Announcing Serviceability Improvements for PowerMax Embedded Management
Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:35:53 -0000
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PowerMax 8500 and 2500 models have been launched Q4 2022 and with it came new management tools: specifically, Unisphere for PowerMax 10.0. The embedded management option is only applicable to the new PowerMax 8500 and 2500 models. If you are managing a VMAX All Flash array or a PowerMax 200/800, you can still use Unisphere for PowerMax 10 in an installed version on a supported operating system. This blog focuses on the features unique to embedded management, specifically around serviceability enhancements.
The vApp management interface has been retired
No, you didn’t read that heading wrong. The vApp interface in Unisphere for PowerMax 10 is no longer needed.
This means that you no longer need to point a browser at a different port and manage two sets of passwords. All the functionality in that second interface is now where it belongs, in the main UI, including:
- IP, DNS, and NTP settings management
- Solutions Enabler settings
- Certificate management
- Service Access for Dell support staff
- Updates to Unisphere versions
- Download log files
Using Unisphere to access serviceability settings
From Unisphere, simply click the local array. The serviceability icon appears in the left panel, as shown here:
From here you can access and manage that functionality mentioned above:
- IP, DNS, and NTP settings
- Solutions Enabler settings
- Certificates
- Service Access for Dell support staff
- Updates to Unisphere versions
- Download log files
One key item to note: when updating any of the settings under Solutions Enabler Settings, the change is automatically propagated to the standby container. This means that you only need to do this once, such as when configuring client/server access, updating general SYMAPI options, or setting up symavoid.
There are two new options:
1. Service Access – enabling this option allows Dell support to dial into the array and view the Same Unisphere UI that customers see. This is a valuable option for saving time on support calls.
2. Updates – Customers are now in full control of downloading and installing new versions of Unisphere on their embedded management system. (With earlier systems, upgrades were scheduled with code upgrades and patches to the array.) To self upgrade, customers need now only connect an array to the Secure Services Gateway.
I think customers will agree that consolidating these settings into the main UI makes everything easier. In a future blog post, I’ll show you how to use the new serviceability UI to configure Client Server connectivity, to enable CLI access from a remote client.
Author: Paul Martin