Hardware overview

Review the system layout and hardware summary of the IBM Fusion HCI. The IBM Fusion HCI mainly contains the Lenovo and Dell hardware components.

The IBM Fusion HCI is a hyper-converged infrastructure solution that integrates compute, storage, and networking resources into a single, scalable platform. The IBM Fusion HCI is built using with two reliable hardware options for your business needs.
  • Dell hardware
  • Lenovo hardware
You can choose from either "Lenovo" or "Dell" hardware option to build a robust IBM Fusion HCI management software. Here is an overview of the key hardware components:
Compute servers
The compute servers that are used in IBM Fusion HCI compute servers are based on industry-standard x86 architecture, offering high-performance, reliability, and flexibility. They are available on Lenovo (9155-C10 and 9155-C14) and Dell (9155-D10 and 9155-D14) hardware. For more information, see Compute servers.
GPU servers
The IBM Fusion is a comprehensive management software that uses GPU servers to accelerate various workloads, including artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data analytics. They are available on Lenovo (9155-G03) and Dell (9155-DG1, DG2, DG3, and DG4) hardware. For more information, see GPU servers.
Network switches
The IBM Fusion HCI management software uses management and high-speed switches to facilitate communication between nodes, manage traffic, and ensure high availability. They are available on Lenovo (9155-S01, S02, S04, S05) and Dell (9155-S04 and 9155-S05) hardware. For more information, see Network switches.
Storage servers
IBM Fusion HCI management software uses a range of storage servers to provide a scalable and efficient storage solution. They are available on Lenovo (9155-C10 and 9155-C14), Dell (9155-D10 and 9155-D14). For more information, see Storage servers.
Power Distribution Units (PDUs)
The PDUs are designed to provide reliable and efficient power distribution to the appliances components. It enables remote power on/off, restart, and power cycle control of connected devices, reducing the need for physical intervention. For more information, see Power Distribution Units (PDUs).
Service node
The service node is a critical component of a distributed network, responsible for providing a specific set of capabilities to the network. For more information, see Service node.

Hardware configuration

The IBM Fusion HCI management software offers you with two options for obtaining a rack: either you can buy a rack directly from the IBM, or you can arrange for a rack yourself. For more information about rack options, see IBM Fusion HCI rack ordering options.
Rack configuration
The rack configuration includes the physical arrangement of servers, storage systems, and network devices.
Rack configuration Description
Rack size 42U
Networking
  • 2x Ethernet high-speed switches
  • 2x Ethernet management switches
Compute only or compute-storage servers
  • 3x servers with 2-10 NVMe drives per server
  • KVM connected to the service node
  • Servers in RU2, RU3, and RU4 become the OpenShift® control plane servers
  • You can choose any one of the following server configuration options:
    • 3x 32 core servers
    • 3x 64 core server
Storage 2x 7.68 TB NVMe PCIe drives or 3.84 TB NVMe drives
Important: No mixing of 7.68 TB and 3.84 TB drives is allowed within a rack.
Scalable options
To customize your rack configuration, the following options are available:
Rack configuration Description
Additional compute-storage servers Add up to 10 additional compute-storage servers, for a maximum total of 16 servers
Additional storage Add more storage to compute-storage servers using:
  • 7.68 TB NVMe PCIe drives (up to 10 drives per server)
  • 3.84 TB NVMe PCIe drives (up to 10 drives per server)
    Important: No mixing of 7.68 TB and 3.84 TB drives is allowed within a rack.
Additional compute power Add compute-only servers to increase compute power

Drives and usable storage capacities

To determine the usable storage capacities for drives, use the IBM Sales Configurator tool. This tool provides an accurate calculation of the available storage space, taking into account various factors that affect storage capacity for the IBM Fusion HCI solution.

Weight of miscellaneous rack parts

The following table lists the weight of the rack configurations that include miscellaneous parts beyond individual components like cables, Constellation rack and so on:
  • Dell hardware:
    Table 1. Weight of the Dell hardware miscellaneous rack parts
    Component Weight (lbs) Weight (kg) Model
    SN3700 200GbE switch 30.8 14.0 S05
    SN2201 1GbE switch 16.3 7.4 S04
    SN3700C switch 27.5 12.5 S01
    7316-TF5 console 12.0 5.5 TF5
    R660XL 32-core 256GB server, 0 drives 47.8 21.7 D10
    R660XL 32-core 256GB server, 2 drives 52.2 23.7 D10
    R660XL 32-core 256GB server, 10 drives 69.8 31.7 D10
    R660XL 64-core 1024GB server, 0 drives 47.8 21.7 D14
    R660XL 64-core 1024GB server, 2 drives 52.2 23.7 D14
    R660XL 64-core 1024GB server, 10 drives 69.8 31.7 D14
    R660 8-core service node 44.8 44.8 DB1
    Constellation rack 398.2 181.0 R42
    Intelligent switched PDU+ 9.5 4.3 NA
    All cables, rails, and so on. 395.5 179.8 NA
  • Lenovo hardware:
    Table 2. Weight of the Lenovo hardware miscellaneous rack parts
    Component Weight (lbs) Weight (kg) Model
    SN3700 200GbE switch 30.8 14.0 S05
    SN2201 1GbE switch 16.3 7.4 S04
    SN3700C switch 27.5 12.5 S01
    7316-TF5 console 12.0 5.5 TF5
    AS4610 switch 11.8 5.4 S02
    SR665 GPU server 85.5 38.9 G01
    SR645-0 32-core 256GB server 39.1 17.8 C00
    SR645-2 32-core 256GB server 40.2 18.3 C01 with 2 drives
    SR645-10 32-core 256GB server 44.6 20.3 C01 with 10 drives
    SR645-0 64-core 1024GB server 39.1 17.8 C04
    SR645-2 64-core 1024GB server 40.2 18.3 C05 with 2 drives
    SR645-10 64-core 1024GB server 40.2 18.3 C05 with 10 drives
    SR630 V3 32-core 45.9 20.8 C10
    SR630 V3 64-core 45.9 20.8 C14
    SR630 V3 8-core 40.6 18.5 B01
    Constellation rack

    The 9155-R42 is also known as the 7965-S42 used by Power. For hardware specifications, see Model 7965-S42 rack specifications.

    		398.2 181.0 R42
    Intelligent switched PDU+ 9.5 4.3 NA
    All cables, rails, and so on. 395.5 179.8 NA
    SR675 V3 GPU server 72.1 lbs 32.8 kg G03 with 1 GPUs
    SR675 V3 GPU server 87.5 lbs 39.8 kg G03 with 8 GPUs