Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines

Transcription

1 Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 1. Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 1.1 Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines Welcome to the Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines course. This course, for EMC and partner personnel responsible for the installation and maintenance of EMC Isilon hardware, provides an overview of the Isilon naming conventions, form factors, and Isilon node types. In addition, the course covers customer engineering procedures and safety guidelines and precautions. For a review of the navigational features of the course, click the Course Navigation link above. For a transcript of the course, click the Transcript link above. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 1

2 1.2 Course Learning Objectives By the end of this course, you should be able to describe Isilon node naming conventions, describe each node type and its components, identify internal and external networking components, implement customer engineer process and procedures, and adhere to safety warnings and precautions. This course includes an assessment you must pass in order to receive credit. To go directly to the assessment, click the Course Assessment button, or click Next to continue with the course. This course should take about 25 minutes to complete. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 2

3 1.3 Introduction to Isilon Nodes Module 1: Introduction to Isilon Nodes EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 3

4 1.4 Learning Objectives Let s start with an overview of Isilon hardware. After completing this module, you should be able to describe node naming conventions, identify each Isilon node series, and identify Isilon node components. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 4

5 1.5 Isilon Naming Convention The Isilon naming convention is intended to identify the type and version of the node model. Click each row below to hear an explanation of what each character indicates. Click the Information button for more information on the Isilon naming history. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 5

6 1.6 Node Series The node series is identified by the first character or characters, which are always letters. For example, the A in the A100 indicates the Accelerator product line. S, X, NL, and HD are the other product lines. We will learn more about each node series shortly. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 6

7 1.7 Form Factor (2U or 4U) The second character in the naming convention indicates the space a node takes up in the rack, known as the rack units. This character is always a number. For instance, the A100 takes up one space, or 1U, whereas an NL400 node takes up 4U or four spaces. Click the Information button to view a list of Isilon nodes by form factor. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 7

8 1.8 Major Generation Change The major generation is identified by the third character. A major generation for a node is a motherboard, chipset, or CPU change. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 8

9 1.9 Minor Generation The minor generation is identified by the fourth character in the naming convention. Everything not defined as a major generational change is considered a minor generational change. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 9

10 1.10 Isilon Node Types The Isilon scale-out storage node series includes five flexible product lines tailored for specific business needs. Customers can choose the combination of different platform nodes that best suits their storage needs. Click the buttons below the chart to learn more about each node type. A-Series The A-Series consists of two separate nodes with two different functions. The performance accelerator adds CPU and memory without adding storage capacity. The Backup Accelerator allows you to perform backups directly to a media server without sending data over the client network. Hover you mouse over the chart image to get more details about this specific node type. What s the difference between a performance accelerator and a Backup Accelerator? Click here to find out. S-Series The S-Series, or speed nodes, can be combined with SSD technology to hold file-system metadata, delivering additional performance gains for metadata intensive operations, while improving overall latency. X-Series The X series achieves a balance between large capacity and high-performance storage. These nodes are also best for high concurrency applications, where many people have to access a file at the same time. NL/HD-Series EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 10

11 The NL (for Nearline) and HD (for High-Density) nodes are primarily used for large data storage. The NL-Series nodes are used for active archival, and, with the HD nodes, deep archival workloads. NLs and HDs are appropriate when the data stored does not change often. A-Series (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 11

12 A-Series Details (Slide Layer) S-Series (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 12

13 S-Series Details (Slide Layer) X-Series (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 13

14 X-Series Details (Slide Layer) NL/HD-Series (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 14

15 NL/HD-Details (Slide Layer) 1.11 Isilon Node Tour - Front EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 15

16 Now, let s take a tour of an Isilon node. We ll use an Isilon X410 for our tour but all Isilon nodes have similar components. All the node components we ll look at, except for the CPU, can be replaced by a Customer Engineer should they fail. We ll start with the front panel. The front panel protects the node s drives. A solid blue light indicates that the node is healthy, joined to the cluster, and that there are no critical alerts. You can perform various administrative tasks using the control panel. The X410, like most other 4U nodes, contains 24 drives in the front Isilon Node Tour - Backside On the back of the node, there are 12 drives, protected by an EMI shield. There are also two power supplies and a power button next to them. Press the power button to power a node up after it s been properly shut down. Do not press the power button to turn off the node. LEDs show the power input status on top, the output status in the middle, and fault indicator on the bottom. When the node is operating normally, the power input and output LEDs will be green. The power output LED will not be illuminated if the node is powered down. If there is an issue with the power supply, the alert indicator LED will be orange. Also on the back of the node are several connection points. There s a serial port for administering the node directly, four USB ports for use only by EMC Isilon technical support, two gigabit Ethernet ports for client connections (also known as the front end network), two InfiniBand ports for node-to-node connections (also known as the backend network), two 10 gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed client connections, and an IPMI port for monitoring EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 16

17 capabilities Isilon Node Tour - Inside Now, let s take a look at the inside of the node. All the node components we'll look at can be replaced by a Customer Engineer except for the CPUs. The air baffle and cross bracket cover certain components in the node. At the back of the node are the PCIE cards. The SAS card facilitates moving data between the drives in the node. The boot drive controller card includes two boot drives that contain the OneFS operating system. The NVRAM card provides a backup copy of the file system journal and transactions as they're written to the drives. The 10 Gigabit Ethernet card and InfiniBand card provide ports to connect the front and back end networks. The X 410 contains two 8-core Intel Xeon processors. The dual inline memory modules (or DIMMs) are located in banks of four on either side of each CPU. On the left side the node is the intrusion switch. If for some reason the top panel the node is removed while the node is powered on, the switch sends a message to OneFS and the node is put in a protected readonly state. Towards the front are three fans to cool the node. There are also two batteries that provide power for the NVRAM so that it can transfer the contents of the file system journal to flash memory. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 17

18 1.14 Module Summary Now that you've completed this module, you should have a good overview of Isilon nodes, their components, and how they are named. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 18

19 1.15 Form Factors [Rollover - no audio] EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 19

20 1.18 Internal and External Networking Module 2: Internal and External Networking EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 20

21 1.19 Learning Objectives Now that you have a basic understanding of Isilon hardware, let s take a look at how nodes are networked into a cluster. After completing this module, you should be able to explain the significance of internal and external networks in clusters, describe InfiniBand switches and cables, and explain how to access a node or cluster. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 21

22 1.20 Internal Networks An Isilon cluster uses separate internal and external networks for back-end and front-end connectivity. We ll discuss internal networks first. For the internal network, the nodes in an Isilon cluster are connected by a technology called InfiniBand (or IB). An internal network consists of the nodes and InfiniBand switch, and should be used for internal communications only. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 22

23 1.21 InfiniBand Switches & Cables An InfiniBand switch connects the nodes together. Make sure that nothing else but the nodes from one cluster are connected to the IB switch. It is recommended that you avoid using the internal network for any purpose other than intra-cluster communication. Click the left buttons to learn more about InfiniBand. REDUNDANCY An Isilon cluster is configured to use redundant InfiniBand switches. Adding a second InfiniBand switch does not improve performance, but instead provides a failover switch in case of hardware or cabling issues. TYPES There are three types of internal networking cables you are likely to encounter. First, some of the oldest Legacy nodes had SDR ports that use the same CX4 connector cable as DDR ports. You can treat these nodes as you would the current models with DDR ports. Use these IB cables to connect any SDR or DDR node to any SDR or DDR IB switch. The second type are Hybrid Cables, which have a CX4 connection on one end and a QSFP on the other. They are used to connect any SDR or DDR node to an QDR IB Switch OR any SDR or DDR IB switch to a QDR node. Finally, for nodes that have QDR ports, use a QSFP-to-QSFP cable to connect to a QDR IB switch. Legacy nodes require copper cables, but the newest nodes support fibre. If connecting to a Legacy DDR IB switch, you will need to use a Hybrid Cable. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 23

24 PRECAUTIONS Use care when handling InfiniBand cables as bending or mishandling them can result in damaged and unusable cables. Do not coil the cables less than 10 inches in diameter to ensure they do not become damaged. Never bend cables beyond their recommended bend radius. Redundancy (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 24

25 Type (Slide Layer) Precautions (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 25

26 1.22 External Networks External networks connect the cluster to the outside world. Isilon nodes can have up to four front-end or external networking adapters depending on how the customer configured the nodes. The external adapters are labeled ext-1, ext-2, ext-3, ext-4, and can consist of 1 GigE or 10 GigE ports depending on the configuration of the node. A client can connect to the cluster on any of the four interfaces depending on how the administrator has configured the cluster. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 26

27 1.23 Cluster Management You have three options for managing a node or cluster. You can use the web administration interface, the Command Line Interface (or CLI), and PAPI, which is the Platform Application Programming Interface. For initial configuration, you must use the CLI. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 27

28 1.24 Module Summary Now that you've completed this module, you should be able to explain the significance of internal and external networks in clusters, describe InfiniBand switches and cables, and explain how to access a node or cluster. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 28

29 1.27 Customer Engineer Procedures Module 3: Customer Engineer Procedures EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 29

30 1.28 Learning Objectives Now we ll move on to some basic safety warnings and suggestions. After completing this module, you should be able to list Customer Engineer processes and procedures. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 30

31 1.29 Before You Arrive Let s start with a few reminders. Before you arrive at a client site, remember to read the call notes and followed the processes detailed in them, check to see if there are any special instructions provided by Isilon Technical Support that you need to take action on, and bring the latest SolVe Desktop procedures on your laptop. Remember, notes can vary on different call types and are frequently updated. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 31

32 1.30 Upon Arrival Next, when you arrive, remember to introduce yourself as a CE, certified to work on Isilon equipment, ensure that the client contact who placed the service call knows that you have arrived onsite, check that the client has installed the racks and has the necessary power sources, and keep the client informed of your progress. If you have any questions about the service you are to perform, speak to your Isilon Technical Support contact. Remember, you are on the customer s site to provide your expertise and solve a problem. NEVER give the client any cause for concern by conveying that you don t have the experience or expertise required-even if you are concerned that you may not. Isilon has resources available to help you solve any problem. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 32

33 1.31 Before You Leave Before you leave a client site, make sure you: Test the device function and connectivity by following documented test procedures in the training material and support guides. Escalate any client satisfaction issues or severity level 1 situations to the next level of support. Follow up on any outstanding commitments made to the client. Contact Isilon support to report the call status. Make sure the product is registered and that the Install Base Record is updated. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 33

34 1.32 Module Summary Now that you've completed this module, you should be able to list Customer Engineer processes and procedures. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 34

35 1.35 Precautions Module 4: Precautions EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 35

36 1.36 Learning Objectives After completing this module, you will be able to implement general precaution guidelines. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 36

37 1.37 Precautions When working with Isilon equipment, it is critical to ensure you adhere to the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in electric shock, bodily injury, fire, damage to Isilon systems equipment, or loss of data. Failure to heed these warnings may also void the product warranty. Only trained and qualified personnel should install or replace equipment. AC POWER Let's begin with AC power. The AC supply circuit for Isilon nodes must be capable of supplying the total current specified on the label of the node. All AC power supply connections must be properly grounded. Connections that are not directly connected to the branch circuit, such as nodes that are connected to a power strip, must also be properly grounded. Do not overload the branch circuit of the AC supply that provides power to the rack holding Isilon nodes. The total rack load should not exceed 80% of the branch circuit rating. To help protect the system from sudden increases or decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply or UPS. COOLING Beyond precautions of working with electricity, it is also critical to ensure proper cooling: Proper airflow must be provided to all Isilon equipment. The ambient temperature of the environment in which Isilon nodes operate should not EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 37

38 exceed the maximum rated ambient temperature of 35 Celsius or 95 Farenheit. ESD Always adhere to Electrostatic Discharge or ESD damage prevention procedures when removing and replacing cards and other system components. You must use a wrist strap, attached to the node chassis, for grounding. ALWAYS handle sensitive components per manufacturer s instructions. To learn more about ESD prevention, click the link onscreen. Finally, if you install Isilon nodes in a rack that is not bolted to the floor, use both front and side stabilizers. Installing Isilon nodes in an unbolted rack without these stabilizers could cause the rack to tip over, potentially resulting in bodily injury. Use only approved replacement parts and equipment. In order to obtain information and status about defective components, or to configure and verify the proper installation of the new components, you may be required to log in to the node and access the system software. AC Power (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 38

39 Cooling (Slide Layer) ESD (Slide Layer) EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 39

40 Securing (Slide Layer) 1.38 Module Summary EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 40

41 Now that you've completed this module, you should be able to implement general precaution guidelines Course Summary This completes the course, Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines. You should now be able to describe Isilon node naming conventions, describe each node type and its components, identify internal and external networking components, implement Customer Engineer process and procedures, and adhere to safety warnings and precautions. To receive credit for completing the course, click the Course Assessment button. EMC Corporation Isilon Hardware Basics and Guidelines 41