The PowerStore 5200T is a versatile appliance that supports capacity expansion through the addition of expansion enclosures. This allows for scaling storage capacity beyond the base enclosure.

In a PowerStore T system configured with a mix of Storage Class Memory (SCM) and standard SSD drives, the SCM drives are automatically configured as a dedicated metadata tier. This configuration leverages the extremely low latency of SCM to accelerate system-level metadata operations, enhancing overall appliance performance. Because this tier is reserved exclusively for metadata, its capacity is not included in the total usable capacity available for user data.

B. NVMe drives are not used for Caching and Vaulting.

This is incorrect. While dedicated NVRAM modules handle write caching, the cache content is vaulted (written for protection) to the first four data drives in the base enclosure during a power failure. These drives can be NVMe SCMs.

C. SSD drives are used for metadata tiering.

This is incorrect. In a mixed SCM and SSD configuration, the higher-performance SCM drives are automatically used for the metadata tier to maximize system responsiveness, not the slower SSDs.

1. Dell PowerStore: Introduction to the Platform (White Paper), April 2024.

Reference for Correct Answer D: Page 20, Section "SCM as metadata tier": "When SCM and SSD drives are mixed in a PowerStore T appliance, the SCM drives are used as a metadata tier... The SCM drives do not contribute to the overall user capacity of the appliance."

Reference for Incorrect Option C: Page 20, Section "SCM as metadata tier": This section explicitly states SCM drives are used for metadata, which contradicts the claim that SSDs are used for this purpose.

2. Dell PowerStore Hardware Information Guide, March 2024.

Reference for Correct Answer A: Page 11, Table 3 "PowerStore models specifications": The table indicates that the PowerStore 5200T model supports a maximum of three 2U expansion enclosures.

3. Dell PowerStore: Best Practices Guide, April 2024.

Reference for Incorrect Option B: Page 11, Section "System Drives": "The first four drives in the base enclosure are system drives... These drives are also used as a vaulting area for the write cache in the event of a power failure." This confirms data drives, which can be NVMe, are used for vaulting.