PowerFlex: Full Network Automation in Appliance: Prerequisites and Architecture Considerations

PowerFlex appliance can be deployed with either full network automation or partial network automation. With full network automation, PowerFlex Manager configures the node facing ports on the customer network switches.

Automation occurs while PowerFlex Manager is in full network automation mode. PowerFlex Manager does not automate network setup tasks like configuring aggregation and or spine or connection to an existing core network. Configuration of the management node, uplinks, and vendor-specific multi-chassis link aggregation group (MLAG) implementation (if applicable) for the interconnect ports of the two access switches are pre-deployment access switch requirements. Configuration is done
manually.

PowerFlex Manager supports Cisco Nexus and Dell PowerSwitch switches. The list of switches that are fully integrated and managed by PowerFlex Manager are available in the Dell PowerFlex Appliance and PowerFlex Rack PowerFlex Manager Compatibility Matrix.

• Version 4.x: Dell PowerFlex Appliance and PowerFlex Rack with PowerFlex 4.x
• Version 5.x: Dell PowerFlex Appliance and PowerFlex Rack with PowerFlex 5.x

If the access switches that are used are validated by PowerFlex Manager and has write access to these switches, PowerFlex Manager automates the following tasks:

1. The configuration of node facing ports on access switches: Once there is physical connectivity to the out-of-band management switch and node ports, PowerFlex Manager can:

• Assign IP addresses.
• Configure bonding and port speed.
• Detect port cabling on the switch side.
• If a port is moved, PowerFlex Manager detects the new port and the ports to be bonded. It sets the port parameters and detects outages on both the switch side and node side.

2. PowerFlex node operating system network configuration during the PowerFlex node deployment.

• PowerFlex node operating system networking consists of:
• VMkernel
• Port groups
• Distributed switches
• VLANs
• MTUs (hypervisor)
• MTUs or bonds (supported Linux)
• Bonds (supported Linux)
• VLAN interfaces (JUST FOR PF V5)