Lenovo launches edge, hyperconverged systems integrated with Microsoft Azure
Lenovo is expanding its data center portfolio to better connect into Microsoft Azure for cloud computing as well as edge applications.
The company launched its Lenovo ThinkAgile MX1021 and ThinkSystem DM7100, two systems designed to connect Azure to the edge as well as enable integrated data tiering.
Kamran Amini, Vice President and General Manager of Server, Storage and Software Defined Infrastructure at Lenovo DCG, said the two systems are validated by Microsoft Azure and designed to fit into existing architectures.
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Lenovo also has partnerships with Google Cloud as well as Amazon Web Services and plans to launch integrated systems as well. Amini said that Azure has a lot of traction in the hybrid space and was a natural partner for Lenovo.
Amini said the use cases for these edge systems range from retail, manufacturing, health care and video surveillance. Amini added that Lenovo has also recovered its supply chain from the novel coronavirus pandemic in China. "We are fully running with no limitations on our own manufacturing. We have global sites and are following local guidance and policies," he said.
With facilities in China, Hungary, Mexico and Brazil, Lenovo has been able to move production around to produce systems.
Specifically, Lenovo launched the following:
Lenovo ThinkAgile MX1021, a hyperconverged Microsoft Azure Stack system (see TechRepublic cheat sheet) that can integrate with Azure Stack Hub and Azure IoT Hub. Use cases would range from retail to manufacturing to healthcare.
ThinkAgile MX1021
The MX1021 has a rugged version that can handle extreme temperatures, dust and vibration. It can also be deployed in branch locations and remote offices as well as more rugged areas. The system includes the Intel Xeon-D processor, features up to 8 cores,256GB of DDR4 RAM, and 16TB of internal M.2 solid-state storage.
ThinkAgile MX1021 includes Windows Server Datacenter 2019 software, which has software defined storage, Windows Admin Center and Hyper-V.
ThinkSystem DM7100, an all-flash array and hybrid flash storage system that features NVMe and connections to Azure as well as other cloud services. ThinkSystem DM7100 includes integrated Azure cloud tiering and data management across the enterprise as well as inline data compaction, compression and deduplication.
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