Solution brief Azure Local Solution
Key takeaways
- Insight delivers a fully managed Azure Local platform built on Dell PowerEdge AX. It provides validated, preconfigured hybrid infrastructure for consistent on‑premises Azure deployments.
- The solution simplifies deployment through a validated reference architecture and integrated services. It includes hardware, software, testing, and optimization to support performance and scalability.
- Organizations gain a complete, ready-to-run environment with testing and knowledge transfer. Insight installs, validates, documents, and hands off the solution for ongoing operations.
Service solution — Azure Local: Fully managed distributed hybrid infrastructure platform
Service overview
Azure® Local, built on Dell™ PowerEdge® AX Series servers validated for Azure Stack HCI/Azure Local, delivers a consistent, supported platform for on-premises Azure. Dell-validated configurations help reduce deployment risk and ensure adherence to Microsoft’s Azure Local and Azure Stack HCI hardware requirements. Insight’s Azure Local solution delivers validated, purpose-built, preconfigured, and tightly integrated hybrid infrastructure based on Dell PowerEdge AX Series for Azure Local deployments.
Insight offers a variety of Dell Technologies® Azure Local infrastructure configuration options. Our Insight-led and fully managed solutions simplify the deployment and configuration of Dell Technologies reference architecture(s) — providing a blueprint for organizations looking to build and scale Azure Local solutions efficiently. It outlines best practices for hardware configurations as delivered via these services — but the reference architecture also entails software stack integration, data management, and performance optimization to support workloads effectively.
Note: For this service, Azure Local refers to on-premises Azure Stack HCI deployments on Dell PowerEdge AX Series servers.
Service outcomes
Complete Azure Local solution
Insight delivers a fully racked and stacked, configured, implemented, and tested Azure Local environment on Dell PowerEdge AX nodes.
Comprehensive service handoff
Includes functional configuration, validation testing, documentation, and knowledge transfer of the installed hardware components.
Validated reference architecture
Insight validates that the installed Dell AX hardware adheres to Microsoft and Dell Technologies standards.
Supported technologies
Comprehensive service handoff Includes functional configuration, validation testing, documentation, and knowledge transfer of the installed hardware components. Validated reference architecture Insight validates that the installed Dell AX hardware adheres to Microsoft and Dell Technologies standards. A complete hardware installation solution encompasses at least one component from each of the following categories:
Dell
Compute: Dell PowerEdge AX Series – Validated Azure Stack HCI nodes for Azure Local
Networking: Dell PowerSwitch® Series – Reference designs for Azure Local clusters
Storage: Dell PowerFlex® Series (optional, for specific scenarios requiring scale-out block storage in addition to Azure Local)
Microsoft
Platform: Azure Local
Operating system: Current Windows Server® OS +n -1
The Azure Local solution is anchored on Dell PowerEdge AX nodes as the primary compute and storage platform for Azure Stack HCI.
General activities
Planning
- Verify the installation requirements and products to be installed.
- Validate network connectivity, power requirements, and hardware configurations per established compatibility matrix.
- Review rack layout design for compute, storage, and network layers.
Scoped installation and configuration
- Facilitate base deployment of the infrastructure components, including hardware components, OS-level software, and management software.
- Configure individual hardware and software management components.
- Conduct scoped integration with existing data center infrastructure.
Testing and validation
- Facilitate and validate deployment of Dell Technologies-installed hardware.
- Conduct testing of the installation to ensure proper functionality of installed hardware components.
- Conduct performance testing, including hardware stress tests (burn-in testing).
- Validate interoperability of storage, switches, and servers.
Closeout
- Facilitate a knowledge transfer session with client operations team.
- Provide Dell Technologies® reference documentation outlining the installation process, configuration settings, user guides, and procedures for the deployed solution.
- Deliver as-built documentation with logical and physical diagrams.
- Provide client with site-specific deliverable titled “Implementation and Deployment Guide” following implementation.
- Provide next-step recommendations for maturing and extending Azure® Local infrastructure with Azure Public Cloud services to address business goals around availability, performance, disaster recovery, etc.
Infrastructure activities
Compute
- Conduct physical installation (rack and stack, network connections, power connections).
- Install and configure operating system(s).
- Install and configure system management software on deployed server(s).
- Azure Local Arc
Storage
- Determine required I/O optimization settings.
- Build logical configuration workbook.
- Conduct physical installation (rack and stack, network connections, power connections).
- Install/configure/upgrade storage operating system.
- Install and configure storage system management software.
- Configure CIFS shares/NFS exports to be created.
- Configure upstream network devices/ports.
Networking
- Conduct physical installation (rack and stack, network connections, power connections).
- Deploy or upgrade switch operating system.
- Upgrade firmware of the switch (if needed).
- Configure necessary networking parameters.
- Set switch requirements for supported storage.
- Perform multi-vendor storage integration, replacement, or both, if required.
- Verify deployment by performing the applicable tests documented in the Deployment Verification Guide.
Project management
The following activities included in all services focus on managing the initiation, planning, execution, and closure of the solution, including coordinating resources and communicating with stakeholders:
- Conduct project kickoff meeting.
- Manage Insight services resources.
- Facilitate Dell Technologies® vendor resources as needed.
- Work with the client-assigned single point of contact and the resources assigned to coordinate tasks.
- Act as the single point of contact for all engagement, communication, and escalations.
- Determine the project plan, engagement process, and schedule.
- Conduct status meetings to review progress, issues, and risks.
- Coordinate closeout.
Deliverables
- Completed installation of the Azure® Local infrastructure hardware solution
- Configuration documentation (as-built) including logical and physical diagrams of the Dell™ PowerEdge® AX-based Azure Local infrastructure
- Facilitation and collaboration on creation and editing of combined deliverables with Dell Technologies
- Test results and validation reports
- Dell Technologies reference documentation and training materials specific to Azure Local on Dell PowerEdge AX nodes
- Executive summary and recommendations with consolidated deliverables
Add-on services
The following are examples of products and services that complement the Azure Local solution; however, they are not in scope for this service offering. Insight offers services that cover many of these technologies (where available) that may be subscribed to for an additional charge.
- On-Premises Bare Metal
- Managed Compute
- Managed Network
- Managed Storage
- Managed Cloud
- Managed Platform
- Managed Data Backup
- Infrastructure Discovery
- Data Center Consolidation
- Migration Services
- Workload Transformation and Alignment
- Disaster Recovery
- Virtualization
- Data Protection
- Hyperconverged Infrastructure
- Converged Infrastructure
- Enterprise Storage
- Monitoring as a Service
- Cloud Center of Excellence
- Cloud Foundation Assessment and Implementation
- Azure Local Adoption Services
- Infrastructure Automation
- Workload Migration
- OneCall (facilitated product warranty support/maintenance services)
- Field Services for post-deployment ongoing adds, moves, and changes support
Why Dell PowerEdge AX
Benefits of Dell AX
Flexible scaling
Start with a single Dell™ PowerEdge® AX node for remote/edge or small sites and grow to multi-node clusters as requirements increase.
Optimized for Azure Local
Dell-validated node profiles and networking designs help ensure performance and compatibility with Azure® Local requirements.
Choice of topology
Options for switchless single-node deployments or switched network topologies meet different site sizes and resiliency needs.
Reference architectures
Dell-validated solution architecture
By Insight Editor / 19 Dec 2025 / Topics: Modern infrastructure , Cloud
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