Deployment Guide
Table Of Contents
- Dell EMC PowerVault ME4 Series Storage System Deployment Guide
- Contents
- Before you begin
- Mount the enclosures in the rack
- Connect to the management network
- Cable host servers to the storage system
- Cabling considerations
- Connecting the enclosure to hosts
- Host connection
- Connect power cables and power on the storage system
- Perform system and storage setup
- Record storage system information
- Using guided setup
- Web browser requirements and setup
- Access the PowerVault Manager
- Update firmware
- Use guided setup in the PowerVault Manager Welcome panel
- Perform host setup
- Host system requirements
- Windows hosts
- Configuring a Windows host with FC HBAs
- Configuring a Windows host with iSCSI network adapters
- Configuring a Windows host with SAS HBAs
- Linux hosts
- Configuring a Linux host with FC HBAs
- Configure a Linux host with iSCSI network adapters
- Attach a Linux host with iSCSI network adapters to the storage system
- Assign IP addresses for each network adapter connecting to the iSCSI network
- Register the Linux host with iSCSI network adapters and create volumes
- Enable and configure DM Multipath on the Linux host with iSCSI network adapters
- Create a Linux file system on the volumes
- SAS host server configuration for Linux
- VMware ESXi hosts
- Fibre Channel host server configuration for VMware ESXi
- iSCSI host server configuration for VMware ESXi
- Attach an ESXi host with network adapters to the storage system
- Configure the VMware ESXi VMkernel
- Configure the software iSCSI adapter on the ESXi host
- Register an ESXi host with a configured software iSCSI adapter and create and map volumes
- Enable multipathing on an ESXi host with iSCSI volumes
- Volume rescan and datastore creation for an ESXi hosts with iSCSI network adapters
- SAS host server configuration for VMware ESXi
- Citrix XenServer hosts
- Fibre Channel host server configuration for Citrix XenServer
- iSCSI host server configuration for Citrix XenServer
- Attach a XenServer host with network adapters to the storage system
- Configure a software iSCSI adapter on a XenServer host
- Configure the iSCSI IQN on a XenServer host
- Enable Multipathing on a XenServer host
- Register a XenServer host with a software iSCSI adapter and create volumes
- Create a Storage Repository for a volume on a XenServer host with a software iSCSI adapter
- SAS host server configuration for Citrix XenServer
- Troubleshooting and problem solving
- Locate the service tag
- Operators (Ops) panel LEDs
- Initial start-up problems
- Cabling for replication
- SFP+ transceiver for FC/iSCSI ports
- System Information Worksheet
- Setting network port IP addresses using the CLI port and serial cable
SAS host server configuration for Citrix XenServer
The following sections describe how to configure SAS host servers running Citrix XenServer:
Prerequisites
● Complete the PowerVault Manager guided system and storage setup process.
● See the cabling diagrams within this guide before attaching a host to the storage system; careful planning ensures a
successful deployment.
●
Install and configure the required version of the XenServer operating system on the hosts.
● Install XenCenter on a Windows computer and connect it to the XenServer hosts.
● Configure the XenServer hosts into a pool.
Attach a XenServer host with SAS HBAs to the storage system
Perform the following steps to attach a XenServer host with SAS HBAs to the storage system:
1. Ensure that all HBAs have the latest supported firmware and drivers as described on Dell.com/support. For a list of
supported SAS HBAs, see the Dell EMC ME4 Series Storage System Support Matrix.
2. Use the SAS cabling diagrams to cable the hosts to the storage system either by using switches or connecting the hosts
directly to the storage system.
3. Log in to the console for each XenServer host using SSH or XenCenter.
4. Use the following command to display and record the initiator ID for the HBA ports that are connected to the storage
enclosure:
systool -c sas_device -v | grep enclosure_identifier
NOTE:
SAS HBAs have two ports. The World Wide Port Name (WWPN) for port 0 ends in 0 and the WWPN for port 1
ends in 1.
Enable Multipathing on a XenServer host
Perform the following steps to enable Multipathing on a XenServer host using XenCenter:
1. Log in to XenCenter and select the XenServer host.
2. Right-click the host, and select Enter Maintenance Mode.
3. On the General tab, click Properties.
The Properties window is displayed.
4. Click the Multipathing tab, and select the Enable multipathing on this server checkbox.
5. Click OK.
6. Right-click the host, and select Exit Maintenance Mode.
Repeat the previous steps for all the hosts in the pool.
Register a XenServer host with SAS HBAs and create volumes
Perform the following steps to register a XenServer host with SAS HBAs, and create volumes using the PowerVault Manager:
1. Log in to the PowerVault Manager.
2. Access the Host Setup wizard:
● From the Welcome screen, click Host Setup.
● From the Home topic, click Action > Host Setup.
3. Confirm that all the SAS prerequisites have been met, then click Next.
4. Type a host name in the Host Name field.
5. Using the information from step 4 of Attach a XenServer host with SAS HBAs to the storage system on page 69, select the
SAS initiators for the host you are configuring, then click Next.
Perform host setup
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