The PowerMax SRDF/Metro feature enables an administrator to host applications in HA environments. When configured using SRDF/Metro, hosts, clusters, and applications can perform read/write operations on both source and target arrays. The feature functions like SRDF/S mode and maintains a real-time copy at arrays that are located within 200 KMs, depending on application workload, network latency, and block size.

To create SRDF/Metro pairs:

1. Create volumes on both source and target arrays as needed.

2. Add the volumes to storage groups on each side.
3. Create SRDF/Metro pairs between the source and target array (see Create SRDF/Metro pairs with vRO plug-in for PowerMax).
4. Wait until the synchronization completes and the arrays are in an active/active pair state.
5. Perform storage provisioning tasks on the source and target arrays (see Create SRDF/Metro pairs with vRO plug-in for PowerMax).

Note: SRDF/Metro offers customers two types of witness deployment models: a physical array witness and a software witness. We configured this validated SRDF/Metro environment using the physical array witness.

Create SRDF/Metro pairs with vRO plug-in for PowerMax

The vRO plugin for PowerMax enables the administrator to provide automation capabilities for Dell EMC VMAX All Flash and PowerMax storage arrays within vRO. The plug-in helps automate the operations that are required for provisioning and protection with prescheduled and customized workflows.

1. The first time the vRO plug-in for PowerMax is used, add the Storage Management Server using Dell EMC Unisphere for PowerMax.

Run the “Add Storage Management Server” workflow, and then run the “Register Storage System” workflow, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 13.          Adding and registering Dell EMC Unisphere for PowerMax in vRO

2. Create the host on the source and target PowerMax, as shown in the following figure. Run the “Create Host” workflow.

For FC:

• If the FC zoning is complete, the initiator WWN has already logged into PowerMax. Select the WWN in Pick initiator WWNs from available ones on array. When you click + and enter part of the WWN, the full WWN appears automatically.
• If the FC zoning is not complete, provide the initiator WWNs manually.

Figure 14.          Create host for FC

For iSCSI:

• Provide the IQN manually, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 15.          Create host for iSCSI

3. Configure auto storage provisioning on the source PowerMax. Run the “Provision Volumes to Host Group” workflow.

In the Host Group tab, enter the host group name and select the hosts that you created in the preceding step. Select Fiber or iSCSI:

• For a uniform vMSC configuration, select AZ1 and AZ2 hosts into the host group, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 16.          Provision volumes - host group for uniform

• For a nonuniform vMSC configuration, select AZ1 hosts into the host group for PowerMax R1 and select AZ2 hosts into the host group for PowerMax R2, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 17.          Provision volumes - host group for nonuniform

4. On the Masking View tab, provide the masking view name, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 18.          Provision volumes - masking view

5. In the Port Group tab:

For FC, enter the target port WWN. The PowerMax FA port is displayed automatically, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 19.          Provision volumes – port group for FC

• For iSCSI, enter the target port IQN. The PowerMax target port IQN is displayed, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 20.          Provisioning volumes: Host group for iSCSI

6. In the Storage Group tab, as shown in the following figure, select New storage group and enter the storage group name.

Figure 21.          Provision volumes - storage group

7. On the Volumes tab, as shown in the following figure, select New volumes and provide the required details about the volumes.

Figure 22.          Provision volumes - volumes

8. Click RUN and wait for the workflow to complete successfully, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 23.          Provision volumes – complete status

9. Check the PowerMax devices on the VxRail nodes of the VI workload domain cluster.

Only VxRail nodes in AZ1 can see the PowerMax devices, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 24.          PowerMax devices shown on VCF AZ1 server

10. Create PowerMax SRDF/Metro:
    1. Run the “Create Storage Group SRDF Protection” workflow.
    2. Enter the source and target array information.
    3. In SRDF replication mode, select Active.

The workflow creates the volumes on the target array and establishes the SRDF/Metro pairs, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 25.          Create storage group SRDF protection - general

Figure 26.          Create storage group SRDF protection - advanced options

11. Configure auto storage provisioning on the remote PowerMax.
    1. Run the “Provision Volumes to Host” workflow.
    2. On the Storage Group tab, enter the storage group name that you created in the preceding step in “Existing storage group name.”

If it is a uniform configuration, the PowerMax device paths are doubled, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 27.          PowerMax device paths with vMSC uniform configuration

If it is a nonuniform configuration, the AZ2 servers start to see the PowerMax devices, as shown in the following figure:

Figure 28.          PowerMax device paths with vMSC nonuniform configuration