Administrator Guide

– Verify that the storage pool does not have the maximum number of iSCSI connections for the release in use.
– Verify the access control policies for the volume. Using the iSCSI initiator name instead of an IP address can make access
controls easier to manage and more secure.
– Ensure that Dell EqualLogic MPIO extensions are properly installed on the supported operating systems. See the Host
Integration Tools documentation for details.
– Ensure that MPIO is supported and properly congured, according to the documentation for the operating system.
You can also monitor multiple PS Series groups with SAN Headquarters and can launch the Group Manager GUI from there;
however, you cannot directly manage the storage from SAN Headquarters.
About Storage Pools
A storage pool is a container for a group member’s storage resources. Storage pools allow you to allocate storage space into
partitions based on the dierent types of storage resources and dierent types of data stored in the system.
Each member is assigned to a storage pool. A pool acts like a SAN within a SAN, creating an isolated storage environment within the
overall PS Series SAN. Within the pool, load balancing happens automatically using available storage resources from the members in
the pool.
You can design a homogeneous or heterogeneous pool.
• In a homogeneous pool design, all members of the pool are the same array model and use the same RAID level. In this case, the
PS Series software automatically monitors data usage patterns and optimizes performance by the way it allocates data across
the members.
• In a heterogeneous pool design, you can add members with dierent RAID levels or dierent models or a mix of both. In this
case, the PS Series software uses load-balancing metrics to assign volumes to a RAID level appropriate for usage levels.
Single-Pool Design
Not all environments need multiple pools; a basic single-pool design might meet your needs. By default, each group has at least one
pool, called the default pool. When you add a new member to a group, the system automatically assigns it to the default pool. You
can rename the default pool, but you cannot delete it.
Multiple-Pool Design
Based on your business needs, you might want to divide the overall storage space into separate pools. A multiple-pool design allows
you to prioritize applications within a SAN by placing them on separate storage resources, each optimally congured. Using this “SAN
within a SAN,” you can separate workloads as needed (for example: by application, service level, disk type, cost, or by department
within the organization). As your capacity needs change, you can move members or volumes from one pool to another while data
remains online.
NOTE: You can add both FS Series NAS reserve and PS Series volumes to a storage pool. However, you might want to
keep the NAS reserve and the block (volume) space in dierent pools so that you can monitor space usage more easily.
Storage Pool: Design Checklist
Before you can design storage pools for your environment, you must identify your storage requirements: capacity, performance, data
type, and applications. You can then make informed decisions about the storage pool design that best meets your needs.
Identify array specications
• Disk type — Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
• Disk size
• Disk speed
NOTE: Some drive models do not carry information about their spin rate. For these models, the Group Manager GUI
and CLI will show a speed of Unknown (or 0 rpm).
• RAID level
Architecture Fundamentals
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