The IDSDM shares the same location as the BOSS-S1 module and connects using a Dell EMC-proprietary PCIe x1 slot that uses a
USB interface to the host.
NOTE: The PowerEdge MX740c supports either the optional IDSDM or the BOSS S-1 module but cannot support both
simultaneously.
The intended use of IDSDM is to support hypervisor boot: a minimal OS that primarily resides in memory and does not depend on the
IDSDM heavily for I/O. Writes should be minimized as the SD media can wear out.
The IDSDM card provides the following features:
•
Full RAID-1 functionality
•
Enables support for Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) cards
•
USB interface to the host system
•
I2C interface to the host system and onboard EEPROM for out-of-band status reporting
•
Dual card operation - maintains a mirrored configuration by using SD cards in both the slots and provides redundancy
•
In addition to the redundancy setting, a separate BIOS setup option exists for IDSDM port enable or disable
It is recommended that customers use Dell EMC branded microSD cards associated with the IDSDM configured systems.
vFlash
vFlash is a dedicated microSD card on the iDRAC module and is connected to and controlled by iDRAC. It emulates USB flash
storage to the operating system (OS), but its contents can be updated remotely through the iDRAC network. Some applications of
vFlash include:
•
Backup and restore the platform in case you need to replace the motherboard.
•
Download a custom image and instruct the BIOS to boot to it.
•
Store data for the local OS user.
vFlash microSD cards are available in 16GB capacities. It is recommended that customers use Dell EMC branded microSD cards
associated with the iDRAC module.
Boot Optimized Storage Solution (BOSS)
BOSS is a simple RAID solution card designed specifically for booting the system's operating system, which supports up to two 6
Gbps M.2 SATA drives. This card has a x8 connector using PCIe gen 2.0 x2 lanes, available only in the low-profile and half-height
form factor.
The following table shows the specifications for the BOSS module:
Feature
BOSS-S1 Card
RAID Levels
RAID 1
Support for NON-RAID disks
Yes (supports up to two disks)
Stripe Size
64K
Battery Back Unit
No
Non-Volatile Cache
No
VC Cache Function
No Cache - Write through only
Maximum number of virtual disks
1
Maximum number of virtual disks per disk group
1
Maximum number of drives supported
2
20
