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Dell PowerFlex Storage with VxRail Dynamic Nodes
Executive summary Products overview VxRail overview PowerFlex overview Solution architecture Solution configuration Provisioning PowerFlex as primary storage Dell VSI capabilities for PowerFlex
Introduction to VSI
Conclusion References

Introduction to VSI

Home > Storage > PowerFlex > White Papers > Dell PowerFlex Storage with VxRail Dynamic Nodes > Introduction to VSI

Introduction to VSI

  • The Dell Virtual Storage Integrator (VSI) is a plug-in for VMware vCenter. It enables administrators to view, provision, monitor, and manage datastores on DELL EMC storage systems from the VMware vCenter. Support for PowerFlex storage starts from VSI 9.0 onwards.

    Following table shows the comparison of using VSI plug-in over PowerFlex UI/CLI to configure and manage the dynamic compute nodes to consume the PowerFlex storage.

    Table 3.  Comparison of using VSI over PowerFlex UI/CLI.

    Configuration Steps 

    Using PowerFlex UI/CLI

    Using VSI

    Enabling the VxRail cluster to use the PowerFlex storage

    Install PowerFlex SDC driver

    1. Copy the SDC vib file to ESXi host.
    2. Install the SDC driver from ESXi CLI.
    3. Connect the SSH to ESXi host and run the command "esxcli software component apply -d <path_to_zip> -n scaleio-sdc-esx7".
    4. Manually reboot the host.
    1. SDC VIBs must be copied in the exact same directory in each host and that path must be specified in VSI.
    2. Install the SDC driver by clicking the option Install SDC driver from the VSI plug-in and manually reboot the host.
    3. Can be installed on a single host or multiple hosts. 

    Connect Hosts to MDMs

    1. Connect to MDM in ESXi CLI.
    2. Connect the SSH to ESXi host and run the command "esxcli system module parameters set -m scini -p "IoctlIniGuidStr=<XXXXXX> IoctlMdmIPStr=<LIST_VIP_MDM_IPS> IoctMdmPasswordStr=<ip>-<password>""  
    3. Manually reboot the host.
    1. Connect to MDM by clicking the option Connect to MDM from the VSI plug-in.
    2. Manually reboot the host.
    3. Can be connected to a single host or multiple hosts.

    Verify SDC and MDM connectivity

    PowerFlex Presentation GUI/PowerFlex MDM cluster.

    1. Log in to DELL EMC VSI plug-in > Storage systems > Hosts.
    2. Verify the SDC and MDM status.

    Expanding the cluster/Adding dynamic nodes

    Install PowerFlex SDC driver

    1. Copy the SDC vib file to ESXi host.
    2. Install the SDC driver from ESXi CLI.
    3. Connect the SSH to ESXi host and run the following command:

    “esxcli software component apply "-d <path_to_zip> -n scaleio-sdc-esx7". 

    4. Manually reboot the host.

    1. SDC VIBs must be copied in the exact same directory in each host and that path must be specified in VSI.
    2. Install the SDC driver by clicking the option Install SDC driver from the VSI plug-in and manually reboot the host
    3. Can be installed on a single host or multiple       hosts. 

    Connect Hosts to MDMs

    1. Connect to MDM in ESXi CLI.

    2. Connect the SSH to ESXi host and run the following command:

    “esxcli system module parameters set -m scini -p "IoctlIniGuidStr=<XXXXXX> IoctlMdmIPStr=<LIST_VIP_MDM_IPS> IoctMdmPasswordStr=<ip>-<password>""  

    3. Manually reboot the host. 

    1. Connect to MDM by clicking the option Connect to MDM from the VSI plug-in.
    2. Manually reboot the host.
    3. Can be connected to a single host or multiple hosts.

    Verify SDC and MDM connectivity

    PowerFlex Presentation GUI/PowerFlex MDM cluster.

    1. Log in to DELL VSI plug-in > Storage systems > Hosts.

    2. Verify the SDC and MDM status.

    Upgrading the SDC

    Upgrade SDC on hosts

    1. Uninstall existing SDC driver from ESXi CLI.

    2. Run the following command to remove vib from ESXi host:

     "esxcli --server=<server_name> software vib remove --vibname=<name>".

    3. Run the following command to Install the SDC driver in ESXi CLI:

    "esxcli software component apply -d <path_to_zip> -n scaleio-sdc-esx7"

    1. SDC VIBs must be copied in the exact same directory in each host.

    2. Upgrade SDC driver using VSI "Upgrade SDC" option. The VIB file path must be specified in the field.

    3. Can be done per host or multiple hosts.

    Presenting PowerFlex storage to compute nodes

    Create VMFS datastores and volumes in the storage pool

    1. PowerFlex Presentation GUI/PowerFlex MDM cluster.

    2. Use the PowerFlex GUI volumes created.

    3. Map the volumes manually to the SDC hosts.

    1. Prerequisites for Using VSI – Storage pool should be created.

    2. Use VSI: Click the Create datastore option to create the VMFS datastore and it is mapped to the SDC hosts as per the context selected.

    3. Log in to the VMware vSphere Client > Click Menu > Hosts and Clusters > Right-click a data center, cluster, folder, or host and select Dell EMC VSI Actions > Create Datastore.

    Edit/Resize VMFS datastore

    Go to PowerFlex Presentation GUI/PowerFlex MDM cluster > Volumes > Volume name > Modify > Resize.

    In vCenter, Go to Menu > Storage > DELL VSI > Edit datastore capacity > Resize datastore.

    Map volumes to appropriate VxRail dynamic CO nodes

    Go to PowerFlex Presentation GUI/PowerFlex MDM cluster > Volumes > Volume name > Map > Select SDC > Apply.

     Volumes are mapped when it is created.

     

    Create RDM disk

    1. Prerequisites for PowerFlex CLI - Storage pool, volume, mapped to SDC.

    2. Right click on VM > Edit settings > Create RDM disk.

    1. Prerequisites for using VSI - Storage pool should be created.

    2. Select a VM, click Configure > Dell VSI > Storage > Click + CREATE RDM.

    Removing node/Reduction of cluster

    Delete VMFS datastore

    Prerequisites for PowerFlex CLI - Unmount datastore from hosts, delete datastore, Unmap from sdc, delete volume.

    Right click on datastore > DELL VSI > Delete datastore and volumes.

    Disconnect from MDM

    Remove the SDC vib file to Disconnect from MDM.

    In VSI, Click on the Disconnect MDM option.

    Uninstall SDC driver

    Remove the SDC vib file to Deinstall SDC driver.

    In VSI, Click on the Deinstall SDC option.

     For detailed information about VSI, see the VSI manuals under PowerFlex documentation.