Dell PowerVault NX1950 User Manual

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Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950

Cluster Systems

Installation and Troubleshooting

Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Page 2

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

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

your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data

and tells you how to avoid the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury,

or death.

____________________

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

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, OpenManage, Po we rE dg e, and PowerVault are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows Server are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document 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.

November 2007 Rev. A02

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Contents

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

Overview of MSCS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Cluster Resources

Resource Group

Quorum Resource

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Shared Versus Private Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Firewall Port Exceptions

Configuration Tools

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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

Supported Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Cluster Administration and Management

Cluster Administrator

Cluster.exe

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Introduction

This document provides you with information required for configuring the Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 storage system as a cluster solution and offers troubleshooting tips. The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution enables two PowerVault NX1950 nodes to provide highly-available system and data. Dell supports the following configuration of the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution:

• Integrated solution—This solution consists of two PowerVault NX1950 storage systems configured with a Dell PowerVault MD3000 storage array.

• Gateway solution—This solution consists of up to eight PowerVault NX1950 storage systems configured with Dell|EMC storage arrays.

NOTE: Throughout this document, PowerVault NX1950 storage system refers to

the individual cluster node. PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution refers to the configuration of two or more PowerVault NX1950 storage systems running Microsoft array or a Dell|EMC storage array.

Overview of MSCS

A cluster is a collection of servers that work together to provide highly- available resources. Examples of resources include services, IP addresses, network names, and disk drives. The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution uses MSCS and the Dell Storage Initialization Wizard to configure the solution for clustering. The Dell customized components help the user to integrate the solution with the services provided by the operating system in a seamless way to configure the system.

Microsoft Windows technologies for cluster solutions through MSCS—Server Cluster and Network Load Balancing (NLB). The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution does not support NLB. This guide focuses on the Server Cluster technology provided by the operating system.

Cluster Services (MSCS) attached to either PowerVault MD3000 storage

Unified Data Storage Server 2003 provides two

Introduction 7

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The following list includes basic features of MSCS:

• Highly-available and server consolidation

• Deployable on a single network

• Multiple-node cluster support

NOTE: The multiple-node cluster is supported on PowerVault NX1950 cluster

solution with Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition operating system only.

For more information about MSCS features and functionality, see the Microsoft Support website at support.microsoft.com.

Nodes

Nodes or cluster nodes refer to the PowerVault NX1950 storage systems that are members of the cluster. The PowerVault NX1950 storage solution supports a multiple-node cluster.

Cluster Resources

The cluster resources are physical or logical entities with the following characteristics:

• Can be brought online/offline

• Can be managed within a cluster

• Can be hosted by one node within the cluster

Examples of resources are Network Name, IP addresses, services, applications, and disk storage. During cluster failover, only the cluster resources failover to another node.

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution supports cluster resources and you can use the cluster administration tools to configure them. For more information about cluster administration tools, see "Cluster Administration and Management" on page 12.

Resource Group

A resource group is a group of resources (IP addresses, disk storage) that can failover as a unit. An example of a resource group is a Highly-Available Server Instance.

8 Introduction

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Quorum Resource

MSCS uses quorum resource to maintain state and configuration information of the individual nodes and to enforce cluster unity. The quorum-device resource stores critical information about the cluster nodes and the resources in the cluster to ensure and manage consistency across both nodes. There are two types of quorum resources namely: quorum-device and majority-of-nodes cluster.

The quorum-device resource requires a storage class device that is accessible by the other node in the cluster. The quorum-device resource is typically a physical disk. The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution uses a quorum-device that is located on the storage array.

For information about how to create or select a quorum resource, see "Assigning the Quorum Disk to the Cluster" on page 31.

Shared Versus Private Storage

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution supports two types of storage— Shared and Private. When you use Shared storage, each node within the cluster has access to all storage resources. When you use Private storage, only the individual node has access to the assigned storage resource. To enable the PowerVault NX1950 configuration as a cluster, the quorum disk must be deployed on a shared storage disk. The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution is deployed as a Shared storage solution by default to ensure that the quorum disk can be created and mapped to both the nodes in the cluster.

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution supports both Private and Shared storage for the logical unit numbers (LUNs) created after the quorum disk is created.

NOTICE: In the Integrated solution, you can use the Provision Storage Wizard to

configure Shared storage only. For more information, see "Limitations While Creating a Shared LUN" on page 41.

Firewall Port Exceptions

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution is pre-configured from Dell with Windows Firewall enabled. The port and application exceptions are configured for deployment, management, and use of the cluster solution. No user intervention is required to enable exceptions for clustering support.

NOTE: A Windows Firewall Exception is a Microsoft term used to denote ports or

applications that are allowed access through the firewall.

Introduction 9

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If the Windows Firewall settings are restored to the default values either due to user action or because of a system restore, you must reset the firewall port exceptions for the cluster setup to be successful. Dell provides a batch file that sets the required port exceptions to deploy, manage, and use the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution. For instructions to download and execute the batch file, see the Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Deployment Guide.

NOTICE: Ensure that you perform the procedure described in the

Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Deployment Guide to avoid system failure.

Configuration Tools

The following tools assist in the configuration of the storage array and the Dell PowerVault NX1950 storage systems and enable them to operate as a cluster.

•The

• The Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64

Dell Storage Initialization Wizard

array and ensures that set up is complete.

Edition provides the following:

–The

– For cluster administration and troubleshooting, the operating system

– Microsoft Cluster Setup tools — The Windows Unified Data Storage

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks

wizard helps you to configure the PowerVault NX1950 storage system to be a part of the cluster.

provides a graphical user interface (GUI) tool — Administrator (also referred to as Cluadmin.exe) line interface (CLI) tool — cluster.exe. For more information about these tools, see "Cluster Administration and Management" on page 11.

Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition provides cluster configuration and management tools for advanced users. The features of these tools are beyond the scope of this document. For more information about these features and functionality, see the Microsoft Support website at

support.microsoft.com

communicates with the storage

wizard — This

Cluster

and a command

10 Introduction

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Supported Operating System

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution supports the Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition operating system.

NOTE: The Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Standard x64

Edition is supported on the PowerVault NX1950 storage system as a stand-alone solution only. You can purchase an upgrade kit from Dell to upgrade to the Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition.

For more information about the upgrade procedure, see the Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Upgrading Your Operating System document located on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

Cluster Administration and Management

The Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition provides cluster administration through Cluster Administrator (also referred to as Cluadmin.exe)—a GUI tool and cluster.exe—a CLI tool.

Cluster Administrator

Cluster Administrator allows administrators to manage cluster objects, establish groups, initiate failover, handle maintenance, and monitor cluster activity through a convenient graphical interface.

Follow one of these procedures to access the Cluster Administrator:

•Go to

•Type

• Access the tool from the

For more information about Cluster Administrator, see the Microsoft Support website at support.microsoft.com.

Start→ Administrative Tools→ Cluster Administrator

cluadmin

at the MS-DOS® prompt.

PowerVault NX1950 Management Console.

Cluster.exe

The CLI tool for cluster administration is called cluster.exe and can be accessed from the MS-DOS prompt. For more information on the CLI commands for this tool, type cluster /? at the MS-DOS prompt or see the Microsoft Support website at support.microsoft.com.

Introduction 11

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Setting Up Your Cluster

This section provides information about the prerequisites and the procedure to set up your Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution.

NOTE: For known issues and fixes regarding configuring and managing your

cluster, see "Important Information" on page 39.

Configuring Your Cluster

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution provides the following wizards to ensure that the solution is configured appropriately:

•The

It is recommended that you follow the sequence of steps in Table 2-1 to successfully create a cluster.

Dell Storage Initialization

communication required for the PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks wizard to communicate with the array.

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks

you through the steps necessary to perform configuration tasks like deploying the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution.

Microsoft Management Console for Storage

storage-related activities.

NOTE: Throughout this document and in the GUI, Microsoft® Management

Console for Storage and PowerVault NX1950 Management Console are synonymous.

Wizard

—

automates all storage

wizard —

—

is a utility for all

walks

Setting Up Your Cluster 13

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Table 2-1. Steps to Create the Cluster Solution

Step/Phase Recommended Sequence

Node 1 Node 2-8 Storage Array/

Network

Cable the solution

Tur n o n

12 3

56 4

NOTE: This

step may take a few minutes to complete.

Initial setup

• Setup and Verify Domain Controller Server

• Setup and Verify Domain Name Server

• Setup and Verify Network Connectivity

• Setup and Verify Node Passwords

• Change Region Information

• Adjust Time & Date

• Run the

Dell Storage Initialization

Wizard (DSIW)*

Use the

PowerVault NX1950 Initial

Configuration Tasks

wizard to create a

cluster

Add the remaining node(s)

Join cluster

Configure Highly-Available Server Instance (optional)

* While the DSIW is running, be sure to select the Clustered option on both servers when prompted.

NOTICE: Before setting up the cluster, ensure that all the cluster nodes complete

step 3. If you do not perform step 3 on all the cluster nodes, one of them may not be added to the cluster.

14 Setting Up Your Cluster

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Before setting up a cluster, you must complete several initial tasks of connecting to the array, naming the array, and setting up the preliminary items. For more information regarding the initial tasks to perform, see "Prerequisites for Cabling Your Cluster" on page 15.

Prerequisites for Cabling Your Cluster

You must set up at least two LAN connections to enable your storage solution as a cluster. The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution uses one or more connections for client access (public) IP addresses and a dedicated connection for heartbeat (private) network. Ensure that the heartbeat connection is configured on a separate subnet.

Figure 2-1. PowerVault NX1950 Management Console

NOTE: You must set up two static IP addresses on two different subnets for the

cluster—one for the private (heartbeat) network and one for the client access (public) network.

Setting Up Your Cluster 15

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Cabling Your Integrated Solution

PowerVault NX1950 storage system 0

PowerVault MD3000 storage array

PowerVault NX1950 storage system 1

controller 1

controller 0

Figure 2-2 shows the supported cable configuration for the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution.

You must connect the SAS 5/E Adapters on both the PowerVault NX1950 storage systems to the PowerVault MD3000 storage array to enable the storage systems as cluster nodes. For your Ethernet port connection, It is recommended that you use the on-board connections for the public network. These on-board NIC connections support TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE). If available, dedicate one optional NIC port for the MSCS heartbeat connection; otherwise you must dedicate one on-board connection for the MSCS heartbeat.

Figure 2-2. Example of Cabling a PowerVault NX1950 Integrated Cluster Solution

16 Setting Up Your Cluster

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1 NIC port A to Gb Ethernet switch

(optional) for MSCS heartbeat

2 NIC port B to Gb Ethernet switch

(optional)

3 On-board Gb1 and Gb2 to Gb

Ethernet switch(es)

4 Port 1 on PowerVault NX1950

storage system 0 SAS HBA to In-0 on controller 1

5 Port 1 on PowerVault NX1950 storage

system 1 SAS HBA to In-1 on controller 1

6 Port 0 on PowerVault NX1950 storage

system 1 SAS HBA to In-1 on controller 0

7 Port 0 on PowerVault NX1950 storage

system 0 SAS HBA to In-0 on controller 0

8 DRAC port to Ethernet switch for lights-out

management (optional)

Cabling Your Gateway Solution

Figure 2-3 shows the PowerVault NX1950 Gateway cluster solution. You must connect the Qlogic Adapters on both the PowerVault NX1950 storage systems to the Dell|EMC storage arrays to enable the storage systems as cluster nodes. For your Ethernet port connection, it is recommended that you use the on-board connections for the public network. These on-board NIC connections support TOE. If available, dedicate one optional NIC port for the MSCS heartbeat connection; otherwise you must dedicate one on-board connection for the MSCS heartbeat.

Setting Up Your Cluster 17

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Figure 2-3. Example of Cabling a PowerVault NX1950 Gateway Cluster Solution

PowerVault NX1950 storage system

1 NIC port A to Gb Ethernet switch

(optional) for MSCS heartbeat

2 NIC port B to Gb Ethernet switch

(optional)

3 On-board Gb1 and Gb2 to Gigabit

Ethernet switch(es)

4 Port 2 on HBA to SAN

5 Port 1 on HBA to SAN

6 DRAC port to Ethernet switch for

lights-out management

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard

It is recommended that you use the PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks wizard to configure the PowerVault NX1950 storage

system and to access MSCS. Figure 2-4 illustrates the wizard. The PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks wizard helps you to perform various tasks to configure the resources required by a cluster.

Before setting up the cluster, you must perform step 1 to step 4 in Table 2-1.

NOTE: The Customize this system section in the wizard is specific to cluster setup.

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution is supported only with the Microsoft Windows® Unified Data Storage Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition.

18 Setting Up Your Cluster

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Figure 2-4. PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks

NOTE: You can also access the PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks

wizard from the PowerVault NX1950 Management Console. To launch this wizard, click Edit server configuration located in the right pane of the window as highlighted in the Figure 2-1 below.

Creating the Cluster

The PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks wizard can be used to create the cluster. Table 2-2 summarizes the steps for creating a cluster using this wizard.

Table 2-2. Phases in Creating a Cluster

Step/Phase Node 1 Nodes 2-8

Start Cluster Configuration wizard ✓

Create the Quorum Disk ✓

Checking for Existing Cluster

✓

Configuration

Set the Cluster IP address ✓

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Table 2-2. Phases in Creating a Cluster

Step/Phase Node 1 Nodes 2-8

(continued)

Supply Administrative Information ✓

Verify Configuration ✓

Start Creation Process ✓

Verify Completion ✓

Add remaining nodes ✓

Join Cluster ✓

Configure Highly-Available File Server

✓

Instance (optional)

indicates that the step is applicable to the respective cluster component.

✓

NOTE: You can initiate the "Create or Join Cluster" from any node. The node that

you create the quorum resource in; is referred to as node 1.

Perform the following procedure to create a cluster:

Go to the

In the

This launches the

If a quorum resource is not configured already, the

PowerVault NX1950 Storage Tasks

Customize this System

section, click

Cluster Configuration

wizard.

Create or Join Cluster

wizard.

Cluster Configuration

wizard creates the quorum disk. If the quorum disk creation fails, see the "Troubleshooting" on page 35 to correct the issue.

Figure 2-5. Quorum Creation

20 Setting Up Your Cluster

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After the quorum disk is created, the

New Server Cluster Wizard

appears. This wizard takes you though the process of cluster creation. Click begin the process.

The

Analyzing Configuration

window appears and the system configuration is analyzed. If a cluster configuration already exists, this step fails. For information about correcting this error, see "Troubleshooting" on page 35.

If no error is reported after the analysis is completed, click

NOTE: The New Server Cluster Wizard may caution you about the cluster

configuration due to the Microsoft Windows Firewall exception being enabled. This does not impact successful cluster setup. For more information about Firewall port exceptions, see "Firewall Port Exceptions" on page 9.

The

IP Address

window prompts you to enter the IP address. Enter the IP

address that you want to configure for the cluster and click

NOTE: This IP address is used for the cluster management (public)

connection.

The

Cluster Service Account

window appears. Enter the domain

controller administrative account information and click

NOTE: It is recommended that you create a domain account with limited

privileges for this purpose. This domain account is granted with local administrator rights on each node and can be used for Controlling Services.

The

Proposed Cluster Configuration

window appears. This window gives

you a summary of the configuration that is being created.

Before you proceed to the next screen, click correct quorum disk. The

Cluster Configuration Quorum

Quorum

to select the

screen

appears.

Select a quorum disk (shared quorum disk) that is accessible to both the nodes. This is essential for a successful cluster creation.

After selecting the quorum disk, check for errors in the summary.

If there are errors, click error. If no errors are reported, click

Back

to go to the incorrect section and correct the

to proceed to the next screen.

The

Creating the Cluster

screen appears. This dialog box gives you the progress of the cluster creation process and the warnings that might have occurred during the process as shown in Figure 2-6.

Setting Up Your Cluster 21

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Figure 2-6. New Server Cluster Wizard

NOTE: The cautions in the Creating the Cluster window in Figure 2-6 are

reported as a result of the firewall being enabled. This does not impact successful cluster creation. For more information about firewall port exceptions, see "Firewall Port Exceptions" on page 9.

The cluster creation process is complete. If any errors have occurred during the cluster creation, the color of the progress bar appears red. Click

The

Completing the New Server Cluster Wizard

Finish

Click

NOTE: This wizard gives you an option to add additional nodes to the cluster.

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution supports only two nodes with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array (Integrated Solution) and up to eight nodes with the Dell|EMC storage arrays (Gateway Solution).

screen appears.

After the node(s) are added, complete the on-screen instructions.

Click

Create or Join Cluster

Configuration Tasks

wizard. In the remaining cluster nodes, start the

in the

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks or Join Cluster

22 Setting Up Your Cluster

PowerVault NX1950 Initial

wizard, and click

Create

Page 23

The

Welcome to the Add Nodes

The

Cluster Name and Domain screen

and domain of the cluster that you want to join and click

The

Select Computers

screen appears. This dialog box allows you to add

screen appears. Click

appears. Enter the cluster name

to continue.

additional nodes to the cluster. Perform the steps below to choose and configure the additional node(s):

In the

Select Computers

screen, click

Browse

and locate the

additional node(s).

After selecting the additional node(s), click

NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you follow this procedure to add

new node(s). The process of adding new node(s) may fail if you do not perform this procedure.

Select the

If the wizard reports any issues during analysis, go to the

Advanced (minimum) configuration

. The analysis phase begins.

Advanced

option and then click

corresponding section and fix the error. If no error is reported and the

appears. Enter the administrator’s user name

analysis is complete, click

NOTE: The Analyzing Configuration screen may display caution

messages. These appear as the Windows Firewall is enabled and do not impact successful cluster creation.

The

Cluster Service Account

and password. If you do not have this information, contact your system administrator.

The

Proposed Cluster Configuration

screen appears. This screen displays

a summary of configuration. Review the configuration. If any

Back

configuration items are incorrect, click configuration is correct, click

The

Adding Nodes to the Cluster

to begin adding the node.

screen appears. This screen displays the

and change the items. If the

status of adding the node to the cluster.

Setting Up Your Cluster 23

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If the node is successfully added, the progress bar is green. If there are any

Back

errors, the progress bar is red. Click

to fix any configuration errors

that caused the failure. After the errors are corrected and the progress bar

is green, click

The

Completing the Add Nodes Wizard

screen appears indicating that the second node has been added successfully. You can view the log of events by clicking

Click

Finish

View Log...

to complete the process. You can use the Cluster

Administrator tool to verify that the node has been added successfully.

NOTE: Repeat step 13 to step 22 for each additional node.

24 Setting Up Your Cluster

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Managing Your Cluster

Creating a Highly Available File Server Instance

In the Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution, all cluster nodes must be configured with a Highly-Available File Server Instance to access the resources of the cluster. This creates a cluster resource group that includes a network name and IP address allowing the file shares that are provisioned on the Highly-Available Server Instance to failover between nodes.

To create a Highly-Available Server Instance, follow the procedure below:

Go to the

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks

Click

In the creation wizard.

In the

server instance

After the name, IP address, and the Subnet mask for the IP address and then click and a progress bar indicates the status of this process.

PowerVault NX1950 Management Console

File Server Management (Local)

Actions

Customize this system

pane, click

Highly available file server instance

. The process of creating a highly-available server instance begins

Edit Server Configuration

section, click

Create a highly available file

wizard launches, enter the

and launch the

wizard.

to start the

NOTE: When you create a Highly-Available Server Instance on a cluster node

using the PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks wizard, the status of the Highly-Available Server Instance is not visible to the other nodes within the cluster. This behavior is expected and is behaving as designed. To access the HighlyAvailable Server Instance, each node in the cluster must have ownership of the instance.

After this process is complete, all nodes have access to the cluster resource group.

NOTE: To set up Snapshots for iSCSI Targets, see the Dell PowerVault NX1950

Systems End-to-End Deployment Guide for iSCSI on the Dell Support website at

support.dell.com.

Managing Your Cluster 25

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Creating a Highly Available iSCSI Target Using Microsoft iSCSI Target 3.0

Click

Start→ Administrative Tools→ Services→ Microsoft iSCSI Software

t→ (right-click)

Ta r ge

Stop the Microsoft® iSCSI service on each cluster node and set it to

On the Active node, go to

Administrator

Enter the following required information and click

–Name –Description

–

Resource Type

–

Group

Verify that all cluster nodes are in the

Select the following dependencies, click

– Cluster IP Address

–Cluster Name

– Physical Disk of Choice

NOTE: Do not select quorum disk.

In the

When prompted for the registry key, click

Software\Microsoft\iSCSI Target

Right-click on

On the active node, go to

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target→

Select the physical disk that you chose in step 6. Right-click on the disk and complete the wizard steps to create a LUN.

Right-click

Ta r ge t

Right-click the new Target and add the existing LUN that you created in step 11.

→

: Select

Service Name

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target

Stop

Groups→

: Select

Cluster Group

field, type

Resource

, to stop the iSCSI service.

Manual

Start→

Administrative Tools→

Cluster Group

Generic Service

WinTarget

and select

PowerVault NX1950 Management Console→

(right-click)→

Possible Owners

Add

, and then click

Add

, type , and then click

Online

Devices

and then click

Cluster

New Resource

window and click

Finish

Create New

NOTE: If you are migrating from Microsoft Target 3.0 to Microsoft Target 3.1, see

the Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Solution Upgrade Guide.

26 Managing Your Cluster

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Creating a Highly Available iSCSI Server Instance Using Microsoft iSCSI Target 3.1

To create Targets and assign the .vhd files, the following steps need to be performed:

Create Highly Available iSCSI Instance

Right-click the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target icon in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and click

for iSCSI

Type the desired name into the field for

Fill out the rest of the required fields

–IP Address

–Subnet mask

–

Network Interface

Click OK twice.

The highly-available instance for iSCSI should be created successfully.

Create Target

Initiator Side

• If you are not using iSNS server, go to the host/initiator to add the newly created Target’s iSCSI highly-available IP address in the Target portals for connectivity.

•Click

Advanced

–

Local Adapter

–

Source IP

and select the following options:

—Microsoft iSCSI Initiator

– IP address of the client for iSCSI traffic

• If you are using iSNS server, then right-click the iSCSI Target icon in MMC, select

Properties

, go to

iSNS

initiator and add iSNS IP address in the

Create high availability instance

Resource Group Name

and click

tab and add iSNS IP address. Go to

Discovery

tab.

Add

Managing Your Cluster 27

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Target Side

Right-click the Target icon in the MMC and click

Type the Target name, Target description, and click

Browse for the desired IQN identifier of the initiator or click

Add IP address

Select the desired Highly-Available iSCSI instance from the drop-down menu and click

Click

Finish

and enter the IP address of the initiator, and then click

Create iSCSI Target

Advanced→

The Target should be successfully created.

Create VDs for the iSCSI Target

NOTE: Prior to creating a VD for the iSCSI Target, you need to create a volume

using the Storage Provision wizard.

Right-click the newly created Target and select Create Virtual disk for iSCSI Ta r ge t . Follow the wizard to successfully create a VD.

Move Volume to desired iSCSI Instance

Launch Cluster Administrator by clicking

Cluster Administrator

. Locate the volume that the devices (.vhd files)

Start→ Administrative Tools→

were located on. This is under cluster groups.

Right-click the volume, select

Change Groups

and select one of the newly

created highly-available instances you want to move the volume to.

A pop-up screen is displayed for confirmation. Click

Yes

twice.

Import Devices

Right-click the devices icon in the MMC, select

click

Browse to the volume the .vhd files are located on, select the .vhd file, click

OK, Next

Repeat step 2 to import all .vhd files.

, and then

Finish

Import Virtual Disk

28 Managing Your Cluster

, and

Page 29

Virtual Disk/Target Associations

Right-click the Target and select

Select the desired virtual disk and click OK.

The virtual disk is associated to the Target and ready for use.

Add existing virtual disk

Creating a Shared Storage Disk

Click

Start→

Administrative Tools→

Server PowerVault NX1950 Management Console

→

Management

Follow the on-screen instructions. When you are prompted to select server assignment, select the default selection (

Complete the configuration steps in the wizard. Shared storage disk is created successfully.

NOTE: For information about limitations in setting up a Shared storage disk, see the

"Limitations While Creating a Shared LUN" on page 41.

Creating a File Share on a Highly Available File Server Instance

Go to

PowerVault NX1950 Management Console→

Managemen

Select the disk that you want to create a file share on, click that the desired instance appears.

Complete the on-screen instructions to complete the creation of a file share on a Highly-Available Server Instance.

Run Provision Storage

t→

Run Provision Share

Windows unified Data Storage

→

Share and Storage

All servers in this cluster

Share and Storage

, and verify

Adding a Node Manually

If a node is not available during the initial creation of the cluster, you have to run the Add Node wizard and add it manually to the cluster. In this scenario, running through the Add Node wizard does not complete all the items required for the cluster to function properly. You have to complete the remaining tasks that are listed in Table 3-1.

Managing Your Cluster 29

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Table 3-1. Adding a Node Manually

Step/Phase New Node(s) Existing Node(s)

Add the cluster to the Server Connections

Edit the Cluster Connection to include all nodes

Assign the Quorum Disk to the Cluster

Configure the RPC Locator Service as and start the service

✓

indicates that the step is applicable to the respective cluster component.

Automatic

✓✓

You must perform the actions in the table on each additional node for the cluster to function properly. These steps assume that the Add Node wizard has been run on the new node and the node is now ready to complete the configuration setup.

Server Connections

After the cluster setup is complete, perform the following procedure to update the server connections to reflect the cluster configuration.

1 Click Start

Server

→ Administrative Tools→ Windows Unified Data Storage

→ Share and Storage Manager→ Storage Manager for SANs→

LUN Management to start the PowerVault NX1950 management console.

In the

LUN Management

The

Manage Server Connections

section, click

Manage Server Connections

window appears. Click

Manage Clusters

to add the cluster to the managed server connections.

In the

Manage Clusters

Enter the name of the cluster and verify that the server is a local server.

Click

window, click

Add

The cluster appears in the list of managed server connections.

30 Managing Your Cluster

Page 31

Adding an Additional Node

After the cluster has been added to the server connections, the additional node must also be added to the list of server connections.

If you have already done so, click

Manage Server Connections

in the

management console.

The

Manage Server Connections

The

Add Server

In the

Select Computer

window appears. Click

window, click

administrator user name and password. Click

The

Select Computer

Select the node that you want to add to the cluster and click OK.

In the

Manage Server Connections

Select the cluster and then click

The

Edit Cluster

window displays the available nodes.

window appears. The server that you have added appears

window appears. Click

Browse

Find Now

window, click

Edit

, and enter the

Manage clusters

Add

in the bottom pane of the window.

Select the server by selecting the check box beside it and then click OK.

Assigning the Quorum Disk to the Cluster

The next phase of manually adding the device is to assign the quorum disk to the cluster. In order to perform this step:

Go to

Share and Storage Manager→

LUN Management

The management console appears. In the right pane of the console, select

Assign LUN...

The

Assign LUN Wizard

Ensure that the

Click OK to confirm the assignment of the logical unit number (LUN) to

in the

Selected LUN

launches the

Assign the LUN now

Storage Manager for SANs→

section.

Server Access

window.

option is selected and click

the cluster.

After the assignment is complete, go to the management console and assign the quorum LUN server to the cluster from the

LUN Management

view.

Managing Your Cluster 31

Page 32

Configure the RPC Locator Service

The last step in creating your cluster is to set the RPC Locator Service to Automatic. Perform the procedure below to change this setting:

Click

Start→ Programs→

Locate the

The In the

Click

NOTE: MSCS uses the RPC Locator Service for remote management purposes.

If this service is not configured, MSCS does not behave as expected.

After these steps are completed on all servers, the cluster configuration can be tested. For more information on testing the cluster configuration, see the Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 Help.

RPC Locator Service

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator Properties

General

Start

tab, set the

to start the service.

Administrative Tools→

and double-click the icon.

Startup type

Automatic

Services

window launches.

Removing Nodes From the Cluster

NOTICE: Few actions described in this section are termed as destructive cluster

operations. Ensure that you back up all data on the cluster nodes before performing these actions to avoid loss of data.

Removing a Node

You can use the Cluster Administrator or cluster.exe to remove a node from the cluster. To remove the node from the cluster using the Cluster Administrator, perform the following procedure:

1 In Cluster Administrator tool,

File→

Open Connection

If the cluster name is not provided, click

After you select the cluster, the Cluster Administrator lists the cluster and all the member nodes. From the list of member nodes, select the one that is to be removed.

Right-click on the name of the node and then click

Service on the Node

After the node has been selected, click the node from the cluster.

open the cluster connection by selecting

Browse

and select the cluster name.

Stop the Cluster

File→

Evict Node

. This removes

32 Managing Your Cluster

Page 33

To remove the cluster node using the cluster.exe tool, you must stop the cluster service and then evict the node by performing the following procedure:

1 Open an MS-DOS

Enter the following commands:

cluster node <node name> /stop cluster node <node name> /evict

After executing these commands, enter the following command to ensure that the node has been removed:

cluster node <node name> /status

It is recommended that you verify that the node has been removed by checking from another node in the cluster.

prompt

Removing the Last Node

Removing the last node in the cluster is different than removing other nodes in the cluster. Removing the last node removes the cluster.

To remove the last node using Cluster Administrator, stop the Cluster Service on the node, and then click File

To remove the last node, using the cluster.exe tool, enter the following commands:

cluster node <node name> /stop

→

Evict Node.

cluster node <node name> /forcecleanup

NOTICE: If this operation fails, the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution does not

function properly. Exercise extreme caution in planning the cluster so that removal of the last node is not necessary.

Replacing a Node

To replace a node, you must remove the node and then add a node manually.

For instructions about removing a node, see "Removing Nodes From the Cluster" on page 32. For instructions about adding a node manually, see "Adding a Node Manually" on page 29.

Managing Your Cluster 33

Page 34

Removing the Cluster

Removing the cluster is a destructive operation and may affect cluster functionality.

NOTICE: Ensure that you back up all data on the cluster nodes before performing

these actions to avoid loss of data.

To remove cluster, remove all but one node and then remove the last node using the /forcecleanup option. After the last node has been removed, the cluster has been removed. To clear the history of the cluster:

Go to

Storage Manager for SANs→Manage Clusters→Edit Cluster

Deselect all the nodes.

Click OK and then click

Remove

to delete the cluster entry.

34 Managing Your Cluster

Page 35

Troubleshooting

Microsoft® Windows® Unified Data Storage Server 2003 provides general cluster troubleshooting. To access this Help and Support content:

Click

Start→

Help and Support

The

Help and Support

Cluster Troubleshooting

In the search results, locate and select the option. This section gives you information about general cluster troubleshooting.

This section contains common issues you may encounter on your Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution.

Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting

Problem Area Probable Cause Corrective Action

Network Communication

The nodes cannot access the storage system, or the cluster software is not functioning with the storage system.

window appears. Search for content related to

The storage system is not cabled properly to the nodes or the cabling between the storage components is incorrect.

One of the cables or connectors is faulty.

The TCP/IP configuration is incorrect.

IP addresses not configured correctly.

Troubleshooting: Server Cluster

Ensure that all external cables are securely attached to the external connectors on your system. For an example of supported cabling configuration, see "Other Documents You May Need" on page 13.

Ensure that the cables or connectors are not damaged.

Ensure that the cluster nodes are on the same subnet to prevent network communication errors.

The cluster heartbeat IP address should be on a different subnet than the cluster IP address.

Troubleshooting 35

Page 36

Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting

(continued)

Problem Area Probable Cause Corrective Action

Firewall exceptions are closed.

Execute the firewall exceptions script that is a part of the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution software. This script restores the exceptions to factory settings and allows cluster operations to run.

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution is unable to detect the PowerVault MD3000 storage array

The PowerVault NX1950 cluster nodes and the PowerVault MD3000 storage array were not turned on in the correct sequence.

To correct this issue:

Turn off the cluster nodes and the PowerVault MD3000 storage array.

Tur n o n th e P o we rVa u lt MD3000 storage array and allow it to initialize (The blue LED on the front panel of the PowerVault MD3000 storage array must glow).

After the PowerVault MD3000 storage array has initialized, turn on the PowerVault NX1950 cluster nodes.

The PowerVault MD3000 storage array is now detectable.

Replacing the PowerVault MD3000 storage array

For instructions on replacing the storage array, see the documentation that shipped with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array.

36 Troubleshooting

Page 37

Table A-1. General Cluster Troubleshooting

(continued)

Problem Area Probable Cause Corrective Action

Replacing the SAS 5/E host bus adapter (HBA)

To replace the HBA, perform the following steps:

Turn off the cluster node and remove the cabling.

Replace the HBA.

Cable and turn on the cluster node.

Exit from the

Storage Initialization

when it attempts

Wizard

to run and launch the Dell Modular Disk Storage Manager.

Select

Manual Discovery

and type in local host.

Click

Resolve topology

and follow the

conflict

recommended steps to resolve the conflict.

Unable to access newly created volume from Windows Explorer.

The Dell Storage Initialization Wizard does not register additional cluster nodes to the PowerVault MD3000 storage array.

LUN was created from another node in the cluster.

A dummy host may be configured to the PowerVault MD3000 storage array.

Log off and log on again.

For information about fixing the error, see "Dell Storage Initialization Wizard Does Not Register the Cluster Node to the PowerVault MD3000 Storage Array if a Dummy Host is Registered" on page 42.

Dell

Troubleshooting 37

Page 38

38 Troubleshooting

Page 39

Important Information

This section provides important information about Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 cluster solution. The following topics are discussed:

• "Deleting LUNs With Storage Manager for SANs" on page 39

• "Dell Storage Initialization Wizard and Array Name" on page 40

• "If a Node is Configured With iSCSI LUNs Before Joining the Cluster, the iSCSI Target MMC Snap-in Crashes" on page 40

• "Connection to the iSCSI LUN is Lost When a Cluster Failover Occurs" on page 40

• "Limitations While Creating a Shared LUN" on page 41

• "Dell Storage Initialization Wizard Does Not Register the Cluster Node to the PowerVault MD3000 Storage Array if a Dummy Host is Registered" on page 42

• "Assigning LUNs/Volumes to a Cluster via Storage Manager for SANs" on page 42

Deleting LUNs With Storage Manager for SANs

When you are deleting logical unit numbers (LUNs) using Storage Manager for SANs in the Integrated Solution with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array, you cannot remove the reservation for disks that are within the cluster. To work around this issue perform one of the following procedures:

• Use the PowerVault NX1950 Management Console for Storage.

–Go to

– Stop the sharing of the LUN.

– Select the LUN that is not be shared and remove it.

– Delete the LUN using the PowerVault NX1950 Management

This is the preferred method for deleting LUNs associated with the cluster.

PowerVault NX1950 Management Console→

Storage Management

Console’s Storage Manager for SANs utility.

Important Information 39

Share and

Page 40

• Use the Cluster Administrator to delete the LUN. Start the Cluster Administrator and then change the disk associated with the cluster to offline.

NOTE: This action reports an error message from the PowerVault NX1950

Management Console, but the LUN has been deleted.

Dell Storage Initialization Wizard and Array Name

The Dell Storage Initialization Wizard in the Integrated Solution with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array configures the cluster nodes and the storage array for the PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution. When you are configuring the cluster, ensure that the array name is persistent across both nodes. If the array name is changed on one node and the change is not replicated across the second node, the node without the change encounters Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider issues.

If a Node is Configured With iSCSI LUNs Before Joining the Cluster, the iSCSI Target MMC Snap-in Crashes

If iSCSI LUNs are configured on your PowerVault NX1950 storage system and you are upgrading the operating system from Microsoft Data Storage Server 2003 Standard Edition to Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, you must follow the procedure described in the Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Important Information Guide located on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

Windows® Unified

Connection to the iSCSI LUN is Lost When a Cluster Failover Occurs

If the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator is not configured properly, the network settings for the Microsoft iSCSI Target may be reset when a resource group fails. To re-establish connection to the iSCSI LUN, follow the procedure described in the Dell PowerVault NX1950 Systems Important Information Guide located on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

40 Important Information

Page 41

Limitations While Creating a Shared LUN

In the Integrated Solution with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array, you can use the Provision Storage Wizard to create LUNs. In the Server Assignment window, you will be prompted to assign the LUN by choosing one of the options below as shown in Figure B-1.

• This server only

• All servers in this cluster

• Other server or cluster

Select the default option All servers in this cluster and follow the instructions on the screen to create the LUN.

Figure B-1. Provision Storage Wizard

NOTICE: Selecting This Server Only option in the Server Assignment window of the

Provision Storage Wizard when creating a LUN assigns the LUN to the cluster. You can create a private LUN manually only using the Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager. For more information see the Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager User's Guide.

Important Information 41

Page 42

Dell Storage Initialization Wizard Does Not Register the Cluster Node to the PowerVault MD3000 Storage Array if a Dummy Host is Registered

You can register a maximum of two hosts (or cluster nodes) with the PowerVault MD3000 storage array using the Dell Storage Initialization Wizard. The wizard does not register additional hosts after two hosts have been registered. You may encounter an error condition where you are not allowed to register an additional host even when a single physical host is registered. If you encounter this error, verify to ensure that a dummy host is not registered.

NOTE: A dummy host is created either when a host is renamed or when an existing

host is turned off. This host is not operational but it is visible to the storage array. You can delete the dummy host from the storage array using the Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager.

Assigning LUNs/Volumes to a Cluster via Storage Manager for SANs

The Assign function in Storage Manager for SANs only exposes the LUN/Volumes to the hosts and does not assign it to the cluster group. To assign the LUN/volume to a cluster group, perform the following steps:

Assign the LUN to the cluster.

Verify that the LUN has been assigned to the Host Group in

Modular Disk Storage Manager

Disk Management

Launch Cluster Administration by clicking

Cluster Administrator→ New Resource

Enter the following required information:

–Name

–Description

–

Resource Type

–

Group

: Select

, verify that the disk is basic and assign it a drive letter.

: Select

Cluster Group

Groups

. Right-click

Physical Disk

Start→

Administrative Tools→

Cluster Group

PowerVault

and select

42 Important Information

Page 43

Click

Verify that all cluster nodes are listed in the

click

Select the following dependencies:

– Cluster IP Address

–Cluster Name

– Physical Disk of Choice

Click

Add

and then click

Follow the instructions on the screen and then click

Right-click on

Refresh the

Resource

Vo lu mes

and select

tab under

Online

. The disk is now part of the cluster.

Share and Storage Management

Possible Owners

Finish

window and

Important Information 43

Page 44

44 Important Information

Page 45

Glossary

Compact Disk

Cluster

A configuration of two Dell™ PowerVault™ NX1950 storage systems and Storage Array that uses MSCS.

DRAC

Dell Remote Assistance Card

Gigabyte

Gigabit

Hard Drive

Host Group

A group of two or more hosts that share access to specific virtual disks on the storage array. All hosts in a host group must be running the same operating system.

iSCSI

Internet Small Computer System Interface

LUN

Logical Unit Number

MSCS

Microsoft® Cluster Services

NAS

Network Attached Storage

Glossary 45

Page 46

NAS Solution

A configuration that consists of at least one PowerVault NX1950 storage system with a PowerVault MD3000 storage array connected via SAS and Ethernet.

NIC

Network Interface Card

Node

A PowerVault NX1950 storage system that can be a member of a cluster configuration.

PCI

Peripheral Component Interface

PERC 5/i

PowerEdge Raid Controller (Internal)

RAM

Random Access Memory

SAN

Storage Area Network

SAS

Serial Attached SCSI

SAS 5/E

Dell Host Bus Adapter for Serial Attached SCSI

VDS

Virtual Disk Service

VSS

Volume Shadow Copy Service

46 Glossary

Page 47

Index

cluster nodes, 8

Firewall Port Exception, 9

MSCS, 7

PowerVault NX1950 cluster

system, 7 Cabling, 16 operating system, 11 Removing, 32 Setup, 19 To ol s , 1 1

Quorum resource, 9

Index 47

Page 48

48 Index

Dell PowerVault NX1950 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Overview of MSCS

Nodes

Cluster Resources

Resource Group

Quorum Resource

Shared Versus Private Storage

Firewall Port Exceptions

Configuration Tools

Supported Operating System

Cluster Administration and Management

Cluster Administrator

Cluster.exe

Other Documents You May Need

Setting Up Your Cluster

Configuring Your Cluster

Prerequisites for Cabling Your Cluster

Cabling Your Integrated Solution

Cabling Your Gateway Solution

PowerVault NX1950 Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard

Creating the Cluster

Managing Your Cluster

Creating a Highly Available File Server Instance

Creating a Highly Available iSCSI Target Using Microsoft iSCSI Target 3.0

Creating a Highly Available iSCSI Server Instance Using Microsoft iSCSI Target 3.1

Creating a Shared Storage Disk

Adding a Node Manually

Removing Nodes From the Cluster

Removing a Node

Removing the Last Node

Replacing a Node

Removing the Cluster

Troubleshooting

Important Information

Deleting LUNs With Storage Manager for SANs

Dell Storage Initialization Wizard and Array Name

If a Node is Configured With iSCSI LUNs Before Joining the Cluster, the iSCSI Target MMC Snap-in Crashes

Connection to the iSCSI LUN is Lost When a Cluster Failover Occurs

Limitations While Creating a Shared LUN

Dell Storage Initialization Wizard Does Not Register the Cluster Node to the PowerVault MD3000 Storage Array if a Dummy Host is Registered

Assigning LUNs/Volumes to a Cluster via Storage Manager for SANs

Glossary

Index