Dell VxRail Architecture Overview

Customer-managed VMware vCenter Server

A VxRail cluster can optionally join a compatible customer-managed VMware vCenter Server that is hosted outside of the VxRail cluster. In addition to the centralized management advantage of a customer-managed VMware vCenter Server, this environment allows you to migrate the VMs between nodes and clusters for optimal workload balance and simplifies VxRail upgrades and expansion. For certain use cases, you can convert a VxRail-managed VMware vCenter Server to a customer-managed VMware vCenter Server. You cannot convert a customer-managed VMware vCenter Server to a VxRail-managed VMware vCenter Server.

With the customer-managed VMware vCenter Server option, only the VxRail Manager is deployed on the VxRail External Management Network on the VxRail cluster. This external management network must be able to reach not only the required end-users and data center services, but also the customer-managed VMware vCenter Server. For more information, see the VxRail Network Planning Guide.