Cisco Linksys Business Series Network Storage System... User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Linksys Business Series Network Storage System
Models NSS4000 and NSS6000 Series
Linksys Business Series Network Storage System
Getting Started Guide

© 2007-2008 Copyright 2007-2008, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Linksys, the Cisco Systems logo, the Linksys Logo, and the Linksys One logo are registered trademarks of Cisco
Systems, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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Contents
Linksys Business Series Network Storage System Administrator Guide
Contents
Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Benefits 3
About this Guide... 3
Recommended Installation Sequence 4
Chapter 2: Part A: Set up the Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Step 1: Install the Disk Drives 7
Approved Vendor List for Drives 9
Step 2: Install the Ethernet Links 9
Step 3: Install the Power 10
NSS-supported UPS Product Families 11
Chapter 3: Part B: Configure the Network Storage System (NSS) . . . 13
Step 1: Access the NSS when there is no DHCP Server Present on your Network 14
Step 2: Log into the Configuration Interface 15
Option A: Linksys One Environment Login Steps 15
Option B: Standalone Environment Login Steps 17
Step 3: Configure the Timing Settings 18
Step 4: Create a RAID Array 19
Step 5: Create a Volume 21
Step 6: Virtualize Storage within your Network 23
Exporting Storage to your Network 23
Creating Virtualized Storage 24
Step 7: Configure the NSS Network Identification 25
Step 8: Configure the User/Group Ranges and Home Directory Location 28
Step 9: Create any Locally Defined Users and Groups 29
Creating a User Profile 29
Creating a Group 31
Step 10: Create a Share 32
Adding a DFS Shared Folder 35
Restrictions using Microsoft DFS from the NSS 38
Step 11: Create a Snapshot for a Volume 38
Step 12: Create a Scheduled Backup for a Share 40
Step 13: Complete the Configuration 42
Step 14: Save the Current Configuration 43
Chapter 4: Part C: Instruct Your Users How to Access the NSS Storage . 45
Windows Users: Accessing the NSS Storage using CIFS/SMB 45
Windows Users: Accessing the NSS Storage through FTP 46
UNIX/Linux Users: Accessing Storage through NFS 46
UNIX/Linux Users: Accessing Storage through FTP 47

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Linksys Business Series Network Storage System Administrator Guide
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Mac Users: Accessing Storage through CIFS/SMB 47
Mac Users: Accessing Storage through FTP 48
Chapter 5: LEDs & Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power LED (Front Panel) 49
System LED (Front Panel) 50
Reset Button (Front Panel) 50
LAN LEDs (Front Panel) 51
Hard Disk Drive LEDs (Front Panel) 51
USB LED (Front Panel) 52
UPS LED (Back Panel) 52
Linksys One Contact Information 53

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Chapter 1: Introduction
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Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Linksys Business Series Network Storage System (NSS).
Administering a network can be a difficult job. Finding low-cost ways to simplify your data-
management tasks means that you have more resources to dedicate elsewhere. The NSS is a
Network Attached Storage (NAS) unit that appears as a native file server for the various clients
within your network, including Windows, Apple Macintosh, UNIX, and Linux platforms. The biggest
benefit to your users is that they can now access data that might be stored across different physical
platforms as simply as if it were on their own computers. The NSS provides a single repository that
is completely dedicated to storage, ensuring the integrity, reliability, and accessibility of your data
for a relatively low cost.
The NSS lets you install up to four physical disk drives as well as virtualize your storage into one or
more logical, redundant storage units or RAID arrays. The NSS uses the most common file-based
protocols such as NFS, CIFS, and FTP for file sharing.
Benefits
The NSS offers the following main advantages to your business:
•Cross-platform File Sharing: Share files easily and inexpensively across heterogeneous
platforms over a cost-effective Ethernet and IP network.
•Easy Installation and Administration: With a basic understanding of networking, the NSS is
easily configured, managed, and made available to all of your networked users.
•Data Consolidation: Centralize data to reduce management costs and maximize your
investment in existing hardware. This also means better data security.
About this Guide...
The Getting Started Guide contains the step-by-step details for getting your NSS up and running for
the first time---from hooking up the hardware to doing the basic configuration steps to get the NSS
running. Users are shown how to log into the NSS to access storage.

4Chapter 1: Introduction
Recommended Installation Sequence
Getting Sarted Guide
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Recommended Installation Sequence
Follow the NSS installation steps to set up and configure the device. They provide out-of-the-box
instructions. You can find detailed instructions for each step in the remaining sections of this guide.
• Part A: Set up the hardware:
- Step 1: Install the disk drives. Skip this step if you have an NSS4100 or NSS6100 as they
are already equipped with disk drives.
- Step 2: Connect the Ethernet cable(s).
- Step 3: Connect the power.
• Part B: Configure the NSS:
- Step 1: Configure the Network Settings IF a DHCP server is not present. (If there is a DHCP
server, skip this step.)
- Step 2: Log into the Configuration Interface
- Step 3: Configure the Time setting (options include NTP or manual).
- Step 4: Configure the RAID(s). You can choose to skip this step if you have an NSS4100 or
NSS6100 as it is preconfigured with a RAID5 array.
- Step 5: Create the volume(s).
- Step 6: If you have multiple NSS units (one of which is a NSS6000 series unit), and you
want to virtualize your storage, set up the export/import of the virtualized RAID arrays.
- Step 7: Set up the User and Group ID ranges and the users’ home directory location (this
enables the import of groups/users from Domain Controllers and to create local users and
groups).
- Step 8: Configure the Network Domain Identification (NT4, Active Directory, NIS, etc.) to
join the NSS to a domain.
- Step 9: Add any locally defined groups or users. (Optional)
- Step 10: Create share(s) and enable access to these shares (i.e., CIFS, NFS, FTP). You can
also define the DFS access.
- Step 11: If you have an NSS6000 series unit, configure the volume snapshots. (Optional)
- Step 12: Configure the share backups. (Optional)

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Recommended Installation Sequence
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- Step 13: Go through the rest of the configuration options to set up quotas, edit groups, set
up email and SNMP alerts, and so on. For more detailed information, refer to the Online
Help from the Configuration Manager, or the Linksys Business Series Network Storage
System Administrator Guide available from the Linksys website at www.linksys.com
- Step 14: After you configure the NSS, save a copy of the configuration file to a location on
the NSS and to a USB key.
• Part C: Instruct your users how to access the NSS.

6Chapter 1: Introduction
Recommended Installation Sequence
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Chapter 2: Setting up the Hardware
Step 1: Install the Disk Drives
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Part A: Set up the Hardware
This chapter provides details for installing the NSS hardware. The installation is broken down into
the following steps:
1. Step 1: Install the Disk Drives: If your NSS does not have disk drives already installed, follow
the steps in this section to insert disk drives into the NSS chassis.
2. Step 2: Connect the Ethernet Cable(s): Connect up to two Ethernet links from the NSS to your
network.
3. Step 3: Connect the Power: Ensure you have connected the power cable from the NSS to the
applicable power source (UPS or mains).
Step 1: Install the Disk Drives
After you remove the NSS from the packaging, you are ready to set up the hardware. For the
NSS6100 or NSS4100, skip this step and go to Step 2 to install the Ethernet cable(s).

8Chapter 2: Setting up the Hardware
Step 1: Install the Disk Drives
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To install the disk drives into the NSS:
1. Remove a disk tray from the front of the NSS chassis by pushing in the tab on the front of the
tray. (There is no recommended order of which tray to remove first.) The disk drives are
numbered from 1 to 4 (left to right) in the front of the chassis.
2. Position the disk drive into a disk tray.
3. Using a Phillips screwdriver, either screw in two screws on each side of the disk tray to the disk
drive, or screw in the four screws on the bottom of the disk tray to the disk drive.
4. Apply even pressure to the both corners of the tray while you insert the tray fully into position in
the chassis.
5. When the disk drive is inserted all the way in, close the latch on the disk drive tray.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 for each disk drive you want to install.

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Step 2: Install the Ethernet Links
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7. If the NSS is rack mounted, attach the mounting ears to both sides of the NSS. Attach the
mounting ears to either side of the rack.
8. Continue with Step 2 to install the Ethernet cable(s).
Approved Vendor List for Drives
If you are purchasing disk drives to install in the NSS, refer to the product support information
offered on the Linksys website (www.linksys.com) for a list of recommended disk drives.
When you select a disk drive, consider the type of RAID levels required to service your business
needs. For example, if you are creating a RAID (versus a JBOD), make sure that each of the disks
used in the array have the same disk capacity. The RAID is built using the capacity of the smallest
disk in the array.
Step 2: Install the Ethernet Links
After the disk drives are installed in the chassis, you are ready to connect the Ethernet cables. You
can connect up to two Ethernet links to the NSS. If you have a second Ethernet link, ensure that both
links are connected to your network. The default network setting for your Ethernet link(s) is Active
Backup. This means that if you have two links, one link is available should the other link become
unusable due to a link failure. You can change the default configuration setting to use link
aggregation if desired (for help on this topic, from the Manager Menu on the configuration
interface, click Network, and then Properties. Click the Help button in the upper-right corner of the
Network Properties page.

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Step 3: Install the Power
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To connect the Ethernet cable(s) to the NSS:
1. Install the Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port at the back of the NSS chassis. If you have a
second Ethernet cable, connect it to the second Ethernet port.
2. Connect the Ethernet cable to your network. If you are connecting the NSS within the Linksys
One environment, connect the cable to the ports on the SVR series router.
Make sure all the connections are secure! You are now ready to continue with Step 3 to install
the power.
Step 3: Install the Power
After you connect the Ethernet cable(s), you are ready to power up the NSS. There are several
possible power configurations. We should suggest that a UPS or RPSU be used since a sudden loss
of power can cause RAID corruption and possible data loss. The following procedure provides details
for each of these options.
To connect the power to the NSS:
1. Depending on your power configuration, do one of the following:
•UPS: Connect the power cable to the Power port on the NSS and to an available port on the
UPS. You then need to connect the USB signal cable from the UPS to the UPS port on the NSS.
For more information about choosing a UPS, refer to the list of supported UPS product
families.
•Mains: Connect the power cable to the Power port on the NSS and to the mains power.
2. If you have an RPSU, connect the RPSU cable to the RPS port on the NSS and to an available
port on the RPSU. For more details about your RPSU device, refer to the RPSU documentation.
3. Make sure the Power LED on the front of the NSS chassis is on.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up the NSS hardware. You are now ready to
configure the NSS for your unique business storage needs.
NOTE: If you are hotplugging an Ethernet cable to the
NSS after the initial installation, ensure you wait 15
seconds between the time you unplug the cable and plug
it back in. Within 10 seconds the newly connected link
should appear with the correct IP and link rate in the
configuration interface.

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Chapter 2: Setting up the Hardware
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NSS-supported UPS Product Families
The NSS supports the following UPS product families:
• APC Back-UPS Pro USB
• APC Back-UPS RS USB
•APCBack-UPSUSB
• APC Back-UPS LS USB
• APC Back-UPS ES/CyberFort 350
• APC Smart-UPS USB

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Chapter 3: Configuring the Network Storage System
(NSS)
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Part B: Configure the Network Storage
System (NSS)
There are a variety of ways to configure the NSS, depending on your specific storage needs and
your unique networking environment. This section covers the steps you need to follow to get the NSS
configured so that you can start using its storage. For a more detailed description of the
configuration options available, refer to the topics in the pdf version of the Linksys Business Series
Network Storage System Administrator Guide available from the Linksys website (www.linksys.com)
or from the Online Help available from the Help menu on the NSS configuration interface. You can
display page-specific help by clicking the Help button (question mark) in the upper-right corner of
any configuration page.
Go through the steps in this section (in the recommended order) to configure the NSS.
•Step 1 – Access the NSS when a DHCP server is not present: If a DHCP server is not present
when you install the NSS, follow the details in this step to manually configure the network
settings so that you can access the Configuration Interface. (If a DHCP server is installed, skip
this step.)
•Step 2 – Log into the NSS Configuration Interface: Log into the Configuration Interface as an
administrator.
•Step 3 – Set up or Verify the Time: You can set up the NSS timing using NTP or as a manual
setting.
•Step 4 – Configure a RAID Array: Before you can create a volume, you must configure at
least one RAID array. Note: If you have an NSS4100 or NSS6100 a RAID5 is preconfigured.
You can skip this step.
•Step 5 – Create a Volume(s): After you create a RAID array and before you can set up your
local users and shares, you must create at least one volume.
•Step 6 – Virtualize your Storage: If you have multiple NSS units (one of which is a NSS6000
series unit), and you want to virtualize your storage, set up the export/import of the
virtualized RAID arrays. If you are not using virtualized storage, skip this step.
•Step 7– Set up the User and Group ID Ranges & the Users’ Home Directory Location:
Enable the import of groups and users from Domain Controllers on your network. Set up the
home directory location for any users created locally.
•Step 8 – Configure the Network Domain Identification: Set up the network identity of the
NSS, including the hostname and domain membership.

14 Chapter 3: Configuring the Network Storage System (NSS)
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•Step 9 – Add any Locally Defined Users and Groups: You can create and maintain a list of
users and groups from the NSS.
•Step 10 – Create Shares: After you create a volume, you can create the shares and set up
access privileges to those shares for the users and groups. You can also define the DFS
access.
•Step 11 – Create the Volume Snapshots: If you have an NSS6000 series unit, you can
configure snapshots for each volume.
•Step 12 – Set up the Share Backups: Set up a backup to run at a regular interval for the
configured shares.
•Step 13 – Complete the Configuration: Go through the rest of the configuration options to set
up quotas, edit groups, set up email and SNMP alerts, and so on. For detailed information,
refer to the Online Help from the Configuration Manager, or the Linksys Business Series
Network Storage System Administrator Guide available from the Linksys website
(www.linksys.com).
•Step 14 – Save a Copy of the Configuration: After you configure the NSS, save a copy of the
configuration to a location on the NSS and to a USB key.
Step 1: Access the NSS when there is no DHCP Server
Present on your Network
This step depends on whether there is a DHCP server on the network to which you are connecting the
NSS (this could be the router). The NSS ships with a default configuration such that its network
interfaces are DHCP configured. For your computer to communicate with the NSS when no DHCP
server is present, you must manually configure the computer’s network settings.
NOTE: The configuration for your computer is only
temporary. After you initially open the configuration
interface, you can configure the static IP address for the
NSS accordingly and then restore your computer’s
network settings to their previous values. For help setting
the IP configuration on the NSS, refer to the online help
available with the NSS configuration interface.

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To set up your computer to communicate with the NSS:
1. Set your computer’s network settings to the following:
•IP Address: 169.254.x.y (where x and y can be any number between 1 and 254). For
example, 169.254.1.2.
•Subnet Mast (Netmask): 255.255.0.0.
After you configure your computer, you can log into the NSS configuration interface. You can
configure the NSS network IP settings as required.
Step 2: Log into the Configuration Interface
This step depends on whether your NSS is set up within the Linksys One environment or if it is in a
standalone environment. The only differences to note in terms of the configuration steps is that the
log in steps are different and that if you are logging into the Linksys One environment, the
configuration pages appear within the Linksys One window (window-in-window). There is no
difference in the actual details within the configuration pages.
Option A: Linksys One Environment Login Steps
To log into the configuration interface when the NSS is installed in a Linksys One Environment:
1. Login to the SVR.
2. Click the L1 Devices tab.
The NSS appears in the list of devices. Note that you can change your administrator password
and the NSS hostname from this window.
3. Click Show Details.

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A new tab appears with the hostname of the NSS.
4. Click the NSS tab.
The NSS device is automatically assigned an IP address from the DHCP server in the SVR series
router. The NSS device configuration interface appears, with the System Status page open:
5. It is a good idea to do a quick check of the information on the System Status page to ensure that
your hardware installation was successful and that this system is not reporting any errors. For
example, the Ethernet link(s) are up and in good condition, the right number of disk drives
installed appear, and so on. For a detailed description of the information on the System Status
page, click the Help button in the upper-right corner of the page.

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Option B: Standalone Environment Login Steps
To log into the configuration interface:
1. If you are logging into the NSS for the first time, write down the MAC address located on the
sticker attached to the bottom of the chassis. You need the MAC address as this is part of the
default hostname. Otherwise, skip this step.
2. There are a variety of ways to display the NSS Login window.
• Open the Web browser on your computer: In the Address field, enter “http://NAS<MAC
address>” (For example, “http://NAS0018F804E44C”.)
• Browse for the NSS from the My Network Places window.
• Select the NSS to a network drive from a mapped network drive.
The NSS Login window appears:
3. Enter the administrator login information. When you first log into the configuration interface or
if you reset the factory defaults, both the username and password are set to “admin”.
4. Click OK.

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The NSS configuration interface appears, with the System Status page open:
5. It is a good idea to do a quick check of the information on the System Status page to ensure that
your hardware installation was successful and that this system is not reporting any errors. For
example, the Ethernet link(s) are up and in good condition, the right number of disk drives
installed appear, and so on. For a detailed description of the information on the System Status
page, click the Help button in the upper-right corner.
Step 3: Configure the Timing Settings
If you are installing the NSS within the Linksys One environment, the NSS time is automatically set
via the Linksys NTP server.
When you first configure the NSS, ensure that the NSS has successfully synchronized the time with
the NTP server. When the NSS is synchronizing with the NTP time server, the “Synchronizing time
with NTP server” message appears and the Update button is grayed out. After the synchronization
is complete, you can manually refresh the page by reselecting the NTP Configuration page from the
Manager Menu. If the synchronization failed, the following occurs:
• An error message stating “Could not synchronize with NTP server(s)” appears in the NTP
Configuration page.
• The system alert message “Could not synchronize with NTP server(s)” appears in the System
Status page.
• If the SNMP traps are configured, an SNMP trap message is sent.