Product Overview
Riverbed SteelFusion™ is the first and only hyper-converged infrastructure that delivers local performance while enabling data centralization, instant recovery, and lower TCO. SteelFusion converges server, storage, and network infrastructure into a single branch appliance minimizing the footprint needed to run branch applications while centralizing data. SteelFusion eliminates the headache of branch office IT, consolidating servers and storage into the datacenter without sacrificing any of the benefits of having servers at the edge close to users.
SteelFusion consists of two distinct components:
SteelFusion Core: A storage delivery controller in the datacenter that interfaces with a storage area network (SAN) to project centralized data out to branches.
SteelFusion Edge: A hyper-converged appliance that integrates server, storage, network, and virtualization to run local branch applications, eliminating the need for additional branch infrastructure. This article describes support for the VMware vSphere hypervisor running on the Riverbed SteelFusion Edge.
Architecture
The hypervisor runs on a dedicated node on the SteelFusion Edge appliance. This partitioning separates the SteelFusion WAN optimization and BlockStream functionality from resources dedicated to host virtual machines. Users manage vSphere and virtual machines through the Hypervisor Node’s interfaces using their VMware tools such as the vSphere Client and/or vCenter Server. SteelFusion functionalities are managed via Riverbed management tools.
Installation
SteelFusion Edge ships with a VMware vSphere hypervisor pre-bundled with the appliance. The user does not need to separately download a hypervisor and install it onto the SteelFusion Edge appliance.
Configuration
While it is bundled with the SteelFusion Edge, vSphere is not configured from the factory nor is it automatically upgraded. The user installs, configures vSphere bootstrap settings, and can upgrade the hypervisor via the Riverbed Hypervisor Installer.
For more information on installation and configuration, see the SteelFusion Install and Configuration Guide.
Configuring the Hypervisor Node
The Riverbed Hypervisor Installer is an intuitive wizard that guides the user through the initial configuration and installation of the vSphere hypervisor. It allows for customization of settings such as the vSphere password, licensing, storage, and networking configurations.
Connecting and Managing the Hypervisor
After installer completion the user will have a fully configured vSphere hypervisor that is ready to host virtual machines. Users can connect and manage the hypervisor via their vSphere Client and/or vCenter Server using the vSphere management IP address.
For more information on installation and configuration, see the SteelFusion Edge documentation.
Support Information
The first line of support is with Riverbed customer support. All Riverbed customers are required to have support agreements for their SteelFusion products.