Dell EMC VxFlex Ready Node 13G User manual

Dell EMC VxFlex Ready Node 13G
Hardware Configuration and Operating System
Installation Guide - Linux Servers
P/N 302-002-952 REV 07

Copyright ©2016-2018 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries All rights reserved.
Published June 2018
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2Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

5
7
Introduction 11
Overview.....................................................................................................12
VxFlex OS component requirements........................................................... 12
VxFlex OS cluster components.......................................................12
Physical server requirements......................................................... 13
Supported operating systems.........................................................13
VxFlex OS Gateway server requirements....................................... 14
Prerequisites...............................................................................................15
Connectivity...................................................................................15
Java............................................................................................... 15
Hardware and operating systems................................................... 16
VxFlex OS packages.......................................................................16
Supported Internet browsers......................................................... 16
Disk prerequisites...........................................................................16
Supported hardware configurations............................................................ 16
Configuring the Hardware 19
Set up the BMC (iDRAC) IP address and BIOS.......................................... 20
Verify the status of the system hardware, storage controller, and disks -
13G servers.................................................................................................22
Open the KVM console - 13G servers......................................................... 23
Updating the BIOS, firmware and settings..................................................24
Update the hardware using the iDRAC virtual console...................25
Installing the Operating System 27
System requirements................................................................................. 28
Map the ISO file on a VxFlex Ready Node server........................................28
Network Architecture and Physical Connectivity 31
Networking connectivity architecture and cabling best practice................ 32
Network prerequisites................................................................................ 34
Port Configuration 37
Determine the 2U1N node type...................................................................38
Server node port designations - Linux 13G servers..................................... 38
Correlating PCI slot locations and interface names........................40
Configure the ports - Linux............................................................43
Configure the ports (Linux-SLES)................................................. 45
Disable TSO on Linux nodes with X710 NIC.................................................47
Installing the drivers 49
Figures
Tables
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
CONTENTS
Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers 3

Install the VxFlex OS drivers.......................................................................50
Preparing Disks 51
Adding disks to a VxFlex OS SDS............................................................... 52
Verify the disk controller type....................................................... 52
Enable PERCCLI on a host server..................................................53
Creating virtual devices with PERCCLI..........................................53
Ensure virtual disk creation with PERCCLI.................................... 57
Determine whether DAS Cache configuration is required........................... 58
DAS Cache on Linux servers.......................................................................59
Installing fscli in a Linux server...................................................... 59
Configuring DAS Cache in a Linux server.......................................60
Where to go after configuring DAS Cache in a Linux server.......... 62
Configuration options for SSDs in DAS Cache...............................62
Enabling DAS Cache acceleration in a Linux server........................63
Retrieve device paths in a Linux server...................................................... 65
Retrieve device paths in a Linux server with an HBA330 controller...
66
Retrieving device paths in a Linux server with an H730 controller
without DAS Cache configured......................................................66
Retrieving device paths in a Linux server with an H730 controller
with DAS Cache configured...........................................................68
Additional Configurations 69
Additional configurations............................................................................ 70
Install OpenManage Essentials................................................................... 70
Where to go from here............................................................................... 70
Reference material 71
Reference material..................................................................................... 72
DTK - Hardware Update Bootable ISO........................................................72
Dell OpenManage DRAC Tools (RACADM).................................... 72
Update the SATADOM firmware ...................................................75
Recommended BIOS and firmware settings...................................75
Troubleshooting the Hardware ISO................................................78
Additional resources...................................................................... 80
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
CONTENTS
4Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

Single-node R730xd (2U1N) server (storage only) typical connection diagram.......... 33
Single-node R730xd (2U1N) server (converged) typical connection diagram.............33
Single-node R630 (1U1N) server typical connection diagram..................................... 34
Correlating physical slot and Ethernet network names............................................... 42
Example of a mixed SSD and HDD configuration........................................................ 59
1
2
3
4
5
FIGURES
Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers 5

FIGURES
6Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

Server physical requirements...................................................................................... 13
Supported operating systems -VxFlex OS components...............................................13
VxFlex OS management IP network............................................................................35
VxFlex OS data IP network for Subnet #1...................................................................35
VxFlex OS data IP network for Subnet #2.................................................................. 35
R630 single-node server configuration....................................................................... 39
R730xd single-node server configuration................................................................... 39
R730xd single-node server configuration (Storage Only)........................................... 40
Allocation of sections per SSD according to number of SSDs used for DAS Cache.... 63
Hardware ISO contents.............................................................................................. 76
Hardware ISO configuration settings.......................................................................... 76
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
TABLES
Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers 7

TABLES
8Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

Preface
As part of an effort to improve its product lines, Dell EMC periodically releases
revisions of its software and hardware. Therefore, some functions described in this
document might not be supported by all versions of the software or hardware
currently in use. The product release notes provide the most up-to-date information
on product features.
Contact your Dell EMC technical support professional if a product does not function
properly or does not function as described in this document.
Note
This document was accurate at publication time. Go to Dell EMC Online Support
(https://support.emc.com) to ensure that you are using the latest version of this
document.
Previous versions of Dell EMC VxFlex OS were marketed under the name Dell EMC
ScaleIO.
Similarly, previous versions of Dell EMC VxFlex Ready Node were marketed under the
name Dell EMC ScaleIO Ready Node.
References to the old names in the product, documentation, or software, etc. will
change over time.
Note
Software and technical aspects apply equally, regardless of the branding of the
product.
Related documentation
The release notes for your version includes the latest information for your product.
The following Dell EMC publication sets provide information about your VxFlex OS or
VxFlex Ready Node product:
lVxFlex OS software (downloadable as VxFlex OS Software <version>
Documentation set)
lVxFlex Ready Node with AMS (downloadable as VxFlex Ready Node with AMS
Documentation set)
lVxFlex Ready Node no AMS (downloadable as VxFlex Ready Node no AMS
Documentation set)
lVxRack Node 100 Series (downloadable as VxRack Node 100 Series
Documentation set)
You can download the release notes, the document sets, and other related
documentation from Dell EMC Online Support.
Typographical conventions
Dell EMC uses the following type style conventions in this document:
Bold Used for names of interface elements, such as names of windows,
dialog boxes, buttons, fields, tab names, key names, and menu paths
(what the user specifically selects or clicks)
Preface 9

Italic Used for full titles of publications referenced in text
Monospace Used for:
lSystem code
lSystem output, such as an error message or script
lPathnames, filenames, prompts, and syntax
lCommands and options
Monospace italic Used for variables
Monospace bold Used for user input
[ ] Square brackets enclose optional values
| Vertical bar indicates alternate selections - the bar means “or”
{ } Braces enclose content that the user must specify, such as x or y or
z
... Ellipses indicate nonessential information omitted from the example
Where to get help
Dell EMC support, product, and licensing information can be obtained as follows:
Product information
For documentation, release notes, software updates, or information about Dell
EMC products, go to Dell EMC Online Support at https://support.emc.com.
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Go to Dell EMC Online Support and click Service Center. You will see several
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[email protected].
Preface
10 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

CHAPTER 1
Introduction
The following topics describe the prerequisites for configuring the hardware and the
operating system in a Dell EMC VxFlex Ready Node environment.
lOverview............................................................................................................ 12
lVxFlex OS component requirements...................................................................12
lPrerequisites...................................................................................................... 15
lSupported hardware configurations....................................................................16
Introduction 11

Overview
To prepare a server to be part of a VxFlex Ready Node environment, you are required
to perform the following steps.
1. Ensure that the environment meets the prerequisites.
2. Configure the hardware, including the BIOS, BMC (iDRAC) IP address, and ISO
installation.
3. Install the operating system.
4. Prepare the physical network connections.
5. Configure network ports.
6. Configure disks.
These steps are described in full in this document.
VxFlex OS component requirements
Components and servers in the VxFlex OS system must meet the following
requirements.
VxFlex OS cluster components
List of required VxFlex OS servers.
lVxFlex OS component servers:
n3-node cluster
– One Master MDM
– One Slave MDM
– One Tie Breaker
– Minimum of three SDSs (on the same servers as the above components, or
on three different servers)
– SDCs, up to the maximum allowed (on the same servers as the above
components, or on different servers)
n5-node cluster
– One Master MDM
– Two Slave MDMs
– Two Tie Breakers
– Minimum of three SDSs (on the same servers as the above components, or
on three different servers)
– SDCs, up to the maximum allowed (on the same servers as the above
components, or on different servers)
lVxFlex OS Gateway server on a separate server, or together with an MDM or SDS.
Do not install the VxFlex OS Gateway on an SDC server or on an SDS on which
RFcache will be enabled.
Introduction
12 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

Physical server requirements
Table 1 Server physical requirements
Component Requirement
Port specifications lThe following TCP ports are not used by any other application, and are open in the local
firewall of the server:
nMDM: 6611 and 9011
nSDS: 7072 (for multiple SDS, ports 7073-7076)
nVxFlex OS Gateway (includes REST Gateway, VxFlex OS Installation Manager, and
SNMP trap sender): 80 and 443
nLight Installation Agent (LIA): 9099
nSDBG ports: MDM 25620, SDS 25640, Multiple SDS 25641-25644 (not 25640).
These ports are used by VxFlex OS internal debugging tools to extract live information
from the system for debugging purposes.
lThe following UDP port is open in the local firewall of the server:
nSNMP traps: 162
Note
You can change the default ports. For more information, see “Changing default ports” in the
VxFlex OS Deployment Guide .
Supported operating systems
The following is a list of operating systems supported by this version of VxFlex OS.
For the most updated list, see the EMC Simple Support Matrix (ESSM) at https://
elabnavigator.emc.com/eln/elnhome.
Table 2 Supported operating systems -VxFlex OS components
Operating system Requirement
Linux Supported versions ( for exact versions, see the ESSM):
lRHEL 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
lSUSE 12.0, 12.1, or 12.2
Packages required for all components, all Linux flavors:
lnumactl
llibaio
Additional needs for specific operating systems:
lRHEL 7.2 and SUSE 12.0
nhwinfo
nnet-tools
npciutils
Introduction
Physical server requirements 13

Table 2 Supported operating systems -VxFlex OS components (continued)
Operating system Requirement
nethtool
lRHEL6.8
nnet-tools
npciutils
nethtool
lHypervisor support: Red Hat KVM
Additional packages required for MDM components:
lbash-completion (for SCLI completion)
lLatest version of Python 2.X
When installing the MDM component on Linux CentOS 6 or RHEL 6 hosts (for software-only
systems), set the shared memory parameter in the /etc/sysctl.conf file to at least the
following value: kernel.shmmax=209715200. To use this value, type the sysctl -p
command.
To use the secure authentication mode, ensure that OpenSSL 64-bit v1.0.1 or later (v1.1,
however, is not supported) is installed on all servers in the system.
llibopenssl1_0_0-1.0.1g-0.40.1.x86_64.rpm
lopenssl1-1.0.1g-0.40.1.x86_64.rpm
To use LDAP, ensure that OpenLDAP 2.4 is installed on all servers.
Hypervisors lRed Hat KVM
VxFlex OS Gateway server requirements
Component Requirement
Supported operating systems lWindows 2008 R2, 2012 R2, or 2016, including the Visual C++ redistributable 2010
package, 64-bit. Server Core editions are not supported.
lLinux RHEL 6.x or 7.0, SUSE 11.3, and SUSE 12
Every server requires 2 cores and a minimum of 3 GB available RAM.
Connectivity The following TCP ports are not used by any other application, and are open in the local
firewall of the server: 80 and 443 (or 8080 and 8443).
You can change the default ports. For more information, see “Changing default ports” in the
user documentation.
Supported web browsers lInternet Explorer 10, or later
lFirefox, version 42, or later
lChrome, version 45, or later
Java lv1.8 (64-bit), build 149 or earlier.
Introduction
14 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

Component Requirement
You can download previous versions from this link: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/
java/javase/downloads/java-archive-javase8-2177648.html
Other lFor a VxFlex OS Gateway server on a Windows node, the Windows Management
Instrumentation service must be enabled on the VxFlex OS Installation Manager server
and on all Windows VxFlex OS nodes.
lDo not install the VxFlex OS Gateway on a server on which RFcache will be enabled or on
which SDC will be installed.
lThe VxFlex OS Gateway server must have connectivity to all the nodes that are being
installed. If you are using separate networks for management and data, the server must be
able to communicate with both networks.
Prerequisites
The following prerequisites are relevant to using VxFlex OS software in the VxFlex
Ready Node environment.
Connectivity
Ensure that you have the following information at hand:
lThe IP address range, subnet, and gateway IP addresses for the management and
data network for all servers.
lThe IP address range, subnet, and gateway IP addresses for the BMC (iDRAC)
port for all servers.
lAll root and administrator passwords that you plan to set or use on the server and
BMC (iDRAC).
To connect via a service PC or laptop computer using SSH/RDP:
lEnsure that the computer has a functional network port and an available IP
address, subnet, and gateway on the management network.
For console operations (KVM access):
lEnsure that you have either a VGA tool kit to allow console connection from a
laptop computer to a server, or a computer screen and keyboard connection to the
rack.
Java
These Java versions are required:
Use Required version
VxFlex OS GUI Java 1.8 latest update
BMC (iDRAC) management client (Java
console)
Java 1.7 latest update
In your internet browser, ensure that pop-ups are enabled for Java console features.
Introduction
Prerequisites 15

Hardware and operating systems
Ensure that all hardware is assembled as described in the VxFlex Ready Node Hardware
Installation Guide .
Unless otherwise specified in this guide, install the operating system in the server's
SATADOM device and configure IP addresses.
VxFlex OS packages
Download the VxFlex OS complete software ZIP file and extract the folders for your
operating system.
The files can be downloaded from the Support site. Refer to the EMC Simple Support
Matrix (ESSM) for supported versions.
Note
You are also required to download and extract the VxFlex OS GUI for Windows
Software Download.
For Linux 2-layer/storage-only, the VxFlex OS Complete VMware Software Download
is also required.
Supported Internet browsers
lGoogle Chrome
lFirefox 30 or higher
lInternet Explorer 8 or higher
Disk prerequisites
If an H730 controller card is installed on the server, install the PERCCLI disk utility.
Supported hardware configurations
The supported hardware configurations are listed in the EMC Simple Support Matrix
(ESSM) for your software version.
Download the ESSM from https://elabnavigator.emc.com/eln/elnhome. Click Simple
Support Matrices > Storage and select the desired product and version.
The following points apply, as well:
lBoot drive - All configurations have a 64 GB SATADOM boot drive.
lSwitch requirements
One 10 GbE switch is required. Two or more 10 GbE switches may be used for high
availability and load balancing purposes. Separate (one or more) 1 GbE switches
may be used for the management network.
Before you begin connecting the switches, ensure that they are installed and
configured. Do not connect the switches to your organization's network until all
installation and configuration activities are complete.
Each node has four 10 GbE ports. Two are used by for internal network
communication. The other two ports are used for VMware high availability, DRS,
and client network traffic.
Introduction
16 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

The switches must have sufficient available network ports to accommodate the
following:
nData network 10 GbE switches:
– Two 10 GbE ports per node, per switch
nManagement network switches:
– One 1 GbE and one BMC (iDRAC) port per node.
Network requirements are described later in this document.
Introduction
Supported hardware configurations 17

Introduction
18 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers

CHAPTER 2
Configuring the Hardware
The following topics describe how to configure the hardware, set BMC (iDRAC) IP
addresses, and map the ISO for servers in a VxFlex Ready Node environment.
lSet up the BMC (iDRAC) IP address and BIOS.................................................. 20
lVerify the status of the system hardware, storage controller, and disks - 13G
servers............................................................................................................... 22
lOpen the KVM console - 13G servers................................................................. 23
lUpdating the BIOS, firmware and settings......................................................... 24
Configuring the Hardware 19

Set up the BMC (iDRAC) IP address and BIOS
Set up the BMC (iDRAC) IP address and set up or validate the BIOS on the VxFlex
Ready Node servers.
Before you begin
Ensure that you have access to, or have the details for:
lThe KVM console
lThe server BMC (iDRAC) IP address
lThe server BMC (iDRAC) subnet mask
lThe gateway IP address
lThe VLAN ID of the BMC (iDRAC), if the VLAN is used
Note
The BMC (iDRAC) IP address may be an IPv4 or an IPv6 address.
Defaults:
lBMC (iDRAC) username - root
lBMC (iDRAC) password - The default password is calvin.
lBIOS password - emcbios
During the BMC (iDRAC) IP and BIOS setup, use the following operations:
lUse the arrow keys to navigate in the BIOS screens.
lUse the + and - keys on the keyboard to change the option selection in the BIOS
screens.
lUse SPACE or ENTER keys to change the settings.
lThe ENTER key opens a list to the desired values.
Procedure
1. Open the KVM console.
For console operations (KVM access), ensure that you have either a VGA tool
kit/Crash Cart to allow physical console connection from a laptop computer to a
server, or a computer screen and keyboard connection to the rack.
2. Press F2 to access the main menu.
3. From the System Setup Main Menu screen, select the iDRAC Settings menu
option.
4. Configure network settings:
a. In the iDRAC Settings screen, select Network.
b. In the iDRAC Settings--Network pane, verify the following parameter
values:
lEnable NIC = Enabled
lNIC Selection = Dedicated
c. From the IPv4 Settings pane, configure the IPv4 parameter values for the
BMC (iDRAC) port:
Configuring the Hardware
20 Hardware Configuration and Operating System Installation Guide - Linux Servers