Dell DX6000, DX6004S, DX6012S, DX Object Storage Platform User Manual

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Page 1

Dell DX Object Storage

Platform

User’s Guide

Page 2

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of

your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if

instructions are not followed.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal

injury, or death.

____________________

Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell™, the DELL logo, PowerEdge™, and OpenManage™ are trademarks of Dell Inc. Red Hat Enterprise Linux of Red Hat, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this publication to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

October 2010 Rev. A01

and Enterprise Linux® are registered trademarks

Page 3

Contents

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 DX Object Storage Platform Overview . . . 9

Network Topologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Local Cluster Configuration

Subcluster Configuration

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Remote Cluster Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Application Access to DX Object Storage Platform

Communicating With a Local Cluster

Communicating With a Remote Cluster

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . 19

3 Setting Up the DX Object

Storage Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Installing the Initial Cluster or Redundant Cluster Services Node

Configuring the DX Object Storage Platform . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Adding Additional DX Storage Nodes

Installing the System in a Rack

Cabling the Appliance

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Turning On the DX Storage Node

Enabling Capacity in DX Cluster Services Console

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

. . . . . . . . . . 22

. . . . . . . . . . . 22

. . . . . . . . . . 23

Contents 3

Page 4

Adding Network Adapter to DX Storage Nodes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Adding Network Adapters to DX Cluster Services Nodes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

4 Updating the Dell DX Object

Storage Platform Software . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Checking Software Version Compatibility . . . . . . . 26

Using the DX Object Storage Platform Compatibility Manager

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Troubleshooting the Compatibility Manager

Updating the DX Cluster Services Node Software

. . . . 27

. . . 28

Updating the DX Storage Node Software . . . . . . . . 28

Receiving System Software Update Notifications

Updating OpenManage Server Administrator

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . 29

5 Disaster Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Recovery Solution Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Recovering From Disk Failures

Single Disk Failure

Two Disk Failure

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Detecting and Monitoring Disk Failures

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

. . . . . . . . 33

Reinstalling the Operating System

Configuring and Managing RAID

Recovering the Operating System

4 Contents

. . . . . . . . . . . . 34

. . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Page 5

Configuring the Partitions During Operating System Recovery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Reinstalling the DX Cluster Services Node Software

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Setting Up and Configuring the Network

. . . . . . 37

Connecting the DX Cluster Services Node to the Private and Public Networks

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Connecting the DX Storage Nodes to the Private Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Creating a Local YUM Repository on the DX6000 System

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Installing Dell DX Compatibility Manager . . . . . . . 40

Installing Dell OpenManage Server Administrator

Installing DX Cluster Services Node Software

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . 41

Configuring the DX Cluster Services Node Software

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Restoring the Cluster Configurations

Bringing Up the DX Storage Cluster

. . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . 42

6 Additional References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Software Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Hardware Documents

Systems Management Documents

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

. . . . . . . . . . . 45

Contents 5

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6 Contents

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Introduction

The Dell DX Object Storage Platform provides a simple and cost effective pool of storage for less active or fixed content. The object storage platform allows you to:

• Expand the capacity to meet rapidly changing needs without disrupting services.

• Set policies for file retention and replication.

• Distribute information to multiple geographic locations.

• Integrate through an HTTP based interface.

The DX Object Storage Platform includes the following hardware and software:

•Dell DX6

• Two or more Dell DX6

• A preinstalled operating system and Dell OpenManage software on the DX Cluster Services Node.

• Dell DX Object Storage Platform software.

The Dell DX solution components are uniquely identified with the following naming conventions:

•Storage Node (SN)—DX6 generation, and DX6012S platform), and a storage node).

• Cluster Services Node (CSN)—DX6 generation).

a00

Cluster Services Node.

axy

S Object Storage Nodes.

axy

is a variable depicting the number of drives (12 for the

is a fixed alphanumeric character that indicates

S (where a is a variable depicting the

a00

(the “a” is a variable depicting

Introduction 7

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Table 1-1 lists the terms used in this document to refer to various components of the DX Object Storage Platform.

Table 1-1. Terms Used in the Document

Component Description

DX Object Storage Cluster DX6a00S system and two or more DX6axyS

systems

DX Cluster Services Node, Cluster Services Node or CSN

DX Object Storage Node, DX Storage Node or SN

DX Content Router Software component on the DX6a00 system

DX Object Storage Software Software component on the DX6axyS system

DX6

a00 system

DX6axyS system

8 Introduction

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DX Object Storage Platform Overview

Network Topologies

The Dell DX Object Storage Platform network consists of one or more DX Storage Clusters connected by DX Content Router services. There are many possible network topologies depending on the storage network goals. All networks share the following features:

• One or two DX Cluster Services Nodes that provide services to the storage cluster.

• Two or more DX Storage Nodes that provide data storage services.

• Ethernet switches to enable required services within a storage cluster (private network) and access to the storage nodes from outside the cluster (public network).

• Services such as Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

NOTE: DX Storage Cluster requires a dedicated internal network to ensure that the

storage cluster traffic is protected from unauthorized access. The dedicated network also ensures that the external or corporate network is isolated from both the PXE boot server and cluster multicast traffic.

All network services required by the cluster are present in the Services Node The DX Storage Cluster is automatically configured with defaults for all network parameters that should be sufficient for most simple configurations. All network parameters can be set manually to support more complex configurations. For detailed information about setting network parameters, see the DX Object Storage Getting Started Guide, and the DX Object Storage Advanced Administration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

software bundle and preinstalled on the

Cluster Services Node

DX Cluster

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 9

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Network switch configuration depends on both the network topology and the customer environment. To ensure proper functioning with default network parameters and to maximize cluster performance, it is recommended that you follow the best practices listed below, while configuring both the private and public networks switches.

• Disable link aggregation configuration as the DX Object Storage Nodes bond the system NIC ports in balanced-alb modes.

• Disable jumbo frames.

• Disable spanning tree protocol, if the switches are not being trunked.

• Disable Flow Control.

NOTE: If switches are trunked, enable spanning tree protocol and port fast on the

data intensive ports.

Contact Dell to customize the network configurations to meet the solution needs. For more information about configuring the network for the Dell DX Object Storage Platform, see "Network Topology" in the DX Object Storage Advanced Administration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Local Cluster Configuration

A basic Dell DX Storage Cluster consists of at least one Node

and at least two

DX Storage Nodes

, along with the necessary Ethernet

infrastructure to connect them. See Figure 2-1.

Within a cluster,

DX Storage Nodes

communicate with each other through User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and IP multicast. All nodes within a cluster must be on the same IP subnet. The

DX Cluster Services Node participates in UDP and multicast communication and must be located within the same subnet.

The Layer 3 switch (IP router) used to create the storage cluster subnet must:

• Restrict UDP and multicast network to the cluster subnet

• Pass TCP (HTTP) traffic to and from the DX Cluster Services Node and DX Storage Nodes

NOTE: You do not require a load-balancer in front of the storage cluster. The

applications communicate directly with the DX Object Storage Platform through HTTP.

DX Cluster Services

also

10 DX Object Storage Platform Overview

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It is recommended that you configure the network topology to enable applications to communicate with the

DX Storage Nodes

on private and secure networks. This is the primary method to store and retrieve data from a local DX Storage Cluster.

NOTE: If applications write to a cluster through an unsecure network, then to

prevent malicious activity, it is recommended that you allow the application to encrypt the data before writing the data to the cluster.

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 11

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Figure 2-1. Local Cluster Configuration

applications

public network

primary

NIC

teamed

interlink

private network redundant connections

multi-cast

DX CSN

2 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

4 Port LOM

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Redundant DX Cluster Services Nodes

The Dell DX Storage Cluster supports redundant In a redundant model, the active the primary node and the redundant

DX Cluster Services Node

node

is configured as the secondary

DX Cluster Services Node

is configured as

node, see Figure 2-2.

The primary

Cluster Services Node

contains the cluster configuration files, active networking utilities, and active content router services. A manual failover process is required to demote the primary and promote the secondary combined virtual IP address for the primary failover to a redundant

DX Cluster Services Node

. Since there is a

, a

is transparent to all applications. When a failover is transparent, an IP address change is not required. However, the application services remain unavailable until the manual failover of the

Cluster Services Node

is complete. For more

information, see the Cluster Services Installation and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 13

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Figure 2-2. Redundant DX Cluster Services Nodes

public network private network redundant connections

primary

multi-cast

interlink

NIC

teamed

secondary

applications

DX CSN

2 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

2 Port LOM DX Storage Node

4 Port LOM

14 DX Object Storage Platform Overview

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Subcluster Configuration

A Dell DX Storage Cluster can be split into two or more subclusters. The subclusters are physically part of the same cluster but are recognized as logically separate entities by the DX Object Storage software that provides local area replication.

A subcluster can be:

• A set of nodes within one physical group (such as building, floor, wing, and so on)

• An environmental group (such as rack, network switch, and power circuit)

• Any other defined groups

If the building or power circuit fails, other nodes have an optimal set of data replicas. See Figure 2-3.

All

DX Storage Nodes connectivity requirements. The DX Storage Nodes must be in the same IP subnet, must be able to participate in multicast and UDP traffic, and so on. Clients may address redirected to the proper of a subcluster configuration is not required.

within the DX Storage Cluster have the same network

DX Storage Nodes

DX Storage Node

within any subcluster and are

. As a result, application awareness

For more information about subclusters, see "Local Area Replication" in the DX Object Storage Advanced Administration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 15

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public network private network redundant connections

primary

interlink

subcluster 1

subcluster 2

NIC

teamed

applications

multi-cast

DX CSN

2 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

2 Port LOM

4 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

Figure 2-3. Subcluster Configuration

16 DX Object Storage Platform Overview

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Remote Cluster Configuration

When you deploy multiple DX Storage Clusters (for example multiple sites, offsite backup, and so on), the DX Cluster Services Node provides the ability to replicate data between DX Storage Clusters using the DX Content Router software.

The DX Content Router provides two services:

•Publisher service

• Replicator service

Clusters are connected by one cluster's replicator service to another cluster's publisher service. This link can either be one-way (for offsite backup) or two-way (for mirrored configurations).

Each publisher can support a number of replicators with a specific set of replication rules. The publisher does not provide same set of data objects to each replicator.

For redundancy, more than one DX Cluster Services Node may be present in a cluster, but only one DX Cluster Services Node can be active as a publisher at any time.

NOTE: There can be multiple publishers per cluster, but only the active (or primary)

Cluster Services Node can be the active subscriber.

Clusters may be connected by any type of link that can handle the desired traffic volume. This link must be secured to prevent reading cluster data being passed between clusters. See Figure 2-4.

Cluster data is passed directly between the two

DX Cluster Services Node

s. It is not recommended to have direct communication between storage nodes in remote clusters.

For more information about multiple cluster configurations, see the Content Router Setup and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 17

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Figure 2-4. Multiple Cluster Configuration

multi-cast

local cluster

remote cluster

NIC

teamed

interlink

NIC

teamed

primary

WAN VPN

secure network

applications

public network

private network

DX CSN DX CSN 4 Port NIC

4 Port NIC

2 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

2 Port LOM

DX Storage Node

redundant connections

18 DX Object Storage Platform Overview

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Application Access to DX Object Storage Platform

Communicating With a Local Cluster

Applications can communicate with a DX Storage Node at any time. The DX Object Storage software automatically redirects applications to the proper node even if the addressed node is an incorrect node to handle a request. If both

Cluster Services Node communicate with the remote cluster by addressing the remote Cluster Storage Nodes or remote configurations, it is recommended to create a single name through DNS which maps to the DX Storage Nodes. A single name allows communication with the DX Storage Nodes using one domain name. DNS automatically rotates addressing through the storage nodes. For more information, see the DX Object Storage Application Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Communicating With a Remote Cluster

and cluster nodes are not responding, you can

Cluster Services Node

directly. For many

Applications may communicate with a remote DX Storage Cluster during local-cluster disaster recovery. For an application to communicate to a remote DX Storage Cluster, the network must be addressed. A proxy server on the (on the local cluster) accepts HTTP requests from the application and forwards them to a DX Storage Node in the DX Storage Cluster. The DX Storage Node redirects the requests if necessary, and returns the response back to the requester.

DX Cluster Services Node

on the remote public

DX Cluster Services Node

DX Object Storage Platform Overview 19

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20 DX Object Storage Platform Overview

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Setting Up the DX Object Storage Platform

Installing the Initial Cluster or Redundant Cluster Services Node

The Dell DX Object Storage Platform consists of at least one DX Cluster Services Node and two DX Storage Nodes. Installation of the initial cluster or additional cluster services nodes require deployment services from Dell. For information about setting up the hardware, see the Getting Started Guide for your Dell DX6a00 system at support.dell.com/manuals, and the Dell DX6axyS system that shipped with your storage platform.

Configuring the DX Object Storage Platform

Dell DX Object Storage Platform includes a Cluster Services Node to enable a centralized management interface for the DX Cluster. Default settings are defined and recommended for system operation. However, there are a number of configuration options which may be used to configure the storage platform which are as follows:

• Reset administrator and operator passwords for the DX Cluster Services console

• Default object replication parameters

• Cluster name

• Port number for management console and other services

• IP parameters

• Logging options

• SNMP options

• Setting persistent cluster settings

• Storing configuration files

Setting Up the DX Object Storage Platform 21

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For more information about these options, see the Cluster Services Node Installation and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

NOTE: Use the Cluster Services Console for normal management and

configuration. Only experienced administrators should use the configuration files for advanced configurations, described in the DX Object Storage Advanced

Administration Guide and the DX Object Storage Content Router Setup and Configuration Guide. Contact your account team for professional services

consulting on advanced configurations.

DX Content Router services are not automatically configured. To enable replication to remote clusters, publisher and subscriber services must be configured through the DX Cluster Services console. For information about configuring DX Content Router services, see the Cluster Services Installation and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

For a complete list of reference documents, see "Additional References" on page 43.

Adding Additional DX Storage Nodes

Before setting up the DX Storage Node, locate the Getting Started Guide for your Dell DX6axyS system. Unpack and set up the DX platform hardware. To set up the DX Storage Node hardware:

Rack and cable the DX6

Tur n o n th e D X 6

Enable capacity in the DX Cluster Services console

NOTE: The DX Storage Node is preconfigured to network boot from the DX Cluster

Services Node. The network ports must be connected to the private network before the system is turned on.

axy

S system

Installing the System in a Rack

If the DX6axyS system includes a rail kit, locate the Rack Installation Instructions supplied with the rail kit. Follow the instructions to install the rails in the rack unit and to install the DX6axyS system in the rack.

22 Setting Up the DX Object Storage Platform

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Cabling the Appliance

Locate the Dell DX6axyS Getting Started Guide that shipped with your system and follow the instructions to attach the power cables and network cables to the DX6axyS system. Connect the network ports to the cluster's private network on the same IP subnet as the other storage nodes. The DX Storage Node is preconfigured to network boot from the DX Cluster Services Node and the NIC ports are preconfigured in balanced-alb modes.

Turning On the DX Storage Node

After cabling the storage node, turn it on, and verify that the network boot is successful.

NOTE: If the network boot is not successful, verify that the cables are correctly

connected to the private network.

Enabling Capacity in DX Cluster Services Console

The DX Storage Cluster capacity is licensed. To expand the cluster capacity, you must purchase a capacity license. When you purchase a capacity license, you receive a capacity license card that contains an activation code. Enter the activation code in the DX Cluster Services console to enable the additional cluster capacity.

NOTE: The capacity is only applicable to the cluster in which it is entered.

To activate the additional capacity, follow the instructions in the Cluster Services Node Installation and Configuration Guide.

Adding Network Adapter to DX Storage Nodes

You can add additional network adapters to the DX Storage Nodes to expand the network bandwidth to the storage nodes. To add additional network adapters:

Turn off the DX Storage Node.

Follow the steps to add a network adapter in the Dell DX6

Hardware Owner's Manual

Connect the Ethernet ports to the private network.

Turn on the DX Storage Node.

The DX Storage Node is automatically configured with all network ports bonded.

axy

S system

Setting Up the DX Object Storage Platform 23

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Adding Network Adapters to DX Cluster Services Nodes

public network private network

4 Port

NIC

4 Port

NIC

DX 6a00

You can add additional network adapters to the DX Cluster Services Nodes to expand the network bandwidth on both the private and public network.

NOTE: Access to remote clusters is interrupted when the primary Cluster Services

Node is offline. Do not promote a secondary Cluster Services Node to primary as it cannot be demoted back to secondary. Demoting the original primary Cluster Services Node as a secondary Cluster Services Node requires re-imaging the original primary Cluster Services Node.

To add additional network adapters:

Turn off the DX Cluster Services Node.

Follow the steps in the Dell DX6 add a network adapter.

Connect the Ethernet cable(s) for the external and internal network accordingly. See Figure 3-1.

Turn on the DX Cluster Services Node.

Change the IP address of the external network interface to a new valid IP address from the

Content Services Configuration

Services Administration console.

a00

system

Hardware Owner's Manual

page of the DX Cluster

The first half of the Ethernet ports on the additional network adapter automatically bonds with the existing network ports on the external network and the second half automatically bonds with the existing network ports on the internal private network.

NOTE: The external network interface IP address can be set back to its original

value. Modifying the external network IP address detects and bonds the additional network ports.

Figure 3-1. Ethernet Cable Connections to the External and Internal Networks

24 Setting Up the DX Object Storage Platform

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Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software

Updates for the Dell DX Object Storage Platform software are periodically made available to correct problems, improve performance, introduce new capabilities, and support additional hardware. It is recommended that you download the updates to ensure that the cluster runs optimally. See the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Interoperability Guide at support.dell.com/manuals to determine the minimum software versions supported.

DX Cluster Services Node updates may include:

• System BIOS

• System firmware

• System device drivers

• Operating system

• DX Cluster Services Node software

•DX Storage Node software

DX Storage Nodes updates may include:

• System BIOS

• System firmware

NOTE: DX Storage Node operating system and associated drivers are part of the

storage node software image hosted on the DX Cluster Services Node. To update the storage node software across the cluster, see "Updating the DX Storage Node Software" on page 28.

Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software25

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Checking Software Version Compatibility

Dell DX Compatibility Manager is a utility that is installed on the DX Cluster Services Nodes. This utility collects and provides information about the current BIOS, firmware, drivers, and software versions in your cluster. Compatibility Manager compares these versions to a predetermined profile of a released version of DX Storage Platform components and identifies potential conflicts.

Using the DX Object Storage Platform Compatibility Manager

Compatibility Manager is an application that runs in the background on the Cluster Services Nodes. It checks the installed versions of the software and hardware components within the cluster. The Compatibility Manager compares this data against a known profile of compatible versions and writes the status to a text file. It is recommended that you check the file after a change in the software or hardware has occurred within the cluster.

NOTE: The primary Cluster Services Node checks the configuration of the storage

nodes. The secondary Cluster Services Node only checks its own versions.

Each software and hardware component in the cluster displays a status level as described in Table 4-1.

Table 4-1. Status Levels

Status Level Description

OK The component is compatible

Warning It is recommended to upgrade or downgrade the

component

Critical It is required to upgrade or downgrade the

component

Error An internal error occurred while checking the status

Disabled The Compatibility Manager is disabled

26 Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software

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To verify cluster compatibility:

Open the file

/opt/dell/dellACM/CMREPORT.TXT

on the primary

Cluster Services Node.

Review the status information for the Cluster Services Node and the individual Storage Nodes.

For more detailed component status information, run the following command:

#cd /opt/dell/dellACM/dellacmscr.sh -report -host= <host name>

where <host name> is the name of the cluster services node or a storage node and can be obtained from the CMREPORT.txt file.

For more information on updating the Cluster Services Node and the Storage Node software, see "Updating the DX Cluster Services Node Software" on page 28 and "Updating the DX Storage Node Software" on page 28.

Troubleshooting the Compatibility Manager

If you experience problems with Compatibility Manager, verify that the latest version is installed. Compatibility Manager can be downloaded from support.dell.com. Run the following commands to determine the current version of:

•The package name—

•The package details—

#rpm -q -a|grep dellacm

#rpm -q -i <package name>

If the problems persist, contact Dell.

Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software 27

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Updating the DX Cluster Services Node Software

Updates for the system operating system, BIOS, firmware, device drivers, and the application software are available at support.dell.com/downloads.

NOTE: Ensure that you provide the Service Tag or system model on the Driver and

Downloads page before you search for system software updates.

You can update the system BIOS, firmware, operating system, and device drivers using:

• Dell Unified Server Configurator-LifeCycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE)—USC-LCE uses iDRAC6 Express and/or Enterprise along with UEFI firmware to access and manage the hardware including component and subsystem management. It provides platform updates, hardware configuration, operating system deployment, and hardware diagnostics in a pre-operating system environment. For more information, see the

support.dell.com/manuals

• Dell Management Console (DMC)—DMC is the next generation one-tomany systems management application with enhanced discovery, inventory, monitoring, and reporting features. It is a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), which is installed on a management station in a networked environment. For more information, see the

Console User's Guide

Dell LifeCycle Controller User's Guide

support.dell.com/manuals

Dell Management

Updating the DX Storage Node Software

You can update system BIOS and firmware using:

• USC-LCE—This method requires a USB storage device with at least 5 GB of space.

• DMC—This method requires a DMC server present on the internal private network.

Storage node software updates are installed on the DX Cluster Services Node. The DX Storage Nodes are network booted from images residing on the cluster services node.

28 Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software

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To update the software used in the storage cluster:

Install the new rpm using the following command:

rpm -ivh [new version]

A new DX Storage Node software version is displayed on the Cluster Services Node console after a successful installation of the storage node software on the DX Cluster Services Node.

To view the DX Storage Node software version, click

Cluster Services Netboot Management

From the

Netboot Management

page, select the newly installed storage

node software and reboot the DX Storage Cluster to apply the new software version.

NOTE: If concurrent data availability is a concern, you must reboot your cluster

nodes one at a time. Suspend volume recovery from the DX Object Storage console or SNMP during the reboot process to prevent cluster churn.

Receiving System Software Update Notifications

Dell technical update subscriptions allow you to receive critical product alerts, updates to files, drivers and utilities for your system.

To register for these notifications:

Go to

Click on the

Downloads

support.dell.com/support/downloads

Technical Subscriptions

link under the

section.

Drivers and

Updating OpenManage Server Administrator

To download updates for the OpenManage Server Administrator:

Go to

Select

Systems Management

Follow the installation instructions provided on the download page.

support.dell.com/support/downloads

OpenManage Server Administrator Managed Node

category.

under the

Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software 29

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30 Updating the Dell DX Object Storage Platform Software

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Disaster Recovery

You can recover the Dell DX Cluster Services Node from a number of hardware or software failures. Depending on the type of failure, you must:

• Recover the server disk

• Reinstall the operating system

• Reinstall the DX Cluster Services Node software

• Reinstall Dell OpenManage system management applications

Recovery Solution Map

Keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Reinstallation of the operating system requires you to reinstall all the applications on the system.

• A non-recoverable failure of the disk group containing the operating system requires reinstallation of the operating system and all applications.

• For all non-disk related hardware failures, see the

Manual

for the DX6

a00

system

at support.dell.com/manuals.

Hardware Owner's

Disaster Recovery 31

Page 32

Table 5-1. System Recovery Map

Potentially Affected System Components

Hardware Software

Failure Type

Server RAID Group Failure (Disk Failure)

Operating System

Cluster Services Node

OpenManage Server Administrator

Recovery Methods

Use the following steps to resolve these issues.

Server Disk Group

Operating System

Node Software

Cluster Services

Administration

OpenManage Server

DX Compatibility Manager

X XXXX

XXXX

1,2,3,4,5

2,3,4,5

DX Compatibility

Manager

1—"Recovering From Disk Failures" on page 33

2—"Reinstalling the Operating System" on page 34

3—"Reinstalling the DX Cluster Services Node Software" on page 37

4—"Installing Dell OpenManage Server Administrator" on page 40

5—"Installing Dell DX Compatibility Manager" on page 40

32 Disaster Recovery

Page 33

Recovering From Disk Failures

NOTE: The DX Cluster Services Node system's internal disk storage is

preconfigured as RAID 5.

Single Disk Failure

RAID 5 provides uninterrupted operation of the system if a single disk fails. If a single disk failure occurs, replace the failed hard drive. For more information, see Dell DX6a00 systems Hardware Owner's Manual at support.dell.com/manuals. After the hard drive is replaced, it is automatically assigned by the RAID controller and rebuilt into the disk group. After the disk group is rebuilt, the RAID 5 disk group continues to operate normally.

CAUTION: If a second drive fails before the disk group rebuild is complete, data

loss occurs.

Two Disk Failure

If the system experiences a two disk failure, the RAID 5 group must be reconfigured and the operating system must be reinstalled. Follow the steps for recovering from operating system failure listed in Table 5-1.

Detecting and Monitoring Disk Failures

To optimize the protection of the RAID group on the system, it is essential that you detect hard drive failures immediately. Replacing failed disks immediately reduces the risk of unplanned downtime and loss of critical data. Ensure that you replace the failed disk with a new disk of the same or greater capacity. If drives of greater capacity are used, some usable disk space is lost in the RAID 5 configuration.

You can use the following methods to monitor the health of the disks:

• Hard drive LED indicators—Monitors the drive activity and reports failures. For more information, see the Dell DX6

Manual

• Dell OpenManage Server Administrator—Monitors the health of the internal disks.

at support.dell.com/manuals.

a00

Hardware Owner's

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Page 34

• Dell Management Console—Centrally monitors the status of Dell systems. For more information about installing and using DMC, see the

Dell Management Console User's Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Reinstalling the Operating System

The operating system is preinstalled on the DX Cluster Services Node. After a multiple disk failure of the DX6a00 system RAID group, reinstall the operating system:

Replace the failed disks.

Create a RAID 5 disk group across all disks of the DX Cluster Services Node.

Reinstall the operating system. For more information on replacing the drive, see "Recovering From Disk Failures" on page 33.

NOTE: If the RAID group has not failed and you are reinstalling the operating

system, skip "Configuring and Managing RAID" on page 34.

Configuring and Managing RAID

The BIOS Configuration Utility (<Ctrl><R>), is a storage management application embedded on the PERC H700 card that configures and maintains RAID disk groups and virtual disks. The BIOS Configuration Utility is independent of the operating system and is available during system startup. See the Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H700 and H800 User's Guide at support.dell.com/manuals for specific instructions on the BIOS Configuration Utility and virtual disk management.

Create a single RAID 5 group across all six internal drives. When creating the RAID group, configure two virtual disks.

• Set virtual disk 0 to 75 GB

• Set virtual disk 1 to size of the remaining capacity

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Recovering the Operating System

Use the Unified Server Configurator - LifeCycle Controller Enabled (USCLCE) utility on the DX6a00 system to recover the operating system. For specific instructions, see "Deploying the Operating System using the OS Deployment Wizard" in the Dell Unified Server Configurator - LifeCycle Enabled User Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

CAUTION: Reinstalling the operating system on existing disk drives erases all

installed applications and data.

Locate the operating system media that came with the system and proceed to the operating system deployment option from USC-LCE. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the operating system.

• When prompted to enter an installation number, select

Installation Number

at a later stage.

• The DX Cluster Services Node software installation process requires a YUM repository for updating package dependencies. Skip the installation number entry to save time during the dependency update process.

• To save time during the dependency update process, select

Connect

connect to the Red Hat network once the DX Cluster Services Node software installation is complete.

•To

configure the operating system partitions, see "Configuring the

Partitions During Operating System Recovery

when prompted to connect to the Red Hat Network. You may

option. The installation number can also be entered

" on page 35

Skip Entering

Do Not

Configuring the Partitions During Operating System Recovery

To configure the required partitions:

On the

Modify Partitioning Layout

Click

In the

Linux Partition Configuration

New

Allowable Drives

screen, select the

option.

field, de-select the sdb volume.

Disaster Recovery 35

Review and

Page 36

Create a 10 GB restore partition of the file system type physical volume (LVM) within the sda and click

Select

In the

The

Click

/dev/sdb1

from the

Format partition

Mount Point

/u01

mount point occupies the entire space of the sdb.

field, enter

Device

list and click

ext3

/u01

and click OK.

Edit

The /u01 mount path can also be configured after installing the operating system. To configure the mount path after installing the operating system:

Identify the disk to be formatted. To identify the disk to be formatted, run the following command:

fdisk -l | grep '^Disk'

Create a partition on the /dev/sdb block device using

parted

parted /dev/sdb

Create a gpt label on the block device:

(parted) mklabel

Yes/No: Yes

New disk label type? [gpt]? gpt

Create a partition that consumes the entire available space on /dev/sdb:

(parted) mkpart primary ext3 0 -1

Once the partition is created, exit using the following command:

(parted) quit

Create a file system on the formatted partition table. For example, run the following command:

mkfs.ext3 -m1 /dev/sdb1

Create the the

/u01

directory in root directory and mount the file system to

directory. For example, run the following command:

mkdir /u01

mount /dev/sdb1 /u01

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To keep the mount path persistent across reboot, add the mount path to

/etc/fstab

. For example, run the following command:

vi /etc/fstab

Table 5-2 lists the options that must be selected to create a mount path.

Table 5-2. Options to Create a Mount Path

# device name Mount

Path

/dev/sdb1 /u01 ext3 defaults 1 2

fs type options dump-freq pass-num

Reinstalling the DX Cluster Services Node Software

Setting Up and Configuring the Network

The DX Cluster Services Node software requires access to both the external network and to a dedicated internal network. The internal private network ensures that the DX Storage Cluster traffic is protected from unauthorized access and that the external network is isolated from both the PXE boot server and cluster multicast traffic. The DX Cluster Services Node software automatically allocates the first half of the Ethernet ports detected on each NIC interface card to the external network and the second half of the Ethernet ports detected on each NIC interface card to the internal network. All NICs allocated to a network are bonded into a bond interface using mode 6 or balance alb bonding. For example, on a server with four LOM ports and a quad port NIC adapter, LOM ports 0-1 and NIC adapter ports 0-1 are allocated to the external network in a balance-alb bond interface and LOM ports 2-3 and NIC adapter ports 2-3 are allocated to the internal network in a balance-alb bond interface.

NOTE: Network switch configuration is outside the scope of the DX Cluster

Services Node software. Switches must be properly configured by a system administrator to ensure correct connectivity and bonding mode support. Administrators must not connect the configured internal network ports to the external network.

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Connecting the DX Cluster Services Node to the Private and Public Networks

• Connect the lower NIC ports 0-1 of the DX Cluster Services Node to the external private network switch.

• Connect the upper NIC ports 2-3 of the DX Cluster Services Node to the internal network switch.

Connecting the DX Storage Nodes to the Private Network

Connect all the NIC ports (LOM as well as add on card, if available) of each storage node to the internal private network switch.

NOTE: Do not turn on the storage nodes at this time.

Creating a Local YUM Repository on the DX6000 System

The DX Cluster Services Node software installation process is dependent on additional rpm packages that are not installed on the DX6a00 system by default. These packages are available on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution media included with the system. A local YUM repository is required to update the system with the package dependencies for the DX Cluster Services Node software installation.

To create a local YUM repository on your system:

Turn on the DX Cluster Services Node.

Insert the optical drive and allow the file system to auto mount. The default directory path for the auto mounted file system is

x86_64\ DVD

YUM setup process. If the drive auto mounts, run the following commands:

# mkdir /media/dvd

operating system

. The white spaces in this file path causes errors during the

media that came with the system into the

/media/RHELx.x\

# mount --move /media/RHEL_x.x\ x86_64\ DVD /media/dvd

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If the CDROM does not auto mount, perform the following commands.

# mkdir /media/dvd

# mount /dev/dvd /media/dvd

NOTE: For more information on the compatible RHEL versions, see the Dell DX

Object Storage Platform Interoperability Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Define the repository where your copy of rpm packages are stored. To define the repository, create a new file in /etc/yum.repos.d named rheldvd.repo using the following commands:

# cd /etc/yum.repos.d

# cp rhel-debuginfo.repo rhel-dvd.repo

# vi rhel-dvd.repo

Change the following lines in

rhel-dvd.repo

file:

[base]

name=Red Hat Enterprise Linux $releasever $basearch - Base

baseurl=file:///media/dvd/Server

gpgcheck=1

enabled=1

gpgkey=file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEYredhat-release

Remove any cached packages from the system and enable the local YUM repository:

# yum clean all

# yum repolist

The DX6a00 system is now ready to be updated with all the dependencies required to install the DX Cluster Services Node software.

NOTE: The DX Cluster Services Node software install script calls YUM update

upon execution.

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Installing Dell DX Compatibility Manager

The Dell DX Compatibility Manager is available as an rpm package. To install the DX Compatibility Manager:

Download the latest version of rpm package from

Copy the rpm package to a directory on your system.

Install the rpm package using the following command:

# rpm –i <package>.rpm

support.dell.com

Installing Dell OpenManage Server Administrator

Dell Server Administrator provides a comprehensive, one-to-one systems management solution from:

• An integrated, web browser-based graphical user interface (GUI)

• A command line interface (CLI) through the operating system

The Server Administrator is designed for system administrators to manage systems locally and remotely on a network. It allows system administrators to focus on managing their entire network by providing comprehensive one-toone systems management.

You can install Server Administrator using the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation media. The media provides a setup program to install, upgrade, and uninstall the Server Administrator, managed system and management station software components. Additionally, you can install the Server Administrator on multiple systems through an unattended installation across a network.

The Dell OpenManage installer provides installation scripts and RPM packages to install and uninstall the Server Administrator and other managed system software components on your managed system. For more information, see the Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Installation Guide and the Dell OpenManage Management Station Software Installation Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

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Installing DX Cluster Services Node Software

If you have at least one data replica, any data on the failed storage node or hard drive is replicated to another storage node in the cluster. Hardware status for the DX Storage Nodes can be monitored from the DX Object Storage Node Administration Console. Replace any failed hardware components on the DX Storage Nodes as required to bring the failed node back into service.

The DX Cluster Services Node software distribution is available as a collection of rpm packages that are installed with a self-extracting shell script. The packages and their dependencies must be installed on the DX6a00 system as the root user. To install DX Cluster Services Node software:

Download the latest version of the DX Cluster Services Node software distribution available online at

Copy the distributed zip file to your DX Cluster Services Node system and unzip it into the directory of your choice.

Install the DX Cluster Services Node software by running the self-extracting script from inside the bundle directory location where the shell script was unzipped.

support.dell.com/downloads

This initiates installation of the DX Cluster Services Node software and its dependent packages. For more information, see the

Installation and Configuration Guide

Eject the following command:

# eject /media/dvd

Reboot the DX6

Use the following command to reboot the system:

# reboot

operating system

a00

system when the installation completes.

media from the optical drive using the

support.dell.com/manuals

Cluster Services Node

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Page 42

Configuring the DX Cluster Services Node Software

After installing and rebooting the DX Cluster Services Node, you are automatically prompted to enter some minimal configuration data to configure and deploy the DX Cluster Services Node. This configuration process is required only once after the initial installation. Any necessary updates to the parameters entered during this initial boot process can be made from the Cluster Services Node Console. For more information about configuring the Cluster Services node, see the Cluster Services Node Installation and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Restoring the Cluster Configurations

Previous cluster configuration files can be restored through the Cluster Services Node Console (Cluster Services TAB Backup and Restore). For more information on restoring cluster configurations, see the Cluster Services Node Installation and Configuration Guide at support.dell.com/manuals.

Bringing Up the DX Storage Cluster

Turn on the storage nodes in your cluster. Each storage node network boots from a DX Storage Node image located on the DX Cluster Services Node.

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Additional References

Software Documents

Table 6-1. Software Documents

Document Description Location

Dell DX Object Storage Platform User's Guide

Cluster Services Node Installation and Configuration Guide

DX Object Storage Getting Started Guide

DX Object Storage Advanced Administration Guide

Provides an overview of the DX Object Storage Platform and steps to upgrade and recover the platform.

Provides information on configuration and administration tasks for deploying and monitoring a DX Cluster Services Node.

Covers the basic steps necessary to deploy and administer a DX Storage Cluster.

Covers advanced configuration and administration tasks for deploying and monitoring a DX Storage Cluster.

support.dell.com/manuals

DX Object Storage Application Guide

Guides application programmers who are developing or customizing client-side programs.

Additional References 43

support.dell.com/manuals

Page 44

Table 6-1. Software Documents

Document Description Location

(continued)

Content Router Setup and Configuration Guide

SCSP Proxy Overview Provides an overview of the

Dell DX Object Storage Platform Interoperability Guide

Cluster Services Node Release Notes

DX Object Storage Release Notes

Covers the steps required to configure Content Router and the administration actions necessary to monitor and run one or more Content Router nodes.

SCSP proxy and covers the steps for configuring and running the proxy.

Provides details of supported platforms, peripherals, and software.

Contains late-breaking information about your appliance.

support.dell.com/manuals

Content Router Release Notes

Hardware Documents

Table 6-2. Hardware Documents

Document Description Location

Dell DX6000 Getting Started With Your System

Dell DX6000 Hardware Owner's Manual

Dell DX6012S Getting Started With Your System

Helps you get started with the Dell DX6000 systems.

Contains information specific to your Dell hardware.

Helps you get started with the Dell DX6012S systems.

support.dell.com/manuals

44 Additional References

Page 45

Table 6-2. Hardware Documents

(continued)

Document Description Location

Dell DX6012S Hardware Owner's Manual

Contains information specific to your Dell hardware.

Dell DX6004S Getting Started With Your System

Contains information specific to your Dell hardware.

Dell DX6004S Hardware Owner's Manual

Contains information specific to your Dell hardware.

Rack Installation Guide Contains information on

installing the system in a rack.

Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H200 and 6Gbps SAS HBA

Contains information on the Serial Attached SCSI H200 adapter.

User's Guide

Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H700 and H800 User's Guide

Contains information on the Serial Attached SCSI H700 adapter.

support.dell.com/manuals

Dell DX Support Matrix Compatibility Matrix for the

DX Object Storage Platform.

Additional References 45

support.dell.com/manuals

Page 46

Systems Management Documents

Table 6-3. Systems Management Documents

Document Description Location

Dell OpenManage Software Installation and Security User's Guide

Dell OpenManage Server Administrator User's Guide

Dell Management Console User's Guide

Describes how to install Dell OpenManage Server Administrator software.

Describes how to use Dell OpenManage Server Administrator to manage your system.

Describes how to use Dell Management console to manage your systems.

support.dell.com/manuals

46 Additional References