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book.book Page 2 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ____________________ Information in this publication is subject to change without notice. © 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
book.book Page 3 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction to Storage Arrays 2 Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planning the Storage Configuration . 3 7 8 11 . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Connecting the Storage Array . Cabling the Storage Array .
book.book Page 4 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Silent Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling Premium Features (Optional) . . . . . . . . . Upgrading PowerVault MD Storage Software 4 Post Installation Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verifying Storage Array Discovery Initial Setup Tasks . 5 . . . . . 22 23 . . . . . . . . . . . 24 24 Uninstalling MD Storage Software . . . . Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Linux . A Appendix—Load Balancing . 27 . .
book.book Page 5 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Installing and Removing Fibre Channel Cables . . . . . 36 C Appendix—Hardware Cabling Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Handling Static-Sensitive Components . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Host Cabling for Remote Replication Cabling for Performance . Single-Controller and Dual-Controller Topologies Labeling Cables . . . 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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book.book Page 7 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM 1 Introduction NOTE: Throughout the document, Dell PowerVault MD3600f series storage array refers to both Dell PowerVault MD3600f and Dell PowerVault MD3620f. This guide provides information about deploying Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f storage arrays.
book.book Page 8 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM • Display resolution of 1024x768 with 16 million colors (1280x1024 32-bit recommended) • Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. NOTE: Operating system installations can be either native or hypervisior guest configurations. NOTE: Supported hypervisors include Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer, and VMware. For information about the supported versions, see the Support Matrix at support.dell.com/manuals.
book.book Page 9 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Unconfigured capacity comprises physical disks not already assigned to a disk group. When a virtual disk is created using unconfigured capacity, a disk group is automatically created. If the only virtual disk in a disk group is deleted, the disk group is also deleted. Free capacity is space in a disk group that is not assigned to any virtual disk. Data is written to the physical disks in the storage array using RAID technology.
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book.book Page 11 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM 2 Hardware Installation Before using this guide, ensure that you review the instructions in the: • Getting Started Guide—The Getting Started Guide that shipped with the storage array provides information to configure the initial setup of the system. • Planning section of the Owner’s Manual—The planning section provides information about important concepts you should know before setting up your storage solution. See the Owner’s Manual at support.dell.
book.book Page 12 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Connecting the Storage Array The storage array is connected to a host using two hot-swappable RAID controller modules. The RAID controller modules are identified as RAID controller module 0 and RAID controller module 1. Each RAID controller module has four FCIN (host) port connectors that provide FC connections to the host or node. Each RAID controller module also contains an Ethernet management port and a SAS Out port connector.
book.book Page 13 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Redundancy is established by installing separate data paths between the host and the storage array, in which each path is to one of the two RAID controller modules installed in the storage array. Redundancy protects the host from losing access to data in the event of path failure, because both RAID controller modules can access all the disks in the storage array.
book.book Page 14 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM 2 Upgrade the expansion enclosure firmware to the latest version available at support.dell.com while the enclosure is still attached to the PERC H800 controller. Windows systems users can reference the DUP.exe package and Linux kernel users can reference the DUP.bin package. 3 Ensure that the storage array software is installed and up to date before adding the expansion enclosure(s). For more information, see the Support Matrix at support.dell.
book.book Page 15 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM c • If the status LEDs are blinking amber, there is an error that can be viewed using the PowerVault MDSM. • If the status LEDs are solid blue, the storage array is ready. When the storage array is online and ready, turn on any attached host systems. 7 After the PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosure is configured as an expansion enclosure of the storage array, restore the data that was backed up in step 1.
book.book Page 16 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM a Stop all I/O to the storage array and turn off affected host systems attached to the storage array. b Turn off the storage array. c Turn off any expansion enclosure(s) in the affected system. 3 Cable the expansion enclosure(s) to the storage array. 4 Turn on attached units: a Turn on the expansion enclosure(s). Wait for the enclosure status LED to turn blue.
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book.book Page 19 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Installing MD Storage Software 3 The PowerVault MD series resource media contains software and drivers for both Linux and Microsoft Windows operating systems. The root of the media contains a readme.txt file covering changes to the software, updates, fixes, patches, and other important data applicable to both Linux and Windows operating systems. The readme.
book.book Page 20 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM • Silent Installation—This installation procedure is useful for users that prefer to create scripted installations. Installing Host Bus Adapters and Drivers NOTE: Ensure that you read the Configuring Fibre Channel With the Dell MD3600f Series Storage Array document before continuing with this procedure. 1 Install the host bus adapters (HBAs). 2 Connect the cables. 3 Install the HBA drivers and the operating system HBA patches/hotfixes.
book.book Page 21 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM • Management—Installs the management software and hardware providers. • Custom—Allows you to select specific components. 5 Select the PowerVault MD storage array model(s) you are setting up to serve as data storage for this host server. 6 Choose whether to start the event monitor service automatically when the host server reboots or manually. NOTE: This option is applicable only to Windows client software installation.
book.book Page 22 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Silent Installation To run silent installation on a Windows system: 1 Copy the custom_silent.properties file in the /windows folder of the installation media or image to a writable location on the host server. 2 Modify the custom_silent.properties file to reflect the features, models and installation options to be used. Then, save the file. 3 Once the custom_silent.
book.book Page 23 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Post Installation Tasks 4 Before using the Dell PowerVault storage array for the first time, complete these initial configuration tasks in the order shown. These tasks are performed using the MD Storage Manager (MDSM) software. 1 For out-of-band management, you must set the network configuration for each RAID controller module, including its Internet Protocol (IP) address, subnetwork mask (subnet mask), and gateway.
book.book Page 24 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Verifying Storage Array Discovery The Automatic Discovery option automatically discovers both in-band and out-of-band arrays and adds the storage arrays to the management domain. If the out-of-band or in-band connections shown on the summary page are not accurate, complete the following steps. For more information, see the Online Help. 1 Check the hardware and connections for possible problems.
book.book Page 25 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM NOTE: Before configuring the storage array, check the status icons on the Device pane to ensure that the enclosures in the storage array are in an Optimal status. For more information on the status icons, see the Owner’s Manual at support.dell.com/manuals. Table 4-1. Initial Setup Tasks Dialog Box Task Purpose Rename the storage array To provide a more meaningful name than the software-assigned label, Unnamed.
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book.book Page 27 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM 5 Uninstalling MD Storage Software Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Windows Use the Change/Remove Program feature to uninstall the Modular Disk Storage Software (MDSM) from Microsoft Windows operating systems other than Microsoft Windows Server 2008: 1 Double-click Add or Remove Programs from the Control Panel. 2 Select Dell MD32xxi storage software from the list of programs. 3 Click Change/Remove. The Uninstall Complete window is displayed.
book.book Page 28 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM NOTE: By default, MD Storage Manager is installed in the \Program Files\Dell\MD Storage Software directory. If another directory was used during installation, navigate to that directory before beginning the uninstallation procedure. 2 From the installation directory, type the following command and press : Uninstall Modular Disk Storage 3 From the Uninstall window, click Next and follow the instructions on the screen.
book.book Page 29 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Appendix—Load Balancing A Windows Load Balance Policy Multi-path drivers select the I/O path to a virtual disk through a specific RAID controller module. When the multi-path driver receives a new I/O, the driver tries to find a path to the current RAID controller module that owns the virtual disk. If that path cannot be found, the multi-path driver migrates the virtual disk ownership to the secondary RAID controller module.
book.book Page 30 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Least Queue Depth With Subset The least queue depth with subset policy is also known as the least I/Os, or least requests, policy. This policy routes the next I/O request to a data path that has the least outstanding I/O requests queued. For this policy, an I/O request is simply a command in the queue. The type of command or the number of blocks that are associated with the command are not considered.
book.book Page 31 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Changing the Load Balance Policy Using the Windows Server 2008 Disk Management Options 1 From the host desktop, right-click My Computer and select Manage to open the Computer Management window. 2 Click Disk Management to show the list of virtual disks attached to the host. 3 Right-click the virtual disk on which you want to set the load balance policy, then click Properties.
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book.book Page 33 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM B Appendix—Working With SFP Modules and Fiber Optic Cables Each storage controller can have up to four FC host ports. A small-form-factor pluggable (SFP) module is used to connect a host port to a host or switch. The SFP module is inserted into the port, and then a fiber optic cable is inserted into the SFP module. The other end of the fiber optic cable is connected to an optical interface connector either in a FC HBA on a host or a switch.
book.book Page 34 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM • You must install the SFP module into a port before you connect the fiber optic cable. • You must remove the fiber optic cable from the SFP module before you remove the SFP module from the port. CAUTION: When handling static-sensitive devices, take precautions to avoid damaging the product from static electricity. Installing and Removing SFP Modules To install SFP modules: 1 If all the FC IN ports have an SFP module installed, go to step 5.
book.book Page 35 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM To remove SFP modules: 1 Remove the FC cable from the SFP module. See "Installing and Removing Fibre Channel Cables" on page 36. NOTE: To avoid damaging the cable or the SFP module, disconnect the FC cable before removing the SFP module. 2 Unlock the SFP module latch. For SFP modules that contain wire tabs, unlock the SFP module latch by pulling the wire latch outward 90°. 3 With the SFP module latch in the unlocked position, remove the SFP module.
book.book Page 36 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM Installing and Removing Fibre Channel Cables WARNING: Data processing environments can contain equipment transmitting on system links with laser modules that operate at greater than Class 1 power levels. Never look into the end of an optical fiber cable or open receptacle. Before installing an FC cable, see "Guidelines for Using Fiber Optic Cables" on page 35.
book.book Page 37 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM C Appendix—Hardware Cabling Best Practices Handling Static-Sensitive Components Static electricity can damage memory modules, system boards, and other static-sensitive components. To prevent damaging the system, follow these precautions: • Move and store all components in the static-protective packaging. • Place components on a grounded surface before removing them from their static-protective packaging.
book.book Page 38 Friday, September 9, 2011 11:26 PM NOTE: If Remote Replication is activated, host port 3 on each RAID controller module is dedicated for the communication that occurs between the two storage arrays (primary and secondary virtual disks). If the Remote Replication premium feature is not being used, these host ports are available for ordinary host connections.
