Dell FluidFS NAS Solutions Administrator's Guide
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. © 2012 Dell Inc.
Contents Notes, Cautions, and Warnings...................................................................................................2 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................11 Terms Used In The Document................................................................................................................................11 Dell FluidFS NAS Solutions Architecture................................
3 Using Volumes Shares And Quotas.......................................................................................25 NAS Volumes..........................................................................................................................................................25 Usage Considerations......................................................................................................................................25 Solution 1......................................................
Restoring A NAS Volume From A Snapshot.....................................................................................................41 Replication..............................................................................................................................................................41 Replication Partners.........................................................................................................................................42 NAS Replication Policies..............
Viewing Local Groups......................................................................................................................................58 Adding A Local Group......................................................................................................................................58 Deleting A Local Group....................................................................................................................................59 Authentication...........................
Configuring Advanced Options........................................................................................................................69 Configuring SNMP..................................................................................................................................................69 6 Troubleshooting.........................................................................................................................71 Troubleshooting CIFS Issues...........................
Replication Destination Volume Is Detached...................................................................................................83 Replication Disconnection...............................................................................................................................83 Replication Incompatible Versions..................................................................................................................83 Replication Internal Error.....................................
Troubleshooting Dell NAS Initial Deployment Utility (IDU) Issues.........................................................................97 Error Received While Running The Dell NAS Initial Deployment Utility..........................................................97 Cannot Launch Dell NAS Initial Deployment Utility (IDU) ...............................................................................98 7 Maintaining The NAS Cluster Solution..................................................................
NDMP...................................................................................................................................................................115 Replication............................................................................................................................................................115 10 Getting Help............................................................................................................................117 Contacting Dell...........
1 Introduction The Dell FluidFS network attached storage (NAS) solution is a high-availability storage solution. The solution aggregates multiple NAS controllers in a cluster and presents them to UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows clients as one virtual file server. Terms Used In The Document Term Description Backup Power Supply Provides back up battery power in the event of a power loss.
Term Description Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) Network Data Management Protocol used for backup and restore. Peer controller The peer NAS controller with which a specific NAS controller is paired in a FluidFS NAS solution. PowerVault MD3xx0i Refers to the Dell PowerVault MD3200i, MD3220i, MD3600i, MD3620i iSCSI storage solutions. Storage Center Series 40 or SC8000 Compellent Storage center solutions, containing at least one fibre channel HBA for FluidFS connectivity.
Figure 1. FluidFS NAS Cluster Solution Architecture NOTE: Dell Compellent FS8600 NAS solution uses an additional Interconnect network, which is not represented in this illustration. Key Features The NAS cluster solution: • • • • • • • Helps administrators expand existing capacity and improve performance when needed, without impacting the applications or users. Provides administrative functions for storage administrators who perform day-to-day system operations and storage management.
• Is capable of providing user-accessible Point-In-Time snapshots. • Is capable of sharing files with Microsoft Windows, Linux, UNIX, and Mac users. • Offers flexible, automated online replication and disaster recovery. • Features built-in performance monitoring and capacity planning. NAS Cluster Solution Views You can access the NAS cluster solution as a client or an administrator depending on the access privileges you have.
The file system uses the cache efficiently to provide fast and reliable writes and reads. Writing or modifying files occurs first in the cache. Data is then mirrored to the peer controller’s cache. This feature ensures that all transactions are duplicated and secured. Each controller is equipped with an internal BPS, which provides continuous power to the controllers for a minimum of five minutes in case of power failure.
Other Information You May Need WARNING: See the safety and regulatory information that shipped with your system. Warranty information may be included within this document or as a separate document. • The Getting Started Guide provides an overview of setting up your system and technical specifications. • The Owner's Manual provides information about solution features and describes how to troubleshoot the system and install or replace system components.
Monitoring The FluidFS NAS Solution 2 NOTE: The information in this chapter refers to file management using the NAS Manager. Block management and monitoring is done using: • Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Management (MDSM) for the Dell PowerVault NX3500/NX3600/ NX3610 NAS solution • Enterprise Manager for Dell Compellent FS8600 NAS solution You can monitor the status of the NAS solution using the Monitor tab in the NAS Manager.
Recent Performance The Recent Performance section displays a graph of the read-write throughput over the last 30 minutes. Load Balancing The Load Balancing section displays a table with real-time information about the controller’s status, processor utilization, and the number of connections for each controller. Events Viewer The Events Viewer enables you to monitor your Fluid File System by displaying both informative and major events within your system.
• Client Network Throughput—Write • Operations Per Second • Network Aggregated Throughput NOTE: For more information on Network Performance Over Time, see the Online Help. Load Balancing You can view the following load balancing details: • Over Time • Client Connections • CIFS Connections Viewing Load Balancing Over Time 1. Select Monitor → Load Balancing → Over Time. The Load Balancing Over Time page is displayed.
The Client Connections page is displayed. By default, the Clients tab displays a list of all the client connections. 2. Select the appropriate filters in the Protocols and Controller lists. The client connections table displays the events depending on the parameters selected. 3. To sort the client connections, click the column headings of the client connections table.
1. Select Monitor → Load Balancing → Client Connections. The Client Connections page is displayed. By default, the Clients tab displays a list of all the client connections. 2. Click Migration Policy. The Migration Policy page is displayed. 3. For each Protocol, select the appropriate migration policy for the Client Network. 4. Click Save Changes. Managing CIFS Connections You can view current CIFS Connections in the CIFS Connections page. To manage CIFS connections: 1.
Appliance and Controller numbers start at 0. Appliance0 contains Controller0 and Controller1, Appliance1 contains Controller2 and Controller3, and so on. To identify the physical hardware, you must click ApplianceX and match the Service Tag shown in the popup window with the Service Tag printed on a sticker on the front right ear of the appliance.
NDMP You can view the status and progress of the NDMP active jobs in the NDMP Active Jobs page.
Using Volumes Shares And Quotas 3 The User Access tab enables you to define and manage the Dell Fluid File System from the client perspective. NAS Volumes A NAS volume is a subset of the storage pool, with specific policies controlling its space allocation, data protection, and security style. NAS volumes can be created and configured. Administrators can either create one large NAS volume consuming the entire NAS Pool or multiple NAS volumes.
• Quotas — Quotas are also defined per NAS volume. Different quota policies can be applied to different NAS volumes, allowing the administrator to focus on managing quotas when it is appropriate. Some of the usage examples are copy operations, list operations, and move operations. The following table provides an example of an organization that has various departments and how NAS volumes can be created.
Solution 3 NAS volumes can also be created based on the feature. The disadvantage of this solution is that user mapping is required. A user needs to choose one security style, either NTFS or UNIX, and based on the security style chosen the correct mapping for other users is set. Managing NAS Volumes You can view the current status of all NAS volumes, add new NAS volumes, and remove or modify existing NAS volumes. Adding A NAS Volume To add a NAS volume: 1.
3. Change the parameters as required and click Save Changes. NOTE: If you change the allocated space for the NAS volume, the new allocation is bound by its used space (minimum) and the available space in NAS cluster solution (maximum). Removing A NAS Volume The selected NAS volume is deleted. The space used by the deleted NAS volume is reclaimed in the background.
NOTE: Other users are identified as guests. 7. Define the client machines that are allowed to access this NFS export. Select one of the following options: – All Client Machines. – A Single Client Machine—You must enter the IP or Domain Name for the client. – All Client Machines in a Specific Network—You must enter the IP Address and Netmask for the clients. NOTE: For example, if you want to grant access to all members of the 192.10.x.x/16 subnet, with netmask 255.255.0.0, enter 192.10.0.
To mount an NFS export folder on a NAS volume, from a shell on a client system, use the su command to log in as root and run the following command: mount -o hard,tcp,nfsvers=3,timeo=3,retrans=10,rsize=32768,wsize=32768 :/ For backward compatibility with FluidFS version 1, an NFS export on the default NAS volume can also be mount by: mount -o hard,tcp,nfsvers=3,timeo=3,retrans=10,rsize=32768,wsize=32768 :/
The Add CIFS Share page is displayed. By default the General tab is selected. 3. From the NAS Volume list, select the appropriate NAS volume. 4. To set up a directory that can be accessed by all users, select General-access Share. a) In Share name, enter the CIFS share name. b) In Directory, enter the path to the directory you want to export or click the Browse button, and navigate to the appropriate directory. c) Select Create the exported directory if it does not exist, if the directory does not exist.
Modifying A CIFS Share After you determine whether a CIFS share is a general access directory or user-based directory, you cannot change this setting. To modify the parameters of a specific CIFS share: 1. Click User Access → Shares → CIFS Shares. The CIFS Share page is displayed. 2. From the list of available CIFS share, under the Share column, click the relevant CIFS share. The Edit CIFS Share page for the selected CIFS share is displayed. By default, the General tab is selected. 3.
This is the account that creates the folders (either using a user create script or manually) for each users home share. 6. Disconnect or unmount the user share, and remount it as an account that has ownership of it, as previously set (as a Domain Admin, Storage Admin, or specific account ownership was set to). 7. In the NAS Manager, create a new CIFS share, and select the share type CIFS share containing a user-based directory tree. 8.
Setting ACLs Or SLPs On A CIFS Share The first time a CIFS share is created, the owner of the share must be changed before setting any ACLs or attempting to access this share. If the NAS cluster solution is joined to an Active Directory domain, the following methods can be used for setting ACLs: • Using an Active Directory domain account that has its primary group set as the Domain Admins group. • Mapping a network drive to the CIFS share where ACLs are intended to be set.
\\\ 3. Click OK. The Explorer window is displayed. Option 3 1. Open Windows Explorer and choose Tools → Map Network Drive. The Map Network Drive dialog box is displayed. 2. From the Drive drop-down list, select any available drive. 3. Type the path in the Folder field or browse to the shared folder. 4. Click Finish. Option 4 NOTE: This option lets you connect to the share but not map to it. 1.
Access Based Share Enumeration In the v2 release of the Dell Fluid File System, SLP access based share enumeration is enabled by default. The result is that when Share Level Permissions (SLP) are not given, users and groups are not presented the share. If a certain user or group does not have Share Permissions for a particular share, when the NAS cluster is accessed directly at \\, the share will not be presented at all in the list of available shares.
NOTE: When this limit is exceeded, a warning message is sent to the administrator’s e-mail address. This default is used for users for whom an individual quota is not defined. 7. Click Save Changes. Managing User Or Group Specific Quotas Viewing Existing User/Group Specific Quotas To view the details for a specific user or group quota: 1. Select User Access → Quota → User/Group. The User/Group Quota page is displayed. 2.
The User/Group Quota page is displayed. 2. From the NAS Volume list, select the appropriate NAS volume. The User/Group Quota table displays the list of available User/Group Quotas for the selected NAS volume. 3. From the list of available User/Group Quotas, under the Name/ID column, click the relevant User/Group Quota. 4. Modify the quota rules as desired and click Save Changes. The Edit Quota page is displayed. Deleting A Quota To delete a quota rule: 1. Select User Access → Quota → User/Group. 2.
Protecting Data On The FluidFS NAS Cluster Solution 4 Data protection is an important and integral part of any storage infrastructure. You can configure various methods for protecting the data in your Dell Fluid File System, including: • Snapshots • Replication • System Restore from Backup • Backup Agent Configuration Snapshots Snapshot technology creates a point in time backup of the data that resides on a volume. There are various policies that can be set for creating a snapshot.
7. Select Weekly to take Snapshots on a weekly basis. a) From the On list, select which day and at what time the snapshot is generated. b) Enter the Number of snapshots to keep. 8. Click Save Changes. Creating A Snapshot (Without A Policy) 1. Select Data Protection → Snapshots → List. The Snapshots List page displays the list of existing snapshots. By default, snapshots for all the NAS volumes is displayed. 2. Click Create. The Create Snapshot page is displayed. 3.
Restoring Data You can restore data in two ways: • Copying and pasting: Individual file restores. If you have accidentally deleted or modified a file and would like to restore it, access the snapshot directory located in the current NFS Export or Share, find the requested snapshot (according to its time of creation) and copy the file to its original location. This method is useful for the day-to-day restore activities of individual files. • Restoring a NAS Volume from a Snapshot.
Fast backup and restore Maintain full copies of data for protection against data loss, corruption, or user mistakes. Disaster recovery Mirror data to remote locations for failover. Remote data access Applications can access mirrored data in read-only or read-write mode. Online data migration Minimize downtime associated with data migration. Replication leverages the snapshot technology in the NAS cluster solution file system. After the first replication, only deltas are replicated.
Figure 3. Partner Replication Viewing Existing Replication Partners You can view a list of the replication partners. To view the replication partners trusted by the selected system, select Data Protection → Replication → Replication Partners, the Replication Partners screen displays the list of existing replication partner names. Setting Up a Replication Partner On the remote system, the source system now becomes a partner as well. This is a bi-directional replication trust.
The Edit Replication Partner page is displayed. 3. In Remote NAS management VIP, change the VIP address as required. 4. In User name and Password, change the admin credentials as required. 5. Click Save Changes. Removing A Replication Partner You can remove a system's replication partner by deleting it from the replication partner list. When deleting a replication partner, ensure that both systems are up and running. If one of the systems is down or unreachable, a warning message is displayed.
5. In Destination NAS volume, enter the destination NAS volume or click the Browse button and select the appropriate NAS volume. 6. Select one of the following recovery point schedule options: 7. – Replicate every hour after – Replicate every day at – Replicate every week on – Replicate on demand (not scheduled) Click Save Changes. Modifying Replication Policies 1. Select Data Protection → Replication → NAS Replication.
NOTE: If the replication policy is deleted from the target volume’s system, a warning is issued and the policy must be deleted from the source system as well. To delete the replication policy: 1. Select Data Protection → Replication → NAS Replication. The NAS Replication page displays a list of existing NAS replication policies. 2. From the list of existing NAS volumes, select the appropriate NAS volume and click Delete.
NOTE: FluidFS 1.1 supports auto generate target volume during addition of the replication policy. For FluidFS 1.0, you must create the target volumes in cluster B and make sure that the volume size is big enough to accommodate the corresponding source volume data in cluster A. 4. Start the replication scheduler to ensure that at least one successful replication has occurred for all the source volumes in cluster A. If the replication fails, fix the problems encountered and restart the replication process.
Ensure that the DNS server on cluster B is the same as the DNS server or in the same DNS farm as the DNS server of cluster A. Existing client connections may break and may need to be re-established. You must unmount and remount the NFS Exports on the client. b) Join AD server or LDAP/NIS. Ensure that the AD and LDAP are in the same AD/LDAP farm or same server. Phase 3—Restore Cluster A Fail Back From Cluster B To Cluster A 1.
b) Join AD server or LDAP/NIS. Ensure that the AD and LDAP are in the same AD/LDAP farm or same server. 10. Build up replication structure between source cluster A and backup cluster B, to set up replication policy between cluster A and cluster B, use cluster B volumes as replication target volumes, to prepare for next disaster recover. Backing Up And Restoring Data NOTE: It is recommended that you back up your data at regular intervals.
Enabling NDMP Support NDMP backups are performed using the client network. The DMA must be configured to access one of the client VIPs (or a DNS name) of the NAS cluster. NOTE: Before enabling the NDMP support, a client VIP must be configured on the system. Verify if the client VIP is configure by selecting System Management → Network → Subnets and verifying if the Primary subnet is set. To enable NDMP support: 1. Select Data Protection → NDMP → NDMP Configuration. The NDMP Configuration page is displayed.
The NDMP Configuration page is displayed. 2. If no empty DMA server fields are available, click Add DMA server. An additional DMA server field is added. 3. In the empty DMA server, enter the IP address of the DMA server. NOTE: DNS names are not supported. 4. Click Save Changes. Removing DMA Servers To remove a DMA server from the list: 1. Select Data Protection → NDMP → NDMP Configuration. The NDMP Configuration page is displayed. 2. Select the appropriate DMA server and click Remove DMA Server.
Viewing Existing Antivirus Hosts To view the antivirus hosts defined for the system, select Data Protection → Antivirus → Antivirus Hosts, the Antivirus Hosts page displays the details of the antivirus hosts already defined, its IP address (or name), and the ICAP port. Adding Antivirus Hosts It is recommended to define multiple antivirus hosts to achieve high-availability of virus scanning, and reduce the latencies for file access.
Managing The FluidFS NAS Solution 5 You can view and set general system information, configure the file system and network parameters and set the required protocols through the Cluster Management tab. In addition, you can also configure the authentication settings. To access the Cluster Management options, launch the NAS Manager. Click the Cluster Management tab. The General Information page is displayed. Managing The System You can perform management operations on the cluster using the NAS Manager.
3. In Subnet name, enter a relevant name for the subnet. 4. From the Physical network list, select the relevant network. 5. In Subnet mask, enter the subnet mask address. 6. Specify the VLAN ID for the subnet, if applicable. NOTE: When a VLAN spans multiple switches, the VLAN ID is used to specify which ports and interfaces to send broadcast packets to. 7. In Management console VIP, enter the IP address for the system management console. 8.
Adding An Administrator When defining an administrator, you specify the administrator permission level. Permission levels are predefined in the system. The defined permission levels are as follows: • Administrator • View only The permission level defines the set of actions that are allowed by the user at this level. To add an administrator: 1. In the NAS Manager, select Cluster Management → General → Administrators. The Administrators page is displayed. 2. Click Add.
Changing The Administrator Password WARNING: For Dell Compellent FS8600, if you change the administrator password, the connection between the Enterprise Manager and cluster fails. To re-establish the connection between Enterprise Manager and the cluster, in Enterprise Manager, click Reconnect to FluidFS Cluster after changing the admin password. 1. Select Cluster Management → General → Administrators. The Administrators page displays the list of currently defined administrators. 2.
Viewing Local Users To view the list of existing users, select Cluster Management → Authentication → Local Users, the Local User page displays the list of existing users. Adding Local Users 1. Select Cluster Management → Authentication → Local Users. The Local Users page is displayed. 2. Click Add. The Add User page is displayed. By default, the General tab of the Add User page is displayed. 3. In User name, enter the local user's name. 4.
7. In Remarks, enter comments about the user (optional). 8. Click Save Changes. Deleting Local Users 1. Select Cluster Management → Authentication → Local Users. The Local User page displays a list of existing local users. 2. From the list of existing users, select the user name and click Delete. Changing The Password You can change the password of a local user from the Edit User page. To change the password of a local storage user: 1. Select Cluster Management → Authentication → Local Users.
3. In Group Name, enter the name of the group. 4. In Group ID, enter the identification number of the group. NOTE: Dell Fluid File System groups have ID numbers above 200. NOTE: The group is automatically assigned the next available identification number. You can modify it if required. 5. Click Save Changes. Deleting A Local Group 1. Select Cluster Management → Authentication → Local Groups. The Local Groups page displays a list of existing local groups. 2.
4. 5. In any blank NIS server, enter the name or IP address of the NIS server. To add an NIS server for redundancy purposes, click Add NIS server . An additional NIS server is displayed in the list of NIS servers. 6. To remove an NIS server from the list, select the NIS server that you want to delete and click Delete NIS server(s). 7. Click OK when prompted to accept the changes. 8. Click Save Changes. Enabling User Authentication Through An LDAP Database 1.
The System Identity page is displayed. This page shows the current configuration and whether the NAS cluster solution is already joined to an Active Directory domain. 2. In System name, enter the system name. This name identifies the Dell Fluid File System in alerts that the system sends and is also the default name for the Dell Fluid File System when you configure Active Directory. 3.
• Belongs to some of the LAN or Client subnets, in which case some clients are flat and some are routed. In such network configurations it is recommended to use both methods described above, and inform the users about the VIPs they need to use, depending on whether they are flat or routed. It is recommended to define an entry in the DNS for every subnet that the system belongs to, so that clients can access the data without remembering the VIPs.
The solution is to define, in addition to a default gateway, a specific gateway for certain subnets–configuring static routes. To do this you must describe each subnet in your network and identify the most suitable gateway to access that subnet. You do not have to do so for the entire network - a default gateway is most suitable when performance is not an issue. You can select when and where to use static routes to best meet your performance needs.
Viewing Static Routes Select Cluster Management → Network Management → Static Routes, the Static Routes page displays the list of currently defined static routes. Adding Static Routes When defining a static route, you must specify the subnet properties and the gateway through which to access this subnet. 1. Select Cluster Management → Network Management → Static Routes. The Static Routes page is displayed. 2. Click Add. The Add Static Routes page is displayed. 3.
Configuring CIFS Parameters The CIFS Protocol Configuration enables Windows users to connect to the NAS cluster solution system. You can also enable Linux users to access the system using the CIFS protocol, and authenticate them through NIS, LDAP or the NAS cluster solution local users. In the General tab you can choose whether you want the users to be authenticated using the Active Directory domain, or an internal user database. You can also enable or disable the use of the CIFS protocol.
5. Click Save Changes. This restarts all user connections. Configuring System Time Parameters You can configure the system's time clock, determine how to automatically update time using an NTP server, and configure the time zone for your system on this page. Synchronizing the time clock is critical for the proper functioning of the system. This enables: • Windows clients to mount the system. • Scheduled activities, such as snapshot and replication tasks, to occur at the appropriate time.
Synchronizing The NAS Cluster Solution With A Local NTP Server Network Time Protocol (NTP) helps in synchronizing and coordinating time distribution. The NTP server helps in synchronizing the clocks over the network. If the system is not part of a Windows network, configure it to synchronize with a local NTP server (if such a server exists), or with an NTP server on the Internet. However if the system is part of a windows network, the AD can serve as the NTP server.
The feature(s) from the license file are displayed on the licensing screen after the system validates the file and refreshes the screen. 1. Select Cluster Management → General → Licensing. The Licensed Features page displays a list of installed licenses. 2. From the list of installed licenses, select the appropriate feature and click Delete License for feature.
Modifying An SMTP Server Configuration 1. Select Cluster Management → Monitoring Configuration → Email Configuration. 2. From the list of existing SMTP servers, under SMTP server, click the appropriate SMTP server. The Email Configuration page displays a list of existing SMTP servers. The Edit SMTP server page is displayed. 3. In SMTP server, enter the updated IP address or name of the e-mail server. 4. In Description, enter the updated description of the server. 5.
The SNMP Configuration page is displayed. By default, the Properties tab is selected. 2. In System contact, enter a name for the required contact person. 3. In System location, enter a description for the location of the system. 4. In Read community, enter the SNMP community for devices reading SNMP variables from Dell Fluid File System or use the default value. 5.
6 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting CIFS Issues Misconfigured AV Host Settings Result In Access Denied To CIFS files Description The Dell NAS cluster solution supports antivirus scans on a per CIFS share basis. When a file on a share is opened by a client application the NAS cluster solution sends the file to an antivirus host to be scanned. If no antivirus host is available, access to the file and to the whole share, is inhibited.
Workaround Check the current ACL setting in the Windows client. Redefine the ACLs for the files by using a Windows client the same way you initially defined it. Verify that you set the ACL's as the owner of the files, directories, and shares. In case you cannot redefine your ACLs since you currently do not have permissions, perform the following steps: 1. Restore the files from snapshots or backup. 2.
CIFS Connection Failure Description CIFS client share access denied. Cause The user is unknown in the Active Directory server, and the NAS system mapped this user to a guest user. If the share does not allow guest access, the user receives an access denied alert. Workaround Ensure that the user is listed in the Active Directory server the NAS is using. Alternatively, you can remove the guest limitation for the share.
It could be that the application which opened the file did not shut down gracefully. It is recommended to reboot the client if possible. CIFS Guest Account Invalid Description CIFS service cannot start. Cause A valid CIFS guest account is required for CIFS functionality. Workaround Configure the system guest account with a valid account. CIFS Locking Inconsistency Description CIFS service is interrupted due to CIFS interlocking issues. Cause CIFS client interlocking scenarios.
Workaround List the available NAS shares and verify that all shares are displayed and nothing has changed unintentionally. Verify that you can access the problematic share using a Windows client: 1. Click Run. 2. Enter the client access VIP and share name: \ \\ CIFS Path Share Not Found Description Cause Client accessed a share which refers to an inexistent directory in the NAS container. • • Workaround The NAS system is restored from a backup or remote replication.
Workaround In order to write to this volume, replication must be detached first. Refer the user to the correct location. Troubleshooting NFS Issues Cannot Mount NFS Export Description When attempting to mount an NFS export, the mount command fails due to various reasons such as: • • • • • Cause • • • • • • • Workaround Permission denied. appliance not responding due to port mapper failure - RPC timed out or input/output error. appliance not responding due to program not registered. Access denied.
• • Check the network connection by trying to NFS mount from some other system. Verify if other users experience the same problem. If the appliance is not responding due to the program not registered, check if the port mapper on your client is up. If the issue is due to access denied: • Get a list of the appliance exported file systems using the command: showmount -e • Check the system name or netgroup name is not in the user list for the file system.
If the access is non-native, translation rules come to effect and it is recommended to contact Dell Technical Support. NFS Insecure Access To Secure Export Description User tries to access a secure export from an insecure port. Cause Secure export requirement means that the accessing clients must use a well-known port (below 1024), which usually means that they must be root (uid=0) on the client.
Workaround Repeat the below process for each configured NIS server, each time leaving just a single NIS used, starting with the problematic NIS server. 1. Inspect the NIS/LDAP server logs and see if the reason for the error is reported in the logs. 2. Network test: 3. Try pinging the NAS from a client located in the same subnet as the NIS/LDAP server. 4. Try pinging the NIS/LDAP server from a client located in the same subnet as the NAS. 5.
c. Remove the export and communicate this to the client. 3. List all available exports on the NAS and identify the problematic export. It must have an indication that it is not accessible. 4. Delete the export or create the directory where the export points to. NFS Owner Restricted Operation Description NFS client is not permitted to perform the requested action to the specific file. Cause NFS user attempted a chmod or chgrp operation while not being the owner of the file.
NFS Access Denied To A File Or Directory Description User cannot access the NFS file or directory despite the fact that the user belongs to the group owning the NFS object and the group members are permitted to perform the operation. Cause NFS servers (versions 2 and 3) use the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) protocol for authentication of NFS clients. Most RPC clients have a limitation, by design, of up to 16 groups passed to the NFS server.
Replication Destination FS Is Busy Description Replication between the source NAS volume and the destination NAS volume fails because the destination cluster file system is temporarily unavailable to serve the required replication. Cause Replication task fails because the destination cluster is temporarily unavailable to serve the required replication. Workaround The replication continues automatically when the file system releases part of the resources.
Workaround The replication continues automatically when the space is available. The administrators must verify that the replication automatically continues after a period of time (an hour). Replication Destination Volume Is Detached Description Replication between the NAS source volume and the NAS destination volume fails because the NAS destination volume is detached from the NAS source volume.
Replication Jumbo Frames Blocked Description Replication between the NAS source volume and NAS destination volume fails because the jumbo frames are blocked over the network. Cause Replication task fails because jumbo frames are blocked over the network. Workaround The administrator must verify that the network configuration between the source cluster and the destination cluster has enabled transferring jumbo frames across the switches or routers.
Replication Source Is Not Optimal Description Replication between the source and the destination NAS volumes fails because the file system of the source NAS volume is not optimal. Cause Replication fails since the file system of the source is not optimal. Workaround The administrator must check the file system status of source system, using the monitoring section in the NAS Manager, to understand why the file system is not optimal.
Active Directory Authentication Description A valid Active Directory user fails to authenticate. Cause Probable causes may be: • • • • Workaround The user is trying to authenticate using a wrong password. The user is locked or disabled in Active Directory. Active Directory domain controllers are offline or unreachable. System clock and Active Directory clock are out of sync. 1. Check the NAS cluster solution system event log in the NAS Manager for errors. 2.
7. Ensure that you select Authenticate users' identity via Active Directory and local users database. Troubleshooting NAS File Access And Permissions Issues Cannot Change The Ownership Of A File Or A Folder Description Every file on the NAS system is owned by either a UNIX or NTFS user. Inability to change ownership is treated differently, depending on whether the access is native or non-native. Cause The user is not authorized to perform the ownership change.
Problematic SMB Access From A Linux Client Description A Linux/UNIX client is trying to mount a NAS cluster solution share using SMB (using /etc/fstab or directly using smbmount). A Linux/UNIX client is trying to access the file system using the smbclient command, such as: smbclient /// -U user %password -c ls Workaround It is recommended that you use the NFS protocol interfaces to access the NAS cluster solution FluidFS systems from Linux/UNIX clients. To workaround this issue: 1.
Specific Subnet Clients Cannot Access The NAS Cluster Solution Description Users (new or old), accessing from specific network(s), cannot access the NAS cluster solution. Cause This issue is due to a conflict between the users' subnet addresses and the NAS system internal network's address. The NAS system routes the response packets to the wrong network. Workaround 1. Check the internal network addresses of the NAS system and verify if there is a conflict with the problematic client network addresses.
Troubleshooting RX And TX Pause Warning Messages Description The following warning messages may be displayed when the NAS Manager reports connectivity in a Not Optimal state: Rx_pause for eth(x) on node 1 is off. Tx_pause for eth(x) on node 1 is off. Cause Flow control is not enabled on the switch(es) connected to a NAS cluster solution controller. Workaround See the switch vendor's documentation to enable flow control on the switch(es).
• Workaround There are network problems communicating with the NTP server. 1. Identify the NAS NTP server from the System Configuration/ Time Configuration page. Record the host name(s) or IP address(es) for further reference. 2. If no NTP server is defined, define one. It is recommended synchronizing the NAS system clock with the NTP server used by the Active Directory Domain Controller (ADDC). This avoids time difference issues and possible authentication problems.
Workaround • • If Java script is disabled, enable Java script. For information about enabling Java script, see the browser's help. If IE SEC is enabled, disable it. Troubleshooting Backup Issues Troubleshooting Snapshots Description Taking and deleting snapshots fail. Cause Probable causes may be: • • • • • Workaround • • • • • • There are many client I/O requests waiting to be serviced, including a request to remove a large directory.
Workaround If the backup application cannot connect to a NAS appliance: 1. Log in to the NAS Manager or open a remote terminal to the appliance. 2. On the NAS Manager, go to Data Protection → NDMP → NDMP Configuration page. In NAS CLI, go to Data Protection NDMP Configuration menu. 3. Verify that NDMP is enabled. If NDMP is enabled, go to step 5. 4. On the NAS Manager, the Enabled check box must be checked. 5. In the NAS CLI, type view and ensure that State is set to Enabled. 6.
• Powering down the NAS cluster solution controllers The file system may take a long time to clean the cache to the storage either due to lot of data, or due to an intermittent connection to the storage. During the powering down stage, the issue could be due to the OS kernel hanging on the controller or failing to sync its state to the local drive. Workaround If the file system has stopped and if one of the controllers are still up, you can physically power down the controller using the power button.
• • • Workaround Uneven number of LUNs are mapped to the host group. LUN size is below the minimum required size. Less than minimum number of required LUNs. If wrong SAN IPs are used while running the NAS IDU: 1. Verify that the MD discovery IP used while running the NAS IDU is on the same subnet as one of the two SAN IPs configured on your controllers. 2.
1. Verify that more than one LUN is mapped to the host group. The minimum number of LUNs required is 2. 2. If the number of LUNs is less than 2, add LUNs to meet the required minimum LUN count of 2. 3. Try to format the system. Associating LUN Names To Virtual Disks Description Determining which LUNs in the NAS Manager are virtual disks in the Modular Disk Storage Manager. Workaround Open the NAS Manager web interface and go to Cluster Management → Maintenance → Add Luns.
• Network Configuration view the default gateway. In Cluster Management → Subnets to view the Primary subnet on the client network. If the default gateway is not in the Primary subnet, change the default gateway. For attach to succeed, the default gateway must be pingable. After an attach operation fails, the controller must manually be reset to standby mode.
1. Capture the failure message screenshot from the NAS IDU window during clusterization. 2. Collect the cluster configuration file, the NAS IDU log file, and the result file from the installation directory and zip the config folder from the installation directory. 3. The NAS IDU must lead users to the restore window, where nodes are restored to standby mode. 4. Look for the failure messages in captured screen shot and find out the potential cause of the failure.
Maintaining The NAS Cluster Solution 7 This chapter provides information on shutting down and turning on the system in the event of a planned outage or for moving the system to another location. This chapter also discusses the procedure for upgrading the software and running diagnostics. NOTE: See the Dell FluidFS NAS Solutions Owner's Manual on support.dell.com, for information on hardware service and maintenance.
5. Click Next. Restoring NAS Volume Configuration Restoring the NAS volumes configuration provides an effective way for the system administrator to restore all NAS volume settings (exports, shares, snapshots schedule, quota rules, and so on) without having to manually reconfigure them. This is useful after creating a new NAS volume, after a fresh installation of the system, or after recovering a system.
The system configuration can be restored by taking the configuration stored on the most updated NAS volume in the cluster and restoring in on the current system. You must copy the configuration to the NAS volume from its backup or from another system. Whenever a change in the system's configuration is made, it is automatically saved in a format that will allow restoring it afterwards. The configuration is stored in the .clusterConfig folder, which is located in every NAS volume root folder.
CAUTION: Do not modify the service pack filename. CAUTION: Installing a service pack causes the NAS controllers to reboot during the installation process. This may cause interruptions in client connections. It is therefore recommended that service pack installations occur during scheduled maintenance windows. WARNING: The service pack installation process is irreversible. Your system cannot be reverted back to a previous version once updated. To install a service pack: 1.
NOTE: Maximum limit is 512 TB per Storage Center. NAS Pools can only be expanded, shrinking a NAS pool is not allowed. NOTE: The NAS Pool can also be expanded by adding a second Storage Center. For more information on how to add a second Storage Center array to the FluidFS cluster, see the Enterprise Manager Administrator's Guide.
• General • File System • Networking • Performance • Protocols - collect logs • Protocols - single client • Protocols - single file To run any of these diagnostics: 1. Select Cluster Management → Maintenance → Diagnostics. The Diagnostics page is displayed. 2. From the Diagnostics type list, select the appropriate option and click Start. On completion of the diagnostics, links to the compressed archive of diagnostic files are displayed. 3.
Reinstalling The NAS Cluster Solution WARNING: Reinstalling the NAS cluster software reverts your system to factory defaults. All data on the NAS solution will be erased after performing this procedure. NOTE: Install the latest service pack updates after reinstalling the NAS solution software. NOTE: Connect a keyboard and monitor before you perform the following procedure. To reinstall the NAS cluster solution software: 1.
1. Select Cluster Management → Hardware → Add NAS Appliance Wizard. The Add NAS Appliance Wizard is displayed. 2. Click Next. The Add NAS Appliance Wizard (Scan Network for NAS Appliances) page is displayed. 3. From the Chassis number list, select the NAS appliance that you want to add to the NAS cluster and click Next. The Add NAS Appliance Wizard (Subnets) page is displayed. 4.
Creating A Host In PowerVault NX3500/NX3600/NX3610 For PowerVault NX3500/NX3600/NX3610 NAS solutions, you can create hosts manually using Modular Disk Storage Manager (MDSM). To create a host in the host group you created: 1. Right-click the host group you created. 2. Click Define → Host. The Specify Host Name (Define Host) screen is displayed. 3. Type the name of the new host in Host name. 4. Click Next. The Specify Host Port Identifiers (Define Host) screen is displayed. 5.
Detaching The FluidFS NAS Cluster Solution Controller In order to bring the cluster into the journalling mode you need to detach a controller while any hardware is being replaced. This ensures that the system can be brought back to service with no downtime. You may have to detach the controller under the following circumstances: • A controller needs to be replaced with a new standby controller. • The administrator wants to attach a working controller to another (more critical) cluster.
NOTE: To view the WWNs at any time using the CLI, execute the following command: system maintenance Luns configuration Fc-view NAS Manager Features In Degraded Mode When the NAS appliance is in degraded mode, the status of the following features in the NAS Manager are either View only or Fail.
Internationalization 8 Overview The NAS cluster solution provides full Unicode support allowing support of various languages concurrently. Directories and file names are maintained and managed internally in Unicode format (UTF-8). Regardless of the encoding type used by the client who creates a file, the NAS cluster solution stores its file name or directory name in Unicode format.
Parameter Unicode Character CIFS Server description Home Shares Directory name SNMP Contact Location NFS Exports Directory name CIFS Shares Name Directory Description Users Groups Unicode Configuration Limitations Following are the Unicode configuration limitations: • File Size and Directory Name • Clients Compatibility Problems • Japanese Compatibility Issues File Size And Directory Name The size of the file and the directory names are limited to 255 bytes, which may be less than 255 char
Character UNIX Windows Macintosh CENT SIGN (¢) U+00A2 (CENT SIGN) U+FFE0 (FULLWIDTH CENT SIGN) U+00A2 (CENT SIGN) POUND SIGN (#) U+00A3 (POUND SIGN) U+FFE1 (FULLWIDTH POUND SIGN) U+00A3(POUND SIGN) NOT SIGN (¬) U+00AC (NOT SIGN) U+FFE2 (FULLWIDTH NOT SIGN) U+00AC (NOT SIGN) The NAS cluster solution provides a special code page for the CIFS service, to support portability between protocols.
Frequently Asked Questions 9 NDMP 1. Is NDMP a High Availability (HA) protocol? What happens if a backup session is interrupted due to connection loss? NDMP is not HA. A session that is interrupted is terminated. 2. How does NDMP work? At the beginning of the NDMP session, a Fluid File System (FluidFS) snapshot is taken on the target NAS filesystem. This snapshot is then transferred over to the Data Management Application (DMA). At the end of the session the snapshot is deleted. 3.
Replication utilizes FluidFS snapshot technology and other calculations to ensure the replicated virtual volume's data matches the source virtual volume data at the date and time a replication task was started. Only the blocks that have been modified since the last replication task are transferred over the client network. 2. How long does replication take? This depends on the amount of data on the virtual volume and the amount of data that has changed since the last replication cycle.
Getting Help 10 Contacting Dell NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues: 1. Visit support.dell.com. 2. Select your support category. 3.
