D-Link xStack Storage iSCSI SAN Arrays Managed SAN Solutions DSN-1100, DSN-2100, DSN-3200 & DSN-3400 Storage Management Center Software User’s Guide Version 1.
© 2008 D-Link Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved D-Link Systems, Inc. makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. D-Link Systems, Inc. shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document contains proprietary information, which is protected by copyright.
Safety Information There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is incorrectly installed. Replace the battery pack only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact your local waste disposal agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site. This product also uses a lithium coin cell battery.
Document Revision Level iv Revision Date Version 1.
Preface This document is intended to assist users with configuring and managing storage on xStack storage® systems from D-Link Systems . Audience This document is intended for storage managers and administrators responsible for using the xStack Storage Management Center to configure and manage the xStack Storage array from D-Link Systems Inc. This document assumes that the user is computer literate, familiar with storage array products, and has a basic understanding of storage products and concepts.
Contact Information You can find software updates and user documentation on the D-Link website. D-Link provides free technical support for customers within the United States and within Canada for the duration of the warranty period on this product. U.S. and Canadian customers can contact D-Link Technical Support through our website, or by phone. Tech Support for customers within the United States: D-Link Technical Support over the Telephone Please see our support site for current number: http://support.
Contents Chapter 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Key Features.......................................................................................... 1.2 Compatibility and Minimum System Requirements ............................................ 1.3 Understanding the Basics........................................................................... 1.3.
3.4.4.1 Enabling CHAP Security .......................................................54 3.4.4.2 Changing the CHAP Secret ...................................................55 3.4.4.3 Disabling CHAP Security ......................................................56 3.4.5 Viewing or Changing Advanced Settings (Advanced Settings Tab) ................56 3.5 Removing iSCSI Initiators ..........................................................................59 Chapter 4 Managing Physical Storage ................
Chapter 7 Performing System Actions....................................................................................................... 101 7.1 Adding an xStack Storage ........................................................................101 7.2 Removing an xStack Storage.....................................................................102 Chapter 8 Best Practices.............................................................................................................................. 103 8.
Chapter 1 Introduction The right management software can help you enhance the performance and functionality of your storage investment. The xStack Storage Management Center from D-Link Inc has been designed and optimized from the ground up to deliver the command and control foundation you need to efficiently manage your xStack Storage infrastructure.
1.2 Compatibility and Minimum System Requirements Running the xStack Storage Management Center requires a host computer system connected to the management port of an xStack Storage array. The host system must have an installed: Network-interface card (NIC) configured for the same Internet Protocol (IP) subnetwork (192.168.1.x) as the xStack Storage management port. Web browser. Version of the latest Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
1.3.1 Understanding the User Interface Figure 1-1 shows the different areas of the xStack main window. The following sections describe these areas. For a summary of the commands and menus on the menu bar, refer to Appendix A. Menu Bar and Toolbar Main Display View Panel Detail Tabs Action Panel Status Bar Figure 1-1. xStack Storage Main Window 1.3.2 Menu Bar and Toolbar The menu bar appears at the top of the xStack Storage Management Center main window (see Figure 1-2).
Menu bar Toolbar Figure 1-2. Example of Menu Bar and Toolbar Volume View Button Figure 1-3. Example of a Tooltip 1.3.2.1 Shortcut Menu The previous section explained how the menus, commands, and toolbar can be used to perform activities. As an added convenience, some tasks can also be performed by pressing the right mouse button and clicking an option from a shortcut menu that appears.
1.3.3 View Panel The View panel appears below the toolbar. The View panel shows the IP address of each xStack Storage system that has been added to the Management Center (an xStack Storage system must be added to the console in order to be managed by it). In Figure 1-5, for example, two xStack Storage systems have been added to the Management Center, one with an IP address of 192.168.0.34 and another with the IP address 192.168.0.32.
1.3.4 Main Display The Main Display appears to the right of the View panel. The Main Display shows information relevant for the current view. For example, when the Volume View is displayed (as shown in Figure 1-6), the Main Display provides radio buttons for sorting the information shown by volume name or iSCSI initiator, along with the volumes and iSCSI initiators associated with the xStack Storage system being managed. Figure 1-6. Main Display in Volume View 1.3.
1.3.6 Detail Tabs Detail Tabs appear below the Main Display. When you display a view, activities and information associated with the view appear in these tabs in the Detail Tabs area. These tabs will change when you switch views. In the Volume View, for example, the tabs in Figure 1-8 appear, allowing you to view and perform volume-related activities. Figure 1-8. Example of Detail Tabs in Volume View 1.3.7 Status Bar The status bar appears at the bottom of the main window.
1.4 Getting Help The xStack Storage Management Center provides a comprehensive online help system that is available by clicking the Help button on the toolbar (see Figure 1-10). The help system is optimized for fast access and contains information about every component in the xStack Storage Management Center. When you click the help button, a question mark gets appended to the pointer. You can then click an area on the main window to display a help topic for that area.
Chapter 2 Getting Started This chapter describes how to get started using the xStack Storage Management Center. The topics covered in this chapter are: Section 2.1, Logging In (page 10) Section 2.2, Customizing the Date and Time (page 18) Section 2.3, Setting Up Accounts (page 19) Section 2.4, Logging Out (page 25) Section 2.5, Exiting the xStack Storage Management Center (page 25) Section 2.
2.1 Logging In After confirming that the minimum system requirements in section 1.2 have been met, use the following procedure to log in to the xStack Storage Management Center. 1. Start a Web browser on the PC connected to the xStack Storage management port. 2. In the browser’s address bar, type the following default IP address and press the Enter key: 192.168.1.1 One of the following actions occurs: – For your initial login, the start-up wizard appears and you should proceed to section 2.1.1.
From the Welcome page, perform the following steps to set up the xStack Storage system for initial use. 1. Click the I Accept the End User License Agreement button on the Welcome screen. The Admin Account page in Figure 2-2 appears. You must accept the End User License Agreement to proceed with the startup wizard. To download the End User License Agreement to your computer, click Click here to download the End User License Agreement on the Welcome screen. Figure 2-2. Admin Account Page 2.
Figure 2-3. Management Port Page 4. The Management Port page provides fields for entering an IP address, subnet, default gateway, and host name of the xStack Storage management port. The settings you specify must be compatible with your local network and accessible to client computers that may be used to access the xStack Storage Management Center. By default, the host name is the model number of the array. If desired, you can change this name to one that is more meaningful. 5. Click Next to continue.
Figure 2-4. Data Ports Page 6. The Data Ports page lets you specify the IP addresses, network masks, and gateway addresses for each iSCSI data port. Specifying these addresses at this time is optional. To skip this screen, click Skip to Email Notification. However, if you skip this screen, you will need to specify these addresses through the xStack Storage Management Center before you can use the data ports. If you specify these settings now, record them in Table C-9 and click Next when finished.
Figure 2-5. Email Notification Page 7. The Email Notification page lets you enable the storage system’s email notification feature. If you check Enable Email Support to enable this feature, specify the SMTP server IP address and port number, an email address to be shown as originating the email, and an email address where email messages are to be sent. Enter the required settings and record them in Table C-10. 8. Click Next. A summary screen similar to the one in Figure 2-6 appears.
Figure 2-6. Summary Screen 9. With the Summary page displayed, review the settings you selected. If you need to change a setting, click Previous until you arrive at the appropriate page, then make the desired changes and click Next until you reach the Summary page. If you are satisfied with the settings on the Summary page, click Finish to commit the settings. After you click Finish, the storage system restarts, your settings take effect, and the login screen in Figure 2-7 on page 16 appears.
Figure 2-7. xStack Storage Management Center Home Page Figure 2-8. Example of the xStack Storage Management Center Login Screen The xStack Storage Management Center requires the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE). If the latest version of JRE is not installed on the management PC, xStack will let you download it if the PC has Internet access. The minimum version of JRE is v1.6.0.0. 3. In the View panel, click the xStack Storage system you want to log in to if it is not already selected.
4. Enter your username and case-sensitive password in the appropriate text boxes. The first time you log in, use the following default username and case-sensitive password: Default username: admin Default password: admin If you create another account with admin and add/edit user privileges and then delete the default admin account, write the new username and password on a piece of paper. Otherwise, if you lose this information, you will need to contact D-Link Systems Inc technical support. 5.
2.2 Customizing the Date and Time The xStack Storage system maintains the current timezone, date and time. You may need to change these settings the first time you configure the xStack Storage system, if time changes occur in your area, or if you transport the xStack Storage system to another location. If you change these settings, restart the xStack Storage system for the new settings to take effect. To customize the date and time, perform the following procedure from any view. 1.
2.3 Setting Up Accounts The xStack Storage Management Center comes with a single administrative account called admin. The admin has permission to modify passwords and create, modify, and delete accounts. Additional admin accounts can be set up if desired. You can also set up user accounts. Users can access the xStack Storage Management Center and modify passwords only. Users cannot create, modify, and delete accounts (these tasks are reserved for admins only). 2.3.
Figure 2-10. Settings Tab 3. Click the User Accounts button on the left side of the Settings tab: The Settings tab displays your user account settings (an example is shown in Figure 2-11).
Figure 2-11. Example of User Account Information in the Settings Tab (Admin is Shown) 4. If admin is not selected in the left pane, click admin. 5. In the New Password field, enter a case-sensitive password for the admin account. The Confirm New Password field becomes available. 6. In the Confirm New Password field, retype the same case-sensitive password that you typed in the previous step. For security, each typed password character appears as a bullet (●). 7. Click the Modify button.
2.3.2 Adding Admin Accounts An admin account consists of a unique user name and password, and a selection to grant permission for managing accounts. To add admin accounts: 1. Click System Administration in the View panel. 2. Click the Settings tab. The Settings tab appears in the Detail Tabs area (see Figure 2-10 on page 20). 3. Click the User Accounts button on the left side of the Settings tab: The Settings tab displays your user account settings (an example is shown in Figure 2-11 on page 21). 4.
The Settings tab displays your user account settings (an example is shown in Figure 2-11 on page 21). 4. In the User Name field, replace the name shown with the name of the user whose account you are creating. 5. Uncheck Allow Modify Users to deny permission to create and delete accounts. 6. In the New Password field, enter the case-sensitive password that this user must specify to log in to the xStack Storage Management Center. The Confirm New Password field becomes available. 7.
2.3.4 Modifying Accounts There may be times when the administrator needs to edit an account. For example, you may want to change a user’s login password or promote the user to admin so the user can create, modify, and delete user accounts. 1. In the View panel, click System Administration. 2. Click the Settings tab. The Settings tab appears in the Detail Tabs area ((see Figure 2-10 on page 20). 3.
3. Click the User Accounts button on the left side of the Settings tab: The Settings tab displays your user account settings (an example is shown in Figure 2-11 on page 21). 4. In the left column, click the user account you want to delete. 5. Click the Remove button. The user account is deleted from the left column. 6. To delete more user accounts, repeat steps 4 and 5. 2.
2.6 Powering Off the xStack Storage Array If you no longer want to use the xStack Storage system, use the following procedure to power it off. The following steps are required for shutting down the xStack Storage system. Failing to use this procedure to shut down the array will result in battery power degradation if a UPS is not used. If the battery charge exhausts, you will lose data. 1. Log off from all initiators. 2. In the View panel, click System Administration. 4. Click the Settings tab.
Chapter 3 Managing Volumes This chapter describes how to manage volumes on an xStack Storage system. A volume is a set of storage blocks organized and presented for use by a customer’s server (an iSCSI initiator node). The iSCSI initiator node sees the volume as a contiguous series of numbered blocks, called Virtual Logical Block Numbers (VLBNs), in the same way that it would see the storage space on a single disk drive. The xStack Storage system builds a volume from extents.
3.1 Understanding the Volume View In the Volume View, the Main Display shows information about the volumes on the xStack Storage array. The information shown can be sorted by volume name or by iSCSI initiator using the two radio buttons in the Main Display. By default, the Sort by Volume button is selected (see Figure 3-1). When this button is selected, the Main Display provides a volume-centric view of the volumes on the xStack Storage and any unused iSCSI initiators.
iSCSI Initiator Volume Associated with the iSCSI Initiator Information About the Selected Volume Appears Here Figure 3-2. Example of the Volume View Sorted by Initiator 3.2 Creating Volumes Adding volumes defines what volumes are accessible through the xStack Storage target. The xStack Storage Management Center provides a Create Volume Wizard that makes volume creation as easy as answering a few questions.
Figure 3-3. Create Volume Wizard Welcome Screen 2. To skip the Welcome page in the future, check Don’t show this dialog when staring this wizard. 3. Click Next. The Volume Name screen appears (see Figure 3-4). Figure 3-4. Volume Name Screen 4. In the Volume Name field, enter a name for the volume. Volume names can contain from 1 to 30 alphanumeric upper- and lower-case characters. Spaces and special characters, such as parentheses, dashes, and question marks, are permitted.
The target name and durable name shown in the volume Properties tab in Volume View incorporate the Volume name and are guaranteed to be worldwide unique (see section 3.4.1). 5. Perform one of the following steps: – To have the Wizard help you choose the best volume organization, click Help me choose the best volume organization, click Next, and go to section 3.2.1, below. This method is the fastest way to create a volume and is recommended for basic users.
Figure 3-6. Data Protection Screen 2. With the Data Protection screen displayed, select whether you want to protect the volume against data loss or maximize volume capacity on the drive. Click Next. If you selected Very Important, the Storage Efficiency screen appears (see Figure 3-7) and you should proceed to the next step. If you selected Less Important, the Number of Drives screen appears (see Figure 3-8) and you should skip to step 4. Figure 3-7. Storage Efficiency Screen 3.
Figure 3-8. Number of Drives Screen 4. Select whether you want to distribute the same amount of storage over many drives to improve performance or to use the fewest drives possible. Click Next. The Volume Size screen appears (see Figure 3-9). Figure 3-9. Volume Size Screen 5. In the Volume Size screen, use the Capacity field and drop-down list to specify the size to be allocated for this volume. Do not exceed the maximum volume size shown in this screen. Click Next.
Figure 3-10. Grant Access Screen The resulting volume capacity may be slightly smaller than the size specified, depending on the type of volume and the number of drives used. 6. By default, all iSCSI initiators will have access to the volume you create. If you prefer, you can grant access to one or more iSCSI initiators listed in the screen, grant access to an initiator not in the list, or not grant access to an initiator at this time.
Figure 3-11. Ready to Create Volume Screen 8. If you are satisfied with your selections, click Finish to create the volume. Otherwise, click the Back button to return to the screen where you need to change a selection. Then click Next until you return to this screen and click Finish to create the volume. If the volume is created, a message similar to the one in Figure 3-12 appears. Figure 3-12. Successfully Created Volume Message 9. Click Close to close the Wizard and return to the Volume View.
3.2.2 Making Your Own Volume Selection Choices If you selected Let me make my own choices (Advanced) in the Volume Name screen on page 30 and clicked Next, the Volume Composition screen appears (see Figure 3-13). Use the following procedure to complete the volume creation process and record your settings in Table C-1. Figure 3-13. Volume Composition Screen 2. In the Volume Composition screen, select a composition type.
Figure 3-14. Stripe Width Screen 4. The Stripe Width screen shows the volume composition selection you made in the Volume Composition screen. Use the Number of Members in Stripe box to specify the number of the members that will be in the stripe. Click Next. The Number of Drives screen appears (see Figure 3-15). Figure 3-15. Number of Drives Screen 5. By default, the Wizard will select the disks for your volume.
– For adjacent disks, click the first one, then hold down the Shift key and click the last one. The first and last disks, and all the disks between them, get selected. – For non-adjacent disks, click the first one, then hold down the Ctrl key and click each subsequent disk. – To deselect a disk, hold down the Ctrl key and click a disk that is selected. 6. Click Next.
Figure 3-17. Volume Size Screen 8. In the Volume Size screen, use the Capacity field and drop-down list to select the size to be allocated for this volume. Do not exceed the maximum volume size shown in the screen. Click Next. The Grant Access screen appears (see Figure 3-18). Figure 3-18. Grant Access Screen The resulting volume capacity may be slightly smaller than the size specified, depending on the type of volume and the number of drives used.
8. By default, all iSCSI initiators will have access to the volume you create. If you prefer, you can grant access to one or more iSCSI initiators listed in the screen, grant access to an initiator not in the list, or not grant access to an initiator at this time. If you decide to select multiple iSCSI initiators from the list, you can use the following shortcuts: – For adjacent iSCSI initiators, click the first one, then hold down the Shift key and click the last one.
Figure 3-20. Successfully Created Volume Message 11. Click Close to close the Wizard and return to the Volume View. 3.3 Performing Volume Actions After you create volumes, you can use the Volume Actions panel to perform the following activities: Grant or revoke volume access to iSCSI initiators. See section 3.3.1. Scan a volume. See section 3.3.2. Destroy a volume. See section 3.3.3. Grow a volume. See section 3.3.4. Reconfigure a volume. See section 3.3.5.
– Press the right mouse button and click Grant/Revoke Access from the shortcut menu. – Click the Initiator Access tab. Any of these steps displays the Initiator Access tab (see Figure 3-21). Figure 3-21. Initiator Access Tab 3. If the top option is checked, all iSCSI initiators can access the selected volume. To change this selection, uncheck this option and select one of the following: 42 – Grant access to Initiator. Enter the name of an initiator that will have access to this volume.
– Revoke Access for an iSCSI Initiator in this list. Select the iSCSI initiators to which you want to deny access this volume and click Apply. 4. Record your settings in Table C-2. If you revoke access, the iSCSI initiator moves below Unused Initiators if Sort by Volume is selected in the Volume View. You can then use the procedure in section 3.5 to remove unused iSCSI initiators if desired. 3.3.2 Scanning a Volume After you create a volume, you can scan it for errors.
Figure 3-22. Scan Volume Dialog Box 3. To scan the selected volume now, be sure Scan Volume now is selected. Skip to step 5. 4. To scan the selected volume at a later time, click Scan Volume later. Then: – Under Scan Frequency, specify how often the scan is to be performed. – Click the icon next to the right of the Date and time drop-down list and select a date and time from the pop-up calendar (see Figure 3-23). 5. Click OK. 6. Record the scheduled task in Table C-5.
Figure 3-23, Pop-up Calendar 3.3.3 Destroying a Volume If you no longer need a volume, you can remove or “destroy” it. Destroying a volume does not “sanitize” data on the drive(s). To destroy a volume: 1. In the Volume View, click a volume in the Main Display. 2. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Volumes menu, click Destroy Volume. – Click Destroy Volume in the Volume Actions panel. – Press the right mouse button and click Destroy Volume from the shortcut menu.
Figure 3-24. Warning Message when Destroying a Volume 3. Click OK to destroy the selected volume or Cancel to keep the volume. 3.3.4 Growing a Volume There may be times when you want to increase the capacity of a volume. In this case, you can “grow” the volume. To grow a volume: 1. In the Volume View, click a volume in the Main Display. 2. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Volumes menu, click Grow Volume. – Click Grow Volume in the Volume Actions panel.
After the volume is grown, the size of the file system that resides on the volume may also need to be increased. For more information, refer to your host operating system documentation (for example, Windows Disk Management). 3.3.5 Reconfiguring a Volume After you create a volume, you can reconfigure its composition, stripe width and depth (if appropriate), number of drives, volume size, and access to iSCSI initiators.
Figure 3-26. Volume Composition Page 3. See section 3.2.2 on page 36 to complete this procedure and record your settings in Table C-1. Note that when you click Next on the Ready to Reconfigure screen, the reconfiguration process starts and the Started Reconfiguring Volume screen appears, with the name of the volume being reconfigured (see Figure 3-27). Click Close to remove this screen.
Figure 3-27. Started Reconfiguring Volume Screen Figure 3-28. Example of the HR Documents Volume Being Reconfigured If you reconfigure a volume, you can use the Schedule tab in the System Administration View to view, suspend, or delete this action (see section 5.2.2).
3.4 Using the Detail Tabs Volume View provides the following Detail Tabs: The first tab inherits its name from the volume selected in the Main Display. You can use this tab to change the name of the selected volume or view information about it. See section 3.4.1. The Extents tab displays basic or advanced information about the extents associated with a volume. See section 3.4.2. The Reconfigure tab appears when a volume is being reconfigured. See section 3.4.3.
Information about this selected volume… …is displayed in this tab Figure 3-29. Information About a Selected Volume Shown in the First Tab 3.4.2 Viewing Extents on a Volume (Extents Tab) An extent (also known as a “physical extent”) is a contiguous set of logical blocks (LBs) on a drive. A volume typically consists of extents from several drives. When a volume is selected in the Main Display, you can use the Extents tab to view information about the extents on the selected volume.
Figure 3-30. Example of Extents Tab (Basic Information) You can use one of the following methods to display advanced extent information in the Extents tab for the selected volume: On the Volumes menu, check Show Advanced Extents. Check Show Advanced Extents in the Volume Actions panel. Press the right mouse button and click Extent Table View (Advanced) from the shortcut menu. Press the F9 key. Figure 3-31 shows an example of the advanced extent information displayed in the Extent tab.
Figure 3-31. Example of Advanced Extent Information in the Extents Tab 3.4.3 Viewing Reconfiguration Information (Reconfigure Tab) If the volume selected in the Main Display is being reconfigured (see section 3.3.5), a Reconfigure tab appears between the Extents and Security tabs. This read-only screen shows the description and status of the drive being reconfigured. Clicking a drive link in the first Description column displays the Physical Storage View of the drive you selected.
Figure 3-32. Example of the Reconfigure Tab 3.4.4 Enabling or Disabling CHAP Security (Security Tab) When you create a volume, you can enable CHAP. If you want to change this setting, you can use the Security tab to enable or disable CHAP, or change the CHAP secret. Record your settings in Table C-1. 3.4.4.1 Enabling CHAP Security To enable CHAP security: 1. In the Volume View, click a volume in the Main Display. 2. Click the Security tab. The options in Figure 3-33 appear.
Figure 3-33. Security Tab 3. Check Require CHAP Logon Authentication. 4. In the CHAP Secret field, enter the case-sensitive password that will be used by the target to authenticate an initiator. Then re-enter the same password in the Confirm CHAP Secret field. The CHAP secret must be from 12 to 16 characters long. For security, each typed character appears as a bullet (●). 5. Click Apply. 3.4.4.2 Changing the CHAP Secret To change the CHAP secret: 1.
3.4.4.3 Disabling CHAP Security To disable CHAP security: 1. In the Volume View, click the volume in the Main Display whose CHAP security you want to disable. 2. Click the Security tab. The options in Figure 3-33 appear. 3. Uncheck Require CHAP Logon Authentication. 4. Click Apply. 5. Record your settings in Table C-1. 3.4.
Figure 3-34. Advanced Volume Settings Table 3-1. Advanced Volume Settings Advanced Setting Description Maximum Burst Length Maximum length, in bytes, of the SCSI data payload in a sequence of input (DataIn) PDUs or solicited output (Data-Out) PDUs. Default is 262,144 bytes. First Burst Length Maximum amount, in bytes, of unsolicited data that an initiator can send to a target during the execution of a single SCSI command.
Advanced Setting Description Error Recovery Level The level of error recovery that the initiator and the target negotiated. Higher numbers represent more elaborate recovery schemes. Choices are: 0 = session recovery class (default) 1 = digest failure recovery 2 = connection recovery class For more information, refer to the iSCSI specification. Initial R2T Indicates whether the initiator must wait for a R2T request before sending data to the target.
Advanced Setting Description Maximum Data Segment Length Received The longest data segment, in bytes, that the volume can receive. Choices are: Primary Authentication Method Secondary Authentication Method Is Read Only? 8192 16384 32768 (default) Primary authentication method used by the volume. Choices are: CHAP None (default) Secondary authentication method used by the volume.
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Chapter 4 Managing Physical Storage This chapter describes how to manage the physical storage on an xStack Storage system. Physical storage is managed in the Physical Storage View. If you are in a different console view, you can display the Physical Storage View by performing any of the following steps: Clicking Physical Storage on the View menu. Clicking Physical Storage in the View panel. Clicking the Storage View button on the toolbar: The topics covered in this chapter are: Section 4.
4.1 Understanding the Physical Storage View In the Physical Storage View, the Main Display shows the following information about each of the xStack Storage drives: The drive number The total capacity The percentage of capacity used The status If you click a drive in the Main Display: The Drive Actions panel lists the actions you can perform on the selected drive. See section 4.2.
4.2 Performing Drive Actions When you select a drive in the Main Display, you can use the Drive Actions panel to perform the following activities: Down a drive. See section 4.2.1. Reserve spare drives. See section 4.2.2. Show advanced extents in the Extents tab. See section 4.3.3. 4.2.1 Downing a Drive The xStack Storage Management Center provides a Down Drive feature that lets you remove a drive from the system in an orderly way.
4.2.2 Reserving Spare Drives A spare is a drive that is present in the system but normally unused until you need additional capacity or another drive fails. At that time, the drive is substituted for the failed drive. Prior to initially using your system, you must reserve spare drives. After a drive has been allocated to a volume, it can no longer be reserved as spare. To reserve spare drives: 1. In the Physical Storage View, select a drive in the Main Display.
4.3 Using the Detail Tabs Physical Storage View provides the following Detail Tabs: The Properties tab shows a drive’s properties. See section 4.3.1. The SMART Data tab shows SMART overview, self-test, and offline data collection information for a SATA drive. See section 4.3.2. This tab does not appear when a SAS drive is selected in the Main Display. The SMART Attributes tab shows SMART attributes for a SATA drive (this information is defined differently by each drive vendor). See section 4.3.2.
4.3.2 Viewing SMART Data and Attributes (SMART Data and SMART Attributes Tabs) Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) is a monitoring system for SATA drives to detect and report on various indicators of reliability, with the hope of anticipating failures. SMART is not supported on SAS drives.
Figure 4-5. Example of SMART Attributes Tab 4.3.3 Viewing Extents on a Drive (Extents Tab) An extent is a contiguous set of logical blocks (LBs) on a drive. An extent is also called a physical extent. When a drive is selected in the Main Display, you can use the Extents tab to view information about the extents on the selected drive. Initially, the Extents tab shows basic extent information, as shown in Figure 4-6.
You can use one of the following methods to display advanced extent information in the Extents tab for the selected volume: On the Storage menu, check Show Advanced Extents. Check Show Advanced Extents in the Drive Actions panel. Press the right mouse button and click Extent Table View (Advanced) from the shortcut menu. Press the F9 key. Figure 4-7 shows an example of the advanced extent information displayed in the Extent tab. Figure 4-7.
Chapter 5 System Administration This chapter describes how to perform system administration activities. System administration tasks are performed from the System Administration View. If you are in a different console view, you can display the System Administration View by performing any of the following steps: Clicking System Administration on the View menu. Clicking System Administration in the View panel.
5.1 Understanding the System Administration View In System Administration View , the Main Display provides icons that show the following information (going from left to right): Total amount of storage and the amount of storage available Number of volumes that have been configured Number of initiators defined and the number of initiators currently connected Below the Main Display are three Detail Tabs that show the history, scheduled tasks, and system administration settings.
5.2 Using the Detail Tabs System Administration View provides the following Detail Tabs: The History tab shows historical information. See section 5.2.1. The Schedule tab shows tasks that have been scheduled. See section 5.2.2. The Settings tab lets you: – Save the current xStack Storage configuration. See section 5.2.3. – Restore a previously saved configuration file. See section 5.2.4. – Restore factory default settings. See section 5.2.5 – Upgrade software. See section 5.2.6.
Information About the Item Appears Here When You Select an Item Here… Figure 5-2. Example of the History Tab You can save the event history as a text file on a local computer. 1. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Tools menu, click Save Event History. – In the System Actions panel, click Save Event History. Any of these steps displays the Save Event History dialog box (see Figure 5-3). Figure 5-3. Save Event History Dialog Box 2. Select the path where you want the event log to reside. 3.
4. When the message in Figure 5-4 tells you that the event history file has been saved successfully, click OK to remove the message. Figure 5-4. Event History File Save Message 5.2.2 Viewing Scheduled Activities (Schedule Tab) The Schedule tab in the System Administration View lets you view, suspend, or delete activities that you have scheduled. Each row in the tab corresponds to an activity that has been scheduled.
Figure 5-5. Example of the Schedule Tab 5.2.3 Saving the Current Configuration (Settings Tab) Best practices dictate that you save the xStack Storage system configuration after you configure the array for the first time and, thereafter, each time you change the configuration. You can then use the procedure in section 5.2.4 to restore the configuration if necessary, without having to re-enter the settings from scratch.
Figure 5-6. Settings Tab (General Settings Shown) 2. Under xStack Configuration, click the Save button. The Open dialog box appears (see Figure 5-7). Figure 5-7. Open Dialog Box 3. Using the Open dialog box, go to the location where you want to store the configuration file. 4. In the File Name field, enter a name for the configuration file. The extension .gcf is appended to the end of the file name automatically.
When naming the configuration file, assign a name that will make it easy to differentiate this file from other configuration files. For example, you can use the current date and time or a particular configuration as part of the file name. 5. Click the Open button. The configuration file is saved. We recommend you write the name and location of the configuration file in case you need to use it to restore your xStack Storage’s configuration. 6. Record the information in Table C-7. 5.2.
5.2.5 Restoring Factory Default Settings There may be times when you want to return the xStack Storage system to its factory default settings. Using the Restore Factory Defaults button in the Settings tab of the System Administration view, you can return the xStack Storage system to the settings that were in effect when it was shipped from the factory. However, any volumes you set up will remain intact. For a complete list of the xStack Storage’s factory default settings, refer to Appendix B. 1.
5.2.6 Upgrading Software (Settings Tab) From time to time, software upgrades will be made available that contain feature improvements. Using the Settings tab, you can update the xStack Storage software. To upgrade software, you must download the software file to a location where the xStack Storage system can access it. If your environment uses a port-based firewall, either disable the firewall prior to upgrading software or create a rule that will allow the xStack Storage to go outside the firewall.
5.2.7 Restarting the xStack Storage System (Settings Tab) The Settings tab provides a Restart button for rebooting the xStack Storage system. To reboot the xStack Storage system: 1. In the System Administration View, click the Settings tab to display the general settings in Figure 5-6 on page 75. Or if you are already in the Settings tab but another screen is displayed, click the General button on the left side of the Settings tab: 2. Click the Restart button.
5.2.9 Selecting a Battery Policy (Settings Tab) The xStack Storage Management Center lets you select the battery policy that the xStack Storage system will follow if its onboard battery fails. To select the battery policy: 1. In the System Administration View, click the Settings tab. 2. Click the System Policy button on the left side of the Settings tab: The battery options in Figure 5-12 appear. Figure 5-12. Settings Tab (System Policy - Battery Options Shown) 3.
It is recommended that you accept the default setting Stop buffering I/O in cache, which allows host I/O to continue, although with lower performance. Table 5-1. Summary of Battery Options Option Description Ignore Battery Status Select this option only if you have a uninterruptible power supply (UPS) Stop buffering Safest mode that prevents loss of data if a power failure occurs Prevent reads or writes All I/O stops if the battery fails 5.2.
The advanced settings in Figure 5-13appear. 3. In the Value column, perform one of the following steps: – If the value is selected from a drop-down list, click in the field and select the desired value. – If the value is entered in the field, double-click in the field and enter the desired value. 4. Click Apply. Figure 5-13.
Table 5-2. Advanced System Settings Advanced Setting Description Remote System Time Date and time of the xStack Storage, adjusted for its local time zone. iSCSI Port Number Specifies the TCP port number used for the iSCSI communication. The default value for the iSCSI protocol is 3260 and should not be changed. TCP/IP – Time to Live Specifies the Time To Live value set in the header of outgoing IP packets.
84 Advanced Setting Description Email Server IP Address Enter the IP address of the mail server through which email notifications from the xStack Storage will be routed. Default is 0.0.0.0. Email Server Port Enter the SMTP port on which the mail server will be listening for email alerts from the xStack Storage. Default is 25. iSNS Enabled Indicates whether iSNS is enabled. Choices are Enabled = iSNS is enabled and will register clients automatically. Disabled = iSNS is not enabled.
Chapter 6 Managing Management and Ethernet Ports and Portals This chapter describes how to manage the xStack Storage management and Ethernet ports and portals. Ports and portals are managed in the Network Settings View. If you are in a different console view, you can display the Network Settings View by performing any of the following steps: Clicking Network Settings on the View menu. Clicking Network Settings in the View panel.
6.1 Understanding the Network Settings View In the Network Settings View, the Main Display shows the IP address and connection status of the xStack Storage management port, Ethernet ports, and Link Aggregate Groups (LAGs). If you click a management port in the Main Display, the Management Port tab lets you view or change the network settings for the selected port and the Network Actions panel allows you to ping from that management port.
6.2 Working with Management Ports The xStack Storage system contains a management port that provides access to the xStack Storage Management Center. In the Network Settings View, the management port associated with the xStack Storage system appears below Network Settings in the Main Display. The following sections describe how to view or change the settings of the management port and how to ping from the management port to check its connection. 6.2.
Figure 6-2. Management Port Tab 2. To change a setting, click in the appropriate field and change the value shown. 3. When you finish changing all the settings in the tab, click the Apply button. 4. If you changed any settings, restart the xStack Storage system to have the new settings take effect. 6.2.2 Pinging from a Management Port If you encounter or suspect a problem with the management port, you can originate an outgoing ping from the management port to the management host.
Figure 6-3. Ping from Management Port Dialog Box 3. In the Ping to field, type the IP address of the destination device you want to ping. 4. Click OK. The results of the ping appear in the Ping Results field. 5. If the ping is successful, click the Close button. If the ping fails, verify that the Management Center's IP address is not active elsewhere on the network. 6.
Figure 6-4. Example of Port Tab 2. To change the MTU size, select a value from the MTU Size drop-down list. The standard MTU size (and default value) is 1500. However, you can select a larger value if your iSCSI network can handle a larger frame size to see whether it improves performance.
6.4 Working with Network Portals The iSCSI standard uses the concept of a network entity that represents a device or gateway attached to an IP network. In general, this network entity (either target or initiator) must contain one or more network portals that provide the physical connection to the IP network. An iSCSI node within a network entity can use any of the network portals to access the IP network. The iSCSI node is identified by its IP address within a network entity.
Figure 6-5. Create Portal Tab 4. In the IP Address field, enter the IP address for the network portal. The IP address must be a unique address that is different than the management port and reside on the same subnet as the iSCSI initiator. 5. In the Subnet Mask field, enter a subnet mask for the network portal. 6. In the Gateway field, enter the default gateway, if appropriate. 7.
3. Click OK to delete the portal or click Cancel to keep it. 6.4.3 Pinging from a Network Portal If you encounter or suspect a problem with a network portal, you can originate an outgoing ping from the network portal to a destination device. To ping from the network portal: 1. In the Network Settings View, click a network portal in the Main Display. 2. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Network menu, click Ping from Portal. – In the Network Actions panel, click Ping from Portal.
6.5 Grouping and Ungrouping Ports The xStack Storage Management Center allows you to group individual physical Ethernet ports into a single logical port called a link aggregate group (or “LAG”). Link aggregation is a way to combine (or “aggregate”) multiple data ports in parallel to act as a single logical connection with increased bandwidth, and the xStack Storage system can do this, too, using static link aggregation. The xStack Storage system does not support the LACP protocol.
Figure 6-8. Example of a Group 6.5.1 Grouping Ports The following procedure describes how to group ports. When you group ports, you have the option of creating a VLAN-enabled group. To group ports: 1. In the Network Settings View, click an Ethernet port in the Main Display. 2. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Network menu, click Group Ports. – Click Group Ports in the Network Actions panel. – Press the right mouse button and click Group Ports from the shortcut menu.
Figure 6-9. Group Ports Dialog Box 3. To create a VLAN-enabled group from the grouped ports, check Create VLAN enabled Group. 4. By default, the MTU size is 1500. To enlarge this size, select 4088 or 9000 from the MTU Size drop-down list. While the standard MTU size (and default value) is 1500, you can select a larger value if your iSCSI network can handle a larger frame size to see whether it improves performance.
This “V” Indicates That the IP Address Selected in the Main Display is VLAN Enabled Figure 6-10. Example of an IP Address that Belongs to a VLAN-Enabled Group 6.5.2 Ungrouping Ports If you want to ungroup the ports in a LAG: 1. In the Network Settings View of the Main Display, click a LAG. 2. Perform one of the following steps: – On the Network menu, click Ungroup Ports. – In the Network Actions panel, click Ungroup Ports. – Press the right mouse button and click Ungroup Ports from the shortcut menu.
6.5.3 Removing Ports from a LAG If you no longer need ports in a LAG, you can remove the ports from the LAG. 1. In the Network Settings View of the Main Display, click an Ethernet port that belongs to a LAG. 2. Perform one of the following steps to remove the port from the group: – On the Network menu, click Remove Port from Group. – In the Network Actions panel, click Remove Port from Group. – Press the right mouse button and click Remove Port from Group from the shortcut menu. 3.
This “V” Indicates That the Port Selected in the Main Display is VLAN Enabled Figure 6-11. Example of a VLAN-Enabled Port When you VLAN-enable a port or LAG, the portal information associated with the port or LAG is deleted prior to the port or LAG joining the VLAN. As a result, any IP address associated with the port or LAG is removed. The same scenario occurs if a VLAN-enabled port or LAG is removed from the VLAN. 6.6.1 VLAN-Enabling a Port To VLAN-enable a port: 1.
6.6.3 VLAN-Enabling a Group There are two ways to VLAN enable a group: When you create the group - check Create VLAN enabled Group in the Group Ports dialog box (see section 6.5.1). After you create a group – using the Replace Group with VLAN enabled Group option (described below). To VLAN-enable a group using the Replace Group with VLAN enabled Group option: 1. In the Network Settings View, click a group in the Main Display. 2.
Chapter 7 Performing System Actions The System Actions panel is displayed in all views and always contains the following actions: Volume Creation Wizard – launches the wizard for creating volumes. See section 3.2. Add xStack Storage – adds an xStack Storage system to be managed by the xStack Storage Management Center. See section 7.1. Remove xStack Storage – removes an xStack Storage system from being managed by the xStack Storage Management Center. See section 7.2.
Figure 7-1. Add xStack Storage Screen 2. In the IP Address or Hostname field, enter either the IP address or the host name of the xStack Storage you want to manage. 3. Click Add. The IP address or host name is selected in the View panel and a Log In screen for that xStack Storage appears, with the cursor in the Username field (see Figure 2-8 on page 16). 4. With the IP address or host name for the newly added xStack Storage system selected in the View panel, start with step 4 in section 2.
Chapter 8 Best Practices This chapter provides suggestions and guidelines for optimizing your management experience with the xStack Storage Management Center. The topics covered in this chapter are: Section 8.1, Saving Configuration Settings (page 104) Section 8.2, Resetting Display Preferences (page 104) Section 8.
8.1 Saving Configuration Settings After you define the settings for your xStack Storage, it is strongly recommended that you use the xStack Storage Management Center to save the settings in a configuration file and store the file in a safe location. Thereafter, you should save your configuration every time you change it to ensure you have a copy of your latest xStack Storage configuration.
Table 8-1 lists the ports used by the xStack Storage. We suggest you create or revise your source-based firewall rules/policies to accommodate outbound connections to the xStack Storage system via these ports. Table 8-1.
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Appendix A Menu Summary This appendix summarizes the menus in the xStack Storage Management Center menus and the commands they contain. For more information about a command, refer to the section number. A.1 File Menu Add xStack Storage – adds xStack Storage arrays to be managed by the xStack Storage Management Center (see section 7.1). Remove xStack Storage – removes an xStack Storage from being managed by the xStack Storage Management Center (see section 7.2).
A.3 Tools Menu Volume Creation Wizard – runs the wizard for creating volumes (see section 3.2.1). Customize Time Display – customizes the time display for the timezone in which the xStack Storage is located (see section 2.2). Save Event History – saves the event history to a text file on a local computer (section 5.2.1). A.4 Volumes Menu Grant/Revoke Access – grants or denies iSCSI access to a volume (see section 3.3.1). Scan Volume – scans a volume now or at a scheduled date/time (see section 3.3.2).
A.6 Network Menu (Management Port Selected) Ping from Management Port – issues an outbound ping from the xStack Storage management port to a target (see section 6.2.2). A.7 Network Menu (Ethernet Port Selected) Create Portal – creates a portal (see section 6.4.1). Replace Port with VLAN enabled Port – removes a port from an Ethernet group (see section 6.6.1). If the port is VLAN-enabled, this option changes to Replace VLAN enabled Port with standard Port (see section 6.6.2).
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Appendix B Factory Default Settings This appendix lists the xStack Storage factory-default settings. Table B-1. Battery Policy Default Setting Parameter Default Value If the battery fails, the xStack Storage should Stop buffering I/O in cache Table B-2. Date and Time Default Setting Parameter Default Value Timezone UTC Table B-3. Modify System TCPIP Default Settings Parameter Default Value Max. Segment Size 8960 Window Scale 0 Time To Live (TTL) 64 PMTU Enabled True Table B-4.
Table B-8. Email Notification Support Default Setting Parameter Default Value Enable Email Notification Support Disabled SMTP Server 0.0.0.0 SMTP Port 25 Table B-9.
Table B-10. Advanced Settings (System Administration View) Advanced Setting Description Remote System Time Date and time of the xStack Storage, adjusted for its local time zone. iSCSI Port Number 3260 TCP/IP – Time to Live 64 seconds TCP/IP – Maximum IP Segmentation 8960 bytes TCP/IP – Window Scale 0 TCP/IP – Timestamp Disabled TCP/IP – PMTU Enabled TCP/IP – Reset Upper Layer Counter Disabled Email Notification Enabled Disabled Email Server IP Address 0.0.0.
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Appendix C Recording Your Configuration Settings This appendix contains tables you can use to record the configuration settings. C.1 Recording Volumes Use Table C-1 to record information about the volumes you create. Table C-1. Volumes Created Using the xStack Storage Storage Array Volume Name Volume Size Volume Composition (Parity, Mirror, etc.
Volume Name Volume Size Volume Composition (Parity, Mirror, etc.
C.2 Recording iSCSI Initiator Access Use Table C-2 to record information about the iSCSI initiators that will be accessing volumes. Table C-2.
Initiator Name Volume Name Initiator Access Granted to Initiator: ________________________________ CHAP Secret_______________________________________________ Revoked for Initiator: ________________________________ Granted to All Initiators Granted to Initiator: ________________________________ CHAP Secret_______________________________________________ Revoked for Initiator: ________________________________ Granted to All Initiators Granted to Initiator: ________________________________ CHAP
Table C-3.
C.4 Recording Network Portals Use Table C-4 to record information about the network portals you create. Table C-4.
C.5 Recording Scheduled Tasks Use Table C-5 to record information about the scheduled tasks you create. Table C-5.
C.6 Admin Login Password If you change the default admin login password, record it in Table C-6. Table C-6.
C.7 Configuration Files If you save a configuration to a configuration file, record it in Table C-7. Table C-7.
C.8 Management Port Settings Record your management port settings in Table C-8. Table C-8.
C.9 Data Port Settings Record your data port settings in Table C-9. Table C-9.
C.10 Email Settings Record your email settings in Table C-10. Table C-10.
