IBM DS3200 Storage Subsystem manual Operating the storage subsystem

Chapter 4. Operating the storage subsystem

This chapter describes operating procedures for the DS3200.

To ensure optimal operation of the storage subsystem, see “Best practices guidelines” on page 6.

Performing the DS3000 Health Check process

The DS3000 Health Check process is a sequence of suggested actions that were developed by IBM to help you verify and maintain the optimal performance of the DS3200 storage configuration. The information that you collect in these steps also helps provide IBM Service with important information that is needed during a service call.

Perform the following Health Check tasks after the initial configuration of the DS3200 storage subsystems and after all configuration sessions. Set a regular schedule of periodic Health Check evaluations to keep the DS3200 code current and to preserve optimal data access and performance.

1.Monitor the Recovery Guru in the Storage Manager software for any obvious storage subsystem errors or problem conditions.

2.Gather and save the following DS3200 storage subsystem event logs for review by IBM Service. These event logs should be gathered periodically for regular Health Check monitoring regardless of the state of the Recovery Guru. (You can collect all these logs at once and compress them into a single file by clicking the Support tab and then Gather Support Information in the DS3000 Storage Manager Subsystem Management window.)

vDS3200 storage subsystem management event log (MEL)

vStorage Subsystem Profile or DS3200 Profile

vSAS PHY error log

In addition, you should also collect event logs for the host servers that have mapped logical drives from the storage subsystem.

Attention: Save these event-log files to a server disk that will remain accessible in the event of a DS3200 storage configuration failure. Do not save these event log files only to a LUN in the DS3200 storage subsystem.

3.Use the Storage Subsystem Profile or DS3200 Profile to make sure that the following firmware levels are at the latest versions that the DS3200 storage subsystem supports:

v Controller firmware

vESM firmware

vDrive firmware

If the firmware is not up-to-date, upgrade the firmware and software to the latest level that is applicable to the DS3200 storage configuration. See “Overview” on page 1 for information about where to find the latest firmware and software.

Attention: You must resolve Recovery Guru errors or problems before you upgrade firmware.

Save the storage subsystem profile before you perform any controller or ESM firmware upgrades. Save the storage subsystem profile and all .cfg files to a server disk that will remain accessible in the event of a DS3200 storage configuration failure.

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