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PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide Built to run complex workloads using highly scalable memory, I/O capacity, and flexible network options.
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Dell, the DELL logo, PowerEdge, EqualLogic, PowerVault, PowerConnect, OpenManage, KACE, and ReadyRails are trademarks of Dell, Inc. Intel and Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, SQL Server, BitLocker, ActiveX, Internet Explorer, and Hyper- V are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Cable management arm..............................43 10 Operating systems and virtualization ........................... 44 Supported operating systems ............................44 Supported virtualization ..............................45 11 Dell OpenManage systems management ........................46 Systems management solutions ........................... 46 OpenManage systems management ........................... 47 Dell server management operations ..........................52 Appendix A.
System overview Introduction The Dell™ PowerEdge™ R720 and R720xd are Dell’s latest 2- socket, 2U rack servers that are designed to run complex workloads using highly scalable memory, I/O capacity, and flexible ® ® network options. Both systems feature the Intel...
Dell PowerEdge servers. New technologies New technologies featured on the PowerEdge R720 and R720xd systems are detailed in Table 1. Table 1. New technologies New technologies Detailed descriptions Intel Xeon...
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New technologies Detailed descriptions Dell has tested and validated an integrated data center solution that enables you to Fresh Air cooling operate at higher temperatures or even chiller- less. See the Power, thermal, and acoustics section for details. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
System features Compared to the previous generation of Dell PowerEdge servers, the R720 and R720xd have more drive bay options, more PCIe slots, a larger memory footprint, flexible I/O, Express Flash PCIe solid- state drives, and advanced system management. The R720 also supports optional dual internal RAID controllers and up to four optional internal GPUs.
GB means 1 billion bytes and TB means 1 trillion bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment and will be less. Specifications Table 3 lists the technical specifications for the PowerEdge R720 and R720xd systems. For the latest information on supported features, visit Dell.com. Table 3.
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Dell OpenManage • OpenManage Integrations and Connections: Systems Management ® OpenManage Integration Suite for Microsoft System Center (Agent-free or with Dell Management Plug- in for VMware vCenter™ OpenManage Server ® ® ® ® Connections for HP Operations Manager, IBM Tivoli...
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For more information on the specific versions and additions, visit Dell.com/OSsupport. GB means 1 billion bytes and TB means 1 trillion bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment and will be less. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Chassis views and features The Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd implement a new chassis design which supports an increased number of DIMMs, PCIe slots, and hard drives, relative to their predecessor servers. The following sections provide external and internal views of the systems and describe the chassis features.
The R720 back panel includes features such as redundant hot- plug power supply units (PSUs), 4 Ethernet connectors, PCI expansion slots, and many other features that are described in the rest of this guide. Figure 5. R720 back view PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
The R720 and R720xd support up to 24 DIMMs, 2 processors, hot- plug redundant fans, and many other components and features that are described in this guide. Figure 7. R720 internal chassis view PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Figure 8. R720xd internal chassis view Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Owner’s Manual For additional system views, see the Support.Dell.com/Manuals. Chassis features Table 4 lists the chassis features for the R720 and R720xd systems. For additional information on Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Owner’s Manual these features, see the Support.Dell.com/Manuals.
The R720 system control panel is located on the front of the chassis to provide user access to buttons, display, and I/O interfaces. For more information on the R720 LCD control panel, see the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Owner's Manual on Support.Dell.com/Manuals.
(QRL)— a model- specific Quick Response (QR) code that is located on the server (shown in Figure 11). Just use your smartphone to access the Dell QRL application to learn more about the server. Figure 11. QRL code inside chassis This QRL code allows you to: •...
• Contact Dell directly (by link) to get in touch with technical support and sales teams and provide feedback to Dell These codes provide an easy way to retrieve the critical support information you need when you need it, making you more efficient and effective in managing your hardware.
Processors The Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd feature the Intel Xeon processor E5- 2600 product family, offering an ideal combination of performance, power efficiency, and cost. These processors provide high performance no matter what your constraint is— floor space, power, or budget— and on workloads that range from the most complicated scientific exploration to crucial web- serving and infrastructure applications.
Supported processors The R720 and R720xd support up to two processors with up to eight cores per processor. Table 6 lists the Intel Xeon processors supported by the PowerEdge R720 and R720xd. For the latest information on supported processors, visit Dell.com.
Some operating systems have not been validated to support GPUs. See Table 24 and Table 25 for more information on operating system support of GPUs. Chipset The Intel C600 chipset is implemented on the PowerEdge R720 and R720xd. For more information, visit Intel.com. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Memory More memory options are available than ever before with the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd— greater capacities, higher frequencies, and more flexibility. The R720 and R720xd support up to 768GB of memory (24 DIMMs) and speeds up to 1600MT/s, providing high performance in a variety of applications.
SR DIMMs, DR DIMMS should be placed in the lowest DIMM slots, followed by the SR DIMMs. Dell PowerEdge R720 and For more information on memory configuration and population, see the R720xd Owner’s Manual on Support.Dell.com/Manuals. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
∞ ∞ LRDIMM ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ *Although the R720 and R720xd support DIMM speeds of 800MT/s and 1066MT/s, you can only purchase these systems with DIMM speeds of 1333MT/s and 1600MT/s on Dell.com. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
This feature helps to optimize power/performance and can also be used to throttling prevent DIMMs from overheating. Dell PowerEdge R720 and For information on memory mirroring and sparing configurations, see the R720xd Owner’s Manual on Support.Dell.com/Manuals. Memory RAID is not supported. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Storage The Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd provide storage expandability that allows you to adapt to your workload and operational demands. With comprehensive storage options, the R720 and R720xd offer various drive types, internal and external storage controllers, and different chassis and backplanes for varied numbers of drives.
PCIe slot space by moving drives from the back to the front of the system and allows a common management process for all drives. The PowerEdge R720 has an option to support up to four hot- plug Express Flash PCIe SSDs in the 2.5- inch chassis.
PowerVault IDM data- protection appliances) products Storage controllers Dell provides highly capable RAID options for you to ensure that your data remains safe. Dell’s RAID controller options offer impressive performance improvements, including the following features: • FastPath™ I/O: This feature can help accelerate performance when operating on SSDs.
Windows only SATA eight virtual disks For more information about the latest PERC offerings, see Dell.com/PERC. CacheCade CacheCade is a technology that provides automated storage tiering on SSDs with the PERC H810 and H710P. It works by detecting the most- often accessed data and copying it over time to the CacheCade SSD(s) where that cached data is accessed directly, instead of accessing the hard disk drives.
The R720xd does not support an internal optical drive. Tape drives The R720 supports the Dell PowerVault RD1000 internal backup device on the 2.5- inch chassis only. Internal tape drives are not supported on the R720, and the R720xd does not support any internal backup device.
LOM integration with the system, including BIOS integration and shared port for manageability while providing the flexibility of a modular card. The PowerEdge R720 and R720xd support one custom network daughter card (NDC), as part of Select Network Adapters family, to house the complete LOM subsystem. There are two form factors of Select Network Adapters—...
With R720 and R720xd, the job of deploying, updating, monitoring, and maintaining the Select Network Adapters is fast and easy. System management integration features include the following: • Pre- boot: Use the Dell Lifecycle Controller graphical user interface (GUI) to set configuration such as bandwidth allocation or firmware revision level •...
Fusion- io PCIe SSD V2 PCIe bridge adapter for front- accessible, hot- plug PCIe bridge Express Flash PCIe SSDs For the latest information on supported PCIe expansion cards for the R720 and R720xd, visit Dell.com. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Table 19 lists the tools and technologies Dell offers to help you achieve your data center goals by lowering power consumption and increasing energy efficiency.
Thermal control of fan speed optimizes the thermal settings for your environment to reduce fan consumption and lower system power consumption. Idle power enables Dell servers to run as efficiently when idle as when at full workload. With the thermal design and reliability of Dell products, you can have the...
Figure 13 shows a 750W power supply unit extended from an R720 system. Figure 13. 750W power supply unit The PowerEdge R720 and R720xd support up to two AC or DC power supplies with 1 + 1 redundancy, auto sensing, and auto- switching capability.
Idle: Reference ISO 7779 (2010) definition 3.1.7; system is running in its OS but no other specific activity. Stressed processor: An operating mode per ISO 7779 (2010) definition 3.1.6. The software SPECPower at 50% loading is activated to stress the processors. For more information on Dell’s acoustical design, see the Dell Enterprise Acoustics white paper.
Rack rails and cable management The rack rail systems for the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd provide tool- less support for 4- post racks with square or unthreaded round mounting holes, including all generations of Dell racks. Compared to the predecessor R710 sliding rails that required the use of adapter brackets, the sliding rails for the R720 and R720xd now offer native support for threaded- hole racks with the new ReadyRails II mounting interface.
ReadyRails Static For detailed information about rail dimensions, see the Rack rail specifications section in Appendix A. For more information on installing the T620 in a rack, see the Rack Installation Instructions Support.Dell.com/Manuals. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Ability to mount the CMA and tray without the use of tools, due to snap- in designs Rack Installation For more information on installing the R720 and R720xd in a rack, see the Instructions on Support.Dell.com/Manuals. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Operating systems and virtualization The Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd support a wide range of industry- standard operating systems and virtualization software. Supported operating systems Table 24 lists the primary operating systems supported on the R720 and R720xd. For the latest information on supported operating systems, see Dell.com/OSsupport.
XenServer v6.1 FI = factory install; DIB = drop in box v4.1 U3 image is available from support.dell.com, either as an upgrade to v4.1 U2 or for a clean install No OpenManage support; drop- in- box license registration card only...
Systems management solutions Dell systems management solutions include a wide variety of tools, products, and services that enable you to leverage an existing systems management framework. As shown in Figure 16, Dell systems management solutions are centered around OpenManage server management, featuring iDRAC7 with Lifecycle Controller.
Dell PowerEdge servers. iDRAC7 with Lifecycle Controller The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 7 (iDRAC7) with Lifecycle Controller is the heart of the second generation of Dell PowerEdge server embedded management functionality. In addition to enabling agent- free management, iDRAC7 with Lifecycle Controller provides remote access to the system—...
Enterprise is available for the PowerEdge R720 and R720xd, and Dell also offers an option of iDRAC7 Express. A detailed feature comparison for iDRAC7 Enterprise and iDRAC7 Express is shown in Table 28.
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Power capping ∞ Enterprise group power management ∞ Directory services (AD, LDAP) ∞ PK authentication ∞ Two- factor authentication ∞ Requires OMSA agent on target server ® ® Uses Microsoft ActiveX on Internet Explorer only PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Symantec. • Dell IT Assistant— Dell IT Assistant (ITA) is a console for managing Dell servers, storage arrays, and other components distributed throughout a network. Dell IT Assistant allows for easy identification of system issues through alerts, helping to reduce system downtime. Systems administrators can easily monitor systems anywhere within their network using ITA.
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• Dell Update Packages—The Dell Update Packages (DUP) is a self- contained executable in a standard package format that updates a software element on a Dell server such as the BIOS, a driver, firmware and other software updates. •...
OpenManage Server Administrator. • Dell OpenManage Connection for IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIBus— This connection provides event monitoring capabilities to monitor Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell EqualLogic systems. It allows event monitoring, automatic event correlation, and launching device consoles from the Netcool/OMNIbus console.
Machine Manager (SCVMM) Replace parts: Maintain • Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration (DLCI) for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Dell Systems For additional detailed information on Dell’s systems management portfolio, see the Management Overview Guide on Support.Dell.com/Manuals. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Appendix A. Additional specifications Chassis dimensions Figure 18 details the dimensions of the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd chassis. Figure 18. Chassis dimensions (with bezel) (without bezel) 482.4mm 444.0mm 87.3mm 32.0mm 18.0mm 684.0mm 723.0mm Chassis weight Table 30 lists the weight of the R720 and R720xd chassis at maximum configuration as well as empty of any hardware.
Peripheral cards not qualified by Dell Peripheral cards greater than 25W • For the PowerEdge R720, a maximum 130W processor is supported in either the 8- drive bay or 16- drive bay chassis. • The following additional restrictions apply to PowerEdge R720xd: Maximum 95W processor is supported on 3.5- inch hard drive chassis...
Under typical line conditions and over the entire system ambient operating range, the inrush current may reach 55A per power supply for 10ms or less. Video specifications The Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd iDRAC7 incorporates an integrated video subsystem. The ® graphics controller is the 2D Matrox G200.
CMA brackets removed (if applicable) as measured from the front mounting flanges of the rack. USB peripherals USB peripherals are supported through the front, back, and internal USB ports. They are USB 2.0 compliant. PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Reference Specification, v2.7 Trusted Platform Module www.trustedcomputinggroup.org Specification, v1.2 UEFI Unified Extensible Firmware www.uefi.org/specs Interface Specification, v2.1 Universal Serial Bus Specification, www.usb.org/developers/docs Rev. 2.0 Windows Logo Windows Logo Program System and www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/hwrequirements.mspx Device Requirements, v3.10 PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...
Appendix C. Additional resources Table 36 provides a list of documents and websites that provide for more information on the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R720xd. Table 36. Additional resources Resource Description of contents Location PowerEdge R720 This manual is provided in HTML format on the CD Support.Dell.com/Manuals...
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(UPS) model. (UPS) Dell Enterprise White paper that explores the mechanisms of, people’s www.dell.com/downloads/g Acoustics reaction to, language of, and Dell’s work to control noise lobal/products/pedge/en/ac from Enterprise products. oustical- education- dell- enterprise- white- paper.pdf Volatility Contact your Dell Sales Representative.
(Slot 3) (Slot 4) Internal PERC GPGPU System Power BP Power BP Signal Power Connectors Conns. 4X Conns. 4X Conn. Power Power Supply 1 Supply 2 (495W /750W/ (495W /750W/ 1100W ) 1100W ) PowerEdge R720 and R720xd Technical Guide...