Support Matrix
Table Of Contents
- Dell EMC PowerVault MD34XX/38XX Series Support Matrix
- Introduction
- Data protocols
- Dell EMC PowerVault MD Series storage array rules
- Default IPv4 settings for management ports on Dell EMC PowerVault MD series storage arrays
- RAID controller firmware and NVSRAM
- iSCSI software initiators
- Protocol (TOE/iSCSI) offload adapters
- Fibre Channel SFP+ Transceiver support
- Physical disks
- Expansion enclosures
- Management software
- Operating systems
- Windows ODX
- ALUA support on host operating systems
- Device mapper software
- SAS host bus adapters
- Fibre Channel host bus adapters
- Fibre Channel direct-attach configuration operating systems
- Required timeout settings for Fibre Channel host bus adapters
- Supported Fibre Channel switches
Rule
MD34x0 series MD38x0i series
MD38x0f
series
12 Gbps SAS 10 Gbps iSCSI
16 Gbps Fibre
Channel
Maximum capacity (disk space) for each array for dynamic disk pooling 1024 TB 1024 TB 1024 TB
Maximum SSD cache size allowed depends on the installed RAM per
controller:
• 4 GB RAM per controller supports up to 4 TB SSD read cache
• 8 GB RAM per controller supports up to 5 TB SSD read cache
Yes Yes Yes
All iSCSI host ports on a controller must have the same port speed. N/A Yes N/A
Maximum 12 Gbps SAS cable length supported is 6m. Yes Yes Yes
If the iSCSI initiators are connected to Dell PowerVault MD3800i series
through the network switches, make sure that your switches support IEEE
802.3x flow control, and the flow control is enabled for both sending and
receiving on all switch ports and server NIC ports.
If you do not enable the flow control, your iSCSI storage array may
experience the degradation of the I/O performance.
In addition to enabling the Ethernet IEEE 802.3x flow control, Dell
recommends that you disable unicast broadcast storm control on the switch
ports connected to the iSCSI initiators and target arrays and turn on the
"PortFast" mode of the spanning tree protocol (STP) on the switch ports
connected to the iSCSI initiators and target arrays.
NOTE: Turning on the "PortFast" mode is different from turning
off the whole operation of STP on the switch. With "PortFast"
on, STP is still enabled on the switch ports. Turning off STP may
affect the entire network and can leave the network vulnerable
to physical topology loops.
N/A Yes N/A
For optimal I/O performance, avoid having more than one iSCSI session
originating from one host iSCSI port to the same controller. Ideally, the iSCSI
host NIC must connect to only one iSCSI target port on the storage
subsystem.
N/A Yes N/A
For Dell-Oracle Tested and Validated solutions on the Dell PowerVault MD
arrays, see Dell.com/support.
Yes Yes Yes
The number of Virtual Disk (VD) copies is limited to a maximum of 511 with a
maximum of 8 concurrent copies (applicable to RAID controller firmware
version 08.10.05.60 or later).
Yes Yes Yes
Remote replication is not supported in simplex mode. N/A Yes Yes
For Fibre Channel and iSCSI controllers, if you use the SAS host ports, they
must be connected to a SAS HBA on a separate host.
N/A Yes Yes
Maximum number of iSCSI sessions N/A 512 per port N/A
Replication within iSCSI topology between MD32x0i, MD36x0i, or MD38x0i
arrays is supported regardless of connection speed. Replication between
iSCSI and FC topology is not supported.
N/A Yes N/A
Replication within FC topology between MD36x0f or MD38x0f arrays is
supported regardless of connection speed. Replication between iSCSI and
FC topology is not supported.
N/A N/A Yes
Online Physical Disk Firmware Upgrade is supported. Yes Yes Yes
When using physical disks of 6 TB or larger capacity, it is recommended to
use either a RAID 6 Disk Group or a Dynamic Disk Pool (DDP). Due to the
increased amount of time taken to reconstruct and copy-back, the chances
for a second drive failure increases on either a RAID 1/10 or a RAID 5 Disk
Group.
Yes Yes Yes
8 Dell EMC PowerVault MD Series storage array rules