PowerStore Manager Blocks Adding Appliance to Cluster if the Software Versions Do Not Match

When adding a new PowerStore appliance to an existing cluster, the Operating Environment (OE) version must match the cluster’s version. Assume the cluster’s major software version is N. There are three possible scenarios:

• Scenario 1: Hardware Requires Higher Minimum Version
  If the appliance hardware needs a minimum software version higher than the cluster’s version, the appliance appear as Incompatible because the cluster software is too old.
• Scenario 2: Software Version Outside Supported Range
  If the appliance’s major software version is more than N+1 or less than N-1, it is marked Incompatible since it is outside the supported synchronization range and cannot be aligned with the cluster version.
• Scenario 3: Software Version Within Supported Range
  If the appliance’s major software version falls between N-1 and N+1, then for clusters running PowerStoreOS 3.0.x or later, PowerStore Manager offers an option to synchronize the appliance software during the Add Appliance wizard.

For the above three scenarios respectively:

1. The appliance may include new hardware that requires a higher minimum software version than the cluster supports.
2. The appliance software version may be too old or too new (outside the N-1 to N+1 range) for synchronization.
3. If the appliance software version is within the N-1 to N+1 range, synchronization to the cluster version is supported.

If the only issue is software version mismatch and there are no other incompatibilities, consider the following actions:

• For scenario 1: Upgrade cluster software to the same version as appliance software.
• For scenario 2: Factory reset the appliance with the same software version as cluster.
• For scenario 3: Follow the prompt in PowerStore Manager to start OS synchronization on the appliance. After synchronization completes the appliance has the same version as cluster.

Refer to the Dell PowerStore Installation and Service Guide for more details.
For additional assistance contact Dell Technical Support.