Nexsan NST2000 User manual

This document provides installation steps for racking and cabling the UNITY2000 Capacity Optimized head
unit and the UNITY2000 expansion unit. This document also provides steps to discover and set up the
UNITY2000.
NEXSAN NST2000 Capacity Optimized
1
UNIFIED HYBRID STORAGE
Firmware Version: UNITY 1.0
Quick Start Guide
Taking Delivery
Your UNITY shipment includes the UNITY2000 and
optionally one Nexsan UNITY2000 expansion unit.
Check to ensure no damage has been sustained to
the packaging in transit. If any of the UNITY storage
components appear damaged, please contact your
reseller immediately.
NOTE: Open box #1 first as mentioned in the Getting
Started sheet (affixed to the top of box #1).
UNITY2000 Rear View Components

Power supply units
Fan assemblies
On-board GigE LAN ports (2 per node):
Right port: Primary data network interface (nx0)
Left port: Management Interface (nx99) and
IPMI interface
KVM connections
Storage connectivity: Dual-port SAS PCIe to Serial
Attached SCSI (HD Mini-SAS) host bus adapter
Connectivity to Fibre Channel hosts: Dual-port 8Gb
Fibre Channel to Express Host Bus Adapter
NOTE: If you did not purchase a Fibre Channel
card, you can use this slot for an additional
network card, which can be any of the supported
NICs mentioned below.
Network connectivity:
10GbE dual-port network PCIe card with RJ-45
interfaces
10GbE dual-port network PCIe card with SFP+
SR interfaces
GbE dual-port network PCIe card with RJ-45
interfaces
Prepare for Installation
ACarefully read safety notices on page 8.
BEnsure ahead of time that you have a suitable
rack; see Rack and Enclosure Specifications
on page 8.
CEnsure that you have a Phillips screwdriver.
DHave someone assist you during installation.
Unpack the UNITY2000
ARemove all the components from packaging.
Position hands under the chassis to pull it free
from the foam insert.
Do NOT lift out the UNITY2000 chassis from its
packaging using the controller handles or
attached rails.
BPlace the components on an anti-static surface
until you are ready to use them.
UNITY2000 Capacity Optimized Package
Contents
Nexsan UNITY Setup Guide
One UNITY2000 enclosure (with front bezel)
Rack-mounting hardware:
2 outer-rack rail assemblies (inner-chassis rails
are already installed)
4 mounting screws with 4 washers to attach
outer-rack rails to the rack
(1 on the front and 1 on the back for both the
left and right rail assemblies)
Disk drives:
16 drive configuration: 14 data drives, 1
FASTier write cache SSD, and 1 FASTier read
cache SSD
9 drive configuration: 7 data drives, 1 FASTier
write cache SSD, and 1 FASTier read cache
SSD
Two power cables
Two KVM leads
1 electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap
CD containing the Discovery Wizard and
documentation
CAUTION: Acclimate new disk drives to
room temperature for two hours before you
install them.

2 — NST2000C Quick Start Guide
Components Not Included In Your Package
Client computer
Network switches
Network cables
Rack the UNITY2000
Recommended rack positions for components:
UNITY2000 head unit on top
UNITY2000 expansion unit below
Step 1: Remove the front bezel
ATurn the keylock at the right end of the bezel to
the unlock position.
BUnhook the left end of the bezel from the chassis.
Step 2: Install the outer-rack rails on the
rack
AAttach the RIGHT and LEFT outer-rack rails to
the rack by inserting the hooks included on the
rails into the holes provided on the rack.
The hooks should be located in the TOP holes of
the rack units selected.
BExtend rail assemblies to fit the depth of the rack.
Pull on the rear of the assembly until the hooks
reach the back of the rack.
CScrew the rail to the rack using the mounting
screws provided. The screws should be secured
in the MIDDLE hole on the front and back of each
rail assembly.
Step 3: Install the UNITY2000 on the rack
ALift the UNITY2000 chassis from each side—not
from the front and back.
BLine up the inner-chassis rails with the front of the
outer-rack rails.
CSlide the inner-chassis rails into the outer-rack
rails, keeping the pressure even on both sides;
you have to depress the locking tabs when
inserting.
DPush the UNITY2000 completely into the rack;
you should hear the locking tabs click into
position.
ETighten the thumbscrews that hold the front of the
UNITY2000 to the rack.
Recommended Acceptable
10GbE Ethernet:
CAT6a cable
10GbE Ethernet:
CAT6 or higher cable
1GbE Ethernet:
CAT6 cable
1GbE Ethernet:
CAT5E or higher cable
10GbE Fiber Multimode duplex LC/LC
50μOM3 fiber cable
CAUTION: Physical installation requires
two people.
3U
3U

3 — UNITY2000C Quick Start Guide
Step 4: Install the disk drives and FASTier cache SSDs
Installation order:
1Install the FASTier Write Cache SSD in the FIRST slot on the LEFT.
2Install the FASTier Read Cache SSD in the SECOND slot on the LEFT.
3Install the data drives in any order in the remaining slots.
NOTE: The half-populated 9 drive configuration has empty drive carriers pre-
installed in slots 10 through 16. To install the disk drives, follow the above
procedure in slots 1 through 9.
To install the drives:
ASlide the release button on the front of the drive carrier and open the handle.
BInsert the hard-drive carrier into the drive bay until the carrier contacts the
backplane.
CClose the hard-drive carrier handle to lock the drive in place.
DRepeat these steps for each drive.
If you have an expansion unit, go the Unpack the UNITY2000 Expansion Unit on page 3. Otherwise,
go to Connect the UNITY2000 on page 4.
Unpack the UNITY2000 Expansion Unit
ARemove all the components from packaging. Position hands under the chassis to pull it free from the
foam insert.
Do NOT lift out the expander chassis from its packaging using the controller handles or attached rails.
BPlace the components on an anti-static surface until you are ready to use them.
UNITY2000 Expansion Package Contents
UNITY2000 Expander Unit (I/O modules)
Rack-mounting hardware:
2 outer-rack rail assemblies (inner-rack rails are already installed on the chassis)
4 mounting screws with 4 washers to attach outer-rack rails to the rack
(1 on the front and 1 on the back for both the left and right rail assemblies)
Two power cords
Two SAS cables (HD Mini SAS to Mini SAS)
16 drives: 14 disk drives, 1 FASTier write cache SSD, and 1 FASTier read cache SSD
UNITY2000 Expansion Unit Rear components
Rack the UNITY2000 Expansion Unit
Follow the same steps as racking the UNITY2000 main unit; see Rack the UNITY2000 on page 2.
CAUTION: Put on the ESD wrist strap before starting:
ASlip the wrist loop over your hand (left or right), then tighten the loop against your wrist.
BAttach the clip end of the anti-static wrist strap to a properly grounded metal surface.

4 — NST2000C Quick Start Guide
Connect the UNITY2000
Step 1: Connect the network cables
AFor the Management Interface (nx99) and IPMI, plug an Ethernet cable into the on-board LEFT GigE
RJ-45 connector .
B(Optional if there is a 10GB card) For data connectivity (nx0), plug an Ethernet cable into the on-board
RIGHT GigE RJ-45 connector .
CFor additional data connectivity, plug appropriate cables into the network interface cards .
DRepeat these steps on the second controller.
Step 2: Connect the power cables
APlug the power cords into both power supply units on the back of the UNITY2000.
BPlug the power cords connected to the power supply units into a high-quality strip that offers protection
from electrical noise and power surges.
NOTE: We recommended that you use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
Step 3: (Optional) Connect the KVM dongles
The KVM ports provide USB, VGA and Serial connections for remote console access to the UNITY2000.
Plug the KVM device’s cable into the KVM port on the back of each controller box.

5 — UNITY2000C Quick Start Guide
Step 4: Connect the UNITY2000 to the UNITY2000 expansion unit (if applicable)
The UNITY2000 can connect to one UNITY2000 expansion unit. This configuration does not support daisy-
chaining and multipathing.
On each controller, connect the SAS cable from the RIGHT SAS port on the UNITY2000 to the LEFT
SAS port on the UNITY2000 expansion unit. Make sure to push on until the cables snap into place.
Step 5: (Optional) Connect to a Fibre Channel Host or Switch
When connecting the UNITY2000 to a Fibre Channel switch, each host has at least one connection to each
controller using a port on the switch. Use one Fibre Channel port on each controller as the optimized path
for data connectivity and the other as the non-optimized path.
AConnect a Fibre Channel cable from the host (or switch) to one of the Fibre Channel HBA ports on the
back of the first UNITY2000 controller.
BConnect a Fibre Channel cable from that same host (or switch) to one of the Fibre Channel HBA ports 
on the back of the second NS2000 controller.

6 — NST2000C Quick Start Guide
Power On UNITY Components
Step1:PowerontheUNITY2000expansion
unit
APress and hold the power button located on
the right front panel of the chassis until the power
LED lights up.
BWait approximately 1 minute for the drives to all
become ready. All drive carrier activity LEDs
should be illuminated in green.
If a drive carrier activity LED does not light up,
check to make sure the corresponding drive is
properly seated in the chassis.
CIf all LEDs indicate normal operational status,
reattach the front bezel to the UNITY2000
expansion unit:
aHook the left end of the bezel onto the chassis.
bFit the right side of the bezel onto the chassis.
cTurn the key lock at the right end of the bezel
to
the lock position to secure the bezel to the
chassis.
Step 2: Power on the UNITY2000 main unit
APress and hold the power button located on
the right front panel of the chassis until the power
led lights up.
BVerify the power LEDs on the left and right front
control panels are illuminated to ensure that the
controller nodes are receiving power and the
power modules are functioning properly.
CVerify that the heartbeat is blinking yellow in
2-3 second intervals.
DVerify that the drive carriers LEDs are illuminated
in green.
EIf all LEDs indicate normal operational status,
reattach the front bezel to the UNITY2000:
aHook the left end of the bezel onto the chassis.
bFit the right side of the bezel onto the chassis.
cTurn the key lock at the right end of the bezel
to
the lock position to secure the bezel to the
chassis.
Configure the Management
Interface (nx99)
Configure network settings for the UNITY2000
management interface (nx99):
using the Discovery Wizard on the Discovery
Wizard and Documentation CD, or
using the nxadmin CLI (optional)
NOTE: It is strongly recommended to configure the
management interface (nx99) on a different subnet
from the primary data network interface (nx0).
However, it is acceptable to configure both
interfaces on the same subnet in a flat network
environment.
Configure the Management Interface (nx99)
using the Discovery Wizard
AInsert the Discovery Wizard CD in the drive of a
system that resides on the same network (and
subnet) as the UNITY2000.
BIf the AutoPlay feature fails to start, open the
Discovery folder and double-click
SystemDiscoveryUI.exe to launch the Discovery
Wizard.
CInstall the Discovery Wizard’s driver, if prompted.
DWhen the Discovery Wizard opens, select the
Discovery tab.
ESelect the UNITY2000 system by clicking the box.
NOTE: If you have multiple UNITY systems, you
can identify the relevant unit by matching the
serial number displayed in the Discovery Wizard
with the SOR # or SYS ID on the UNITY2000's
box label (box #1).
FClick the Configure Network button at the bottom
of the screen.
GType the relevant network settings for the
management interface (nx99).
NOTE: If your desired DNS server is not available at
the time of installation, use the preconfigured default
IP temporarily.
HClick OK to apply the settings. This step will take
one to two minutes to process.
IClose the Discovery Wizard.

7 — UNITY2000C Quick Start Guide
Configure the management interface (nx99)
using the nxadmin CLI (optional)
AConnect to the UNITY2000 via KVM (console).
BWhen connected, type nxadmi n to log on.
CType the default nxadmin password: PASSWORD
(all upper-case).
DType setip.
EType the IP addresses for the management
interface (nx99); use the Tab key to navigate
between fields.
NOTE: Do not set the network settings for the
primary data network interface (nx0); you
configure this interface in the Site Setup Wizard.
FTab to the <Validate> option and press Enter.
GOnce validation completes, tab to the <OK>
option and press Enter.
Set Up the UNITY2000
Start the initial setup:
AOpen a web browser.
BType the UNITY2000’s Management Virtual IP
address and press Enter.
CClick I accept the terms of the license
agreement and click Next.
Step 1: Set the password for the
E-Centre Administrator
The UNITY2000 is shipped with the built-in E-Centre
Administrator account, nxadmin.
Step 2: Configure site information
Click the forward arrow to continue.
Step 3: Configure network settings
(primary data network interface (nx0))
NOTE: Once you click Apply, a message displays
stating that the settings are being applied to the
system; this process can take one or more minutes
to complete.
Click the forward arrow to continue.
Step4:ConfigureIPMI(IntelligentPlatform
Management Interface) Settings
Step 5: Allocate storage
By default, the UNITY2000 Capacity Optimized is
preconfigured as RAID 6, with two RAID sets and no
hot spare. You can change this configuration later.
Click the forward arrow.
Step 6: Verify configuration settings
This step of the Site Setup Wizard summarizes your
configuration settings and applies them to the
system.
To finalize the site setup, click Start.
NOTE: This step takes a few minutes to complete.

Part number: P0450152 Rev: ARelease Date: June 2016
Related Documentation: Nexsan UNITY Hardware Reference Guide,
Nexsan UNITY Software User Guide, Nexsan UNITY nxadmin CLI
Reference Guide
Copyright © 2010-2016 Nexsan Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Nexsan®, E-Centre™, UNITY4000™, UNITY6000™, UNITY6000MC™, UNITY224X™,
E18™, E48™, E60™, FASTier™, and the Nexsan logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nexsan Corporation. All other trademarks and
registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Technical Support
By Phone:
U.S. & Canada: [phone]
Global: U.S. Toll [phone]
By Email: [email protected]
By Web: http://helper.nexsansupport.com/nexsan_aaq.html
Nexsan 900 E Hamilton Ave, Suite 230, Campbell, CA 95008 | p. 1.866.463.9726 | www.nexsan.com
Step 7: View Configuration Results
When the Site Setup Wizard successfully applies the
configuration settings to the UNITY2000, it prompts
you to create a storage pool.
For steps to create a storage pool, see the Nexsan
UNITY Setup Guide included in your shipment or the
Nexsan UNITY Software User Guide on the
documentation CD.
NOTE: Asynchronous replication. If you promoted a
storage pool on another site and the primary site
gets back online, E-Centre allows you to delete or
promote the storage pool replica as an alternative to
demoting one of the primary storage pools.
What’s Next:
To configure the User Authentication mode:
AOpen the site’s properties panel in E-Centre.
BSelect the User Authentication tab.
CSelect the desired mode of authentication and
click Apply.
The following modes for authentication are available:
Join a Microsoft Active Directory Domain
Connect to an LDAP Directory Service
Use E-Centre authentication (default)
To set site Administrators:
AOpen the site’s properties panel in E-Centre.
BSelect the Administrators tab.
CClick Add Administrators.
DFollow the popup window instructions, then click
Apply.
Safety Notices
This equipment must be installed and operated in
compliance with local laws and regulations.
Ensure that the ambient temperature at the
installation is between 5°C (41°F) and 30°C
(86°F). If the temperature at the site is not actively
regulated, ensure that daily and seasonal
temperature changes will not result in the ambient
temperature going outside these limits.
Always fully stabilize racks with wall anchors or
stabilizing legs, or both, before mounting the
Nexsan storage unit or any other components on
the rack.
Situate the rack so that full air flow at both the
front and the rear of the Nexsan storage unit is
possible.
Ensure that the floor beneath the mounting rack
has enough load-bearing capacity to support the
rack and all mounted components.
Always fully secure all rack-mounting hadware
when installing the Nexsan storage unit in a rack.
Insufficient rack-mount support may allow the unit
to fall onto other rack-mounted hardware or onto
the floor, potentially damaging equipment or
causing injury to nearby personnel.
Rack and Enclosure Specifications
These specifications apply to both UNITY2000 head
and expansion units.
Rail Kit Mounting
3U enclosure height
The rack must have square roles
Maximum distances: 30" (800 mm)
Enclosure Dimensions
Height: 5.2’’ 132 mm
Width: 17.2’’ 437 mm
Depth: 24.2’’ 615 mm
Weight
56 lbs 25.5 kg (no drives installed)
75 lbs 34 kg (all drives installed)
Power Requirements
Power supply: 1,200W
Input voltage: 100-240V
Amperage: 12V (100A @ 240V), +5Vsb (6A @
240V, 4A @ 100V)
Input frequency: 50/60 Hz
Power consumption: varies depending on the
number and size of drives, running fans, and room
temperature
CAUTION: As there are two primary
storage pools in this situation, you must
demote one of them to avoid replication
conflicts.