Unisphere Analyzer and Unisphere Server Help

Please consider using the ESN (support) forum – there are a lot more users active there

The process for enabling logging on the VNX differs from the CLARiiON at least on the file side.

Step 1 is to enable statistics logging: Bring up the system menu and select - "Storage Hardware". On the screen that loads select "System Properties' on the right side. A new window will open and the  "General" tab should be active; from there enable "Statistics Logging". It is probably on already but I would double check. Note: This is not for analyzer data but it is something good to verify.

Analyzer is broken down into two parts. Go to System - Monitoring and Alerts - "Statistics for Block" OR "Statistics for File". These are the analyzer pages for the array.

- The "Statistics for Block" page is what all the CLARiiON people will recognize; select "Performance Data Logging" and start the collection to start generating NAR files (analyzer data). Analyzer reports are viewed/generated from that page.

- The "Statistics for File" page looks different. Nothing to turn on here just start viewing the data.

For the Unisphere Management Station please search PowerLink for "Setting Up a Unisphere Management Station" (include the quotes). The search should return two documents that give you the instructions you need. The Unisphere server serves a couple of purposes:

1) Can act as an "always up" management station whereas SP's may be rebooted/down. Only 1 URL to remember.

2) Can be a member of the Navi/Uni domain (again simplifying management; you will want to create a domain to get the most out of Uni Server).

3) Offload admin/reporting duties (well some of the impact) from the array SP's. Why log into a busy SP during the day for administrative tasks if you can use Unisphere server and save the load of loading the array management webpage?

Think of Unisphere server as a array with no disks to manage. It is just there to make it easier to manage all the arrays and offload some of impact of management tasks on the SP's. You don't even need to run it if you don't want to; you can use the Unisphere client to connect to arrays directly. Of course if you do that you are still connecting to individual arrays/sp's so you aren't really gaining anything.

If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask; I'll get notified if you respond.

- Jason

Thanks, Jason. This is very helpful. I tried setting up a domain for all of our VNX's and Clariions, but apparently the current version of Unisphere doesn't support VNX yet.

I did a search on PowerLink for the document you mentioned, but the only search result was a Unisphere Anlyzer document, but it doesn't really explain how Unisphere Server is configured and used. 

The current VNX OE code for VNX requires each VNX in it's own domain

The next maintenance release will allow multiple VNX per domain plus a 'trust' to a domain with Pre-VNX machines

For planned release date for that please ask your local EMC contact

Rainer

For a great detailed how-to that steps the first-time user through enabling, gathering and analyzing the data, I would highly recommend reading the following blog post:

http://storagesavvy.com/2011/03/30/performance-analysis-for-clariion-and-vnx-part-1/

It is currently 5 parts with the suggestion of a 6th.  This also has a brief mention about viewing it offline as you've inquired about as well as using Excel to generate useful graphs from the exported data.

Until the next VNX software release comes out you won't be able to create your Unisphere domain per the earlier post.

Once you have upgraded your arrays you will log into Unisphere server, go to "Home" - "System List" and add all your arrays to the system list using the "Add" button.

Unisphere server is really just a way to centralize authentication (logins) and access to your arrays so you no longer have to do that individually for each array.

That article is really helpfull for using analyzer, however I still cannot find anything that explains how to actually configure and use Unisphere Server. I installed Unisphere client on my laptop and installed Unisphere Server on one of our servers. Now what? If I point my client at the server's IP, I get "error processing connection information..."

How exactly does the client and the server work? Do I need to configure anything on the server? I've been search all over the place for this basic explenation and so far haven't found anything.

With the Unisphere Analyzer license (enabler loaded), you would start the process as follows within Unisphere:

System -> Monitoring and Alerts -> Statistics for Block

Then to begin the actual data logging, click on "Performance Data Logging" link.  Once there, you can follow along with the 5 part (with a suggestion of a 6th) blog post above that I referenced.  It will also mention some of the prerequisites such as having "Statistics Logging" enabled.

Then, as also noted in the blog post, you have three options to view the data collection:

1) Real-time (logged into Unisphere directly from the array/online)

2) Open an archive via the "Open Archive" option (logged into Unisphere directly from the array/online)

3) Or, offline via the Unisphere Server and Client utilities that you have downloaded

From your post I understood that you were interested in viewing the data offline and that was your goal for the Unisphere Server and Client; if not, then please let me know or reference the document mentioned below.  For instance, with the Unisphere Server and Client installed on your laptop and without online access to the array, you have enough of the Unisphere Environment running locally that allows you to open an archive (.nar file).  Also, Jason does a good job above summarizing other features of the software.

If you would like to review the document that references both the server and client software have a look at: "Setting Up a Unisphere Management Station", which can be found via the following breadcrumb trail on PowerLink:

Home > Support > Technical Documentation and Advisories > Software ~ T-Z ~ Documentation > Unisphere

They both make an appearance as they are prerequisites of several other tasks that they can participate in.  Again, I am assuming based on your original post that this was the reason you are interested in this software.

To sum up it up, though, you would typically do as follows:

1) Install the Unisphere Server and Client software:

a) EMC Unisphere Server (Windows) 1.1

b) EMC Unisphere Client (Windows) 1.1

Available from PowerLink via the following breadcrumb trail:

Home > Support > Software Downloads and Licensing > Downloads T-Z > Unisphere Server Software

2) Start the client, and when prompted for the host to connect to, specify: 127.0.0.1

3) If run for the first time, you will be prompted to initialize "Global Security", click "Yes"

4) Create an administrator account when prompted

5) Login in with account

You can now follow along in the blog post and view resulting NAR files offline via your self-contained Unisphere environment running locally.  Does this help?

Is there any equvalent to NetApp DFM for VNX?

• I need a solution for continous performance monitoring.

Is there any equvalent to netApp OnCommand Mmgmt Package for VNX?

• I need a solution for reporting, mgmt API SDK, etc.

Never be trained with Unisphere Server/Package, I'm not sure if we can do all those things with it.

Check out EMC ProSphere. It provides Performance and Capacity reporting plus end-to-end diagram views, etc for the storage, switches, and hosts (virtual and physical).

Richard J Anderson

THanks for your reply.

You may check this post.

https://community.emc.com/message/632322

Hey

If I have a System without Analyzer Enable i am still able to tick "enable statistics login" and go to system / monitoring and alerts/ statistics

and klick on Performance Data Loggin but nothing to see under "Performance charts" due a missing enable.

Is it true taht the Archive stuff gives me the same capabilites like Performance Charts and that performance charts are real time stuff?

I would like to get some information of a customers infrastrucutre but he does not have a enable for analyzer so i dont know exactelly how to do it. I started Performance Data Logging for a day and would like to create a archive then which i can open within Analyzer Helper.

Is this the way how to do it?

Best regards