Dell PowerVault MD3800f series Quick reference guide

Dell PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f
Series Storage Arrays
Deployment 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 ©2014 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.
2015 - 02
Rev. A00

Contents
1 Introduction........................................................................................................... 5
System Requirements............................................................................................................................5
Management Station Requirements............................................................................................... 5
Introduction to Storage Arrays..............................................................................................................5
Related Documentation........................................................................................................................6
Contacting Dell......................................................................................................................................7
Locating your system Service Tag........................................................................................................ 7
2 Hardware Installation...........................................................................................8
Planning The Storage Configuration ...................................................................................................8
Connecting The Storage Array ............................................................................................................ 8
Configuring Fibre Channel With Dell MD Series Storage Arrays......................................................... 9
Configuring Fibre Channel On SAN Attached Storage Arrays.............................................................9
Configuring Fibre Channel..............................................................................................................9
Other Information You May Need...................................................................................................... 10
Installing Supported Fibre Channel HBAs.......................................................................................... 10
Installing Fibre Channel HBA On Your Host Server......................................................................10
Using Fibre Channel Switch Zoning................................................................................................... 10
World Wide Name Zoning............................................................................................................. 11
Switch Zoning Guidelines..............................................................................................................12
Setting Up Zoning On The Fibre Channel Switch Hardware....................................................... 12
Cabling The Storage Array ................................................................................................................. 12
Redundant And Non-Redundant Cabling.................................................................................... 12
SAN-Attached Cabling........................................................................................................................ 13
SAN-Attached Cabling Example................................................................................................... 13
Remote Replication Cabling Example.......................................................................................... 15
Mixed Environment........................................................................................................................17
Cabling PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures..............................................................18
Expanding With Previously Configured PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures..... 18
Expanding With New PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures.................................. 19
3 Installing PowerVault MD Storage Software................................................. 21
Installing Host Bus Adapters and Drivers........................................................................................... 22
Graphical Installation (Recommended)..............................................................................................22
Console Installation............................................................................................................................ 23
Silent Installation................................................................................................................................. 23
Silent Installation On Windows Systems...................................................................................... 23
Silent Installation On Linux Systems.............................................................................................23

Enabling Premium Features (Optional).............................................................................................. 23
Upgrading MD Storage Software........................................................................................................24
4 Post Installation Tasks....................................................................................... 25
Verifying Storage Array Discovery...................................................................................................... 25
Initial Setup Tasks..........................................................................................................................26
5 Uninstalling MD Storage Software.................................................................. 27
Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Windows............................................................................27
Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Windows Server GUI Versions.................................... 27
Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Windows Server Core Versions.................................. 27
Uninstalling MD Storage Software From Linux.................................................................................. 27
6 Load Balancing....................................................................................................28
Load Balance Policy............................................................................................................................28
Round Robin With Subset.............................................................................................................28
Least Queue Depth....................................................................................................................... 28
Least Path Weight..........................................................................................................................28
Changing Load Balance Policies On The Windows Server Operating System...........................29
Setting Load Balance Policies in Linux......................................................................................... 29
Setting Load Balance Policies in VMware.................................................................................... 29
7 Working With SFP+ Modules and Fiber Optic Cables..................................30
Guidelines for Using SFP+ Modules...................................................................................................30
Removing SFP+ Modules....................................................................................................................30
Installing SFP+ Modules...................................................................................................................... 31
Guidelines for Using Fiber Optic Cables.............................................................................................31
Removing Fibre Channel Cables.........................................................................................................31
Installing Fibre Channel Cables...........................................................................................................31
8 Hardware Cabling Best Practices.................................................................... 33
Handling Static-Sensitive Components............................................................................................. 33
Host Cabling for Remote Replication................................................................................................ 33
Cabling for Performance.................................................................................................................... 33
Single-Controller and Dual-Controller Topologies.......................................................................... 34
Labeling Cables................................................................................................................................... 34

1
Introduction
This document provides information about deploying Dell PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f Fibre
Channel storage arrays. The deployment process includes:
• Hardware installation
• Modular Disk Storage Manager (MDSM) software installation
• Initial system configuration
Other information includes system requirements, storage array organization, and utilities.
NOTE: For more information on product documentation, see dell.com/support/manuals.
MDSM enables an administrator to configure and monitor storage arrays for optimum usability. The
version of MDSM included on the PowerVault MD series resource media can be used to manage both the
Dell PowerVault PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f systems and the earlier PowerVault MD series
storage arrays. MDSM is compatible with both Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.
System Requirements
Before installing and configuring the PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f series hardware and software,
ensure that the minimum system requirements are met, and the supported operating system is installed.
For more information, see the Dell PowerVault MD34/38 Series Support Matrix at dell.com/support/
manuals.
Management Station Requirements
A management station uses MDSM to configure and manage storage arrays across the network. For
management station requirements, see Dell PowerVault MD34xx/38xx Series Support Matrix at dell.com/
support/manuals.
Introduction to Storage Arrays
A storage array includes various hardware components, such as physical disks, RAID controller modules,
fans, and power supplies, gathered into enclosures. The physical disks are accessed through the RAID
controller modules.
One or more host servers attached to the storage array can access the data on the storage array. You can
also establish multiple physical paths between the hosts and the storage array so that loss of any single
path (for example, through failure of a host server port) does not result in loss of access to data on the
storage array.
The storage array is managed by MDSM running on a:
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• Host server — On a host server system, MDSM and the storage array communicate management
requests and event information using in-band or out-of band-connections.
• Management station — On a management station, MDSM communicates with the storage array either
through an Ethernet connection to the storage array management port or through an Ethernet
connection to a host server. The Ethernet connection passes management information between the
management station and the storage array connectivity.
Using MDSM, you can configure the physical disks in the storage array into logical components called
disk groups or dynamic disk group and then divide the disk groups into virtual disks. Disk groups are
created in the unconfigured capacity of a storage array. Virtual disks are created in the free capacity of a
disk group.
Unconfigured capacity comprises physical disks not already assigned to a disk group. When a virtual disk
is created using unconfigured capacity, a disk group or dynamic disk group is automatically created. If the
only virtual disk in a disk group is deleted, the disk group is also deleted. Free capacity is space in a disk
group that is not assigned to any virtual disk.
Data is written to the physical disks in the storage array using RAID technology. RAID levels define how
data is written to physical disks. Different RAID levels offer different levels of accessibility, redundancy,
and capacity. You can set a specified RAID level for each disk group and virtual disk on your storage array.
For more information about using RAID and managing data in your storage solution, see the Owner’s
Manual at dell.com/support/manuals.
Related Documentation
NOTE: For all PowerVault documentation, go to dell.com/support/manuals and enter the system
Service Tag to get your system documentation.
NOTE: For all Dell OpenManage documents, go to dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
NOTE: For all storage controller documents, go to dell.com/storagecontrollermanuals .
You product documentation includes:
•Dell PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f Storage Arrays Getting Started Guide — Provides an overview
of system features, setting up your system, and technical specifications. This document is also
shipped with your system.
•Dell PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f Storage Arrays Owner’s Manual — Provides information
about system features and describes how to troubleshoot the system and install or replace system
components.
• Rack Installation Instructions — Describes how to install your system into a rack. This document is
also shipped with your rack solution.
•Dell PowerVault MD Series Storage Arrays Administrator's Guide — Provides information about
configuring and managing the system using the MDSM GUI.
•Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Arrays CLI Guide — Provides information about configuring and
managing the system using the MDSM CLI.
•Dell PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f Storage Arrays Deployment Guide — Provides information
about deploying the storage system in the SAN architecture.
•Dell PowerVault MD34/38 Series Support Matrix — Provides information about the software and
hardware compatibility matrices for the storage array.
6

Contacting Dell
Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. If you do not have an
active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill,
or Dell product catalog. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be
available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer-service issues:
1. Go to dell.com/support.
2. Select your country from the drop-down menu on the bottom right corner of the page.
3. For customized support:
a. Enter your system Service Tag in the Enter your Service Tag field.
b. Click Submit.
The support page that lists the various support categories is displayed.
4. For general support:
a. Select your product category.
b. Select your product segment.
c. Select your product.
The support page that lists the various support categories is displayed.
Locating your system Service Tag
Your system is identified by a unique Express Service Code and Service Tag number. The Express Service
Code and Service Tag are found on the front of the system by pulling out the information tag.
Alternatively, the information may be on a sticker on the chassis of the system. This information is used
by Dell to route support calls to the appropriate personnel.
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2
Hardware Installation
Before using this guide, ensure that you review the instructions in the documents:
•Getting Started Guide — The Getting Started Guide shipped with the storage array provides
information to configure the initial setup of the system.
• Planning section of the Owner’s Manual — The planning section provides information about
important concepts to set up your storage solution. See the Owner’s Manual at dell.com/support/
manuals.
•Rack Installation Instructions — Provides information on how to rack your system. This document is
shipped with your system.
Planning The Storage Configuration
Consider the following before installing your storage array:
• Evaluate data storage needs and administrative requirements.
• Calculate availability requirements.
• Decide the frequency and level of backups, such as weekly full backups with daily partial backups.
• Consider storage array options, such as password protection and email alert notifications for error
conditions.
• Design the configuration of virtual disks, disk groups, or dynamic disk groups according to a data
organization plan. For example, use one virtual disk for inventory, a second for financial and tax
information, and a third for customer information.
• Decide whether to allow space for hot spares, which automatically replace failed physical disks.
Connecting The Storage Array
The storage array is connected to a host using two hot-swappable RAID controller modules. The RAID
controller modules are identified as RAID controller module 0 and RAID controller module 1. See the
Owners Manual to know more about the functions of the different components of the storage controller.
The functions of the ports on each controller are described below:
• 16 gbps Fibre Channel Host Ports (4) — Allows you to connect host servers to the storage array.
• 12 gpbs SAS Host Ports (2) — Allows you to connect host servers to the storage array.
• 1 gbps Ethernet Management (MGMT) Port (1) — Management port allows for out of band
management of storage array.
• Reserved Ethernet Port (1) — Reserved.
• SAS Expansion Ports (2) — Allows you to connect the storage array to optional PowerVault MD1200
series expansion enclosures for additional storage capacity. Only one SAS OUT expansion port can be
used at a time and the recommended expansion port is 0.
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Each PowerVault MD3800f and MD3820f series storage array can be expanded to a maximum of 120 (or
192, if enabled using Premium Feature activation) physical slots.
Configuring Fibre Channel With Dell MD Series Storage
Arrays
This section provides information about configuring Fibre Channel communication between the host
server and the storage array. For basic setup information such as racking, power cabling, and
recommended handling procedures, see the Getting Started Guide for your Storage Array at dell.com/
powervaultmanuals.
Configuring Fibre Channel On SAN Attached Storage
Arrays
You can only cable the host server to the storage array via storage area network (SAN) using supported
Fibre Channel switch(es).
NOTE: For detailed information on supported Fibre Channel hardware, see the Support Matrix at
dell.com/powervaultmanuals.
The following steps shows the configuration order for connecting to a SAN. These steps assume you are
setting up Fibre Channel storage for the first time.
NOTE: If you are adding an additional Fibre Channel storage array or if your host server is already
configured to access Fibre Channel storage, some of the steps may not apply. Before proceeding,
see the Dell PowerVault MD Series Support Matrix to confirm that your existing hardware
components and host bus adapter (HBA) firmware and BIOS levels are supported.
Configuring Fibre Channel
To configure a Fibre Channel for connecting to a SAN:
1. Install the supported HBAs on your host server.
2. Cable the host server to the Fibre Channel switches.
For more information, see SAN-Attached Cabling Example and Remote Replication Cabling
Example.
3. Install the required HBA drivers and firmware versions listed in the Dell PowerVault MD Series
Support Matrix available at dell.com/powervaultmanuals.
4. Install and configure the MD Storage Manager software (included with your storage array) on your
host server.
5. Cable the storage array to the Fibre Channel switches.
6. Configure zoning on all Fibre Channel switches.
For more information, see Switch Zoning Guidelines.
7. Using MDSM, configure the host servers, storage arrays, and virtual disks.
8. Activate and configure premium features (if applicable).
NOTE: All equipment attached to the switch must be powered on before establishing zoning. For
additional switch hardware requirements, see the manufacturer’s documentation.
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Other Information You May Need
In addition to this document, see the documentation provided with the HBA and Fibre Channel switch
hardware for vendor-specific information required to complete Fibre-Channel setup on your storage
array.
Installing Supported Fibre Channel HBAs
The storage array supports a specific set of Fibre Channel HBAs, each requiring a unique driver and
firmware level. See the Dell PowerVault MD Series Support Matrix at dell.com/powervaultmanuals for a
list of supported HBAs.
If an HBA is already installed on your host server, verify that it is supported in the Dell PowerVault MD
Series Support Matrix. If the HBA is not listed, it should not be used to connect to the storage array.
CAUTION: Connecting the storage array to a non-supported host server HBA or installing non-
qualified HBA drivers or firmware can cause instability or loss of access to your data.
Installing Fibre Channel HBA On Your Host Server
For instructions about physically installing an HBA in your host server and loading supported drivers and
firmware, see the documentation supplied with your HBA hardware.
NOTE: During installation you must enter the manufacturer-specific timeout and/or node time
values. See the Dell PowerVault MD Series Support Matrix at dell.com/powervaultmanuals for
information related to your specific HBA.
Using Fibre Channel Switch Zoning
A Fibre Channel switch allows you to connect multiple devices to the SAN without compromising
bandwidth or data throughput. Switch zoning implemented on each Fibre Channel switch hardware
component using the manufacturer’s embedded utility, allows you to divide port traffic between the host
server and storage array to maintain the highest level of redundancy.
The following figure shows each connection to the host server(s) routed to an individual logical zone on
the SAN. Two physical switches provide an alternate (redundant) data path to the storage array. If a single
HBA, switch or RAID controller fails, the host server(s) can still access data on the storage array through
one of the alternate paths provided by the switches.
NOTE: For a list of supported Fibre Channel switches, see the Dell PowerVault MD Series Support
Matrix at dell.com/powervaultmanuals.
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Figure 1. Example of Switch Zoning on SAN on an MD38xxf-series Fibre-Channel Storage Array
World Wide Name Zoning
There are several different switch zoning techniques used across various SANs. When configuring zoning
with your storage array, using a 64 bit World Wide Name (WWN) to uniquely identify each component in
your Fibre Channel switch fabric is recommended. An advantage of using WWN port zoning (also called
soft zoning) is that it allows you to remove and/or replace cabling to and from the fabric without
reconfiguring the existing zone logic.
When implemented on the Fibre Channel switch, port WWN zoning causes the host server to query the
World Wide Identifier (WWID) name of all attached physical disks and/or expansion enclosures each time
it accesses the switch fabric. By zoning specific ports on the host server(s), switch and storage array
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together, the switch allows the host server to see only devices included in that zone, decreasing the
amount of time it would otherwise take for the host server to query attached, but out-of-zone, devices.
Switch Zoning Guidelines
The storage array imposes specific requirements that must be followed when setting up Fibre Channel
switch zoning:
• If a Fibre Channel switch is used to connect your host server and storage array, it must be zoned. Un-
zoned or open switches cannot be used.
• WWN port zoning is recommended. While hard zoning (zoning by device ID) is supported, LUN
masking uses the WWN identifier. You can mix WWN and hard-zoned ports in the same zone.
• Multi-port HBAs are supported. Each port in a multiple-port HBA represents one initiator. Each
initiator must be connected to a single logical switch zone.
• No more than four paths (port-to-port segments) can be established from a single, physical host
server(s) to a single RAID controller.
• A zone can contain multiple targets and span multiple storage arrays (single initiator can point to
multiple targets).
NOTE: To simplify troubleshooting, you can assign a single initiator and single target to a zone.
• If the Remote Replication premium feature is activated, a separate zone for each replication port is
required. Only data traffic related to Remote Replication can move through that zone. For more
details and requirements regarding Remote Replication, see the Dell PowerVault MD Series Storage
Arrays Administrator's Guide at dell.com/powervaultmanuals.
Setting Up Zoning On The Fibre Channel Switch Hardware
Setting up zoning on Fibre Channel switches varies greatly between manufacturers. For detailed
information on how to set up zoning on your switch, see the manufacturer’s product documentation or
technical support website.
Cabling The Storage Array
Cabling the storage array depends on a number of factors such as:
• Required level of redundancy or throughput
• Number of host servers connected to the storage array
• Type of HBAs (dual- or single-port) used in the host server(s)
• Remote Replication premium feature (if applicable)
The cabling diagrams shown here do not represent every supported cabling scenario but the concepts of
redundancy and switch logic can be used to build your own configuration.
Redundant And Non-Redundant Cabling
Non-redundant cabling configurations provide a single data path from host server(s) to the storage array.
This type of configuration is only recommended for non-critical data storage. A path failure from a failed
or removed cable, failed HBA, or failed or removed RAID controller module results in loss of host access
to the storage array.
Redundant configurations establish separate data paths between the host server(s) and storage array.
Each path is connected to separate RAID controller modules in the storage array. Redundancy protects
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the host server(s) from losing access to data in the event of a path failure since both RAID controller
modules can independently access all the physical disks in the storage array.
SAN-Attached Cabling
SAN-attached cabling configurations provide the highest level of redundancy and alternate-path
connectivity between the host server and storage array. A SAN configuration using a Fibre Channel
compatible switch fabric allows you to establish multiple redundant paths to data on the storage array.
NOTE: A SAN configuration using a supported Fibre Channel switch hardware is required if the
Remote Replication premium feature is activated on the storage array. For specific cabling
requirements for Remote Replication, see Remote Replication Cabling Example.
SAN-Attached Cabling Example
The following figure shows a three-server, mixed HBA cabling configuration that uses two separate
switch fabrics to establish multiple paths to the storage array. Port-to-port connections in each switch
fabric/zone are detailed in the text boxes.
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Figure 2. Three SAN-Attached Host Servers Connected to a Storage Array Using Multiple Paths
Switch Fabric A Switch Fabric B
Zone1_Server1_HBA_0 Zone4_Server1_HBA_1
Server1_HBA_0 Server1_HBA_1
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-0-3 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-3
Zone2_Server2_HBA_0 Zone5_Server2_HBA_1
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Switch Fabric A Switch Fabric B
Server2_HBA_0 Server2_HBA_1
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-0-3 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-3
Zone3_Server3_HBA_0 Zone6_Server3_HBA_1
Server3_HBA_0 Server3_HBA_1
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-0-3 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-3
Remote Replication Cabling Example
Remote Replication is a storage array premium feature that provides online, real-time replication of data
between storage arrays. When this feature is activated, a dedicated port (port 3) on each RAID controller
is reserved exclusively for Remote Replication traffic. No other data traffic is allowed on that port until the
Remote Replication feature is deactivated. A dedicated zone on each Fibre Channel switch is also
required.
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Figure 3. Remote Replication Cabling
Switch Fabric A Switch Fabric B
Zone1_Server1_HBA_0 Zone6_Server1_HBA_1
Server1_HBA_0 Server1_HBA_1
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Zone2_Server2_HBA_0_0 Zone7_Server2_HBA_0_1
Server2_HBA_0_0 Server2_HBA_0_1
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Zone3_Server2_HBA_1_0 Zone8_Server2_HBA_1_1
Server2_HBA_1_0 Server2_HBA_1_1
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Switch Fabric A Switch Fabric B
Array1_Ctrl-0-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-1
Array1_Ctrl-1-0 Array1_Ctrl-0-2
Array1_Ctrl-1-2 Array1_Ctrl-1-1
Zone4_Server3_HBA_0_1 Zone9_Server3_HBA_0_0
Server3_HBA_0_1 Server3_HBA_0_0
Array2_Ctrl-0-1 Array2_Ctrl-0-0
Array2_Ctrl-0-2 Array2_Ctrl-1-0
Array2_Ctrl-1-1 Array2_Ctrl-1-2
Zone5_Server3_HBA_1_1 Zone10_Server3_HBA_1_0
Server3_HBA_1_1 Server3_HBA_1_0
Array2_Ctrl-0-1 Array2_Ctrl-0-0
Array2_Ctrl-0-2 Array2_Ctrl-1-0
Array2_Ctrl-1-1 Array2_Ctrl-1-2
Replication_Zone_1 Replication_Zone_2
Array1_Ctrl-0-3 Array1_Ctrl-1-3
Array2_Ctrl-0-3 Array2_Ctrl-1-3
Mixed Environment
The following figure shows mixed configuration, that is SAS direct attached and host connectivity via the
SAN (that is FC/Ethernet switch).
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Figure 4. Mixed Environment
Cabling PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures
You can expand the capacity of your PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i series storage array by adding
PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosures. You can expand the physical disk pool to a maximum
of 120 (or 192, if enabled using Premium Feature activation) physical disks using a maximum of seven
expansion enclosures.
Expanding With Previously Configured PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion
Enclosures
Use this procedure if your expansion enclosure is directly attached and configured with a Dell PowerEdge
RAID Controller (PERC) H800 adapter. Data from virtual disks created on a PERC H800 adapter cannot be
directly migrated to a storage array or an expansion enclosure connected to a storage array.
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CAUTION: If a PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosure that was previously attached to
PERC H800 adapter is used as an expansion enclosure to a PowerVault MD34xx/MD38xx series
storage array, the physical disks of the expansion enclosure are reinitialized and data is lost. You
must back up all data on the expansion enclosure before attempting the expansion.
1. Back up all data on the expansion enclosures.
2. Upgrade the expansion enclosure firmware to the latest version available at dell.com/support while
the enclosure is still attached to the PERC H800 controller.
Windows systems users can reference the DUP.exe package and Linux kernel users can reference
the DUP.bin package.
3. Ensure that the storage array software is installed and up to date before adding the expansion
enclosures. For more information, see the Dell PowerVault MD34xx/MD38xx Support Matrix at
dell.com/support/manuals.
a. Install the software and driver package included on the PowerVault MD series resource media. For
information about installing the software, see the topic “Installing PowerVault MD Storage
Software”.
b. Update the storage array RAID controller module firmware and NVSRAM to the latest versions
available at dell.com/support.
c. Using MDSM, click Tools → Upgrade RAID Controller Module Firmware → Enterprise
Management Window (EMW).
4. Stop all I/O and turn off the system and attached units.
a. Stop all I/O to the storage array and turn off the host systems attached to the storage array.
b. Turn off the storage array.
c. Turn off the expansion enclosures in the affected system.
5. Cable the expansion enclosures to the storage array.
a. Connect the MiniSAS HD end of the supported SAS cabled to the SAS OUT Port 0 on the MD
1200 series expansion enclosure.
b. Connect the other end of the SAS cable to the IN port on the MD 1200 series expansion
enclosure.
6. Turn on attached units:
a. Turn on the expansion enclosures. Wait for the enclosure status LED to light blue.
b. Turn on the storage array and wait for the status LED to indicate that the unit is ready:
• If the status LEDs are solid amber, the storage array is still coming online.
• If the status LEDs are blinking amber, there is an error that can be viewed using the MDSM.
• If the status LEDs are solid blue, the storage array is ready.
c. After the storage array is online and ready, turn on any attached host systems.
7. After the PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosure is configured as an expansion enclosure of
the storage array, restore the data that was backed up in step 1.
After the expansion enclosures are online, they can be accessed as a part of the storage array.
Expanding With New PowerVault MD1200 Series Expansion Enclosures
Perform the following steps to attach new PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosures to a
PowerVault MD34xx/38xx series storage arrays:
1. Before adding the expansion enclosures, ensure that the storage array software is installed and is up
to date. For more information, see the Dell PowerVault MD34xx/38xx Support Matrix at dell.com/
support/manuals.
a. Install the software and driver package included on the PowerVault MD series resource media. For
information about installing the software, see the topic “Installing PowerVault MD Storage
Software”.
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b. Set up the PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosures. For information about setting up the
PowerVault MD1200 series expansion enclosures, see the Owner’s Manual at dell.com/support/
manuals.
c. Using MDSM, update the RAID controller module firmware and NVSRAM to the latest versions
available on dell.com/support/manuals.
d. Click Tools → Upgrade RAID Controller Module Firmware from the Enterprise Management
Window (EMW).
2. Stop I/O and turn off all systems:
a. Stop all I/O to the storage array and turn off affected host systems attached to the storage array.
b. Turn off the storage array.
c. Turn off any expansion enclosures in the affected system.
3. Cable the expansion enclosures to the storage array.
a. Connect the MiniSAS HD end of the supported SAS cabled to the SAS OUT Port 0 on the MD
1200 series expansion enclosure.
b. Connect the other end of the SAS cable to the IN port on the MD 1200 series expansion
enclosure.
4. Turn on attached units:
a. Turn on the expansion enclosures. Wait for the enclosure status LED to light blue.
b. Turn on the storage array and wait for the status LED to indicate that the unit is ready:
• If the status LEDs are solid amber, the storage array is still coming online.
• If the status LEDs are blinking amber, there is an error that can be viewed using MDSM.
• If the status LEDs are solid blue, the storage array is ready.
c. After the storage array is online and ready, turn on any attached host systems.
5. Using MDSM, update all attached expansion enclosure firmware if it is out of date:
a. From the EMW, select the enclosure that you want to update and enter the Array Management
Window (AMW).
b. Click Advanced → Maintenance → Download → EMM Firmware.
c. Select Select All to update all the attached expansion enclosures simultaneously.
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