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Cisco HyperFlex Data Platform Administration Guide, Release 2.1

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Book Title

Cisco HyperFlex Data Platform Administration Guide, Release 2.1

Chapter Title

Managing Disks

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Updated:
August 6, 2018

Chapter: Managing Disks

Managing Disks

Managing Disks in the Cluster

Disks, SSDs or HDDs, might fail. If this occurs, you need to remove the failed disk and replace it. Follow the server hardware instructions for removing and replacing the disks in the host. The HX Data Platform plug-in identifies the SSD or HDD and incorporates it into the storage cluster.

To increase the datastore capacity of a storage cluster add the same size and type SSDs or HDDs to each converged node in the storage cluster. For hybrid servers, add hard disk drives (HDDs). For all flash servers, add SSDs.

Disk Requirements

Converged Nodes

The disk requirements vary between converged nodes and compute-only nodes. A compute-only node is added for the purpose of increasing just the CPU. Servers with only Solid State Disks (SSDs) are all flash servers. Servers with both SSDs and Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are hybrid servers.

The following applies to all the disks in the cluster:

  • All the disks in the storage cluster must have the same amount of storage capacity. All the nodes in the storage cluster must have the same number of disks.

  • All SSDs must support TRIM and have TRIM enabled.

  • All HDDs can be either SATA or SAS type. All SAS disks in the storage cluster must be in a pass-through mode.

  • Disk partitions must be removed from SSDs and HDDs. Disks with partitions are ignored and not added to your HX storage cluster.

  • Optionally, remove or backup existing data on disks. All existing data on a provided disk is overwritten.


    Note
    New factory servers are shipped with appropriate disk partition settings. Do not remove disk partitions from new factory servers.

  • Only the disks that are available in the order tool are supported.

In addition to the disks listed in the table below, all converged nodes have 2 x 64 GB SD FlexFlash cards in a mirrored configuration with ESX installed.


Note

Do not mix storage disks type or size on a server or across the storage cluster. Mixing storage disk types is not supported.

  • When replacing cache or persistent disks, always use the same type and size as the original disk.

  • Do not mix any of the storage drive types. Use all HDD, or all 3.8 TB SSD, or all 960 GB SSD

  • Do not mix hybrid and all flash cache drive types. Use the hybrid cache device on hybrid servers and all flash cache devices on all flash servers.

  • Do not mix encrypted and non-encrypted drive types. Use SED hybrid or SED all flash drives.

    After the HX storage cluster is created, you can verify if the HX cluster has SED drives from the HX Plug-in. Login to vSphere and select Cisco HX Data Platform > hx_cluster > Summary . If the HX cluster has SED drives, Data at Rest Encryption capable > is listed at the top of the Summary tab.

All nodes must use same size and quantity of SSDs. Do not mix SSDs.

Maximum number of supported persistent SSDs is 10, even though there are 23 slots available.

HX240 Servers

Server Type

Housekeeping

Cache (front)

Persistent (front)

HXAF240C M4 SED

All Flash

Data at rest encryption capable

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, (front), UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, (front), UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 800 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD800GBEK9

6 to 10 x 800 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD800GBEK9

HXAF240C M4SX

All Flash

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, (back), UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, (back), UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 400 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD400G12S4-EP

6 to 10 x 3.8 TB SATA SSD, UCS-SD38TBKS4-EV

or

6 to 10 x 960 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD960GBKS4-EV

HX240C M4 SED

Hybrid

Data at rest encryption capable

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, (front), UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, (front), UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 1.6 TB SAS SSD, UCS-SD16TBEK9

6 to 22 x 1.2 TB SAS HDD, UCS-HD12G10K9

HX240C M4

Hybrid

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, (back), UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, (back), UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 1.6 TB SATA SSD, UCS-SD16TB12S3-EP

6 to 23 x 1.2 TB SAS HDD, UCS-HD12TB10K12G

HX 220 Servers

Server and Type

Housekeeping (front)

Cache (front)

Persistent (front)

HXAF220C M4 SED

All Flash

Data at rest encryption capable

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 800 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD800GBEK9

6 x 800 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD800GBEK9

HXAF220C M4S

All flash

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 400 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD400G12S4-EP

6 x 3.8 TB SATA SSD, UCS-SD38TBKS4-EV

or

6 x 960 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD960GBKS4-EV

HX220C M4 SED

Hybrid

Data at rest encryption capable

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 800 GB SAS SSD, UCS-SD800GBEK9

6 x 1.2 TB SAS HDD, UCS-HD12G10K9

HX220C M4

Hybrid

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 480 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD480G12S3-EP

6 x 1.2 TB SAS HDD, UCS-HD12TB10K12G

HX220C M4

Hybrid

ROBO

1 x 120 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD120GBKS4-EV

or

1 x 240 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD240GBKS4-EV

1 x 480 GB SATA SSD, UCS-SD480G12S3-EP

3 to 6 x 1.2 TB SAS HDD, UCS-HD12TB10K12G

Compute Nodes

The table below lists the supported compute node configurations for compute functions. Storage on compute nodes is not included in the cache or capacity of storage clusters.

Server

Minimum requirements per ESX Server and size

Cisco UCS B200

2 x 64GB or 2 x 32GB SD Cards in a mirrored configuration with ESX installed.

Note: SD cards are not needed if ESXi is booted from SAN.

Cisco UCS C220

2 TB or 4 TB SAS hard-disk drive in 2 or 4 drive increments.

Cisco UCS C240

2 TB, 4 TB, or 6 TB SAS hard-disk drive in 2, 6, or 12 drive increments.

Replacing SSDs

The procedures for replacing an SSD vary depending upon the type of SSD. Identify the failed SSD and perform the associated steps.


Note

Mixing storage disks type or size on a server or across the storage cluster is not supported.

  • Use all HDD, or all 3.8 TB SSD, or all 960 GB SSD

  • Use the hybrid cache device on hybrid servers and all flash cache devices on all flash servers.

  • When replacing cache or persistent disks, always use the same type and size as the original disk.

Procedure

Step 1

Identify the failed SSD. Perform a disk beacon check on all the SSDs.

Step 2

If no failed SSD is found, then the failed SSD is a housekeeping SSD and not a storage SSD. Proceed based on the type of server.

  • For HXAF220c or HX220c servers, proceed to Replacing Housekeeping SSDs.

  • For HXAF240c or HX240c servers, contact Technical Assistance Center (TAC).

Step 3

If a failed SSD is identified, then the SSD is a storage (cache or capacity) SDD, follow the instructions for removing and replacing a failed SSD in the host, per the server hardware guide.

After the steps described in the server hardware guide are completed, the HX Data Platform plug-in identifies the SDD and updates the storage cluster.

Note 

When disks are added to a node, the disks are immediately available for HX consumption although they will not be seen in the UCSM server node inventory. This includes cache and persistent disks. To include the disks in the UCS Manager Server Inventory Storage tab, re-acknowledge the server node.

Step 4

If you replaced an SSD, and see a message Disk successfully scheduled for repair, it means that the disk is present, but is still not functioning properly. Check that the disk has been added correctly per the server hardware guide procedures.

Replacing Housekeeping SSDs


Note

This procedure applies to HXAF220c or HX220c servers only. To replace the housekeeping SSD on an HXAF240c or HX240c, contact Cisco TAC.

Identify the failed housekeeping SSD and perform the associated steps.

Procedure

Step 1

Identify the failed housekeeping SSD.

Physically check the SSD drives, as housekeeping drives are not listed through a beacon check.

Step 2

Remove the SSD and replace with a new SSD of the same kind and size. Follow the steps in the server hardware guide.

The server hardware guide describes the physical steps required to replace the SSD.

Note 

Before performing the hardware steps, enter the node into Cisco HX Maintenance Mode. After performing the hardware steps, exit the node from Cisco HX Maintenance Mode.

Step 3

Using SSH, login into the storage controller VM of the affected node and run the following command.

# /usr/share/springpath/storfs-appliance/config-bootdev.sh -r -y

This command consumes the new disk, adding it into the storage cluster.

Sample response 
Creating partition of size 65536 MB for /var/stv ...
Creating ext4 filesystem on /dev/sdg1 ...
Creating partition of size 24576 MB for /var/zookeeper ...
Creating ext4 filesystem on /dev/sdg2 ...
Model: ATA INTEL SSDSC2BB12 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdg: 120034MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt ....
discovered. Rebooting in 60 seconds
Step 4

Wait for the storage controller VM to automatically reboot.

Step 5

When the storage controller VM completes its reboot, verify that partitions are created on the newly added SSD. Run the command.

# df -ah

Sample response 

........... 
/dev/sdb1 63G 324M 60G 1%
/var/stv /dev/sdb2 24G 173M 23G 1% /var/zookeeper
Step 6

Identify the HX Data Platform installer package version installed on the existing storage cluster.

# stcli cluster version

The same version must be installed on all the storage cluster nodes. Run this command on the controller VM of any node in the storage cluster, but not the node with the new SSD.

Step 7

Copy the HX Data Platform installer packages into the storage controller VM in /tmp folder.

# scp <hxdp_installer_vm_ip>:/opt/springpath/packages/storfs-packages-<hxdp_installer>.tgz /tmp

# cd /tmp

# tar zxvf storfs-packages-<hxdp_installer>.tgz

Step 8

Run the HX Data Platform installer deployment script.

# ./inst-packages.sh

See the Cisco HX Data Platform Getting Started Guide for additional information on installing the HX Data Platform.

Step 9

After the package installation, HX Data Platform starts automatically. Check the status.

# status storfs

Sample response

storfs running

The node with the new SSD re-joins the existing cluster and the cluster returns to a healthy state.

Replacing or Adding Hard Disk Drives


Note

Mixing storage disks type or size on a server or across the storage cluster is not supported.

  • Use all HDD, or all 3.8 TB SSD, or all 960 GB SSD

  • Use the hybrid cache device on hybrid servers and all flash cache devices on all flash servers.

  • When replacing cache or persistent disks, always use the same type and size as the original disk.

Procedure

Step 1

Refer to the hardware guide for your server and follow the directions for adding or replacing disks.

Step 2

Add HDDs of the same size to each node in the storage cluster.

Step 3

Add the HDDs to each node within a reasonable amount of time.

The storage starts being consumed by storage cluster immediately.

The vCenter Event log displays messages reflecting the changes to the nodes.

Note 

When disks are added to a node, the disks are immediately available for HX consumption although they will not be seen in the UCSM server node inventory. This includes cache and persistent disks. To include the disks in the UCS Manager Server Inventory Storage tab, re-acknowledge the server node.

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