Author: Danilo

Adding and Mapping a new Volume to a Linux SDC shows how to add a volume using the PowerFlex Manager interface and how to map it to a Linux SDC. Our PowerFlex cluster is running on a lab (nested environment). The PowerFlex version is 4.5.2, and our Linux SDC is CentOS-based! Adding a Volume 1- Access the SDC by SSH and check the current disks: 2- Access the PowerFlex Manager UI –> Block –> Volumes –> Create Volume: 3- A pop-up to map this volume will appear as the volume has been created. Click “Map”: At the host list, select…

Renaming the SDC through CLI shows how to change the SDC hostname to a friendly name using the PowerFlex command line. I used the PowerFlex 4.5 CLI Reference Guide. If you want to check this guide, click here! 1- In this case, we have added both SDCs and the Name is “N/A.” So, based on it, we want to change it to a friendly name. The first SDC has the IPs “192.168.155.213,192.168.156.213”: The second SDC has the IPs “192.168.155.214,192.168.156.214”: 2- Changing the name for each one: 192.168.155.213,192.168.156.213 –> ESXI06192.168.155.214,192.168.156.214 –> ESXI07 To change each name, we are using the GUID,…

Expanding the PowerFlex Cluster with New Disks shows how to add new disks to current SDS devices.Our PowerFlex cluster is running on a nested environment. So, all steps demonstrated here are not in a production environment. The PowerFlex cluster is 4.5.2, and all nodes are CentOS-based! Currently, which disks are used on each SDS? 1- Access the MDM primary node by SSH and execute the following command: As we can see in the following picture, we have disks from /dev/sdb to /dev/sdm: The following command can be executed to list all attached disks: As we can see in the following…

Installing the SDC on ESXi shows how to install the PowerFlex SDC manually on an ESXi host. About our Environment PowerFlex Cluster version 4.5.2.VMware ESXi 8.0.3 build-24022510.Both PowerFlex and ESXi run in a nested (virtual) environment. PowerFlex Release Notes Compatibility Check First and foremost, we always recommend consulting the PowerFlex release notes to confirm what ESXi versions are compatible with the current PowerFlex version: https://dl.dell.com/content/manual68830250-dell-powerflex-4-5-x-release-notes.pdf In this case, for instance, the PowerFlex 4.5.2 supports ESXi 8.0 Update 2b (Build 23305546) or earlier: Installing the SDC “vib” on ESXi Host After downloading the SDC package for vSphere ESXi 8.0 from support.dell.com,…

Deploying a New PowerFlex Cluster will show how to deploy a PowerFlex Cluster using the PowerFlex Manager. We will use the PowerFlex 4.5.2. PowerFlex Lab Topology First and foremost, we will use the PowerFlex version 4.5.2 for this lab to deploy the PowerFlex Cluster. The PowerFlex Manager needs to be running fine. We have written an article about deploying the PowerFlex Manager on Linux. Click here to access the article! To create a PowerFlex cluster, we will deploy it using virtual machines (VMs).It is essential to mention that it is only for labs and to learn how the PowerFlex works. Our physical server is ESXi-based,…

How to Deploy PowerFlex Manager on Linux will show all the necessary steps to deploy the PowerFlex Manager in a lab environment. We will use PowerFlex version 4.5.2! What is PowerFlex Manager? PowerFlex Manager simplifies deployment, management, and automation for PowerFlex systems. It centralizes control over computing and storage resources, streamlining lifecycle management and monitoring and configuration operations while efficiently managing and scaling PowerFlex environments. PowerFlex Manager 4.5.2 is deployed on a Kubernetes cluster. The architecture leverages Kubernetes to enhance its scalability, resilience, and ability to manage containerized services, making it more efficient in managing PowerFlex environments. Create the PowerFlex…