Users Guide

Use the VDS Provider
The Dell EqualLogic Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider enables you to use VDS version 1.1 and Storage Manager for SANs to
create and manage volumes in a PS Series group.
Topics:
• VDS Provider Requirements
• VDS Provider Guidelines and Restrictions
• Simple Target and LUN Naming
• Import VSS Snapshots
• Adjustments After Access Control Modifications
• Create a Volume Using Storage Manager for SANs
VDS Provider Requirements
To use VDS, you need:
● A PS Series group running the minimum supported revision
● A supported version of Windows Server (see the Host Integration Tools for Microsoft Release Notes)
● On the computer, a supported version of the iSCSI Software Initiator (see the Host Integration Tools for Microsoft Release
Notes)
● On the computer, you must install the VDS provider, as described in Install Host Integration Tools for Microsoft on page 13.
● Access to the PS Series group by Microsoft services (VDS and VSS) running on the computer. See the Dell EqualLogic
Auto-Snapshot Manager/Microsoft Edition User’s Guide for more information.
VDS Provider Guidelines and Restrictions
Use the VDS provider in conjunction with VDS v1.1 and Storage Manager for SANs to create and manage volumes in a PS Series
group. Guidelines and details about these configurations are listed below:
● Storage Pools—The Dell EqualLogic VDS provider provides support for storage pools on Windows Server 2012 R2 and later
platforms. This support enables you to use a VDS management application such as DiskRAID to enumerate and create
LUNs in storage pools other than the default pool.
● Provisioning Volumes—Dell recommends that you select a method by which to provision volumes and use that method
consistently to create and manage volumes, with the exception of activities that explicitly require a particular method. For
example, if you create a volume using Storage Manager for SANs, use that method to manage the volumes, except when you
must use Group Manager to modify snapshot settings and configure replication.
● Access controls—If you are using Storage Manager for SANs to create a volume in a PS Series group, it automatically
creates access controls for the volume. If CHAP is used, the user name is always the iSCSI initiator name (as required by
VDS rules). You can also specify a password. Storage Manager for SANs then automatically creates a corresponding access
control record and local CHAP account, if CHAP is used in the group. Always use Storage Manager for SANs to manage
these access controls. However, for a volume created with Storage Manager for SANs, you can use the Group Manager GUI
or CLI to create additional access controls in the group. Always use Group Manager to manage these access controls.
● Snapshot Settings—A volume created with Storage Manager for SANs inherits the groupwide snapshot settings (snapshot
reserve, warning percentage, and space recovery policy).
● VDS Volumes in Group Manager—Volumes created by using Storage Manager for SANs appear in the Group Manager
Volume Access window with Yes in the VDS column.
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Use the VDS Provider 45