Violin Memory 6000 Series User manual

Violin
MEMORY
Document Number: 535-0148-00 Rev 01
June 2014
Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array
Installation Guide
For Release V6.3.1

ii Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
LEGAL NOTICE
Copyright 2010-2014 Violin Memory, Inc. All rights reserved.
Violin Memory, Violin, vSHARE, vCACHE, Flash Forward, and the Violin logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Violin Memory, Inc. (“Violin”) in the United States and other countries.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of their respective
owners.
Licenses of Violin’s software are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Violin’s End User License Agreement.
Sales of Violin’s hardware are subject to Violin’s Terms and Conditions applicable to sales of hardware.
Violin Memory, Inc.
4555 Great America Parkway
Santa Clara, CA 95054
USA

535-0148-00 Rev 01 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide iii
Table of Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
CHAPTER 1. Memory Array Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installation and Configuration Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Unpacking the 6000 Series All Flash Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installation Tools and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Standard System Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SAN-attached Storage Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Direct-attached Storage Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing the 6000 Series All Flash Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Managing Thermal Heat Impact Within the Equipment Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Installing the Slide Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Installing the Cage Nuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Mounting the array in the Equipment Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Connecting the Cable Management Arm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Attaching the Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Grounding the Memory Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Connecting AC Power Cords to the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Powering up the Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Connecting the 6000 Series All Flash Array to a Host or Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Connecting Network Interface Cables to the Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Connecting Management Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Securing the Array to the Equipment Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
CHAPTER 2. Array Setup and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Completing the Configuration Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Configuration Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Completing the Configuration Wizard for a New System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
System Verification and Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Cluster Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Configuring the PCIe Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Verifying ACM PCIe Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Verifying the Memory Gateway Network Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Verifying the Memory Gateway Power State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Verifying Memory Gateway Addresses and Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Verifying the NTB Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Initializing the Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Determining IP Addresses of Internal Memory Gateways (One Known, One Unknown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Determining IP Addresses of Internal Memory Gateways (Both Unknown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Error Messages When Logging in to Memory Gateways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

iv Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
APPENDIX A. InfiniBand Client Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Process Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
HCA Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
InfiniBand Client Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
InfiniBand Gateway Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
iSER Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Host System Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Flash Array Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
APPENDIX B. Multipath Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Multipath Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Multipath Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Setting Up DM Multipath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
System Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Memory Array System Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fibre Channel Adapter Card Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
InfiniBand Adapter Card Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
PCIe Host Adapter Card Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Ethernet/iSCSI Adapter Card Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
FCC Class A Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Regulatory Model Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Installation Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Network Connected Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Lithium Battery Caution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Cabinet Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Disposal of Waste Equipment by Users in Private Households in the European Union . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Perchlorate Material - Special Handling May Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
European Union RFI Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
USA Radio Frequency Interference FCC Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Japan Radio Frequency Interference VCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Korea RFI Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Canada RFI Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
CISPR 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Australia C-Tick Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Taiwan BSMI Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Four-in-One Recycling Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Product Information for People’s Republic of China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

535-0148-00 Rev 01 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 1
Preface
This preface outlines the organization of this book, describes document
conventions, and provides information about additional resources.
•Intended Audience on page 1
•Document Organization on page 2
•Reference Documents on page 2
•Document Conventions on page 3
•Contacting Violin Memory on page 4
Intended Audience
This guide is intended for experienced systems administrators. Violin Memory
assumes that you are experienced in installing and servicing high-performance
storage systems.
Contact Violin Memory Customer Support for any assistance with installing and
servicing this system. See Contacting Violin Memory on page 4 for contact
information.
About This Guide
This guide describes the hardware installation and first-time setup of a 6000 Series
All Flash Array in various configurations. For other Violin Memory installation
guides, see the Violin Memory Support site at http://www.violin-memory.com/
support/
Note: Not all configurations are supported by every Violin Memory software
release. See the latest Release Notes for supported configurations, as well as
software installation and upgrade instructions.

2 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
Document Organization
This guide is organized into the following sections:
•Chapter 1, Memory Array Hardware Installation—Describes how to install a 6000 Series All
Flash Array.
•Chapter 2, Array Setup and Configuration—Describes how to configure a 6000 Series All
Flash Array for the first time.
•Appendix A, InfiniBand Client Configuration—Describes establishing InfiniBand initiators for
use with the Memory Gateways internal to a 6000 Series All Flash Array.
•Appendix B, Multipath Configuration—Provides examples of client-side multipath setup for a
Violin Memory Gateway.
Reference Documents
In addition to this guide, the following Violin Memory documents comprise the documentation suite
that will assist you with setting up, using and servicing a 6000 Series All Flash Array. These guides
are available for download from the Violin Memory Support site at http://www.violin-memory.com/
support/
This document... Provides this information...
Release Notes This document describes the new features, resolved
issues, known limitations and software upgrade
instructions for the current release.
Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array User’s Guide This guide provides instructions for managing,
monitoring, and maintaining a 6000 Series All Flash
Array using the Violin Web interface and Command
Line Interface (CLI).
Violin 6000 Series Web Interface Guide This task-based guide provides instructions for
managing, monitoring and configuring Violin Memory
devices using the Web interface.
Violin Array Controller Driver for Windows Installation
Guide
This guide provides instructions on installing the
driver for Windows.
Violin 6000 Series Memory Array Slide Rail
Installation Guide
This guide provides instructions for installing the
array slide rails in an equipment rack.
Violin 6000 Series Memory Array Cable Management
Installation Guide
This guide provides instructions for installing the
cable management arm on a array. It is included in
the 6000 Series All Flash Array shipping box.
Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Service Guide This guide describes how to safely replace the
system components in a array.
Violin Memory Interoperability Best Practices Guide This guide is a collection of best practices to follow
when connecting a host to a Violin Memory Array
using the supported interconnect protocols.
Reference Documents

535-0148-00 Rev 01 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 3
Document Conventions
Safety Icons
The table below summarizes warning, caution, and note icons used in this document and includes
sample text.
Typographical Conventions
The following typographic conventions are used in this guide:
Safety Icons
Icon Sample Text
WARNING! WARNING! Only authorized, qualified, and trained
personnel should attempt to work on this equipment.
Caution: Caution: Follow the listed safety precautions when
working on the Violin 6264 All Flash Array.
Note: Note: Read through this entire chapter and plan your
installation according to your location before installing
the equipment. The following procedures and the order
in which they appear are general installation guidelines
only.
Format Meaning
Bold User Interface text.
Italic Provides emphasis and identifies variables and
document titles.
Courier Command names, examples, and output.
Courier bold Input you must type exactly as shown.
<Courier italic> Information for which you must supply a value.
[] Optional command parameters are enclosed within
square brackets.
|Separates a set of command choices from which only
one may be chosen.
{} Required command parameters that must be specified
are enclosed within curly brackets.
Typographical Conventions

4 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
Security
Violin Memory, Inc., cannot be responsible for unauthorized use of equipment and will not make
allowance or credit for unauthorized use or access.
Contacting Violin Memory
To obtain additional information or technical support for Violin Memory products, contact us at:
Phone: 1-855-VIOLIN-5 (1-855-846-5465)
International: [phone] Extension 3
Web site: http://www.violin-memory.com
When contacting Violin Memory Customer Support, please have the following information available:
•Model and serial number of the system for which you are requesting support.
•Software version.
•A brief description of the problem.
•Command Line Interface or Web interface access to the affected system.

535-0148-00 Rev 01 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 5
CHAPTER 1 Memory Array Hardware Installation
This chapter describes the hardware installation of a 6000 Series All Flash Array in
the following sections:
•Installation and Configuration Overview on page 6
•Unpacking the 6000 Series All Flash Array on page 7
•Standard System Configurations on page 8
•Installing the 6000 Series All Flash Array on page 13
•Attaching the Cables on page 19
•Securing the Array to the Equipment Rack on page 28
Note: This chapter provides instructions for installing the 6000 Series All Flash
Array in various configurations. Not all configurations are supported by every Violin
Memory software release. See the latest Release Notes for supported
configurations, as well as software installation and upgrade instructions.

6 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
Installation and Configuration Overview
The 6000 Series All Flash Array installation and configuration occurs in four distinct phases:
•Phase 1: Hardware Installation and Cabling
•Phase 2: First-time Memory Array Configuration
•Phase 3: Driver Installation and Configuration (if direct-attached connection is used)
•Phase 3: Create LUNs on the array
Note: Instructions for installing drivers and configuring the Memory Gateways to manage block
storage are provided in the Violin 6000 Series Memory Array User’s Guide.
This chapter describes the first phase of a 6000 Series All Flash Array implementation: the
installation of the array hardware and network cabling.
Hardware Installation is a five-step process consisting of the following procedures:
•Unpacking the 6000 Series All Flash Array: In this step, unpack the array shipping box,
inspect the system components, and verify that you have the tools required to install the
hardware.
•Rack-mounting the 6000 Series All Flash Array Chassis: In this step, mount the array
chassis in the equipment rack using the slide-out rails and ground the equipment racks.
•Attaching the Cable Management Arm (if used): In this step, attach the cable management
arm to the array and the equipment rack.
•Connecting Power: In this step, connect the AC power cords to the array power supplies and
connect to a power source.
•Connecting the Interface Cables: In this step, connect the interface cables (Fibre Channel,
InfiniBand, 10GBe iSCSI or PCIe) to the array chassis and to the client network.
The order of the procedures described in this chapter are offered as general guidelines only.
Depending on your installation environment, you may find it easier to perform the procedures in a
different order than they are presented here. For example, it may be easier to connect the network
management cables to the array chassis before you install the chassis in the equipment rack.
Read through this entire chapter and plan your installation according to your location before
installing the 6000 Series All Flash Array hardware.

535-0148-00 Rev 01 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 7
This chapter describes only the first phase of a array implementation. The remaining phases can
be found in the following sections:
Unpacking the 6000 Series All Flash Array
The first step in the array hardware installation is to remove the array from the shipping box.
Remove the array from the shipping packaging and remove all packing materials. Visually inspect
the system for any damage. If any damage is detected, contact Violin Memory Customer Support.
For more information, see To obtain additional information or technical support for Violin Memory
products, contact us at: on page 4.
Unpack the supplied kits and confirm that all parts and components have arrived in good order.
WARNING! Only authorized, qualified, and trained personnel should attempt to work on this
equipment.
Phase Chapter
2: First-time Memory Array
Configuration
Chapter 2, Array Setup and Configuration
3: Driver Installation and Configuration Installation of a driver is only necessary if you
connect the array directly to a host machine using
PCIe cables.
•See the Violin 6000 Series Memory Array User’s
Guide for instructions on installing the driver for
Linux.
•See the Violin Array Controller Driver for
Windows Installation Guide for instructions on
installing the driver for Windows.
3: InfiniBand Client Configuration and
Multipath Configuration
•Appendix A, InfiniBand Client Configuration
•Appendix B, Multipath Configuration
Table 1.1 Phase Task Map
Figure 1.1 Memory Array Unpacking Steps
12345

8 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
Caution: Because of the weight of the array, two people are required to lift and place the system in an
equipment rack.
Installation Tools and Equipment
The table below lists the tools and equipment used during the installation process:
Standard System Configurations
This section shows diagrams of standard configurations supported by 6000 Series All Flash Arrays.
It includes the following configurations:
•SAN-attached Storage Configurations on page 8
•Direct-attached Storage Configurations on page 11
See Connecting the 6000 Series All Flash Array to a Host or Network on page 23 for specific port-
to-port cabling instructions.
SAN-attached Storage Configurations
In many applications, it is preferable for the array to be shared by many hosts, many of which may
not be in the same rack as the array. In these scenarios, a storage area network (SAN) or local area
network (LAN) connection is preferable. The 6000 Series All Flash Array can connect to the SAN
via Fibre Channel or InfiniBand, or the LAN via 10GbE iSCSI.
A Memory Gateway is used to provide the SAN/LAN block storage function. The Violin Memory
software application installed on the Memory Gateways manages the network connectivity and
provides storage virtualization services such as LUN provisioning, masking and exporting.
See the Violin 6000 Series Memory Array User’s Guide for information on managing clusters and
configuring the system.
Note: A mix of network interface cards (NICs) in one array system is not supported.
Item
Number Tool Quantity
1 Phillips head screwdrivers, sizes 1 and 2 1 each
2 Computer system for direct connect configuration 1 or 2
3 CAT 5 Ethernet Cable with RJ-45 connectors, straight-
through or cross-over, depending on your installation
2
Table 1.2 Required Installation Tools

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Fibre Channel and iSCSI ports on the Memory Gateway may be connected either directly to specific
hosts or to switches. The switches may be standalone switches for use within a rack or networked
switches that connect large numbers of hosts across the data center. The latter case is the most
common.
Internal Memory Gateways
The 6000 Series All Flash Array includes two internal Memory Gateways. Each internal Memory
Gateway supports two network interface modules (shown in Figure 1.2), each of which can support
the following:
•Four 8 Gbps Fibre Channel ports that auto-negotiate down to 4 Gbps
•Four InfiniBand ports operating at 4X Quad Data Rate (QDR)
•Four 10GbE iSCSI ports
Figure 1.2 shows the supported cable configuration when setting up a high-availability (HA) system.
This is the only supported HA configuration for the 6000 Series All Flash Array. Memory Gateway
A manages connectivity through NIC slots A and B; Memory Gateway B manages connectivity
through NIC slots C and D.
Memory Gateways can use up to eight ports of 8 Gbps FC or 10GbE to connect to network
switches. InfiniBand ports on the Memory Array should be connected to InfiniBand switches in a
high-availability configuration.
Figure 1.2 High-availability SAN-attached via Dual Internal Memory Gateways
Memory Gateway
Fibre Channel
or InfiniBand Switch
Memory Array
Memory Gateway B
(NIC slots C and D) Memory Gateway A
(NIC slots A and B)
D C B A
Fibre Channel
or InfiniBand Switch

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Understanding Port Numbering
When connecting the interface cables in a SAN-attached configuration, it is important to know the
ports from which LUNs are exported from the Violin Web interface. Figure 1.3 shows the slot and
port numbers for Fibre Channel cards installed in the system, along with the representative CLI
values for each port. If there are more than two ports per card, the numbers increase from top to
bottom on the card.
Note that the physical port numbers on the network interface cards (NICs) are not aligned with their
corresponding port names in the CLI, as shown in Figure 1.3. For example, in a Fibre Channel
environment, NIC port A1 is shown as “hba-a1” in the CLI, and NIC port C1 is also shown as “hba-
a1” in the CLI. This is because the two Memory Gateways, shown with their CLI representations
above (mg-a and mg-b), separately manage two NICs each.
InfiniBand and iSCSI cards are also supported. Their port numbers are represented in the CLI as
follows:
•InfiniBand: hca-a1, hca-a2, etc.
•iSCSI: eth-a1, eth-b1, etc.
Note: To verify the actual port numbering shown in the CLI, log in to the Memory Gateway master
and then run the “show targets” command.
Figure 1.3 Memory Gateway NIC Slots and Fibre Channel Port Numbers

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Direct-attached Storage Configurations
PCI Express (PCIe) is the primary interconnect for direct-attached storage configurations. It is also
possible to use Fibre Channel without a SAN or switch, but this is treated as a SAN-attached
storage configuration. See SAN-attached Storage Configurations on page 8.
In a direct-attached configuration, each Array Controller Module (ACM) provides two PCIe x8 Gen2
ports, each of which has a 40 Gbps nominal bit rate. The array has two ACMs, with all four of the
ports available to host computers.
Multiple direct-attached storage configurations are available depending on the number of hosts and
whether the hosts require shared access to the volumes or LUNs within the Array. Typical
configurations are:
•Single Host: dual PCIe x8 connections from the host to the array.
•Two Hosts: dual PCIe x8 connections from each host to the array. Each host has access to all
volumes and flash on the array. Data may be shared.
Drivers for Direct-attached Configurations
A driver must be installed on the host machine if the array is directly attached to a Linux or Windows
host. In a direct-attached configuration, the Violin Memory driver enables the host machine to
access block storage on a Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array.
•See “Violin Drivers” in the Violin 6000 Series Memory Array User’s Guide for instructions on
installing the driver for Linux.
•See the Violin Array Controller Driver for Windows Installation Guide for instructions on
installing the driver for Windows.
Both of these guides are available from the Violin Memory Customer Support site.
Direct Attached, Single Host
A direct-attached connection to a single host machine via dual PCIe x8 connections is supported.
For a dual configuration, the second PCIe x8 connection is required. This configuration also
increases system availability and bandwidth.
For improved High Availability (HA) protection, all four ports (two on each ACM) can be connected
to a single host for redundancy, as shown in Figure 1.4. The second set of connections present
another disk device with the same addressability as the first disk device. For a Linux system, the
device is shown as /dev/vtmsa.

12 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
Connect one PCIe cable to the top PCIe connector on one of the ACMs, and connect the other PCIe
cable to the bottom of the same ACM. Repeat these connections for the other ACM.
Connect the other ends of the PCIe cables to the host machine.
Connecting two PCIe cables from one ACM to the host machine is also supported (as shown in
Figure 1.5), however, utilizing both ACMs is recommended to take advantage of redundancy, as
described above.
For a dual PCIe x8 connection to the host machine, connect one PCIe cable to the top PCIe
connector on one of the ACMs, and connect the other PCIe cable to the bottom of the same ACM.
Connect the other end of the PCIe cable to the host machine.
Figure 1.4 Direct-Attached to Single Host for Redundancy
Figure 1.5 Direct-Attached to Single Host

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Direct Attached, Two Hosts
A direct-attached connection to two host machines is supported. Each host can be connected via
dual PCIe x8 connections. In a dual configuration, the second PCIe x8 connection can be used to
increase bandwidth, redundancy and system availability.
For a dual PCIe x8 connection to two host computers, connect one PCIe cable to the top PCIe
connector on one of the ACMs, and connect the other PCIe cable to the bottom of the same ACM.
Connect the other end of the PCIe cable to the host machine. Connect the second host machine to
the other ACM in the same manner.
Where hosts share the same volume, a mechanism is needed to ensure the two hosts share the
volume productively and do not overwrite each other’s data. This can be done via a clustered file
system (e.g., GPFS, GFS, Veritas) or by partitioning the volume and explicitly assigning partitions
to each host over PCIe.
Installing the 6000 Series All Flash Array
Follow the steps in this section to install the array in an equipment rack and to connect the system
directly to a host machine or to a network.
Managing Thermal Heat Impact Within the
Equipment Rack
Follow these recommendations to minimize the heat impact within an equipment rack when
deploying 6000 Series All Flash Arrays in a high-density configuration:
•Equipment racks should be populated with the heaviest and most power-dense equipment at
the bottom. Install the 6000 Series All Flash Arrays from the bottom up, for the following
reasons:
— Weight: To maintain the lowest center of gravity.
— Cooling: To give best access to cold air inlet coming from the floor.
Figure 1.6 Direct-Attached to Two Hosts
Memory Array
Host 1
Host 2
PCIe x8
ACM-A
ACM-B

14 Violin 6000 Series All Flash Array Installation Guide 535-0148-00 Rev 01
— Serviceability: To allow ease of access during service, as the system modules are
accessible from the top.
•Check and install thermal barriers, special baffling or direct ducting if possible to prevent hot
aisle air recirculating into the cold aisles, raising inlet temperatures and therefore, raising the
temperature of 6000 Series All Flash Arrays.
•To the greatest extent possible, remove airflow obstructions from the intake and exhaust
openings of the 6000 Series All Flash Arrays mounted in the rack. Thus, proper cable
management technique is recommended. It is recommended that data and power cables be
grouped when routing and tying.
Tying power cables at the bottom of the cable management arm and tying data cables at the
top of the cable management arm help minimize airflow restriction.
•Chilled air is pulled through the front and exhausted through the rear by the fans in the 6000
Series All Flash Arrays. Recirculation of hot air exiting the back of the rack into the front of the
rack should be eliminated as much as possible.
Install blanking/filler plates to all empty “U” slots in the racks to prevent both cold air from
bypassing server inlets and to avoid exhaust air from recirculating back to the inlets.
•The recommended operating temperature ranges for data centers—according to ASHRAE
(American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning)—is 64.4°F (18°C) for low-
end and 80.6°F (27°C) for high-end. When deploying multiple 6000 Series All Flash Arrays in
the same rack, you should monitor ambient and inlet temperature rise and may wish to adjust
AC settings in the data center to provide appropriate temperature levels. Violin Memory
recommends that the ambient temperature be maintained at around 25°C.
•As an optional but not necessary practice, you could consider racking 6000 Series All Flash
Arrays with 1U separation to reduce exhaust airflow restrictions and to enable ease of cable
management.
•To reduce heat build-up inside high-density racks, top exhaust fans or door exhaust fans can
be installed.
Installing the Slide Rails
This section describes attaching the inner slide rails to the 6000 Series All Flash Array chassis and
mounting the slide rails and array chassis to an equipment rack. If you are installing the array in a
square-hole equipment rack, the slide rails contain front and rear toolless mounting brackets that
click and lock into place.
The slide rail kit should include the following:
•Two slide rails
•Two flat head screws for mounting the rails to the array chassis
Caution: Improperly mounted rack-mounting brackets and slide rails can cause the product to fall.
Caution: Because of the weight of the array, two people are required to lift and place the system in an
equipment rack.
Note: You must be able to access the rear of the array and the equipment rack during installation.

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To install the slide rails:
1. Locate the left and right slide rails. The left slide rail is labeled “LEFT FRONT” on the outside
front of the rail; the right slide rail is labeled “RIGHT FRONT.”
Note: The 6000 Series All Flash Array is a 3U storage system. When identifying the location of
the slide rails, make sure to allow for enough space above and below the array to accommodate
other devices in the equipment rack. The bottom of the array chassis rests .125 inches below the
bottom of the slide rails; the lid is 2 inches above the top of the slide rails.
2. Install the slide rails at the appropriate height in the equipment rack. Orient the slide rails so
they slide out to the front of the equipment rack.
Figure 1.7 Slide Rails in Equipment Rack

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Removing the Inner Slide Rail Sections
Fully extend the slide rails from the equipment rack until the rails click into place.
3. Press the spring-loaded locking mechanisms on the outside of both inner rail sections and
then pull out and remove the inner slide rail sections from the left and right slide rails.
Note: Keep track of the left and right inner slide rail sections. The left must attach to the left of
the chassis; the right must attach to the right of the chassis.
Figure 1.8 Inner Slide Rail Sections
Inner Rail
Sections
Locking
Mechanism