Dell ISCSI Cluster Storage Requirements, Dell EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array Requirements

Cluster Storage Requirements

Hardware Components	Requirement
Storage system	One or more Dell EqualLogic PS Series groups. Each Dell EqualLogic PS5000/PS5500/
	PS6000/PS6010/PS6100/PS6110/PS6500/PS6510 group supports up to sixteen storage
	arrays (members) and each PS4000/PS4100/PS4110 group supports up to two storage
	arrays. For specific storage array requirements, see Dell EqualLogic PS Series Storage
	Array Requirements
Storage interconnect	All nodes must be attached to one or more storage arrays through an iSCSI SAN.
Multiple clusters and	Can share one or more supported storage arrays.
stand-alone systems

A Dell EqualLogic PS series storage array includes redundant, hot-swappable disks, fans, power supplies, and control modules. A failure in one of these components does not cause the array to be offline. The failed component can be replaced without bringing the storage array down.

The following section lists hardware requirements for the Dell EqualLogic PS series storage arrays.

Dell EqualLogic PS Series Storage Array Requirements

Dell EqualLogic Array Model	Minimum Required Features
PS4000 — PS4000E/PS4000X/PS4000XV	Redundant control modules
PS4100 — PS4100E/PS4100X/PS4100XV
PS4110 — PS4110E/PS4110X/PS4110XV
PS5000 — PS5000E/PS5000X/PS5000XV
PS5500 — PS5500E
PS6000 — PS6000E/PS6000X/PS6000XV/PS6000S
PS6010 — PS6010E/PS6010X/PS6010XV/PS6010S/PS6010XVS
PS6100 — PS6100E/PS6100X/PS6100XV/PS6100S/PS6100XS
PS6110 — PS6110E/PS6110X/PS6110XV/PS6110S/PS6110XS
PS6500 — PS6500E/PS6500X
PS6510 — PS6510E/PS6510X

NOTE: Ensure that the storage array(s) are running a supported firmware version. For specific firmware version requirements, see the Dell Cluster Configuration Support Matrices at dell.com/ha.

NICs Dedicated To iSCSI

The NIC controlled by the iSCSI software initiator acts as an I/O adapter to connect the expansion bus of the system and the storage array(s). Failover Cluster solutions that are configured with the EqualLogic PS Series storage arrays require two iSCSI NICs or NIC ports in each PowerEdge system. This provides redundant paths and load balance of the I/O data transfer to or from the storage array(s).

Network Switches Dedicated To iSCSI

The Gigabit or 10 Gigabit switches for iSCSI access function as regular network switches and provide dedicated interconnection between the nodes and the storage array(s).

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