SRM with VMAX 20K Part VI: Configuring Remote Storage Array Management
In this post, I’ll be explaining how I created remote array manager servers which will also act as Powershell hosts for future vRealize Orchestrator integration.
They key to this concept is that SRM can talk to a storage array directly or via remote management. In my situation, this is through the use of EMC Solutions Enabler and the VMAX 20k storage replication adapter software. These array managers are in another AD Domain and located in separate physical infrastructure with access to resources that the SRM Server does not have, but needs to utilise.
I will now detail the installation steps of Solutions Enabler on a remote windows host, which is a Microsoft 2008 R2 Server.
Installing Solutions Enabler
1) Login to the first Primary Site Array Manager (Counterpart to the primary site SRM Server) via RDP.
2) Install the latest version of solutions enabler. In my case it is version 8 x64 for Windows Server.
4) At the prompt for installing the prerequisite software, click Install.
5) Pass the welcome screen by selecting next.
6) I changed the software installation to a separate drive.
7) To ensure all necessary components were available, select Complete installation.
8) On the Service List, I enabled everything except the Oracle/SQL Daemon as they weren’t needed. Enter in a lockbox password and record it somewhere for future use.
9) Confirm the installation and click “Install”
10) At the confirmation prompt, select Finish.
11) Configure the stordaemon services for automatic service start by opening CMD and entering in the following:
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stordaemon install storrdfd -autostart stordaemon install storsrvd -autostart |
12) Navigate to Computer Management and the environmental variables. On the system Variables section, under “Path” enter in the following at the end of the line.
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D:\Program Files\EMC\SYMCLI\Bin |
13) Navigate to the installed directory (for me D:\Program Files\EMC\SYMAPI\Config) and copy the “daemon_options” and the “options” files, effectively making a backup.
14) On the existing daemon_options, open with a text editor and change the following line:
There will be a # in front of the line, remove it and set it to NOVERIFY
15) In the same file, search for “GNS_Remote_Mirror” and remove the hash comment by the following:
Storgnsd:GNS_REMOTE_MIRROR = enable
16) Next, edit the “options” file and find “SYMAPI_USE_GNS”. Remove the hash comment and ensure it is set to ENABLE, then Save and Close the file.
17) For the next part, navigate to the install directory for ECOM (for me D:\Program Files\EMC\ECIM\ECOM\conf) and make a copy of “Port_Settings.xml”.
18) Edit the original file and change port 5985 and 5986 so they are not claimed by the ECOM.exe service (They are used for vRealize Orchestrator). I changed the values to 5990 and 5991 as it caused me problems later down the line trying to use this server as a Powershell host.
19) At this stage the installation steps are complete. Reboot the server and ensure all services come up as expected.
20) Now RDP to the Primary (Protected) site SRM Server configured in earlier posts.
21) Install the Solutions Enabler software again but use a custom install and cut down the list of services as others are not required. Record the LockBox password.
22) Once complete, return to the Primary (Protected) site Array Manager and enter the following into CMD.
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CD D:\Program Files\EMC\SYMAPI\Config\Cert “D:\Program Files\EMC\SYMCLI\bin\Manage_Server_Cert.exe” create_root |
Enter Lockbox password for the SRM Server configured in step 21, when prompted
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“D:\Program Files\EMC\SYMCLI\bin\Manage_Server_Cert.exe” create X.X.X.X |
**Where X.X.X.X is the IP Address of your Primary SRM Server**
23) Repeat steps 1-22 on the Secondary (Recovery) Array Manager Server and SRM Server
Conclusion
This process is essentially giving the SRM Server the correct software with which to communicate with a remote array manager host which will control the storage array.
Issues I came across were related to windows firewalls. Ensure that the following services are enabled through the firewall on the Array Manager Servers:
D:\program files\EMC\SYMCLI\daemons\storsrvd.exe
D:\Program Files\EMC\ECIM\slp\lib\slpd.exe
It is also worth noting that TCP ports 443 and 2707 are required to be open on the Array Manager servers, which will facilitate the communication for the Remote Solutions Enabler calls.
In the next post, I will discuss the installation and configuration of the Storage Replication Adapter.