Operating at the edge—whether in remote, space-constrained or harsh environments—demands infrastructure that’s both resilient and adaptable. Imagine the back office of a bustling retail store where every inch of space is fought over by inventory boxes, or a dynamic manufacturing floor filled with people and machinery. Picture a telecommunication tower standing tall under the relentless desert sun. In all these scenarios, robustness and flexibility aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential.
That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the availability of APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure on our deliberately engineered MC-4000. Built on the PowerEdge XR4000 platform, the MC-4000 is purpose-built to extend Azure hybrid cloud and cloud applications for edge and ROBO (remote office/back office) computing use cases. With APEX Cloud Platform Foundation Software, this new form factor empowers operational teams to efficiently manage their infrastructure, offering enhanced flexibility and control through APEX Cloud Platform Foundation Software’s management and orchestration and automation capabilities.
Introduced last year as the first Premier Solution for Azure Stack HCI, APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure is the result of the ongoing collaborative engineering efforts between Dell and Microsoft. Today’s announcement extends the deployment and operational simplicity of APEX Cloud Platform for Azure to even the most challenging remote environments.
“The collaboration with Dell is important in driving innovation and meeting the evolving needs of our customers. The release of the Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure MC-4000 nodes is an example of this partnership, offering a rugged, flexible solution that is tailored for edge environments and extends the capabilities of the adaptive cloud. This new form factor significantly enhances operational efficiency in distributed edge locations like factory floors and retail chains ensuring our customers can deploy and manage their infrastructure seamlessly, even in the demanding environments”
-Raghu Venkataraman, Principal Program Manager, Azure Edge and Platform, Microsoft
Purpose-Built to Extend Azure to the Edge
The MC-4000 is engineered with a unique chassis and compute sled design to address the specific challenges of remote environments. It offers two 14-inch depth form factors—“rackable” and “stackable”—to meet diverse deployment needs:
- The “rackable” chassis supports various configurations, including 4x 1U, 2x 2U or 2x 1U + 1x 2U sleds, fitting seamlessly into a standard-width rack. This makes it ideal for deployment in locations with traditional infrastructure. The 1U sled offers expansion capabilities up to four nodes and can start with two nodes or even a single node HCI, supporting customer choice and workload characteristics. The 2U sled supports GPUs, allowing customers to expand to AI/ML workloads. Additionally, it offers HCI flexibility with the same chassis, enabling expansion as needed, starting with two nodes.
- The “stackable” chassis is perfect for tight spaces, allowing placement on desktops or shelves with built-in latches for easy stacking.
Both chassis types support wall mounting to maximize use of limited floor space. Additionally, their single-side I/O design ensures that all components, including power, can be accessed from one side, enhancing efficiency and simplifying maintenance in locations where space and accessibility are often constrained.
Designed for Efficiency and Sustainability
The MC-4000 nodes are engineered for high efficiency, designed to minimize power consumption and operational costs. Their compact size and lower cooling needs result in substantial energy savings, making them especially well-suited for environments where space is limited. This efficiency not only helps organizations optimize their use of space but also reduces their carbon footprint. Furthermore, the MC-4000 nodes are built with eco-friendly materials that meet global standards for reducing electronic waste, aligning with sustainability goals in challenging locations.
Ready for the Toughest Environments
The MC-4000 nodes are built to withstand the unpredictable and often challenging conditions of non-data-center locations. Whether deployed in the cramped back offices of retail stores or next to heavy machinery on a manufacturing floor, these nodes are designed to simplify operations while minimizing physical footprint, cost and energy use.
With the MC-4000, you can bring the power of Azure to the edge, no matter how challenging the environment. It’s a robust, efficient and sustainable solution that’s ready to meet the demands of modern computing requirements.
