Dell XC730-16G User manual

Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale Hyperconverged Appliance
Solutions Guide

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the
problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
Copyright ©2016 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. Dell™
and the Dell logo are trademarks of Dell Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be
trademarks of their respective companies.
2017 - 10
Rev. A04

Contents
1 About Dell Web-Scale Converged Appliance solution....................................................... 4
2 Supported hardware, rmware, and software..................................................................5
3 Documentation references.............................................................................................. 6
4 Licensing overview.......................................................................................................... 7
Starter license.....................................................................................................................................................................7
Pro and Ultimate licenses....................................................................................................................................................7
Setting up Nutanix Customer Portal................................................................................................................................... 7
License management..........................................................................................................................................................8
5 Deploying your system.................................................................................................... 9
Important information about SATADOM............................................................................................................................. 9
Examples of write intensive applications.......................................................................................................................9
Before you begin............................................................................................................................................................... 10
Setting up your Dell XC730-16G for rst use..................................................................................................................... 10
Boot error message for missing SD card...................................................................................................................... 11
Deployment outline...................................................................................................................................................... 11
Default cluster credentials.................................................................................................................................................12
6 Downloading and installing Software applications.......................................................... 14
OpenManage Essentials....................................................................................................................................................14
Installing Dell OpenManage Essentials on a separate server.............................................................................................. 14
Dell Nautilus ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14
7 Monitoring..................................................................................................................... 16
Monitoring software..........................................................................................................................................................16
8 Updating rmware......................................................................................................... 18
Updating drive rmware with Dell Nautilus........................................................................................................................18
9 Replacing hardware.......................................................................................................20
Replacing components with no cluster data..................................................................................................................... 20
Replacing failed front HDD and SSD components that contain cluster data..................................................................... 20
10 Recovering system....................................................................................................... 21
11 Getting help..................................................................................................................22
Contacting Dell.................................................................................................................................................................22
Dell SupportAssist............................................................................................................................................................ 22
Locating Service Tag........................................................................................................................................................ 22
Quick Resource Locator................................................................................................................................................... 23
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1
About Dell Web-Scale Converged Appliance
solution
Dell provides a web-scale converged appliance solution that includes the Dell XC730-16G server and software from Nutanix (used as
a virtual appliance), which simplies virtualization by converging computer, storage, and network into a single appliance that is
deployed in a clustered environment. The following gures show the Dell XC730-16G. For more information about the Dell
XC730-16G system, see the Dell Owner’s Manual available at Dell.com/xcseriesmanuals.
Figure 1. Front view of Dell XC730-16G — 16 slots
Figure 2. Back view of Dell XC730–16G
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2
Supported hardware, rmware, and software
For a list of the most up-to-date supported hardware, rmware, and software, see the Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale Converged
Appliance Support Matrix available at Dell.com/xcseriesmanuals.
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3
Documentation references
For information about the Dell documents, see the Support Matrix specic for your product.
For information about the Nutanix documents that applies to a specic release of Nutanix solution software, see the Support Matrix
specic for your product.
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4
Licensing overview
The Nutanix virtual computing platform includes various features that allow you to administer your environment according to your
current and future requirements.
You can use the default feature set of the Nutanix solution software, upgrade to an enhanced feature set, update your license for a
longer term, or reassign existing licenses to nodes or clusters as required.
Starter license
Each Nutanix node and block is delivered with a default Starter license. Starter features do not require the download of a license le.
Dell EMC recommends that you create a prole on the Nutanix Customer Portal account assigned to you, when you purchased your
nodes.
Pro and Ultimate licenses
The Pro and Ultimate license types require you to download a license le from the Nutanix Customer Support Portal and install it on
your cluster. When you upgrade to a Pro or Ultimate license, or add nodes or clusters to your environment with these licensed
features, you must generate the license le, download it, and then install it.
NOTE: The most current information about your license is available at the Nutanix Customer Support Portal. You can
view information about license types, expiration dates, and any free license inventory (that is, unassigned available
licenses).
Setting up Nutanix Customer Portal
If you are new to Nutanix Support, create a personal prole on the Nutanix Customer Portal. Creating a personal prole allows you to
manage your licenses.
NOTE: The Nutanix Customer Portal is also required to access some of the advanced Nutanix documentation.
To set up your Nutanix Customer Portal, complete the following tasks:
1. Go to the Nutanix Customer Portal at http://portal.nutanix.com and click Register Now.
2. Register by typing data in appropriate boxes.
3. In the Serial Number box, type the Service Tag number of your Dell XC730-16G system.
NOTE: To nd the Service Tag of your Dell XC730-16G, see the Locating The Service Tag section in this document.
4. After the Customer Portal account is created, you can manage your licenses.
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License management
For more information about license management, complete the following tasks:
1. On the Nutanix Documentation portal, see the Web Console Guide (for access details, see the Documentation matrix section in
the Support Matrix).
2. In the Nutanix Web Console Guide, see the License Management section.
3. Perform the relevant licensing tasks for your system.
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5
Deploying your system
Before you deploy your system, ensure that you read through this document and have yourself familiarized with the process and
required materials.
WARNING: Before you set up and operate your Dell XC730-16G, review the safety instructions that shipped with your
storage enclosure.
WARNING: The weight of your system without the physical disk drives installed (empty weight) is 20.8 kg and 45.86 lb.
WARNING: Your system must be installed by Dell certied service technicians.
CAUTION: Before installing your system in the rack, make sure that the weight of the system does not exceed the weight
limit of the rack. For more information, see the Rack Installation instructions that shipped with your system.
NOTE: For weight stability, always load the rack by using bottom-up approach.
NOTE: This solution is deployed by Dell Services. The following deployment steps provide an outline of what Dell
Services accomplishes during the deployment process.
Important information about SATADOM
The SATA Disk‐On‐Motherboard (SATADOM) shipped with XC Series appliances is intended as an appliance boot device.
NOTE: Write intensive activities and processes leveraged by XC appliances, are intended to take place on the SSDs and
HDDs and not the boot device.
The hypervisor boot device is not intended for application use.
WARNING: Adding additional write intensive software to the SATADOM boot disk results in heavy wear on the device
beyond design specications resulting in premature hardware failure.
You should not run applications on the hypervisor operating system.
Examples of write intensive applications
Following are the examples of write intensive applications:
• System Center Agents.
– System Center Conguration Manager (CCMExec.exe).
– System Center Operations Manager (MonitoringHost.exe).
• Write‐intensive Agents.
• Databases.
• Disk management utilities (third-party disk defragmentation or partitioning tools).
• Additional roles outside of the appliance’s intended use (web server, domain controller, RDS, and so on.).
• Client‐based Antivirus.
• Run Virtual Machines directly on the SATADOM. Ensure that the Virtual Machines run on Solid State Drives (SSDs) and Hard
Disk Drives (HDDs).
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Before you begin
CAUTION: It is important that you perform all the steps in this guide prior to doing other conguration steps.
Make sure that the following items are available:
• Power cables
• Network cables — optical and/or copper (Intel SFP+ or Category 6 Ethernet)
• Rail kit
• Nutanix documentation — Setup Guide and Advanced Setup Guide
NOTE: For more information about the names of the guides for your version of the Nutanix solution software, see the
Documentation matrix section in the Support Matrix.
• Dell Documentation — Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale Converged Appliance Getting Started Guide, Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale
Converged Appliance Solutions Guide, Rack Installation Instructions, Safety Instructions, and Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale
Converged Appliance Support Matrix.
NOTE: For information about locating required documents, see the Documentation matrix section in the Support Matrix.
Setting up your Dell XC730-16G for rst use
1. Make sure that your system components are properly installed.
Your system is shipped with physical disk drives, power supply units (PSUs), and fan components already installed. Ensure that
all components are properly seated and have not become dislodged and/or damaged during shipping.
2. Install the Dell XC730-16G in a rack.
The Dell XC730-16G requires a compatible rack and a rack installation kit. For information about installing the rails for the Dell
XC730-16G, see the Rack Installation Instructions Guide that shipped with your system.
3. Cable your solution based on the best practices cabling diagram shown here.
NOTE: At a minimum, there are three Dell XC730-16G servers in a cluster. Each Dell XC730-16G is referred to as a
node.
Figure 3. Cabling a system
1. Management Network 2. Host Network
NOTE: The preferred (best practice) setup is to connect the management port across all three nodes to the same
switch (management network).
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Boot error message for missing SD card
The XC730-16G system has only one SD card. When you start the system, the following error message is displayed:
The secondary SD card is missing, not responding, or in write-protected mode. Do one of the
following:
1. Install an SD card media in the secondary SD card slot.
2. Reseat or replace the SD card media.
3. If the secondary SD card is intentionally not installed or write-protected mode is
expected, then no response is required.
The message is a known issue and you must ignore it.
Deployment outline
The ow of tasks in deploying the XC Series Web-Scale Converged Appliance is shown here.
Figure 4. Deployment workow process.
First time boot scripts for VMware vSphere
Run the VMware vSphere rst boot scripts on every node after they are properly racked and cabled. The rst time boot scripts
accomplish the following tasks:
NOTE: These rst time boot scripts run automatically upon the rst boot of the system and include multiple reboots.
• Creates vSwitch Nutanix, internal and external port groups and vmkernal interface with address on internal portgroup.
• Activates vMotion and management on the default external vmkernel interface (vmk0).
• Enables TSM-SSH and TSM and allows sshClient, nfsClient, and ntpClient through the rewall.
• Denies vprobeServer through the rewall.
• Sets advanced ESXi parameters.
• Enables auto-start, sets the default RAM, and number of vCPU for the CVM.
• Elects applicable data-disk storage controller for PCI pass-through.
• Disables drivers associated with pass-through storage controllers.
• Installs the following VIBs: Nutanix VAAI, updated ixgbe and igb driver, and GPU VIBs (if applicable).
• Renames local VMFS datastore to standard naming convention: NTNX-local-ds-<block id>-<node_position>.
• Starts CVM and check for the existence of /tmp/svm_boot_succeeded.
• Restarts host.
First time boot scripts for Microsoft Hyper-V
Complete the Micorsoft Hyper-V First boot scripts on every node after they are properly racked and cabled. The rst time boot
scripts accomplish the following tasks:
NOTE: These rst time boot scripts are run from a rst time boot scripts wizard and require minimal user intervention.
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• Sets up vSwitch or LBFO NIC Team
• Installs NIC drivers (Intel), Cygwin, ipmiutil, and Python
• Registers CVM as a VM
• Attaches Disks to CVM
• Enables auto-start, sets the default RAM and number of vCPU for the CVM.
• Starts CVM and checks for the existence of /tmp/svm_boot_succeeded.
• Restarts host.
Create Nutanix storage cluster
• Use the Nutanix web-based tool to create a Nutanix storage cluster from all locally discovered nodes that are ready to be
clustered. During this process, the following parameters are set:
– Cluster maximum Redundancy Factory (RF)
– Cluster name
– Cluster virtual IP (optional for AHV and vSphere)
– Subnet mask and default gateway (iDRAC, hypervisor and CVM)
– Domain Name Server(s) (DNS)
– Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers (hypervisor NTP N/A for Hyper-V)
– Hypervisor hostnames
– Node IPs (iDRAC, hypervisor and CVM)
– Re-installation of new hypervisor and CVM (optional with Nutanix Foundation CVM)
• Option to create Nutanix storage cluster manually using command line interface.
NOTE: In Acropolis base (NOS) 4.5, a new web-based clustering tool called Nutanix Foundation CVM replaces the
earlier used cluster initialization page (deprecated). Nodes with Acropolis base (NOS) 4.5 or later installed in factory
uses Nutanix Foundation CVM for initial deployment while those installed with NOS prior to Acropolis base (NOS) 4.5
will continue to use the traditional cluster initialization page.
Congure Nutanix storage cluster using hypervisor management GUI
NOTE: For information about document name, see the Nutanix documentation section in the Support Matrix. The
document name varies depending on the solution software version you are running.
VMware vSphere:
• Create storage pools through the Nutanix web console.
• Create and mount containers as NFS datastores on appropriate hosts through the Nutanix web console.
• Manually add and congure vSphere clusters by using the Nutanix guidelines. For more information, see the vSphere
Administration Guide.
Microsoft Hyper-V:
• Create storage pools and containers through the Nutanix web console.
• Run Hyper-V setup script from any CVM to join hosts to a domain, create a Hyper-V failover cluster, and register a storage
cluster as an SMB share.
• Optionally, add a cluster to System Center Virtual Machine Manager either with the Hyper-V setup script or manually.
Default cluster credentials
The default cluster credentials for the system dier from those stated at the beginning of all Nutanix documentation. See Table 3 for
default cluster credentials, which are specic to the system.
NOTE: The default password is not set for ESXi hosts.
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Table 1. Default Cluster Credentials
Interface Target Username Password
Web management console iDRAC root calvin
Remote desktop or console Hyper-V host Administrator nutanix/4u
SSH client or console ESXi host root
SSH client Nutanix Controller VM nutanix nutanix/4u
Nutanix Web Console PRISM Interface (after cluster
conguration)
admin admin
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6
Downloading and installing Software applications
OpenManage Essentials
OpenManage Essentials is a hardware management application on a separate server that provides a comprehensive view of the Dell
XC730-16G and its components. OpenManage Essentials enables you to:
• Discover and list the system inventory
• Monitor the health of a system
• Perform system updates and remote tasks
• View hardware inventory and compliance reports
For information about the supported OpenManage Essentials versions, see the Supported hardware, rmware, and software section
in this document.
To download OpenManage Essentials management software, go to Dell.com/support/home or the Dell TechCenter website at
DellTechCenter.com/OME.
To download the OpenManage Essentials User’s Guide, go to Dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
NOTE: To install OpenManage Essentials, you must have local system administrator privileges, and the system you are
using must meet the criteria mentioned in the Installation Prerequisites and Minimum Requirements section of the
OpenManage Essentials User’s Guide .
NOTE: OpenManage Essentials must be installed on the management network or a network that has access to the IMPI
or iDRAC ports.
Installing Dell OpenManage Essentials on a separate server
To install OpenManage Essentials:
1. Go to Dell.com/openmanagemanuals and open the OpenManage Essentials User’s Guide.
2. Go to the Installation Prerequisites and Minimum Requirements section and complete the tasks as described.
3. Go to the Installing OpenManage Essentials section and complete the tasks as described.
4. Install the following optional software applications:
• Dell OpenManage Essentials
• Dell Repository Manager
NOTE: Install Dell Repository Manager only if you want to customize the Firmware Bundles and Update
Packages.
• Documentation
Dell Nautilus
Dell Nautilus is a general maintenance release utility for updating rmware for SAS and SATA drives (or disks).
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For information about the supported Dell Nautilus version number, see the Supported hardware, rmware, and software section in
this document.
To download the Dell Nautilus Firmware Update Utility for SAS and SATA disk Solid State Drives (SSDs):
1. Go to Dell.com/support/drivers.
2. Under the Customized support section, in the Enter your Service Tag or Express Service Code box, type the Service Tag of
your Dell XC730-16G, and then click Submit.
NOTE: If you do not have a Service Tag, select Detect My Product to allow the system to automatically detect your
Service Tag, or select Choose from a list of all Dell products to select your product from the Product Selection page.
3. On the Product Support page, click Drivers & downloads.
4. From the Operating System drop-down menu, select Not Applicable.
5. Go to the SAS Drive section.
6. Search for Dell Nautilus Firmware Utility for SAS and SATA disk and SSDs.
7. Click Download. Click Download again to download the .exe le. In your Download folder, locate the latest version of Dell
Nautilus and click to expand the compressed les.
8. In the extracted folder, run the USBMake Utility.
9. Create the bootable Nautilus package and perform one of the following tasks:
• To create a bootable CD or DVD image (ISO), click Create Bootable CD Image and follow instructions. Burn the .iso image
le to CD or save the bootable ISO on a management workstation.
• Connect a USB ash drive to the system and follow instructions to create a bootable USB ash drive.
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7
Monitoring
Table 2. System component monitoring guide
System Components Monitor Utility
System memory Dell OpenManage Essentials
Cooling fans Dell OpenManage Essentials
Network Daughter Card Dell OpenManage Essentials
Processors Dell OpenManage Essentials
PSUs Dell OpenManage Essentials
NIC Dell OpenManage Essentials
Dell PERC 730 Mini or HBA330 mini Dell OpenManage Essentials
Front HDDs Nutanix web console
Front SSDs Nutanix web console
NOTE: For instructions about using Dell OpenManage Essentials to monitor the Dell XC730-16G system, do the following:
1. See the OpenManage Essentials User’s Guide.
2. For information about discovering components of a Dell XC730-16G system, see the Discovering and Inventorying
Devices section.
3. To use the functionality of OMSA preinstalled on each node, congure it by using the OpenManage Essentials User's
Guide.
4. To add Dell XC730-16G to the discovered list of systems, discover Dell XC730-16G by using an IP range.
Monitoring software
To monitor the health of a cluster, VMs, performance, and alerts and events, the Nutanix web console provides a range of status-
check features.
For more information about monitoring with the Nutanix web console, view the Web Console Guide document on the Nutanix
documentation portal (for more information, see Documentation Matrix section in the Support Matrix).
In the Nutanix Web Console Guide document, see the following sections:
• Health Monitoring
• Virtual Machine Monitoring
• Performance Monitoring
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• Alert and Event Monitoring
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8
Updating rmware
Table 3. System component update guide
System components Utility
Network Daughter Card Dell OpenManage Essentials
PSUs Dell OpenManage Essentials
NIC Dell OpenManage Essentials
BIOS Dell OpenManage Essentials
iDRAC Dell OpenManage Essentials
Dell PERC H730 Mini or HBA330 mini Dell OpenManage Essentials
Front HDDs Nutanix web console
Front SSDs Nutanix web console
SATADOM Contact Dell Support
To update the rmware of the discovered system components, use Dell OpenManage Essentials. For instructions about using Dell
OpenManage Essentials to monitor and update the discovered components of the Dell XC730-16G system, see Updating Server
BIOS, Firmware, Drivers, and Applications in the OpenManage Essentials User’s Guide.
NOTE: Dell Nautilus may be used as an alternative to the Nutanix web console for updating rmware of the front HDDs
and SSDs.
Updating drive rmware with Dell Nautilus
To update disk rmware with Dell Nautilus:
1. Turn o Controller Virtual Machine (CVM).
For information about how to turn o a node, see the Nutanix Administration and Reference document.
2. Put hypervisor in Maintenance mode.
3. Access system GUI, and do one of the following:
• Connect the physical keyboard or monitor or mouse to the ports on the Dell XC730-16G.
• Connect to the iDRAC GUI.
NOTE: For information about conguring and accessing the iDRAC GUI, see the iDRAC Quick Start Guide at
Dell.com/support/home.
4. Mount the Dell Nautilus ISO or the USB key to the system using virtual media.
5. While restarting the server, press F11 to open BIOS boot manager.
6. From the list, select EFI Boot Manager.
7. From the EFI boot list, select Virtual CD or the USB drive.
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8. To update drive rmware, click Update Firmware.
NOTE: Dell Nautilus updates all HDD and SSD rmware for all HDDs and SSDs connected to the system.
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9
Replacing hardware
This section describes high-level tasks to replace components correctly within the Dell XC730-16G solution.
Before you begin, for information about downloading the following required documents for the three hardware replacement tasks,
see the Documentation matrix section in the Support Matrix. The documents are:
•Hardware Replacement Documentation
•Dell XC730-16G Web-scale Converged Appliance Owner’s Manual
After you have these documents, you are ready to proceed with any of these hardware replacement tasks. To complete these tasks,
you must see both the documents.
Replacing components with no cluster data
The hardware you can replace that involve no cluster data includes:
• System memory
• Cooling fans
• Network Daughter Cards or Network Interface Cards
• PSUs
1. In the Nutanix Hardware Replacement Guide, see the Failure of Components that do not Contain Cluster Data section and turn
o the node for the relevant hypervisor.
2. In the Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale Converged Appliance Owner’s Manual, see the Installing and removing system components
section and replace the failed component.
3. See the Nutanix Hardware Replacement Documentation, see the Failure of Components that do not Contain Cluster Data
section, and then restart the node of the relevant hypervisor.
Replacing failed front HDD and SSD components that contain cluster
data
To replace the failed front HDDs and SSDs that contain cluster data, do the following:
1. In the Nutanix Hardware Replacement Documentation, see the Data Drive Failure section and identify the failed HDD or SSD.
2. In the Dell XC730-16G Web-Scale Converged Appliance Owner’s Manual, see the Installing and removing system components,
HDDs, Removing a hot-swap hard drive, and Installing a hot-swap HDD sections.
NOTE: New HDDs and SSDs being installed must have any foreign RAID conguration removed before being added
to the system. Otherwise, they will not be recognized by the CVM.
3. See the Nutanix Hardware Replacement Documentation again, see the Completing Data Drive Replacement section and
complete the replacement of the failed HDD or SSD.
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