Dell PowerVault NX1950 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Dell Manuals
  4. Storage
  5. PowerVault NX1950
  6. Installation and troubleshooting manual
Dell PowerVault NX1950 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

Dell PowerVault NX1950 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

Cluster systems with dell|equallogic ps series storage array
Hide thumbs Also See for PowerVault NX1950:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual See also: Reference Manual, Configuration Manual
Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950
Cluster Systems With
Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array
Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Dell PowerVault NX1950

Summary of Contents for Dell PowerVault NX1950

  • Page 1 Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 Cluster Systems With Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array Installation and Troubleshooting Guide w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m...
  • Page 2 Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document 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: Table Of Contents

    Installing the Cluster ....Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN ..Creating the Group ....
  • Page 4 Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array ..... Connecting Nodes to Volumes ....
  • Page 5 Manage Clusters ....B Migrating an Existing Cluster to Dell|Equallogic PS Series Storage ..Index .......
  • Page 6 Contents...

  • Page 7: Overview

    NOTE: Throughout this document, PowerVault NX1950 storage system refers to the individual storage unit and PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution refers to the configuration of the storage unit along with the storage arrays. In a PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution configuration, if the hardware or software fails and causes a service failure, the cluster automatically restarts the failed service on a functional cluster node.
  • Page 8 Figure 1-1. Node A Fails Over to Node B public network cluster heartbeat SAN network PS Series array shared storage NOTE: Although most clustered services run on only one node at a time, a cluster can run many services simultaneously to optimize hardware utilization. Overview...

  • Page 9: Using A Ps Series San As Shared Storage

    Using a PS Series SAN as Shared Storage The PS Series storage array overcomes the challenges of DAS and traditional SANs by providing a familiar technology for connecting servers to storage – Ethernet. An iSCSI (Internet SCSI) SAN provides an affordable and easy-to-manage shared storage solution for your cluster nodes.
  • Page 10 As needed, you allocate portions of the pool to volumes, specifying a size, access controls, and other attributes. The PowerVault NX1950 storage system sees each volume as a single device and each volume is automatically load-balanced across multiple disks and group members as required.
  • Page 11 Figure 1-2. Cluster Configuration With a PS Series Group as Shared Storage public network PowerVault PowerVault PowerVault NX1950 C NX1950 A NX1950 B cluster heartbeat SAN network PS Series Array Shared Storage Service 1 Quorum Volume Service 2 service1_data Volume Service 3 service2_data Volume Service 4...
  • Page 12 Overview...

  • Page 13: Planning The Network Configuration

    Planning the Network Configuration The following sections provide different possible network configurations and help you plan for the implementation of Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution with Dell|EqualLogic PS Series storage. Considering the Network Design Structure Implementing the correct networking infrastructure is essential to trouble-free operation of your PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution.
  • Page 14 The following SAN network guidelines are recommended for optimal performance and high availability: • Use a switched, Gigabit Ethernet network. Connect storage arrays and hosts to a switched network and ensure that all network connections between hosts and arrays are Gigabit Ethernet. An array can operate at 10 and 100 Mbits, but performance is significantly degraded.

  • Page 15: Planning Network Redundancy

    When used with a PS Series group, full cluster redundancy at the network level may require five network ports. You can accomplish network redundancy in the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution by using the following: • Teaming or multiple interfaces on separate subnets. These are the only two supported options for the public network.
  • Page 16 The following table shows an example of planning IP addresses for a cluster. Table 2-1. Cluster Name and IP Assignment Interface IP Address Subnet Mask Gateway Note Node A 192.168.0.11 255.255.255.0 Gateway Using MPIO optional 192.168.0.12 255.255.255.0 Gateway Using MPIO optional Public 172.16.100.212...

  • Page 17: Setting Up The Cluster

    Setting Up the Cluster This section outlines the basic steps required to configure a Dell|EqualLogic ® ® PS Series SAN as the shared storage for a Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 cluster. The steps assume that you have already completed the hardware installation and setup of your group as described in the PS Series QuickStart.
  • Page 18 Snapshot space for each volume if you want to create volume snapshots or use Auto-Snapshot Manager for VSS backups. For more information, see "Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN" on page 21. 6 Optimize the SAN network for performance.
  • Page 19 Align the disks sectors, configure each iSCSI disk as a basic disk, and assign a drive letter. For more information, see "Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array" on page 29. 8 Allocate static IP addresses on your public network.
  • Page 20 12 Modify the cluster network configuration. For more information on modifying cluster network configuration, see "Modifying the Cluster Network Configuration" on page 34. 13 On the second node, use the iSCSI initiator to connect to the shared PS Series volumes. Start the iSCSI initiator and log in to the iSCSI targets associated with the volumes you set up in step 1.

  • Page 21: Setting Up The Dell|Equallogic Ps Series San

    Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN The following sections describe how to create a Dell|EqualLogic PS Series group, create volumes, and restrict access to the volumes. Creating the Group Use the Group Manager GUI or CLI to manage a group. Access the GUI from a web browser by connecting to the group IP address.

  • Page 22: Configuring Volumes In A Ps Series Storage Array

    Click and expand items in the far left panel of the GUI for detailed information about group components. Tasks such as creating volumes are shown in the Activities panel. Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN...
  • Page 23 To ensure proper security and data integrity, for each shared volume, create one or more access control records to allow only the cluster nodes access to the volume. Also, reserve snapshot space if you want to create volume snapshots or use Auto-Snapshot Manager. Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN...
  • Page 24 This helps to eliminate confusion if you have multiple clusters attached to the same PS Series group. Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN...

  • Page 25: Restricting Access To Volumes

    GUI. Select the volume name to display volume details. After you create a volume, an iSCSI target name is automatically generated for the volume. The PowerVault NX1950 storage system connects to the volume through the group IP address and the target name.
  • Page 26 IP address and CHAP, as shown in Figure 4-3. For example, if a record includes both an IP address and a CHAP user name, the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution must present the IP address, the CHAP user name, and its associated password (using the iSCSI initiator) to match the record.
  • Page 27 4 After you specify the access control information, click OK to create the record. Verify that the record appears in the Group Manager Volume Access window, as shown in Figure 4-4. Figure 4-4. Group Manager - Volume Access Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN...
  • Page 28 Setting Up the Dell|EqualLogic PS Series SAN...

  • Page 29: Configuring Shared Storage On Your

    DNS name). Then, click OK. This enables the initiator to discover the iSCSI targets associated with the group volumes. 3 In the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Properties window, click the Targets tab. Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array...
  • Page 30 CHAP database set up in the group or on an external Remote Access Dial-In User Server (RADIUS). After entering the information, click OK. Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array...
  • Page 31 Windows, click Bind All→ OK. After the node is connected to a volume’s iSCSI target, it appears as a local disk (iSCSI disk) in the Disk Management utility. Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array...

  • Page 32: Aligning The Disk Sectors

    For details on assigning a drive letter and formatting an iSCSI disk, see the technical report Deploying Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in an iSCSI SAN on the EqualLogic Customer Support website at www.equallogic.com. Configuring Shared Storage on Your Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array...

  • Page 33: Setting Up Mscs

    Setting Up MSCS The following sections describe how to implement a two-node cluster that uses Dell|EqualLogic PS Series storage. Before you begin, ensure that: ® • You have the PS Series group and volumes setup; the Microsoft ® Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 operating system configured on the cluster nodes;...

  • Page 34: Modifying The Cluster Network Configuration

    OK. When the Proposed Cluster Configuration window appears again, click Next. 10 The PowerVault NX1950 cluster system is created on the node you specified in Step 4. If the Cluster Wizard finds any errors, a condition is flagged.
  • Page 35 2 Right-click each network object in the right panel and select Properties. 3 Select the network option button that describes the function of the network adapter. If an adapter does not participate in the cluster, Ensure that you have unchecked the box Enable this network for cluster use as shown in Figure 6-2. If the adapter fails, the cluster treats it as cluster failure and fails over the services to another node.
  • Page 36 Figure 6-3. Advanced Settings Window 5 If you are using multipath I/O, in the Cluster Administrator, right-click the network name that represents your SAN network and select Properties.If you are not using multipath I/O, you have completed the network configuration modifications. In the Network Properties window, uncheck Enable this network for cluster use option.

  • Page 37: Adding A Node To The Cluster

    Adding a Node to the Cluster After you complete the initial cluster setup on the first node (Node A) and modify the cluster network configuration, you must add at least one other node (Node B) to the cluster to create a failover partner. Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 allows you to have up to eight nodes in one cluster, when using iSCSI disks for shared storage.
  • Page 38 Figure 6-4. Add Nodes Wizard 5 In the Cluster Service Account window, enter the password for the cluster service account that you specified for the first node in step 7 of "Creating the Cluster" on page 33. The User name field is populated and cannot be changed.

  • Page 39: Modifying Cluster Configuration Options

    8 After the wizard completes the new cluster node configuration, the wizard notifies you that the addition was successful and give you the option to view the log. To exit, click Finish. 9 As described in step 4 of Modifying the Cluster Network Configuration, reorder the bind preference for the new cluster node’s network adapters.
  • Page 40 Figure 6-5. Cluster Administrator - Move Group If the failover succeeds, the Cluster Administrator displays the change of owner in the right panel, as shown inFigure 6-6. Figure 6-6. Cluster Administrator 4 Repeat step 1 to step 3 for each group object. You can also verify your cluster setup with the Cluster Diagnostics and Verification Tool ClusDiag.exe available on the Microsoft website at www.microsoft.com/downloads/.

  • Page 41: Expanding Your San Storage

    Increasing the Size of a PS Series Volume You can use the Group Manager GUI or CLI to increase the size of a PS Series volume without disrupting users. You do not have to reboot the Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 system, and the space is immediately available. Follow these steps to use the Group Manager GUI to increase the size of a volume: 1 Expand Volumes in the far left panel, and select the volume name.
  • Page 42 Figure 7-1. Modify Volume Settings To enable Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 to recognize the volume size increase, you must re-scan the disks in the Disk Management utility and then use the DiskPart utility. For more information, see the technical report Microsoft Windows: Expanding Basic Disk Volumes on the EqualLogic Customer Support website at www.equallogic.com.

  • Page 43: Increasing Ps Series Group Capacity

    Increasing PS Series Group Capacity If additional PS Series group storage capacity is needed in order to create more volumes or expand volumes, you can add more members (arrays) to the group: 1 Set up the hardware for the new PS Series storage array. 2 Run setup.
  • Page 44 Expanding Your SAN Storage...

  • Page 45: Strategies For Backup And Recovery

    Strategies for Backup and Recovery You can use the backup and recovery solutions available with the Dell|Equallogic to ensure high availability for your Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution. The following sections address these areas and present possible solutions. Protecting Cluster Data...

  • Page 46: Choosing A Backup Method

    Choosing a Backup Method There are many ways to backup cluster data. For example, you can follow the steps in the Microsoft TechNet article Backing up and restoring server clusters to backup cluster data using the Microsoft Backup utility, NTBackup. For more information, see Microsoft documentation.

  • Page 47: Restoring Data

    Restoring Data When restoring cluster data, focus on the following components: • Cluster database—If the signature of the quorum disk has changed since you last backed up data, instead of restoring the System State only, use Automated System Recovery in the Backup or Restore Wizard to restore the quorum disk signature along with the System State.
  • Page 48 Strategies for Backup and Recovery...

  • Page 49: Upgrading Your San And Network

    Use this same process if you are performing maintenance on a network switch, because a switch failure is equivalent to a link failure. You may also be required to update the firmware on the Dell|Equallogic PS Series storage arrays in the group. When updating firmware on an array, you must restart the array.
  • Page 50 Upgrading your SAN and Network...

  • Page 51: Maintaining Your Cluster

    Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution. Replacing the Quorum Resource If access to the shared quorum resource fails or if the Dell|Equallogic PS Series volume associated with the quorum resource fails, the cluster crashes. Although the cluster service attempts multiple restarts, the cluster does not respond until the resource is replaced.

  • Page 52: Removing A Node From A Cluster

    1 Start the Cluster Administrator. 2 Right-click the node you want to remove and click Stop Cluster service. NOTICE: Do not perform this step if the PowerVault NX1950 storage system is the last node in the cluster. Maintaining Your Cluster...
  • Page 53 To remove the last node from a cluster: 1 Right-click the node you want to remove and click Evict Node, as shown in Figure 10-1. This returns the cluster to its original state. You can add it again later to the same cluster or to a different cluster. Figure 10-1.
  • Page 54 Maintaining Your Cluster...

  • Page 55: A Using Wsrm And Scripts To

    Using WSRM and Scripts to Manage Clusters ® ® Microsoft released the Microsoft Windows Server Resource Manager (WSRM) ® as a feature in Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 operating system. By using WSRM to manage a cluster deployment, you gain more control over node resource usage during failover.
  • Page 56 Using WSRM and Scripts to Manage Clusters...

  • Page 57: B Migrating An Existing Cluster To

    Migrating an Existing Cluster to Dell|Equallogic PS Series Storage If you are modifying your existing Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster implementation with the Dell|Equallogic PS Series storage array, you must migrate data from an e-mail store, relational database, or file share to a new shared storage device.
  • Page 58 6 Retain the old cluster data—If you prefer to leave the old storage infrastructure up and running for a period of time as a fallback measure you can store it so that the old cluster data may be accessible only to administrators. Migrating an Existing Cluster to Dell|Equallogic PS Series Storage...

  • Page 59: Index

    Backup and Recovery, 45 Quorum Resource, 51 Dell|Equallogic PS Series Upgrading Components, 49 Storage Migrating Data, 57 Dell|EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array WSRM, 55 features, 9 Setup, 21 MSCS Setup, 33 PowerVault NX1950 Cluster Configuration, 7 features, 7 Setup, 17 Index...
  • Page 60 Index...

Table of Contents