There are several options for a PowerFlex appliance deployment.
PowerFlex appliance nodes use PowerFlex to operate storage and tie in workloads. PowerFlex appliance uses these PowerFlex features:
PowerFlex enables flexible deployment options by allowing the separation of SDC and SDS components. It addresses data center workload requirements through the following PowerFlex appliance deployment options:
Deployment type | Description |
---|---|
Hyperconverged |
Metadata manager, compute, and storage reside within the same server. SDR is supported on PowerFlex hyperconverged nodes. |
Two-layer |
Separates compute resources from storage resources, allowing the independent expansion of compute or storage resources. Consists of PowerFlex compute-only nodes (supporting the SDC) and PowerFlex storage-only nodes (connected to and managed by the SDS). PowerFlex compute-only nodes host end-user applications. PowerFlex storage-only nodes contribute storage to the system pool. PowerFlex metadata manager (MDM) runs on PowerFlex storage-only nodes. |
Hybrid hyperconverged |
Consists of PowerFlex hyperconverged nodes, PowerFlex compute-only nodes, and PowerFlex storage-only nodes. Some nodes contribute both compute resources and storage resources (PowerFlex hyperconverged nodes), some contribute only compute resources (PowerFlex compute-only nodes), and some contribute only storage resources (PowerFlex storage-only nodes). PowerFlex metadata manager (MDM) runs either on PowerFlex hyperconverged nodes or PowerFlex storage-only nodes. |
PowerFlex compute-only nodes |
Consists of PowerFlex compute-only nodes (supporting the SDC) on Microsoft Windows, VMware ESXi, CentOS, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. PowerFlex compute-only nodes hosts end-user applications. NOTE: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CentOS, and Windows compute-only nodes must be deployed by the customer instead of using
PowerFlex Manager.
|
PowerFlex storage-only nodes |
Consists of embedded operating system nodes which contribute storage resources to the virtual environment. The back-end traffic shares the same PowerFlex data networks. No SDC components are installed on this node. PowerFlex metadata manager (MDM) runs on PowerFlex storage-only nodes. SDR is supported on PowerFlex storage-only nodes with a dual CPU. |
PowerFlex storage-only nodes two-layer deployments use the same four PowerFlex data networks for both SDC and SDS communications. Two-layer deployment allows the rebooting of PowerFlex compute-only nodes without PowerFlex ramifications.
When designing initial deployment or specifying later growth, use PowerFlex hyperconverged nodes. You can add PowerFlex compute-only nodes, or PowerFlex storage-only nodes as needed.
When hyperconverged nodes are mixed with PowerFlex compute-only nodes or PowerFlex storage-only nodes, it creates a hybrid deployment.