PowerFlex: Management Controller Deployment

Before deploying PowerFlex Management Controller 2.0:
1. Configure port channel and trunk configuration data for network automation.

2. Install VMware ESXi on PowerFlex management controller.

3. Ensure that all management controller nodes are accessible.
Important: The deployment process is identical for both PowerFlex rack and PowerFlex appliance.
Configurations

Step of deploying the SVM OS

1. Log in to VMware vCSA.
2. Go to:
   Menu → Shortcuts → Hosts and Clusters, then expand the datacenter and cluster.
3. Right-click the ESXi host → Select Deploy OVF Template.
4. Choose Local file → Upload file → Browse to the SVM OVA template:
   • For PowerFlex Management Controller 2.0 cluster:
     ScaleIOVM_3nics_SLES_x.x.xxxx_xxx.ova
5. Click Open → Next.
6. Enter VM name:
   pfmc-<svm-ip-address>
    
   • For multi-VLAN setups, ensure correct IP per Logical Configuration Survey.
   • For multisubnet setups, a single port-group is created for the same VLAN ID.
7. Click Next.
8. Select the cluster and node for deployment. Verify no compatibility warnings → Next.
9. Click Next again.
10. Review details → Next.
11. Select Local datastore, choose Thin Provision for virtual disk format.
12. Under VM Storage Policy, check Disable Storage DRS for this VM → Next.
13. Select pfmc-sds-mgmt- for VM network → Next.
    (Ensure correct port-group for multi-VLAN setups.)
14. Click Finish.

Adjust resources and network settings, then enable DirectPath IO.

1. Edit VM Settings:
   • CPU: 12 CPUs, 12 cores per socket
   • Reservation: Enter GHz value → 17.4.
   • Memory: 18 GB, check Reserve all guest memory.
   • Network Adapters:
     • Adapter 1 → pfmc-sds-mgmt-<vlanid>
     • Adapter 2 → pfmc-sds-data1-<vlanid>
     • Adapter 3 → pfmc-sds-data2-<vlanid>
   • Remove two unused interfaces from OVA.
   • Add New Device → PCI Device → Enable DirectPath IO:
     • PCI Device = HBA 355i Front BroadCom / LSI
   • Click OK.

Component Installation
Install the following PowerFlex packages on all controller nodes in order:

1. ActiveMQ - Message Broker Service
2. Lightweight Installation Agent (LIA)
3. Storage Data Server (SDS)
4. 4. Meta Data Manager (MDM)

Certificate Generation
Generate temporary self-signed certificates required for PowerFlex cluster installation. These
Certificates will be replaced with production certificates post-deployment.

Cluster Deployment
Run the deployment script to create the PowerFlex cluster on the management controller. This
Process:
Configures the MDM cluster
Establishes communication between components
Initializes the storage infrastructure

Protection Domain Configuration
After cluster creation:
1. Add protection domains.
2. Create storage pools.
3. Provision volumes
4. Map volumes to datastores

Final Configuration Steps
Complete the management controller setup:
1. Create VMFS datastores.
2. Remove default vSwitch0.
3. Enable VMware High Availability (HA)
4. Enable VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)