Quantum DXi6900 User Manual

User Essentials

© 2015 Quantum | Training and Documentation

DXi6900 6-68165-02 Rev A

*6-68165-02*

Documentation and Training

For information on configuring, operating, and maintaining your DXi6900, open a Web browser and
go to www.quantum.com/dxi6900docs. You will find product documentation, best practice guides,
how-to videos, and other product resources.

For information about available training courses, go to

www.quantum.com/ServiceandSupport/StorageCareLearning/index.aspx.

System Serial Number

If you contact Quantum Support, you will need your
system serial number. To locate the system serial
number from the GUI, look at the Home page of the
Remote Management Console. It is also located on the
information tab that pulls out from the node front panel.

The system serial number includes the letters BVW. An
example system serial number is AV1233BVW11650.

To enable some licensed features, you will need a
license certificate and the system serial number
(DXi6900 User’s Guide, “License Keys” section).

Review this document after your DXi6900 system has been installed. It will help you
become familiar with your system.

However, this document is not a substitute for

the DXi6900 User’s Guide or for Quantum training.

Licensed Features

On the DXi GUI, go to Utilities > License Keys and review the licensed features:

Pre-installed features:

• Network Attached Storage (NAS): One of the options for presenting the DXi6900 to the host.

• OpenStorage Technology (OST): One of the options for presenting the DXi6900 to
the host. Specific versions of NetBackup and Backup Exec are required. For more
details, refer to the DXi-Series: NetBackup and Backup Exec OST Configuration Guide
(www.quantum.com/DXi6900docs).

• Virtual Tape Library (VTL): One of the options for presenting the DXi6900 to the host when a
Fibre Channel card is installed. This license is for 160 virtual tape drives.

• Backup Application Specific Path-to-Tape: Provides the ability to move data to physical tape
cartridges in an attached tape library, using a Fibre Channel connection.

• Deduplication: Enables data deduplication.

• Replication: Enables replication to other DXi systems.

• Data-in-Flight Encryption: Enables use of AES encryption (128-bit or 256-bit) when sending
data to another system. (Not available in all regions.)

Licensed features included as a license certificate (these features require enabling for use):

• Data-at-Rest Encryption: For systems with SED-capable drives, the Data-at-Rest encryption
license may be installed. (Not available in all regions.)

• Storage Capacity: The default storage capacity of 17 TB is a pre-installed feature. Increased
storage capacity (in 17-TB increments) can be installed through a combination of additional
storage modules and storage license certificates.

Hardware

• Additional storage is provided through expansion modules (EBODs) associated with array
modules (RBODs). All DXi6900 systems have at least one array module.

• Identify the ports on the node (these may vary depending upon selected options), array
modules, and expansion modules.

• Identify the LEDs on the node, array modules, and expansion modules.

• Identify the disk drives. DXi6900 systems use hard disk drives (HDDs) in the node for the
operating system, system software, and metadata. The HDDs in the storage arrays are used
for bulk data storage. All drives are hot swappable, provided that they are replaced one at a
time, and RAID is allowed to rebuild after each replacement.

Node Front

(without bezel)

Power Switch

& Indicator VGA Port

LCD

Display

16 x 1.2-TB Hard Drives

Array Module (RBOD) and
Expansion Module (EBOD)

12 x 4-TB Hard Disk

Drives in Dynamic Disk

Pool Configuration

Array Indicator LEDs

Node Rear

Power Supply 13 x 1 GbE

Ethernet Ports

USB Ports
(not used)

4 x 12 Gb

Mini-SAS Ports

Power Supply 2

3 slots for Optional 10 Gb Ethernet

or 16 GB Fibre Channel Cards

Port 1

Port 2

ID/
Diag

|O|O|

Port 1 Port 2

ID/
Diag

|O|O|

Power/Fan Canister Power/Fan Canister

Array Module Rear

Controller Controller

Mini-SAS HD

Connectors

Mini-SAS HD

Connectors

ID/Diag

Port 1

ID/Diag

Port 1

Power/Fan Canister Power/Fan Canister

Mini-SAS Connectors

Expansion Module Rear

Mini-SAS Connectors

DXi6900 6-68165-02 Rev A

*6-68165-02*

© 2015 Quantum | Training and Documentation

Troubleshooting and Help

Before calling Quantum Support, review these FAQs:

Question: How can I free up disk space on my DXi?

Answer: There are multiple ways you can remove data from your DXi:

• Delete data from your NAS share or VTL partition.

• Erase or re-label tapes from your backup application.

• Delete the virtual media altogether.

• If the DXi is a target system, delete replicated snapshots.

After you take one or more of the previous actions, run space reclamation.

Question: When should I schedule replication and space reclamation for best performance?

Answer: Optimize your performance by scheduling your backups, replication, and space

reclamation to run at different times throughout the day.

Question: How can I increase my deduplication ratio?

Answer: Optimize your deduplication ratio by disabling software compression, encryption, and

multiplexing in the backup application.

Question: What should I do when my backups fail?

Answer: Backup jobs may fail for some of these reasons:

• The DXi ran out of space during the backup window.

• Your backup host lost network connectivity to the DXi.

• Your backup application may have crashed. Try re-running the backup.

Here are some tips you may find helpful for troubleshooting:

1. Review the “Troubleshooting” chapter in the DXi6900 User’s Guide.

2. Search for solutions in the Knowledge Base at http://qsupport.quantum.com/kb/.

3. Download log files. Technical Support will need these for troubleshooting.

• Utilities > Diagnostics > System Diag File > Generate New/Download Current

• Utilities > Diagnostics > Storage Array Diag File > Generate New/Download Current

4. Access eSupport by opening an Online Service Request at

https://onlineservice.quantum.com/OA_HTML/xxibu/jtflogin.jsp.

5. Contact Quantum Support. In the U.S., call 800-284-5101 toll free. In Europe, call toll
free [phone] or direct [phone]. For additional contact information, go to

www.quantum.com/ServiceandSupport/Contacts/Index.aspx.

Status and Notifications / Alert Options

• Set up Email notifications. Go to Configuration > Notifications > Email > Recipients (DXi6900
User’s Guide, “Notifications” section).

• Set up SNMP. Go to Configuration > Notifications > SNMP (DXi6900 User’s Guide,
“Notifications” section).

• Install and configure StorageCare Guardian. Find links to product documentation and white
papers at www.quantum.com/ServiceandSupport/Services/GuardianInformation/Index.aspx.
StorageCare Guardian securely links Quantum hardware and the diagnostic data from the
surrounding storage ecosystem to Quantum’s Global Services Team. This free, agent-based
application facilitates faster, more precise root cause diagnosis.

• Check the system status on the Home page (DXi6900 User’s Guide, “DXi6900 Home Page” chapter).

• Check Status from the main menu. Go to Status > Hardware. Storage array failures are
critical and must be addressed immediately to minimize the chances of data loss (DXi6900
User’s Guide, “DXi6900 Status” chapter).

• Review the Service Tickets. Click the Tickets button on the DXi banner in the Remote
Management Console, or go to Alerts > Service Tickets. Follow the suggested actions
(DXi6900 User’s Guide, “DXi6900 Alerts” chapter).

Basic Operations

1. DXi6900 components (node and expansion modules) must be turned on and off in the order described
in the DXi6900 User’s Guide (refer to the “Turning On and Shutting Down the System” section).

2. Change the Administrator password and access settings for other accounts by logging in to the
Remote Management Console and navigating to Configuration > System > Security > Access

Control. Refer to the DXi6900 User’s Guide, “Chapter 9: Configuration.”

Basic Configuration (Network, VTL, NAS, OST, Replication)

The Configuration Wizards launch during the initial configuration, but you can use them
at any time by clicking the Wizards button from the DXi Main menu. The Configuration
Wizards provide step-by-step instructions for setting up VTL, NAS, OST, replication,
e-mail alerts, and technical support features such as registering your product.

You can find detailed descriptions of configuration processes in the DXi6900 User’s
Guide, “DXi6900 Configuration” chapter.

In addition to using the Wizards menu, you can configure network, VTL, NAS, OST,
replication, and space management settings from the DXi main menu by doing any of
the following:

• Edit Network Configuration. Go to Configuration > System > Network. Consult
your network administrator before changing any of this information.

• Configure VTL. Go to Configuration > VTL. Cartridge creation can vary,
depending on the backup application and settings used. However, as a general
rule, make sure that there is sufficient media to hold the amount of backup data
for the required retention period, and use smaller-sized media (DXi6900s User’s
Guide, “Best Practices” section).

• Configure NAS. Go to Configuration > NAS.

• Configure OST. Go to Configuration > OST.

• Set up replication. Go to Configuration > Replication. Note: OST replication (optimized
duplication) requires a different setup from replication for NAS shares and VTL partitions (DXi-
Series: NetBackup and Backup Exec OST Configuration Guide).

During replication, data is sent from one system (the source) to another system (the target),
usually in another location. Sources send replicated data, consisting of unique blocks not already
present at the target, to the target, and the metadata for the entire backup set.

Quantum recommends that you schedule replication to run after backups are complete (DXi6900
User’s Guide, “Adding or Editing a Scheduled Event” section). In addition, always replicate a new
share or partition immediately after creating it. This establishes the initial data structure on the
target system and greatly increases the speed of the first replication.

• Configure space reclamation. Go to Utilities > Space Reclamation to start, stop, or monitor space
reclamation activities (DXi6900 User’s Guide, “Utilities” chapter). Go to Configuration > Scheduler
to configure a space reclamation schedule (DXi6900 User’s Guide, “Adding or Editing a Scheduled
Event” section).

Space reclamation is the process used to delete blocks that are no longer referenced by metadata,
returning capacity to the free space pool for future reuse. It’s a best practice to run/schedule
space reclamation on a daily basis. This operation can use a significant amount of CPU processing
and disk I/O. Avoid running or scheduling space reclamation during known backup periods.

Software Upgrades

The DXi system software was upgraded to the latest version during
installation and initial configuration.

On the Home page of the GUI, in System Overview, click the
Software Upgrade link to open the Software Upgrade Utility.
Software upgrades can include new features, and bug fixes.

Quantum recommends that you configure the system to
automatically check for software upgrades on a daily basis (DXi6900
User’s Guide, “Software Upgrades” section). If a software upgrade is
available, you will be notified by an admin alert, and by a Quick Tip icon on the Home page.