Install Guide

Component Requirements
NOTE: Google Chrome is the recommended browser. Other web browsers might work but are not
officially supported.
Storage Center Updates
Storage Center updates are bundled together as a single downloadable update package. An update package includes the latest updates
for the following storage system components:
• Storage Center operating system software
• Storage Center firmware
• Enclosure firmware
• Disk firmware
Software Update Types
Within a software update package, an individual update component is classified according to the method in which it can be installed. The
method you use to install updates affects your infrastructure differently.
NOTE: Before applying updates, understand the impact of the update on Storage Center infrastructure and plan the
update process carefully to avoid unplanned downtime.
• Required — Required components must be installed as part of the update.
• Deferrable — Deferrable components can be installed later; however, doing so can negatively affect the reliability of the components
whose firmware is not being updated.
• Service Affecting — Service affecting components can be installed only when Storage Center is temporarily taken out-of-service.
During the outage, all systems and services using volumes from Storage Center must be powered down correctly to avoid data loss
and unplanned system disruption.
• Non-Service Affecting — Non-service affecting components can be installed either when Storage Center is in service or during a
scheduled outage. Although these components are designed to not cause system disruption, the way in which Storage Center is
configured can affect performance. During a non-service affecting update, the firmware update process occurs as a rolling controller
update. This process results in a controller failover event that causes the host initiators to log out and then log back in to the volumes
connected to the SAN. If you have implemented the Dell EMC Storage best practices for host settings (for example, multipath IO,
HBA settings, time-outs) and fabric design (cabling, number of front-end ports), the logout/login process has minimal effect on host
volumes. The update process should not affect data access, data integrity, or result in any data loss.
NOTE:
When performing a non-service affecting update, reduce the impact of the controller restart operation on the
host OS and applications by verifying that the correct configuration and best practices are applied to each newly
configured host. Dell EMC recommends that every host that accesses Storage Center volumes or that has large
updates applied to its OS has at least one failover test.
The following table shows which components affect service during installation.
Service Affecting
Non-Service
Affecting
Storage Center with a Single Controller
Storage Center Firmware Update Yes
Enclosure Firmware Update. Depending on the components for a specific release,
enclosure firmware may or may not be non-service affecting.
Yes Yes
Disk Firmware Update. Disk firmware updates may be service affecting or non-service
affecting depending on the drive. A drive that supports an in-service upgrade, is a drive
that can:
• Process IOs and other commands while receiving firmware blocks.
• Boot and ready new firmware in three seconds.
Yes Yes
Storage Center with Dual Controllers
Storage Center Firmware Update Yes
Enclosure Firmware Update. Depending on the components for a specific release,
enclosure firmware may or may not be non-service affecting.
Yes Yes
Getting Started 7