Dell NativeEdge

NativeEdge is a full stack, end-to-end solution designed to simplify, optimize, and protect the management of edge and distributed data center environments. It allows organizations to centralize the deployment and management of diverse distributed infrastructure and applications, offering features like zero-touch onboarding, zero-trust security, and advanced workload orchestration.

NativeEdge centralizes and streamlines edge and distributed data center operations at scale. It manages infrastructure with zero-trust security capabilities and zero-touch provisioning. Leveraging a broad portfolio of edge infrastructure and secure supply chain controls, Dell digitally signs and certifies hardware in the factory. Once any NativeEdge Endpoint device is powered on, these keys automate the deployment and configuration of the infrastructure, ensuring a zero-trust chain of custody. NativeEdge also uses templatized application orchestration through blueprints. Built on an open design, it offers the flexibility to choose independent software vendor (ISV) applications and frameworks for edge workloads, allowing you to centrally and consistently deploy containerized and virtual applications.

NativeEdge addresses several key challenges. It reduces operational complexity that comes from manual, resource-intensive processes requiring specialized IT skills. It mitigates security vulnerabilities resulting from an expanded attack surface across distributed environments. The solution also overcomes rigid hardware requirements, especially those found in hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) deployments that limit hardware flexibility. Furthermore, NativeEdge provides a lower entry cost compared to traditional enterprise-class solutions that were never designed for widespread deployment across distributed locations. And finally, NativeEdge provides an alternative to the complex software licensing models designed for enterprise-class infrastructure such as HCI that does not align with the core requirements of distributed data centers and edge environments.

NativeEdge includes a comprehensive portfolio of applications available in the Dell Automation Platform catalog that can be deployed and orchestrated. Customers can also use their own “homegrown” or other independent software vendor (ISV) applications to be orchestrated by NativeEdge. Additional applications will continue to be validated and added to the application catalog over time.

NativeEdge Endpoints are certified Dell servers and client devices that provide the compute foundation at distributed edge data centers and edge locations. Each endpoint is managed by the Orchestrator and brought online through fully automated, zero-touch processes. Every endpoint runs NativeEdge OS—an edge-optimized operating system leveraging the proven KVM hypervisor. This OS supports robust workload isolation, flexible resource allocation, and compatibility with modern containerized and virtualized applications.

NativeEdge provides robust, end-to-end security tailored for edge and distributed environments. Secure device onboarding uses a unique ownership voucher to ensure the authenticity and integrity of each endpoint. Continuous monitoring across distributed environments allows for fast detection and resolution of potential threats. Additionally, secure supply chain controls validate the integrity of all infrastructure, and a hardened, immutable OS eliminates the threat of tampering. These features, along with secure access controls, provide peace of mind across distributed environments with an ever-expanding potential attack surface.

NativeEdge Blueprints automate the deployment of AI frameworks and applications across your entire distributed environment. A Blueprint acts as a recipe, detailing all the ingredients and steps for automated deployment. This includes application settings, infrastructure resources, network configurations, custom workflows, and scripts.

NativeEdge streamlines the deployment of AI inference stacks, accelerators, and model-serving components through the use of standardized blueprints. This process accelerates pilots and production rollouts for scenarios such as computer vision, big data analytics, quality inspection, and real-time personalization.

Policies, blueprints, and local processing help keep sensitive data on-site while enforcing consistent configurations. You also have the option to deploy NativeEdge in an air-gapped environment. This allows you to align your unique deployment approach with corporate and regional controls, improving auditability without slowing down the business.

With NativeEdge, you can save time by avoiding unnecessary manual deployment, management, and orchestration activities. You can also decrease hardware expenses with a distributed infrastructure designed for a smaller footprint and a lower cost per node compared to traditional hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI).