Reset and Setup Dell EqualLogic Array

    I recently had to reset and set up a Dell EqualLogic PS4000 SAN array. At the same time, I decided to upgrade the firmware on the array, before placing it back into production. This a rough transcript and comments of that process.

    PS Series Storage Arrays
    Unauthorized Access Prohibited
    
    login: grpadmin
    Password:
    
    
               Welcome to Group Manager
    
            Copyright 2001-2012 Dell, Inc.
    
    
    
    
    grp> 631:5:netmgtd:12-Jul-2016 09:10:12.270006:rcc_util.c:753:INFO::25.2.9:CLI: Login to account grpadmin succeeded, using local authentication. User privilege is group-admin.
    grp> show grpparams
    ______________________________ Group Information ______________________________
    Name: grp                              Group-Ipaddress: 192.168.200.12
    Group-Mgt-Gateway:                     Def-Snap-Reserve: 100%
    Def-Snap-Warn: 10%                     Def-Snap-Depletion: delete-oldest
    Def-Thin-Growth-Warn: 60%              Def-Thin-Growth-Max: 100%
    DateAndTime: Tue Jul 12 09:10:37 2016  TimeZone: America/New_York
    Description:                           Def-Iscsi-Prefix:
    Def-Iscsi-Alias: yes                     iqn.2001-05.com.equallogic
    Info-Messages: enabled                 Webaccess: enabled
    Webaccess-noencrypt: enabled           Cliaccess-SSH: enabled
    Cliaccess-Telnet: enabled              Email-Notify: enabled
    Syslog-Notify: enabled                 iSNS-Server-List:
    Email-List:                            NtpServers:
    Smtp-Server-List:                      DNS-Server-List:
    DNS-Suffix-List:                       Syslog-Server-List:
    Target-Auth-UserName:                  Target-Auth-Password:
    Email-From: [email protected]
    Location:                              Conn-Balancing: enabled
    Discovery-Use-Chap: enabled            Email-Contact:
    Perf-balancing: enabled                Disallow-Downgrades: no
    Management-Ipaddress:                  SSH-V1-Protocol: enabled
    FTP-service: enabled                   Standby-Button: disabled
    DCB: enabled                           Def-DCB-VLAN-Id: 0
    Thermal-Shutdown: enabled              Crypto-Legacy-Protocols: enabled
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________ Radius Information ______________________________
    radius-auth-list:                      login-radius-auth: disabled
    radius-auth-retries: 1                 radius-auth-timeout:  2secs
    login-radius-acct: disabled            radius-acct-retries: 1
    radius-acct-timeout:  2secs            iscsi-radius-auth: disabled
    iscsi-local-auth: enabled              radius-acct-list:
    login-radius-attr: enabled
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    ______________________________ Snmp Information _______________________________
    read-only-comms:                       read-write-comms:
    trap-community:                        snmp-managers:
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    grp> member show
    Name       Status  Version           Disks Capacity   FreeSpace  Connections
    ---------- ------- ----------        ----- ---------- ---------- -----------
    grp01      online  V5.2.1 (R2 19658) 16    5.1TB      1.12TB     0
                         
    grp> member select grp01
    grp(member_grp01)> show eths
    Name ifType          ifSpeed    Mtu  Ipaddress                     Status Errors DCB
    ---- --------------- ---------- ---- ----------------------------- ------ ------ ------
    eth0 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.200.4                 up     0      off
    eth1 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.200.5                 up     0      off
    eth2 ethernet-csmacd 10 Mbps    1500 172.16.0.230                  down   0      off
    grp(member_grp01)> exit
    

    Trying to run setup on an array that is already setup, results in an error message.

    grp> setup
    
                    Group Manager Setup Utility
    
    
    
    The storage array is already configured. If you want to
    reconfigure the array, you must first run the reset command to reset
    the array to its factory defaults.  After running the reset command,
    invoke setup to reconfigure the array.
    
    Note: The reset command will completely initialize the array and
    remove any configuration and user data on array.
    
    grp> reset
    
    Warning: This command resets an array to the factory
    defaults (original condition).  The result is the
    elimination of all group and volume configuration
    information and any volume data residing on the array.
    
    Before resetting an array that is a member of a group,
    it is recommended that you delete the member from the
    group.
    
    Reset this array to factory defaults? [n/DeleteAllMyDataNow] DeleteAllMyDataNow
    Resetting system, this will take a few minutes.
    Deleting backup password files
    Deleting agent.cnf
    Cleaning-up /pss/dumps/
    Zeroing drives, nvram and rebooting the system
    
    
    
    #########################################################
    #                                                       #
    #          Dell (tm), Inc. Storage Array                #
    #               Copyright 2001-2008                     #
    #    70-0120 Rev=R10 SN=RMS833080003A56 ECO=C00         #
    #                                                       #
    #########################################################
                -- Type Ctrl-p key to enter setup mode --
    
    BOOTROM version 8.1.1
    Build Date: Thu Feb 26 02:33:58 EST 2009
    Total memory: 0x80000000 bytes (2048MB)
    NP Loading ...Done
    SP Loading ...Done
    
    Dell, Inc. Storage Array
    
    Copyright 2001-2012 Dell, Inc.
    
    SP:2.78:mips_pss_init.c:411:INFO:28.2.107:Control module in slot 0 with serial number X is designated as active.
    MFS set up
    Building databases...
    SP:1468330161.10:emm.c:1276:INFO:28.2.6:Enclosure serial number: X.
    Tue Jul 12 09:29:25 EDT 2016
    Jul 12 09:29:25 init: kernel security level changed from 0 to 1
    SP:1468330167.16:emm.c:2380:INFO:28.2.30:Control modules have completed initializing, and failover is now operational.
    
    Login to set up the reset array.
    PS Series Storage Arrays
    Unauthorized Access Prohibited
    
    
    login: grpadmin
    Password:
    
    
               Welcome to Group Manager
    
            Copyright 2001-2012 Dell, Inc.
    
    
    netmgtd:1468330201.06:rcc_util.c:753:INFO:25.2.9:CLI: Login to account grpadmin succeeded, using local authentication. User privilege is group-admin.
    netmgtd:1468330201.07:rcc_util.c:759:AUDIT:25.7.0:CLI: Login to account grpadmin succeeded, using local authentication. User privilege is group-admin.
    
    It appears that the storage array has not been configured.
    Would you like to configure the array now ? (y/n) [n]y
    
    
                    Group Manager Setup Utility
    
    
     The setup utility establishes the initial network and storage
     configuration for a storage array and then configures the array
     as a member of a new or existing group of arrays.
    
        For help, enter a question mark (?) at a prompt.
    
    
    
       The battery is not completely charged. It is recommended that
       you wait until the battery is completely charged before running setup.
    
       Do you want to proceed (yes | no ) [no]: yes
    
     Initializing.  This may take several minutes to complete..
    
     Enter the network configuration for the array.
    
       Member name []: jc-grp-01
       Network interface [eth0]:
       IP address for network interface []: 192.168.26.30
    446:175:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800176:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    447:176:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800177:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    448:177:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800178:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    449:178:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800179:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    450:179:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800180:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    451:180:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800181:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    452:181:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:39.800182:verify.c:843:INFO::14.2.12:0:Parity verification initiated on RAID LUN 0.
    459:182:SP:12-Jul-2016 09:31:48.910183:verify.c:370:INFO::13.2.7:Parity verification completed.
    29
       Netmask [255.255.255.0]:
       Default gateway [192.168.26.1]:
    
     Initializing interface eth0.  This may take a minute.....
    

    At this point you could join an existing group, or create a new group, here we create a new group.

    Enter the IP address and name of the group that the array will join.
    
       Group name []: jc-grp
       Group IP address []: 192.168.26.12 
    
     Searching to see if the group exists.  This may take a few minutes.
    
    
     The group does not exist or currently cannot be reached. Make sure
     you have entered the correct group IP address and group name.
    
       Do you want to create a new group (yes | no) [yes]: yes
    
           Group Configuration
    
      Group Name:                     jc-grp
      Group IP address:               192.168.26.12
    
       Do you want to use the group settings shown above (yes | no) [yes]: yes
       Password for managing group membership:
       Retype password for verification:
    
       Password for the default group administration(grpadmin) account:
       Retype password for verification:
    
    
     Saving the configuration...
    
     Waiting for configuration to become active...Done
    600:14:psgd:12-Jul-2016 09:33:59.480015:psgd_group.cc:17393:INFO::18.2.0:Group member jc-grp-01 now active in the group.
    
     Group jc-grp-01 has been created with one member.
     Use the Group Manager GUI or CLI to set the RAID policy
     for the member.  You can then create a volume which
     a host can connect to using an iSCSI initiator.
    
    
     To access the Group Manager GUI, specify http://group_ip_address in
     a Web browser window.  To access the CLI, use telnet or SSH to
     connect to the group IP address from a remote terminal, or attach a
     console terminal directly to a serial port on a group member's
     active control module.  Log in to the default group administration
     account (grpadmin) using the password you specified when creating
     this group. See the Group Administration manual for more
     information.
    

    Verify group configuration before continuing.

    jc-grp-01> show grpparams
    ______________________________ Group Information ______________________________
    Name: jc-grp                           Group-Ipaddress: 192.168.26.12
    Def-Snap-Reserve: 100%                 Def-Snap-Warn: 10%
    Def-Snap-Depletion: delete-oldest      Def-Thin-Growth-Warn: 60%
    Def-Thin-Growth-Max: 100%              DateAndTime: Tue Jul 12 09:34:15 2016
    TimeZone: America/New_York             Description:
    Def-Iscsi-Prefix:                      Def-Iscsi-Alias: yes
      iqn.2001-05.com.equallogic           Info-Messages: enabled
    Webaccess: enabled                     Webaccess-noencrypt: enabled
    Cliaccess-SSH: enabled                 Cliaccess-Telnet: enabled
    Email-Notify: disabled                 Syslog-Notify: disabled
    iSNS-Server-List:                      Email-List:
    NtpServers:                            Smtp-Server-List:
    DNS-Server-List:                       DNS-Suffix-List:
    Syslog-Server-List:                    Target-Auth-UserName:
    Target-Auth-Password:                  Email-From:
    Location: default                      Conn-Balancing: enabled
    Discovery-Use-Chap: disabled           Email-Contact:
    Perf-balancing: enabled                Disallow-Downgrades: yes
    Management-Ipaddress:                  SSH-V1-Protocol: enabled
    FTP-service: enabled                   Standby-Button: disabled
    DCB: enabled                           Def-DCB-VLAN-Id: 0
    Thermal-Shutdown: enabled              Crypto-Legacy-Protocols: enabled
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________ Radius Information ______________________________
    radius-auth-list:                      login-radius-auth: disabled
    radius-auth-retries: 1                 radius-auth-timeout:  2secs
    login-radius-acct: disabled            radius-acct-retries: 1
    radius-acct-timeout:  2secs            iscsi-radius-auth: disabled
    iscsi-local-auth: enabled              radius-acct-list:
    login-radius-attr: enabled
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    ______________________________ Snmp Information _______________________________
    read-only-comms:                       read-write-comms:
    trap-community: SNMP-trap              snmp-managers:
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    jc-grp> show member
    Name       Status  Version           Disks Capacity   FreeSpace  Connections
    ---------- ------- ----------        ----- ---------- ---------- -----------
    jc-grp-01  online  V5.2.1 (R2 19658) 16    0MB        0MB        0
    jc-grp> member select jc-grp-01
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)> show eths
    Name ifType          ifSpeed    Mtu  Ipaddress                     Status Errors DCB
    ---- --------------- ---------- ---- ----------------------------- ------ ------ ------
    eth0 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.26.29                 up     0      off
    eth1 ethernet-csmacd 10 Mbps    1500                               down   0      off
    eth2 ethernet-csmacd 10 Mbps    1500                               down   0      off
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)> eth select 1
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_1)> ipaddress 192.168.26.30 netmask 255.255.255.0
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_1)> up
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_1)> exit
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)> show eths
    Name ifType          ifSpeed    Mtu  Ipaddress                     Status Errors DCB
    ---- --------------- ---------- ---- ----------------------------- ------ ------ ------
    eth0 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.26.29                 up     0      off
    eth1 ethernet-csmacd 10 Mbps    1500 192.168.26.30                 down   0      off
    eth2 ethernet-csmacd 10 Mbps    1500                               down   0      off
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)> eth select 2
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_2)> ipaddress 192.168.20.92 netmask 255.255.255.0
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_2)> up
    This port is for group management only. Make sure it is connected to a dedicated management network.
    Do you want to enable the management interface? (y/n) [n]y
    
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_2)> exit
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)> show eths
    Name ifType          ifSpeed    Mtu  Ipaddress                     Status Errors DCB
    ---- --------------- ---------- ---- ----------------------------- ------ ------ ------
    eth0 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.26.29                  up    0      off
    eth1 ethernet-csmacd 1 Gbps     9000 192.168.26.30                  up    0      off
    eth2 ethernet-csmacd 100 Mbps   1500 192.168.20.92                  up    0      off
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01 eth_2)> exit
    jc-grp(member_jc-grp-01)>
    

    This array was running a 5.2.x series firmware, so I took the opportunity to update the firmware to the latest 7.1.x stable firmware. To do this I had to update to a 6.0.x series firmware in the interim, direct upgrade path from 5.2.x to 7.1.x was not possible on the array I was updating. Due to the array not being initialized, I had to restart the array via CLI.

    1320:0:jc-grp-01:logevent:12-Jul-2016 11:22:21.260001:logevent.cc:259:ERROR:30.4.1:Array firmware update from version V5.2.1 to V6.0.11 failed. Reason: The array cannot be restarted using the GUI because of a RAID issue. Use the CLI 'restart' command to continue.
    
    jc-grp> restart
    
    There is new firmware in the update area.
    
    As part of applying the new firmware, the active and secondary control
    modules will switch roles.  Therefore, the current active control module
    will become the secondary after the firmware is applied.
    
    Would you like to load the firmware now? (yes/no) [no] yes
    
    602:0:jc-grp-01:logevent [secondary]:12-Jul-2016 11:28:02.570001:logevent.cc:259:INFO:30.2.8:Completed firmware update from V5.2.1 to V6.0.11 on controller in slot 0, serial number X.
    
    603:0:jc-grp-01:reboot [secondary]:12-Jul-2016 11:28:06.020001:reboot.cc:247:INFO:30.2.1:Restarting secondary control module with options ''.
    

    Next update firmware to 7.2.x series firmware

    jc-grp>
    1077:0:jc-grp-01:logevent:12-Jul-2016 11:36:13.400001:logevent.cc:259:INFO:30.2.5:Starting copy of firmware V7.1.12 to the compact flash.
    jc-grp>
    1122:0:jc-grp-01:logevent:12-Jul-2016 11:53:37.070001:logevent.cc:259:INFO:30.2.6:Completed copy of firmware V7.1.12 to the compact flash.
    

    There it is, reset, setup and firmware updated, ready for initialization. You can initialize the RAID policy from the Group Manager using the management address of the member from a compatible web browser.

    Filed in: Dell, EqualLogic
    Reading Time: 8 minute(s)

    Remove Member from Dell EqualLogic Group

    There will be a time, it’s not if, it’s when you will have to remove a member from a Dell EqualLogic Group. Could be the member needs replacing or you just want to move that member to another group. Whatever the reason the member will have to be vacated (removed) from the group.

    To start the vacate process you will have to Delete the member from the group. Doing so will start the process by moving the data to the remaining members if there is the available capacity to do so if not the process will not start.

    Deleting member

    The time to remove the member from the group can depend on a lot of factors, network, size of the array, amount of data to move to the remaining members, etc.

    Once the vacating as started you can check the progress via the Member status tab of Group Manager.

    Vacating member

    Once the member is vacated, it will be in a factory default state and will have to be set up to be able to use the array again.

    Filed in: Dell, EqualLogic
    Reading Time: 1 minute(s)