Owners Manual

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3 Control Module Maintenance

The control modules in a PS Series array contain the PS Series firmware, which provides the Group

Manager GUI, the command-line interface (CLI), and all the array and storage management

functions and features.

Ideally, an array has two control modules (which must be of the same type) to avoid a single point of

failure for the array. The PS6610 array includes two hot-swappable Type 18 control modules.

One functioning control module is required for array operation. You access control modules from the

rear of the array.

Control Module Features

The Type 18 control module includes:

• Two pairs of Ethernet ports with two shared LEDs indicating status and activity:

– One pair of 10GBASE-T ports, labeled Ethernet 0 and Ethernet 1

– One pair of SFP+ ports, labeled Ethernet 0 and Ethernet 1

Note: Only one of two ports with the same numbered port can be used at a time. If both ports are

attached to an active switch, the control module will prefer to communicate over the SFP+ interface.

• One 10Mb/100Mbps port, labeled MANAGEMENT, for use only if you configure a management

network. The management port has two LEDs to indicate status and activity. See Configure the

Management Port on page 37 for more information.

• A column of LEDs labeled PWR (power), ERR (error condition) and ACT (activity) that indicate

the status of the control module.

• A recessed button labeled STANDBY ON/OFF that allows you to quickly shut down the array in

certain circumstances. See About the Standby On/Off Button on page 19 for more information.

• One serial port (for use if there is no network access to the array).

• A field-replaceable microSD card containing the PS Series firmware. The microSD card is

accessed from the rear of the control module.

• A release button and latch to release the control module from the array for replacement. The

release lever has a switch that detects activation and prompts the array to save data to non-

volatile storage, thereby protecting your data.

Note: Do not mix control module types in an array. Always make sure both control modules are the

same type and color. See the latest PS Series Release Notes for information about other supported

control modules.

About Control Module Configurations

While an array can run using only one control module, it is not recommended because this

configuration creates a single point of failure. If the control module fails and no other module can

take over, all access to your volumes stops until the failure is repaired or the control module is

replaced.

Only one control module is active (providing disk access and serving network traffic) at one time.

The secondary (redundant) control module mirrors cache data from the active control module. If the

active control module fails, all functions of the primary controller transfer to the secondary.