Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Stretched Cluster Deployment Reference Architecture Guide, Dell Owner's Manual
Summary
This comprehensive guide details the architecture and best practices for deploying highly resilient stretched clusters using Dell EMC integrated systems with Microsoft Azure Stack HCI. It is essential reading for infrastructure engineers planning high-availability environments. The manual walks through prerequisites, network design principles, cluster creation steps, managing virtual machines (VM affinity), and implementing recovery procedures after site or node failures, ensuring seamless business continuity across multiple geographical locations.
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Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI: Stretched Cluster Deployment Reference Architecture Guide
Abstract This reference architecture guide provides an overview of the Microsoft Azure Stack HCI operating system and guidance on how to deploy stretched clusters in your environment.
Dell Technologies Solutions
Part Number: H18574 April 2022
Page Summary Contents For Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Stretched Cluster Deployment Reference Architecture Guide, Dell Owner's Manual
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Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI: Stretched Cluster Deployment Reference Architecture Guide Abstract This reference architecture guide provides an overview of the Microsoft Azu...
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Notes, cautions, and warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of d...
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Contents Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................. Document overview........................................
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Introduction This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Document overview Audience and scope Document overview This reference architecture guide provides an overview of the Microsoft Azure St...
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Solution overview This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Introduction Solution integration and network architecture Introduction Dell EMC Solutions for Azure Stack HCI offers stretched cl...
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The following figure shows an Active-Active setup: Figure 1. An Active-Active setup Sites can be logical or physical. For logical sites, a stretched cluster can exist on single or multiple racks or in...
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routes are needed on the L2/L3 to ensure that the Replica networks reach the intended destination. Subsequent sections of this guide provide more information about the expectations of customer network...
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Solution deployment This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Introduction Deployment prerequisites for stretched clusters Customer network team requirements Design principles and best pract...
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Table 2. Deployment prerequisites for stretched clusters (continued) Component Requirements If two sites have host networks in different subnets, no additional configuration is needed for creating clu...
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optimum performance of workloads. Low bandwidth and high latency between sites can result in very poor performance on the primary site in the case of both synchronous and asynchronous replication. Syn...
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rate of change of data is faster than the bandwidth of the replica link between the sites for large periods of time. This is critical and must be taken into consideration when designing the solution. ...
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Figure 3. Network topology for a stretched cluster (basic) High throughput configuration In this topology we use two 25 Gb E NICs and two additional 1/10/25 Gb E ports from each host to configure a hi...
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The following figure shows the network topology of an advanced stretched cluster: Figure 4. Network topology for a stretched cluster (advanced) Solution deployment
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Creating a stretched cluster This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Introduction Test-Cluster Cluster creation Volumes Storage efficiency Test-SRTopology Introduction This section outline...
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If Sites and Services with IP Subnets are configured on Active Directory, Failover Cluster Manager correctly shows a node to Site mapping, under Cluster Name >> Nodes. The following is a sample ...
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Figure 7. Cluster networks Volumes Replication-enabled volumes can be created using a combination of Power Shell and Failover Cluster Manager or by using Windows Admin Center. NOTE: Install Storage Re...
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See Appendix A for the correct Power Shell Cmdlets and Failover Cluster Manager steps to create the volumes shown in this table. It is recommended that you create two-way mirrors for all volumes to im...
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Virtual Machines This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Introduction VM and storage affinity rules Preferred sites Introduction Virtual Machines in a stretched cluster environment can be ...
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Failure/Recovery from failure of Site/Node This chapter presents the following topics: Topics: Planned failover Operation steps Planned failover Windows Admin Center has a Switch Direction feature tha...
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Site failure A site failure in a stretched cluster topology requires rebuilding all of the nodes of the affected site. If the failure happens at the primary site, the following scenarios occur: All vo...
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Appendices These appendices present the following topics: Topics: Appendix A: Sample Power Shell cmdlets for end-to-end deployment Appendix B: Supported hardware Appendix A: Sample Power Shell cmdlets...
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Set-Net Adapter Advanced Property -Name 'SLOT 3 PORT 2' -Display Name 'Dcbx Mode' -Display Value 'Host In Charge' Set-Net Adapter Advanced Property -Name 'SLOT 3 PORT 1' -Display Name "Network Di...
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Preferred Sites The Preferred Site is your primary data center site. NOTE: Do not configure a Cluster fault domain as a Preferred Site if you plan to run active VMs on both sites, otherwise choosing t...
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'Volume A-Replica' -File System Re FS -Size 1TB #Replica Log Volume New-Volume -Storage Pool Friendly Name "Pool for Site Chennai" -Friendly Name 'Volume A-Replica-Log' -File System Re FS -S...
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Get-Volume -Friendly Name Volume B-Replica | Get-Partition | Set-Partition - New Drive Letter I Get-Volume -Friendly Name Volume B-Replica-Log | Get-Partition | Set-Partition - New Drive Letter J Test...
Manual Details
| Brand | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Pages | 25 |
| File Size | 558.23 KB |
| Published | June 05, 2026 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What tool discrepancy could cause replicated volume failure?
There is a minor difference in volume sizes created using PowerShell versus Windows Admin Center, which can result in a replication failure if both tools are used together.
How should I ensure the management network isn't bottlenecked by replica traffic?
Use the Set-SRNetworkConstraint cmdlet to specify and reserve dedicated network interfaces for required replica traffic paths.
What is the minimum log volume size needed for asynchronous replication?
If you choose asynchronous replication, ensure that you select a log volume of at least 30 GB.