Section 01 Introduction To Servers Course Guide

DELL POWEREDGE
SERVER CONCEPTS:
SECTION 01
INTRODUCTION TO
SERVERS
COURSE GUIDE
Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers
© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page i

Table of Contents
Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to Servers ................................... 2

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to Servers Objectives .................................3
Server Introduction .................................................................................................... 4

Server Overview ..................................................................................................................5
Server Form Factor ..............................................................................................................7
3D View of a Tower Server ..................................................................................................9
3D View of a Rack Server ..................................................................................................10
3D View of a Modular Server .............................................................................................11
Dell PowerEdge Types of Servers .....................................................................................12
PowerEdge Ready Node Servers ......................................................................................16
Server Storage ......................................................................................................... 17

Introduction to Storage Solutions .......................................................................................18
Extended Storage Solutions ...............................................................................................20
High-End Storage Device Components..............................................................................24
Internal Dual SD Module (IDSDM) .....................................................................................34
Linear Tape Open (LTO) ....................................................................................................36
Storage Capacity Planning.................................................................................................38
RAID Concepts ......................................................................................................... 39

Introduction to RAID Levels ...............................................................................................40
Important Definitions ..........................................................................................................43
RAID 0 ...............................................................................................................................47
RAID 1 ...............................................................................................................................49
RAID 5 ...............................................................................................................................51
RAID 6 ...............................................................................................................................53
RAID 10 .............................................................................................................................55
RAID 50 .............................................................................................................................57
RAID 60 .............................................................................................................................59
RAID Levels and the Server Purpose.................................................................................61
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Hardware versus Software RAID .......................................................................................63
Configuring RAID ...............................................................................................................67
Server System Setup ............................................................................................... 74

Server Setup Overview ......................................................................................................75
How to Access System Setup ............................................................................................77
Introduction to BIOS, CMOS, and UEFI .............................................................................79
BIOS and UEFI Configuration ............................................................................................82
Configuration Settings for UEFI Boot Mode........................................................................83
iDRAC Configuration ..........................................................................................................89
Device Settings ..................................................................................................................90
Server OS.................................................................................................................. 92
Overview ............................................................................................................................93
Operating Systems ............................................................................................................97
Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) ...................................................................................101
Installation and Deployment Methods .............................................................................. 102
Virtual Memory .................................................................................................................125
Virtual Media ....................................................................................................................127
Resources............................................................................................................... 129
Supporting Resources: Introduction to Servers ................................................................ 130
Certification Journey Map ................................................................................................131
Glossary ................................................................................................ 134
© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page iii

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to Servers
© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 1

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to

Servers
Page 2 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.


Objectives
At the end of this User Guide, the learner should be able to:
 List and describe the different types of servers including form factors.
 Identify storage servers and how they function, including the services they
provide.
 Explain key RAID concepts such as the different RAID levels and how to
manage each.
 Setup and configure servers to function within an IT infrastructure.

Server Introduction
Server Introduction

Server Introduction
Server Overview
Client A Request
Response
Request
Client B
Response
Server
Typical client/server architecture.
What is a server?
A server is a physical or virtual computer system that processes and stores

information. Servers are bare metal or virtual devices.
Servers are part of the client-server architecture. According to the Britannica

Encyclopedia: a client-server architecture is an architecture of a computer network
in which many clients (remote processors) request and receive service from a
centralized server (host computer).
How does a server work?
The server receives a request from a client for data processing. The server then
sends the requested information back to the client that made the request.
What do servers offer?
Servers offer network systems with the following features:
• Scalability to serve increasing number of devices, users, and workloads.

• High processing power with central processing unit (CPU) and random access
memory (RAM) specifications to handle network and data transfer workloads.
• Reliability to ensure that critical systems remain online and available.

Server Introduction
• Servers offer remote management capabilities.

• Enhanced security and cyber-resiliency.
• Availability
• Serviceability
All these features and more are covered in greater detail throughout this course.

Server Introduction
Server Form Factor
The term server form factor describes the size, shape, and packaging of a
hardware device. The form factors of the Dell PowerEdge server portfolio range
from standard performance to high performance.
Server computers typically come in three form factors.
Click each server to learn more.
1 2 3
1: Tower servers: Tower servers contain multiple disk drives bays and expansion
card slots. The advantages of a tower server lie in its compact shape. Tower
servers are designed to be installed in a standard office space instead of a data
center. The tower server's simplicity and robustness make the server an ideal
choice for a small company.
For example: Dell PowerEdge T350.
2: Rack servers: Rack server is also called a rack-mounted server. Rack-mount

servers are designed to save space when there are several servers in a confined
space of a data center. Rack servers are more expensive than the tower form
factor. Rack-mount servers are better suited for medium-size to large-size
businesses or even in micro-businesses.
For example, Dell PowerEdge R750 is a 2U chassis rack server.
3: Modular servers: Modular servers (sleds) have a dedicated chassis, including

network and storage components. They are slim and compact and slide vertically

Server Introduction
into a specially designed chassis slot. Modular servers reduce the amount of rack
space consumed in a data center.
Examples of modular servers are the MX740c, MX840c, and MX750c. Each can be
inserted into the MX7000 chassis platform.

Server Introduction
3D View of a Tower Server
The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge T640 server.
The web version of this content contains an interactive activity. Go to the on-
demand course to complete this activity.

Server Introduction
3D View of a Rack Server
The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge R750xa server.

Server Introduction
3D View of a Modular Server
The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge MX7000 server.

Server Introduction
Dell PowerEdge Types of Servers
Dell Technologies offers a wide range of PowerEdge servers with differing

functionalities.
PowerEdge Tower Servers
The PowerEdge tower servers are built to solve the

challenges of the modern office environment.
Featuring quiet, nondisruptive acoustics, and compact
form factors, tower servers are available in one-socket
configurations for everyday business applications.
Tower servers are also available with two-socket
options for more advanced computing, virtualization,
and power-hungry workloads.
Tower servers provide versatility for small to medium

businesses. For the Dell PowerEdge tower servers, the
name will contain a capital T to denote the server type
- tower. An example of a tower server offered by Dell is
the PowerEdge T350. Dell PowerEdge T350
PowerEdge Rack Servers
The PowerEdge rack

servers are optimized to
power the systems to work
independently or together.
The rack-dense servers
offer a robust computing Dell PowerEdge R650
solution that meets many
business priorities, such as: affordability, performance, scalability, space-
optimization, and support for mission-critical applications.
The Dell PowerEdge rack servers will have a capital R for rack in the name.
Examples of PowerEdge rack serves are the Dell PowerEdge R650 and Dell
PowerEdge R750xa (accelerated rack server). Rack servers come in different sizes
and are measured in rack units (u). One rack unit (1u) is 1.75 inches or 4.445 cm in

Server Introduction
height and servers are sold in 1u, 2u, 3u and 4u height. An example of a 1u server
is the R650 and 2u is an R750xa.
The PowerEdge accelerated rack servers handle extremely demanding, mission-

critical workloads and very large databases. The accelerated servers rapidly
transform data insights into business outcomes.
Accelerated servers are used for:

• Compute-intensive
applications
• Machine learning and
Artificial Intelligence
Dell PowerEdge R750xa
• Data-intensive applications
• Data analytics
Go to the www.dell.com/products site and search for Accelerated Servers and

Accelerators to learn more.
PowerEdge Modular Servers
Dell PowerEdge MX7000 with MX750c sleds on the left and a MX840 sled on the right.
Dell PowerEdge modular solution enclosures (chassis) offer a flexible platform for
managing physical, virtual, and logical infrastructures. The modular servers work
inside the modular chassis and helps to eliminate resource silos and optimize data
center operations.

Server Introduction
One example of a PowerEdge modular chassis is the MX7000 that can have 1u
modular servers (sleds) like the MX750c or 2 u servers like the MX840c. The lower
case c in the name indicates a compute server (sled).
PowerEdge Specialty Servers
PowerEdge XE servers are specialty

servers designed for targeted-Edge
type solutions and workloads with
unique needs such as Telco, retail,
or manufacturing. The name in the
PowerEdge server has a capital X
and E for extreme edge. An
Dell PowerEdge XE2420
example of a PowerEdge XE server
is the Dell PowerEdge XE2420.
Data Center Scalable Solutions (DSS) systems meet the specific needs of
customers. The customers can include web tech, telecommunication services
providers, hosting companies, research organizations, and oil and gas
organizations.
The Dell DSS systems focus on delivering tailored infrastructure to customers with
cloud-based architecture needs.
PowerEdge Rugged Servers
Dell PowerEdge XR11
Rugged servers are industrial-grade OEM PowerEdge servers that can withstand
the extreme heat, dust, shock and vibration of factory floors, construction sites,
mobile command centers, Edge computing sites, and other extreme environments.
An example of a rugged PowerEdge server is the Dell PowerEdge XR11. The

capital X and R in the name denotes extreme and rugged.

Server Introduction
PowerEdge Cloud Servers
Dell PowerEdge C6400
The PowerEdge cloud servers provide Infrastructure-as-a-Service with cloud

solutions. A cloud server maximizes density, scalability, and energy to meet the
modern datacenter needs.
An example of a PowerEdge cloud server is the Dell PowerEdge C6400. The

capital C denotes cloud for the server type.
The resources provided as-a-Service include:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Delivers computer infrastructure in a
virtualized environment.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Delivers computing platform and solution stack.
• Software as a Service (SaaS) - Delivers model of software deployment where a
provider licenses an application to customers for on demand use.

Server Introduction
PowerEdge Ready Node Servers
Software Defined
PowerEdge AX Ready
Connect remotely to Azure
Windows Admin Center
Storage Software Defined

Hyper-V Networking
Spaces Direct
Azure Stack HCI OS
Virtualized Storage Pool

Storage
Dell Abstracted Microsoft
Azure Stack HCI architecture.
Dell PowerEdge Ready Nodes, built on Dell PowerEdge servers, enable easy
deployment with factory installed, pre-configured and pre-tested configurations
which can add up to a solution that scales quickly to meet growing needs.
For example, the Dell Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes (PowerEdge
AX servers) are used for the Dell Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI
(hyperconverged infrastructure) solution. Dell Integrated System for Microsoft
Azure Stack HCI encompasses a wide range of Hyper-Converged Infrastructure
configurations built on Dell Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct (S2D). The virtualized
storage pool abstracted from the PowerEdge servers becomes the software-
defined server storage pool used by the Azure Stack HCI solution.
Another example is the Dell vSAN Ready Nodes used in VxRail or PowerFlex HCI
solutions. Dell vSAN Ready Nodes are built on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers that
have been pre-configured, tested and certified to run VMware vSAN. Each Ready
Node includes just the right amount of CPU, memory, network I/O controllers,
HDDs, and SSDs for VMware vSAN. Much like the Azure Stack HCI S2D solution,
VMware vSAN is Software Defined Storage (SDS) that leverages a distributed
control plane abstraction to create a pool of storage from disparate server-based
disk hardware. That abstraction is also comparable to the way the vSphere ESXi
hypervisor converts a cluster of server hardware into a pool of compute resources
(VMs).

Server Storage
Server Storage

Server Storage
Introduction to Storage Solutions
NFS or CIFS FC or ISCSI

Workstations Workstations
Workstation connected
to Server
Client Client
Client
Client Client Client Client
Ethernet Protocol iSCSI or Fibre Channel Protocol
Server
eSATA/FC/SA FC or ISCSI Network Storage Arrays
Storage
Disk
Storage Array
Direct Attached Storage (DAS) Network Attached Storage (NAS) Storage Area Network (SAN)
Types of extended storage solutions.
A storage solution is a high-capacity system with the specific purpose to store,

access, manage, and secure digital media 1. A storage solution, including the native
server storage, manages small to large amounts of data.
Storage solutions can be the native server storage capacity through the server
subsystem components such as HDDs, SSDs, and other components. Storage
solutions can also be the extended storage in the form of Direct Attached Storage
(DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS), Storage Area Networks (SAN), and
Cloud storage (Storage as a Service).
Storage servers used in large scale storage solutions are different than other
servers in terms of cost, performance, size, and storage space, based on what is
1 Digital media includes files, data, and services.

Server Storage
needed by the organization. The large-capacity storage for storage servers ranges
from hundreds of terabytes to petabytes of data.
Both the native server storage and extended storage solutions are explored in
more detail in this section.

Server Storage
Extended Storage Solutions
Extended storage solutions are required to store, protect, and save large amounts
of raw data and information.
Direct Attached Storage (DAS)
Direct Attached Storage (DAS) is a storage solution where the server or computer
is directly attached to the storage. DAS attaches to a server host bus adapter
(HBA) that has a direct connection to a storage device. The storage device uses a
storage controller to connect to the HBA. The HBA connection to the storage or
storage enclosure uses a block-level protocol.
Application Server Fibre Channel or Ethernet Protocol
Client
storage controller
connection
SAS/ISCSI/FC Protocol
Database Server
Client Local Area

Network (LAN) storage controller
connection
File/Print Server Ethernet Protocol
Client
storage controller
connection
Direct Attached Storage

Workstations Hosts
Direct Attached Storage - Server hosts
Advantages
• Minimum hardware cost
• Setup is made easy
• Management is easy for small environments
Disadvantages
• Limited scalability
• Potential single points of failure at each server
• Difficult to manage for larger environments

Server Storage
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Network Attached Storage (NAS) servers attach directly to a LAN. NAS are also
called appliances, as data sharing among network clients are enabled. A NAS
device is file level storage.
NAS servers scale the storage capacity of individual systems or consolidate

existing storage. Users can manage NAS from anywhere on the network with a
standard web browser or other management tools. NAS appliance interfaces are
simple, without a must learn complex operating system.
NFS or CIFS
Appliances
Application Server
Client
Data Sharing NAS Storage

Database Server
Client Local Area

Network (LAN)
File/Print Server
Client
NFS or CIFS
Workstations
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Advantages
• Efficient file storage and management
• Added to existing LANs and can co-exist with SANs
• Simplified management
Disadvantages
• Not well suited to applications that require block-level storage
• Limited scalability
• Relies on TCP/IP networks

Server Storage
Storage Area Networks (SAN)
A SAN is a networked storage infrastructure (SAN fabric). SANs connect servers to

storage devices by using either a Fibre Channel (FC) switch fabric technology or
Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) over an Ethernet LAN
architecture.
Application Servers
Client
Database Servers
Client Local Area Storage Area
Network (LAN) Network (SAN)
File/Print Servers
FC or ISCSI
Client Storage Array
Workstations Servers
Storage Area Network (SAN)
Advantages
• Exceptional performance
• Extremely fault tolerant and highly reliable
• Highly scalable
• Centralized management
• Utilizes separate network for storage - can reduce load on LAN
• Shared access to storage pools, backup, restore, and Disaster Recovery (DR)
services
Disadvantages
• Higher initial cost
• More complex to deploy
• Vendor-specific technology
• Fibre Channel technology skills are required

Server Storage
Cloud Storage
Workstations with
Client
internet connections
Client Client
Client
Cloud-based
Retrieve data Storage Server
Client Store data
Internet Protocol
Share data
Workstation with an
internet connection
Client
Workstation with
an internet
i
Example: Simplified on-prem cloud storage solution.
Cloud storage (Storage as a Service) requires remote storage severs that provide a
cloud-based storage service to client workstations. The storage service is provided
to any workstation in any geo-location within the organization as long as the client
workstation has internet access rights to the remote storage server.
Client workstations can store, share, and retrieve media files (data) through the
cloud both through an on-prem cloud solution or through a public cloud service like
Microsoft One-Drive.

Server Storage
High-End Storage Device Components
Components in high-end storage devices vary, depending on the use case of the
device.
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)
SAS cable
Serial attached SCSI (SAS) is a protocol that is used for accessing the system
storage device. SAS 2 allows digital transfer by the cables, employing 1 bit at a time
for the transfer.
2 SAS 4.0 enables double the data transfer rates for SAS devices, up to 22.5 gb/s.

Server Storage
SAS is an ideal solution for a business enterprise requiring substantial use of

storage and backup.
Features and benefits:

• SAS is used for high-speed serial storage interface up to 22.5 Gb/s.
• Typically used for storage backplane or hard drive carrier applications.
• SAS is compatible with Serial ATA Interface (SATA) technology.
Serial ATA Interface (SATA)
Host receptacle
connector
Interface connector
Power connector
Molex to SATA
adapter cable
IDE riser conversion adapter card

SATA data
(IDE to SATA or SATA to IDE)
connection
Types of SATA cables and interfaces.

Server Storage
Serial ATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment SATA 3) interface is a

standard for connecting and transferring data from a hard disk to other systems.
Features of benefits:
• SATA 3 has a top speed of 6Gbs transfer rate.
• Cable management is made easy with support for extra cable length.
• SATA has one drive per cable connector.
Solid State Drives (SSD)
Solid-state drives and flash controllers.
3 SATA is designed based on serial signaling technology.

Server Storage
A solid-state drive 4 is a nonvolatile storage device, which stores the data into solid-
state flash memory. Solid-state drives are not traditional hard drives, as there are
no moving parts 5.
A system can continue operating when a failure or faults occur in some system
components. This system property is fault tolerance. SSDs are known for their
fault-tolerant architecture.
Feature and benefits:

• SSD performance is faster than an electromechanical disk drive.
4 An SSD is also known as a solid-state disk as it does not use any magnetic or
optical storage media.
5 SSDs have an array of semiconductor memory which is organized as a disk drive
using an integrated circuit.

Server Storage
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)
Storage
Send Data
Client
Retrieve Data
12x NVMe Drives 12x NVMe Drives
Workstation
Drives mapped to Drives mapped to NVMe SSD

CPU1 CPU2 Storage Disks
Note: NVMe has

multiple form
factors: 2.5" drive,
1 2
M.2., and PCIe.
The PowerEdge
R740 uses a 2.5"
NVMe SSD.
NVDIMMs NVDIMMs NVDIMMs
Example of a storage server with NVMe SSD storage.
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is a high-performance, optimized, and highly

scalable storage that connects the host to the memory. NVMe is feature-rich
specially designed for NAND and persistent memory.
Feature and benefits:

• NVMe leverages solid-state storage, the PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC)
H755n, and multicore CPUs.
• NVMe storage also takes advantage of streamline sets to efficiently parse and
manipulate data.
• NVMe offers performance across multiple cores for quick access to critical data.
NVMe offers higher performance in comparison to legacy SAS and SATA. NVMe
not only accelerates existing applications but also enables new applications and
capabilities for real-time workload processing in the datacenter.

Server Storage
Boot Optimized Storage Solution (BOSS)
BOSS M.2 Devices
PCI connection to
server system board
M.2 BOSS-PCI two device slot card.
Users can use Boot Optimized Storage Solution (BOSS) for virtualization and HCI
solutions. BOSS uses one or two read-intensive (Boot Class) 80 mm M.2 SATA
Solid-State Devices (SSDs). BOSS can be used in “pass-through” or two devices in
hardware RAID 1 (mirroring). The M.2 devices are Read-Intensive.
Features and Benefits:

• Fast initialization
• Foreign import
• Auto-rebuild
• Non-RAID migration
• SMART info
• TRIM (Non-RAID PD)

Server Storage
Non-Volatile Dual In-Line Memory Module (NVDIMM)
NVDIMM Controller
Storage Server
DRAM NAND
Multiplexer
12x NVMe Drives 12x NVMe Drives
Backup
power
source Drives mapped to CPU1 Drives mapped to CPU2
The NVDIMM is
inserted into the
server system board
memory slot
1 2
NVDIMMs NVDIMMs NVDIMMs
NVDIMM DDR4 (Image not to scale)
Non-Volatile Dual In-Line Memory Module (NVDIMM) integrates NAND non-volatile

storage and retains the information during service outages. NVDIMM uses dynamic
random access memory (DRAM) to store data in a memory cell. NVDIMM also
uses dedicated backup power on one memory subsystem.
An NVDIMM can either operate as a high-speed memory device or as a memory

but cannot do both simultaneously. NVDIMM isn't only used for increasing the
performance of information storage but also used for data protection 6.

• Runs high-speed DRAM.
• NVDIMM accelerates workloads into the next generation server.
6When a server powers off, the information within the NVDIMM is automatically
secured to the flash chip.

Server Storage
• NVDIMM offers persistence and reliability with the addition of the nonvolatile
feature to DRAM.
• NVDIMM multiplexers (MUX) isolate the host controller from the DRAM memory
during 'save' and 'restore' operations.
• The operating system uses NVDIMMs as a data storage device for speed.
• NVDIMM supports non-RAID migration.
Intel® Optane™ DC Persistent Memory
Starting in 15G, Dell PowerEdge servers use Intel® Optane™ Persistent Memory
(Barlow Pass) technology. The Intel® Optane™ DC Persistent Memory (Barlow
Pass) technology allows assigned applications to retain data during a power loss,
system shutdown, or system errors. Barlow Pass (BPS) uses persistent memory as
storage, rather than traditional memory. Also, Barlow Pass has a massive memory
capacity that allows more data to pass through the memory bus. Ultimately, Dell
PowerEdge integrates the Intel® Optane™ Datacenter (DC) Persistent Memory
Module (DCPMM) to bridge functionality between the traditional memory and
storage.

Server Storage
DRAM
Memory Bus
Intel Optane
DC Persistent
Memory
Intel Optane
DC SSDs
PCIe Bus
NVMe
SSD
SAS/
SATA
HDD
Performance pyramid showing where DCPMM sits between NVMe and DRAM.
DCPMM is a system acceleration solution for the 7th generation and 8th generation
Intel® Core™ Processor platforms. The DCPMM solution comes in a module
(hardware) format and by placing this new memory media between the processor
and a slower SATA-based storage device (HDD, SSH, or SATA SSD),
administrators can store commonly used data and programs closer to the
processor, allowing the systems to access this information more quickly and
improves overall systems performance.

Server Storage
The DCPMM leverages various technical concepts in its design to implement

performance advancements:
• Persistence capabilities 7
• Memory capacity 8
• Interface speed 9
DCPMM positions itself as a unique intermediate layer between DRAM and NVMe
on the performance pyramid.
To learn more about Intel® Optane™, visit the Intel® Optane™ Technology page
on www.intel.com or go to the www.dell.com/support site and search for the
Optane Memory Module - Frequently Asked Questions knowledge-based article.
7 Persistence capabilities redesigned without the required additional chips and

batteries that drive higher price points.
8 Memory capacities approaching larger volumes like SSDs.
9 Interface speeds are as swift as DRAM with only a slight performance reduction.

Server Storage
Internal Dual SD Module (IDSDM)
The IDSDM provides two SD card slots that are dedicated for an embedded
hypervisor.
The IDSDM provides redundancy 10 on the hypervisor SD card. If two new SD cards
are installed on the IDSDM, one of the cards is active (SD1) while the other card is
on standby (SD2). The data is written on both the cards, but the data is read from
SD1. If SD1 fails or is removed, then SD2 automatically becomes active. This
feature is available on Dell PowerEdge models such as the R740 or R940.
Internal Dual SD Module

Hypervisor SD cards
IDSDM connector on
Pull tab the expansion riser
Insert SD cards here vFlash card

inserted in the
back of the SD cards
IDSDM card installed
IDSDM card
PCIe Write protection
dip-switches
PowerEdge R740 server
Internal Dual SD Module installed in a PowerEdge R740
10When a SD card mirrors the first SD card content by using another SD card.
Either of the two SD cards can be considered as the master card.

Server Storage
• High performance
• Provides redundancy
• High data protection
Note: The latest generation of Dell PowerEdge servers may use a

BOSS (Boot Optimized Storage Solution) card as an alternative to
IDSDM. Both devices are boot devices. The server might ship from
the factory with both devices for certain PowerEdge servers, like a
VxRail solution. Also, from ESXi 7 and above, IDSDM is no longer
supported as a boot device.

Server Storage
Linear Tape Open (LTO)
Dell PowerVault LTO-7 Dual Tape Drives
Dell PowerVault LTO 7 rack
LTO Ultrium Data Cartridge
LED Display
Front Panel
Tape Drives
Power On Button
SAS Connector SAS Connector
Ethernet (non-iSCSI) Ethernet (non-iSCSI)
Rear Panel
Power Connector
Fan Enclosure
External PowerVault Standalone Linear Tape Open front and rear views.
Linear Tape Open (LTO) is an optional storage solution for long-term and archival
data storage. Dell PowerVault LTO is a magnetic tape drive, which provides
business continuity and disaster recovery. Dell PowerVault Tape drives can be
internal (tape drive) or external (tape library or media library) to a PowerEdge
server.
The image on the right is an external Dell PowerVault LTO standalone dual tape
drive rack mount.
Features:
With up to 18TB of native capacity on a single cartridge, LTO drives provide

decades of shelf life for industries and tasks that need reliable, long-term, large-
capacity data retention, such as:

Server Storage
• Healthcare imaging
• Media and entertainment
• Video surveillance
• Geophysical (oil and gas) data
• Computational analysis, such as genome mapping and event simulations
PowerVault LTO is covered in more detail in the Server Backup topic in this course.

Server Storage
Storage Capacity Planning
Storage resource
management and capacity Storage
planning software
administrator
Local storage Local storage
Current Future
(Management) (Planning)
Storage array Storage array Storage array Storage array Storage array
1 2 3 4 5
Mass storage tape Mass storage tape

backup service backup service
Simplified example of storage capacity planning.
Storage capacity planning allows server administrators to evaluate current data

storage needs and forecast future storage requirements. Server administrators
must make sure that service, component, and resource capacities meet the
identified server storage needs in a cost-effective manner.
Storage Capacity Planning helps manage and optimize the performance of

infrastructure, applications, and business services. For example, lower storage tiers
might have unique archiving practices or regulations that need long retention
periods. These lower tier storage practices produce faster growth rates that
administrators must monitor and plan for future capacity needs.

RAID Concepts
RAID Concepts

RAID Concepts
Introduction to RAID Levels
What is RAID?
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a technology that virtualizes data

storage from multiple physical disks into one single logical disk. RAID does this to
provide a server with data redundancy, performance improvement, or both.
How does RAID work?
Virtual Disk
Data Blocks
Block 1
Block 2
Block 3
Disk 1
Data Abstracted Data Abstracted
Data Abstracted
Physical Disk Physical Disk
Physical Disk
RAID virtualization storage of server physical disks.
The RAID disk group appears to the host system either as a single storage unit or
multiple logical units of data blocks. The data blocks are abstracted from the
server's physical disks. RAID disks provide high performance by increasing the

RAID Concepts
number of disk drives that are used for saving and accessing data. A RAID disk
subsystem improves I/O performance and data availability. RAID data throughput
improves server performance because several disks are accessed simultaneously.
RAID systems also improve data storage availability and fault tolerance. Data loss
that is caused by a hard drive failure can be recovered by rebuilding missing data
from the remaining physical disks containing data or parity.
What is a RAID Controller?
Dell PERC H740P PCIe

Expansion Card Adapter
SAS cable connectors

Battery
Heat
Dell PERC H740P Mini Sink
Integrated RAID Controller
Battery Connect to
Connect to the
System Board the Expansion
Adapter Riser
Heat
Sink
PowerEdge R740 Server (Top View)
Example of an H740P PERC card as either integrated or as an expansion card.
A RAID controller is an integrated device or an expansion card that provides the

RAID services for the virtualized disk drives and presents them to the operating
system as a single drive. The RAID controller organizes and communicates the
data to the server and the storage media to provide protection and redundancy of
data.
A Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (Dell PERC) is a series of RAID, disk array
controllers made by Dell for PowerEdge server computers. The controllers support
SAS and SATA physical hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), and
nonvolatile memory express (NVMe) SSD drives. A PERC can be integrated to the
PowerEdge server system board or connected to the system board through the
PCIe expansion riser slot.

RAID Concepts
Click the image to enlarge.
What are RAID levels?
Basic RAID Levels
RAID 0 RAID 1
Striping Mirroring
RAID 5 RAID 6
Striping with parity Striping with double

PERC RAID Controller parity
RAID 10 RAID 60
RAID 50
Multiple mirrored Combination RAID 6 and
Multiple RAID 5 sets RAID 0 with striping
drives with striping
with striping
Advanced RAID Levels
RAID levels in basic and advanced categories.
A RAID level refers to how the data is distributed across the drives depending on
the required level of redundancy and performance. The different schemas, or data
distribution layouts, are named by the word RAID followed by a number. for
example, RAID 0 or RAID 1.
Each schema, or RAID level, provides a different balance to the key goals of
reliability, availability, performance, and capacity. RAID levels greater than RAID 0
provide protection against unrecoverable sector read errors and against failures of
whole physical drives.
RAID levels are covered in more detail later in this topic.

RAID Concepts
Important Definitions
RAID levels perform different functions based on how they are used. It is necessary
to understand how each function works.
Disk Striping
SAS Connection to SSD Disks
PERC RAID Controller
Data from the SSD server disks
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3

The disk data is
virtualized and striped
into a three-disk striped
unit.
Disk 1 Disk 2 Disk 3
RAID
Example of data striping across three RAID disks.
Disk Striping divides physical disk data into data blocks and places the new data
blocks across multiple virtualized storage disks. A striped unit is the data block
slices that came from one physical disk drive.
Striping improves Input-Output (I/O) performance by allowing multiple I/O

operations per second to be serviced in parallel.
RAID 0 applies disk striping. RAID 5 applies disk striping with parity.

RAID Concepts
Redundancy
Primary RAID Redundant

Storage RAID Storage
Virtualized Data Blocks Data Blocks Virtualized

Not Available
Disk Block 1 Disk
Disk Failure Block 2
Block 3
Disk 1 Disk 2
Data
Server Physical Disk Drive
RAID redundancy of server data to mitigate disk failure.
Redundancy is a system design in which a component is duplicated so there is a

backup of data in the event of a failure. The primary use case for RAID is to provide
server data redundancy capabilities to mitigate server data failure internally.
Redundancy is implemented through two different techniques: Mirroring and Parity.

RAID Concepts
Disk Mirroring
SAS Connection to SSD Disks

PERC RAID Controller
Data from SSD Disk
Block 1 Block 1
The disk data is
virtualized and data
block 1 is mirrored on
drive 2.
Disk 1 Disk 2
RAID
Example of RAID data mirrored on two drives.
In data storage terms, disk mirroring is the duplication of data onto separate drives
to protect a system from data loss due to failures. In RAID, the same concept is
used to mirror virtualized data into different drives.
Disk Mirroring is also known as RAID 1.

RAID Concepts
Parity
D0 D1 D1 P0-2
D3 D4 P3-5 D5
D6 P6-8 D7 D8
P9-11 D9 D1 D1
Disk 1 Disk 2 Disk 3 Disk 4
Data blocks Parity data blocks
RAID 5 example - parity data blocks striped across four disks from 11 data block sources.
A parity drive is associated with RAID 3 or 4. Parity data is used to provide fault
tolerance by calculating the data from at least two disks. That data is then stored
on an additional disk. Should any of the disks fail, the lost data from that disk can
be calculated by the data that remains on the other two disks.
When a system continues operating even when system components fail, the
system is known as fault tolerant. RAID participates in system data fault tolerance
through implemented parity storage.
RAID levels that use parity are RAID 5 (single distributed parity), RAID 6 (dual
distributed parity), RAID 50 (striped and single parity), and RAID 60 (striped and
dual parity).

RAID Concepts
RAID 0
RAID 0 uses a data striping functionality.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 0 uses data striping, which allows data to be written in equal-sized

segments across the array disks *. RAID 0 provides the highest performance, as it
is simultaneously transferring data to or from every disk in the array. RAID 0 is the
only RAID level that provides no data redundancy or fault tolerance protection.
* Single-drive RAID 0 is an option on some controllers. Configuring RAID 0 as a

single-drive on the controller formats the drive for RAID which allows for expansion.
Some solutions require numerous single-drive RAID 0 arrays. In terms of
expansion, single-drive RAID 0 can be converted to the two-drive minimum RAID 0
for striping.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• RAID 0 provides improved performance.

• Depending on the controller RAID 0 has the ability to add drives as needed.
• RAID 0 has no overhead, and all the drives are used.
Cons:

RAID Concepts
• RAID 0 has zero redundancy.

• If one drive fails, all data in the array is lost in RAID 0.
3: Usable space:
RAID 0 has no fault tolerance or redundancy so all the drive space can be used.
RAID 0 is the only RAID level with zero overhead. Overhead is a term that refers to
the cost of implementing RAID measured in usable space. RAID 0 does not
dedicate any space to redundancy so its overhead is zero.
Formula to calculate usable space for RAID 0:
RAID 0 can have a minimum 2 drives for usable storage space. The calculation is (
n + n = capacity ) with “n” being drive size. Simple example: ( 400GB + 400GB ) =
800GB of usable space
4: Use case:
Striping is used for applications that require high-speed data access and maximum
storage capacity but do not require data redundancy.
Examples include audio, video streaming and editing, web servers, gaming, and
graphic design. The user of the system views the combination of drives as only one
drive. The amount of usable drive space is the equivalent of the combined space of
all the drives in the array.

RAID Concepts
RAID 1
RAID 1 uses a data mirroring functionality.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 1 is also known as disk mirroring. It is the simplest form of replicating the
data into two or more disks. If one drive fails, data requests are directed to the
disk's counterpart, allowing normal access to data without interruption. After the
defective disk is replaced, data from the surviving member of the mirror is rebuilt
onto the new disk.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• RAID 1 has 100% data redundancy.

• The rate of read transaction is twice of a single disk.
• The rate of write transaction is same as a single disk.
Cons:
• RAID 1 has the highest overhead of all RAID types.

• RAID 1 has loss of 50% of the storage space.
• RAID 1 cannot be expanded.

RAID Concepts
3: The drawback for the RAID 1 is the overhead. Only 50% of the disk space is
usable as the other half is used for mirroring.
Example: A single logical drive with a total usable capacity of 500GB is a

combination of two 500GB drives, which as a result is the highest disk overhead of
all RAID types.
RAID 1 has a minimum and maximum of 2 drives. The calculation is ( n - 1 =

capacity ) with “n” being 2 drives. Simple example: ( 2 x 400GB drives – 1 drive ) =
400GB of usable space.
4: Mirroring is used with applications that require redundancy and faster read rates
or with entry-level systems that require redundancy but only have two drives
available.
Example: If RAID 1 is used for financial applications or for a system running a

small database often, RAID 1 is implemented when data and uptime are critical and
cannot afford to be lost.

RAID Concepts
RAID 5
RAID 5 uses the data striping and parity functionality.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 5 provides data redundancy by using data striping with parity information.
Rather than dedicating a drive to parity, the parity information instead is striped
across all disks in the array. RAID 5 requires a minimum of three drives to
implement. This RAID level delivers a high read rate when data is accessed in
large chunks.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• Simultaneous read of multiple drives occurs in RAID 5.

• RAID 5 is highly efficient for the use of drive space.
• Even if a drive is lost, yet the array is operational.
Cons:
• Failure of one drive degrades the overall performance for RAID 5.

• During the rebuild process, RAID 5 drive performance is slower.
3: Usable space:

RAID Concepts
Example: Using the minimum three disk drives configuration in RAID 5, if each
drive is a 400GB disk drive, then the single logical RAID disk has a total usable
storage capacity of 800GB storage. Adding more physical drives does not provide
more allowance for drive failures. Additional drives results in higher capacity but
does not add additional redundancy.
A RAID 5 with 20 drives can only sustain the loss of one drive the same as RAID 5
with three drives. However, adding more drives reduces overhead cost.
RAID 5 has a minimum of 3 drives. The calculation is ( n -1 = capacity ) with “n”

being the total amount of drives. Simple example: ( 3 x 400GB drives – 1 drive ) =
4: Use case:
RAID 5 is the most common RAID configuration in use. RAID 5's versatility makes
it useful for general-purpose multi-user systems. RAID 5 provides solid efficiency,
versatility, and cost balance.

RAID Concepts
RAID 6
RAID 6 uses the data striping and double parity functionality.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 6 provides data redundancy by using data striping with parity information.
RAID 6 requires dedicated two drives worth of space. In addition, RAID 6
introduces a new state: partially degraded. When a single drive fails within the
virtual disk, there is still redundancy, so it is considered partially degraded.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• RAID 6 can lose up to two drives before failing.

• RAID 6 has highly efficient use of drive space.
Cons:
• Loss of two drives require two rebuilds, one for each drive lost and replaced.
• The lost drives cannot be rebuilt together simultaneously.
• RAID 6 requires a minimum of four drives to create.
3: The capacity of two drive is lost for parity information.

RAID Concepts
Example: Combining four 400GB drives creates a single logical drive with a total
usable capacity of 800GB. Adding more drives does not provide more allowance
for drive failures but does improve overhead costs. Additional drives results in
higher capacity but does not add additional redundancy.
RAID 6 has a minimum of 4 drives. The calculation is ( n - 2 = capacity ) with “n”

being the total amount of drives. Simple example: ( 4 x 400GB drives – 2 drives ) =
4: The use of RAID 6 is recommended when using large capacity drives, due the
risk of a second drive failure in RAID 5. RAID 6 is similar to RAID 5 and comes
with additional drive redundancy (dual distribution) compared to a RAID 5 single
distributed setup. However, the second parity calculation results in a decrease in
write performance. RAID 6 provides a more instantaneous level of fault tolerance
compared to RAID 5, with an additional disk to spare.

RAID Concepts
RAID 10
Some RAID levels are combined to produce a two-digit RAID level. RAID 10 is a
combination of levels 1 (mirroring) and 0 (striping). RAID 10 is also identified as
RAID 1 + 0.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 10 is a dual-level RAID that combines multiple mirrored drives (RAID 1)

with data striping (RAID 0) into a single array. RAID 10 provides the highest
performance with data redundancy.
Data is first striped across multiple drives, then the complete array of drives are
mirrored onto the other set of drives. RAID 10 can be considered striped mirrors.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• RAID 10 has the same level of fault tolerance as RAID 1 in each mirrored set.
• RAID 10 can stay operational - even with multiple failures, as long as there is
only one failure mirrored set.
Cons:
• RAID 10 is expensive to implement.

RAID Concepts
• Similar to RAID 1, RAID 10 carries a 50% overhead.

• If two drives in the same mirror set fail, all data in the RAID 10 array is lost.
3: RAID 10 configuration requires a minimum of four hard drives - two drives per
mirrored set, for any number of mirrored sets. The overhead for RAID 10 is equal to
that of RAID 1. This RAID level can sustain multiple failed drives, as long as both
drives of a mirrored set do not fail simultaneously. While RAID 10 can recover from
a single failure in each set - if both drives in one set fail, the array cannot be
recovered. Note: Additional drives must be added in pairs. Each pair will create 1
additional RAID 1 element.
Usable space formula for RAID 10:
RAID 10 has a minimum of 4 drives. The calculation is multiple RAID 1 elements

combined into a stripe. Simple example: ( 4 x 400GB drives / 2 drives ) = 800GB of
usable space
4: RAID 10 is often used when the importance of having additional copies of critical
data outweighs the cost of additional drives. RAID 10 is not only used for additional
copies, but it also allows for more than one disk failure simultaneously - provided
each disk failure occurs in a different mirrored set.
Example: If a RAID 10 array was configured using four 200GB hard drives, the
total available space would be the total drive space (800GB) minus the capacity of
two complete drives (400GB) for a total of 400GB available space.
RAID 10 is often chosen for high-load databases, as it produces a faster write

speed due to the lack of parity to calculate.

RAID Concepts
RAID 50
RAID 50 is a combination of levels 5 (parity) and 0 (striping). RAID 50 is also

identified as RAID 5 + 0.
1 2 3 4
1: RAID 50 combines multiple RAID 5 sets with data striping (RAID 0). This
increases reliability and performance over standard RAID 5 that can accommodate
a multiple drive failure.
RAID 50 requires at least three drives per RAID 5 set. One drive failure per RAID 5
set can be tolerated.
However, if two drives fail in the same RAID 5 subset, the array cannot be
recovered.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• A single drive can fail in each set of RAID 5.

• RAID 50 increases the read performance.
• RAID 50 has a high redundancy level.
Cons:

RAID Concepts
• RAID 50 is expensive, due to a larger number of drives.

• A minimum of two RAID 5 sets are required to implement RAID 50.
3: Usable space:
RAID 50 requires the capacity of one drive per RAID 5 subset for parity information.
Theoretically RAID 50 can be expanded. However, it must be done in increments of
RAID 5.
Example: In a RAID 50 array of six 400GB hard drives, the total available space
would be 1600GB (800GB in each RAID 5 set).
RAID 50 has a minimum of 6 drives. This consists of 2 RAID 5 elements combined

into a stripe. Simple example: ( 3 x 400GB drives – 1 drive ) + ( 3 x 400GB drives –
1 drive ) = 1600GB of usable space.
4: With RAID 50, the RAID levels are nested within one another to provide the
benefits of both. RAID 50 is typically used to provide a balance between
performance, reliability, and cost. It is faster than a typical RAID 5, but expands
fault tolerance.
Added to this balance is the additional storage space. With RAID 10, the
configuration gives up half of all available space for the mirror.
RAID 50 helps to balance out efficient use of the available space. Like RAID 5,
space efficiency increases as more drives, beyond the minimum, are added.

RAID Concepts
RAID 60
RAID 60 is a combination of levels 6 (double parity) and 0 (striping). RAID 60 is

also identified as RAID 6 + 0.
1 2 3 4
1: Definition:
RAID 60 is the combination of a RAID 6 and a RAID 0. A RAID 0 is striped across

two or more RAID 6 arrays. RAID 60 requires a minimum of eight disks.
The array can sustain the loss of two drives per RAID 6 set. RAID 60 provided a
higher degree of fault tolerance compared to RAID 50, since two disks per subset
may fail without a data loss.
However, if three drives fail in the same RAID 6 subset, the array cannot be
recovered.
2: Pros and Cons
Pros:
• Two drives can fail in each RAID 6 set of RAID 60.

• RAID 60 has increased read performance.
• RAID 60 has the highest redundancy level.

RAID Concepts
Cons:
• RAID 60 is expensive to implement.

• A minimum of two RAID 6 sets are required to implement RAID 60.
3: Usable space:
RAID 60 requires the capacity of two drives per RAID 6 subset for parity
information. Theoretically RAID 60 can be expanded. However, it must be done in
increments of RAID 6.
Example: In a RAID 60 array of eight 400GB hard drives, the total available space
would be a total of 1600GB. As with RAID 50, the more drives added to each RAID
6 set, the better the overhead cost ratio.
RAID 60 has a minimum of 8 drives. This consists of 2 RAID 6 elements combined

into a stripe. Simple example: ( 4 x 400GB drives – 2 drives ) + (4 x 400GB drives –
2 drives ) = 1600GB of usable space.
4: Use case:
RAID 60 takes the same nested approach as RAID 50. Like RAID 50, RAID 60 is
used for a balanced approach to performance, fault tolerance, and storage space.
However, RAID 60 gives up a little storage space in lieu of additional fault

tolerance. RAID 60 can sustain the loss of two drives per RAID 6 set and remain in
production.

RAID Concepts
RAID Levels and the Server Purpose
Raid levels provide a server administrator options to implement server redundancy

and performance. The implementation criteria for RAID matches the IT need to use
a server solution. For example, a server solution is scoped as a system that
provides a large amount of data storage, with the appropriate data protection, but
does not require speed. RAID 6 would map to the solution as the best option.
Reliability and data protection more important than speed is what RAID 6 provides
best.
Identifying what RAID level configuration is best includes considering the main
purpose of the server and deciding what factors are essential
• Performance
• Reliability
• Speed
• Capacity
More examples of a RAID level mapped to a server purpose:
Server Purpose Essential Factors RAID Level
Provide video creation and Speed RAID 0

editing capabilities to a group
of media experts at a
multimedia company.
Host a server operating system Reliability RAID 1

or database.
Implement a transactional Performance and Reliability RAID 10

database requiring high
performance and maximum
protection.

RAID Concepts
Caution: RAID is a not a backup solution for servers. RAID

technology is made for data redundancy and data management at a
high performance. RAID does not replace a good data backup
solution for data retention, security, and disaster recovery.

RAID Concepts
Hardware versus Software RAID
Software RAID
Software RAID uses the built-in functionality of an operating system and does not
require any additional equipment to connect to different devices. The software
RAID depends on system resources (processor and memory), operating system,
and the RAID application.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) RAID Configuration Utility
Examples of software RAID are the Dell PERC S140 and S150 controllers. The
S140 and S150 controllers support up to 30 nonvolatile memory express (NVMe)
PCIe SSDs, SATA SSDs, and SATA HDDs depending on the system backplane
configuration.

RAID Concepts
• For more information about the PowerEdge RAID Controller S140 supported
OS and management applications, go to www.dell.com/support and search for
"Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller S140 User’s Guide".
• For more information abut the PowerEdge RAID Controller S150 supported OS
and management applications, go to www.dell.com/support and search for "Dell
PowerEdge RAID Controller S150 User's Guide".
The advantages of using software RAID are:

• The setup is easier and can accomplish different configuration tasks.
• Installation is cheaper as compared to the installation of hardware RAID.
• Suitable for non-RAID, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 which does not
affect the additional system load.
• Implementation of software RAID can be configured on one operating system
and used across other systems.
• Reconfiguration of RAID levels is feasible due to the flexibility.

RAID Concepts
Hardware RAID
Example of the hardware storage configuration of a RAID controller using the Lifecycle Controller.
Hardware RAID is a method where the drives are connected to a hardware RAID
controller that is built into a system board, a different server, or a separate RAID
card. The Hardware RAID is independent of system resources and operating
system.
The advantages of hardware RAID are:

• Increases computing power.
• Compatible with different operating systems.

RAID Concepts
Software versus Hardware RAID
Hardware RAID Software RAID
A hardware RAID solution has its own Software RAID runs the RAID task on
processor and memory, improving the system's CPU.
overall IO performance.
Hardware RAID can be implemented in Software RAID can be implemented in

various ways: various ways:
1. As a discrete RAID controller card. 1. As a pure software solution.
2. As integrated hardware-based RAID- 2. As a hybrid solution that includes
on-Chip technology. some hardware that is designed to
increase performance and reduce
system CPU overhead.
It is easier to configure and operate, and Software RAID preserves platform

is vendor supported. investment while radically changing
RAID operations.
The hardware RAID component does not Software RAID has data integrity issues
have any data integrity issues. due to system crashes.
Hardware RAID is more expensive than Software RAID is low cost - the only
Software RAID. cost are the additional disk drives.
Hardware RAID accelerates access Software RAID runs only in write-

times by usage of cache memory, through mode, but hardware RAID can
including the ability to use write-back run in write-back mode if it has a
caching if memory is protected by a battery, adding another level of data
battery. protection.

RAID Concepts
Configuring RAID
To manage RAID in a server, administrators configure the RAID levels and virtual
disks for the storage controllers. Dell PERC controllers work with the different Dell
PowerEdge servers. A Dell PERC is either integrated into the server system board
or added as an extension card adapter. To accomplish the RAID level and virtual
disk configuration for the PERC controller, administrators use different applications.
Configure RAID with the System Setup Utility
The server administrator boots the server hardware and then presses F2 to access
the System Setup Utility. The Setup interface provides a System Setup Main Menu.
Now the administrator is ready to configure RAID for the server.
Example of a R740 server with a PERC H740P adapter ready for configuration. The screen displays
the selected RAID level.

RAID Concepts
The steps to configure RAID using the System Setup Utility:
1. Select the desired PERC controller from the Device Settings screen. In the case
of the screen capture example, the PERC controller in slot 6, PERC H740P is
selected.
2. Select Configuration Management in the RAID Controller Main Menu.
3. Select Create Virtual Disk from the main menu.
4. Select the RAID level, in the case of the screen capture, the administrator
selects RAID 5.
5. Select the Physical Disks for the controller.
6. Create the Virtual Disks.

RAID Concepts
Configure RAID with OMSA
Example using OMSA to configure a PERC H810 adapter in a PowerEdge R820.
OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) is an In-Band server management

application. With OMSA, administrators manage the different PERC controllers in
the server. For each controller, the Virtual Disks are created, and the RAID levels
are set. Administrators use the left panel navigation structure to get to the specific
Virtual Disk section for the selected PERC controller. Administrators select either
the Express or Advanced Wizard to configure RAID.

RAID Concepts
Configure RAID with the Lifecycle Controller
Option 1: Launch LCC

through the iDRAC Virtual
Console. Option 2:
Launch LCC
through the
Boot Manager.
Lifecycle Controller launch from iDRAC or from the LCC login screen.
The Lifecycle Controller is an advanced embedded systems management

technology that enables remote server management using the integrated Dell
Remote Access Controller (iDRAC). Using the Lifecycle Controller, an administrator
updates the firmware using a local or Dell-based firmware repository. The OS
Deployment wizard available in the Lifecycle Controller enables you to deploy an
operating system.
The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) and the Lifecycle Controller
(LCC) work together to provide Out-of-Band server management. To configure
RAID with the LCC, an administrator either logs into the LCC independently or
launches the LCC from the iDRAC Virtual Console. The LCC Home screen menu
provides the Configure RAID option.

RAID Concepts
Configure RAID during a server OS installation
The Lifecycle Controller OS deployment screen with the message to configure RAID first.
The Lifecycle Controller provides OS deployment for a server. However, the first
step in the five-step process to deploy an OS is to configure RAID. If the RAID is
already configured, the first step can be skipped.
Deploying an OS for a server is covered in more detail in the Server OS topic of

this course.

RAID Concepts
Configure and Manage PERC with iDRAC9
Create a virtual disk wizard in the iDRAC9 Storage Configuration section.
iDRAC expanded its agent-free management to include direct configuration of the

PERC controllers. Administrators can completely configure RAID before installing
the operating system. Also, administrators can remotely configure the storage
components attached to a PowerEdge server at run-time. The storage components
iDRAC can manage include RAID and non-RAID controllers and the channels,
ports, enclosures, and disks attached to them.
Using iDRAC, administrators can perform most of the functions that are available in
OpenManage Storage Management (OMSA) including real-time (no reboot)
configuration commands.
With iDRAC, Administrators can:
• Configure and manage PERC functions without accessing the BIOS.

• Create and configure virtual disks.
• Apply RAID levels.

RAID Concepts
• Initiate other controller functions such as rebuilds and troubleshooting.

• Protect the server data by configuring data-redundancy or assigning hot spares.
Visit www.dell.com/support to search for the Dell PowerEdge: How to create a

Virtual Disk using iDRAC9 knowledge-based article to learn how to create a virtual
disk using iDRAC9.

Server System Setup
Server System Setup

Server System Setup
Server Setup Overview
What is System Setup?
Configure Example of using the PowerEdge R740 Configure

the BIOS Device
Configure
iDRAC
Using System Setup to configure the settings on a PowerEdge R740.
IT administrators use the System Setup firmware screen as an option to configure

the PowerEdge server. PowerEdge server pre-operating systems have various
management applications which are:
• System Setup 11
• Dell Lifecycle Controller 12
11 Configure the basic settings of a server.

Server System Setup
• Boot Manager13
• Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) 14
What are the System Setup configuration options?
The System Setup advance configuration options are:
• System BIOS 15
• iDRAC Settings 16
• Device Settings 17
12 Provides advanced embedded systems management capabilities including

system deployment, configuration, update, maintenance, and diagnosis.
13 Enables administrators to select boot options and diagnostic utilities.
14 Boot and configure the networked servers remotely.
15 Enables the administrator to configure the BIOS settings.
16 Enables the administrator to configure the iDRAC Out-of-Band settings. The
iDRAC settings are set up and configured using the United Extensible Firmware
Interface (UEFI).
17 Enables administrators to configure devices settings such as an integrated
PERC controller and integrated Network Daughter Card (NDC).

Server System Setup
How to Access System Setup
There are different ways to access the System Setup for a PowerEdge server.
1 2 3
1:
Press <F2> to directly access the System Setup or press <F11> to launch the Boot
Manager. On the Boot Manager screen, select Boot Manager -> Launch System
Setup.
2:

Server System Setup
For the iDRAC remote users, System Setup is initiated in the next reboot by
selecting the Next Boot drop down list of the virtual console.
3:
Users launch the System Setup by selecting the System Setup tab of the Lifecycle
Controller.

Server System Setup
Introduction to BIOS, CMOS, and UEFI
BIOS
Configure
BIOS boot
Boot
BIOS Master Operating
BIOS
boot Boot System
Power Kernel
The BIOS of a PowerEdge Server.
Basic Input Output System (BIOS) is a set of system instructions that resides on a
Read-Only Memory (ROM) chip on the system board.
Advantages of the BIOS:

• Performs the Power-On Self-Test (POST).
• Manages interactions between the operating system and the hardware.
• Hands over the control of the system to the operating system once POST is
complete.

Server System Setup
CMOS
The CMOS battery on the system board of a PowerEdge server.
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) stores system variables. The

CMOS is a small area of low-power RAM on the system board.
The BIOS code starts and reads all the contents of CMOS to understand the
system configuration.
As the CMOS is a RAM chip, the CMOS settings are erased from the memory
when the system is shut down. However, a CMOS battery (typically a CR2032 coin
cell battery) is used to provide constant power to the chip.

Server System Setup
UEFI
Configure
UEFI boot
UEFI UEFI Boot Operating

UEFI Kernel
boot Loader System
Power
UEFI boot mode of the PowerEdge R640 server.
The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the evolution of BIOS and
meets modern computing needs.
The features of the UEFI are:

• Provides faster boot time than traditional BIOS.
• Consists of a 32 or 64-bit processor mode (compared to 16 bit in BIOS).
• Provides advanced security features.
• Enables navigation with a mouse (user interface).
• Enables users to handle drives that are larger than 2 TB.
• Verifies validity of the operating system using the Secure Boot option to ensure
that no malware tampers with the startup process.

Server System Setup
BIOS and UEFI Configuration
Users set up the boot mode in a typical server by selecting the BIOS or the UEFI
boot mode.
The UEFI boot mode offers:

• Improved partitioning scheme for boot media.
• Flexible handoff from BIOS to the operating system.
• Consolidated firmware user interface.
• Enhanced resource allocation for boot device firmware.
The table below shows the differences between BIOS and UEFI boot modes.
BIOS UEFI
Traditional BIOS implementation uses UEFI defines an improved partitioning

the Master Boot Record (MBR) scheme scheme that is known as a GUID
for partitioning boot media. Partition Table (GPT).
BIOS offers 32-bit addressing and 512- The GPT scheme uses 64-bit
byte blocks. addressing.
The MBR scheme limits the addressable The boot media can be larger than 2
storage in the boot media to 2 TB. TB. UEFI does not use the MBR
scheme.

Server System Setup
Configuration Settings for UEFI Boot Mode
The Boot Mode setting enables the system to boot in the traditional BIOS mode or
in UEFI mode.
Step 1
Launch System Setup. Click System BIOS -> Boot Settings and set Boot Mode
to UEFI. Click the back button and then select Finish to reboot the server.
Navigate back to the System Setup.
The Boot Settings menu.

Server System Setup
Step 2
When the system Boot Mode is set to UEFI, the BIOS provides a list of available
UEFI boot options. Click UEFI Boot Settings, then select UEFI boot Sequence to
edit the boot order.
The UEFI Boot Settings menu.
Step 3
In UEFI boot mode, PXE settings are configured by navigating to System Setup ->
System BIOS -> Network Settings -> PXE Device Settings. The Network
Settings option in the System BIOS menu is available only in UEFI boot mode.

Server System Setup
The PXE Device Settings menu.
Step 4
Configure the UEFI HTTP Device settings by navigating to System Setup ->
System BIOS -> Network Settings -> HTTP Device Settings. The settings are
similar to PXE settings with the addition of the URI setting, which specifies the
location of the bootstrap program.

Server System Setup
The HTTP Device Settings menu.
Step 5
Navigate to System Setup -> System BIOS -> Network Settings-> iSCSI Device
Settings to access the Connection settings.

Server System Setup
The iSCSI Device Settings menu.
Step 6
Set up the UEFI iSCSI boot configuration under System Setup -> System BIOS ->
Network Settings -> iSCSI Device Settings -> Connection Settings to complete
the UEFI configuration.

Server System Setup
The Connection Settings menu.

Server System Setup
iDRAC Configuration
Simulation Activity: Log in to the iDRAC and launch the Virtual

Console. Once the Virtual Console is launched, the System Setup
main menu is displayed. In this simulation, the tasks start from the
system setup main menu.
The simulation is task-based. Complete the tasks outlined in the
walk-through.
The web version of this content contains an interactive activity.
To review the tasks and steps involved in completing the iDRAC Configuration
simulation job aid, download the job aid document from the on-demand resources
section. Or click the iDRAC Configuration Job Aid link to review the tasks and steps
online.

Server System Setup
Device Settings
Simulation Activity: Log in to iDRAC and launch the virtual console,

once the virtual console is launched the system setup main menu is
displayed. In this simulation, the tasks start from the system setup
main menu.
walk-through.
To review the tasks and steps involved in completing the Device Settings
simulation job aid, download the job aid document from the on-demand resources
section. Or click the Device Settings Job Aid link to review the tasks and steps
online.

Server System Setup

Server OS
Server OS

Server OS
Overview
A server is typically a more powerful system than an average desktop. Servers are
built to handle heavier workloads and more applications taking advantage of the
specific hardware to increase productivity and reduce downtime. A well-planned
operating system installation can provide a seamless deployment and result in
strong customer satisfaction.
Server OS Pre-Installation Planning
Uses
Determine the intended role for the server.
• Examples:
File/Print Server
Database Server Web Server
Email Server Application Server
Example server roles
• Will the server host web pages?

Server OS
• Does the user have need for email services? Examples include Exchange or
Postfix.
• Will the server file and print services?
• Does the user need domain services such as Active Directory or LDAP for
Linux?
Sizing
Server sizing and preinstallation considerations
The key to sizing is workload. Metrics such as CPU utilization, RAM usage,
estimated disk space growth, backup methods, and backup media. Without these
elements, you cannot adequately size the server. When building servers users
should consider the following:
• Examples:

Server OS
• Does the user have need of multithreaded applications requiring multiple

Central Processing Unit (CPUs?
• Does the user require database services which needing large amounts of
Random Access Memory (RAM)?
• Does the user require a Storage Controller (RAID) for redundancy?
• Does the user require SSD devices for improved performance?
• Does the user require Operating system installation media?
• Does the user require backup software?
• Does the user require additional Backup media?
Information
Router
Gateway
RAID
Management Network
Example installation information.

Server OS
The user requires the following information:
• Examples:
• Monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

• Storage topology, such as RAID configuration.
• Operating system installation media.
• Required Drivers.
• Server name.
• IP address, Subnet mask, and gateway.
• Domain information.
• Internet connection details.
• Usernames.
• Roles and features.
• Application installation media.

Server OS
Operating Systems
An operating system is software that manages the hardware resources that are
associated with your desktop or laptop. The operating system manages the
communication between your software and your hardware.
Windows Server 2019 and 2022
Operating System Operating System
Role Role
According to the www.docs.microsoft.com site, a Windows Server operating system

(OS) is the platform for building an infrastructure of connected applications,
networks, and web services, from the workgroup to the datacenter. Windows
Server OS bridges on-premises environments with Azure (cloud), adding additional
layers of security while helping you modernize your applications and infrastructure.
Dell PowerEdge servers support both the Windows 2019 and 2022 versions of the
operating system.
Depending on the planned usage of the server, administrators can also install the
Microsoft Hyper-V role from the Microsoft Server OS. Hyper-V allows the user to
create and run a software version of a system, called a virtual machine (VM). Each
VM acts like a complete system, including an operating system and programs. VMs
provide more flexibility, help save time and money, and are a more efficient way to
use hardware than running one operating system on a physical hardware.
Hyper-V runs each VM in its own isolated space, which means you can run multiple
VMs on the same hardware simultaneously. Multiple VMs can avoid problems such
as a crash affecting the other workloads, or to give different people, groups, or
services access to different systems.

Server OS
VMware ESXi 7.x
VMware ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor 18 that installs directly onto a physical

server. With direct access to and control of underlying resources, VMware ESXi
partitions hardware to consolidate applications and cut costs. ESXi is the industry
leader for efficient architecture, setting the standard for reliability, performance, and
support.
By consolidating multiple servers onto fewer physical devices, ESXi reduces space,
power, and IT administrative requirements while driving high-speed performance.
Manage current and legacy applications. With a maximum of 768 Virtual CPU's and
24 TB of RAM, ESXi provides capability for any size of workload.
Learn more by visiting the www.vmware.com site.
RedHat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is an operating system based on Linux. RHEL is
an enterprise product that certifies both on hundreds of clouds and with thousands
of vendors. A Linux operating system also powers Android systems.
The latest release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux adds support for Microsoft SQL
Server, virtual private networks (VPNs), and email through Postfix.
18 A hypervisor is a software that creates and manages virtual machines (VMs).

Server OS
Learn more by visiting the www.redhat.com site.
SuSE Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) is a Linux adaptable server platform that is
easy-to-manage. SLES server platforms deploy business-critical workloads on-
premises, in the cloud, and at the edge.
SLES is cloud-agnostic and easily transitions to public clouds such as Alibaba,

Azure, AWS, Google, IBM, and Oracle.
Learn more by visiting the www.suse.com site.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Linux operating system that is available for free to the IT community
and provides professional support. The Ubuntu user community adheres to the
ideas in the Ubuntu manifesto 19.
One major difference between the desktop edition and server is the graphical
environment. The desktop edition provides graphical applications, utilities, and the
19 Software is available free of charge, software is localized, and software can be

altered to fit the need of the user.

Server OS
GNOME desktop. The server edition was created for the data center and is entirely
text-based interface.
Learn more by visiting the ubuntu.com site.

Server OS
Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)
A Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) is a list of system hardware, which typically

includes different types of system-peripheral devices. HCL also validates those
products that have been tested to pass Microsoft standards of compatibility,
reliability, security, and work with all servers running on Windows platforms. In the
manufacturer list with several models, HCL only considers supported systems.
Incompatibility issues might occur for models not on the HCL.
Each operating system vendor provides a comprehensive HCL:
• Windows Server
− https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-
hardware/drivers/dashboard/windows-certified-products-list
• VMware ESXi
− https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php
• Red hat Enterprise Linux
− https://catalog.redhat.com/hardware
• SuSE
− https://www.suse.com/yessearch/
• Ubuntu/Canonical
− https://ubuntu.com/certified
Tip: Visit the www.dell.com/support site to search for the Dell

Enterprise Operating Systems document to learn more.

Server OS
Installation and Deployment Methods
Users can perform installations in different ways:
Lifecycle Controller
The first common method is using the Lifecycle Controller for the supported
operating system.
1. Press F10 during boot to enter the Lifecycle Controller (LCC).

Server OS
2. Select Deploy OS in the left menu, then Deploy OS again.

Server OS
3. Select Configure RAID level first.

Server OS
4. Select the appropriate RAID controller.

Server OS
5. Select the RAID Level.

Server OS
6. Select the corresponding hard drives.

Server OS
7. Select the correct operating system from the dropdown.

Server OS
8. Click next to load the operating system Driver package.

Server OS
9. Click the dropdown and select the operating system.

Server OS
10. Click Finish.

Server OS
11. Complete the operating system installation.

Server OS
Manual Installation
The second method is directly booting Operating system installation media:
1. Insert the Operating system installation media and press F11 for the BIOS
Boot Manager.

Server OS
2. If using the iDRAC Virtual Media, select the Virtual Optical drive.

Server OS
3. Follow the Operating system installation wizard.

Server OS
4. Once the operating system installation is complete, check for missing drivers.

Server OS
5. Install missing drivers.

Server OS
Driver Installation
Correct drivers are required for the server to function. After the manual installation
administrators must install appropriate drivers. The commonly used steps are:
1. Select the executable.

Server OS
2. Click Install.

Server OS
3. Wait for the Collecting Inventory job to complete.

Server OS
4. Click Yes to continue.

Server OS
5. Wait for the installation to complete.

Server OS
6. Click Yes to initiate reboot.

Server OS
7. The server will reboot.
The main reason administrators are advised to install the OS through

the Lifecycle Controller is because the Lifecycle Controller will have a
driver pack that is decompressed, and slip streamed into the OS
install. With the Lifecycle Controller, the operating system once
installed will have the latest drivers already installed. The manual
process uses default drivers, and the administrators will have to install
the latest updated drivers post the OS installation.

Server OS
Virtual Memory
What is virtual memory?
Virtual memory is a hardware/software scheme designed to use server storage

drives to extend the primary system memory space. Virtual memory copies files
from the server random access memory (RAM) that are not in use and moves the
files to the hard drive disks to increase processing performance. Virtual memory is
managed by the operating system (OS) like Windows while the disk drives provide
the hardware memory.
PowerEdge Server
Allocated memory
Operating
RAM
Translate
Virtual Physical
Address Address
Exchange
Unused files are
Virtual memory management transferred from RAM
to the virtual memory.
Virtual
Disk memory
Simplified view of virtual memory in a PowerEdge server.

Server OS
What does virtual memory do for a server?
The use of virtual memory provides a storage allocation of unused files for the
server.
However, the entire storage memory is not available for use as virtual memory. The
size of virtual storage is limited by the amount of secondary memory20 available,
which could be in Gigabytes of memory.
Virtual memory also maps the virtual address into the physical address and plays a
role in the servers OS installation and deployment.
Virtual memory provides:
• Intrinsic memory protection 21
• Code reuse through shared libraries22
• Reduced program load time 23
• Zero-copy OS operations 24
• Connection of process address spaces to pages 25
20 Secondary memory is defined as any available system storage space memory,

such as a hard disk or solid-state drive, that in turn acts as part of the system
primary memory or RAM.
21 Memory protection is when a system process needs to access memory, the
operating system controls the access rights to the memory that is not allocated for
process use.
22 Code reuse is when the use of reliable existing code is implemented for new
system functions or software needs.

23 Load time is when the operating system takes hard disk executable programs
and moves the program into the system memory for processing.
24 Zero-copy is when the CPU does not copy data from one memory area to
another or ignores unused data.

25 An address space is comprised of information to perform page operations on a
disk. Pages are the data files moved between the RAM and the hard disk.

Server OS
Virtual Media
Simulation Activity: The iDRAC9 Virtual Media function allows the

remote use of software image files (ISO-files) to install an operating
system or update server drivers and firmware. However, not all
iDRAC9 licenses provide the virtual media functionality.
walk-through.
To review the tasks and steps involved in completing the Virtual Media simulation
job aid, download the job aid document from the on-demand resources section. Or
click the Virtual Media Job Aid link to review the task and steps online

Server OS

Resources
© Copyright 2021 Page 129

Supporting Resources: Introduction to Servers
The below training topics support the concepts and features that are discussed in
this training. Click the provided links for more information.
• Dell EMC PowerEdge RAID Controller S140 User’s Guide
− The Dell EMC PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) S140 is a software RAID
solution for the Dell EMC PowerEdge systems.
• Dell EMC PowerEdge RAID Controller S150 User’s Guide
− The Dell EMC PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) S150 is a Software
RAID solution for the Dell EMC PowerEdge systems.
• Dell EMC Enterprise Operating Systems
− Dell EMC collaborates extensively with Microsoft and Linux to ensure the
consistent, reliable performance of Microsoft and Linux (RedHat, SuSE, and
Ubuntu) operating systems running on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers.
Tip: Visit the Resource Library for Dell Technologies products at

www.dell.com for more server product information.

Certification Journey Map
Implementation Engineer, Implementation Engineer, Implementation Engineer, Systems Administrator,

PowerEdge PowerEdge MX Modular PowerEdge VRTX, FX, M OpenManage Enterprise
Series
A. Dell EMC PowerEdge A. Dell EMC PowerEdge M1000e Installation,
A. Dell EMC PowerEdge MX Modular A. Dell EMC OpenManage
Administration and Troubleshooting
Installation, Administration, and Platform Installation, Implementation, Enterprise Features,
Troubleshooting and Administration (ODC)
Implementation, and
B. Dell EMC PowerEdge VRTX Installation, Administration
(C, VC, ODC) (C, VC, ODC) (VC, ODC)
(ODC)
C. Dell EMC PowerEdge FX2 Installation,

(ODC)
D. Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise

Features, Implementation, and
Administration
(VC, ODC)
PowerEdge
Dell EMC PowerEdge Server Concepts (ODC)
(C) - Classroom
(VC) - Virtual Classroom
(ODC) - On Demand Course
• PowerEdge Server certification track starts with the PowerEdge Server

concepts curriculum (Associate Certification). The curriculum is a prerequisite
for other PowerEdge Specialist certifications.
• The specialist level certification, PowerEdge Implementation Engineer provides
an overview of the PowerEdge portfolio and the technologies involved. It
explores System Management tools and Server security. The course also
covers Server Maintenance and troubleshooting in detail.
• OpenManage Enterprise Systems Administrator certification helps the learners
to deploy, configure, and manage OpenManage Enterprise.

• PowerEdge VRTX, FX, M Series Implementation Engineer certification validates
the learner’s capability to install, manage, and troubleshoot M1000e, VRTX and
FX modular servers.
• Finally, with the PowerEdge MX Modular Implementation Engineer certification
the learners will be able to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot the Dell
EMC PowerEdge MX7000 platform including MX Networking.
For more information, visit: http://dell.com/certification


Glossary
15G
Generation 15 modifier to distinguish different features available for generation 15
servers.
2S
Two socket form factor. Used to identify the family of servers. PowerEdge servers
can have 1S, 2S, or 4S. See the PowerEdge rack server portfolio page for details.
AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the designing and building of intelligent agents that
receive precepts from the environment and act to affect that environment.
BOSS
Dell Technologies boots optimized storage solution. RAID solution card that is
designed for booting a server's operating system.
BOSS
Dell Technologies boots optimized storage solution. RAID solution card that is
designed for booting a server's operating system.
DIMM
Direct Access Inline Memory Module. DIMMs are available in varying capacities. All
DIMMs in a cache must have the same capacity
DL
Deep Learning (DL) is a form of Machine Learning which uses Artificial Neural
Networks.
DRAM
x4, x8, and x16 DIMMs refers to the width of the DRAM components on a memory
module. x4 DIMMs use DRAM components that have a 4-bit data width. x8 DIMMs
use components with an 8-bit data width. x16 DIMMs use components with a 16-bit
data width.
HCI
Hyper Converged infrastructure (HCI) combines compute, virtualization, storage,
and networking in a single cluster.

HCI
Hyper Converged infrastructure (HCI) combines compute, virtualization, storage,
and networking in a single cluster.
HPC
High performance computing (HPC) is the ability to process data and perform
complex calculations at high speeds.
HW RAID
Form of RAID. The motherboard or a separate RAID card handles the processing.
HW RAID
Form of RAID. The motherboard or a separate RAID card handles the processing.
iDRAC
The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is designed for secure local
and remote server management and helps IT administrators deploy, update, and
monitor PowerEdge servers.
IDSDM
Redundant SD-card module for embedded hypervisors. PowerEdge servers can
boot to the hypervisor out-of-the-box. The embedded hypervisor is mirrored across
dual SD cards using an integrated hardware controller.
IEEE 802.3
The Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 is a collection of IEEE
standards. The working group defining the physical layer and Media Access Control
(MAC) of Data Link Layer in the Ethernet set the standards.
Intel Ice Lake

Codename for the 3rd generation Xeon Scalable server processors.
IoT
The Internet of things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects such as
sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and
exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet. (Wikipedia)

Linear Tapen Open (LTO)
The LTO Ultrium technology was introduced in 2000 and has gone through seven
generations since inception. Any given LTO drive can read and write its own
generation of tape as well the previous two generations of tape (N, N-1, & N-2).
LRDIMM
Load-Reduced DIMM. Has higher densities than RDIMMs. Uses a memory buffer
chip to reduce the load on the server memory bus.
Media Access Control (MAC) address

The server is connected to the network through a switch. A Media Access Control
(MAC) address identifies the switch. A MAC address is a unique identifier for an
Ethernet or NIC over a network
ML
Machine Learning (ML) is an application of AI where systems use data to learn how
to respond, rather than being explicitly programmed.
MT/s
Mega-Transfers per Second (MT/s). Measurement of bus and channel speed in
millions of cycles per second.
Multicasting
Multicasting involves sending the same message to many endpoints such as in a
video conferencing facility.
NAND
NAND is a non-volatile memory designed to retain stored data even when powered
off.
NVDIMM
Non-Volatile DIMM
NVMe
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe). Communications interface for PCIe-based
SSDs. Used to increase efficiency and performance.

NVMe
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe). Communications interface for PCIe-based
SSDs. Used to increase efficiency and performance.
OCP
Open Compute Project (OCP) is an organization that shares designs of data center
products and best practices among companies. OCP designs and projects include
server designs, data storage, rack designs, and open networking switches. Read
more information about the organization by going to www.opencompute.org.
Optane Persistent Memory

Intel memory where non-volatile data is placed onto a DIMM and installed on the
memory bus.
PCH
Platform controller hub (PCH) controls certain data paths and support functions
used in conjunction with Intel CPUs.
PCIe
Peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) is an interface standard for
connecting high-speed components.
PERC
PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC). Family of controllers that enhance
performance, increase reliability, add fault tolerance, and simplifies management.
PERC
PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC). Family of controllers that enhance
performance, increase reliability, add fault tolerance, and simplifies management.
RAID
Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID). RAID controllers combine multiple
server physical hard drives together into a virtual drive or multiple drives to improve
data efficiency and protection.
RAID
Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID). RAID controllers combine multiple
server physical hard drives together into a virtual drive or multiple drives to improve
data efficiency and protection.

RDIMM
Registered DIMM. Dual in-line memory module (DIMM) with improved reliability.
SAS
SAS (serial-attached SCSI) is a type of SCSI that uses serial signals to transfer
data, instructions, and information. SAS drives are dual ported.
SAS
SAS (serial-attached SCSI) is a type of SCSI that uses serial signals to transfer
data, instructions, and information. SAS drives are dual ported.
SATA
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) uses serial signals to transfer
data, instructions, and information. SATA drives have only a single port.
SATA
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) uses serial signals to transfer
data, instructions, and information. SATA drives have only a single port.
SDS
Storage data services such as APEX Data Storage Services. APEX is an as-a-
Service portfolio of scalable and elastic storage resources. The storage as-a-
Service model simplifies the storage process.
SNAP I/O
Balances I/O performance. CPUs share one adapter, which prevents data from
traversing the inter-processor link when accessing remote memory.
SP
A service provider (SP) is a company that provides its subscribers access to the
internet.
STP cable
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Ethernet cable that is commonly used for high-speed
networks. A metallic substance shields STP. An additional metal foil wraps each set
of twisted wire pairs together.

UDIMM
Unregistered or unbuffered DIMM. UDIMMs do not have an onboard register as
seen with an RDIMM. UDIMMs are typically used in desktops and laptops.
UEFI boot
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). UEFI secure boot prevents systems
from booting from unsigned or unauthorized preboot device firmware, applications,
and operating system boot loaders. Without secure boot enabled, systems are
vulnerable to malware corrupting the startup process. UEFI is a firmware interface
that connects the firmware to the operating system. UEFI initializes the hardware
components and starts the operating system.
UTP cable
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Ethernet cable that is commonly used between a
system and wall. It is also used for desktop communication applications.
VM
A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software-defined computer system that emulates an
actual computer, including operating system and applications.
vSAN
According to VMware: Virtual Storage Area Network (vSAN) is a software-defined,
enterprise storage solution that integrates virtual machines (VMs) and containers
to support hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) systems.


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DELL POWEREDGE

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page i

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to Servers ................................... 2

Server Introduction .................................................................................................... 4

Server Storage ......................................................................................................... 17

RAID Concepts ......................................................................................................... 39

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page ii © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

Server System Setup ............................................................................................... 74

Glossary ................................................................................................ 134

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page iii

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 1

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page 2 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Introduction to Servers

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 3

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page 4 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

Typical client/server architecture.

A server is a physical or virtual computer system that processes and stores

Servers are part of the client-server architecture. According to the Britannica

How does a server work?

What do servers offer?

Servers offer network systems with the following features:

• Scalability to serve increasing number of devices, users, and workloads.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 5

• Servers offer remote management capabilities.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page 6 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

Server Form Factor

Server computers typically come in three form factors.

Click each server to learn more.

For example: Dell PowerEdge T350.

2: Rack servers: Rack server is also called a rack-mounted server. Rack-mount

For example, Dell PowerEdge R750 is a 2U chassis rack server.

3: Modular servers: Modular servers (sleds) have a dedicated chassis, including

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 7

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page 8 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

3D View of a Tower Server

The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge T640 server.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 9

3D View of a Rack Server

The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge R750xa server.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

Page 10 © Copyright 2022 Dell Inc.

3D View of a Modular Server

The simulation contains a 3D view of the Dell PowerEdge MX7000 server.

Dell PowerEdge Server Concepts: Section 01 Introduction to Servers

© Copyright 2022 Dell Inc. Page 11

Dell PowerEdge Types of Servers

Dell Technologies offers a wide range of PowerEdge servers with differing

PowerEdge Tower Servers

The PowerEdge tower servers are built to solve the

Tower servers provide versatility for small to medium

PowerEdge Rack Servers