Document Outline

• Dell PowerVault MD Series Storage Arrays Administrator's Guide
• Introduction
  • Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager
  • User Interface
  • Enterprise Management Window
    • Inheriting The System Settings
  • Array Management Window
  • Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Configuration Utility
  • Other Information You May Need
• About Your MD Series Storage Array
  • Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, And Disk Groups
    • Physical Disks
    • Physical Disk States
    • Self-Monitoring Analysis And Reporting Technology
    • Virtual Disks And Disk Groups
    • Virtual Disk States
  • Disk Pools
  • Thin Virtual Disks
  • RAID Levels
    • RAID Level Usage
    • RAID 0
    • RAID 1
    • RAID 5
    • RAID 6
    • RAID 10
  • Segment Size
  • Virtual Disk Operations
    • Virtual Disk Initialization
    • Consistency Check
    • Media Verification
    • Cycle Time
    • Virtual Disk Operations Limit
  • Disk Group Operations
    • RAID Level Migration
    • Segment Size Migration
    • Virtual Disk Capacity Expansion
    • Disk Group Expansion
    • Disk Group Defragmentation
    • Disk Group Operations Limit
  • RAID Background Operations Priority
  • Virtual Disk Migration And Disk Roaming
    • Disk Migration
    • Disk Roaming
    • Host Server-To-Virtual Disk Mapping
    • Host Types
  • Advanced Features
    • Types Of Snapshot Functionality Supported
    • Snapshot Virtual Disks (Legacy)
    • Snapshot (Legacy) Repository Virtual Disk
    • Virtual Disk Copy
    • Virtual Disk Recovery
    • Using Snapshot And Virtual Disk Copy Together
  • Multi-Path Software
    • Preferred And Alternate Controllers And Paths
    • Virtual Disk Ownership
  • Load Balancing
  • Monitoring System Performance
    • Monitoring Performance Using The Tabular View
    • Monitoring Performance Using The Graphical View
• Discovering And Managing Your Storage Array
  • Out-Of-Band Management
  • In-Band Management
    • Access Virtual Disk
  • Storage Arrays
    • Automatic Discovery Of Storage Arrays
    • Manual Addition Of A Storage Array
  • Setting Up Your Storage Array
    • Locating Storage Arrays
    • Naming Or Renaming Storage Arrays
    • Setting A Password
    • Adding Or Editing A Comment To An Existing Storage Array
    • Removing Storage Arrays
    • Enabling Premium Features
    • Displaying Failover Alert
    • Changing The Cache Settings On The Storage Array
    • Changing Expansion Enclosure ID Numbers
    • Changing The Enclosure Order
  • Configuring Alert Notifications
    • Configuring E-mail Alerts
    • Configuring SNMP Alerts
  • Battery Settings
    • Changing The Battery Settings
  • Setting The Storage Array RAID Controller Module Clocks
• Using iSCSI
  • Changing The iSCSI Target Authentication
  • Entering Mutual Authentication Permissions
  • Creating CHAP Secrets
    • Initiator CHAP Secret
    • Target CHAP Secret
    • Valid Characters For CHAP Secrets
  • Changing The iSCSI Target Identification
  • Changing The iSCSI Target Discovery Settings
  • Configuring The iSCSI Host Ports
  • Advanced iSCSI Host Port Settings
  • Viewing Or Ending An iSCSI Session
  • Viewing iSCSI Statistics And Setting Baseline Statistics
  • Edit, Remove, Or Rename Host Topology
• Event Monitor
  • Enabling Or Disabling The Event Monitor
    • Windows
    • Linux
• About Your Host
  • Configuring Host Access
  • Using The Host Mappings Tab
    • Defining A Host
  • Removing Host Access
  • Managing Host Groups
  • Creating A Host Group
    • Adding A Host To A Host Group
    • Removing A Host From A Host Group
    • Moving A Host To A Different Host Group
    • Removing A Host Group
    • Host Topology
    • Starting Or Stopping The Host Context Agent
  • I/O Data Path Protection
  • Managing Host Port Identifiers
• Disk Groups, Standard Virtual Disks, And Thin Virtual Disks
  • Creating Disk Groups And Virtual Disks
    • Creating Disk Groups
    • Locating A Disk Group
    • Creating Standard Virtual Disks
    • Changing The Virtual Disk Modification Priority
    • Changing The Virtual Disk Cache Settings
    • Changing The Segment Size Of A Virtual Disk
    • Changing The IO Type
  • Thin Virtual Disks
    • Advantages Of Thin Virtual Disks
    • Physical Vs Virtual Capacity On A Thin Virtual Disk
    • Thin Virtual Disk Requirements And Limitations
    • Thin Volume Attributes
    • Thin Virtual Disk States
    • Comparison—Types Of Virtual Disks And Copy Services
    • Rollback On Thin Virtual Disks
    • Initializing A Thin Virtual Disk
    • Changing A Thin Virtual Disk To A Standard Virtual Disk
  • Choosing An Appropriate Physical Disk Type
  • Physical Disk Security With Self Encrypting Disk
    • Creating A Security Key
    • Changing A Security Key
    • Saving A Security Key
    • Validate Security Key
    • Unlocking Secure Physical Disks
    • Erasing Secure Physical Disks
  • Configuring Hot Spare Physical Disks
    • Hot Spares And Rebuild
    • Global Hot Spares
    • Hot Spare Operation
    • Hot Spare Drive Protection
  • Enclosure Loss Protection
  • Drawer Loss Protection
  • Host-To-Virtual Disk Mapping
    • Creating Host-To-Virtual Disk Mappings
    • Modifying And Removing Host-To-Virtual Disk Mapping
    • Changing Controller Ownership Of The Virtual Disk
    • Removing Host-To-Virtual Disk Mapping
    • Changing The RAID Controller Module Ownership Of A Disk Group
    • Changing The RAID Level Of A Disk Group
    • Removing A Host-To-Virtual Disk Mapping Using Linux DMMP
  • Restricted Mappings
  • Storage Partitioning
  • Disk Group And Virtual Disk Expansion
    • Disk Group Expansion
    • Virtual Disk Expansion
    • Using Free Capacity
    • Using Unconfigured Capacity
  • Disk Group Migration
    • Export Disk Group
    • Import Disk Group
  • Storage Array Media Scan
    • Changing Media Scan Settings
    • Suspending The Media Scan
• Disk Pools And Disk Pool Virtual Disks
  • Difference Between Disk Groups And Disk Pools
  • Disk Pool Restrictions
  • Creating A Disk Pool Manually
  • Automatically Managing The Unconfigured Capacity In Disk Pools
  • Locating Physical Disks In A Disk Pool
  • Renaming A Disk Pool
  • Configuring Alert Notifications For A Disk Pool
  • Adding Unassigned Physical Disks To A Disk Pool
  • Configuring The Preservation Capacity Of A Disk Pool
  • Changing The Modification Priority Of A Disk Pool
  • Changing The RAID Controller Module Ownership Of A Disk Pool
  • Checking Data Consistency
  • Deleting A Disk Pool
  • Viewing Storage Array Logical Components And Associated Physical Components
  • Secure Disk Pools
  • Changing Capacity On Existing Thin Virtual Disks
  • Creating A Thin Virtual Disk From A Disk Pool
• Using SSD Cache
  • How SSD Cache Works
  • Benefits Of SSD Cache
  • Choosing SSD Cache Parameters
  • SSD Cache Restrictions
  • Creating An SSD Cache
  • Viewing Physical Components Associated With An SSD Cache
  • Locating Physical Disks In An SSD Cache
  • Adding Physical Disks To An SSD Cache
  • Removing Physical Disks From An SSD Cache
  • Suspending Or Resuming SSD Caching
  • Changing I/O Type In An SSD Cache
  • Renaming An SSD Cache
  • Deleting An SSD Cache
  • Using The Performance Modeling Tool
• Premium Feature—Snapshot Virtual Disk
  • Snapshot Virtual Disk Vs. Snapshot Virtual Disk (Legacy)
  • Snapshot Images And Groups
  • Snapshot Virtual Disk Read/Write Properties
  • Snapshot Groups And Consistency Groups
    • Snapshot Groups
    • Snapshot Consistency Groups
  • Understanding Snapshot Repositories
    • Consistency Group Repositories
    • Ranking Repository Candidates
    • Using Snapshot Consistency Groups With Remote Replication
  • Creating Snapshot Images
    • Creating A Snapshot Image
    • Canceling A Pending Snapshot Image
    • Deleting A Snapshot Image
  • Scheduling Snapshot Images
    • Creating A Snapshot Schedule
    • Editing A Snapshot Schedule
  • Performing Snapshot Rollbacks
    • Snapshot Rollback Limitations
    • Starting A Snapshot Rollback
    • Resuming A Snapshot Image Rollback
    • Canceling A Snapshot Image Rollback
    • Viewing The Progress Of A Snapshot Rollback
    • Changing Snapshot Rollback Priority
  • Creating A Snapshot Group
    • Creating A Consistency Group Repository (Manually)
    • Changing Snapshot Group Settings
    • Renaming A Snapshot Group
    • Deleting A Snapshot Group
  • Converting Snapshots (Legacy) To A Snapshot Group
    • Conversion Limitations
    • Converting Snapshots (Legacy)
  • Converting A Snapshot Virtual Disk To Read-Write
  • Viewing Associated Physical Components Of An Individual Repository Virtual Disk
  • Creating A Consistency Group
    • Creating A Consistency Group Repository (Manually)
    • Renaming A Consistency Group
    • Deleting A Consistency Group
    • Changing The Settings Of A Consistency Group
    • Adding A Member Virtual Disk To A Consistency Group
    • Removing A Member Virtual Disk From A Consistency Group
  • Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Of A Snapshot Image
    • Snapshot Virtual Disk Limitations
    • Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Repository
    • Changing The Settings Of A Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Disabling A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Re-creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Renaming A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Deleting A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
  • Creating A Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Creating A Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk Repository (Manually)
    • Disabling A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Re-creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Or Consistency Group Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Changing The Modification Priority Of An Overall Repository Virtual Disk
    • Changing The Media Scan Setting Of An Overall Repository Virtual Disk
    • Changing The Pre-read Consistency Check Setting Of An Overall Repository Virtual Disk
    • Increasing The Capacity Of An Overall Repository
    • Decreasing The Capacity Of The Overall Repository
    • Performing A Revive Operation
• Premium Feature—Snapshot Virtual Disks (Legacy)
  • Scheduling A Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Common Reasons For Scheduling A Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Guidelines for Creating Snapshot Schedules
  • Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Using The Simple Path
    • About The Simple Path
    • Preparing Host Servers To Create The Snapshot Using The Simple Path
  • Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk Using The Advanced Path
    • About The Advanced Path
    • Preparing Host Servers To Create The Snapshot Using The Advanced Path
    • Creating The Snapshot Using The Advanced Path
  • Specifying Snapshot Virtual Disk Names
  • Snapshot Repository Capacity
  • Re-Creating Snapshot Virtual Disks
  • Disabling A Snapshot Virtual Disk
    • Preparing Host Servers To Re-Create A Snapshot Virtual Disk
  • Re-Creating A Snapshot Virtual Disk
• Premium Feature—Virtual Disk Copy
  • Using Virtual Disk Copy With Snapshot Or Snapshot (Legacy) Premium Feature
  • Types Of Virtual Disk Copies
    • Offline Copy
    • Online Copy
  • Creating A Virtual Disk Copy For An MSCS Shared Disk
  • Virtual Disk Read/Write Permissions
  • Virtual Disk Copy Restrictions
  • Creating A Virtual Disk Copy
    • Setting Read/Write Permissions On Target Virtual Disk
    • Before You Begin
    • Virtual Disk Copy And Modification Operations
    • Create Copy Wizard
    • Failed Virtual Disk Copy
  • Preferred RAID Controller Module Ownership
  • Failed RAID Controller Module
  • Copy Manager
  • Copying The Virtual Disk
  • Storage Array Performance During Virtual Disk Copy
  • Setting Copy Priority
  • Stopping A Virtual Disk Copy
  • Recopying A Virtual Disk
    • Preparing Host Servers To Recopy A Virtual Disk
    • Recopying The Virtual Disk
  • Removing Copy Pairs
• Device Mapper Multipath For Linux
  • Overview
  • Using DM Multipathing Devices
    • Prerequisites
  • Device Mapper Configuration Steps
    • Scan For Newly Added Virtual Disks
    • Display The Multipath Device Topology Using The Multipath Command
    • Create A New fdisk Partition On A Multipath Device Node
    • Add A New Partition To Device Mapper
    • Create A File System On A Device Mapper Partition
    • Mount A Device Mapper Partition
    • Ready For Use
  • Linux Host Server Reboot Best Practices
  • Important Information About Special Partitions
  • Limitations And Known Issues
  • Troubleshooting
• Configuring Asymmetric Logical Unit Access
  • ALUA Performance Considerations
  • Automatic Transfer Of Ownership
  • Native ALUA Support On Microsoft Windows And Linux
  • Enabling ALUA On VMware ESX/ESXi
    • Manually Adding SATP Rule In ESX 4.1 (Update 1 And Update 2)
    • Manually Adding SATP Rule In ESX/ESXi 5.0
  • Verifying ALUA On VMware ESX/ESXi
  • Verifying If Host Server Is Using ALUA For MD Storage Array
  • Setting Round-Robin Load Balancing Policy On ESX/ESXi-Based Storage Arrays
• Premium Feature—Remote Replication
  • About Asynchronous Remote Replication
  • Remote Replicated Pairs And Replication Repositories
  • Types Of Remote Replication
    • Differences Between Remote Replication Features
    • Upgrading To Asynchronous Remote Replication From Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Remote Replication Requirements And Restrictions
    • Restrictions On Using Remote Replication
  • Setting Up Remote Replication
  • Activating Remote Replication Premium Features
  • Deactivating Remote Replication
  • Remote Replication Groups
    • Purpose Of A Remote Replication Group
    • Remote Replication Group Requirements And Guidelines
    • Creating A Remote Replication Group
  • Replicated Pairs
    • Guidelines for Choosing Virtual Disks in a Replicated Pair
    • Guidelines For Choosing Virtual Disks In A Replicated Pair
    • Creating Replicated Pairs
    • Removing A Replicated Pair From A Remote Replication Group
• Premium Feature—Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Overview
  • Switchable Host Access Configuration Required With Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Activating Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Replication Repository Virtual Disks
  • RAID Levels For Replication Repository Virtual Disks
  • Primary And Secondary Virtual Disk Pairs
  • Using Remote Replication (Legacy) With Other Features
  • Storage Partitioning With Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Snapshot Virtual Disk With Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Virtual Disk Copy With Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Virtual Disk Expansion With Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Required Switch Zoning Configurations
  • Zoning Guidelines for Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Switch Cascading
  • Journaling File Systems And Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Prerequisites For Setting Up And Managing Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Activating The Remote Replication (Legacy) Premium Feature And Creating Replication Virtual Disks
  • Activating And Creating Replication Repository Virtual Disks From The Storage Array
  • Activating And Creating Replication Repository Virtual Disks From An Existing Disk Group
  • Creating A Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • Selecting The Secondary Virtual Disk
  • Setting The Write Mode
  • Setting Synchronization Priority And Synchronization Method
  • Completing The Remote Replication (Legacy)
  • RAID Controller Module Ownership/Preferred Path
  • Viewing Information About A Remote Replication (Legacy) Or Replication Repository (Legacy) Virtual Disk
    • Viewing The Storage Array Profile
    • Viewing The Properties Pane
    • Viewing Logical Elements Of The Secondary Virtual Disk
    • Viewing The Physical Components Or Logical Elements Of The Primary Virtual Disk
    • Virtual Disk Status Icons
    • Changing Write Mode And Consistency Group Membership
    • Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
    • Normally Synchronized Virtual Disks
    • Changing Synchronization Priority And Method
    • Unsynchronized Virtual Disks
    • Automatically Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
    • Manually Resynchronizing Virtual Disks
    • Reversing Roles Between The Primary And Secondary Virtual Disks
    • Promoting The Secondary Virtual Disk Or Demoting The Primary Virtual Disk
    • Suspending A Remote Replication (Legacy)
    • Resuming A Remote Replication (Legacy)
    • About Resumed Remote Replications
    • Testing Communication Between The Primary And Secondary Virtual Disks
    • Deleting A Virtual Disk From A Replicated Pair In A Storage Array
• Management Firmware Downloads
  • Downloading RAID Controller And NVSRAM Packages
  • Downloading Both RAID Controller And NVSRAM Firmware
  • Downloading Only NVSRAM Firmware
  • Downloading Physical Disk Firmware
  • Downloading MD3060e Series Expansion Module EMM Firmware
  • Self-Monitoring Analysis And Reporting Technology (SMART)
  • Media Errors And Unreadable Sectors
• Firmware Inventory
  • Viewing The Firmware Inventory
• System Interfaces
  • Virtual Disk Service
  • Volume Shadow-Copy Service
• Storage Array Software
  • Start-Up Routine
  • Device Health Conditions
  • Trace Buffers
    • Retrieving Trace Buffers
  • Collecting Physical Disk Data
    • Creating A Support Data Collection Schedule
    • Suspending Or Resuming A Support Data Collection Schedule
    • Removing A Support Data Collection Schedule
  • Event Log
    • Viewing The Event Log
  • Recovery Guru
  • Storage Array Profile
  • Viewing The Physical Associations
  • Recovering From An Unresponsive Storage Array Condition
  • Locating A Physical Disk
  • Locating An Expansion Enclosure
  • Capturing The State Information
  • SMrepassist Utility
  • Unidentified Devices
  • Recovering From An Unidentified Storage Array
  • Starting Or Restarting The Host Context Agent Software
    • Starting The SMagent Software In Windows
    • Starting The SMagent Software In Linux
• Getting Help
  • Contacting Dell