Dell PowerVault MD3600i Series User manual

Dell PowerVault MD3600i and
MD3620i Storage Arrays
Getting Started With
Your System
Mise en route du système
Introdução ao uso do seu sistema
Introducción al sistema

Dell PowerVault MD3600i and
MD3620i Storage Arrays
Getting Started With
Your System
Regulatory Model Series E03J and E04J

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of
your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data
if instructions are not followed.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal
injury, or death.
____________________
Information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
© 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc.
is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell™, the DELL logo, and PowerVault™ are trademarks of Dell Inc.
Microsoft®and Windows Server®are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries Red Hat®and Red Hat Enterprise Linux®are
registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. in the United States and other countries. SUSE®is a registered
trademark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. VMware®is a registered trademark
of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions.
Othertrademarksandtradenamesmaybeusedinthispublicationtorefertoeithertheentitiesclaiming
the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and
trade names other than its own.
Regulatory Model Series E03J and E04J
November 2010 P/N 407CV Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Completing the iSCSI Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Other Documentation and Media You May Need . . . . . 8
Preparing the Host Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Supported Operating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Additional NICs for iSCSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
NIC Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation and Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Unpacking the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installing the Rails and System in a Rack . . . . . 10
Connecting the Power Cable(s) . . . . . . . . . . 11
Securing the Power Cable(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cabling Your Expansion Enclosure . . . . . . . . . 12
Cabling Your SAN-Attached Hosts . . . . . . . . . 13
Cabling Your Direct-Attached Hosts . . . . . . . . 14
Installing the Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Turning On the Enclosure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Installing the MD Storage Software . . . . . . . . 16
Enabling Premium Features (Optional) . . . . . . . 18
Locating Your Service Tag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
NOM Information (Mexico Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

4Contents

Getting Started With Your System 5
Before You Begin
Before setting up your Dell PowerVault MD36xxi storage array, you must
consider certain best practices to ensure that your storage array operates at
maximum efficiency and offers full redundancy (if required).
• The PowerVault MD36 xx i is a 10GBase-T product that requires a
10GBase-T capable infrastructure that consists of Category 6 or higher
cables, 10GBase-T capable patch panels, and switches.
• Existing 1GBase-T infrastructures can be used either through a 10GBase-T
switch, that interconnects the 10GBase-T network, or by manually
configuring the iSCSI ports to run at 1GBase-T speeds. You can also
use the Modular Disk Configuration Utility (MDCU) to configure
the port speeds. For more information about MDCU, see "Installing the
MD Storage Software" on page 16.
NOTE: Auto-negotiation is not supported and the operation speed must be
configured manually.
• Throughout the network, always use a Category 6 (or higher) Ethernet cable.
• It is recommended that you use a dedicated IP SAN for iSCSI data
transmission. Management traffic can be isolated on a separate
management network.
• Complete the iSCSI configuration worksheet before configuring iSCSI.
See "Completing the iSCSI Worksheet" on page 7. This worksheet gathers
physical network information in a single source.
• After completing the iSCSI worksheet, draw the configuration before
setting up the solution.
• Always configure redundant iSCSI data paths to provide alternate paths to
and from the host server should one of the data paths become disabled.

6Getting Started With Your System
• If multiple NICs are installed on a host, it is recommeded that you use
different subnets for management and iSCSI data links.
• Before connecting any cables between the host server and storage array,
physically label each port and connector.
• Always follow proper power-up and power-down procedures when cycling
power across the network. You must also ensure that critical network
components are on separate power circuits.
NOTE: The illustrations in this document show cabling for only one PowerVault
MD36xxi storage array in a SAN environment. The illustrations also show only the default
IP addresses for the PowerVault MD36xxi storage array. To cable more than one
PowerVault MD36xxi storage array in a SAN environment, see the Deployment Guide.

Getting Started With Your System 7
Completing the iSCSI Worksheet
IPv4 Settings
Mutual
CHAP Secret
Target
CHAP Secret
A
B
host server
PowerVault MD36xxi
storage array
192.168.130.101 (In 0 default)
192.168.131.101 (In 1 default) 192.168.128.101 (management network port)
192.168.130.102 (In 0 default)
192.168.131.102 (In 1 default) 192.168.128.102 (management network port)
If you need additional space for more than one host server, use an additional sheet.
iSCSI port 0
iSCSI port 1
Management port
Subnet mask Default gateway
A
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
Static IP address (storage array) Subnet mask Default gateway
B
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
iSCSI controller 0, In 0
iSCSI controller 0, In 1
Management port cntrl 0
iSCSI controller 1, In 0
iSCSI controller 1, In 1
Management port cntrl 1
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
___ . ___ . ___ . ___
Static IP address (host server)
NOTE: Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is an optional iSCSI authentication
method where the storage array (target) authenticates iSCSI initiators on the host server. For more
information, see “Understanding CHAP Authentication” in the Deployment Guide.

8Getting Started With Your System
NOTE: For information about the IPv6 worksheet, see the Deployment Guide.
Other Documentation and Media You May Need
WARNING: See the safety and regulatory information that shipped with
your system. Warranty information may be included within this document or
as a separate document.
NOTE: All PowerVault MD36xxi documents are available at
support.dell.com/manuals.
• The rack documentation included with your rack solution describes how
to install your system into a rack.
•The
Owner’s Manual provides information about system features and
describes how to troubleshoot the system and install or replace system
components.
•The
Deployment Guide provides information about installing and
configuring the software and hardware.
•The
CLI Guide provides information about using the command line
interface (CLI) to configure and manage your storage array.
•The
SMI-S Provider Installation Guide provides information about
installing the SMI-S provider.
• Any media that ships with your system that provides documentation
and tools for configuring and managing your system, including those
pertaining to the operating system, system management software,
system updates, and system components that you purchased
with your system.
NOTE: Always check for updates on support.dell.com/manuals and read the
updates first because they often supersede information in other documents.

Getting Started With Your System 9
Preparing the Host Server
Supported Operating Systems
• Microsoft Windows Server
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
•VMware
NOTE: For the latest information on all supported operating system versions,
see the Support Matrix at support.dell.com/manuals.
Additional NICs for iSCSI
When installing additional NICs, it is recommended that:
• You use dedicated redundant storage networks for iSCSI traffic.
If a dedicated network is not feasible, isolate the iSCSI traffic from
general network traffic using virtual local area networks (VLAN).
• You use additional NICs dedicated for iSCSI traffic.
• The NICs must be added in pairs for redundancy.
NOTE: A single NIC is also supported.
NIC Configuration
In a SAN environment, depending on the number of switches, it is
recommended that you use two unique subnets for iSCSI traffic.
For direct-attached storage environments, each NIC directly connected to
the PowerVault MD36xxi must be on a separate subnet. All host IP addresses
must be configured before installing the MD storage software.

10 Getting Started With Your System
Installation and Configuration
WARNING: Before performing the following procedure, review the safety
instructions that came with the system.
Unpacking the System
Unpack your system and identify each item with the packing list that shipped
with your system.
Installing the Rails and System in a Rack
Assemble the rails and install the system in the rack following the safety
instructions and the rack installation instructions provided with your system.
NOTE: To balance the weight load, it is recommended that you install the
PowerVault MD36xxi at the bottom of the rack and the PowerVault MD12xx
expansion enclosures above it.

Getting Started With Your System 11
Connecting the Power Cable(s)
Ensure that the power switch is in the OFF position before connecting the
power cables. Connect the system’s power cable(s) to the system.
Securing the Power Cable(s)
Secure the cable(s) firmly to the bracket using the provided strap.
Plug the other end of the power cable(s) into a grounded electrical outlet or
a separate power source such as an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) or
a power distribution unit (PDU). Each power supply must be connected
to a separate power circuit.

12 Getting Started With Your System
Cabling Your Expansion Enclosure
PowerVault MD36xxi
storage array
PowerVault MD12xx
expansion enclosure 1
(optional)
PowerVault MD12xx
expansion enclosure 2
(optional)

Getting Started With Your System 13
Cabling Your SAN-Attached Hosts
Connect all cables between the servers, switches, and storage arrays as shown
in the following illustration. For more examples of cabling the storage arrays,
see the Deployment Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.
Up to 64 hosts
Server 1 Server 2
Storage array
Corporate, public,
or private network
Switch 1 Switch 2

14 Getting Started With Your System
Cabling Your Direct-Attached Hosts
Server 1 Server 2
Storage array
Corporate, public,
or private network
Server 1 Server 2
Storage array
Corporate, public,
or private network

Getting Started With Your System 15
Installing the Bezel
Install the bezel (optional).
Turning On the Enclosure
Turn on components in the following order
1
Ethernet switches (if used)
2 PowerVault MD12 xx expansion enclosures (if used)
NOTE: Before turning on the storage array, ensure that the expansion
enclosure status LED on the front of the enclosure is blue.

16 Getting Started With Your System
3 PowerVault MD36 xx i storage array
NOTE: Before turning on the host server(s), ensure that the storage array
status LED on the front of the storage array is blue.
4 Host server(s)
Installing the MD Storage Software
NOTE: For detailed instructions about installing the MD storage software, setting
up the enclosure, and the post-installation tasks, see the Deployment Guide.
The MD storage software suite consists of different modules that enable
you to configure the storage arrays. Two of the important modules are:
• MD Storage Manager (MDSM)—The MDSM application configures,
manages, and monitors the storage array. This application is the primary
tool that is used while working with the arrays.
• Modular Disk Configuration Utility—MDCU is an optional utility that
provides a consolidated approach for configuring the management ports,
iSCSI host ports, and creating sessions for the iSCSI modular disk storage
arrays. It is recommended that you use MDCU to configure iSCSI on each
host connected to the PowerVault MD36
xx i as it simplifies and streamlines
the basic configuration of the storage arrays.

Getting Started With Your System 17
To install the MD storage software:
1
Depending on your configuration, insert the resource media in either
the management station or the host server.
Depending on the autorun settings of the operating system, the
Dell PowerVault MD36xxi Resource DVD window may be displayed or
a prompt may be displayed to run the
md_launcher.exe file. If the
PowerVault MD launcher is not displayed and there is no prompt to
run the
md_launcher.exe file, perform the following steps:
– For Windows-based systems, navigate to the root of the resource
media and run the
md_launcher.exe file.
– For Linux-based systems, navigate to the root of the resource media
and run the
autorun file.
NOTE: By default, Red Hat Enterprise Linux mounts the resource media with
the –noexec mount option which does not allow you to run executable files.
For more information and to change the settings, see “Release Notes” in
the Readme.txt file. The Readme.txt file is located in the root of the
resource media.
2 Select Install MD36 xx i Storage Software .
3 Install the MD Storage Manager software. Select one of the following
installation options:
• Full (recommended)—This package installs core software,
providers, and utilities. It includes the necessary host-based
storage agent, multipath driver, MD Storage Manager, providers,
and optional utilities.
• Host Only—This package includes the host-based storage agent,
multipath drivers, and optional utilities required to configure the host.
• Management Station—This package includes the MD Storage
Manager, providers, and optional utilities.
• Custom—This option allows you to select specific components.
4 Reboot each host server.

18 Getting Started With Your System
5 Launch the MDCU if it does not appear automatically after rebooting
the host server. To launch the MDCU:
• In a Windows-based operating system, click
Start → Dell → Modular
Disk Configuration Utility
.
• In a Linux-based operating system, double-click the
Modular Disk
Configuration Utility
icon on the desktop.
NOTE: If the MDCU is not installed, see the Deployment Guide.
6 Follow the instructions on the screen and proceed to the next step.
7 Start the Modular Disk Storage Manager Client and discover the array(s).
8 Perform the remaining post-installation tasks.
NOTE: The installer automatically installs the required drivers, initiators, and
operating system patches/hotfixes. All the drivers are also available at
support.dell.com.
Enabling Premium Features (Optional)
If you have ordered premium features, follow the instructions on the Premium
Features Card to install the additional features.