Dell bakes VMware support into VXRail, ObjectScale and PowerProtect systems

Dell Technologies has added a raft of VMware-support across its Cloud Platform, VxRail, ObjectScale and PowerProtect systems.

The updates, announced today at VMworld 2020, include:

  • Cloud Platform and VxRail hyperconverged systems now support the latest VMware Cloud Foundation, vSphere, vSphere with Tanzu and vSAN releases. VxRail now supports cloud-native workloads via Tanzu.
  • PowerProtect Data Manager backup has added support for Tanzu, VMware’s software to run containers and virtual machines side-by-side.
  • VMware Cloud on PowerEdge servers now support remote workforces with VMware Horizon virtual desktop software, gets a larger node, new compliance certifications, and supports VMware HCX workload mobility.
  • The new ObjectScale software, directly deployable through vSphere, is available for preview in an early access program.

Dell Technologies Cloud Platform (DTCP) is an integrated VMware Cloud Foundation and VxRail offering, and available with subscription pricing. VMware Cloud Foundation combines vSphere (compute), vSAN (storage), NSX (networking), and vRealize Suite (management).

There is tighter integration between VMware Cloud Director and DTCP, which reduces time to provision and manage multi-tenant cloud environments. According to Dell, cloud service providers can create virtual data centres in minutes and deploy them in seconds.

PowerProtect

PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM) now protects Tanzu Kubernetes clusters, Kubernetes clusters in vSphere, Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) and Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Integrated (TKGI) on-premises and in public clouds.

PowerProtect and Tanzu

PPDM admin staff use vSphere workflows to assign data protection policies. PPDM has a new snapshot and data mover feature, to prevent the pausing of a VM during backup, in preview. PowerProtect VM backup stops being disruptive and, when enacted, this will ensure all VMs are protected and active all the time.