IT to designate servers for high-performance and highly

available applications.

To secure business data, digitally signed rmware authenticates and checks the

validity of soware updates, while iDRAC Credential Vault safeguards access to

passwords and certicates. Automatic encryption and self-encrypting disks protect

data that is not in use.

Finally, Dell Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM) protects applications fromserver, rack, or other hardware failures. Should a malfunction occur, failover is fully

automated and recovery takes only minutesinstead of hours. Applications that can

survive momentary disruptions replace complex, expensive clustering solutions,

making disaster recovery fast and cost-effective. With Dell infrastructure, IT can use

spare servers anywhere they are needed, rather than retaining a costly backup server

for every application or service.


Available in rack, blade, and tower congurations, Dell PowerEdge 12th generation

servers deliver the capabilities enterprise data centers need to leverage the benetsof virtualization, cloud computing, and mobile technology. e servers provide the

following:

IT efficiencies

Agent-free server management

Auto-update for replacement parts

Power and cooling controls through Dell OpenManage Power Manager

Tailored network connections via Dell Select Network Adapters

(embedded NIC technology)

Switch Independent Partitioning on 10 GbE connections

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Addressing Current Business Requirements with

an Eye Toward the Future

e best IT investments not only meet todays demands, but continue to pay off asthe data center evolves to support new business requirements. With current and fu-

ture enterprise computing challenges in mind, Dell engineered its new PowerEdge

12th generation servers with the following characteristics:

1. Open solutions, third-party integration, and vendor independence Data center

virtualization is well under way, as is the implementation of cloud computing

and mobile technology. Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers allow organiza-

tions to leverage these transformative technologies while protecting their current

IT investments. Open solutions such as Dell servers allow IT departments todeploy technologies that best address the organizations needs, rather than

locking into a single vendor.


Data access and security

Faster read access via automated storage tiering

Best-in-class RAID implementation

Accelerated encryption and encryption credentials

Performance

Greater processing power with the Intel Xeon E5 processor family

Enhanced HPC and VDI performance via widely integrated GPU support

Reliability

Front-loading, hot-swappable PCIe SSD drives

Fail-safe hypervisors

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2. Standards-based solutions Proprietary or vendor-specic solutions typicallyrequire IT organizations to recruit and retain staff with highly specialized skills,

which adds to the IT budget. Standards-based solutions, like those embedded in

Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers, shorten learning curves, streamline

management, increase IT productivity, and save money.

3. Best-of-breed components Dell designed the latest server advancements by

combining its own innovations with best-of-breed components sourced from

leading technology vendors.

4. Easy-to-maintain implementations Dell PowerEdge 12th generation server

capabilitiesincluding seamless integration, standards-based solutions, and

best-of-breed componentscombine to simplify data center management and

reduce maintenance tasks, directly translating into time and cost savings.

Matching New Server Models to Business Requirements

While most organizations are embracing virtualization, cloud computing, and

mobile technology, server needs vary according to unique requirements. Initiallyavailable in ve congurationsthree racks, one blade, and one towerDell

PowerEdge 12th generation servers t the full range of enterprise environments,

workloads, and IT strategies:

Dell PowerEdge R720 e R720 is a two-socket, 2U rack server designed for

organizations that are still evaluating data center virtualization. It supports complex

workloads with highly scalable memory, expansive I/O capacity, and a series of

exible network options. is combination of features is ideal for medium-size and

large database applications such as ERP and collaboration workloads.


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Dell PowerEdge R720xd e R720xd is geared toward data-intensive operationssuch as medical imaging, email, and collaboration. e two-socket, 1U rack server

provides highly expandable internal storage and memory as well as enhanced I/O

performance.

Dell PowerEdge R620 e hyper-dense, two-socket R620 rack server is designed

for space-sensitive environments. A general-purpose server, it provides up to 768GB

of storage in a 1U form factor. A large memory footprint combines with highly

scalable I/O (available through three integrated PCIe Gen3-capable slots) to power

virtualization, high-performance computing, and collaboration applications.

Dell PowerEdge M620 e M620 is a dual-processor, half-height blade server that

combines density with performance, efficiency, and scalability. It provides the

capabilities required for decision support, collaboration, and virtualization, and

features a host of enterprise-class management tools.

Dell PowerEdge T620 e T620, a two-socket tower server, offers the highest

performance, capacity, and availability in its class. Highly expandable, its a solid

choice for department-level or remote office consolidation and/or virtualization,

business intelligence, information management, CRM, security management,

desktop virtualization, and data-intensive applications such as medical imaging.

e server can be vertically or horizontally rack-mounted.

With expertise in state-of-the-art server capabilities and enterprise-class

applications, Dell consultants can help IT leaders choose the PowerEdge server

that best meets their current and anticipated requirements.


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Conclusion

Organizations everywhere are turning to virtualization, cloud computing, and

mobile technologies to support anytime, anywhere access to todays workload-

intensive, data-heavy applications. Dell PowerEdge 12th generation serversbuilt

for high performance, 24/7 availability, and uncompromised reliabilitycan help

IT organizations deliver the benets of these transformative technologies. With

cost-saving power, cooling, space, and management efficiencies, Dells new servers

offer data centers unparalleled performance, efficiency, and reliability for a diverse

range of enterprise applications.


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