back to article You may now kiss the server-side: Dell EMC marries storage software to PowerEdge 14Gs

Dell EMC is updating three storage software products, previewing a fourth, and refreshing its Ready Nodes storage software and server bundles. And we're told the Dell PowerEdge servers to run this software are getting updated over the next few months to the 14G generation, with NVMe flash and NVDIMM options, and can be …

  1. CheesyTheClown

    Management API?

    Sounds like some nifty features, but what about a management API?

    Can I configure and upgrade the UEFI, firmware, BIOSes, etc... all from a single API? Can we configure the SCSI controller and RAID settings via the standard OOB management interface? Can we configure PXE boot via the OOB management? Can we configure UEFI, SCSI, NVMe, NICs via a single OOB management system while the system is operating? Is there a standard API for configuring VNICs on different NICs from different vendors (as Dell still doesn't make their own... UGH) so that VLAN and VXLAN is supported? Is there support for 802.1ae (MACsec/LinkSec) during boot? Is there support for LLDP during boot? Can I use these APIs for configuring and managing HBAs and vHBAs?

    Does the system have an API for configuring certificates? Can we configure IPv6 security (IPSEC) and SNMPv3 views?

    Does the ordering and fulfillment systems for the servers provide the MAC addresses for automated provisioning of DHCP, 802.1x MAB and AD accounts? Is the OOB MAC available as a scannable barcode on the shipping box, palette BOM and physical machine itself?

    Is there one or two OOB management Ethernet ports? Is there a plug and play API so that no configuration data is stored on device and can be centralized instead? Can I push appropriate configs for the system based on DHCP option 82?

    Do any of the other features matter if we still have to manage these servers like it's 1999?

    This is 2017, Cisco did a lot of this stuff with UCS Manager. That system is old and clunky, but it works (99% of the time). Why the hell is it you can't after nearly 10 years get a second vendor?

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