System information

A Principled Technologies test report 6
Dell PowerEdge VRTX and M-series compute nodes configuration study
management software provides administrators with an intuitive interface that lets them
monitor device status, update firmware and drivers, create their own command-line
tasks, and handle other management functions, all from a single portal. Dell OME is free
to download from the Dell Support Site.
SMALLER FOOTPRINT
By eliminating the need for external storage and switches, and accommodating
up to four server nodes, the footprint of the Dell PowerEdge VRTX is much smaller than
that of traditional multi-server configurations. Requiring only 2.43 square feet of floor
space, the Dell PowerEdge VRTX fits easily under a desk in a small office setting.
Infrastructure requirements, such as power connections and network cabling, are
minimal; our test environment required a single connection to the office network and
only four 110v power outlets.
By contrast, the four tower systems alone in our legacy solution required 5.54
square feet of floor space, about 228 percent more space than the Dell PowerEdge
VRTX. Because the towers were different heights, the external storage and switch had to
rest on a nearby surface, making under-the-desk placement unlikely. Because each
device required at least one connection to a power outlet, our test setup used eight
110v outlets, twice the number required by the Dell PowerEdge VRTX.
ALL-IN-ONE SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE
The Dell PowerEdge VRTX solution with M-series compute nodes is an all-in-one
solution designed to handle the performance needs of your small-to medium-business
or remote office. Here, we provide information about each of the components we used
as part of this solution.
About the Dell PowerEdge VRTX
The Dell PowerEdge VRTX is a compact, all-in-one solution in a 5U rack-able
tower chassis. Designed to be quiet under normal operating conditions, the Dell
PowerEdge VRTX can be stowed under a desk in a small office without disrupting
conversations. Its four bays house M520 or M620 compute nodes, providing a space-
saving alternative to having four separate tower or rack servers. In addition to space
savings, the Dell PowerEdge VRTX provides administrators with a unified interface, the
Chassis Management Controller, for performing routine systems management tasks.
The Dell PowerEdge VRTX chassis supports up to 48 TB of shared internal storage that is
presentable as virtual drives to single or multiple compute nodes, and provides optional
pass-through and eight PCIe slots for additional device connectivity. The chassis
integrated storage can be configured with 25 bays for 2.5-inch drives or with 12 bays for
3.5-inch drives. The Dell PowerEdge VRTX integrated switch contains multiple external
network ports for easy expansion or integration into any computing environment.
Dell
PowerEdge
VRTX with 12
3.5-inch drives
Dell
PowerEdge
VRTX with 25
2.5-inch drives