Dell Technologies APEX Cloud Platform Deep Dive

If data is the fuel then applications are the engine for innovation in the digital age. Applications teams need a consistent environment across multicloud infrastructure to enable seamless workload compatibility for VMs and Containers, as well as streamlined operations between private and public cloud locations. Sam Niemi, Product Manager, will lay out Dell’s strategy for multicloud platforms and overview the key features of Dell’s APEX Cloud Platforms, that bring native cloud ecosystems on premises in a turnkey package.

Sam Niemi presents an overview of Dell’s APEX Cloud Platforms, which aim to address challenges in deploying multicloud infrastructure. These challenges include unpredictable costs, management complexity due to multiple cloud vendors, inconsistencies across clouds, skills gaps, and limited visibility.

The APEX Cloud Platforms are designed to provide a consistent environment across multicloud infrastructures, enabling seamless workload compatibility for VMs and Containers and streamlined operations between private and public cloud locations. They offer a “cloud to ground” approach by bringing native cloud ecosystems on-premises in a turnkey package.

APEX Cloud Platforms focus on the “three Cs”: Choice, Consistency, and Control. They offer a choice of vendors, consistent management across different cloud platforms, and control that simplifies operations.

Key features of APEX Cloud Platforms include:

– Foundation software for consistent management regardless of the cloud platform (Azure, Red Hat OpenShift, VMware).
– Integration with Dell Enterprise SDS (Software-Defined Storage), specifically PowerFlex, for storage scalability and performance.
– Utilization of PowerEdge servers with the latest generation Intel Xeon processors for hardware resilience.

Sam emphasizes the importance of common building blocks in APEX Cloud Platforms, which ensure consistent management and operations (MNO), flexibility in deployment, shared storage capabilities, embedded security features, and uniform support services.

He also discusses the Cloud Platform Foundation software, which provides lifecycle management, fleet management, integrated support, and other functionalities built into the vendor’s control plane. The platform supports continuous validation and patching, ensuring systems remain up-to-date without requiring extensive testing from the customer.

In summary, APEX Cloud Platforms offer a standardized, integrated solution for multicloud environments, enabling customers to manage various cloud services with greater ease and efficiency.