PowerFlex+4 0+Administration-Downloadable+Content

POWERFLEX 4.
0
ADMINISTRATION
STUDENT GUIDE
DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Student Guide
© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 2

Table of Contents
PowerFlex 4.0 Administration 7

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Introduction 7
Configure Protection Domains 8

About Protection Domains 8
Configure a Protection Domain with PowerFlex Manager 9
Configure a Protection Domain 13
Configure Fault Sets 15

Fault Sets 15
Create and Delete Fault Sets 18
Configure Storage Pools 19

Configure Storage Pool Settings 20
Enable the Background Device Scanner 21
Configure IOPS and Bandwidth 22
Configure Acceleration Pools 24

Acceleration Pools 24
Configure Storage Data Servers 25

Prerequisites for Adding a Storage Data Server 25
Add a Storage Data Server (SDS) 25
Add an SDS - Advanced Options 26
Add a Device to an SDS 27
Add a Device - Advanced Options 27
Enter and Exit Maintenance Modes 29

Enter and Exit Maintenance Modes 29
Types of Maintenance Modes 30

Abort Protected Maintenance Mode 31
Put an SDS into Maintenance Mode 34
Put a Node into Service Mode 34
Configure Hosts 36
Configure Storage Target (SDT) Service 36
Add an NVMe Target Using PowerFlex Manager 37
Register NVMe Host Initiator 37
Add an NVMe Host Using PowerFlex Manager 38
Create, Modify, and Delete Volumes 39

Adding Volumes Using PowerFlex Manager 39
Increase Volume Size Using PowerFlex Manager 40
Map Volumes to a Host Using PowerFlex Manager 41
Set Volume Bandwidth and IOPS Limits Using PowerFlex Manager 41
vTree Migration Using PowerFlex Manager 42
Unmap Volumes from a Host Using PowerFlex Manager 43
Removing Volumes Using PowerFlex Manager 44
Protect Volumes using SnapShots 45

PowerFlex Snapshot 45
Difference Between Regular Snapshot and Secure Snapshot 46
Create, Modify, and Delete Snapshots 48
Snapshot Policies 51
Create a Volume Snapshot 52
Working with Snapshots 53
Create a Snapshot Policy 53
Working with Snapshot Policies 54
Replicate Volumes Between Clusters 55

Native Asynchronous Replication 55
Configure Replication 56
Swap Root Certificates - Exercise 57

Journal Configuration - Knowledge Check 59
Replication I/O Flow 62
Additional Replication Consistency Group Operations 63
Create a NAS Server (NFS and SMB) 65

NAS Capabilities of a PowerFlex Cluster 65
NFS File Server - Example 69
Configure NAS Quotas 73

File System Quotas in a PowerFlex Cluster 73
Quota Limits for a File System 74
Configure NAS Quotas for File Systems in PowerFlex Manager 79
Export/Share Filesystems 80
Components of File System Storage 80
Create a File System for SMB Share 82
Create a File System for NFS Export 82
Protect NAS Servers 83

NAS Server Protection Options 83
Protect NAS Servers 85
Reconfiguring MDMs 86
MDM in a PowerFlex Cluster 86
MDM Roles 86
Reconfiguring MDM Roles 89
Reconfigure MDM Roles in a PowerFlex Cluster 90
Add CloudLink to a PowerFlex Cluster 91

Role of Cloudlink in a PowerFlex Cluster 91
Add a CloudLink License to the PowerFlex Cluster 92
Deploy CloudLink 93
Deploy a CloudLink Cluster using PowerFlex Manager 94

Backing Up and Restoring a PowerFlex Cluster 95
Backup and Restore PowerFlex Manager 95
Back Up PowerFlex Manager 4.0 97
Backup and Restore PowerFlex rack Components 98
Manage Users and Passwords in a PowerFlex Cluster 103

Change PowerFlex Cluster System Passwords 103
Manage User Roles 104
Change Passwords for Resources Discovered in PowerFlex Manager 105
Manage the Secadmin User in the CloudLink Center and PowerFlex 105
View and Gather Logs from a PowerFlex Cluster 107

Logs Available to Use in PowerFlex Troubleshooting 107
Generate a Troubleshooting Bundle Using PowerFlex Manager 108
Appendix 109
Glossary 132

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration
PowerFlex 4.0 Administration
PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Introduction
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

 Identify the PowerFlex hardware and software components and
how they interact with each other.
 Manage storage and network resources.
 Configure and manage data protection and security.
 Create NAS servers, configure NAS quotas for filesystems and
configure exports / shares for NFS and SMB filesystems on a
PowerFlex system.
 Backup and restore various components of a PowerFlex system.
 Perform basic log collection and troubleshooting.

Configure Protection Domains
About Protection Domains
In PowerFlex, storage is organized into a storage pool which resides in a

Protection Domain. A Protection Domain provides data isolation, security,
and performance benefits for the pool. An SDS and the storage pool
participate in one Protection Domain at a time.
To learn more about Protection Domains, select each tab below.
Logical Groups
Protection Domains contain SDSs that are configured as a separated

logical group. The function of the logical group is to physically isolate
specific data, such as production environment data, into a dataset.
Isolation of the dataset provides a performance increase for the member
SDSs (or Tenants) and limits the effects of a node device failure.
When data is written to a PowerFlex cluster, the data is mirrored on two

different SDSs within a Protection Domain.

Protection Domain Benefits
Protection Domain benefits include protection against simultaneous

failures, performance isolation, data location control, and network
constraints.
• Improved system resilience - I/O is unaffected when a server or media

device fails.
• Establish SLA tiers by separating volumes for performance planning.
• The Protection Domain SDS has efficient and secure data transfer.
• Spread out network workloads evenly on the vLANs.
Important: Protection Domains can also contain Storage

Data Targets (SDTs) and Storage Data Replication (SDR),
as well as Acceleration Pools and Fault Sets.
Configure a Protection Domain with PowerFlex

Manager
IT administrators can add, modify, activate, inactivate, or remove a

Protection Domain in the PowerFlex system with PowerFlex Manager.

To learn more about configuring a Protection Domain in PowerFlex

Manager, select each tab below.
Add a Protection Domain
After the Protection Domain is created, the administrator can add SDSs,
fault sets, storage pools, and acceleration pools to the Protection Domain.
Replication can also be set up to ensure that the data is protected and
saved to a remote cluster.

Modify the Protection Domain
There are two options to modify a Protection Domain.
Rename:
Change the name of a Protection Domain. The administrator can start the
Protection Domain with a test name. After validation, the administration
renames the Protection Domain to match production environment naming
conventions for the PowerFlex system.
Network Throttling:
Change the settings for network data transfer between SDSs. Within a
Protection Domain, the SDS nodes transfer data between themselves.
Data consists of user data being replicated as part of the RAID protection,
and data copied for internal rebalancing and recovery from failures.

Inactivate or activate a Protection

Domain
When a Protection Domain is created, it is automatically activated.

However, IT administrators can also inactivate the Protection Domain at
any time. When a Protection Domain is inactivated, the data remains on
the SDSs and allows the user to conduct a graceful system shutdown. The
user is and then free to conduct any management activities on the
Protection Domain, such as a reload of all the SDSs. When the activities
are complete, the user can activate the Protection Domain to enable
access to data.

Remove a Protection Domain
When you inactivate a Protection Domain, the data remains on the SDSs.
It is preferable to remove a Protection Domain when the user no longer
needs it.
Prerequisites:
Ensure that all SDSs, storage pools, acceleration pools, and fault sets
have been removed from the Protection Domain before removing the
Protection Domain from the system.
Caution: Protection Domain configuration is an advanced

user task. However, a nonadvanced user should contact
Dell Technologies Support for help with Protection Domain
configuration. Configuration of Protection Domains affects
system performance, so caution is warranted.
Configure a Protection Domain
To try configuring a Protection Domain, use the simulation below.

The web version of this content contains an interactive activity.

Configure Fault Sets
Fault Sets
Fault Sets are logical entities that contain a group of SDSs within a
protection domain. A Fault Set is defined for a set of servers that are likely
to fail together, for example an entire rack full of servers.
To learn more about Fault Sets, select each tab.
Fault Sets Overview
PowerFlex requires a minimum of three Fault Sets per protection domain,

with at least two nodes in each Fault Set. Each Fault Set acts as a single
fault unit. If a Fault Set goes down, all nodes within the Fault Set fail.

Fault Sets Data Mirroring
Fault Sets Data Mirroring Example: FS-1 data available even if the fault set fails. FS-2
data mirrored in Node 06.
PowerFlex maintains a copy of all data chunks within the Fault Set on
SDSs outside of itself. Mirroring Fault Set data ensures that there is
always another copy available even if all of the servers within the defined
Fault Set fail simultaneously.
Add Fault Sets
Normally, Fault Sets are deployed automatically when a template is

deployed to create a Resource Group. If manual deployment methods are
used, the following requirements must be verified before a Fault Set can
be added to a Protection Domain.
• Ensure that a Protection Domain exists or add a new Protection

Domain.

• Ensure that a Storage Pool and Fault Sets (with a minimum of three
Fault units) exist or add new ones.
• Fault Sets must be created before adding SDSs to the system. An
SDS can only be added to a Fault Set during its creation.
Steps:
1. On the menu bar, click Block then Fault Sets.
2. In the right pane, click +Create Fault Set.
3. In the Create Fault Set dialog box, enter a name and select the
protection domain, and click Create.
Delete Fault Sets
Ensure that any configured SDSs have been removed from the Fault Set
before attempting to delete it.
Steps:
1. On the menu bar, click Block then Fault Sets.
2. From the list of Fault Sets, select the Fault Set to be deleted.
3. Select More Actions then Delete.
4. In the Delete Fault Set dialog box, verify that the desired fault set will
be deleted, and click Delete.

Create and Delete Fault Sets
To try creating and deleting the Fault Sets, use the simulation below.

Configure Storage Pools
Introduction to Storage Pools
For more information, see the Add Storage Pools section of the
PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Guide.
A Storage Pool is a subset of physical storage devices in a Protection

Domain. Each storage device belongs to only one Storage Pool. When a
PowerFlex volume is configured, the volume contents are distributed over
all the devices residing in the same Storage Pool. Each block of data on a
volume consists of two copies that are on different SDSs. The copies
enable the system to maintain data availability following a single device,
network, or server failure. The figure below shows two storage pools,
spread across multiple SDSs.
Storage Pools enable creating different storage tiers in the PowerFlex

system. Devices belonging to a storage pool should have the same media
type (SSD, HDD, NVMe), size, and interface (SAS/SATA for SSD and
NVMe is a device interface just like SAS and SATA). This ensures that
each volume is distributed over storage devices of the same performance
type. PowerFlex provides two types of Storage Pools "Medium Granularity
(MG)" and "Fine Granularity (FG)". The granularity of a storage pool refers
to its allocation unit size.
• In MG storage pools, volumes are divided into 1 MB allocation units,

which are distributed and replicated across all disks contributing to a
pool. MG storage pool are best suited to a performance-driven
workload.
 FG storage pools are more space efficient, with an allocation unit of 4
KB. The physical data placement scheme is based on Log Structure
Array (LSA) architecture built on NVDIMMs. If administrators wish to
enable compression, FG storage pools are required.

Configure Storage Pool Settings
Configure storage pool settings, including checksum, zero padding, and

compression.
1: By default, the rebuild/rebalance features are enabled in the system

because they are essential for system health, optimal performance, and
data protection.

2: Inflight checksum protection mode can be used to validate data reads

and writes in storage pools in order to protect data from data corruption.
3: Persistent checksum can be used to support the medium granularity

layout in protecting the storage device from data corruption. Select
validate on read to validate data reads in the storage pool.
4: Use the zero-padded policy when the storage pool data layout is fine
granularity. The zero-padded policy ensures that every read from an area
that is previously not written to returns zeros.
5: For fine granularity storage pools, inline compression allows you to gain
more effective capacity.
For more information, refer to the Configure Storage Pool Settings section
of the PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Guide.
Enable the Background Device Scanner
Enable the background device scanner to check for errors on the devices
in the specified storage pool.
To learn about background device scanner settings, review the numbered

items.

1: To check for errors on the devices in the specified storage pool.
2: Automatically fixes device errors.
3: Compare between primary and secondary copies of data. This is only

available if zero padding is enabled.
4: If Compare Data is selected, select or clear Fix Local Device Errors.
5: In KB/S. Default=3072 KB/S. Note: High bandwidth settings can affect

the performance.
For more information, see the Enable the Background Device Scanner
section of the PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Guide.
Configure IOPS and Bandwidth
PowerFlex includes advanced settings that control I/O priorities and

bandwidth use and can be used to fine-tune system performance. This
includes bandwidth and concurrent I/Os for rebuild, rebalance, migration,
and Protected Maintenance Mode (PMM).
To learn about priority settings for storage pools, review the numbered
items.

1: Selecting Unlimited would ensure that I/Os are not limited.
2: Limit the number of allowed concurrent I/Os to the value entered in the
Concurrent I/O limit field.
3: Limit the number of allowed concurrent I/Os to the values entered in the
Concurrent I/O limit and Bandwidth I/O limit fields, regardless of user I/O.
For more information, see the Configure IOPS and Bandwidth section of
the PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Guide.
Important: In the simulation exercise, the Use Read RAM

Cache option defines whether the system stores the data of
this storage pool's writes in the SDS RMcache, or not. The
default is to store the write data in cache (cached). The
Storage Pool RMcache features are advanced features, and
it is recommended to accept the default values.
To try configuring storage pools, use the simulation below.


Configure Acceleration Pools
Configure Acceleration Pools
Acceleration Pools
Acceleration Pools are used to provide write-caching using NVDIMM

devices when configured with Fine Granularity storage pools.
When deploying nodes, the check box Enable Compression is available

under the template settings for the Protection Domain. If checked, when
deploying the template, PowerFlex uses nodes that have at least two
NVDIMMs installed. Compatible nodes also require SSD or NVMe
devices, and have persistent memory that is turned on. When these
conditions are met, the resource group template adds fields that allow
administrators to specify the acceleration pool name, and granularity
setting. Deploying the template results in the Acceleration Pool being
created.

Configure Storage Data Servers
Prerequisites for Adding a Storage Data Server
The Storage Data Server (SDS) manages the capacity of a single server
and acts as a back-end for data access. An SDS is installed on each
servers contributing storage devices to PowerFlex. These devices are
accessed through the SDS.
Before adding an SDS, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:
• At least one storage pool is defined in the required protection domain.

• All devices in the storage pool are the same media type, and the
storage pool is configured to receive that media type.
• At least one acceleration pool is defined if adding acceleration devices.
Add a Storage Data Server (SDS)
To try adding an SDS, use the simulation below.

Add an SDS - Advanced Options
When adding an SDS, there are some additional configuration settings

that can be applied to the SDS. These settings can also be applied
through the Modify drop down menu in the SDS view.
To learn about each advanced option, review each numbered item.

1: Use Read RAM Cache is configured to improve the performance of

systems using HDDs.
2: Performance profiles are set by default to HIGH but can be changed to

Compact. The compact setting may impact system performance.
3: When devices are added to an SDS, PowerFlex checks that the device
is clean before adding it. If the device is not clean, an error message is
returned, and the command fails for that device. If you would like to
overwrite existing data on the device by forcing the command, set Force
Clean SDS to YES. Select YES with caution because all data on the
device will be destroyed.
Add a Device to an SDS
To try adding a device to an SDS, use the simulation below.

Add a Device - Advanced Options
By default, PowerFlex tests the performance of the device being added

before its capacity can be used and saves the results. Two tests are
performed: random writes and random reads. When the tests are

complete, the device capacity is added automatically to the storage pool

used by the MDM. This behavior can be modified by specifying one of the
test options.
To learn about the test options, review each numbered item.
1: Read and write test will be run on the device before its capacity is used
when Test and Activate Device is selected.
2: Devices will be tested, but not used when Test Only is selected.
3: The device capacity will be used without any device testing when
Activate without test is selected.
4: This value is the maximum test run time in seconds. The test stops
when it reaches either this limit, or the time it takes to complete 128 MB of
data read/write, whichever is first. When Activate without test is
selected, this timeout is ignored.

Enter and Exit Maintenance Modes
Introduction to Maintenance Modes

A node may be taken offline to repair, replace or upgrade hardware
components, or due to rolling PowerFlex upgrades. Putting a node into
maintenance mode, takes a node offline without causing a forced rebuild,
which can lead to data loss or data unavailability.
There are some general restrictions when using maintenance mode:
• Two nodes from the same protection domain cannot be put into
maintenance mode at the same time.
• Protected and Instant Maintenance Modes cannot simultaneously be
active within a single protection domain.
• All SDSs concurrently in protected maintenance mode must belong to
the same fault set per protection domain.

Types of Maintenance Modes
PowerFlex provides two options for putting a node into maintenance

mode.
Instant Maintenance Mode
The web version of this content contains a video.
In Instant Maintenance Mode (IMM), the node is immediately and

temporarily removed from active participation without building a new copy
of the data on other nodes. Changes are tracked and resynched when the
node is available again.
Advantages of IMM are near instantaneous entry into maintenance mode,

and quick resync of changes when exiting.
A Disadvantage of IMM is single copy exposure, which could lead to data

unavailability or data loss.
For more information, see the Instant Maintenance Mode section of the
PowerFlex 4.0 Technical Overview.
Protected Maintenance Mode
The web version of this content contains a video.

Protected Maintenance Mode (PMM) combines the entrance phase of a

full remove/re-add and the exit phase of Instant Maintenance Mode. Data
is mirrored on two nodes. Changes are tracked and resynched when the
node is available again.
Advantages:
• Two copies of the data are always available.

• Many-to-one rebuilds are avoided.
• Performance is better when exiting Protected Maintenance Mode than
Instant Maintenance Mode.
Disadvantages:
• PMM requires more spare capacity than IMM.

• Takes longer to enter Protected Maintenance Mode than Instant
Maintenance Mode
For more information, see the Protected Maintenance Mode section of the
PowerFlex 4.0 Technical Overview.
Abort Protected Maintenance Mode
Protected Maintenance Mode can be aborted both manually by the user or

automatically by the system.

Manual Abort PMM
Users can manually abort PMM before entering PMM is complete, by

selecting the Abort entering Protected Maintenance Mode option in the
More Actions menu. The extra data copies are cleaned up, and the SDS
returns to its normal state.
Auto Abort PMM
Auto-Abort PMM allows the system to automatically stop entering PMM, if

there is a system failure during the Enter PMM phase, or if there is not
enough spare capacity. Auto-Abort PMM frees up the system spare
capacity for higher priority tasks.
When the system Auto-Aborts PMM, the system generates an alert and
changes the state to Maintenance Aborted by System. This state is
changed only after the system finishes aborting the Enter PMM phase.
Users can exit the Maintenance Aborted by System state by starting a
new PMM or IMM or selecting the Exit Maintenance Mode option in the
More Actions menu.


Put an SDS into Maintenance Mode
To try putting an SDS into maintenance mode, use the simulation below.
Put a Node into Service Mode
PowerFlex Manager enables you to put a node in service mode when you
must perform maintenance operations on the node. When you put a node
in service mode, you can specify whether you are performing short-term
maintenance or long-term maintenance work.
To try using maintenance modes, use the simulation below.



Configure Hosts
Configure Hosts
Configure Storage Target (SDT) Service
Storage Data Targets (or NMVe targets) must be configured on the

PowerFlex system side, in order to use NVMe over Fabric technology.
The NVMe target is a frontend component that translates NVMe over

Fabric protocol into internal PowerFlex protocols.
The NVMe target provides I/O and discovery services to NVMe hosts
configured on the PowerFlex system.
Before a protection domain can serve NVMe hosts, a minimum of two

NVMe targets must be assigned to the protection domain for minimal path
resiliency.
TCP ports, IP addresses, and IP address roles must be configured for

each NVMe target. You can assign both storage and host roles to the
same target IP addresses. Alternatively, assign the storage role to one
target IP address, and add another target IP address for the host role.
Both roles must be configured on each NVMe target. The host port listens
for incoming connections from hosts, over the NVMe protocol. The storage
port listens for connections from the MDM.
Once the NVMe targets have been configured, add hosts to PowerFlex,
and then map volumes to the hosts. Connect hosts to NVMe targets,
preferably using the discovery feature.
On the operating system of the compute nodes, NVMe initiators must be

configured. Network connectivity is required between the NVMe targets
and the NVMe initiators, and between NVMe targets and SDSs.

Configure Hosts
Add an NVMe Target Using PowerFlex Manager
To try adding an NVMe target to PowerFlex, use the simulation below.
Register NVMe Host Initiator
Hosts are entities that consume PowerFlex storage for application usage.

Configure Hosts
There are two methods of consuming PowerFlex block storage: using the
SDC kernel driver or using NVMe over TCP connectivity. A host is either
an SDC or an NVMe host.
Before configuring the Hosts:
• Ensure that you have the host NVMe Qualified Name (NQN). If you do
not know the NQN, see the host operating system documentation.
• Ensure that the host is connected to the Ethernet switch.
• Ensure that the host is configured with the correct VLAN ID and routing
rules.
Add an NVMe Host Using PowerFlex Manager
To try adding an NVMe host using PowerFlex Manager, use the simulation
below.
Host configuration details:
Hostname: pflex-nvme-1 Number of 4

Paths:
NQN: nqn.2014- Number of 10

08.com.dell.lab:nvme:pflex-nvme-1 Ports:

Create, Modify, and Delete Volumes
Adding Volumes Using PowerFlex Manager
After storage devices are added to the storage pool, a PowerFlex volume
can be created. A PowerFlex volume is considered to be similar to a
Logical Unit Number (LUN) from a physical storage array. To start
allocating volumes, the system requires that there be at least three SDS
nodes. Each SDS should be in a separate fault unit, and each device has
a minimum of 240 GB free storage capacity. For users and applications on
hosts to have access to a volume, the volume must be mapped to an SDC
host.
A volume name must contain fewer than 32 characters, contain only
alphanumeric and punctuation characters, and be unique. The size of the
volume that is created can range from a minimum of 8 GB to a maximum
of 1 PB.
To try adding volumes, use the simulation below.

Increase Volume Size Using PowerFlex Manager
Volume capacity can be increased (but not decreased) when there is

available free capacity. Expansion can be performed on a single, or
multiple volumes simultaneously.
To try increasing the size of a volume, use the simulation below.

Map Volumes to a Host Using PowerFlex Manager
Mapping exposes the volume to the specified host, creating a block device
on the host. You can map a volume to one or more hosts. Volumes can be
mapped to either an SDC or NVMe host, but not both simultaneously.
Ensure that you know which type of hosts are being used for each volume,
to avoid mixing host types.
To try mapping volumes, use the simulation below.
Set Volume Bandwidth and IOPS Limits Using

PowerFlex Manager
Setting bandwidth and IOPS (input/output operations per second) limits for
volumes lets you control the quality of service. Bandwidth and IOPS limits
are set on a per-host basis.
Ensure that the volumes are mapped before you set the limits.
To try setting volume limits, use the simulation below.

vTree Migration Using PowerFlex Manager
PowerFlex uses a vTree structure to manage snapshots of volumes. A

vTree is a structure that spans from the source volume as the root, to its
derivative snapshots (children and siblings). Snapshots are either copies
of the base volume or descendants (snapshots of snapshots) of it. No
matter how many copies exist, as long as they relate back to the source
volume, they all belong to the same vTree.
Migration of a volume tree (vTree) allows you to move a source volume,
along with all snapshots of that volume, to a different storage pool. It frees
up capacity in the source storage pool. For example, you can migrate a
vTree from an HDD-based storage pool to an SSD-based storage pool. Or
migrate a vTree from a storage pool with different attributes such as thin
or thick.
VTree migration is a long process and can take days or weeks, depending
on the size of the vTree.
To try performing a vTree migration, use the simulation below.

Unmap Volumes from a Host Using PowerFlex

Manager
When volumes are no longer need, they can be removed from PowerFlex.
Before they can be removed, they must be unmapped from the host they
are connected to.
To try unmapping volumes, use the simulation below.

Removing Volumes Using PowerFlex Manager
When removing volumes in a PowerFlex system, always ensure that the

volume that you are deleting is not mapped to any hosts. If it is mapped,
unmap it before deleting the volume as all data is erased from a deleted
volume.
In addition, ensure that the volume is not the source volume of any
snapshot policy. If it is, then you must remove the volume from the
snapshot policy before you can remove the volume.
To try removing a volume, use the simulation below.

Protect Volumes using SnapShots
PowerFlex Snapshot
Snapshots are block images in the form of a storage volume or LUN.

Snapshots are used to instantaneously capture the state of a volume at a
specific point in time. Once a snapshot is taken, it becomes a new
unmapped volume in the system. It can be manipulated to be in a state
such as mapped, unmapped, renamed, and resized like other volumes in
the cluster. Each volume in a PowerFlex cluster can have up to 128
snapshots.
To learn about snapshots, review the numbered items.

1: A snapshot is an instantaneous, point-in-time copy of a volume. The

snapshot records changes to the volume after the snapshot is taken.
Snapshots can also be made read/write and modifications to the snapshot

are recorded. Snapshots give administrators the ability to revert changes
should the original copy be needed.
2: PowerFlex snapshots can also have relationships across different

vTrees. When you take a snapshot, multiple volumes can be selected
simultaneously. All snapshots taken together this way form a Consistency
Group.
Difference Between Regular Snapshot and Secure

Snapshot
Regular Snapshot
PowerFlex enables you to create snapshots and some of the key features
of regular snapshots include:

• They are thinly provisioned and writable, regardless of the original

volumes.
• When a volume or snapshot is created, snapshot capacity and volume
capacity can be viewed in the Capacity view of the dashboard.
• PowerFlex snapshots can be initiated manually through any of the
clients including PowerFlex Manager UI, CLI, or REST API.
• Snapshots and their source volume are organized into a V-Tree.
Secure Snapshot
Secure snapshots support compliance applications and can be configured

with predefined retention periods (or policies). Snapshots with active
retention cannot be deleted.
Some of the key features of Secure snapshots include:
• Secure snapshots provide two key properties, secured flag and

expiration time.
• Secure snapshots are read-only and cannot be overwritten.

• Dell Technical Support removes secure snapshots while following a

strict dual-signature policy.
• Pausing, altering, or deleting the policy do not delete the snapshots
that are marked as secure.
Create, Modify, and Delete Snapshots
For more information, see the Dell PowerFlex 4.0.x Administration Guide
and select the Snapshots section.
Create a volume Snapshot with PowerFlex Manager
Using PowerFlex Manager, you can create instantaneous snapshots of

one or more volumes. From the menu bar, select the relevant volume and
create snapshots by configuring the given parameters.
The Use secure snapshots option prohibits deletion of the snapshots

until the defined expiration period has elapsed.

Set Bandwidth and IOPS limits for a Snapshot
Setting bandwidth and IOPS limits for snapshots lets you control the
quality of service. Bandwidth and IOPS limits are set on a per-host basis.
Ensure that the snapshots are mapped before you set the limits.
Lock and Unlock a Snapshot
A snapshot lock prevents a snapshot from being deleted. You can lock
auto snapshots (snapshots that are created through a snapshot policy
automatically) through the auto-removal process to avoid deletion. You
can unlock the snapshots later so that they are automatically removed.

NOTE: If a snapshot policy is displayed for the snapshot in the Snapshot

Policy column of the snapshots list, it is an auto snapshot.
Delete a Snapshot
Ensure that the snapshot that you are removing is not mapped to any
hosts. If the snapshot is mapped, unmap it before removing it. In addition,
ensure that the snapshot is not the source volume of any snapshot policy.
You must remove the volume from the snapshot policy before you can
remove the snapshot.
Note: Removing or deleting a snapshot erases all the data in the

corresponding snapshot.

Migrate vTree Snapshot
Snapshots and their source volume are organized into a Volume Tree or
vTree. A vTree includes the root volume and all the descendant snapshots
resulting from that volume. You can migrate a volume tree (vTree) for a
snapshot to a different storage pool. Volumes undergoing migration
remain available for I/O.
NOTE: vTree migration is a long process and can take days or weeks,
depending on the size of the vTree.
Snapshot Policies
To review detailed steps for creating snapshot policies using SCLI, see
the Dell Technologies Infohub Site.
For more information, see the Dell PowerFlex 4.0.x Administration Guide
and select the Snapshot Policies section.
Snapshot Policies contain a few attributes and elements, which allows the
system to automatically run snapshots for specified volumes based on
specified retention schedules.
Steps to create a Snapshot Policy with PowerFlex Manager:

1. On the menu bar, click Protection > Snapshot Policies.

2. On the Snapshot Policies page, click Create Snapshot Policy > Add
Snapshot Policy parameters > Create and Activate.
Create a Volume Snapshot
To try creating snapshots and setting IOPS limits for the snapshot, use the
simulation below.

Working with Snapshots

To try locking, unlocking, mapping, and unmapping snapshots, use the
simulation below.
Create a Snapshot Policy

To try creating, activating, assigning, and modifying a Snapshot Policy,
use the simulation below.

Working with Snapshot Policies

To try pausing, unassigning, and deleting Snapshot Policies, use the
simulation below.

Replicate Volumes Between Clusters
Native Asynchronous Replication
Native asynchronous replication enables disaster recovery and data

protection of database or application data. It can also be used for data
migration or distribution of workloads to secondary environments.
With native asynchronous replication, volumes are replicated from one

cluster to another cluster. The cluster can be a replication Source, Target,
or both. Asynchronous replication defines a point in time and ensures that
all writes carried out before that point are copied to the destination.
The main components of native asynchronous replication are:

• Storage Data Replicator
• Replication Consistency Group
Summary of Remote Replication Setup
Install the remote (target) PowerFlex system

In order for replication to take place, there must be a second PowerFlex
cluster (target) present. While not covered here, the PowerFlex
Implementation class walks learners through this process.
If not installed during the initial deployment, the Storage Data Replicator
must be installed and configured on each side of the replication pair.
Exchange Root Certificates

For the two clusters to communicate securely, each PowerFlex system
must export its root certificate, upload it to its peer, and import the peer
certificate.
Configure journal capacity

PowerFlex uses the journal capacity to hold the replication data. The
source system accumulates data changes in the journal and sends them

to the target. The target system accumulates received data in the target
journal until a complete consistent image is received and can be applied to
the target volumes.
Add a Replication Peer

Once the source and target systems are configured and authentication is
established, the replication target system can be defined from the source
cluster.
Configure replication volumes

The final step in the process is to define the volumes for replication. The
volumes to be replicated must be the same size on the source and target
systems. If the network is up, the systems should be connected.
Configure Replication
Using the SCLI to Extract and Import Root Certificates
Swapping root certificates is required to allow communication and data

transfer between PowerFlex clusters. The process consists of extracting
the root certificate from both source and target replication systems, and
copying it to the peer system.
The following process assumes admin user level credentials for command
line access to both systems:
1. Log in to the source system using the SCLI:
scli --login --username <M&O UI user> --password
<M&O UI password> --management_system_ip <M&O UI IP>
2. Extract the root certificate:
scli --extract_root_ca --certificate_file
<FILE_PATH>
3. Copy the certificate file to the target system (using SCP or similar tool).
4. On the target system, perform steps 1 and 2.
5. Copy the target system's certificate file to the source system.

6. On the source system, add the certificate for the target system using
the SCLI:
scli --add_trusted_ca
<PATH_TO_LOCAL_COPY_OF_TARGET_CERT>
7. On the target system, add the source system's certificate using the
SCLI:
scli --add_trusted_ca
<PATH_TO_LOCAL_COPY_OF_SOURCE_CERT>
Swap Root Certificates - Exercise

Use the steps that you just learned to complete the simulation. The
following environment details help you complete the activity:
SCLI User (both systems): admin
Administrator password: P0werFl3x
Source IP: 10.220.20.6
Target IP: 10.220.21.7
Local Path for Certificates: /tmp
How to Calculate Journal Size?
There are several factors to consider when allocating journal capacity.

Journal capacity is defined as a percentage of the total storage capacity in

the storage pool. At a minimum, the journal capacity must equal 10% of
the total application pool. It is important to assign enough storage capacity
for the replication journal.
The amount of capacity that is needed for the journal is based on the
following factors:
• Before configuring journal capacity, ensure that there is enough space
in the storage pool.
• When the total storage capacity in the system increases, a small
percentage is needed for the journal capacity.
• As application workload increases, more journal capacity must be
added accordingly.
• The journal capacity depends on the change rate of the dataset, and
the Recovery Point Objective (RPO). Data writes are accumulated in
the journal until half the RPO time is reached, to ensure a consistent
copy is maintained between the volumes.
• The journal capacity must sustain an outage, as determined by the
application WAN bandwidth requirement multiplied by the expected
WAN outage. If an application has a heavy I/O load, larger capacity
should be used. Similarly, if a longer outage is expected, a greater
capacity should be allocated.
Example:
The following is an example of how to calculate journal capacity allocation:
1. An application generates 1 GB/s of writes.

2. The maximal supported outage is 3 hours (3 hours x 3600 seconds =
10800 seconds).
3. The journal capacity that is needed for this application is 1 GB/s x
10800 s = ~10.547 TB.
4. Since the journal capacity is expressed as a percentage of the storage
pool capacity, divide the 10.547 TB by the size of the storage pool,
which is 200 TB: 100 x 10.547 TB/200 TB = 5.27%. Round up to 6%.
5. Repeat the process for each application being replicated.

If there are replicated volumes in more than one storage pool in the
protection domain, this calculation should be repeated for each storage
pool. The allocated journal capacity in the protection domain must at least
equal the sum of the size per application pool.
Journal Configuration - Knowledge Check
Customer Scenario:
1. A customer has an application that generates about 2 GB/s of writes.

Their maximum expected outage time is no more than two hours. The
Storage Pool that is used by the application is 150 TB. Given these
parameters, what percentage of the Storage Pool should be allocated
for the Replication Journal?
a. 5%
b. 7%
c. 10%
d. 12%
On the source system, add the connection information of the target
system (remote site) to enable replication between the peer systems. Prior
to performing the steps below, the system ID of both source and target
systems must be obtained.
The system ID is displayed immediately after login to the SCLI. It can also
be obtained by running the command scli --query_all.

Steps:
1. On the source system, on the menu bar, click Protection > Peer
Systems.
2. Click Add Peer System.
3. In the Add Peer System dialog box, enter the connection information of
the peer system:
a. Enter the peer system's name. Enter the system ID of the remote
site.
b. Accept the default, or enter the port number that will be used to
connect the systems.
c. Enter the MDM IP address of the remote site.
d. Either enter the remote system's virtual IP address, or enter both
primary and secondary MDM IP addresses, using the Add IP
option.
e. Click Add Peer to initiate a connection with the peer system.
4. Repeat steps 1–3 on the target system.

The final step in configuring replication is to create a Replication

Consistency Group (RCG) and add it to the system. Replication occurs
between volumes, and RCGs maintain consistency between volume pairs
in an RCG.
Important:
• Volumes in an RCG pair must be exactly the same size.
• Protection Domains must be configured on both source
and target systems.
When configuring an RCG pair, a Recovery Point Object is set. This RPO
defines the maximum amount of time during which data can be lost.
Setting a low RPO ensures that minimal data is lost should the data
transfer from source to target be interrupted.
Tip: The data loss exposure is half the RPO value. If one
minute is set as the RPO, no more than 30 seconds of data
will be lost. Dell highly recommends that the RPO is set low
to ensure minimal data loss. The minimum amount of time
this feature allows is 15 seconds.
Steps to configure an RCG:

1. On the menu bar, click Protection > RCGs.
2. Click Create RCG.
3. In the Create RCG wizard, enter the information for the RCG:
a. On the Properties page:

• Enter the RCG Name.
• Enter the number of RPO seconds or minutes.
• Select the Source Protection Domain.

• Select the Target Protection Domain.

b. Select the Provisioning Type:
• Select Auto Provisioning if target replication volumes have not
defined on the remote system.
• Select Manual Provisioning if target replication volumes have
already been defined on the remote system.
c. For Auto Provisioning perform the following:
• Click the desired volume in the Source column.
• Select a type, Thick or Thin.
• Select a storage pool from the target system.
• Click Add Pair and continue to the Map Volumes page.
• Select a volume on the target side.
• Select a host to which to map the volume. Repeat this step until
at least three hosts are mapped to each volume.
• Continue to step 3(e).
d. For Manual Provisioning perform the following:
• Select the desired volume in the Source column, and then in the
Target column, select the target volume.
• Click Add Pair.
• Continue to step 3(e).
e. On the Summary page, ensure that the correct source and volume
pair are defined, and then click Create and Activate or Create.
Replication I/O Flow

PowerFlex asynchronous replication uses a journal-based architecture.
Journals reside as volumes in a storage pool. A replication journal is
copied from the source journal buffer by the SDR to the target journal
buffer. Once the journals are secured at the destination, they are deleted
from the source, making space for new journals.
To learn about the replication, I/O workflow, watch the video below.

For more information about Asynchronous Replication in PowerFlex, see

the Replication section of the PowerFlex Administration Guide.
Additional Replication Consistency Group Operations

There are many operations available to perform once the Replication
Consistency Group is created and functioning. A complete list to each of
these operations is below. Each item links to the pertinent section of the
Dell PowerFlex 4.0.x Administration Guide.
• Replication direction and mapping
• Map RCG target volumes to hosts
• Unmap a host from RCG target volumes
• Set the target to inconsistent mode
• Set the target to consistent mode
• Modify RPO
• Add a replication pair to an RCG
• Pause replication for an RCG
• Resume replication for an RCG
• Create a snapshot of an RCG volume
• Add an RCG snapshot policy
• Perform a failover
• Reverse replication

• Restore replication
• Test Failover
• Stop a failover test
• Freeze an RCG
• Unfreeze an RCG
• Activate an RCG
• Terminate replication in an RCG
• Delete an RCG
• Pause creation of an initial copy
• Resume creation of initial copy
• Set copying priority
• Unpair from RCG

Create a NAS Server (NFS and SMB)
NAS Capabilities of a PowerFlex Cluster
PowerFlex features a file solution that uses virtualized NAS servers to

enable file-level connections to data. File systems can be accessed
through a wide range of protocols such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP),
SMB, and NFS.
A NAS server must be running on the system before file storage can be
provisioned. Management of file services can be performed by selecting
the File tab within PowerFlex Manager.
Snapshots and Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) are used to

protect file system data.
To learn how to manage the NAS capabilities of a PoweFlex cluster,

review each numbered item.
1:

The NAS Servers page contains details about existing NAS servers and is
used to:
• Create, modify, or remove a NAS Server.

• Configure existing NAS Server settings.
• Move a NAS Server to a different node.
• Swap NAS Servers between nodes.
2:

The File Systems page contains details about existing file systems and is
used to:
• Create, modify, or remove a File System.

• Configure existing File System settings.
• Assign or Unassign a protection policy.
• Create or restore from a snapshot.
• Refresh quotas.
3:
The SMB Shares page contains details about existing SMB shares and is
used to create, modify, for remove SMB shares.
4:

The NFS Exports page contains details about existing NFS exports and is
used to create, modify, or remove NFS Exports. Host access is also
managed from this page.
5: The File Protection page contains details about existing protection

policies and snapshot rules. It is used to create, modify, or delete
protection policies and snapshot rules.

For more information, see the PowerFlex Administration Guide and

select Managing file storage.
NFS File Server - Example

The first page in the Create NAS Server wizard is the Details page. The
Details page is where a protection domain is selected and a NAS server
name, description, and network information is entered.
To learn the other details of creating a NAS server, review the numbered
items.
1: When selecting the sharing protocol that the NAS server uses, the
options are SMB, NFSv3, and NFSv4. If SMB and an NFS protocol are
both selected, the NAS server is enabled to support multiprotocol.

2: With SMB selected, the wizard would look for the type of windows
server. The two options are Join to the Active Directory Domain or
Standalone.
3: With the Unix Directory Services, the naming services can be

configured with a combination of local files and NIS or LDAP.
If Secure NFS is enabled, the following requirements must be met:
• At least one NTP server must be configured (two NTP servers per
domain is the recommendation).
• A Unix Directory Service (UDS) is configured.
• One or more DNS servers are configured.
• An Active Directory (AD) or custom realm must be added for Kerberos
authentication.

4: DNS information is mandatory when joining an AD domain or

configuring Secure NFS. DNS is optional for a stand-alone NAS server.
DNS can also be used to resolve hosts defined on NFS export access
lists.
5: For user mapping a default account can be enabled for both a Windows
and Linux user, or automatic user mapping can be selected.
For more information, see the PowerFlex Administration Guide.

Important: VLANs being used for the block management,

and block storage networks, cannot be reused for NAS.

Configure NAS Quotas
File System Quotas in a PowerFlex Cluster
PowerFlex file system includes quota support. File system quotas allow
administrators to place limits on the amount of space that can be
consumed to regulate file system storage consumption. Quotas are
supported on SMB, NFS, FTP, NDMP, and multiprotocol file systems.
PowerFlex file supports user quotas, quota trees, and user quotas on tree
quotas. All three types of quotas can co-exist on the same file system and
can be used together to achieve fine-grained control over storage usage.
When multiple limits apply, the limit users reach first is what is considered
the limit.
Quotas are disabled by default. The administrators can set quotas on a file
system from the File > File System > [selected file system] > Details >
Quotas tab. Then, set the following type of quota for a file system:
TYPE DESCRIPTION
User quotas User quotas are set at a file system level to limit
the amount of space a user may consume on a
file system.

Tree quota Tree quotas limit the maximum size of a directory

on a file system. Unlike user quotas, which are
applied and tracked on a user-by-user basis,
quota trees are applied to directories within the
file system. Tree quotas can be applied to new or
existing directories.
Administrators can use tree quotas to:
• Set storage limits on a project basis. For
example, tree quotas can be established for a
project directory that has multiple users
sharing and creating files in it.
• Track directory usage by setting the tree
quota hard and soft limits to 0 (zero).
User quota on User quotas on tree quotas occur when a tree

a quota tree quota is created, and the administrator creates
additional user quotas within the directory and
enforces user quotas.
User quotas on a quota tree limit the amount of
storage that an individual user consumes to store
data on the quota tree.
Quota Limits for a File System

Quotas have soft, hard, and no limits. The soft limit can be passed
temporarily until the grace period expires. The hard limit is an absolute
limit on storage usage. The no limit is where the Soft Limit and Hard Limit
are set to zero.
The administrators can enable or disable quotas at any time. It is

recommended that they are enabled or disabled during nonpeak
production hours to avoid impacting file system operations. The
administrator can set grace periods on a quota that determines how long
the soft limit can be exceeded.

Quota reaching soft limit
In this scenario, the user is writing the data to a directory with a tree quota
on it. The file system usage is increasing and climbing towards the soft
limit.

Quota exceeding soft limit
In this scenario, the user is allowed to use space until a grace period has
been reached. Then the user is alerted when the soft limit is reached until
the grace period is over.
• The quota grace period is used to set a specific grace period to each
tree quota on a file system.
• The grace period counts down the time between the soft and hard
limits. And it alerts the user about the time remaining before the hard
limit is met.

Quota grace period expires
In this scenario, the grace period expires and the user cannot write to the
file system until more space has been added, even if the hard limit has not
been met.
• Administrators can set an expiration date for the grace period. The
default is seven days, alternatively, it can be set to an infinite amount
of time and the grace period does not expire.
• Once the grace period expiration date is met, the grace period is not
applied to the file system directory.

Quota reaching hard limit
In this scenario, the hard limit is reached for a quota tree, and no user can
write data to the tree or the file system until more space becomes
available.
Important: Administrators cannot create quotas for read-

only file systems.

Configure NAS Quotas for File Systems in PowerFlex

Manager
To try configuring NAS Quotas for file systems in PowerFlex Manager, use
the simulation below.

Export/Share Filesystems
Components of File System Storage
For more information, see the PowerFlex Technical Overview.
File System represents a set of storage resources that provide network file
storage.
The storage system establishes a file system that Windows users or

Linux/UNIX hosts can connect to and use for file-based storage. Users
access a file system through its shares, which draw from the total storage
that is allocated to the file system.
To learn about the components of file system storage, select each tab.
NAS Server
• NAS servers provide access to file systems. Each NAS server

supports Windows (SMB) file systems, Linux/UNIX (NFS) exports, or
both.
• A file server that is configured with its network interfaces and other
settings exclusively exporting the set of specified file systems through
mount points are called "shares".
• Client systems connect to a NAS server on the storage system to get
access to the file system shares.
• A NAS server can have more than one file system, but each file
system can only be associated with one NAS server.
File System
A File system is a manageable container for file-based storage that is

associated with the following properties:
• A specific quantity of storage.

• A particular file access protocol (SMB, NFS, or multiprotocol).

• One or more shares (through which network hosts or users can access
shared files or folders).
Share or Export
• Share or export is a mountable access point to file system storage that

network users and hosts can use for file-based storage.
• Shares represent mount points through which users or hosts can
access file system resources.
• Each share is associated with a single file system and inherits the file
system protocol (SMB or NFS) established for that file system.
• Shares of a multiprotocol file system can be either SMB or NFS.
Windows users or Linux/UNIX hosts
Access to shares is determined depending on the type of file system:
Windows (SMB) shares: Access is controlled by SMB share permissions

and the ACLs on the shared directories and files.
• Active Directory SMB servers: Configure access for users and

groups using Windows directory access controls. User/group
authentication is performed through Active Directory.
For Windows file systems, access to the share is based on share

permissions and ACLs that assign privileges to objects defined in
Active Directory.
• Stand-alone SMB servers: Manage a stand-alone SMB server within
a workgroup from a Microsoft Windows host.
Linux/UNIX (NFS) exports: Hosts access is defined by the NFS access

control settings of the NFS export. Use PowerFlex to configure access for
individual Linux/UNIX hosts or IP address subnets.
• For Linux/UNIX file systems, access is permitted based on NFS

access settings.

Create a File System for SMB Share

To try how to create a File System for SMB Share, use the simulation
below.
Create a File System for NFS Export

To try how to create a File System for NFS Export, use the simulation
below.

Protect NAS Servers
Protect NAS Servers
NAS Server Protection Options

PowerFlex uses Snapshots and NDMP to protect file system data.
Depending on the recovery requirements, an organization can choose to
use file system snapshots for a quicker RTO, or an NDMP backup for
long-term retention.
Snapshots
Snapshots are point-in-time captures which save the state of the file
system including all files and data within it. Snapshots can be used to
restore the entire file system to a previous state.
Up to 126 snapshots per file system can be taken. Manual snapshots that
are created with PowerFlex Manager are retained for one week after
creation (unless configured otherwise).
The default access type for file snapshots is read-only. File Snapshot
Access Types:
• Protocol (read-only): Creates read-only snapshot that can be

mounted and accessed later through NFS export or SMB share.

Protect NAS Servers
• Snapshot: Creates read-only automounted snapshot accessible

through the snapshot directory in the file system.
• Protocol (read-write): Creates a read/write snapshot that can be
mounted and accessed later through NFS export or SMB share.
NDMP
NDMP provides a standard for backing up file servers on a network. Once

NDMP is enabled, a third-party Data Management Application (DMA),
such as Dell NetWorker, can detect the PowerFlex NDMP using the NAS
server IP address.
The NDMP username is always ndmp.
For more information about using Dell NetWorker for the NDMP backups,
see the NetWorker Administration Guide.

Protect NAS Servers
Protect NAS Servers
To try creating a protection policy, a snapshot rule, and enable NDMP,

use the simulation below.

Reconfiguring MDMs
Reconfiguring MDMs
MDM in a PowerFlex Cluster
The Meta Data Manager (MDM) is the authority that controls and tracks
the association of physical to logical storage and presents it for use by
clients and applications. It also maintains data protection based on a
mirroring strategy and ensures that storage demand is distributed evenly
across available resources.
The MDM cluster consists of a combination of primary MDM, secondary

MDMs, and tiebreaker MDMs. During installation, an MDM is assigned an
MDM role such as a primary, secondary, or tie-breaker role. There is also
the standby MDM which is not a part of the cluster. Before an MDM can
be part of the cluster, it must be promoted to a standby MDM and then
promoted to be a cluster member. Three or five MDM instances that are
run on different servers in a cluster to support high availability.
Typically, MDM nodes are deployed in a clustered configuration to ensure

availability and Three-node mode is the default.
MDM Roles
The MDM cluster consists of a combination of primary MDM, secondary

MDMs, and tiebreaker MDMs.
To learn more about the MDM roles, select each of the tabs below.

Reconfiguring MDMs
MDM
An MDM can be given a manager or a tiebreaker (default) role, during

installation. This role cannot be changed later without reinstalling the
MDM. MDMs have unique MDM IDs and can be given unique names.
Before the MDM can be part of the cluster, it must be promoted to a
standby MDM.
Primary MDM
A primary MDM is the MDM in the cluster that controls the SDSs and
SDCs. The primary MDM contains and updates the MDM repository, the
database that stores the SDS configuration, and how data is distributed
between the SDSs in the system. This repository is constantly replicated
to the secondary MDMs, so they can take over with no delay. Every MDM
cluster has one primary MDM.
Secondary MDM
A secondary MDM is an MDM in the cluster that is ready to take over the
primary MDM role if ever necessary. In a three-node cluster, there is one

Reconfiguring MDMs
secondary MDM, thus allowing for a single point of failure. In a five-node

cluster, there are two secondary MDMs, thus allowing for two points of
failure. This increased resiliency is a major benefit to enabling the five-
node cluster.
Tie-breaker MDM
A tiebreaker MDM's role is to help determine which MDM is the primary. A

tiebreaker can be a standby or a member of the cluster. A tiebreaker MDM
is not a manager. In a three-node cluster, there is one tiebreaker; in a five-
node cluster, there are two tiebreakers. Tiebreakers ensure that there are
always an odd number of MDMs in a cluster, which guarantees that there
is always a majority in electing the primary MDM.
Standby MDM
An MDM and a tiebreaker can be added to a system as a standby. Once

added, the standby MDM is attached, or locked, to that specific system. A
standby MDM can be called on to assume the position of a manager MDM
or tiebreaker MDM according to how it is installed when it is promoted to
be a cluster member.

Reconfiguring MDMs
Manager MDM
A manager MDM is an MDM that can act as a primary or a secondary in

the cluster. Manager MDMs have a unique system ID, and can be given
unique names. A manager can be a standby or a member of the cluster.
Important: A Replica is an MDM that contains a replica of

the MDM repository, which includes the primary MDM and
any secondary MDMs in the MDM cluster.
Reconfiguring MDM Roles

PowerFlex Manager enables you to change the MDM role for a node in a
PowerFlex cluster. For example, if you add a node to the cluster, you
might want to switch the MDM role from an existing node to a new node.
The MDM Reconfiguration wizard can be used to change MDM role
assignments after deployment.

Reconfiguring MDMs
Reconfigure MDM Roles in a PowerFlex Cluster
To try reconfiguring the MDM roles in a PowerFlex cluster, use the

simulation below.

Add CloudLink to a PowerFlex Cluster
Role of Cloudlink in a PowerFlex Cluster
CloudLink is a software that secures sensitive information within virtual

machines across both private and public clouds. It features policy-based
agent encryption for multiple levels of the data center including direct
integration with PowerFlex to provide software-based device encryption.
PowerFlex does not encrypt the data that is stored on SDS devices.
CloudLink is installed to encrypt storage devices before they are added to
the PowerFlex Storage Pool.
CloudLink encrypts the SDS devices with unique keys that are controlled
by enterprise security administrators. CloudLink Center provides
centralized, policy-based management for these keys, enabling single-
screen security monitoring and management across one or more
PowerFlex deployments.
The main components of CloudLink are:

• CloudLink Center
• CloudLink SecureVM Agent

Add a CloudLink License to the PowerFlex Cluster
Step 1
On the menu bar, click Settings and then click License Management and
select other Software Licenses.
Step 2
From the licenses menu, click Add.
Step 3
To upload the PowerFlex license start by clicking the Upload License

button in the Add Software License page. When the file is located, choose
the type of license as Cloudlink and upload the file and Click Save.

Deploy CloudLink
Discover CloudLink Center
Before deploying CloudLink, you must discover at least two CloudLink

Centers in PowerFlex Manager.
Deploy CloudLink Center
CloudLink can be deployed using the sample template available in

PowerFlex Manager. Before cloning the template ensure that all the VM
networks are added in PowerFlex Manager, and the required Cloudlink
resources are discovered in PowerFlex Manager.

Deploy a CloudLink Cluster using PowerFlex Manager
To try deploying a CloudLink Cluster using PowerFlex Manager, use the

simulation below.

Backing Up and Restoring a PowerFlex Cluster
Backup and Restore PowerFlex Manager
PowerFlex rack and PowerFlex appliance rely on data to function as a

software-defined storage and compute solution. PowerFlex Manager
provides the features to maintain and manage data integrity for the
PowerFlex rack and appliance environments. Backups of collected data
are important in data management which allows administrators to restore
to a previously known state.
PowerFlex Manager
IT administrators perform both backup and restoration of a PowerFlex

rack, appliance, or software-only solution by backing up PowerFlex
Manager.
Backup and restore of PowerFlex Manager provides:
• Security against a PowerFlex environment failure.

• Restoration of a PowerFlex Manager configuration during an update.

Backup
Administrators can manually run a backup of PowerFlex Manager at any

time. The administrator logs in to PowerFlex Manager and on the menu
bar, clicks the Settings > Serviceability option. On the Serviceability
page, the administrator and then clicks the Backup > Backup Now
option.
Administrators use the Backup Settings option to set the backup of

PowerFlex Manager to happen automatically at scheduled intervals.
Administrators also use the Backup Settings to set the default location to
store backups along with the credentials and encryption passwords.
Restore
Restoring PowerFlex Manager returns data to an earlier configuration that

is saved in a backup file. To restore from the backup file, an administrator
runs a script outside of PowerFlex Manager. The PowerFlex Manager
user interface does not support the ability to restore from a backup.
Administrators perform frequent backups to prevent data loss and
corruption. Administrators also take a snapshot of PowerFlex Manager
every time they perform a restore.

1. Log in to the node where the PowerFlex Manager platform (PFMP)

installer was initially run.
2. Run the restore script that is in the installer bundle:
./restore-PFMP.sh [BACKUP_LOCATION]
[ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD] {CIFS_USERNAME]
[CIFS_PASSWORD}
The restore process prints status information until the restore is
complete.
Restoring an earlier configuration restarts PowerFlex Manager and
deletes data that is created after the backup file to which you are
restoring. Any running jobs could be terminated as well.
The BACKUP_LOCATION path supports NFS and CIFS. The

CIFS_USERNAME and CIFS_PASSWORD parameters are optional. They
are not required for NFS and may not be required for a CIFS share that
allows for anonymous access.
Tip: It is recommended that administrators backup SSL and

trusted certificates before performing an upgrade of
PowerFlex Manager. It is also recommended that an
administrator backup a prior iteration of PowerFlex Manager
before upgrading. The backup of the prior iteration
PowerFlex Manager and the SSL provides a stable state to
rely on in case the upgrade fails.
Back Up PowerFlex Manager 4.0

As the administrator of the newly deployed PowerFlex 4.0 environment,
you know the importance of backing up the configuration data for the
system.
• Set the default backup file destination of the PowerFlex Manager

backup file in the Backup settings. The backup file location credentials
and encryption password are provided for you in the simulation when
setting the backup file location.

• Set a schedule to automatically save PowerFlex Manager backups.

• Since the PowerFlex 4.0 is a new deployment, you will backup
PowerFlex Manager immediately the first time.
To try backing up PowerFlex Manager 4.0, use the simulation below.
Backup and Restore PowerFlex rack Components

PowerFlex rack uses multiple devices and software to provide a software-
defined storage and compute solution. Administrators perform a backup
and restore for the PowerFlex rack components to ensure the integrity of
the PowerFlex rack system.

VMware vCenter Server
The vCenter Server Management console can be configured to

automatically backup the configuration at scheduled intervals. However,
an administrator can perform a VMware vCenter Server backup manually
in the user interface: Backup > Backup Now.
Administrators verify that there is an FTP, FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, SFTP,

NFS, or SMB server up and running before performing the backup. The
server must have sufficient disk space to store the backup.
For a cluster, the backup operation backs up the primary vCenter Server
instance. Administrators reconstruct the cluster after the restore operation
completes successfully.
To restore a VMware vCenter Server, the administrator deploys a new

VMware vCenter server or ESXi host first. The next step is to copy the
data from the source appliance to the new VMware vCenter Server
appliance.
• Go to the VMware Tech Zone and search for the vCenter Server
Backup and Restore documentation to learn how to perform the
backup and restore.

iDRAC
Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) provides server data to

the out-of-band management switch in PowerFlex rack. iDRAC gathers
server metrics such as telemetry thermal data and also sets the server
configuration profile. Administrators of a PowerFlex rack solution save the
iDRAC server configuration through the iDRAC user interface:
Configuration > Server Configuration Profile.
The backup file is exported to either a local drive, network share drive, or
to a local file using HTTP or HTTPS file transfer: Configuration > Server
Configuration Profile > Export.
The administrator restores the iDRAC server configuration profile by

importing the configuration from the stored location: Configuration >
Server Configuration Profile > Import.
• Search for the PowerFlex rack Administration Guide in the

dell.com/support site to learn how to perform a backup and restore of a
iDRAC server configuration profile.
Network Switches

PowerFlex rack switches are either Cisco or Dell hardware. An

administrator backs up and restores the running configuration of the Cisco
and Dell switches. Customers who own the switches in the PowerFlex
rack are advised to back up the switches immediately after the successful
deployment of the environment.
Customers are responsible for providing the backup location and also
maintaining the backup for switches. It is recommended that customers
store their backup in a separate shared location.
To back up the switch, the administrator connects to the switch either

through a console cable, Telnet, or SSH using admin credentials. A
#copy command plus the URL location of the storage FTP or SFTP site is
entered plus the filename. To restore the switch configuration, the
administrator enters the same argument with the addition of a running-
configuration command at the end.
Backup command example: switch# copy running-

configuration
scp://root:calvin@10.11.10.12/tmp/backup.txt
Restore command example: switch# copy

scp://root:calvin@10.11.10.12/tmp/backup.txt running-
configuration
• Search for the PowerFlex rack Administration Guide in the

dell.com/support site to learn how to perform a backup and restore of a
PowerFlex rack switch configuration.

CloudLink Center
The default location for CloudLink backup configuration data storage is the
local desktop. However, an administrator can change the backup storage
location to a configured FTP or SFTP server. CloudLink Center can be set
to automatically generate backups at a designated schedule. CloudLink
Center backups can also be generated manually.
The administrator uses the CloudLink Center console user interface to go

to the Systems > Backup page. In the Backup page, all the information
about a particular backup is listed. The administrator clicks the Generate
New Backup button to back up the CloudLink Center.
To restore the CloudLink Center backup, the administrator logs in to the

CloudLink Center console and selects the System > Backup > Actions >
Restore Keystores option.
• Search for the Dell CloudLink 7.1.5 Administration Guide in the

dell.com/support site to learn how to perform a backup and restore of
CloudLink Center.

Manage Users and Passwords in a PowerFlex Cluster
Manage Users and Passwords in a PowerFlex

Cluster
Change PowerFlex Cluster System Passwords
IT administrators use PowerFlex Manager and other applications to

manage the PowerFlex cluster.
The external passwords that are configured with PowerFlex must be kept
in sync with those configured on the components themselves. The
components include iDRAC, Server BIOS, vCenter (and ESXi), and host
passwords.
When the administrator first logs into PowerFlex Manager, they must set
their password. Administrators can also change their password at any time
after the first login.
Steps to update passwords external to PowerFlex:

• iDRAC password
• Server BIOS password
• vCenter and ESXi password
• Embedded Linux management password
Steps to change the PowerFlex Manager login password are:
1. Click the user icon in the upper right corner of PowerFlex Manager.
2. Click Change password.

3. Type the password in the New Password field.

4. Type the password again in the Verify Password field.
5. Click Apply.
Manage User Roles

PowerFlex Manager allows an administrator to set User Roles for the
PowerFlex 4.0 cluster. The different type of User Roles dictates what the
specific user can do while managing the PowerFlex cluster. The
administrator provides the User Roles in the PowerFlex Manager User
Management page. The User Management page allows the administrator
to manage:
• Local Users - create, modify, delete, or reset the password for a local
user. Review the User Roles available in PowerFlex Manager.
• LDAP Users and Groups - Add LDAP users or groups or modify
LDAP users or groups.
• Directory Services - Add, modify, and remove a directory service. The
PowerFlex Manager accesses the directory services to authenticate
users.
To access the User Management page in PowerFlex Manager, click the

Settings > User Management section and then select the option that is

wanted. Use the Dell PowerFlex Manager 4.0.x application Online Help to
review how to accomplish adding users as an administrator.
Change Passwords for Resources Discovered in

PowerFlex Manager
To try changing passwords for discovered resources in PowerFlex

Manager, use the simulation below.
Manage the Secadmin User in the CloudLink Center

and PowerFlex
The security administrator (secadmin) is an integrated role that CloudLink

provides. The secadmin has full access to all CloudLink Center
functionality, including managing user accounts, configuring key stores,
and accessing event logs. If the CloudLink secadmin user password is
changed after deployment, administrators must also change the CloudLink
secadmin user password in PowerFlex Manager.
The steps to change the password of the CloudLink secadmin user using
the CloudLink Center and PowerFlex Manager are:

1. Open a web browser and log in to the CloudLink VM.

2. Log in with secadmin username.
3. On the upper right corner, click secadmin, and click Change
Password.
4. On the CHANGE PASSWORD screen, type the Current Password
and New Password into the respective fields. Click
Change to complete the password change.
5. On the upper right corner click secadmin, and then select Logout.
6. Log in with the secadmin username and the new password.
7. Change the CloudLink password in PowerFlex Manager.
i. In PowerFlex Manager, go to Settings > Security > Resource

Credentials > Credentials Management, select the CloudLink
credential, click Edit, change the Password, and click Save.
ii. Test the changes, In the PowerFlex Manager GUI, go to the
Resources page, select the CloudLink center, and click Run
Inventory.
iii. To confirm that the process completes with no errors, check
Settings> Logs.

View and Gather Logs from a PowerFlex Cluster
Logs Available to Use in PowerFlex Troubleshooting
PowerFlex Manager provides an activity log of user and system-generated

actions to use for troubleshooting activities. The logs contain information
for PowerFlex Manager application activities.
The troubleshooting bundle includes the following logs:
• ASM deployer
• iDRAC life cycle
• Dell PowerSwitch
• VMware ESXi
• CloudLink Center
• VMware ESXi
• Cisco Nexus switch
• NAS

• Standard output logs from all pods

• Kubernetes logs about pods, services, deployments, secrets, drivers,
and volumes
If using Secure Remote Services, Send to Configured Secure Remote

Services is selected by default. If not using Secure Remote Services,
select Download Locally to download the troubleshooting bundle to a
local file.
Generate a Troubleshooting Bundle Using PowerFlex

Manager
A troubleshooting bundle is a compressed file that contains logging
information for PowerFlex Manager managed components. If necessary,
download the bundle and send it to Dell Technologies Support for issue
debugging.
To try generating a Troubleshooting Bundle using PowerFlex Manger, use

the simulation below.

Appendix
Storage Pool Granularity Comparison
Medium Granularity Pools Fine Granularity

Pools
Volumes Supports thick or thin-provisioned Supports only thin-

volumes and supports Zero provisioned, "zero-
padded and Non-zero padded padded" volumes
Storage pools
Space 1 MB units 4 KB units

Allocation
Device Type SSD Media Require SSD/NVMe

Media with
NVDIMM-N
persistent memory
modules.
Compression Not supported Supported
Usage Recommended for workloads with Ideal for workloads

high-performance requirements where space
efficiency is more
valuable than raw
I/O performance

Appendix
Zero-Padding
Each Storage Pool can work in one of the following modes:
Zero-padding enabled: Ensures that every read from an
area previously not written to returns zeros. Some
applications might depend on this behavior. Zero padding
also ensures that reading from a volume will not return
information that was previously deleted from the volume.
This behavior incurs some performance overhead on the
first write to every area of the volume since the area needs
to be filled with zeros first. FG is always zero padded.
Zero-padding disabled (default only for MG): A read from
an area previously not written to will return unknown
content. This content might change on subsequent reads.
Zero padding must be enabled if you plan to use any other
application that assumes that when reading from areas not
written to before, the storage will return zeros or consistent
data.
NVDIMM Acceleration Pool

In an Acceleration Pool, the cached data resides on NVDIMM devices.
These devices are mapped to a logical DAX device. DAX devices are a
specialized file system that are created on NVDIMMs for caching use on
fine granularity storage pools. Writes are assembled and buffered in the
Acceleration Pool.
The NVDIMM device allows a faster write acknowledgment, and improves

the performance of operations such as compression with minimal addition
of latency. The acknowledgment is sent for an I/O when the I/O is written
to the battery-protected NVDIMM. When the compression operation has
finished, the blocks of I/O are written to the SSD device.

Appendix
Modify an SDS

Appendix
Add Storage Data Replicator
Important: SDR components (Storage-only or

Hyperconverged "-replication" Resource Group) must be
deployed before you can successfully add SDRs using this
procedure.
A minimum of two SDRs are required on each replication system. Each

SDR must be configured with one or more IP addresses and roles.
The SDR communicates with several components, including: SDC

(application), SDS (storage), and remote SDR (external). When an IP
address is added to an SDR, the role or roles of the IP address must be
defined. The IP address role determines the component with which that IP
address communicates. For example, the application role means that the
associated IP address is used for SDR-SDC communication. By default,
all the roles are selected for an IP address. SDR components must be
deployed as resources before you can add them using this procedure.

Appendix
1. On the menu bar, click Protection > SDRs.

2. Click Add SDR.
3. In the Add SDR dialog box, enter the connection information of the
SDR:
a. Enter the SDR name.
b. If necessary, modify the SDR port number.
c. Select the relevant protection domain.
d. Enter the IP address of the SDR.
e. Select one or more roles, for example, default: All roles are
selected.
f. If the SDR has more than one IP address, click Add IP to add more
IP addresses and their roles.
g. Click Add SDR to initiate a connection with the peer system.
4. Verify that the operation has finished and was successful and click
Dismiss.

Appendix
Add Peer System Dialog Box

To learn about the details of registering a replication peer, review each
numbered item.
1: A name for the replication Peer PowerFlex System (displays in

PowerFlex Manager)
2: System ID of the remote replication Peer. This can be gathered by

issuing the SCLI --query_all command on the target system.
3: IP registration box - this is where the MDMs from the target system are
entered.
4: IP registration list - this is where the registered MDMs from the target
system are listed.

Appendix
MDM Cluster Modes

The following table describes the available cluster modes:
Cluster mode Members Description
Three-node Three-node cluster has

(default) • Primary MDM two copies of the
repository, thus can
• Secondary MDM
withstand one MDM
• Tiebreaker cluster failure.
Five-node Five-node cluster has

• Primary MDM three copies of the
repository, thus can
• Two secondary MDM
withstand two MDM
• Two tiebreaker cluster failure.
Single-node Single-node cluster has

• Primary MDM only one copy of the
repository, thus it cannot
withstand failure. It is not
recommended to use
single-node in production
systems.
In addition to the cluster members, you can prepare standby managers

and tiebreaker nodes, for a total of thirteen cluster and standby MDMs.
The MDM cluster IP address limit is 16 IP addresses, which include all

cluster members (primary, secondary, standby primary, and standby
secondary).

Appendix
CloudLink Center
CloudLink Center is a policy-based key manager that
delivers encryption keys to the storage data servers
(SDS) devices and monitors security-related events on
the SDS machines.
CloudLink Encryption Agent
• The CloudLink Agent is installed only on the storage data server (SDS)
nodes. Encryption Agents work with the operating system of the node
where the SDS is installed to encrypt local devices.
• The CloudLink Encryption Agent orchestrates the encryption and
decryption process by enabling underlying encryption technology
present in the SDS operating system.
• The CloudLink Encryption Agent communicates with CloudLink Center
to request encryption keys and provide updates on security events.
Change the iDRAC Password

The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller is a piece of hardware that
allows administrators to update and manage Dell systems. IT
administrators deploy, update, and monitor PowerEdge servers anywhere
and anytime with the iDRAC secure local and remote server management.

Appendix
The steps to change iDRAC password using the iDRAC web interface are:
1. In the iDRAC Web Interface, go to iDRAC Settings > User.

2. In the User ID column, select user ID 2 and click Edit.
3. Modify the user settings as needed.
4. Click Save.
Change the Server BIOS Password

The server Basic Input Output System (BIOS) manages data flow between
the operating system and attached devices. Sometimes security policies
require that BIOS passwords be changed at regular intervals. Whenever
changing the BIOS password, ensure that the PowerFlex cluster is
updated to reflect the new password.

Appendix
The steps to change Dell Server's BIOS password are:
1. Enter System Setup by pressing F2 immediately after turning on or

restarting your system.
2. On the System Setup Main Menu, click System BIOS > System
Security.
3. On the System Security screen, ensure that the Password Status is
set to Unlocked. Note that, if the password status is set to locked,
you cannot change or delete the system or set up a password.
4. In the System Password field, change or delete the existing system
password and press Enter.
5. In the Setup Password field, change or delete the existing setup
password and press Enter. If you change the system or setup
password, a message prompts you to re-enter the password. If you
delete a password, a message prompts you to confirm the deletion.
6. Press Esc to return to the System BIOS screen. Press Esc again. A
message prompts you to save the changes.

Appendix
Change the vCenter and ESXi Password

During the deployment of the PowerFlex appliance, the installation user
sets the VMware vCenter password and VMware ESXi operating system
password in PowerFlex Manager.
The steps to change vCenter and ESXi passwords are:
1. Change the PowerFlex Manager VMware vCenter or VMware ESXi

operating system password by completing the following:
− In PowerFlex Manager, go to Settings > Security > Resource
Credentials > Credentials Management, select the VMware
vCenter or VMWare ESXi operating system credential, click
Modify, change the Password to the <NEW_PASSWORD>, and click
Save.
2. Change the VMware vCenter password by completing the following:
− Log in to the VMware vCenter web interface using the
<OLD_PASSWORD>.
− Click the username in upper right of page and select Change

password.
− Type the <OLD_PASSWORD> and the <NEW_PASSWORD> and click
OK.

Appendix
3. Change the VMware ESXi operating system root password on every

hyperconverged or PowerFlex compute-only node, by completing the
following:
− Log in to the VMware ESXi web interface on the PowerFlex node
using root and the <OLD_PASSWORD>.
− In the upper right of page, click the root@<ip address>, and

select Change password.
− Type the <NEW_PASSWORD> twice and click Change password.
4. Test the changes. Even though the cluster is operating properly,
because of the time between changing the password in PowerFlex
Manager and changing the password in the ESXi OS, nodes may show
a critical error on the Services page in PowerFlex Manager. The
following steps will return the nodes to a healthy state.
− In the PowerFlex Manager GUI, go to Resources page, select

vCenter or ESXi nodes and click Run Inventory.
− To confirm that the process completes with no errors, check
Settings > Logs.
− In the PowerFlex Manager GUI, go to Services page for ESXi
nodes and click Update Service Details.
− After Update Service Details completes the process, confirm that
all cluster objects report as healthy (green check mark).
Change the Embedded Linux Management VM

Password
An administrator sets the embedded operating system password in
PowerFlex Manager during the deployment of the PowerFlex appliance. If
the embedded operating system password is changed after deployment,
administrators must also change it in PowerFlex Manager.

Appendix
The Steps to change Embedded Linux Management VM password are:
1. Change the PowerFlex Manager embedded operating system

password by completing the following:
− In PowerFlex Manager, go to Settings > Security > Resource
Credentials. The Credentials Management page opens, select the
embedded Linux operating system credential, click Modify,
change the Password to the <NEW_PASSWORD>, and click Save.
2. Change the embedded Linux operating system root password on
every PowerFlex storage-only node, by completing the following:
− Use an SSH client program like PuTTY to log in as a user with
administrative privileges to the embedded operating system
console using the <OLD_PASSWORD>.
− Change the embedded operating system root password using

passwd command:
o [root@node1 ~] # passwd
o Changing password for user root.
o New password: <NEW_PASSWORD>
o Retype new password: <NEW_PASSWORD>

Appendix
o passwd: all authentication tokens updated

successfully.
3. Test the changes. Nodes may show a critical error on the PowerFlex
Manager Services page. The error may appear even though the
cluster is operating properly. The error occurs because of the time
lapse between changing the password between the Linux OS and in
PowerFlex Manager. The following steps will return the nodes to a
healthy state.
− In the PowerFlex Manager GUI, go to Resources page, select

embedded operating system nodes and click Run Inventory.
− To confirm that the process completes with no errors, check
Settings > Logs.
− In the PowerFlex Manager GUI, go to Services page for Linux
nodes and click Update Service Details.
− After Update Service Details completes the process, confirm that
all cluster objects report as healthy (green check mark).

Appendix
PowerFlex Manager User Roles

User roles control the activities that can be performed by different types of
users, depending on the activities that they perform when using
PowerFlex Manager.
The table summarizes the activities that are performed by each user role.
Role Description Activities
Super Performs all system • Manage storage resources

User operations • Manage lifecycle operations,
resource groups, templates,
deployment, backend operations
• Manage replication operations,
peer systems, RCGs
• Manage snapshots, snapshot
policies
• Manage users, certificates
• Replace drives
• Hardware operations
• View storage configurations,
resource details
• View platform configuration,
resource details
• System monitoring (events,
alerts)
• Perform serviceability operations
• Update system settings

Appendix
Super Perform all • Manage storage resources

Admin operations, except for • Manage lifecycle operations,
user management resource groups, templates,
and security deployment, backend operations
• Manage replication operations,
peer systems, RCGs
• Manage snapshots, snapshot
policies
• Replace drives
resource details
resource details
alerts)
• Perform serviceability operations
• Update system settings

Appendix
Storage Perform all storage- • Manage storage resources

Admin related front-end • Manage lifecycle operations,
operations including resource groups, templates,
element management deployment, backend operations
of already setup NAS
and block systems. • Manage replication operations,
For example: create peer systems, RCGs
volume, create file • Manage snapshots, snapshot
system, manage file- policies
server user quotas.
• Replace drives
resource details
resource details
alerts)
Lifecycle Manage the life cycle • Manage lifecycle operations,

Admin of hardware and resource groups, templates,
PowerFlex systems. deployment, backend operations
NOTE: Operations • Replace drives
such as create
storage pool, create • Hardware operations
file-server, and add • View resource groups and
NAS node cannot be templates
performed by a
Storage Admin, but
alerts)
can be performed by
the Lifecycle Admin
role.

Appendix
Replication A subset of the • Manage replication operations,

Manager Storage Admin role, peer systems, RCGs
for work on existing • Manage snapshots, snapshot
systems for setup and policies
management of
replication and • View storage configurations,
snapshots. resource details (volume,
snapshot, replication views)
alerts)
Snapshot A subset of Storage • Manage snapshots, snapshot

Manager Admin, working only policies
on existing systems. • View storage configurations,
This role includes all resource details
operations required to
set up and manage • System monitoring (events,
snapshots. alerts)
Security Manages • Manage users, certificates

Admin PowerFlex role-based • System monitoring (events,
access control alerts)
(RBAC), and LDAP
user federation. It
includes all security
aspects of the
system.

Appendix
Technician Do all hardware field • Replace drives

replacement unit • Hardware operations
(FRU) operations on
the system. A • System monitoring (events,
Technician also alerts)
performs the relevant • Perform serviceability operations
commands for proper
maintenance, such as
entering a node into
maintenance mode.
Drive A subset of the • Replace drives

Replacer Technician role. The • System monitoring (events,
Drive Replacer is a alerts)
user who is only
allowed to do
operations required
for drive replacement.
For example: life
cycle operations on
the node and
evacuating a block
system device.
Monitor Read-only access to • View storage configurations,

the system, including resource details
topology, alerts, • View platform configuration,
events, and metrics. resource details
alerts)

Appendix
Support A special kind of • Manage storage resources

System Admin (all • Manage lifecycle operations,
activities except for resource groups, templates,
user/security deployment, backend operations
management
operations) to be • Manage replication operations,
used only by Dell peer systems, RCGs
Technologies support • Manage snapshots, snapshot
staff (CX) and policies
developers. This user
• Replace drives
role has access to
undocumented, • Hardware operations
special operations • View storage configurations,
and options for resource details
common operations,
required only for
resource details
support purposes.
NOTE: This special • System monitoring (events,
role should be used alerts)
only by Dell • Perform serviceability operations
Technologies support.
• Special Dell Technologies
It opens special, often
Support operations
dangerous,
commands for
advanced trouble
shooting.

Appendix
Add LDAP Users or Groups

You can add and modify LDAP users and groups in PowerFlex Manager
and assign roles to them. These roles control access permissions for the
corresponding LDAP user or group. These users and groups must also be
configured in the directory service.
Steps to add LDAP Users or Groups are:
1. On the menu bar, click Settings.

2. In the left pane, click User Management, then in the right pane, click
LDAP Users.
3. Click Add.
4. In the Add LDAP User/Group dialog box, select a Type option.
• User - a user definition will be configured for an individual user.
• Group - a group definition will be configured for a specific group.
5. In the User Name box, enter the user or group name.
6. In the User Role box, select the role to be assigned to the user or
group.
7. Click Apply.

Appendix
Modify LDAP Users or Groups

You can add and modify LDAP users and groups in PowerFlex Manager
and assign roles to them. These roles control access permissions for the
corresponding LDAP user or group. These users and groups must also be
configured in the directory service.
Steps to modify LDAP Users or Groups are:
1. On the menu bar, click Settings > LDAP Users.

2. Click Modify.
3. In the Modify LDAP User/Group dialog box, change the user role by
selecting one of the User Role options:
• SuperUser
• SystemAdmin
• StorageAdmin
• LifecycleAdmin
• ReplicationManager
• SnapshotManager
• SecurityAdmin
• DriveReplacer
• Technician
• Monitor
• Support
4. Click Apply.
Add SDR System Dialog Box

Enter the remote SDR details on the "Add SDR" page. To learn about the
fields in the dialog below, review each numbered item.

Appendix
1: Name for this Storage Data Replicator.
2: Storage data replicator communications port (pre-populated) can be

updated here.
3: Local protection domain that contains the storage pool being replicated.
4: Remote IP address of the peer SDR.
5: The IP address role determines the component with which that IP

address communicates. For example, the application role means that the
associated IP address is used for SDR-SDC communication. By default,
all the roles are selected for an IP address.
6: List of currently registered peer SDR IP addresses.

Glossary
Dual Signature Policy
There is a multistep business-approval workflow with specific
documentation requirements (including two business leader signatures)
before a support ticket is created. The required documentation is
reviewed, and a login session with support is facilitated in which the
snapshot retention period is reset, and the snapshot is deleted.
Expiration Time
The expiration time determines the retention interval
IOPS
IOPS (input/output operations per second) is the standard unit of
measurement for the maximum number of reads and writes.
Secured Flag
The secure flag determines if the expiration field is active.

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POWERFLEX 4.

© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 2

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration 7

Configure Protection Domains 8

Configure Fault Sets 15

Configure Storage Pools 19

Configure Acceleration Pools 24

Configure Storage Data Servers 25

Enter and Exit Maintenance Modes 29

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Student Guide

© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 3

Create, Modify, and Delete Volumes 39

Protect Volumes using SnapShots 45

Replicate Volumes Between Clusters 55

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Student Guide

© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 4

Create a NAS Server (NFS and SMB) 65

Configure NAS Quotas 73

Protect NAS Servers 83

Add CloudLink to a PowerFlex Cluster 91

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Student Guide

© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 5

Manage Users and Passwords in a PowerFlex Cluster 103

View and Gather Logs from a PowerFlex Cluster 107

PowerFlex 4.0 Administration Student Guide

© Copyright 2023 Dell Inc Page 6