The following sections provide information to assist you in resolving problems that may occur with your MD Storage Array.
Recovery Guru
The Recovery Guru is a component of MD Storage Manager that diagnoses critical events on the storage array and recommends step-by-step recovery procedures for problem resolution. You can access the Recovery Guru by clicking Storage Array Needs Attention on the Summary page or by clicking Recover from failure on the Support page.
You can detect a problem using the following indicators:
Non-Optimal status icons
Alert notification messages that are sent to the appropriate destinations
Hardware indicator lights
The status icons return to Optimal status as problems are resolved.
Storage Array Profile
The Storage Array Profile provides an overview of your configuration, including firmware versions and the current status of all devices on the storage array.
You can access the storage array profile by clicking View storage array profile from either the Summary or Support pages.
Device Health Conditions
The storage array establishes communication with each managed device and determines the current device status. Before you configure or troubleshoot your device, always make sure the enclosures in the storage array are in Optimal status.
A storage array is always in one of six possible health status conditions, which you can identify by the status icon.
Optimal status — Every component in the managed device is in the desired working condition.
Needs Attention status — A problem exists with the managed device that requires intervention. If the storage array has a Needs Attention status, contact Technical Assistance for resolution.
Fixing status — A Needs Attention condition has been corrected and the managed device is currently moving into Optimal status.
Unresponsive status — The storage management station cannot communicate with the device or with one or both controllers in the storage array.
Contacting Device status — MD Storage Manager is currently establishing contact with the device.
Needs Upgrade status — The storage array is running a level of firmware that is no longer supported by MD Storage Manager.
NOTE: For every non-Optimal status condition listed, use the Recovery Guru to detect and troubleshoot the problem.
NOTE: Wait at least five minutes for the storage array to return to an Optimal status following a recovery procedure.
SMrepassist Utility
SMrepassist (replication assistance) is a host-based utility for Windows platforms. This utility is installed with the MD Storage Manager software. Use this utility before and after you create a virtual disk copy on a Windows operating system to ensure that all the memory-resident data for file systems on the target virtual disk is flushed and that the driver recognizes signatures and file system partitions. You can also use this utility to resolve duplicate signature problems for snapshot virtual disks.
From a MS-DOS® window on a host running Windows, navigate to C:\Program Files\Dell\MD Storage Manager\util and run the following command:
SMrepassist -f <filesystem-identifier>
where -f flushes all the memory-resident data for the file system indicated by <filesystem-identifier>, and <filesystem-identifier> specifies a unique file system in the following syntax:
drive-letter: <mount-point-path>
The file system identifier might consist of only a drive letter, as in the following example:
SMrepassist -f E:
NOTE: In Windows, the mount point path is a drive letter.
An error message appears in the command line when the utility cannot distinguish between the following:
Source virtual disk and snapshot virtual disk (for example, if the snapshot virtual disk has been removed)
Standard virtual disk and virtual disk copy (for example, if the virtual disk copy has been removed)
Support Information Package
MD Storage Manager provides a feature that enables you to save all storage array data, such as profile and event log information, to a file that you can send if you seek technical assistance for problem resolution. To generate this support information bundle:
Click the Support tab, then click Gather Support Information.
Click Browse.
The Collect All Support Data dialog box appears.
In the Save in drop-down menu, select the location at which you want to
save the support data bundle. In the File name text box, type a name for
the bundle.
Click Save to close the Collect All Support Data dialog box.
Click Start.
The support information bundle is saved to the location of your choice.
Unidentified Devices
An unidentified node or device occurs when the MD Storage Manager cannot access a new storage array. Causes for this error include network connection problems, the storage array is turned off, or the storage array does not exist.
NOTE: Before beginning any recovery procedure, make sure that the host-agent software is installed and running. If you started the host before the host was connected to the storage array, the host-agent software will not be able to find the storage array. If so, make sure that the connections are tight, and restart the host-agent software.
If a storage array is managed by using both out-of-band management and in-band management using the same host, a management network connection problem might prevent direct communication with the storage array. However, you might still be able to manage the storage array over the in-band connections. The opposite situation can also occur.
If a storage array is managed through more than one host, it is possible that the storage array might become unresponsive to communication over the connections given by one host. However, you might still be able to manage the storage array over the connections provided by another host.
Recovering from an Unidentified Storage Array
Use the following procedure to recover from an unidentified storage array.
Make sure that the network connection to the storage management station
is operating.
Make sure that the controllers are installed and that the power is turned on
to the storage array. Correct any existing problems before continuing.
If you have an in-band storage array, use the following procedure. Click
Refresh after each step to check the results:
Make sure that the host-agent software is installed and running. If you
started the host before the host was connected to the controllers in
the storage array, the host-agent software will not be able to find the
controllers. If so, make sure that the connections are tight, and restart
the host-agent software.
Make sure that the network can access the host by using the ping
command in the following syntax:
ping <host-name-or-IP-address-of-the-host>.
If the network can access the host, continue to step c. If the network cannot access the host, skip to step d.
Remove the host with the unresponsive status from the MD Storage
Manager, and add that host again.
If the host returns to optimal status, you have completed this procedure.
Make sure that the power to the host is turned on and that the host is
operational.
If applicable, make sure that the host bus adapters have been installed
in the host.
Examine all external cables and switches or hubs to make sure that
you cannot see any damage and that they are tightly connected.
If you have recently replaced or added the controller, restart the host-
agent software so that the new controller is found.
If a problem exists, make the appropriate modifications to the host.
If you have an out-of-band storage array, use the following procedure. Click
Refresh after each step to make sure of the results:
Make sure that the network can access the controllers by using the
ping command. Use the following syntax:
ping <controller-IP-address>.
If the network can access the controllers, continue to step b. If the network cannot access the controllers, skip to step c.
Remove the storage array with the unresponsive status from the MD
Storage Manager, and add that storage array again.
If the storage array returns to optimal status, you have completed this procedure.
Examine the ethernet cables to make sure that you cannot see any
damage and that they are tightly connected.
Make sure that the applicable network configuration tasks have been
done (for example, the IP addresses have been assigned to each
controller).
Make sure that the controller firmware is compatible with the MD Storage
Manager on your management station. If the controller firmware was
upgraded, the MD Storage Manager might not have access to the storage
array. A new version of MD Storage Manager might be needed to manage
the storage array with the new version of the controller firmware.
If this problem exists, see the Dell support website at support.dell.com.
Look to see if there is too much network traffic to one or more controllers.
This problem corrects itself because the MD Storage Manager tries to re-
establish communication with the controllers in the storage array at
regular times. If the storage array was unresponsive and a subsequent try to
connect to the storage array succeeds, the storage array becomes
responsive.
For an out-of-band storage array, look to see if management operations are
taking place on the storage array from other storage management stations.
The type of management operations being done and the number of
management sessions taking place together establish the number of
TCP/IP connections made to a controller. When the maximum number of
TCP/IP connections have been made, the controller stops responding.
This problem corrects itself because after some TCP/IP connections
complete, the controller then becomes responsive to other connection
tries.
If the storage array is still unresponsive, problems might exist with the
controllers.
If these problems exist, see the Dell support website at support.dell.com.
