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E2E Deployment and Operations Guide with Stretched Cluster: Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI
Introduction Solution overview Solution deployment Creating a stretched cluster Virtual Machines Failure/Recovery from failure of Site/Node Appendices Day 1 operations Managing and monitoring clusters with Windows Admin Center Dell OpenManage Integration with Windows Admin Center Updates and maintenance
Updates and maintenance
Firmware and driver updates using the manual method
Restarting a cluster node or taking a cluster node offline
Expanding the Azure Stack HCI cluster
Extending volumes
Performing AX node recovery
Operating system recovery
References

Operating system recovery

Operating system recovery

  • This section provides an overview of the steps involved in operating system recovery on Dell EMC Solutions for Azure Stack HCI.

    Note: Ensure that the RAID 1 virtual disk created on the BOSS M.2 drives is reinitialized.

    Note: To help reduce repair times when the node is added back to the same cluster after recovery, do not reinitialize or clear the data on the disks that were a part of Storage Spaces Direct storage pool.


    Manual operating system recovery

    For manually deployed nodes, you can recover the operating system on the node by using any of the methods that were used for operating system deployment.


    Factory operating system recovery

    For the factory-installed OEM license of the operating system, Dell Technologies recommends that you use the operating system recovery media that shipped with the PowerEdge server. Using this media for operating system recovery ensures that the operating system stays activated after the recovery. Using any other operating system media triggers the need for activation after operating system deployment. Operating system deployment using the recovery media is the same as either retail or other operating system media-based installation.

    After completing the operating system deployment using the recovery media, perform the following steps to bring the node into an existing Azure Stack HCI cluster:

    1. Update CPU chipset, network, and storage drivers.
    2. Configure host networking.
    3. Change the hostname.
    4. Perform AD Domain Join.
    5. Configure the QoS policy (for RoCE for RDMA only).
    6. Configure RDMA.
    7. Configure the firewall.
    8. Perform Day 0 operating system updates.
    9. Add server nodes to the cluster.

    For instructions on steps 1 through 7, see Microsoft HCI Solutions from Dell Technologies: End-to-End Deployment with Switchless Networking or Microsoft HCI Solutions from Dell Technologies: End-to-End Deployment with Scalable Networking.


    iDRAC Service Module (iSM) for AX nodes and Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes

    The iDRAC Service Module (iSM) is a lightweight software module that you can install on AX nodes to complement the iDRAC interfaces—the user interface (UI), RACADM CLI, Redfish, and Web Services-Management (WS-Man)—with additional monitoring data.

    To install iSM on the operating system, perform the following steps.
    Note: The ISM application package is installed as part of firmware and driver updates using the ASHCI catalog.

    1. Go to iDRAC > iDRAC Settings > Settings > iDRAC Service Module Setup.
    2. Start the virtual console.
    3. Log in to the host operating system as an administrator.
    4. From the device list, select the mounted volume that is identified as SMINST and then click the ISM_Win.bat script to start the installation.
    After the installation is completed, iDRAC indicates that the iSM is installed and specifies the latest installation date.

    FullPowerCycle

    FullPowerCycle is a calling interface function that provides a way to reset the server auxiliary power. An increasing amount of server hardware runs on server auxiliary power. Troubleshooting some server issues requires you to physically unplug the server power cable to reset the hardware running on auxiliary power.

    The FullPowerCycle feature enables the administrator to connect or disconnect auxiliary power remotely without visiting the data center. This feature is supported on AX nodes and Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes.

    These are the relevant commands to run in the PowerShell console:

    • To request FullPowerCycle on your system: Invoke-FullPowerCycle —status request
    • To get the status of FullPowerCycle on your system: Invoke-FullPowerCycle -status Get
    • To cancel FullPowerCycle on your system: Invoke-FullPowerCycle -status cancel