EMC VNX

About Cisco UCS Director for EMC VNX

Cisco UCS Director supports EMC VNX block, file, and unified storage accounts. Block supports block data, file supports file data, and unified supports both block and file data. See the Compatibility Matrix for all supported EMC VNX versions.

For a VNX Block account, you can manage the following:

  • Block Storage Pools

  • Storage Groups

  • RAID Groups

  • Host Initiators

  • Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs)

The reports for VNX Block accounts also include details on all of these items, and on storage processors, ports, meta LUNs, hosts, ports, and disk devices.

For a VNX File account, you can manage the following:

  • Data Movers

  • Storage Pools for File

  • Volumes

  • Filesystems

  • Common Internet File Servers (CIFS) servers

  • Common Internet File Servers (CIFS) shares

  • Network File System (NFS) exports

  • Data Mover Interfaces

  • DNS Domains

The reports available for VNX File accounts include details on the above items, and system overview summaries.

For a VNX File new account, you create either Common Internet File Servers (CIFS) or Network File System (NFS) Export.

For NFS Export, you create the following:

  • Storage pools for files

  • File systems

  • Interfaces

  • Volumes

  • Mounts

For a VNX unified account, which combines VNX block and VNX file accounts, you can perform all the steps needed for both VNX block and VNX file accounts.

Installing EMC NaviSphere

To communicate with VNX, Cisco UCS Director supports Windows-based EMC NaviSphere and Linux-based EMC Navisphere.

Before using NaviSphere, you must install and configure a Secure Shell (SSH) server on it.

Installing and Configuring Windows-Based Navisphere

Installing a Cygwin Package

Ensure that you install the openssh, openssl, and TCL Cygwin packages on a Windows host.

Procedure

Step 1

Download the Cygwin executable from http://www.cygwin.com/.

Step 2

While installing the Cygwin package on the package selection screen, choose the following packages:

  • openssh

  • openssl

  • TCL

Guidelines for SSHD Server Configuration

To set up an SSHD server, we recommend that you install Cygwin version 1.7.27, and use the SSH daemon on the host. Cygwin provides a Linux-like environment on Microsoft Windows.

After you install the SSHD server on the Windows-based EMC NaviSphere, modify the Path variable under System Variables to include the NaviSphere bin folder. This update ensures that anyone who uses SSH to access Windows-based NaviSphere can execute VNX commands.

After you configure the SSHD server, set up new default paths to enable the user-installed software to override the system software.

Configuring the SSHD Server

Procedure

Step 1

Navigate to the C:\Cygwin-Install-Dir. directory,

Step 2

Open the Cygwin.bat file in edit mode, using any editor, and add the following line: set CYGWIN=binmode ntsec

The following example shows the contents of the Cygwin.bat file after adding the above line: 

@echo off
            C:
            chdir C:\<Cygwin-Install-Dir>\bin
            set CYGWIN=binmode ntsec
            bash --login -i
Step 3

Configure the SSHD service by running the C:\Cygwin-Install-Dir\Cygwin.bat file in a command prompt and enter the following command: $ ssh-host-config.

  1. Answer the following questions:

    Question Recommended Response

    Should privilege separation be used? <yes/no>

    Yes

    New local account 'sshd'? <yes/no>

    Yes

    Do you want to install sshd as a service? <yes/no>

    No if SSHD is already installed as a service.

    Yes if SSH has not yet been installed as a service.

    Enter the value of CYGWIN for the daemon: [ ] binmode ntsec

    Enter the value as binmode ntsec

    Do you want to use a different name? (yes/no)

    Yes

    Enter the new username: <new-username>

    Enter the new username.

    Reenter: <new-username>

    Reenter the new username.

    Replace cloupia with new-username? (yes/no)

    Yes

    Please enter the password: <password>

    Enter the password for this account.

    Reenter: <password>

    Reenter the password for this account.

Configuring System Environment Variables

Procedure

Step 1

On the Windows host, right-click the Computer icon on the desktop and choose Properties.

Step 2

If you don't have a computer icon on your desktop, do the following:

  1. Click Start.

  2. Right-click the Computer option in the Start menu.

  3. Choose Properties.

Step 3

Click Advanced System Settings.

Step 4

On the Advanced tab, choose Environment Variables.

Step 5

Under System Variables choose the Path variable and append the following two binary paths: c:\Program Files (x86)\EMC\Navisphere CLI;c:\<Cygwin-Install-Dir>\bin.

The following is an example of the path variable with the binary paths added:

Variable Name: Path
     Variable Value: <Existing Folders Path>;c:\Program Files(x86)\EMC\Navisphere CLI;c:\cygwin 64\bin
Step 6

Add the following new system variable:

  • System Variable Name: CYGWIN

  • System Variable Value: binmode tty ntsec

Starting the Cygwin SSHD Service

Procedure

Step 1

Start the Cygwin SSHD service manually under Window Services.

Step 2

Configure the Cygwin SSHD service to start automatically every time the computer is restarted.

Verifying SSH Access

Ensure that you can run the naviseccli commands without providing the absolute path at the command prompt. You can use any SSH client to verify SSH access.

Procedure

Step 1

In your SSH client, access another machine that has the SSH client running and execute one of the following commands:

  • ssh USERNAME@host-ipaddress 'date'

  • ssh -l USERNAME@host-ipaddress 'date'

Example:

For example, ssh -l user@host-ipaddress 'date'
Step 2

Enter the password for the account when prompted.

After you enter the correct password, the command returns the current date.

Configuring the Navisphere Path for Windows

By default, Cisco UCS Director executes NavisecCLI commands with an explicit path that does not exist in Windows. You must create a softlink to that path through the Cygwin shell.

Procedure

Step 1

Open the Cygwin shell on the Windows server where Navisphere is installed.
Step 2

In the Cygwin shell, create the following directory: /opt/Navisphere

Step 3

Create a softlink for the Navisphere directory.

Example:

For example. if you installed Navisphere in the C:\Program Files (x86)\EMC\NavisphereCLI directory, execute the following command to create a softlink: 


ln -s /cygdrive/c/Program\ Files\ \(x86\)/EMC/NavisphereCLI /opt/Navisphere/bin
cd /opt/Navisphere/bin
chmod 775 NaviSECCli.exe

Installing and Configuring Linux Based NaviSphere

You must complete this step before you add a VNX Storage Array as an account in Cisco UCS Director.

Procedure

Step 1

Search and download the naviseccli package for VNX from EMC Support for your specific platform.

For example, the package may be named:


NaviCLI-Linux-64-x86-en_US-7.33.2.0.51-1.x86_64.rpm
Step 2

If you are not logged in as root, enter the following command to switch to the root user: su username
Step 3

Install the naviseccli package using the rpm command.

For example, enter the following command:


rpm -i NaviCLI-Linux-64-x86-en_US-7.33.2.0.51-1.x86_64.rpm
Step 4

When you are prompted to enter a certificate verifying level, enter the verifying level as medium[m].

Step 5

Add the naviseccli bin directory, which is typically /opt/Navisphere/bin, to your system PATH:

  1. Add the following line to ~/.bash_profile & ~/.bashrc

    
PATH=$PATH:/opt/Navisphere/bin
   export PATH

  2. Execute this file to make the setting effective by running source ~/.bash_profile or source ~/.bashrc.

Step 6

Configure this installation of naviseccli to work with each storage processor on each associated array.

  1. For all storage processors run the following command: 

     
naviseccli -user usename -password password -h sp_ip -scope 0 -np getagent

  2. When you reach the security prompt, choose option 2 to save the certificate.

Repeat these steps for each of the storage processors. You can use a script, if desired. The security prompt should not display again.

Step 7

With an SSH client, log in to Cisco UCS Director as the root user and run the following command against the Navisphere host where naviseccli is installed. 


# ssh <navicli-user>@<navicli-host-ip> naviseccli -User sysadmin -Password <sysadmin-pass> 
-Scope 0 -Address <SP-A-IP> port -list
Step 8

Enter the password at the login prompt (after accepting the SSH certificate)

It should list VNX Storage Array port configuration. If it first asks to save the certificate, choose option 2

Step 9

Run the same command against the SP-B IP Address to save the certificate. 


# ssh <navicli-user>@<navicli-host-ip> naviseccli -User sysadmin -Password <sysadmin-pass> 
-Scope 0 -Address <SP-B-IP> port -list

VNX Accounts

In Cisco UCS Director you can add the following types of VNX accounts:

  • VNX file account—X-Blade enclosure, two to eight blades, configurable failover options, and flexible I/O connectivity. You can have one data mover per license.

  • VNX block account—Storage or data processor enclosure, dual active storage processors, automatic failover, and flexible I/O connectivity. You can have two service providers per license.

  • VNX unified account—Single platform for VNX file and VNX block. You can have two service providers per license.

Adding an EMC VNX File Account

Before you begin

  • Configure a VM.

  • Install the NaviSecCLI software so that all Navisphere features are supported (if it is not currently installed).

  • Create a set of user credentials for the NaviCLI package with enough privileges to run NaviSecCLI commands to manage and configure VNX storage.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Administration > Physical Accounts.

Step 2

On the Physical Accounts page, click Physical Accounts.

Step 3

Click Add.

Step 4

On the Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Pod drop-down list

Choose the pod for this account. The pod can be one of the following types:

  • Default Pod

  • Generic

  • Vblock

Category drop-down list

Choose Storage.

Account Type drop-down list

Choose EMC VNX File.

Step 5

Click Submit.

Step 6

On the second Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Account Name field

A unique name for this account.

Description field

A description of this account.

Control Station IP Address

The IP address of the VNX control station that manages the file-side blades.

Use Credential Policy check box

Check if you want to use a credential policy for this account rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

Control Station Username

The username that this account uses to access the VNX control station. This username must be a valid account in the control station.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Password field

The password associated with the specified control station username.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Transport Type drop-down list

Choose one of the following transport types that you want to use for this account:

  • http

  • https

The default transport type protocol for this account is HTTPS.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Port field

The port used to access the VNX control station. The default port is 443 for HTTPS.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Connection Timeout (Seconds) field

The length of time in seconds that Cisco UCS Director will wait to establish a connection to the VNX control station before timing out.

The default value is 40 seconds. The valid values are from 0 to 1800. An empty field or a value of 0 is interpreted as an infinite timeout.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Contact Email field

The email address that you use to contact the administrator or other person responsible for this account.

Location field

The location of the contact.

Step 7

Click Submit.

Cisco UCS Director tests the connection to the VNX control station. If that test is successful, it adds the VNX file account and discovers all infrastructure elements in the storage system that are associated with that account. This discovery process and inventory collection cycle takes few minutes to complete.

The polling interval configured on the System Tasks screen on the Administration > System page specifies the frequency of inventory collection.

Adding an EMC VNX Block Account

Before you begin

  • Configure a VM.

  • Install the NaviSecCLI software so that all Navisphere features are supported (if it is not currently installed).

  • Create a set of user credentials for the NaviCLI package with enough privileges to run NaviSecCLI commands to manage and configure VNX storage.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Administration > Physical Accounts.

Step 2

On the Physical Accounts page, click Physical Accounts.

Step 3

Click Add.

Step 4

On the Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Pod drop-down list

Choose the pod for this account. The pod can be one of the following types:

  • Default Pod

  • Generic

  • Vblock

Category drop-down list

Choose Storage.

Account Type drop-down list

Choose EMC VNX Block.

Step 5

Click Submit.

Step 6

On the second Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Account Name field

A unique name for this account.

Description field

A description of this account.

Storage Processor A IP Address field

The IP address for Storage Processor A.

Storage Processor B IP Address field

The IP address for Storage Processor B.

Use Credential Policy check box

Check if you want to use a credential policy for block access rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

Block Access User Name field

The username that this account uses to access the storage block. This username must be a valid account in the storage block.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Block Access Password field

The password associated with the specified storage block username.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Protocol drop-down list

The protocol must be ssh.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host IP Address field

The IP address for the secure NaviSecCLI host.

Use Credential Policy check box

Check if you want to use a credential policy for NaviSec CLI access rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host User Name field

The username that the account uses to access the specified secure NaviSecCLI host. This username must be a valid account in the host.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host User Password field

The password for the specified secure NaviSecCLI host.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Block Access Port field

The port used to access the storage block.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSec CLI Path field

The path to the NaviSec CLI. For example, /opt/Navisphere/bin. You can leave this field empty if the path is already configured in the server.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Connection Timeout (Seconds) field

The length of time in seconds that Cisco UCS Director will wait to establish a connection to the VNX block storage before timing out.

The default value is 30 seconds. The valid values are from 3 to 600.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Scope drop-down list

Choose one of the following scope options to limit the user access to the VNX block storage:

  • Global—Provides access to all storage systems in the domain.

  • Local—Provides access to only the storage system configured for this account.

  • LDAP—Uses LDAP authentication and provides the access configured for the username in LDAP.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Contact field

The email address that you use to contact the administrator or other person responsible for this account.

Location field

The contact's location (user defined).

Step 7

Click Submit.

Cisco UCS Director tests the connection to the VNX block storage. If that test is successful, it adds the VNX file account and discovers all infrastructure elements in the storage system that are associated with that account. This discovery process and inventory collection cycle takes few minutes to complete.

The polling interval configured on the System Tasks screen on the Administration > System page specifies the frequency of inventory collection.

Adding an EMC VNX Unified Account

Before you begin

  • Install the secure NaviSecCLI software so that all Navisphere features are supported (if it is not currently installed).

  • Create a set of user credentials for the NaviSecCLI package with enough privileges to run NaviSecCLI commands to manage and configure VNX storage.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Administration > Physical Accounts.

Step 2

On the Physical Accounts page, click Physical Accounts.

Step 3

Click Add.

Step 4

On the Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Pod drop-down list

Choose the pod for this account. The pod can be one of the following types:

  • Default Pod

  • Generic

  • Vblock

Category drop-down list

Choose Storage.

Account Type drop-down list

Choose EMC VNX Unified.

Step 5

Click Submit.

Step 6

On the second Add Account screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Account Name field

A unique name for this account.

Description field

A description of this account.

File Account

Control Station IP Address field

The IP address of the VNX control station that manages the file-side blades.

Use Credential Policy check box

Check if you want to use a credential policy for this account rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

Control Station Username

The username that this account uses to access the VNX control station. This username must be a valid account in the control station.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Password field

The password associated with the specified control station username.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

File Access Protocol drop-down list

Choose one of the following protocols that you want to use for this account:

  • http

  • https

The default protocol for this account is HTTPS.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

File Access Port field

The port to be used to access the VNX control station. The default port is 443 for HTTPS.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Connection Timeout (Seconds) field

The length of time in seconds that Cisco UCS Director will wait to establish a connection to the VNX control station before timing out.

The default value is 40 seconds. The valid values are from 0 to 1800. An empty field or a value of 0 is interpreted as an infinite timeout.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Block Account

Storage Processor A IP Address field

The IP address for Storage Processor A.

Storage Processor B IP Address field

The IP address for Storage Processor B.

Use Credential Policy checkbox

Check if you want to use a credential policy for block access rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

Block Access User Name field

The username that this account uses to access the storage block. This username must be a valid account in the storage block.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Block Access Password field

The password associated with the specified storage block username.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host IP Address field

The IP address for the secure NaviSecCLI host.

Use Credential Policy check box

Check if you want to use a credential policy for NaviSec CLI access rather than enter the username and password information manually.

Credential Policy drop-down list

If you checked Use Credential Policy, choose the credential policy that you want to use from this drop-down list.

This field is only displayed if you choose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host User Name field

The username that the account uses to access the specified secure NaviSecCLI host. This username must be a valid account in the host.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSecCLI Host User Password field

The password for the specified secure NaviSecCLI host.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Block Access Port field

The port used to access the storage block. The default port is 22.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

NaviSec CLI Path field

The path to the NaviSec CLI. For example, /opt/Navisphere/bin. You can leave this field empty if the path is already configured in the server.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Connection Timeout (Seconds) field

The length of time in seconds that Cisco UCS Director will wait to establish a connection to the VNX block storage before timing out.

The default value is 30 seconds. The valid values are from 3 to 600.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Scope drop-down list

Choose one of the following scope options to limit the user access to the VNX block storage:

  • Global—Provides access to all storage systems in the domain.

  • Local—Provides access to only the storage system configured for this account.

  • LDAP—Uses LDAP authentication and provides the access configured for the username in LDAP.

This field is not displayed if you chose to use a credential policy.

Contact field

The email address that you use to contact the administrator or other person responsible for this account.

Location field

The location of the contact.

Step 7

Click Submit.

Cisco UCS Director tests the connection to the VNX unified storage. If that test is successful, it adds the VNX unified account and discovers all infrastructure elements in the storage system that are associated with that account. This discovery process and inventory collection cycle takes few minutes to complete.

The polling interval configured on the System Tasks screen on the Administration > System page specifies the frequency of inventory collection.

VNX Block Storage Management

For VNX block (and VNX unified) accounts, you manage the following pools, groups, devices, and views:

  • Storage pools—Name, description, RAID type (RAID 1/0, RAID-5, RAID-6), disks, and percentage of the full threshold

  • RAID groups—RAID group ID, RAID Type (RAID 1, 0, 3, or 5, disk, hot spare), expansion, or defragmentation priority, disks. You have options to automatically destroy a RAID group after the last LUN is unbound, and for power saving.

  • Host initiators—Add to new or existing host, hostname, WWN/IQN, SP port, initiator type (CLARiiON Open, HP Auto Trespass, HP No Auto Trespass, SGI, Fujitsu Siemens, Compaq Tru64), and failover mode (Active-Active mode -Failover Mode 4, Active-Passive mode (PNR)-Failover Mode 1, AIX Active-Passive mode (PAR)-Failover Mode 3, Legacy Failover Mode 2, Legacy Failover Mode 0). You add hosts to the storage groups.

  • Storage groups—Name

  • Logical unit numbers (LUNs)—Storage pool type (pool, RAID group), RAID type (1_0, 5), storage pool for new LUN (new or existing pool), user capacity, capacity units (MB, GB, TB, Blocks), alignment offset (LBA), default owner, initial tier placement (optimize for pool performance, highest available tier, lowest available tier), and options for automatically assigning LUN IDs as LUN names, LUN ID autogeneration, and Thin or Maximum provisioning. You mount LUNs as Datastores and also add them to the storage groups.

The read-only report detail includes the following information:

  • System Summary—File system allocation and system overview summary graphs

  • Data Movers—Unique ID, account name, server name, and role

  • Storage Processors—SP name, serial number, IP address, and faults (on or off)

  • Disk Devices—Unique ID, account name, name, disk type, state, capacity (GB), and other data

  • Hosts—Account name, hostname, IP address, storage group, attached to host (on or off), number of HBA ports, log in status, and status

  • Initiators—Account name, storage group, initiator name, log in status, SP port ID, SP port type, registered (y/n), hostname, and IP address

  • Ports—SP port, port IP address, port WWN, port type, storage processor, and fabric WWN

  • More Reports—Tabular report for RAID groups or hosts, and instant reports for file system allocation, as well as the top five storage capacity file systems, the top five file systems file count, and the top five storage capacity volumes

Summary of Steps

Procedure

Step 1

Add the VNX block account (s).

Step 2

Create the pools, groups, hosts, and LUNs needed for block management:

  1. Create the storage pools.

  2. Create the RAID groups.

  3. Create the host initiators.

  4. Create the storage groups.

  5. Create the LUNs and mount them as datastores.

  6. Add hosts to the storage groups.

  7. Add LUNs to the storage groups.

Step 3

Review reports.

Storage Pools

A storage pool requires the following parameters:

  • Storage pool name

  • Description

  • RAID type—1/0, 5, or 6

  • Disks

  • Percent full threshold

Creating a Storage Pool

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod on which you want to create a storage pool and click View details.

Step 5

Click Block Storage Pools.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create Storage Pool screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Storage Pool Name field

The storage pool name.

Description field

The description.

RAID Type drop-down list

Choose the RAID Type. This can be one of the following:

1/0

5

8

Disks field

Choose one or more disks to use.

Percent Full Threshold field

The percentage full threshold.

Step 8

Click Select.

Step 9

Click Submit.

RAID Groups

A RAID group has the following parameters:

  • RAID Group ID—The system can specify or you can create a group ID

  • RAID type—1/0, 5, or 6

  • Option to automatically destroy after last LUN is unbound

  • Expansion or defragmentation priority

  • Option to allow power saving

  • Disks

You can perform the following actions on the RAID Groups screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates a new RAID group.

Delete

Deletes a selected RAID group.

Assign to Group

Assigns a selected RAID group to a group.

View Details

Views details about the selected RAID group.

Creating a RAID Group

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create a RAID group and click View Details.

Step 5

Click RAID Groups.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create RAID Group screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

RAID Group ID field

Enter the RAID group ID. This can be one of the following:

1

0

3

5

disk

hot spare

RAID Type drop-down list

Choose the RAID type. This can be one of the following:

RAID0

RAID1

RAID1/0

RAID3

RAID5

RAID6

DISK

Allow Power Saving check box

If checked, the system allows power saving for this RAID group.

Disks field

Choose one or more disks to use.

Step 8

Click Submit.

Host Initiators

A host initiator requires the following parameters:

  • Add initiator to—You can add an initiator to a new or existing host

  • Host

  • WWN/IQN

  • SP port

  • Initiator type

  • Failover mode

You can perform the following actions on the Initiators screen:
Button Name Description

Register

Registers a new initiator.

View Details

Views details about the selected initiator.

Deregister

Deregisters a selected initiator.

Registering a Host Initiator

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to register a host initiator and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Initiators.

Step 6

Click Register.

Step 7

On the Register Host Initiator screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Add Initiator to drop-down list

Choose either Existing Host or New Host.

If you chose New Host, you can add the initiator to a new host by specifying a Host Name, Host IP Address, and New Host WNN.

Host field

If you chose Existing Host, choose one of the hosts to add the initiator to an existing hosts.

WWN/IQN

The WWN/IQN for the new or existing host.

SP Port field

Choose one of the SP ports in the list.

Initiator Type drop-down list

Choose the Initiator Type. This can be one of the following:

  • CLARiiON Open

  • HP Auto Trespass

  • HP No Auto Trespass

  • SGI

  • Fujitsu Siemens

  • Compaq Tru64

Failover Mode drop-down list

Choose the Failover Mode. This can be one of the following:

  • Active-Active mode-Failover Mode 4

  • Active-Passive mode (PNR)-Failover Mode 1

  • AIX Active-Passive mode (PAR)-Failover Mode 3

  • Legacy Failover Mode 2

  • Legacy Failover Mode 0

Step 8

Click Submit.

Storage Groups

A storage group requires a name as a parameter.

You can perform the following actions on the Storage Groups screen:

Button Name Description

Create

Creates a new storage group.

View Details

Views details about the selected storage group.

Delete

Deletes a selected storage group.

Add LUN

Adds a LUN to a selected storage group.

Remove LUN

Removes a LUN from a selected storage group.

Add Host

Adds a host to a selected storage group.

Remove Host

Removes a host from a selected storage group.

Creating a Storage Group

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create the storage group and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Storage Groups.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create Storage Group screen, enter the name for the storage group in the Name field.

Step 8

Click Submit.

What to do next

Add hosts and LUNs to the storage group on the Storage Groups screen.

LUNs

A LUN has the following parameters:

  • Option to automatically assign LUN IDs as LUN names

  • Option to allow the system to specify the LUN ID

  • Storage pool type

  • RAID type

  • Storage pool

  • Thin or maximum provisioning

  • User capacity (thin LUN only)

  • Capacity units

  • LUN ID

  • Alignment offset (LBA)

  • Default owner

You can perform the following actions on the LUNs screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates a LUN.

Delete

Deletes a selected LUN.

Expand

Expands a selected LUN.

Create Meta LUN

Create a Meta LUN for a selected LUN.

Associate LUN as Datastore

Associates a LUN as a Datastore.

Assign to Group

Assigns a selected LUN to a group.

View Details

View details on a selected LUN.

Creating a LUN

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod where you want to create a LUN and click View Details.

Step 5

Click LUNs.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create LUN screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Storage Pool Type drop-down list

Choose the storage pool type.

Restriction 

If you choose RAID Group, the system automatically generates the LUN ID. Automatic LUN naming ensures that the LUN name conforms to a set of strict naming conventions. An incorrectly named LUN no longer functions properly.

If you choose Pool, the default path is set to automatically assign LUN IDs as LUN names. However, you have the option to uncheck this option (not recommended).

Automatically assign LUN IDs as LUN Names check box

If you chose Pool as the storage pool type, the default path is set to automatically assign LUN IDs as LUN names. However, you have the option to uncheck this option (not recommended).

If checked, LUN IDs are automatically assigned as LUN names.

Uncheck the check box if you do not want LUN IDs to be assigned as LUN names.

Storage Pool for New LUN drop-down list

Choose the storage pool for the new LUN.

Thin check box

Check if you want a thin LUN.

Ignore Thresholds check box

Check to ignore Storage Pool threshold limits.

User Capacity field

The user capacity (applies to Thin LUN only).

Capacity Units drop-down list

Choose the capacity units type. This can be one of the following:

  • GB

  • MB

  • TB

  • Blocks

Alignment Offset (LBA) field

The alignment offset (LBA) (0 to 9999).

Default Owner drop-down list

Choose the default owner from the drop down-list:

  • Auto

  • SP A

  • SP B

Initial Tier Placement drop-down list

Choose one of the following from the drop-down list:

  • Optimize for Pool Performance

  • Highest available tier

  • Lowest available tier

Step 8

Click Submit.

What to do next

Mount the LUN as a Datastore.

Adding a Host to a Storage Group

Before you begin

A host and a storage group must exist in the system.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to add a host and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Storage Groups.

Step 6

Click Add Host.

Step 7

On the Add Host(s) to Storage Group screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Show Hosts drop-down list

Choose Include Connected or Not Connected.

Hosts field

Click Select and choose a host.

Step 8

Click Submit.

Adding a LUN to a Storage Group

Before you begin

A LUN and a storage group must exist in the system.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to add a LUN and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Storage Groups.

Step 6

Click Add LUN.

Step 7

On the Add LUN to Storage Group screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

LUN field

If you want to choose the LUN manually, click Select.

Let System Specify HLU check box

If checked, the system autogenerates the Host LUN ID (HLU).

Step 8

In the Host LUN ID field, enter the Host LUN ID.

Step 9

Click Submit.

Creating a Meta LUN

Before you begin

Create a LUN.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with VNX Pod where you want to create a Meta LUN, and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Meta LUNs.

Step 6

Click Create Meta LUN.

Step 7

On the Create Meta LUN screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Expansion Type drop-down list

Choose an expansion type. This can be one of the following:

  • Stripe Expansion

  • Concatenate Expansion

Flare LUNs drop-down list

Choose a Flare LUN that is added to the base LUN.

Meta LUN Name field

The LUN name.

MAX check box

If checked, the system creates a MAX LUN size.

User Capacity field

The LUN capacity units (applies to Thin LUN only).

Capacity Units drop-down list

Choose a capacity unit.

Default Owner drop-down list

Choose the default owner.

Element size Multiplier field

The element size multiplier. This field displays the strip element size multiplier for the meta LUN. The default value is 4.

Alignment Offset field

The alignment offset (LBA) value. The value range is from 0 to 9999.

Enable Auto-assign check box

If checked, the system enables Auto-assign. This option enables or disables Auto-assign only to a storage system that has two service providers and a LUN that is not a hot spare.

Expansion Rate drop-down list

Choose an expansion rate for making additional LUN capacity available to the host.

Step 8

Click Submit.

What to do next

Associate a LUN as a Datastore.

Associating a LUN as a Datastore

Before you begin

Create a LUN.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX Pod where you want to associate a LUN as a Datastore, and click View Details.

Step 5

Click LUNs.

Step 6

Click the row with the LUN to associate as a Datastore

Step 7

Click Associate LUN As Datastore.

Step 8

On the Associate LUN As Datastore screen, complete the following fields:

Name

Description

Data store Name field

The Datastore.

Select Host Node field

The host node.

Initiator Type drop-down list

Choose the initiator type.

LUN Name field

The LUN name.

VDC Name drop-down list

Choose the VDC name.

Success Criteria drop-down list

Choose how to measure the association as successful from the drop-down.

Step 9

Click Submit.

What to do next

Verify that the Datastore is associated to the LUN. For example, you can choose Virtual > Storage and click vCenter to view the related data stores.

About VNX File Storage Management

For VNX File (and VNX Unified) accounts, you can use either Common Internet File System (CIFS) or Network File System (NFS) Export.

For CIFS, you create and manage the following:

  • CIFS servers—Server type, computer, NetBIOS name, aliases, and domain. You can choose to join a domain, enable local users, and select interfaces.

  • CIFS shares—CIFS share name, file systems, path, CIFS server, user limit, and comments.

  • DNS domains—Name, DNS servers, and protocol (UDP or TCP).

For NFS Export, you create and manage the following:

  • Storage pools for files—Name, description, and subnet mask for the interface. You can create from a metavolume or a storage pool. Optionally, you can slice pool volumes by default.

  • Volumes—Name, type (stripe, meta, slice), stripe size (32, 64, 256), and which volumes to select. You can mount volumes to the Datastore.

  • File systems—Name, storage pool, storage capacity, capacity units (GB, MB, TB). You can optionally create a file system from a storage pool or volume to contain slices. You can mount file systems to the data store.

  • Data mover interfaces—Name, device name, address, subnet mask, maximum transmission unit (MTU), and VLAN ID

  • NFS export—File systems, read/write hosts, root hosts, and an option to host access read-only export

  • Mounts—Path, file system name, server, read-only or read/write, and access-checking policy (NT, UNIX, Secure, Native, Mixed, or Mixed and Compatible). You can choose to enable virus checking, enable CIFS oplocks, and set advanced options.

The read-only report includes the following information:

  • System overview summary—Data center, account, host, role, and mode

  • CIFS server and shares detail

  • DNS domain detail

  • For NFS, storage pool for files, file system, NFS export, and data mover detail

Summary of Steps

Procedure

Step 1

Add the VNX file account(s).

Step 2

Choose either CIFS or NFS Export.

  • For CIFS, create the CIFS servers, CIFS shares, and DNS domains.
  • For NFS Export, create the following:

  1. Storage pools for files

  2. Volumes

  3. File systems

  4. Interfaces

  5. NFS export information

  6. Mounts

Step 3

Review reports.

Using CIFS

In Cisco UCS Director, you can use CIFS to export files or directories. A client can mount any server-exported directory.

To use CIFS, you create the CIFS servers, CIFS shares, and DNS domains.

CIFS Servers

A CIFS server requires the following parameters:

  • Server type

  • Computer name

  • NetBIOS name

  • Aliases

  • Domain

  • Option to join a domain

  • Option to enable local users

  • Interfaces

You can perform the following actions on the CIFS Server screen:
Button Name Description

Add

Creates a new CIFS server.

Delete

Deletes a selected CIFS server.

Modify

Modifies attributes of a selected CIFS server.

Creating a CIFS Server
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create a CIFS server and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click CIFS Servers.

Step 8

Click Add.

Step 9

On the Create CIFS Server screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Server Type drop-down list

Choose the server type.

Computer Name field

The computer name.

NetBIOS Name field

The NetBIOS name for this server.

Aliases field

The alias names for this server.

Domain field

The server domain name.

Join Domain check box

Check to enable the server to join another domain.

Enable Local Users check box

Check to enable local users on this server.

If you checked this check box, go to Step 10.

Interfaces field

Click Select to choose an interface(s).

Go to Step 11.

Step 10

If you checked Join Domain, complete the following additional fields:

Name Description

Domain Admin field

The domain administrator username for this server.

Domain Password field

The server domain password.

Organizational Unit field

The server's organizational unit.

Step 11

If you checked Enable Local Users, complete the following additional fields:

Name Description

Set Local Admin Password field

The local administrator password for this server.

Confirm Local Admin Password field

The confirmation of the local administrator password.

Step 12

Click Submit.

CIFS Shares

A CIFS share requires the following parameters:

  • CIFS share name

  • File system

  • Path

  • CIFS server

  • User limit

  • Comments

You can perform the following actions on the CIFS Share screen:
Button Name Description

Add

Adds a new CIFS share.

Delete

Deletes a selected CIFS share.

Creating CIFS Shares
Before you begin

A CIFS server must exist in the system.

Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create the CIFS shares and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click CIFS Shares.

Step 8

Click Add.

Step 9

In the Create CIFS Shares dialog box, complete the following fields:

Name Description

File Systems drop-down list

Choose the File Systems type.

CIFS Share Name field

The CIFS share name.

Path field

The path.

CIFS Server field

Click Select.

Choose one or more CIFS shares.

User Limit field

The alias names for this server.

Comments field

Any comments regarding CIFS shares.

Step 10

Click Submit.

DNS Domains

A DNS domain requires the following parameters:

  • Name

  • DNS servers

  • Protocol

You can perform the following actions on the DNS Domains screen:
Button Name Description

Add

Adds a new DNS domain.

Delete

Deletes a selected DNS domain.

Creating a DNS Domain
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create a DNS Domain and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click DNS Domain.

Step 8

Click Add.

Step 9

On the Add DNS Domain screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Name field

The DNS domain name.

DNS Servers field

The DNS server names.

Protocol drop-down list

Choose the protocol.
Step 10

Click Submit.

Using NFS Export

In Cisco UCS Director, you can use NFS to export files or directories. A client can mount any server-exported directory.

To use NFS Export, you create the storage pools for files, volumes, file systems, interfaces, NFS export information, and add the mounts.

Storage Pools for Files

An NFS storage pool for files requires the following parameters:

  • Name

  • Create from—Metavolume or storage pool

  • Description

  • Volumes—Subnet mask

  • Slice pool volumes by default—Checked or unchecked

You can perform the following actions on the Storage Pools for Files screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates a new NFS storage pool for files.

View Details

Views details about the selected NFS storage pool for files.

Delete

Deletes a selected storage pool for files.
Creating a Storage Pool for Files
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create a storage pool for files and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click View Details.

Step 8

Click Storage Pools for File.

Step 9

Click Create.

Step 10

On the Create Storage Pool screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Name field

The storage pool name.

Create from drop-down list

Choose Meta Volume or Storage Pool.

Description field

The description for this storage pool.

Volumes drop-down list

The volumes for this storage pool.

Slice Pool Volumes by Default check box

Check to slice pool volumes by default.

Step 11

If you chose Storage Pool, complete the following additional fields to create this storage pool from another storage pool:

Name Description

Template Pool drop-down list

Choose the template pool.

Minimum Pool Size (MB) field

The minimum pool size (MB).

Stripe Size (KB) field

The stripe size (KB).

Step 12

Click Submit.

Volumes

An NFS volume requires the following parameters:

  • Name

  • Type

  • Volumes

  • Stripe size—32, 64, 256

You can perform the following actions on the Volumes screen:
Button Name Description

Delete

Deletes a selected volume.
Creating a Volume
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX data center where you want to create a volume and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Volumes.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create Volume screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Name field

The NFS volume name.

Type drop-down list

Choose one of the following volume types for this volume:

  • Stripe

  • Meta

  • Slice

Volumes field

Choose to use one or more volumes from the list of available volumes.

Stripe Size (KB) drop-down list

Choose the Stripe Size from the list (256, 32, or 64 KB).

Step 8

Click Submit.

File Systems

An NFS file system has the following parameters:

  • Name

  • Create from a volume or storage pool

  • Storage pool

  • Storage capacity

  • Capacity units

  • Option to contain slices

You can perform the following actions on the File Systems screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates a new file system.

Extend

Extends a file system.

View Details

Views details about the selected file system.

Delete

Deletes a selected file system.
Creating an NFS File System
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod where you want to create an NFS File System and click View Details.

Step 5

Click File Systems.

Step 6

Click Create.

Step 7

On the Create File System screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Name field

The NFS file system name.

Create from drop-down list

Choose either Storage Pool or Volume as the source for the file system.

Storage Pool field

Choose the storage pool for this file system.

Storage Capacity field

The storage capacity to allocate for this file system.

Capacity Units drop-down list

Choose the capacity units type. This can be one of the following:

  • GB

  • MB

  • TB

Contain Slices check box

Check this check box to enable the file system to contain slices.

Data Mover field

Choose the data mover account for the file system.
Step 8

Click Submit.

What to do next

You can mount the file system as a Datastore.

Data Mover Interfaces

An NFS data mover interface requires the following parameters:

  • Name

  • Device name

  • Address

  • Subnet mask

  • MTU

  • VLAN ID

You can perform the following actions on the Interfaces screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates a data mover interface.

View Details

Views details about the selected interface.

Delete

Deletes a selected data mover interface.
Adding a Data Mover Interface
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod where you want to create a Data Mover Interface and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click Mover Interfaces.

Step 8

Click Add.

Step 9

On the Add Data Mover Interface screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Name field

The interface name.

Device Name drop-down list

Choose the device name for this interface.

Address field

The interface address.

Subnet Mask field

The subnet mask for this interface.

MTU field

The maximum transmission unit (MTU) for this interface.

VLAN ID field

The VLAN ID for this interface.
Step 10

Click Submit.

NFS Export

NFS Export requires the following parameters:

  • File system

  • Read/write hosts

  • Root hosts

  • Option to host access read-only export

You can perform the following actions on the NFS Export screen:
Button Name Description

Create

Creates an NFS export.

Edit

Edits an NFS export.

View Details

Views details about the selected NFS export.

Delete

Deletes a selected NFS export.
Exporting an NFS File System
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod where you want to add an NFS File System and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click NFS Exports.

Step 8

Click Add.

Step 9

On the Add NFS Export screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

File Systems drop-down list

Choose the File Systems type for NFS Export.

Read/Write Hosts field

The read/write hosts for NFS Export.

Root Hosts field

The root hosts for NFS Export.

Host Access Read-only Export check box

Check if you want host access read-only export.
Step 10

Click Submit.

Mounts

An NFS mount requires the following parameters:

  • Path

  • File system name

  • Mount server

  • Read-only or read and write

  • Access checking policy

  • Option to enable virus checking

  • Option to enable CIFS oplocks

  • Option to enable advanced options

You can perform the following actions on the Mounts screen:
Button Name Description

Modify

Modifies the attributes of a selected mount.

Delete

Deletes a selected mount.

Modify a File System
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod where the file system is located and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click Mounts.

Step 8

Click the row with file system and click Modify.

Step 9

On the Modify Mount screen, complete the following fields:

Name Description

Path field

The path for this mount.

File System Name drop-down list

Choose the file system name for this mount.

Mount On drop-down list

Choose the server for this mount.

Read Only drop-down list

Choose the Read Only or Read and Write option for this mount.

Access-Checking Policy drop-down list

Choose the access-checking policy for this mount.

Virus Checking Enabled check box

Check if you want virus checking enabled.

CIFS Oplocks Enabled check box

Check if you want CIFS Oplocks enabled.

Set Advanced Options check box

Check if you want to set advanced options.

Step 10

Click Submit.

Deleting a File System
Procedure
Step 1

Choose Physical > Storage.

Step 2

On the Storage page, choose the pod.

Step 3

On the Storage page, click Storage Accounts.

Step 4

Click the row with the VNX pod containing the file system you want to delete and click View Details.

Step 5

Click Data Movers.

Step 6

Click the row with the server and click View Details.

Step 7

Click Mounts.

Step 8

Click the row with the file system and click Delete.

VNX Unified Storage Management

VNX unified storage combines VNX block storage with VNX file storage.

Summary of Steps

Procedure

Step 1

Add the VNX block account(s).

Step 2

Create the pools, groups, hosts, and logical unit numbers (LUNs) needed for block management:

  1. Create the storage pools.

  2. Create the RAID groups.

  3. Create the host initiators.

  4. Create the storage groups.

  5. Create the LUNs and mount them as datastores.

  6. Add hosts to the storage groups.

  7. Add LUNs to the storage groups.

Step 3

Review VNX block storage reports.

Step 4

Add the VNX file account(s).

Step 5

Choose either CIFS or NFS Export.

  • For CIFS, create the CIFS servers, CIFS shares, and DNS domains.
  • For NFS Export, create the following:

  1. Storage pools for files

  2. Volumes

  3. File systems

  4. Interfaces

  5. NFS export information

  6. Mounts

Step 6

Review VNX file storage reports.

What to do next

See the previous chapters on how to manage VNX block storage and VNX file storage for more details.