Contents 1 Introduction......................6 ..........................6 System Requirements ....................6 Management Station Requirements ......................6 Introduction to Storage Arrays ........................7 Related Documentation 2 Hardware Installation...................8 ....................8 Planning The Storage Configuration ......................8 Connecting The Storage Array ........................9 Cabling The Storage Array ................
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............36 Setting Up Microsoft Host Network Using A DNS server ............36 Setting Up Microsoft Host Network Using A WINS Server ..........................36 Linux Host Setup ................36 Setting Up Linux Host Network Using DHCP ............37 Setting Up Linux Host Network Using A Static IP Address 5 Uninstalling MD Storage Software..............
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......54 Changing Load Balance Policies On The Windows Server Operating System ..............54 Increasing Bandwidth With Multiple iSCSI Sessions 9 Stopping iSCSI Services In Linux..............55 10 Getting help.......................56 ........................... 56 Contacting Dell ..................... 56 Locating your Dell system Service Tag...
Before installing and configuring the PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i series hardware and software, ensure that the minimum system requirements are met. Also, ensure that the supported operating system is installed. For more information, see the Dell PowerVault MD34xx/38xx Series Support Matrix at Dell.com/support/manuals.
NOTE: For all storage controller documents, go to Dell.com/storagecontrollermanuals. Your product documentation includes: • Dell PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays Getting Started Guide — Provides an overview of system features, setting up your system, and technical specifications. This document is also shipped with your system.
• Owner’s Manual — The Owner’s Manual provides information about important concepts to set up your storage solution. See the Owner’s Manual at Dell.com/support/manuals. Planning The Storage Configuration Consider the following before installing your storage array: •...
Each PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i series storage array can be expanded to a maximum of 120 (or 192, if enabled using Premium Feature activation) slots. Cabling The Storage Array The iSCSI interface enables different host-to-controller configurations. The figures in this chapter are grouped according to the following categories: •...
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Figure 1. One Host Connected to a Single Controller The following figure shows four stand-alone hosts supported in a dual controller array configuration with a single data path.
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Figure 2. Four Hosts in a Dual-Controller Configuration Using One HBA Each...
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Dual Path Data Configuration In the following figure, up to two servers are directly attached to the RAID controller modules. If the host server has a second Ethernet connection to the array, it can be attached to the iSCSI ports on the array's second controller.
Figure 4. Two Hosts Connected in a Dual-Controller Configuration Network-Attached Configurations You can also cable the host servers to the RAID controller module iSCSI ports through industry-standard 10G Ethernet switches. An iSCSI configuration that uses Ethernet switches is frequently referred to as an IP SAN.
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Figure 5. 64 Servers Connected to a Single RAID Controller The following figure shows how the same number of hosts can be similarly attached to a dual RAID controller module configuration.
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Figure 6. 64 Servers Connected to Two RAID Controllers The following figure shows up to 64 stand-alone servers attached (using multiple sessions) to a single RAID controller module through a network using a 10G aggregation scheme. The NICs on the servers are 0 G NICs and the uplink ports are 10G.
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Figure 7. 64 Servers Connected to a Single RAID Controller The following figure shows how the same number of hosts can be similarly attached to a dual RAID controller module configuration. Hardware redundancy is achieved in this configuration, in case of any switch failure.
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Figure 8. 64 Servers Connected to Two RAID Controllers...
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Mixed Environment The following figure shows a mixed environment, that is direct attachment using SAS to one host connectivity to another host using direct-attached iSCSI or the IP SAN. Figure 9. Mixed Environment Cabling for Two RAID Controllers NOTE: The SAS host ports in the PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i storage arrays are recommended to be connected to a secondary host or backup network.
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Remote Replication is a storage array premium feature that provides online, real-time replication of data between storage arrays. The diagram below shows an example of how to setup a Remote Replication environment. For more information about Remote Replication, see the MD Administrators Guide at Dell.com/support. Figure 10. Remote Replication Cabling Example...
Cabling PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures You can expand the capacity of your PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i series storage array by adding PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosures. You can expand the physical disk pool to a maximum of 120 (or 192, if enabled using Premium Feature activation) physical disks using a maximum of seven expansion enclosures.
Expanding With Previously Configured PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures Use this procedure if your expansion enclosure is directly attached and configured with a Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H800 adapter. Data from virtual disks created on a PERC H800 adapter cannot be directly migrated to a storage array or an expansion enclosure connected to a storage array.
PowerVault MD34xx/38xx series storage arrays: Before adding the expansion enclosures, ensure that the storage array software is installed and is up to date. For more information, see the Dell PowerVault MD34xx/38xx Support Matrix at Dell.com/ support/manuals. a. Install the software and driver package included on the PowerVault MD series resource media. For information about installing the software, see the topic “Installing PowerVault MD Storage...
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• If the status LEDs are solid blue, the storage array is ready. c. After the storage array is online and ready, turn on any attached host systems. Using MDSM, update all attached expansion enclosure firmware if it is out of date: a.
The providers feature includes providers for the Microsoft Virtual Disk Service (VDS) and Microsoft Volume Shadow-Copy Service (VSS) framework. NOTE: Dell is discontinuing support of the VSS and VDS hardware providers. See the Dell MD Series Storage Arrays Information Update for details on the deprecation. For supported software, refer to the Supported Management Software section of the Dell™...
You can do it in any of the following ways: • In a Windows-based operating system, click Start → Dell → Modular Disk Configuration Utility. • In a Linux-based operating system, double-click the Modular Disk Configuration Utility icon on the desktop.
NOTE: The MD Storage Manager installer automatically installs the required drivers, firmware, and operating system patches/hotfixes to operate your storage array. These drivers and firmware are also available at Dell.com/support. In addition, see the Dell PowerVault MD34xx/ 38xx Series Support Matrix at Dell.com/support/manuals for any additional settings and/or software required for your specific storage array.
Enabling Premium Features (Optional) If you ordered premium features, follow the instructions on the Premium Features card to install the additional features. Upgrading MD Storage Software To upgrade from a previous version of the MDSM application, uninstall the previous version (see the Uninstalling MD Storage Software section), and then follow the instructions in this chapter to install the new version.
Post Installation Tasks Before using the storage array for the first time, complete the initial configuration tasks in the order shown. These tasks are performed using the MD Storage Manager. NOTE: If Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is not used, initial configuration using the management station must be performed on the same physical subnet as the storage array.
Term Definition iSNS (Microsoft Internet Storage Naming Service) An automated discovery, management and configuration Storage Naming Service) tool used by some iSCSI devices. Management station The system from which you manage your host server/storage array configuration. Storage array The enclosure containing the storage data accessed by the host server.
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Figure 13. IPv4 Settings—Worksheet If you need additional space for more than one host server, use an additional sheet. Table 2. Configuring A Static IP address A Static IP address (host Subnet Default gateway server) (should be different for each NIC) iSCSI port 1 ___ .
Automatic Configuration Using the Modular Disk Configuration Utility NOTE: If MDCU is not installed, it can be installed from the MD series resource media. The MDCU provides a consolidated approach for configuring the iSCSI network of host servers and iSCSI-based storage arrays using a wizard‑driven interface. This utility also enables the user to configure the iSCSI sessions of the host server according to the best practices and to achieve load-balanced paths with the storage array iSCSI host ports.
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For Windows, click Start → All Programs → Dell → MD Storage Software. • For Linux, click the MDCU icon on the desktop or navigate to the /opt/dell/mdstoragesoftware/ mdconfigurationutility directory in a terminal window and run PowerVault MDCU. The MDCU automatically discovers all the available storage arrays.
MD Storage Manager and these virtual disks can be utilized by the host server(s). For more information about storage planning and using MD Storage Manager, see the Administrator's Guide at Dell.com/support/manuals. Guidelines For Configuring Your Network For iSCSI This section provides general guidelines for setting up your network environment and IP addresses for use with the iSCSI ports on your host server and storage array.
Setting Up Microsoft Host Network Using A DNS server In the Control Panel, select Network connections or Network and Sharing Center and then click Manage network connections. Right-click the network connection you want to configure and select Properties. On the General tab (for a local area connection) or the Networking tab (for all other connections), select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
Setting Up Linux Host Network Using A Static IP Address If you are using a static IP address (root users only) Edit the /etc/sysconfig/network file as follows: NETWORKING=yes HOSTNAME=mymachine.mycompany.com GATEWAY=255.255.255.0 Edit the configuration file for the connection you want to configure, either /etc/sysconfig/network- scripts/ifcfg-ethX (for Red Hat Enterprise Linux) or /etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-eth-id- XX:XX:XX:XX:XX.
If another directory was used during installation, navigate to that directory before beginning the uninstallation procedure. From the installation directory, open the Uninstall Dell MD Storage Software directory and run the file Uninstall Dell MD Storage Software.exe. When the uninstallation is complete, it goes back to the root prompt.
Manual Configuration Of iSCSI The following sections contain step-by-step instructions for configuring iSCSI on your storage array. However, before beginning, it is important to understand where each of these steps occurs in relation to your host server or the storage array environment. The following table shows each iSCSI configuration step and where it occurs.
The default IP configuration for Controller 1 is: Port 0:192.168.129.102 NOTE: No default gateway is set. NOTE: If DHCP is not used, perform the initial configuration using the management station on the same physical subnet as the storage array. Additionally, during initial configuration, configure at least one network adapter on the same IP subnet as the storage array’s default management port.
NOTE: Before configuring the storage array, check the status icons on the Summary tab to ensure that the enclosures in the storage array are in an Optimal status. For more information on the status icons, see the Owner’s Manual at Dell.com/support/manuals. Table 8. Initial Setup Tasks Dialog Box...
Set up alert notifications To notify individuals (by email) and/or storage enterprise management consoles, such as Dell Set up e-mail alerts Management Console (by SNMP) when a storage Set up SNMP alerts array component degrades or fails, or an adverse environmental condition occurs.
Test the connection by performing a ping command on each iSCSI storage array port. Step 3: Performing Target Discovery From The iSCSI Initiator This step identifies the iSCSI ports on the storage array to the host server. Select the set of steps in one of the following sections (Microsoft Windows or Linux) that corresponds to your operating system.
To use the sample file included on the media: Make a copy of the default /etc/iscsi/iscsid.conf file by saving it to another directory of your choice. Edit the following entries in the /etc/iscsi/iscsid.conf file: Edit or verify that the node.startup = manual line is disabled. Edit or verify that the node.startup = automatic line is enabled.
Target CHAP In target CHAP, the storage array authenticates all requests for access issued by the iSCSI initiator(s) on the host server using a CHAP secret. To set up target CHAP authentication, you must enter a CHAP secret on the storage array, then configure each iSCSI initiator on the host server to send that secret each time it attempts to access the storage array.
In terms of iSCSI configuration, the term target always refers to the storage array. Configuring Target CHAP Authentication On The Storage Array From MDSM, click the iSCSI tab and then click Change Target Authentication. Select one of the CHAP settings described in table. To configure a CHAP secret, select CHAP and select CHAP Secret.
Step 6: Configure CHAP Authentication On The Host Server (Optional) If you configured CHAP authentication in “Configure CHAP Authentication on the Storage Array (Optional)", complete the following steps. If not, skip to "Connect to the Target Storage Array From the Host Server".
= test1234567890 discovery.sendtargets.auth.authmethod = CHAP discovery.sendtargets.auth.username = iqn.2005- 03.com.redhat01.78b1b8cad821 discovery.sendtargets.auth.password = password_1 discovery.sendtargets.auth.username = iqn.1984- 05.com.dell:powervault. 123456 discovery.sendtargets.auth.password_in = test1234567890. Configure CHAP Authentication On The Host Server Using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server GUI Click Start → YaST → iSCSI Initiator.
• If you are not using CHAP authentication, select No Authentication. Go to step 8. Or • If you are using CHAP authentication, enter the CHAP user name and password. To enable Mutual CHAP, select and enter the Mutual CHAP user name and password. Repeat step 7 for each target until at least one connection is logged in for each controller.
* * * An asterisk (*) represents the default value of a parameter. For example, your log on command might look like this: iscsicli PersistentLoginTarget iqn.1984- 05.com.dell:powervault.6001372000ffe3332xx0000046 72edf2 3260 T 192.168.130.101 * * * 0x2 * * * * * * * * * 0.
• Are all cables securely attached to each port on the host server and storage array? • Is TCP/IP correctly configured on all target host ports? • Is CHAP set up correctly on both the host server and the storage array? To review optimal network setup and configuration settings, see "Configuring iSCSI on Your Storage Array".
Using Internet Storage Naming Service Internet Storage Naming Service (iSNS) server, supported only on Microsoft Windows iSCSI environments, eliminates the need to manually configure each individual storage array with a specific list of initiators and target IP addresses. Instead, iSNS automatically discovers, manages, and configures all iSCSI devices in your environment.
Load Balancing Load Balance Policy Multi-path drivers select the I/O path to a virtual disk through a specific RAID controller module. When the multi-path driver receives a new I/O to process, the driver tries to find a path to the current RAID controller module that owns the virtual disk.
The multi-path failover driver that Dell provides for the PowerVault MD series storage array can be used to configure the storage array so that all ports are used for simultaneous I/O access.
Stopping iSCSI Services In Linux Follow the procedure given below to manually stop the iSCSI services in Linux. To shut down iSCSI services: Stop all I/O. Unmount all correlated file systems. Stop iSCSI services by running the following command: /etc/init.d/open-iscsi stop...
Click Global Technical Support. b. The Technical Support page is displayed with details to call, chat, or e-mail the Dell Global Technical Support team. Locating your Dell system Service Tag Your hardware is identified by a unique Express Service Code and Service Tag number. The Express Service Code and Service Tag are found on the front of the system by pulling out the information tag.