PowerFlex: How to Replace an NVDIMM in PowerEdge 15G Server or Appliance

1. Save the output of the following commands in a notepad:

• From the Control MDM:

scli --query_sds --sds_id <SDS ID>

• From the SDS:

dmidecode --type memory | grep "Non-" -B 3 -A 3 | grep -E 'Locator|Serial' | grep -v Bank 

ndctl list -D 

ndctl list -N 

ndctl list -R

Procedure

1. Remove all the storage devices from the SDS and wait for the Rebalance to finish.
2. Once all the devices are removed from the cluster, remove all the acceleration devices.
3. Once the server is no longer contributing any storage, power off the server and let the CE replace the NVDIMM.
4. Power on the server and Boot into the BIOS. Select BIOS Settings > Memory Settings > Select Enabled for Sanitize All NVDIMMs.
5. Save the changes and exit, then boot the server.
6. Run the commands:

ndctl create-namespace --region=region0 --type=pmem --mode=devdax --align=4k --force
ndctl create-namespace --region=region1 --type=pmem --mode=devdax --align=4k --force 

Each DAX device name is displayed in the output as a chardev value. In the example output, DAX device names are dax0.0 and dax1.0. The full acceleration device names are /dev/dax0.0 and /dev/dax1.0. 

Example:

ndctl create-namespace --region=region0 --type=pmem --mode=devdax --align=4k --force
{
 "dev":"namespace0.0",
 "mode":"devdax",
 "map":"dev",
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)",
 "uuid":"44490109-0bff-4ca2-b68a-ae7a6b30a55f",
 "daxregion":{
 "id":1,
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)",
 "align":4096,
 "devices":[
 {
 "chardev":"dax0.0",
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)"
 }
 ]
 },
 "align":4096
}

ndctl create-namespace --region=region1 --type=pmem --mode=devdax --align=4k --force
{
 "dev":"namespace1.0",
 "mode":"devdax",
 "map":"dev",
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)",
 "uuid":"d48959c9-4b8c-4736-ad00-23afc0113fcd",
 "daxregion":{
 "id":1,
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)",
 "align":4096,
 "devices":[
 {
 "chardev":"dax1.0",
 "size":"31.50 GiB (33.82 GB)"
 }
 ]
 },
 "align":4096
}

7. Return the acceleration and storage devices to operation by adding the devices that you removed back to the SDS.