Cisco Unified Edge directly matches the distributed branch deployment requirements. The Cisco UCS XE9305 chassis contains two Unified Edge Management Controllers, providing redundancy for the chassis management plane. Its XE130c M8 compute node supports up to 768 GB of memory , precisely matching the stated in-memory processing requirement, and supports optional GPU acceleration.

Operationally, Unified Edge is designed for highly distributed sites where qualified IT personnel may not be present. Cisco documents remote server launch with no onsite IT staff, zero-touch provisioning, fleet visibility, and automated lifecycle management through Cisco Intersight. Intersight provides SaaS-based infrastructure lifecycle operations across distributed Unified Edge systems.

Although X-Series Direct is also suitable for remote locations, the exact combination of dual management controllers, 768-GB memory capacity, remote server launch, and Unified Edge's edge-focused lifecycle capabilities uniquely identifies option C. C845A M8 and C240 rack servers provide substantial compute capabilities but do not match the integrated edge chassis and zero-touch operational model required by the scenario.

This is a classic DCAI compute-selection question in which architectural and operational requirements must be evaluated together rather than selecting solely by raw compute performance.

Study Guide Reference: 2.2 Evaluate compute deployment; 2.5 Evaluate hybrid AI deployment with distributed infrastructure.

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