Deployment Guide

SmartFabric Services

SFS offers plug and play data center network fabric deployment, expansion, and management of Dell EMC infrastructure as turnkey

solutions. SFS is a component of SmartFabric OS10 network operating system that provides the framework to automatically deploy the

network as a single logical entity which enables the integration of Dell EMC infrastructure solutions.

SFS offers turnkey network solution for data center infrastructure using Dell EMC PowerEdge modular system switches (PowerEdge

MX), and PowerSwitch data center switches.

This information provides an overview of the SFS solution that is built on an automated data center leaf and spine network fabric using

Dell EMC PowerSwitch models.

For complete information about SFS for PowerEdge MX fabric, see Dell EMC PowerEdge MX SmartFabric Configuration and

Troubleshooting Guide.

Topics:

• SFS for data center leaf and spine fabrics

• SFS initial setup

• Enable SFS

• Fabric creation

• SFS VxRail integrated solutions

SFS for data center leaf and spine fabrics

SFS is built on top of modern leaf and spine data center design that is optimized for the increased east-west traffic requirements of

modern data center workloads. The entire leaf and spine network fabric is orchestrated and managed as a single object, eliminating the

need for box-by-box configuration and management of the switches.

The fabric can start from a single rack deployment with two leaf/top-of-rack (ToR) switches, and expanded to a multi rack leaf and spine

network fabric. The fabric is automatically built and expanded using industry-standard Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols as new switches are

connected.

L3 fabric profile

NOTE: SmartFabric Services can be enabled when there are at least two leaf/ToR switches connected as a VLT pair.

SFS initial setup

When PowerSwitch models with SmartFabric OS10 power on, the switches are operating in the normal Full Switch mode. This information

explains how to start the automated discovery and fabric creation process.

1. Log in to each switch console.

2. Configure the out-of-band Management IP address.

3. Upgrade SmartFabric OS10 to supported versions based on the Dell EMC VxRail Support Matrix.

4. Enable SmartFabric Services on the switches.

6 SmartFabric Services