Storage
Name the unified Dell storage array(s)
What are Unity and PowerStore?
What is the latest generation of PowerEdge servers?
What is the 17th generation?
Name the 3 Data Domain models
Bonus points if you can name the all-flash model
Bonus: 9910F
Name the most common file storage protocols
What are CIFS/NFS and SMB
Explain how PowerVault, Unity, and PowerStore all scale
PowerVault: scales up
Unity: scales up
PowerStore: scales up and out
Drive minimum of PowerVault's ADAPT platform
What are 12 drives?
Part of the server that provides interface between the server and the network and allows the server to network with other devices
What is the Network Interface Card (NIC)?
The process of converting data from its original format into an encoded format that can only be read by authorized users with key
What is encryption
How does PowerScale scale?
What is scaling out
What is the most common object data protocol?
What is S3
Explain the Unity XT FAST VP software
Automated and policy-driven auto-tiering software that will move data across segregated tier categories
-Extreme performance tier: flash drives
-Performance tier: 10k SAS drives
-Capacity tier: 7.2k Near-line SAS drives
A customer has a PowerEdge R470, is this server single or dual socket?
What is single-socket?
Explain DIA
What is Data Invulnerability Architecture? 3 check sum process to ensure that data remains the same from the time it is written to the disk, when it is living on the disk, and when it is recovered from the disk to restore
What is the minimum starting capacity to discuss PowerScale flash nodes?
What is "no minimum starting capacity"
Explain PowerVault's file data support
Trick question! PowerVault is not built to support native file protocols, but it can run virtualized file data. Primarily designed as block-based storage (SAN/DAS), with no built-in SMB/NFS file sharing
Explain DRE and which storage array it is housed on
What is Dynamic Resiliency Engine on PowerStore? DRE is the process that replaces traditional RAID (having a dedicated hot-spare) and is distributes/stripes data across spare space on all the drives if a drive were to fail with zero downtime and interruption. Autonomously rebalances expansion and/or replacement drives without manual configuration
What kind of switch is needed to support iSCSI and file data?
Bonus: which type of switch is needed to support block data with the fibre channel protocol?
What is an Ethernet switch?
Explain CloudCache with PPBS
What is the process of storing backup data locally first and then synchronizing it with the PPBS cloud in the hopes of delivering the best RTO/RPOs for critical applications and environments (having the quickest restore speeds as well as maintaining immutability)
Explain SmartSync with OneFS
Bonus: what is the other name for SmartSync
What is a data replication and movement feature, designed to enable high-performance, flexible, and secure data transfer workflows across PowerScale clusters and between PowerScale and object storage (including cloud targets). Supports file-to-file, file-to-object, and object-to-file transfers, including both one-time copies and scheduled, incremental backups.
Bonus: what is Datamover
What is LCE?
Bonus: is LCE available on PowerStore 500T?
What is Life Cycle Extension? A co-termed, flexible support option where customers can choose between 3 upgrades to apply to their current PowerStore. 1. Next-gen appliance upgrade, 2. Higher model in-family upgrade, 3. Scale-out discount
Bonus: yes, however one of three upgrade options is not available (higher model in-family upgrade) since the chassis on the 500T is different from the 1200T
What is NVMe?
NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a high-performance protocol standard specifying how host computers interact with non-volatile memory. It’s designed for solid-state drives (SSDs), storage-class memory, and related technologies, enabling ultra-low-latency, high-throughput communication between storage and CPU. It can enhance your transaction speeds and reduces latency, which is critical for high-frequency trading and real-time customer services.
What are the two types of Ethernet speeds?
What are BaseT/RJ45 and SFP?
Name 3 Dell products Wasabi can seamlessly work with
Bonus: explain how Wasabi works with AWS
What are Data Domain, PowerScale, and ObjectScale
Bonus: Wasabi integrates natively using AWS S3-compatible APIs (Application Programing Interface), making it a technical fit for most Dell backup solutions that support S3 object storage—especially for cloud tiering and second-copy use case. Also has immutability via S3 Object Lock—protects data from deletion/tampering (ransomware protection)
Explain PACS (common workloads seen in UDS)
What is a technology system used in the medical field for storing, retrieving, managing, distributing, and presenting medical images; review of images such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. Used to view and share diagnostic images instantly across departments or remote sites, supporting timely clinical decision-making and collaboration. Eliminates the need for paper or film, automates image management, and speeds up access for care providers.
3 buckets: Modern Workplace, Modern Data Center and Multi-Cloud, and AI
2 overarching themes: Security and Sustainability