Dell PowerEdge FX Architecture

Carol Pflueger, Servers Product Manager at Dell, introduced the Dell PowerEdge FX architecture, which integrates Dell’s networking, servers, and storage into a modular 2U chassis. The FX architecture, where FX stands for flexible, aims to maximize workloads, simplify operations, and enhance efficiency. The FX2 chassis, a key component, can house various compute and storage nodes, such as the FC630, FM120, FC430, FD332, FC830, and IOAggregator. Pflueger emphasized that Dell is not moving away from traditional racks, blades, or towers but is instead enhancing functionality by merging the best features of these systems into the FX architecture.

The FX2 chassis is designed to be highly flexible, allowing for different configurations of compute and storage nodes. For instance, the FC630 compute node is essentially a blade server adapted to fit into the FX2 chassis. The FD332 storage node can be paired with compute nodes to provide direct-attached storage, with flexible PCIe mapping allowing compute nodes to own specific storage nodes and PCI slots. This modular approach enables various configurations, such as having two FC630s and two FD332s in a single chassis, with each compute node owning half of the storage node’s drives. The architecture also supports advanced management through Dell’s CMC (Chassis Management Controller), which can manage the FX2 as either a standard rack or a blade system.

The FX architecture also includes innovative features like the FM120 microserver, which houses multiple low-power Avoton processors, making it suitable for hosting and caching applications. The FC430, another compute node, offers high density with up to eight nodes in a 2U chassis, each supporting E5-2600 V3 processors and up to eight DIMMs. The architecture’s flexibility extends to networking, with options for 1 gig, 10 gig, and future 40 gig connections, as well as the ability to bypass the PCI switch for low-latency applications using InfiniBand. The FX2 chassis also supports advanced cooling and power management, with options for 1100W, 1600W, and upcoming 2000W power supplies, ensuring efficient operation even in dense configurations.