Dell EMC Unity Family Frequently Asked Questions April 2019

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. The Dell EMC Unity Family is made up of two product series: The Dell EMC Unity Series whose systems (300 – 600 and 350F – 650F models) have been in the market for the past several years and the new Dell EMC Unity XT Series (380F/380 – 880F/880 models) announced at Dell Technologies World April 30, 2019.

Also announced at Dell Technologies World (DTW) 2019 is the These FAQs are not intended to be an all-encompassing Dell EMC Unity Operating Environment (OE) 5.0. OE 5.0 runs learning tool, but rather to answer key questions often asked, on both the new Dell EMC Unity XT Series and the Dell EMC and it assume a basic knowledge of the current Dell EMC Unity Series. Unity Series.

Important: For purposes of this document, if there is no mention of a specific Series then the question applies to the Dell EMC Unity Family (i.e. both the new Dell EMC Unity XT Series and the Dell EMC Unity Series).

General Questions Question: What is the short description of the Dell EMC Question: Why the new name “Dell EMC Unity Unity Family? XT Series”? Answer: The Dell EMC Unity Family is a midrange storage Answer: The new Dell EMC Unity XT Series name offering that simplifies a customer’s path to IT transformation distinguishing these new, more powerful systems from the and helps them unlock the full potential of their data capital. current Dell EMC Unity models. Note: The term “Dell EMC Dell EMC Unity sets a new standard for simplicity, modern Unity Family” is used to denote our total Dell EMC Unity design, affordable prices, and flexible deployments – to meet offering - the Dell EMC Unity XT Series and the Dell EMC the needs of resource-constrained IT professionals in large or Unity Series. small companies. Question: Will the Dell EMC Unity XT Series have a Dell EMC Unity is perfect for midsized deployments, ROBO, new look? and cost-sensitive mixed workload environments. Answer: Yes. Dell EMC Unity XT models will have a new It is designed for all-flash, delivers the best value, and bezel design. There is no branding color difference on bezels is available in purpose-built (all-flash or hybrid flash), between the Dell EMC Unity XT Series All-Flash and Hybrid converged deployment (through VxBlock systems), and as a models as there is with the current Dell EMC Unity software-defined virtual edition. With all-inclusive software, Series models. differentiated features, internet-enabled management, cloud- tiering, and a modern design, Dell EMC Unity family is where powerful meets simplicity. The new Dell EMC Unity XT Series storage arrays features 2X more IOPS, dual-active controller architecture, more memory, up to 50% more drives and 33% more processing power than Dell EMC Unity Series models, these All-Flash and Hybrid storage systems are designed for performance, optimized for efficiency with up to 5:1 data reduction, and built to simplify your multi cloud journey.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. General Questions (continued) Question: What variants are available? Question: What primary use cases does the Dell EMC Unity Family of storage systems address? Answer: The Dell EMC Unity XT Family is orderable as: Answer: Dell EMC Unity is perfect for midrange storage • Dell EMC Unity XT All-Flash: The Dell EMC Unity 380F, solutions that include transactional workloads such as Dell EMC Unity 480F, Dell EMC Unity 680F, and Dell EMC databases and virtualized servers and multiple workload Unity 880F Models consolidation – Dell EMC Unity is a unified solution that • Dell EMC Unity XT Hybrid: The Dell EMC Unity 380, Dell supports both block and file environments. The flexibility to EMC Unity 480, Dell EMC Unity 680 and Dell EMC Unity configure a system for performance, capacity points, and 880 Models data protection options positions Dell EMC Unity as a great solution for a wide range of customer projects from delivering • Dell EMC UnityVSA: a virtual instance that runs on top of data to performance-sensitive applications that are critical a VMware ESXi Server to daily business operations, to affordable storage for service • Dell EMC UnityVSA CommDell EMC Unity Edition: providers, to reliable branch office environments. Free download for up to 4TB with commDell EMC Unity support Question: Are there block-only or file-only Dell EMC Unity Family systems? • Dell EMC UnityVSA Professional Edition: 10TB, 25TB, and 50TB 1-year subscription with Dell EMC support Answer: All Dell EMC Unity systems are Unified (block and file) and are configured by the user. • Dell EMC VxBlock System 1000 (or latest VxBlock offering) will support All Dell EMC Unity XT systems including the Question: Is the Dell EMC Unity Family part of the Dell EMC Unity XT All Flash series, 380F, 480F, 680F and Future-Proof Loyalty Program? 880F and Dell EMC Unity XT Hybrid Flash series models 380,480,680 and 880. Answer: Yes. It was 1st developed for the Dell EMC Unity Series and covers the entire Dell EMC Unity Family. The • Dell EMC VxBlock System 1000 (or latest VxBlock offering) following Program offerings apply to the Dell EMC Unity supports Dell EMC Unity 350F, 450F, 550F and 650F. Family AFA: 3-Year Satisfaction Guarantee, Hardware Also Dell EMC VxBlock System 350 (the previous Investment Protection, Storage Data Reduction Guarantees, generation VxBlock System) supports Dell EMC Unity Clear Price Maintenance Framework, Never-Worry Data 350F, 450F, 550F and 650F AND the 300, 400, 500 and Migrations, All-Inclusive Software. Dell EMC Unity Family 600 Dell EMC Unity models. Hybrids apply to all these offerings, excluding the Storage Data Reduction Guarantees.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. Technical focused questions

Question: Where can I find information on Dell EMC • Dell EMC Unity XT is NVMe ready, that is, the new Dell Unity Pre-Sales Tools? EMC Unity hardware is capable of supporting NVMe drives in the last 8 slots of the DPE. Dell EMC Unity OE support Answer: The Dell EMC Unity Family offers several tools for this capability will be added in a future release for Pre-Sales and Partner Enablement. The MidrangeSizer provides a single tool to size your system in terms of capacity • Other hardware differences and performance, while the Dell EMC Power Calculator • 25GB IP is supported on the mezzanine card and can can be used to calculate power consumption and cooling also be added as an IO module for FE connectivity requirements. • Other options for additional FE connectivity for Dell These tools and their support materials are available at EMC Unity XT include: https://MidrangeSizer.emc.com and https://powercalculator. emc.com, respectively. If you are trying to compare Dell • 16/8/4Gb FC (4-PORT) EMC Unity performance with an existing customer system, • 10/1GbT IP (4-PORT) LiveOptics supporting a #GetModern Assessment provides work profile assessments and creates field ready reports. • 25/10GbE IP OPT (4-PORT) LiveOptics is available at https://www.liveoptics.com/. Question: Is the Dell EMC Unity Family model’s backend Question: What are the main hardware differences a true active-active architecture? between the Dell EMC Unity Series (x00/x050F models) Answer: Yes. The multicore optimized technology allows and Dell EMC Unity XT Series (x80/x80F) models? the system to access the drives at the same time from each Answer: The main hardware differences are: controller. To achieve this, we implemented a region-locking mechanism. In Dell EMC Unity there is no trespass for a Dell EMC Unity XT uses higher performing processors than • backend operation or fault scenario. For example, if there’s an the current in market Dell EMC Unity offer. The 380/380F issue with SP A, SP B can access the drives without uses a single Intel Broadwell CPU per controller while the a trespass. higher-end x80/x80F models use dual Intel Skylake CPUs per controller. For the frontend, our Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA) • Each Dell EMC Unity XT System has more memory than implementation allows the system to internally redirect IO the model it replaces. to the correct SP in the case of a host path failure without the need of a trespass operation. Also, in the case of a host Dell EMC Unity XT supports higher drive counts than the • misconfiguration, Dell EMC Unity’s multicore optimized current in market offer. technology can detect the IO redirects to the non-preferred • Dell EMC Unity 380/380F up to 500 drives path and automatically resolve it to restore optimal performance. • Dell EMC Unity 480/480F up to 750 drives • Dell EMC Unity 680/680F up to 1000 drives • Dell EMC Unity 880/880F up to 1500 drives • Dell EMC Unity XT 480/480F, 680/680F and 880/880F will support an optional 4-port mezzanine card for 25GbE/10GbE IP OPTICAL or 10/1GBaseT

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. Technical focused questions (continued) Question: What does it mean when it is stated that the Question: What optional software and capabilities Dell EMC Unity XT Series is NVMe ‘ready”? are available? Answer: On Dell EMC Unity XT Series models 480F/480 Answer: The Dell EMC Unity Family supports a wide variety – 880F/880 the last 8 drive slots are capable of supporting of Dell EMC and third-party software and capabilities including the use of NVMe media and will be supported in a future the following: release. This new feature insures investment protection and is • For the All-Flash systems future ready. Adding NVMe drives, once supported, is a non- (additional to the Base Software package): disruptive OE upgrade. • Advanced Options: AppSync Advanced, Full Question: For the new Dell EMC Unity XT system RecoverPoint, PowerPath Multipathing, VPLEX hardware family are there in-family Dell EMC Unity • Mobility Options: PowerPath Migration Enabler, VPLEX “Data in Place” (DIP) upgrades? • For the Hybrid Systems Answer: Not at GA; DIP upgrades for the Dell EMC Unity XT (additional to the Base Software package) systems are in planning for a future release. • AppSync Advanced, Full RecoverPoint, PowerPath Question: What migration capabilities are in Dell EMC Multipathing, VPLEX Unity OE 5.0? Question: Are there separate license files for each Answer: In OE 5.0 are: feature a customer is entitled to? Native online file migration from VNX • Answer: A single license file will contain all the features a • Native block migration from VNX (SAN copy) customer has purchased. SAN Copy Pull for integrated block migration from 3rd • Question: What is Dell EMC Unisphere, and what value party arrays is also supported does it provide my Dell EMC Unity Family customers? Question: What are the tools that can be used to Answer: Unisphere is based on HTML5 and provides levels migrate to the Dell EMC Unity Family? of simplicity, flexibility, and automation—all key requirements for the journey to the private cloud. Unisphere for Dell EMC Answer: A variety of migration tools can be used to migrate Unity systems provides unprecedented ease-of-use which to Dell EMC Unity. Options to migrate block and file data are is reflected in its intuitive task-based controls, customizable summarized in the table below. Dell EMC Unity has been dashboards, application context-based management, and qualified to work with 3rd party tool DataDobi DobiMiner single-click access to real-time support tools and online offered through Dell EMC Select. In addition, VMware Storage customer communities. vMotion for both block and file migration can be used for virtualized environments.

Question: Why might customers need data migration services in addition to the built-in data migration tools for Dell EMC Unity products? Answer: Data migration services complement the functionalities of the built-in data migration tools. Customers who wish to perform data migrations without help from a services provider can leverage data migration tools to move the data themselves. Customers who need help with discovery, planning, and execution should leverage data migration services to efficiently migrate their data with reduced risk, allowing internal teams to focus on other priorities.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. Technical focused questions (continued)

Question: What options are available for the centralized • Predictive Analytics monitoring of Dell EMC Unity systems? • CloudIQ uses Machine Learning algorithms to identify Answer: Unisphere Central provides comprehensive and predict potential issues before they occur in the centralized monitoring of Dell EMC Unity systems and environment. allows users to monitor VNX, VNX2, VMAX, PowerMax, SC • Plan and optimize for capacity trending and performance. Series systems as well. CloudIQ also provides a cloud-based, centralized proactive and predictive monitoring platform which Question: What primary customer benefits does supports all Dell EMC Unity systems, VMAX, PowerMax, SC CloudIQ provide? Series and XtremIO. Answer: CloudIQ delivers these primary benefits: Question: What is CloudIQ and which arrays • Reduce TCO: monitor Dell EMC storage arrays from a are supported? single screen anytime, anywhere, increase self-service, and Answer: CloudIQ is a cloud-based storage analytics expedite quality resolutions - all at no charge application for Dell EMC Storage, enabling storage administers • Expedite Time to Value: Get started in minutes with no to monitor the health of all their Dell EMC storage arrays on software to install. New features and capabilities are a single, simple display. CloudIQ is fully available for Dell EMC seamlessly and non-disruptively provided through CloudIQ Unity, SC Series, XtremIO, VMAX, and PowerMax arrays. As a no cost software as a service management application, • Drive Operational Value: Deliver higher uptime, increase CloudIQ proactively monitors and measures the overall performance, and perform effective capacity planning health of Dell EMC storage systems through intelligent, comprehensive, and predictive analytics. Each connected Question: How does a customer connect to CloudIQ? array is represented in CloudIQ through simple and intuitive Answer: Customers can easily connect and get started with dashboards where customers can drill down into the details CloudIQ in three easy steps: of five health check areas – capacity, performance, data protection, system, configuration – to see array issues, alerts, • Install and configure the Dell EMC storage system and remediation based on best practices. CloudIQ supports • Connect to Secure Remote Services (formerly ESRS) and both Dell EMC Unity All-Flash and Hybrid configurations. have SiteID enabled

Question: What are the key elements of CloudIQ? • Go to cloudiq.dellemc.com and supply valid Dell EMC Support credentials, and customers will be authenticated Answer: CloudIQ delivers these primary capabilities to and able to start using CloudIQ monitor, manage, and service: • Proactive Health Scores CloudIQ can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, from a browser or mobile device • Present comprehensive health scores for Dell EMC storage that provides measurements of the overall Download and use the CloudIQ laptop demo at URL: health of the system. https://www.emc.com/auth/rcoll/productdemos/cloudiq- • Get practical recommended remediation to issues demo-guidelines.docx based on best practices and risk management. Dell EMC Partners have the capability of becoming a Trusted • Proactive Monitoring Advisor to their customer by having their name added to the • Centrally monitor performance, capacity, system, list of supporting contacts in CloudIQ configuration, and protection data. • View metrics about CPU utilization, compliance, RPOs, storage pools, LUNs, file systems, and more.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. Technical focused questions (continued) Question: Does the Dell EMC Unity Family support Question: Are advanced replication topologies supported? ProtectPoint? Answer: Yes, for File. Dell EMC Unity OE 5.0 introduced Answer: Not at this time. However it is in consideration for a two new advanced asynchronous file replication topologies: future release. Fan-out Replication (“1 to Many Replication”), which allows up to 1:4 storage replication mapping for a single file storage Question: Does the Dell EMC Unity Family support resource, with the ability for each replication session to have SAN Copy? its own defined RPO. And Cascade Replication (“Multi- Answer: Yes, in 2 ways. SAN Copy is supported in push-only hop Replication”) which provides the ability to replicate to mode from a VNX1 or VNX2 to a Dell EMC Unity system. another tier or level from already replicated resource. Cascade Native online file migration from VNX1 and VNX2 (NFS and replication supports up to 3 level, and you can use fan-out CIFS), and native block migration from VNX (using SAN copy) replication (up to 4 resources). is now supported. SAN Copy Pull, integrated block migration Question: What are some uses for Dell EMC UnityVSA? from 3rd party arrays is also supported. Answer: Dell EMC UnityVSA is VMware vSAN Certified for Question: What type of support is available on the File Services. It runs on vSAN and provides file services over Dell EMC Unity Family to provide VM-level replication, SMB, NFS, FTP, and SFTP backup and recovery? Question: What capabilities/features does Dell EMC Answer: RecoverPoint for VMs is a storage agnostic product Cloud Tiering Appliance (CTA) offer that are beneficial that can be used for VM-level replication. RP4VMs is not in for the Dell EMC Unity Family? the Dell EMC Unity order path or Base Software Package bundle. To obtain a license for RecoverPoint for VMs for Answer: CTA which is included and the Dell EMC Unity Dell EMC Unity you must order the RecoverPoint for VMs Family working together support file archiving and block Subscription path in the MyQuotes order tool. snapshot archiving to Virtustream, Microsoft Azure, Amazon S3, IBM Storage Cloud public clouds and Dell EMC Elastic Question: Does Dell EMC Unity OE 5.0 support iCDM Cloud Services (ECS). Specific to block snapshot archiving, (integrated content data management)? customers can archive a LUN/Consistency Group Full Copy Answer: Yes, Dell EMC Unity OE 5.0 supports iCDM. Dell to the cloud as well as all subsequent snapshots. By default, EMC Unity can be leveraged to create performant, space- every 30th archived snapshot will be a full copy baseline efficient copies without impacting production (within the snapshot (this is customizable in the CTA management GUI). specified limits). These copies (snapshots and thin clones) Block snapshots that have been archived to the cloud, are are integrated and managed through AppSync providing independent of the base LUN on Dell EMC Unity and are not the application developer a self-service portal to create and altered by the archiving. Instead they share blocks with the manage space efficient copies. baseline snapshot. A restore from the cloud is also possible. A CTA restore will first restore the last full copy to a new LUN/ Question: What remote replication technology is Consistency Group on Dell EMC Unity to be followed by the included in the Dell EMC Unity Operating Environment? subsequent snapshots. Answer: The Dell EMC Unity OE provides native synchronous and asynchronous replication for both Block and File. A single, unified replication for Block and File enables common management workflows and user interfaces to simplify management and configuration.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential. Technical focused questions (continued)

Question: What are other ways that the Dell EMC Unity • Cloud Connected Systems Family is leveraged in the Cloud? • Dell EMC Cloud Tiering Appliance – An automated Answer: Customers now demand their storage infrastructure policy-based solution to perform file tiering and block be cloud-ready. Dell EMC Unity XT was designed for a multi- archiving from Dell EMC Unity XT to a multi-cloud cloud world and can be leveraged when deploying any of environment freeing up capacity and reducing these cloud options: backup windows.

• Cloud Data Services • Integrated with VMware Cloud Foundation • Introducing, Dell EMC Cloud Storage Services – • VMware Cloud Foundation – as the first external Connect Dell EMC Unity XT, consumed as a service, storage platform to be validated for use with VMware directly to the public cloud(s) of your choice through a Cloud Foundation (VCF), Dell EMC Unity XT offers high-speed, low latency connection. the best of both worlds for customer’s multi-cloud This enables users to gain the economic benefits of deployments. Customers can easily provision storage cloud as well as the high-availability and durability of for VCF with Dell EMC Unity XT NFS enabling persistent Dell EMC Unity XT storage while maintaining customers to use best of breed components. complete control of data. Plus, VMware customers can deploy an automated DRaaS solution with Dell • Cloud Data Insights EMC Unity XT in VMware Cloud on AWS for seamless, • CloudIQ – Delivers Infrastructure Insight right in the enterprise-grade, pay-as-you-go DR in the cloud. Cloud palm of your hand. This free, cloud-based application Storage Services additionally offers agile, multi-cloud that lets you easily monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot support allowing users to leverage multiple clouds and your storage environment from anywhere. With no easily and quickly switch clouds for use cases such as software to install and support for Dell EMC Unity XT, workload migration, analytics, test/dev and more to it uses predictive analytics to immediately begin maximize business outcomes. providing comprehensive health scores for all your • Dell EMC Cloud Edition – Dell EMC Unity XT storage. The best IT issue is the one that never software-defined storage solution deployed with happens. VMware Cloud on the AWS cloud. This block and file solution is ideal for a variety of use cases in the cloud including home directory for running a VDI environment in VMware Cloud, Test/Dev, or replication services to a third site.

Dell EMC Partner Only. Confidential.