Administrator Guide

Access virtual disk

Each RAID controller module in an MD Series storage array maintains a special virtual disk, called the access virtual disk. The host-agent

software uses the access virtual disk to communicate management requests and event information between the storage management

station and the RAID controller module in an in-band-managed storage array and cannot be removed without deleting the entire virtual

disk, virtual disk group or virtual disk pair. The access virtual disk is not available for application data storage and cannot be removed

without deleting the entire virtual disk, virtual disk group, or virtual disk pair. The default LUN is 31.

Storage arrays

You must add the storage arrays to the MD Storage Manager before you can set up the storage array for optimal use.

NOTE: You can add storage arrays only in the EMW.

You can:

• Automatically discover storage arrays.

• Manually add storage arrays.

NOTE: Verify that your host or management station network configuration—including station IP address, subnet mask,

and default gateway—is correct before adding a storage array using the Automatic option.

NOTE: For Linux, set the default gateway so that broadcast packets are sent to 255.255.255.0. For Red Hat Enterprise

Linux, if no gateway exists on the network, set the default gateway to the IP address of the NIC.

NOTE: The MD Storage Manager uses TCP/UDP port 2463 for communication to the MD storage array.

Automatic discovery of storage arrays

The Automatic Discovery process sends out a broadcast message across the local subnet and adds any storage array that responds to the

message. The Automatic Discovery process finds both in-band and out-of-band storage arrays.

NOTE:

The Automatic Discovery option and the Rescan Hosts option in the EMW provide automatic methods for

discovering managed storage arrays.

Manual addition of storage array

Use manual addition if the storage array resides outside of the local subnet. This process requires specific identification information to

manually add a storage array.

To add a storage array that uses out-of-band management, specify the host name or management port IP address of each controller in

the storage array.

To add an in-band storage array, add the host through which the storage array is attached to the network.

NOTE: It can take several minutes for the MD Storage Manager to connect to the specified storage array.

To add a storage array manually:

1. In the EMW, select Edit > Add Storage Array.

2. Select the relevant management method:

• Out-of-band management—Enter a DNS/Network name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address for the RAID Controller Module in

the storage array.

• In-band management—Enter a name or a DNS/Network name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address for the Host through which the

storage array is attached to the network.

NOTE:

When adding a storage array using in-band management with iSCSI, a session must first be established

between the initiator on the host server and the storage array. For more information, see Using iSCSI.

NOTE: The host agent must be restarted before in-band management communication can be established. See

Starting Or Restarting The Host Context Agent Software.

3. Click Add.

4. Use one of these methods to name a storage array:

Discovering and managing your storage array