Dell EMC VxRail E series - Dell-EMC Smartfabric Network Mode

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11 | Network Planning Guide

More detailed information on VMware Validated Design on VxRail is located here: https://community.emc.com/docs/DOC-66332

Dell-EMC SmartFabric Network Mode

Dell network switches support SmartFabric services, which enables the configuration and operations of the switches to be

controlled outside of the standard management console through a REST-API interface. Certain Dell switch models support

initializing the switches with a VxRail personality profile at power-on, which then forms a unified network fabric, and enables

VxRail becomes the source for the

automated configuration and

administration of the Dell switches.

In this profile setting, VxRail will use

the SmartFabric feature to discover

VxRail nodes and Dell switches on the

network, perform zero-touch

configuration of the switch fabric to

support VxRail deployment, and then

create a unified hyper-converged

infrastructure of the VxRail cluster

and Dell switch network fabric.

For ongoing VxRail cluster network

management after initial deployment,

the Dell-EMC OMNI (Open Manage

Network Interface) vCenter plug-in is

provided free of charge. The Dell-EMC OMNI plug-in will monitor state changes to the virtual network settings and properties on

the vCenter instance, and synchronize those changes to the Dell SmartFabric services using the REST-API interface. In this scenario,

there is no need to manually reconfigure the switches connected to the VxRail nodes when an update such as a new VLAN, new

portgroup, or new virtual switch, is made in the vClient.

Deploying VxRail with the Dell-EMC SmartFabric feature will impact infrastructure planning:

• The Dell-EMS SmartFabric feature is supported on new VxRail deployments starting with version 4.7 of the VxRail software

• The VxRail nodes with version 4.7 software must be connected to a Dell S4100 series switch

• The Dell S4100 series switch must be running OS10 software

• The Dell S4100 series switches require an OS10 Enterprise license to enable SmartFabric services feature

Utilizing the Dell-EMC SmartFabric feature with VxRail requires an understanding of several key points:

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