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Dell PowerVault MD3600f Hardware Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

Storage arrays with microsoft windows server failover clusters
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Download this manual See also: Owner's Manual, Configuration Manual
Dell PowerVault MD3600f and
MD3620f Storage Arrays With
Microsoft Windows Server
Failover Clusters
Hardware Installation
and Troubleshooting
Guide

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Summary of Contents for Dell PowerVault MD3600f

  • Page 1 Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f Storage Arrays With Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters Hardware Installation and Troubleshooting Guide...
  • Page 2 Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this publication to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
  • Page 3 Contents Introduction ......Overview ......Cluster Solution .
  • Page 4 ....Connecting a PowerEdge Cluster to Multiple PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f Storage Systems ....
  • Page 5 Troubleshooting Tools ....Configuring the RAID Level for the Shared Storage Subsystem ....Windows Operating System and Dynamic Volumes .
  • Page 6 Contents...

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Introduction This document provides information for installing and managing your cluster solution using Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f storage systems. It is intended for experienced IT professionals who configure a cluster solution and for trained service technicians who perform upgrade and maintenance procedures.

  • Page 8: Cluster Solution

    Cluster Solution Your Fibre Channel cluster implements a minimum of two-node clustering and a maximum of sixteen-node clustering and provides the following features: • 8 Gbps and 4 Gbps Fibre Channel technology. • High availability of system services and resources to network clients. •...

  • Page 9: Cluster Nodes

    (RAID 5). NOTE: It is recommended that you use hardware-based RAID or software-based disk-fault tolerance for the internal drives. NOTE: For more information about supported systems, HBAs, and operating system versions, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha. Introduction...

  • Page 10: Cluster Storage

    Power and cooling Two integrated hot-swappable power supply/cooling fan requirements modules. Physical disks At least two physical disks in the PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f RAID enclosure. Multiple clusters and In a switch-attached configuration, clusters and stand-alone stand-alone systems systems can share one or more PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f systems.
  • Page 11 MDSM is a graphical user interface (GUI) with wizard-guided tools and a task-based structure. MDSM is designed to: • Reduce the complexity when you install, configure, manage, and perform diagnostic tasks for the storage arrays. • Contain an event monitoring service that is used to send alerts when a critical problem with the storage array occurs.

  • Page 12: Supported Cluster Configurations

    Advanced Features Advanced features for the PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f RAID storage systems include: Snapshot Virtual Disk—Captures point-in-time images of a virtual disk • for backup, testing, or data processing without affecting the contents of the source virtual disk. •...

  • Page 13: San-Attached Cluster

    Figure 1-1. Direct-Attached, Single-Cluster Configuration public network cluster node cluster node private network Fibre Channel Fibre Channel connections connections storage system NOTE: The configuration can have up to 4 nodes. The nodes can be: One cluster (up to 4 nodes) •...

  • Page 14: Configuration Order For Direct-Attached And San-Attached Connections

    If you are adding a Fibre Channel storage array or if your host server is already configured to access Fibre Channel storage, some of the steps in this section may not apply. Before proceeding, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha to confirm that your existing hardware components and Host Bus Adapter (HBA) firmware and BIOS levels are supported.

  • Page 15: Direct-Attached Configuration Order

    2 Cable the cluster nodes to the storage array. See "Cabling Storage for Your Direct-Attached Cluster" on page 24. 3 Install the required HBA drivers and firmware versions listed in the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha. 4 Install and configure the MD Storage Manager software (included with your storage array) on your cluster nodes.

  • Page 16: Other Documents You May Need

    The Getting Started Guide provides an overview to initially set up your system. • The Dell Failover Clusters with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide provides more information about deploying your cluster. The Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices provides a list of •...
  • Page 17 • The Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f Storage Arrays Configuring Fibre Channel With Dell MD3600f Series Storage Arrays document provides information about configurations, HBA installation, and zoning. The Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f Storage Arrays Getting • Started Guide provides an overview of setting up and cabling your storage array.
  • Page 18 Introduction...

  • Page 19: Cabling Your Cluster Hardware

    Figure 2-1 illustrates a recommended method for power cabling of a cluster solution consisting of two Dell PowerEdge systems and one storage system. To ensure redundancy, the primary power supplies of all the components are grouped onto one or two circuits and the redundant power supplies are grouped onto a different circuit.
  • Page 20 Figure 2-1. Power Cabling Example cluster node 2 cluster node 1 MD36x0f RAID MD36x0f RAID controller module 1 controller module 0 redundant power supplies on one AC primary power supplies on one AC power strip [or one AC PDU (not power strip [or one AC PDU (not shown)] shown)]...

  • Page 21: Cabling Your Public And Private Networks

    Cabling Your Public and Private Networks The network adapters in the cluster nodes provide at least two network connections for each node. These connections are described in Table 2-1. Table 2-1. Network Connections Network Connection Description Public Network All connections to the client LAN. At least one public network must be configured for mixed mode (public mode and private mode) for private network failover.

  • Page 22: Cabling Your Public Network

    Figure 2-2. Example of Network Cabling Connection public network private network adapter private network cluster node 1 cluster node 2 Cabling Your Public Network Any network adapter supported by a system running TCP/IP may be used to connect to the public network segments. You can install additional network adapters to support additional public network segments or to provide redundancy in the event of a faulty primary network adapter or switch port.

  • Page 23: Using Dual-Port Network Adapters For Your Private Network

    Table 2-2. Private Network Hardware Components and Connections Method Hardware Components Connection Network switch Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Depending on the hardware, Ethernet network connect the CAT5e or CAT6 adapters and switches cables, the multimode optical cables with Local Connectors (LCs), or the twinax cables from the network adapters in the nodes to a switch.

  • Page 24: Nic Teaming

    Cabling Storage for Your Direct-Attached Cluster A direct-attached cluster configuration consists of redundant Fibre Channel host bus adapter (HBA) ports cabled directly to a Dell PowerVault MD36x0f storage system. If a component (for example, port, cable, or the storage controller) fails in the storage path, the MPIO software automatically re-routes the I/O requests to the alternate path so that the storage array continues to operate without interruption.
  • Page 25 Figure 2-3. Direct-Attached Cluster Configuration public network cluster node cluster node private network Fibre Channel Fibre Channel connections connections storage system Cabling Your Cluster Hardware...
  • Page 26 Cabling a Cluster to a Dell PowerVault MD36 0f Storage System Each cluster node attaches to the storage system using two Fibre optic cables with duplex local connector (LC) multimode connectors that attach to the HBA ports in the cluster nodes and the MD36x0f RAID controller module ports in the MD36x0f storage system.
  • Page 27 Figure 2-4. Cabling a Two-Node Direct-Attached Cluster to a PowerVault MD36 Storage System SAS out port (2) cluster node2 cluster node1 Corporate, public, or private network RAID controller module 0 RAID controller module 1 NOTE: The SAS out port provides SAS connection for cabling to MD1200 or MD1220 expansion enclosure(s).
  • Page 28 Install a cable from cluster node 1 HBA port 1 to the Fibre Channel port on the MD36x0f RAID controller module 1, port In-0. 2 Connect cluster node 2 to the storage system: Install a cable from cluster node 2 HBA port 0 to the Fibre Channel port on the MD36x0f RAID controller module 0, port In-1.
  • Page 29 Figure 2-5 shows a four-cluster node connected to two RAID controller modules. Since each cluster node has redundant paths, loss of a single path still allows access to the storage array through the alternate path. Figure 2-5. Cabling a Four-Node Direct-Attached Cluster to a PowerVault MD36 Storage System PowerVault MD360x0f series storage array Corporate, public, or...

  • Page 30: Cabling Storage For Your San-Attached Cluster

    Cabling Two Two-Node Direct-Attached Clusters to an MD36x0f Storage System The following steps are an example of how to cable a two two-node cluster. 1 In the first cluster, connect cluster node 1 to the storage system: Install a cable from cluster node 1 HBA port 0 to the Fibre Channel port on the MD36x0f RAID controller module 0, port In-0.
  • Page 31 Similar cabling concepts can be applied to clusters that contain a different number of nodes. NOTE: The connections listed in this section are representative of one proven method of ensuring redundancy in the connections between the cluster nodes and the storage system. Other methods that achieve the same type of redundant connectivity may be acceptable.
  • Page 32 Figure 2-7. Sixteen-Node SAN-Attached Cluster public network private network cluster nodes (2-16) Fibre Channel Fibre Channel switch switch storage system Cabling Your Cluster Hardware...
  • Page 33 Cabling a SAN-Attached Cluster to an MD36 0f Storage System The cluster nodes attach to the storage system using a redundant switch fabric and Fibre optic cables with duplex LC multimode connectors. The switches, the HBA ports in the cluster nodes, and the RAID controller module ports in the storage system use duplex LC multimode connectors.
  • Page 34 Connect a cable from Fibre Channel switch (Switch fabric A) to the Fibre Channel port on the MD36x0f RAID controller module 0, port In-2. Connect a cable from Fibre Channel switch (Switch fabric B) to the Fibre Channel port on the MD36x0f RAID controller module 0, port In-1.
  • Page 35 Figure 2-8. Cabling a SAN-Attached Cluster to the MD36 cluster node 2 cluster node 1 switch fabric A switch fabric B corporate, public, or private network RAID controller module 0 RAID controller module 1 Cabling Your Cluster Hardware...

  • Page 36: Connecting A Poweredge Cluster To

    Fibre Channel switches and then connect the Fibre Channel switches to the appropriate MD36x0f RAID controller modules. For rules and guidelines for SAN-attached clusters, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha. Connecting a PowerEdge Cluster to a Tape Library To provide additional backup for your cluster, you can add tape backup devices to your cluster configuration.
  • Page 37 NOTE: While tape libraries can be connected to multiple fabrics, they do not provide path failover. Figure 2-9. Cabling a Storage System and a Tape Library cluster node cluster node private network Fibre Channel Fibre Channel switch switch storage system tape library Cabling Your Cluster Hardware...

  • Page 38: Multiple Powervault Md3600F Or Md3620F Storage Systems

    Connecting a PowerEdge Cluster to Multiple PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f Storage Systems You can increase your cluster storage capacity by attaching multiple storage systems to your cluster using redundant Fibre Channel switch fabrics. The PowerEdge cluster systems support configurations with multiple PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f storage systems attached to clustered systems.
  • Page 39 Figure 2-10. SAN-Attached Cluster Configuration With Multiple Storage Arrays public network private network 2 to 16 cluster nodes switch fabric A switch fabric B storage array 1 MD36x0f RAID MD36x0f RAID storage array 2 controller module 0 controller module 1 Cabling Your Cluster Hardware...
  • Page 40 When attaching multiple PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f storage systems with your cluster, the following rules apply: • A maximum of four Power Vault MD3600f and MD3620f storage systems per cluster. • The shared storage systems and firmware must be identical. Using dissimilar storage systems and firmware for your shared storage is not supported.

  • Page 41: For Clustering

    For more information on step 3 through step 7 and step 10 through step 12, see the “Preparing your systems for clustering” section of the Dell Failover Clusters with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide at support.dell.com/manuals. 3 Deploy the operating system (including any relevant service pack and...
  • Page 42 Active Directory Domain. NOTE: You can configure the cluster nodes as Domain Controllers. For more information, see the “Selecting a Domain Model” section of the Dell Failover Clusters with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide at support.dell.com/manuals. 6 Establish the physical storage topology and any required storage network settings to provide connectivity between the storage array and the servers that must be configured as cluster nodes.

  • Page 43: Installation Overview

    Installation Overview Each node in your Dell Windows Server failover cluster must have the same release, edition, service pack, and processor architecture of the Windows Server operating system installed. For example, all nodes in your cluster may be configured with Windows Server 2008 R2, Enterprise x64 Edition.

  • Page 44: Installing Supported Fibre Channel Hbas

    The storage array supports a specific set of Fibre Channel HBAs, each requiring a unique driver and firmware level. For more information on supported HBAs with the drivers, firmware, and BIOS versions, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha.

  • Page 45: Implementing Zoning On A Fibre Channel Switched Fabric

    NOTE: For a list of supported Fibre Channel switches, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha. Preparing Your Systems for Clustering...

  • Page 46: World Wide Name Zoning

    If the Remote Replication premium feature is activated, a separate zone for each replication port is required. Only data traffic related to Remote Replication can move through that zone. For more details and requirements regarding Remote Replication, see the Owner’s Manual at support.dell.com/manuals. Preparing Your Systems for Clustering...

  • Page 47: Switch Hardware

    For detailed information on how to set up zoning on your switch, see the manufacturer’s product documentation or technical support website. Table 3-1 provides a list of WWN identifiers that you can find in the Dell PowerVault MD36x0f cluster environment. Table 3-1. Port Worldwide Names in a SAN Environment...

  • Page 48: Configuring The Shared Storage System

    NOTE: For more information about the Microsoft VDS, Microsoft VSS providers, see the Dell PowerVault MD3600f and MD3620f Storage Arrays Owner's Manual. Follow these steps to install the Storage Management Software: 1 Close all other programs before installing any new software.
  • Page 49 Automatic Storage Array Discovery 1 Launch MDSM. The Enterprise Management window opens. The Enterprise Management window contains the following tabs: • Devices tab—Provides information about the storage arrays. • Setup tab—Presents the initial setup tasks that guide you through adding storage arrays and configuring alerts. If this is the first storage array to be set up, the Add New Storage Array window appears.
  • Page 50 Right-click the root node (storage array name), Default Group node, or Host Group node in the Topology pane to which you want to add the host, and select Define Host from the pop-up menu. The Specify Host Name window is displayed. 3 In Host name, enter an up to 30 character alphanumeric name.
  • Page 51 11 Click Finish. Creating a Host Group A host group is a logical entity of two or more hosts that share access to specific virtual disks on the storage array. To create host groups: 1 In the Array Management window, select the Mappings tab. 2 In the Topology pane, select the storage array or the default group.
  • Page 52 To create a virtual disk, use one of the following methods: • Automatic configuration • Manual configuration Create disk groups using automatic configuration as follows: 1 To start the Create Disk Group Wizard, perform one of these actions: • To create a disk group from unconfigured capacity in the storage array—On the Logical tab, select Unconfigured Capacity node...
  • Page 53 Select the appropriate RAID level in the Select Raid Level field. You can select RAID levels 0, 1/10, 6, and 5. Depending on your RAID level selection, the physical disks available for the selected RAID level is displayed in the Select Capacity table. In the Select Capacity table, select the relevant disk group capacity and click Finish.
  • Page 54 • To create a virtual disk from unassigned physical disks in the storage array—On the Physical tab, select one or more unassigned physical disks of the same physical disk type, and select Virtual Disk Create. Alternatively, right-click the unassigned physical disks, and select Create Virtual Disk from the pop-up menu.
  • Page 55 If you select Custom, you must select an appropriate segment size. 8 Select the appropriate Preferred RAID controller module. For more information on creating disk groups and virtual disks, see the Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager User’s Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

  • Page 56: Troubleshooting Tools

    Mappings pane in the Mappings tab are updated to display the mappings. Troubleshooting Tools The Dell PowerVault MDSM establishes communication with each managed array and determines the current array status. When a problem occurs on a storage array, the MDSM provides several ways to troubleshoot the problem.
  • Page 57 2 Select View Details to view the details of each selected log entry. A Detail pane is added to the event log that contains information about the log item. You can view the details of a single log entry at a time. 3 To save the event log: Click Save As.
  • Page 58 use the storage array profile as an aid during recovery or as an overview of the current configuration of the storage array. Create a new copy of the storage array profile if your configuration changes. 1 To open the storage array profile in the Array Management window, perform one of the following actions: •...
  • Page 59 To save information from particular sections of the storage array profile, select the Select Sections option and click on the check boxes corresponding to the sections that you want to save. Select an appropriate directory. In File Name field, type a file name of your choice. To associate the file with a particular software application that opens it, specify a file extension, for example.text.

  • Page 60: Configuring The Raid Level For The Shared Storage Subsystem

    Storage Subsystem The virtual disks in your shared storage subsystem must be configured into disk groups or virtual disks using the Dell PowerVault MDSM software. All virtual disks, especially if they are used for the quorum resource, must be bound and must incorporate the appropriate RAID level to ensure high availability.

  • Page 61: Naming And Formatting Drives On The Shared Storage System

    Naming and Formatting Drives on the Shared Storage System Each virtual disk being created in the PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager becomes a physical disk in Windows Disk Management. For each physical disk, perform the following: • Write the disk signature •...
  • Page 62 access a given physical disk resource at a time. Therefore, if a disk is partitioned and contains multiple NTFS volumes, concurrent access to different volumes is only possible from the cluster node controlling the physical disk resource. If two NTFS volumes need to be controlled by different nodes, these volumes must reside on separate disks.

  • Page 63: Using Advanced (Premium) Powervault Modular Disk Storage Manager Features

    For more information, see the Premium Feature Activation card that shipped along with your Dell PowerVault MD3600f or MD3620f storage system. These premium features increase the high availability for your cluster solution.
  • Page 64 CAUTION: Avoid mapping the Snapshot Virtual Disk to more than one node in the cluster at any point of time. The Snapshot Virtual Disk is not managed by Failover Cluster Manager, so mapping the Snapshot Virtual Disk to the host group or both nodes in the cluster may allow both nodes to access data concurrently and thus cause data corruption.
  • Page 65 Remote Replication feature is deactivated. A dedicated zone on each Fibre Channel switch is also required. For cabling examples, configurations, host bus adapter (HBA) installation and zoning, see Configuring Fibre Channel with the Dell MD3600f Series Storage Array at support.dell.com/manuals. Preparing Your Systems for Clustering...

  • Page 66: Configuring A Failover Cluster

    Windows Server operating system you use. For more information on deploying your cluster, see the Dell Failover Clusters with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.
  • Page 67 Troubleshooting Table A-1 describes the general cluster problems, the probable causes, and solutions for each problem. Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting Problem Probable Cause Corrective Action The nodes cannot The storage system is not Ensure that the cables are access the storage cabled properly to the connected properly from the system, or the cluster...
  • Page 68 (continued) Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting Problem Probable Cause Corrective Action One of the nodes takes The node-to-node Check the network cabling. a long time to join the network has failed due to Ensure that the node-to-node cluster. a cabling or hardware interconnection and the public failure.
  • Page 69 For more information Cluster installation. about assigning the network IPs, see "Assigning Static IP Addresses to Your Cluster Resources and Components" in the Dell Failover Clusters with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide at support.dell.com/manuals. The private (point-to-...
  • Page 70 (continued) Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting Problem Probable Cause Corrective Action Unable to add a node The new node cannot Ensure that the new cluster node to the cluster. access the shared disks. can enumerate the cluster disks using Windows Disk Administration.
  • Page 71 (continued) Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting Problem Probable Cause Corrective Action Unable to assign the The snapshot virtual disk Unmap the snapshot virtual drive letter to the has been erroneously disk from the node not owning snapshot virtual disk. mapped to the node that the source disk.
  • Page 72 Troubleshooting...

  • Page 73: B Cluster Data Form

    Cluster Data Form You can attach the following form in a convenient location near each cluster node or rack to record information about the cluster. Use the form when you call for technical support. Table B-1. Cluster Configuration Information Cluster Information Cluster Solution Cluster name and IP address...
  • Page 74 Table B-2. Cluster Node Configuration Information Node Name Service Tag Public IP Address Private IP Address Number Table B-3. Additional Network Information Additional Networks Cluster Data Form...
  • Page 75 Table B-4. Storage Array Configuration Information Array Array Service Tag IP Address Number of Attached Disk Virtual Disks Array Enclosures (DAEs) Cluster Data Form...
  • Page 76 Cluster Data Form...
  • Page 77 Zoning Configuration Form Node HBA WWPNs Storage Zone Name Zone Set for or Alias WWPNs or Configuration Names Alias Names Name D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L – P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 2 5 / 1 1 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/7/2007 Zoning Configuration Form...
  • Page 78 FILE LOCATION: C:\Users\philip_john\Documents\HA_Clusters_Compellent\FalconHead\Sources\appC.fm D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L – P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 2 5 / 1 1 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Zoning Configuration Form...

  • Page 79: Index

    10 configuring MDSM, 10 failover cluster, 66 Modular Disk Storage shared storage system, 48 Manager, 10 Modular Disk Storage Manager Agent, 11 multipath software, MPIO Dell PowerVault MD36x0f software, 11 storage system Cabling a Two-Node Cluster, 26 direct-attached cluster Index...
  • Page 80 supported cluster configurations, 12 NIC teaming, 24 tape library operating system connecting to a PowerEdge installing, 43 cluster, 36 troubleshooting general cluster, 67 PowerVault MD36x0f Cabling a Multi-Node Cluster, 27 PowerVault MD36x0f storage virtual disk copy, 65 systems Cabling Multiple Clusters, 29 Cabling Multiple SAN-Attached Clusters, 36 Cabling Storage, 30...

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