Main
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
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Contents
1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2 Planning: About Your Storage Array. . . . 25
3 Planning: RAID Controller Modules . . . . 33
4 Planning: MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . 41
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5 Configuration: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6 Configuration: About Your Storage Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
7 Configuration: Event Monitor . . . . . . . . . 87
8 Configuration: About Your Host. . . . . . . . 89
9 Configuration: Disk Groups and Virtual Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
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10 Configuration: Premium FeatureSnapshot Virtual Disks . . . . . 145
11 Configuration: Premium FeatureVirtual Disk Copy . . . . . . . . . 169
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14 Configuration: Device Mapper Multipath for Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
15 Management: Firmware Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
16 Management: Installing Array Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
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17 Management: Firmware Inventory . . . . 267
18 Management: System Interfaces . . . . . 269
19 Troubleshooting: Your Storage Array Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
20 Troubleshooting: Your Array . . . . . . . . . 295
21 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
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Introduction
About This Document
Inside the Box of the Dell PowerVault MD3600f Series Storage Array
MD3600f
Series Storage Array
Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager
Other Information You May Need
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Planning: About Your Storage Array
Overview
Hardware Features
Front-Panel Features and Indicators
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28
NOTE:
Back Panel Features and Indicators
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Power Supply and Cooling Fan Features
Power Indicator Codes and Features
Planning: RAID Controller Modules
RAID Controller Modules
34
RAID Controller Module Connectors and Features
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Host Channel LED Link/Rate Indications
RAID Controller ModuleAdditional Features
Battery Backup Unit
Storage Array Thermal Shutdown
System Password Reset
Cache Functions and Features
Cache Mirroring
WriteBack Cache
WriteThrough Cache
SFP Transceivers, Fiber Optic, and SAS Cables
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Interoperability of 2 Gbps, 4 Gbps, and 8 Gbps Devices
Planning: MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts
Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, and Disk Groups
42
Physical Disks
Physical Disk States
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology
Virtual Disks and Disk Groups
Virtual Disk States
RAID Levels
RAID Level Usage
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Segment Size
Virtual Disk Operations
Virtual Disk Initialization
Background Initialization
Foreground Initialization
Consistency Check
Media Verification
Cycle Time
Virtual Disk Operations Limit
Disk Group Operations
RAID Level Migration
Segment Size Migration
Virtual Disk Capacity Expansion
Disk Group Expansion
Disk Group Defragmentation
Disk Group Operations Limit
RAID Background Operations Priority
Virtual Disk Migration and Disk Roaming
Disk Migration
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Disk Roaming
Advanced Features
Host ServertoVirtual Disk Mapping
Host Types
Snapshot Virtual Disks
Snapshot Repository Virtual Disk
Virtual Disk Copy
Virtual Disk Recovery
Using Snapshot and Disk Copy Together
Multi-Path Software
Preferred and Alternate Controllers and Paths
Virtual Disk Ownership
Load Balancing
Monitoring MD3600f Series System Performance
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Configuration: Overview
User Interface
Enterprise Management Window
Array Management Window
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Configuration: About Your Storage Array
Storage Arrays
Adding Storage Arrays
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Setting Up Your Storage Array
Locating Storage Arrays
Naming or Renaming Storage Arrays
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Setting a Password
Viewing Storage Array Connections
Adding/Editing a Comment to an Existing Storage Array
Removing Storage Arrays
Enabling Premium Features
Failover Alert Display
Changing the Cache Settings on the Storage Array
Changing Expansion Enclosure ID Number
Changing the Enclosure Order in the Physical Pane
Configuring Alert Notifications
Configuring Email Alerts
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Configuring SNMP Alerts
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Battery Settings
Setting the Storage Array RAID Controller Module Clocks
Configuration: Event Monitor
Enabling or Disabling the Event Monitor
Windows
Linux
Configuration: About Your Host
Configuring Host Access
Using the Mappings Tab
Defining a Host
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Removing Host Access
Managing Host Groups
Creating a Host Group
Moving a Host to a Different Host Group
Removing a Host Group
Host Topology
Starting or Stopping the Host Context Agent
I/O Data Path Protection
Managing Host Port Identifiers
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Configuration: Disk Groups and Virtual Disks
Creating Disk Groups and Virtual Disks
Creating Disk Groups
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Locating a Disk Group
Creating Virtual Disks
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Changing the Virtual Disk Modification Priority
Changing the Virtual Disk Cache Settings
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Changing the Segment Size of a Virtual Disk
Changing the I/O Type
Choosing an Appropriate Physical Disk Type
Physical Disk Security With Self Encrypting Disk
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Creating a Security Key
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Changing a Security Key
Saving a Security Key
Validate Security Key
Unlocking Secure Physical Disks
Erasing Secure Physical Disks
Configuring Hot Spare Physical Disks
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Hot Spares and Rebuild
Global Hot Spares
Hot Spare Operation
Hot Spare Drive Protection
Enclosure Loss Protection
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Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping
Creating Host-to-Virtual Disk Mappings
Modifying and Removing Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping
Changing Controller Ownership of the Virtual Disk
Removing Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping
Changing the RAID Controller Module Ownership of a Disk Group
Changing the RAID Level of a Disk Group
Removing a Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping Using Linux DMMP
Restricted Mappings
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Changing the RAID Controller Module Ownership of a Virtual Disk or a Disk Group
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Changing the RAID Level of a Disk Group
Storage Partitioning
Disk Group and Virtual Disk Expansion
Disk Group Expansion
Virtual Disk Expansion
Using Free Capacity
Using Unconfigured Capacity
Disk Group Migration
Export Disk Group
Exporting a Disk Group
Import Disk Group
Importing a Disk Group
Storage Array Media Scan
Changing Media Scan Settings
Suspending the Media Scan
Snapshot Virtual Disks
Scheduling a Snapshot Virtual Disk
Common Reasons for Scheduling a Snapshot Virtual Disk
Guidelines for Creating Snapshot Schedules
Enabling and Disabling Snapshot Schedules
Creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk Using the Simple Path
About the Simple Path
Preparing Host Servers to Create the Snapshot Using the Simple Path
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Creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk Using the Advanced Path
About the Advanced Path
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Preparing Host Servers to Create the Snapshot Using the Advanced Path
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Creating the Snapshot Using the Advanced Path
Specifying Snapshot Virtual Disk Names
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Snapshot Repository Capacity
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Disabling a Snapshot Virtual Disk
Preparing Host Servers to Re-create a Snapshot Virtual Disk
Re-creating Snapshot Virtual Disks
Snapshot Rollback
Rules and Guidelines for Performing a Snapshot Rollback
Protecting Against a Failed Snapshot Rollback
Previous Versions of the MD Storage Manager
Starting a Snapshot Rollback
Resuming a Snapshot Rollback
Canceling a Snapshot Rollback
Upgrading to HighPerformance Tier
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Virtual Disk Copy
Types of Virtual Disk Copies
Offline Copy
Online Copy
Creating a Virtual Disk Copy for an MSCS Shared Disk
Virtual Disk Read/Write Permissions
Virtual Disk Copy Restrictions
Creating a Virtual Disk Copy
Before You Begin
Virtual Disk Copy and Modification Operations
Create Copy Wizard
Failed Virtual Disk Copy
Preferred RAID Controller Module Ownership
Failed RAID Controller Module
Copy Manager
Copying the Virtual Disk
Storage Array Performance During Virtual Disk Copy
Setting Copy Priority
Stopping a Virtual Disk Copy
Recopying a Virtual Disk
Preparing Host Servers to Recopy a Virtual Disk
Re-Copying a Virtual Disk
Removing Copy Pairs
Configuration: Premium Feature Remote Replication
Switchable Host Access Configuration Required With Remote Replication
Activating Remote Replication
Replication Repository Virtual Disks
RAID Levels for Replication Repository Virtual Disks
Primary and Secondary Virtual Disk Pairs
Using Remote Replication With Other Features
Storage Partitioning With Remote Replication
Snapshot Virtual Disk With Remote Replication
Virtual Disk Copy With Remote Replication
Virtual Disk Expansion With Remote Replication
Required Switch Zoning Configurations
Zoning Guidelines for Remote Replication
Switch Cascading
Journaling File Systems and Remote Replication
Setting Up and Managing Remote Replication
Activating the Remote Replication Premium Feature and Creating Replication Virtual Disks
Activating and Creating Replication Repository Virtual Disks From the Storage Array
Activating and Creating Replication Repository Virtual Disks From an Existing Disk Group
Creating a Remote Replication
Selecting the Secondary Virtual Disk
Setting the Write Mode
Setting Synchronization Priority and Synchronization Method
Completing the Remote Replication
RAID Controller Module Ownership/Preferred Path
Viewing Information About a Remote Replication or Replication Repository Virtual Disk
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Viewing the Properties Pane
Viewing Logical Elements of the Secondary Virtual Disk
Viewing the Physical Components or Logical Elements of the Primary Virtual Disk
Virtual Disk Status Icons
Changing Write Mode and Consistency Group Membership
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Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
Normally Synchronized Virtual Disks
Changing Synchronization Priority and Method
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Unsynchronized Virtual Disks
Automatically Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
Manually Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
Reversing Roles Between the Primary and Secondary Virtual Disks
Promoting the Secondary Virtual Disk or Demoting the Primary Virtual Disk
Suspending a Remote Replication
Resuming a Remote Replication
About Resumed Remote Replications
Testing Communication Between the Primary and Secondary Virtual Disks
Deleting a Virtual Disk From a Replicated Pair in a Storage Array
Deleting a Primary Virtual Disk
Deleting a Secondary Virtual Disk
Deleting a Primary Virtual Disk in a Replicated Pair From a Storage Array
Deleting a Secondary Virtual Disk in a Replicated Pair From a Storage Array
Removing a Remote Replication From a Storage Array
Deactivating the Remote Replication on the Storage Array
Disabling the Remote Replication Premium Feature
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Configuration: Device Mapper Multipath for Linux
Overview
Using DM Multipathing Devices
Prerequisites
Device Mapper Configuration Steps
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Limitations and Known Issues
228
Troubleshooting
Management: Firmware Downloads
Downloading RAID Controller and NVSRAM Packages
Downloading Both RAID Controller and NVSRAM Firmware
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Downloading Only NVSRAM Firmware
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Downloading Physical Disk Firmware
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Downloading MD1200 Series Expansion Module EMM Firmware
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART)
Media Errors and Unreadable Sectors
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Front Bezel (Optional)
Removing the Front Bezel
Installing the Front Bezel
Hard Drives
SAFETY: Models AMT, E03J, and E04J
Removing a Hard-Drive Blank
Installing a Hard-Drive Blank
Removing a Hard Drive
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Installing a Hard Drive
Removing a Hard Drive From a Hard-Drive Carrier
248
Installing a Hard Drive Into a Hard-Drive Carrier
RAID Controller Module
Removing a RAID Controller Module Blank
Installing a RAID Controller Module Blank
Removing a RAID Controller Module
Installing a RAID Controller Module
Opening the RAID Controller Module
Closing the RAID Controller Module
RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit
Removing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit
Installing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit
Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module
Removing a Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module
Installing a Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module
Control Panel
Removing the Control Panel
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Installing the Control Panel
Backplane
Removing the Backplane
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Installing the Backplane
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Management: Firmware Inventory
Viewing the Firmware Inventory
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Management: System Interfaces
Microsoft Services
Virtual Disk Service
Volume Shadow-Copy Service
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Troubleshooting: Your Storage Array Software
StartUp Routine
Device Health Conditions
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Storage Array Support Data
Automatically Collect the Support Bundle Data
Collecting the Physical Disk Data
Event Log
Recovery Guru
Storage Array Profile
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Viewing the Logical Associations
Viewing the Physical Associations
Finding Nodes
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Using Go To
Recovering From an Unresponsive Storage Array Condition
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Locating a Physical Disk
Locating an Expansion Enclosure
Capturing the State Information
SMrepassist Utility
Unidentified Devices
Recovering From an Unidentified Storage Array
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Starting or Restarting the Host Context Agent Software
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Troubleshooting: Your Array
Safety FirstFor You and Your Array
Troubleshooting Storage Array Startup Failure
Troubleshooting Loss of Communication
Troubleshooting an SFP Transceiver
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Troubleshooting External Connections
Troubleshooting Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module
Troubleshooting Array Cooling Problems
Troubleshooting Expansion Enclosure Management Modules
Troubleshooting RAID Controller Modules
Troubleshooting Hard Drives
Troubleshooting Array and Expansion Enclosure Connections
Troubleshooting a Wet Storage Array
Troubleshooting a Damaged Array
Troubleshooting RAID Controller Modules
Conditions
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Getting Help
Locating Your System Service Tag
Contacting Dell
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Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
H
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M
N
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P
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T
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