First EMC + First San = Good times

Question

Well the time has come for me to learn how to setup everything from half scratch. My company has just aquired a EMC cx400 system. So far just from clicking here any there i have been able to get myself in the same spot where I started.

Here is what we have.

CX400 System ( 2x3u's with 146gb drives)
Dell 2650 System with Windows 2003 ENT R2

I am connecting the two together using Emulex cards. When i boot the system i can see the old raid config that the last company had, all 250gb drives.

I have installed EMC Power Link (Got the Key from the Serial number on the box, thank you EMC) along with a few Navisphere programs and have tried to get them to work. Today i finally found out that an SP is one of the CX400 units and I know their IP addresses using. if i try to browse to that address it gives me a login, this login is similar to the login if i try to goto 127.0.0.1 but the login info does not work.

So i know this is alot of into in one post but here is my question.

I like to learn things on my own, as i think most of us do, but this is my first EMC setup along with my first SAN.

What direction should i be going into? My game plan is this, Setup the LUNs/Raids, Find out how the SAN and other machines go together, setup a cluster and use the old plug and pray. So all in all if someone could just give me some pointers on a good place to get started on what software to install, what version what manuals to read that would be great.

Bobby

AranH1 · Answer

Bobby,Dynamox is right, we are going to throw a lot of documentation at you . The CLARiiON line from EMC is a relatively easy SAN to learn on, so as long as you are the type that can learn on your own, you will pick it up quickly. As dynamox said the Procedure Generators are a good place to start: specifically for you the connectivity guides (how to connect hosts to the SAN).The FLARE OE is basically the operating code that runs the array. You can find your version by logging onto the array, right click on the root of the tree and select properties. Go to the software tab, your version will be listed there.There is a lot of reference material on Powerlink though that you will have to start digging through.The hardware reference guides are at: Support  Documentation/White Paper Library  Hardware/Platforms Documentation  CLARiiON CX Series Systems  CLARiiON CX400The Navisphere reference guides (the operating code that runs the array) are at: Support  Documentation/White Paper Library  Software ~ J-O ~ Documentation  Navisphere Management SuiteLook at the Navisphere Admin guide for your release of FLARE code.

dynamox · Answer

guys will recommend a lot of documentation, i would add you take a loot at Clariion procedure generator here:Home > Support > Product and Diagnostic Tools > CLARiiON Procedure Generators

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

Thanks for the heads up on that, I am going through the Config and it's asking mewhat FLARE OE Release i have, what is this refering twords?

dynamox · Answer

while you are at it ..go ahead and update Emulex drivers as well, find the latest EMC supported version for your card here:http://www.emulex.com/emc/support/index.jsp

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

Well so far so good, I had PowerPath 3.2 installed, went ahead and removed everything except for the Emulex things, however i did up the firmware on the cards from 1.0 to 1.9 so maybe ill see something. As of right now I am installing

EMC Power Path 5.0.0

I will keep you guys updated on how well or bad I am doing and if all goes well I will be able to say that I made my first EMC/SAN solution soon!

Thanks again,

Bobby

AranH1 · Answer

Nope, doesn't matter which one you run first.

The revision of the NaviAgent needs to match the revision of FLARE on the array. They can be a few revs off, but EMC usually recommends to keep them the same.

What is the revision of FLARE on the array?

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

Yup got it, I am using (2) LP9802 cards. Drivers and firmware is up to date.Rebooting the SAN box right nowand moving down the list.

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

Installing NaviAgentCLI_WINDOWS_6.22.22.1.0

It comes with two files the Agent and the CLI .exe

In the what I like to call EMC God maual it doesn't tell you witch one to run first, does it matter?

Message was edited by:
Bobby Roberts

dynamox · Answer

how are you connecting to the array ?

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

Sorry for all of the questions guys but hey if you have the world at your finger tips why not. So from the looks of it the CLI is more of a command based config util and the agent is more of a GUI based thing.. is this right? Do you install one or the other??

if so witch is better?

About the Flare, i think im in a catch 22 on this. I need to know witch Flare im running to get the manual that im reading right now, but i can't get the manual until i install the tools to get the version. Before you said I should look @ the Array to get the Flare version, I can't get that far with the manual. Is there an easy way to get to this without the Navisphere tools installed?!?

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

I think im stuck again, i have installed the Agent and the CLI and the Management.

http://127.0.0.1/setup

I created the user and the password but when i try to goto

http://127.0.0.1/

i get

Navi Error. Access Denied.
Please check the typed URL.

Am i missing something?

BobbyGRoberts · Answer

::This is the Setup::'| DELL 2650 | <---Network Cable 192.168.X.X (Network)| Server 2k3 R2 | <---Network Cable 10.15.X.X (I found out that the CX400'S ip's were in this range and i can ping them. Emulex Cards LP9802's || || || || <-----Fiber Cables| | <---Network Cable| CX 400 A | <--Cables from CX-400 going from A to B-----------------------------| | <--Cables from CX-400 going from B to A| CX 400 B | <---Network Cable-----------------------------In the OS i can see about 11 +/- Drives all about 250gb so that makes me think that I have hooked up the cables in the back correct.I have installed the Agent, CLI, and Managment software. but i get that error when i try to goto the 127.0.0.1. Is that what you were looking for?

dynamox · Answer

most likely Navisphere software is installed on the array already ..so you dont need to use management software on your host ...can you point your browser to the ip address of one of your SP ..what do you get ?

dynamox · Answer

hopefully you have NaviSphere username and password ..if not take a look here:https://forums.emc.com/forums/thread.jspa?tstart=0&threadID=46534

dynamox · Answer

yep, flare resides on the first 5 drives, so it does take a up a little space but it's very insignificant.

CLARiiON

First EMC + First San = Good times

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