Dell PowerVault MD3200i Deployment Manual

Also see for PowerVault MD3200i Series: Manual Update Rack Installation Instructions User guide Support Matrix

Contents

Dell PowerVault MD3200i Deployment Manual Manual pdf 12 page image

12 Hardware InstallationConnecting the Storage ArrayThe storage array is connected to a host using two hot-swappable RAIDcontroller modules. The RAID controller modules are identified as RAIDcontroller module 0 and RAID controller module 1.Each RAID controller module has four iSCSI In port connectors that provideEthernet connections to the host server or switches. Each RAID controllermodule also contains an Ethernet management port and a SAS Out port. TheEthernet management port allows you to install a dedicated managementstation (server or stand-alone system). The SAS Out port allows you toconnect the storage array to optional PowerVault MD1200 series expansionenclosures for additional storage capacity.Each PowerVault MD3200i series storage array can be expanded to amaximum of 120 (or 192, if enabled using Premium Feature activation)physical disks through a maximum of seven PowerVault MD1200 seriesexpansion enclosures.Cabling the Storage ArrayThe iSCSI interface enables different host-to-controller configurations. Thefigures in this chapter are grouped according to the following categories:• Direct-attached configurations (no Ethernet switches are used)• Network-attached (SAN) configurations (Ethernet switches are used)Redundant and Non-Redundant ConfigurationsNon-redundant configurations are configurations that provide only a singledata path from a host to the storage array. This type of configuration is onlyrecommended for non-critical data storage. Path failure from a failed orremoved cable, a failed NIC, or a failed or removed RAID controller moduleresults in loss of host access to storage on the storage array.Redundancy is established by installing separate data paths between the hostand the storage array, in which each path is to one of the two RAID controllermodules installed in the storage array. Redundancy protects the host fromlosing access to data in the event of path failure, because both RAIDcontroller modules can access all the disks in the storage array.