White Paper: EMC Unisphere for VNXe - Next-Generation Storage

White Paper

Abstract

This white paper introduces EMC® Unisphere™ for the VNXe3200, a web-based management environment for creating storage resources, configuring and scheduling protection for stored data, and managing and monitoring other storage operations. This paper provides a detailed description of how to use Unisphere to manage your VNXe3200 storage system. February 2015 Copyright © 2015 EMC Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

EMC UNISPHERE FOR THE VNXe3200: NEXT-GENERATION STORAGE MANAGEMENT A DETAILED REVIEW

2 EMC Unisphere for the VNXe3200: Next Generation Storage Management

A Detailed Review

EMC believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice. The information in this publication is provided “as is.” EMC Corporation makes no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to the information in this publication, and specifically disclaims implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Use, copying, and distribution of any EMC software described in this publication requires an applicable software license. For the most up-to-date listing of EMC product names, see EMC Corporation Trademarks on EMC.com. VMware and VMware View are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. Part Number h13100.1


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 4

Introduction ............................................................................................................ 4

Audience ............................................................................................................................ 4

Terminology ....................................................................................................................... 4

Next-Generation Management with Unisphere .......................................................... 6

Getting Started ........................................................................................................ 6

Using the Connection Utility to Configure Connections ....................................................... 6

Using the Configuration Wizard .......................................................................................... 8

The Unisphere VNXe3200 Interface ........................................................................ 11

Unisphere Dashboard....................................................................................................... 12

Dashboard Widgets ...................................................................................................... 13

Status Information............................................................................................................ 14

System Menu ................................................................................................................... 15

System Pages ............................................................................................................... 16

Storage page .................................................................................................................... 21

Storage pages .............................................................................................................. 23

Hosts Menu ...................................................................................................................... 24

Host pages ................................................................................................................... 25

Settings Page ................................................................................................................... 29

Settings pages ............................................................................................................. 30

Support menu .................................................................................................................. 35

Unisphere Online Help ..................................................................................................... 36

System Health page alerts ............................................................................................ 37

Unisphere CLI ........................................................................................................ 38

Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 38

References ............................................................................................................ 39


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Executive Summary Today more than ever, storage administrators need a simple and intuitive way to manage the ever-expanding feature sets and functionalities of modern storage systems. This is especially true for the VNXe3200, which has been greatly enhanced from the previous generation to include support for advanced data services and multicore optimization while remaining an entry level storage system designed for IT generalists. Incorporating management of these new features and building upon the user-friendliness of the previous generation VNXe ensures ease of management for users.

Unisphere enables users to manage storage and the VNXe3200’s enhanced feature set in a simple and intuitive fashion by utilizing easy-to-understand language and comprehensive wizards. Unisphere also embeds best practices into the user interface for a faster and simpler experience when completing everyday administrative tasks.

Unisphere uses a graphical, application-oriented model with a web-familiar look and feel. The easy navigation and built-in best practices within Unisphere enables the management of advance storage features by IT generalists without requiring an in-depth understanding of these technologies. In addition, a support ecosystem provides access to learning materials and support resources that make storage management easier than ever. This results in a more efficient and more productive environment.

Introduction This white paper discusses Unisphere for the VNXe3200 storage system. It describes the Unisphere for VNXe interface, and explains how an IT generalist completes storage-related tasks using this intuitive, easy-to-use interface.

This paper also describes different features of Unisphere, and provides general guidelines for using these features. Step-by-step instructions can be found in Unisphere Online Help.

Audience

This white paper is intended for EMC customers, partners, and employees who are considering using Unisphere for managing VNXe3200 storage systems. It is assumed that the reader is at least an IT generalist who has experience as a system or network administrator.

Terminology

Unisphere – The management interface for creating, managing, and monitoring VNXe3200 storage resources and protection.

Common Internet File System (CIFS) – An access protocol that enables users to access files and folders from Windows hosts located on a network. User


A Detailed Review

authentication is maintained through Active Directory and file access is determined by directory access controls.

Fibre Channel – A protocol that provides a mechanism for accessing raw block-level data storage.

File System – VNXe3200 file-level storage resource using the CIFS and/or NFS protocol. A NAS Server must exist on the system prior to creating a CIFS and/or NFS enabled File System.

Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) – A protocol that provides a mechanism for accessing raw block-level data storage over network connections.

LUN – Logical unit of storage created in a pool. A LUN can be either be a thin LUN or a thick LUN.

NAS Server – A VNXe3200 storage server that uses the CIFS or NFS protocol to catalog, organize, and transfer files within designated shares. It is required to create file-level storage resources such as CIFS and/or NFS File Systems, or VMware NFS datastores.

Network File System (NFS) – An access protocol that enables users to access files and folders from Linux/UNIX hosts located on a network.

Snapshot – A read-only or writeable point-in-time copy of data. Users can recover files from snapshots or restore a storage element to a snapshot.

Storage Pool – Group of disk drives used for configuring LUNs, Datastores, and File Systems. Drives may only be a member of one pool.

Storage Processor (SP) – A hardware component that provides compute resources for VNXe3200 storage operations such as creating, managing, and monitoring storage resources.


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Next-Generation Management with Unisphere Unisphere provides tools to configure system settings, view system status, and to manage a VNXe3200 storage system. It also enables storage administrators to easily configure storage resources to meet the specific needs of their applications, hosts, and users, as shown in Figure 1.

Unisphere wizards simplify storage provisioning by automatically implementing best practices as administrators provision storage. This optimizes system performance and minimizes costs. Troubleshooting is also simplified by easily identifying failed components and by providing direct access to EMC support options.

Figure 1. Unisphere for VNXe Managing Diverse Storage Environments

Getting Started

Using the Connection Utility to Configure Connections

Before configuring VNXe3200 system settings or creating VNXe3200 storage resources, you need to establish an IP address to manage the VNXe3200 system. To establish VNXe3200 connection settings, run the Connection Utility from a Windows host.


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Use one of the following methods to configure your system as shown in Figure 2:

If you run the Connection Utility from a computer that is on the same subnet as the VNXe3200, select Auto Discover method to automatically discover any VNXe3200 systems that have not been configured.

If you run the Connection Utility on a different subnet or a machine not on the network, select Manual Configuration to save the configuration to a USB drive and transfer it to the VNXe3200.

Figure 2. VNXe Connection Utility Welcome Page


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The Connection Utility helps configure the following VNXe3200 system settings, shown in Figure 3:

System name – Name that identifies the VNXe3200 storage system.

Network address – Management IP address (IPv4 and/or IPv6) assigned to the system and used to access Unisphere.

Subnet mask/Prefix Length – Mask used to determine which subnet the management IP address belongs to.

Gateway address – Default address of the network; this provides a single point of entry to the site.

Figure 3. VNXe Connection Utility

Using the Configuration Wizard

After you run the Connection Utility, connect to the VNXe3200 system through a web browser to launch Unisphere. The Unisphere Configuration Wizard, shown in Figure 4, appears the first time when the VNXe3200 is connected. It helps configure the following settings:


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Default system Admin and Service account passwords – Passwords used to log in to Unisphere and the service section of Unisphere, respectively.

Unisphere Licenses – Acquire and install licenses to add features and services to the storage system.

Domain Name System (DNS) server – Network service that converts domain names to their corresponding IP addresses. This setting is optional for disconnected sites.

Network Time Protocol (NTP) server – Protocol used to synchronize the VNXe3200 system clock with other nodes on the network. Configuring the NTP server settings is optional for disconnected sites. Note that if the current system time is more than 5 minutes off from the NTP server you are trying to configure, you will be asked to configure NTP at a later time, as this requires a reboot.

Disk Configuration – Create FAST Cache and Storage Pools for your VNXe system. EMC Online Support Credentials – Username and password for a registered EMC Online Support account.

Product Support Options – Enables ConnectEMC and EMC Secure Remote Support (ESRS). ConnectEMC provides faster service response time, expedited part replacement, and enhanced diagnostic feedback. ESRS enables EMC Support to perform remote troubleshooting which accelerates problem diagnosis and results in a fast and efficient time to resolution.

iSCSI Interfaces Configuration – Define iSCSI Interfaces on the VNXe3200 system.

NAS Server Configuration – Configure a NAS Server to manage storage resources for applications and hosts. You can configure the NAS Server at a later time using Unisphere.

Replication Interfaces Configuration – Define replication interfaces on the VNXe3200 system. You can configure replication interfaces at a later time using Unisphere.


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Figure 4. Unisphere Configuration Wizard Page

The VNXe3200 is registered using EMC Online Support. After registering, access is gained instantly to easy-to-use tools that help plan, install, maintain, and service the VNXe3200. Registering the system also enables software updates, installation tools, and more.

After registering, EMC emails licenses for the features that were purchased. Licenses can be activated in the Unisphere Configuration Wizard or by following the steps:

1. From a Web browser, open the URL to the VNXe3200 management address. The login screen for VNXe3200 appears.

2. Log on to Unisphere.

3. Click Settings menu. The Settings landing page appears.

4. Select More Configurations > Manage Licenses. The Manage Licenses page appears as shown in Figure 5.

5. Follow the instructions that appear on Manage Licenses page.

When managing licenses, you can view information about the installation, the version number, and the license issue date and expiration date.


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Figure 5. Manage Licenses Page

The Unisphere VNXe3200 Interface The Unisphere menu bar consists of six menus as shown in Figure 6.

Dashboard – Displays widgets with shortcuts to the VNXe3200 system functionalities.

System – Enables users to configure and view system information.

Storage – Enables users to provision storage.

Hosts – Enables users to view and configure hosts for the VNXe3200 storage array.

Settings – Enables users to view and configure system and storage settings.

Support – Provides access help and customer support options.


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Figure 6. Menu Bar

Unisphere Dashboard

The Dashboard tab is selected by default when users log into Unisphere as shown in Figure 7. The Dashboard contains a selection of customizable dashboards. Each dashboard appears as a tab in the Dashboard window and displays a set of widgets. Users can add, modify, and delete dashboards. There is always at least one dashboard tab present on the page because users cannot delete the last dashboard. Users can rename a dashboard by double-clicking its name.

Each dashboard can be used to:

View a summary of system storage usage.

Monitor system alerts.

Choose common task controls.

View system and session status information, such as alerts.

View storage information.

Figure 7. Dashboard Page


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Dashboard Widgets

Each Dashboard contains a selection of widgets. Click Customize, as seen in Figure 8, to add widgets to the current dashboard, then drag and drop the widgets to the Dashboard window.

The following widgets can be added to a dashboard:

System Information – Information about the VNXe3200 system, such as the name, model, product ID, software version, and system health status.

System Capacity – A graphical view of available storage resources, storage allocated for different types of storage resources (for example, LUNs, File Systems, and VMware Datastores) and storage used for snapshot data protection.

Storage Pools – A graphical view that highlights storage pool available space, used space, subscription, and alert thresholds.

Common Tasks – Shortcuts to frequently performed storage provisioning, system management, and support operations.

System Alerts – List of alerts and messages associated with storage operations, system processes, and user activity. File Systems – List of configured File Systems. This is similar to the Details view in the File Systems screen (Storage > File Systems).

LUNs – List of configured LUNs. This is similar to the Details view in the LUNs screen (Storage > LUNs).

VMware Datastores – List of allocated VMware datastores. This is similar to the Details view in the VMware Storage screen (Storage > VMware Datastores).


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Figure 8. Create and Customize Dashboard

Every dashboard widget displays the following icons in the top right corner:

Help – Displays the appropriate section in Unisphere Online Help.

Maximize/Restore – The Maximize icon expands the widget to fill the screen and the Restore icon restores the widget to its original state.

Remove – Removes the widget from the dashboard.

Some widgets have the following additional icons:

Filter – Found in System Alerts and all storage resource widgets (LUNs, VMware Datastores and File Systems), and enables users to search through the entries in the widget.

Tools – Found in all storage resource widgets (LUNs, VMware Datastores and File Systems). It enables users to select the columns to display in the widget, and to reset the widget’s display.

Export – Found in all storage resource widgets (LUNs, VMware Datastores and File Systems), and enables users to export all or selected entries in the widget to a comma-separated value format (.csv) file.

Status Information

Unisphere displays a solid blue bar at the bottom of every page (as shown in Figure 9) that provides the following information:

System Health – Displays a graphic corresponding to the current overall system health. Clicking this graphic links to the System Health page.


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Name – Displays the current system name.

Alerts – Shows the number of system alerts. This is also a shortcut to the System Alerts page (System > System Alerts).

Jobs – Shows the number of concurrent jobs running in Unisphere. This is also a shortcut to the Job page (System > Jobs).

User – Displays the current user.

System time – Displays the system time.

Figure 9. Status Bar

System Menu

The System menu provides pages that help monitor the VNXe3200 system, as shown in Figure 10. These pages are also accessed from a drop-down that is displayed by hovering the cursor over the Systems menu.

The System menu provides a central location for monitoring the status of the VNXe3200 system. Use this menu to:

View graphical information about current system, capacity, health, and status.

View all replication sessions associated with the system.

View metrics graphs of system performance and utilization.

View system alerts, messages, and notifications.

Monitor system and storage processes.

Display log information about system activity.

View jobs list and status.


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Figure 10. System Page

System Pages

The System menu displays the following pages:

System Capacity – Displays data utilization in the following categories:

Current capacity tab – Displays a pie chart breakdown of total system capacity utilization by storage resource type.

Historical capacity tab – Displays capacity utilization history by plotting total storage usage against time.

System Health – Provides an interactive graphic of your VNXe3200 hardware. This page allows you to view the state of system components such as Enclosures, Disks, I/O modules, Cooling Modules, and Ports by clicking on them. I/O modules can also be committed from this page. The graphical carousel displays a front and rear view of each enclosure as shown in Figure 11.


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Figure 11. System Health Page

Storage Resource Health – Displays the health of all LUNs, File Systems, and VMware Datastores configured on the system. The associated pools and their health are also shown.

System Replications – Displays all the replications sessions configured on the system. Each replication session has a source and destination storage resource.

System Alerts – Displays system alerts with associated message information as shown in Figure 12. A message explains each alert as well as the severity and time of the alert. You can select an alert to view additional help or navigate to the appropriate component health status. This page can also be accessed by clicking Alerts on the bottom bar.


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Figure 12. System Alerts Page

Jobs – Jobs are activities or actions requested of Unisphere that continue in the background allowing the administrator to do other tasks on the system. The VNXe3200 system can run multiple active processes/jobs concurrently and also queues the jobs when there are not enough system resources to run all the jobs at once as shown in the Figure 13. The Jobs page is divided into two areas.

Jobs – Displays a list of jobs that are completed, running, and in queue on the VNXe3200 system in a tabular format. The table also includes the description, status, start time of the job, and the user that launched the job.

Job Details – Displays the steps and status of each step for the job selected in the Jobs area. If any critical step fails, the job fails and a system alert is displayed to notify the user of the error.


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Figure 13. Jobs Page

Note: Not all tasks in Unisphere run concurrently.

System Performance – Displays graphs that plot various historical capacity and utilization metrics that can be broken down into different categories. For example, Total LUN Bandwidth can be broken down by LUN, SP, Storage Pool, etc. When a breakdown category is selected, the graphs display heat maps showing the intensity of activity. The time range to display in the graphs can be modified at the top of the screen. Multiple dashboards can be created, each of which can display up to 5 metrics that can also be exported to CSV. The system performance page is shown in Figure 14. For more information, refer to the VNXe Series Capacity and Performance Metrics white paper on EMC Online Support.


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Figure 14. System Performance Page

Logs page – The VNXe3200 system monitors and reports a variety of events on the VNXe3200 system. These events are collected and written to the user log. The user log lists the following information for each event:

Severity (!) – Icon indicating the severity of the error or event that has occurred. Table 1 shows the severity levels:


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Table 1. Severity Levels

Date/Time – Date and time when the event occurred.

Source – The VNXe3200 component associated with the event.

User – User account (if any) associated with the specific alert.

Event ID – An ID associated with the event.

Description – Short description of the cause or effects of the event.

Storage page

Under the Storage menu shown in Figure 15, Unisphere for VNXe provides storage resources especially suited to the needs of different applications, host operating systems, and user requirements. The Storage menu provides pages that automatically implement best practices when:

Creating storage for application-specific files and data from network hosts.

Configuring and managing storage resources accessed by applications, hosts, and workgroups.

Protecting data manually or automatically by scheduling snapshots.

Setting up replication for LUNs/LUN Groups or VMware VMFS Datastores.


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Figure 15. Storage Page

The information in each storage resource page is organized in a table. This tabular format, as shown in Figure 16, is very intuitive, so that the storage resources can be assessed quickly. The tables show information such as Name, Description, Size and Protection Schedule for each storage resource listed.


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Figure 16. LUNs Page

Storage pages

The Storage menu provides pages to create, configure, and monitor the following types of storage resources:

VMware Datastores – Provides storage for VMware virtual machines through datastores that are accessible through either NFS or VMFS protocols.

File Systems – Enables clients to store data, and easily access shares that integrate seamlessly into:

Windows environments that use CIFS protocol for file sharing, Microsoft Active Directory for authentication, and Windows directory access for folder permissions.

Linux/UNIX environments that use NFS protocol for file sharing and POSIX access control lists for folder permissions.

LUNs/LUN Groups – Provides generic block-level storage to hosts and applications that use iSCSI or Fibre Channel protocols to access storage in the form of virtual disks.

The Storage Configuration page, shown in Figure 17, is also accessed from the Storage page. The Storage Configuration page provides the ability to manage the following:


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Storage Pools – Provision, monitor and modify storage pools.

FAST Cache – Create FAST Cache from system FAST Cache Optimized Flash drives.

Spare Disks – View unbound disks and hot spare policies for each disk type.

Figure 17. Storage Configuration Page

Hosts Menu

The Hosts menu, shown in Figure 18, enables control of host access to storage resources by creating and managing host configurations. Host configurations provide the VNXe3200 with network profiles of the hosts that use storage resources. Host configurations consist of a friendly name and a host network address subnet mask, or netgroup. They are used to control specific access to most storage resources.

Use the Hosts page to:

Discover VMware vCenter™/ESX® hosts.

View all hosts configured for the system.

Create individual host configurations for accessing system storage.

Create subnet and netgroup host configurations to enable multiple hosts to access system storage.

Manage system-to-system replication connections.


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Figure 18. Hosts Page

Host pages

The Hosts menu contains the following pages:

Hosts – Enables users to add hosts to the VNXe3200, as well as view and manage all hosts known to the system.

VMware Hosts – Enables users to view and manage all VMware hosts known to the system. The Find ESX Hosts Wizard allows users to add individual ESX hosts or import a vCenter including all ESX hosts within that vCenter and their associated Virtual Machines if desired.

Replication Connections – Enables users to establish a communication path between two systems. The path can then be used to create remote replication sessions for block resources (LUNs/LUN Groups and VMware VMFS Datastores).

Initiators – Enables users to view initiators and initiator paths for the system, as well as the host, protocol, and target port associated with each. The Host Wizard, shown in Figure 19, creates configurations for individual hosts, subnets, or netgroups. After a host configuration is created, it can be associated with one or more storage resources.


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Figure 19. Host Configuration Wizard

Remote replications on the VNXe3200 require a configured connection between the source system and destination system. These replication connections use replication interfaces on each SP from the local system and pairs them up with the replication interfaces on each SP from the destination system. Therefore, replication interfaces need to be configured before creating a replication connection. The Add Replication Connection Wizard, shown in Figure 20.


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Figure 20. Add Replication Connection Wizard

Unisphere’s VMware integration enables users to configure and manage VMware storage within Unisphere. Unisphere automatically creates and configures datastores on the VMware host when that host is given access to a datastore created in Unisphere. When a vCenter is added to Unisphere, you have the option to also automatically pull in all of the hosts managed by that vCenter, and their virtual machines. A VMware host can be expanded to view the details of each virtual machine associated with it. The VMware Hosts page is shown in Figure 21.


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Figure 21. VMware Hosts Page

Hosts and host subnets are configured based on the following criteria:

Operating System – Operating system of the host to be added.

iSCSI initiator IQN (iSCSI Qualified Name) – iSCSI access to LUN storage or VMware VMFS Datastores.

FC initiator WWN – Fibre Channel access to LUN storage or VMware VMFS Datastores.

IP address or network host name – Access to NFS File Systems or VMware NFS Datastores.

IP subnet range – Access to NFS File Systems, or VMware NFS Datastores by hosts within a specific subnet range.

Netgroup – Access to NFS File Systems or VMware NFS Datastores by hosts or users in a specific netgroup.

After creating hosts, specify host access permissions individually for each storage resource. These permissions determine the access privileges permitted for individual hosts or subnets with network connectivity to the storage resource. On each storage resource, one of four host access privilege levels can be set for each host:

No Access

LUN


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Snapshot

LUN and Snapshot

Figure 22 displays the association between hosts and storage resources.

Figure 22. Host Access to Storage Resources

Settings Page

The Settings page allows system settings to be configured as shown in Figure 23. Use the Settings page to:

Configure system settings, network settings, storage servers, and alert settings.

Use tools for servicing and troubleshooting the system.

Manage user access to Unisphere.

Update system software.

Manage licenses for system features and functionality.

Change user preferences, set language settings, and reset the password for the current login account.


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Figure 23. Settings Page

Settings pages

The Settings page contains the following sections:

Management Settings – Enables users to set up and configure network and communication settings for the storage system. The General tab enables users to change system management connections, enter system information, and set up a failback policy. The Network tab enables users to modify DNS and NTP settings, configure remote logging, and configure connection to Unisphere Central.

Service System – To access this page (Figure 24), users must enter the service password. This page provides tools for servicing the storage system, including repairing or troubleshooting the system, servicing the SPs, collecting system/configuration information to assist the service provider with a service request, and changing the service password.

The System Components list shows the storage system SPs. In this page, users attempt to resolve minor or moderate issues such as a component failure, a system boot problem, or other persistent problems. From this page, users can access the service mode, reboot or reimage SPs, restart the management software, enable SSH, and shut down the system.


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Figure 24. Service System Page

iSCSI Settings – Enables users to manage storage settings for iSCSI storage operations. Users can create and configure iSCSI Interfaces and modify CHAP settings.

Replication Settings – Allows users to configure replication interfaces which are dedicated network interfaces specifically for replication-related data. Each SP must include at least one replication interface for a replication connection to be configured with another system.

NAS Servers – This page lists all NAS Servers configured on the system. Users can create additional NAS Servers on this page. In the Details page of a NAS Server, users can manage settings for File System storage access for Windows shares (CIFS) using the Active Directory or Standalone option and Linux/UNIX shares (NFS). Users can also configure a NAS Server for multiprotocol access with both CIFS and NFS shares accessing the same File System. Lastly, users can configure and modify network interfaces, configure Advanced Storage Access (ASA), enable NDMP, Antivirus, and Network Information Service (NIS) from the various tabs on this page. Figure 25 shows the Details page of a selected NAS Server.


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Figure 25. NAS Server Details Page

Preferences – Enables users to change user preferences, including language settings and account password.

Data Efficiency Settings – Enables users to enable FAST VP, set the data relocation rate, enable scheduled data relocation, and schedule the days and time at which to run FAST VP. All data relocation on the system can also be paused from this screen.

More Configuration – Enables users to view additional configuration options for the storage system, such as updating the software, managing users, licenses, alerts, and EMC Secure Remote Support (ESRS). Figure 26 shows the More Configuration page.


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Figure 26. More Configuration Page

This page allows users to:

Manage Licenses – Acquire, install, and update licenses to add features and services to the storage system.

Manage Administration – Create and manage user accounts, user access, and permissions.

Alert Settings – Configure settings for tracking and reporting system alerts and notifications, including ConnectEMC, SMTP, and SNMP settings, and email alerts.

Snapshot Schedules – View system defined and user created snapshot schedules.

EMC Secure Remote Support – Manage your ESRS configuration.

Manage Support Contracts – View the current support contracts for the storage system.

Update Software – Acquire and install software updates and disk firmware updates for your storage system. You can also run a standalone health check to determine if your system is in a suitable state for an upgrade.


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Figure 27 shows the Health Check wizard displayed from this page.

Figure 27. Pre-Upgrade Health Check

Port Settings – Manage advanced system settings, such as link aggregation and link transmission rate.

Routing Configuration – Manage routing settings.


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Support menu

Unisphere for VNXe is designed with the entire support ecosystem in mind. The integrated Support page, as shown in Figure 28, provides instant access to online support information and communities. It is the central location for self-help resources. This page provides links to resources for learning about and getting assistance with the storage system. From the Support page you have the following options:

How To Videos – Watch how-to product videos.

Online Documentation – View the online help and documentation library. Read white papers and access training about product features and use cases.

Search EMC Support – Access the EMC Online Support page for the latest product information and updates.

Community – Search the online community for information posted by other users in the online forums about the latest tools, tips, and best practices.

Download – Download software for your storage system.

Technical Advisories – Access the Technical Advisories for your storage system.

Shop EMC Products – Access the online EMC store and request a quote for disk drives, software and more.

Need more help? – Access additional resources, discussed below.

Figure 28. Support Page

Figure 29 shows the Need more help? page. It contains links to the following pages:


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Product Support Page – Access the system-support links from the Product Support page.

Customer Replaceable Parts – Order or return a part for the storage system.

Service Center – Access information regarding open support requests.

Update User Profile – Update online user profiles.

Live Chat – Participate in live chat sessions with qualified technical support representatives who are ready to answer technical questions or questions about ordering parts.

Figure 29. Need more help? Page

Unisphere Online Help

The Unisphere Online Help, shown in Figure 30, is the central repository for all help topics, guides, and procedures. In this tool, a wide variety of information is available, including instructions for creating storage resources, detailed explanations, part replacement procedures, and instructions for servicing the VNXe3200 system.


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Figure 30. Unisphere Online Help

In Unisphere for VNXe, each page contains a question mark in the top right, shown in Figure 31, that provides to access online help. Unisphere Online Help is context-sensitive. Therefore clicking this icon launches the Unisphere Online Help based on the relative section that the icon is located in.

Figure 31. Unisphere Online Help Icon

System Health page alerts

If a hardware fault occurs on the VNXe3200, the System Health page displays the fault with a pop-up message, as shown in Figure 32. Each pop-up message contains information about the fault, and (when applicable) links to more information about resolving the issue – for example, by replacing a part. This documentation is found within the Unisphere Online Help or in the Product online Knowledge base.


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Figure 32. System Health Page

Unisphere CLI The VNXe3200 can also be managed through a command line interface using Unisphere CLI. Unisphere CLI can be used for many tasks including:

Configuring and monitoring the system Managing users Provisioning storage Protecting data Controlling host access to storage

The Unisphere GUI is recommended for everyday system management, while Unisphere CLI is intended for advanced users who want to use commands in scripts for automating routine tasks. For more information on using Unisphere CLI, refer to the VNXe Unisphere CLI User Guide on EMC Online Support.

Conclusion Unisphere for the VNXe3200 improves upon the management capabilities of the previous generation VNXe while maintaining the same philosophy: keep it simple. Whether a user is provisioning storage or managing advanced data services, Unisphere provides a simple and intuitive interface to get the job done. Embedded best practices ensure that IT generalists can easily manage the full expanded feature set of the VNXe3200 without requiring specialized storage knowledge.


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A click on the Unisphere Support menu puts a world of resources at the administrator’s fingertips. Comprehensive online documentation, help, training, and even how-to-videos are available to expand one’s knowledge and answer questions. All these features make Unisphere for VNXe a powerful and easy-to-use tool for managing VNXe3200 storage systems.

References The following resources are available on EMC Online Support:

VNXe Series Capacity and Performance Metrics

VNXe Unisphere CLI User Guide

Documents

White Paper: EMC Unisphere for VNXe - Next-Generation Storage