Best Practices for Deploying the Sun StorADE Utility
- Sun StorADE 2.3 Features
- How StorADE Works
- StorADE Best Practices
- StorADE Deployment Worksheets
- Related Resources
- About the Authors
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The first Sun BluePrints article about the Sun Storage Automated Diagnostic Environment (StorADE) utility for version 2.2 was published in January of 2004. Since then, StorADE version 2.3, was released. This article is an updated version of the original article.
StorADE is a utility that enables centralized monitoring of most Sun storage product offerings including storage area networks (SANs), as well as direct-connect devices. This article discusses best practices for deploying the StorADE 2.3 utility to monitor Sun supported storage devices in the data center. While detailed StorADE installation and configuration information is provided in the StorADE documentation that comes with the product, this article provides StorADE concepts and best practice information in a condensed fashion so you can quickly assess if StorADE is right for your environment.
This article is intended for anyone involved in managing Sun storage devices, whether it be from an architectural, deployment, or administrative perspective.
The following topics are covered in this article:
"Sun StorADE 2.3 Features" on page 2
"How StorADE Works" on page 8
"StorADE Best Practices" on page 10
"StorADE Deployment Worksheets" on page 18
Sun StorADE 2.3 Features
StorADE is a utility provided by Sun that enables centralized monitoring of most Sun storage product offerings. For a complete listing of supported products, see TABLE 1.
StorADE uses well-established Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS) facilities, such as crond and inetd, for operation. StorADE use and administration is performed using standard browsers such as Netscape Navigator , Mozilla , or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Refer to the StorADE release notes for supported versions.
StorADE 2.3 is available at no cost as a download from: http://www.sun.com/downloads.
The Sun StorADE utility has the following features:
Enables centralized monitoring for all supported devices and hosts through a browser-based user interface (BUI).
Monitors storage devices, providing a health status report at the storage subsystem, device, and field replaceable unit (FRU) levels.
Delivers notification of key events in the following ways (based on configuration):
Local notification – Events can be communicated to a local administrator (through email), or to local management software (such as Sun Management Center, or through scripts to third-party applications).
Remote notification – Events are communicated to Sun using Sunsm Remote Services Net Connect service (SRS Net Connect) for improved serviceability.
Maintains logs and provides on-demand reports for storage device events.
Provides storage diagnostics that enable a point-and-click approach to fault isolation.
Offers expert advice and troubleshooting for actionable events.
Checks the software, hardware, and firmware revisions of all monitored storage devices and hosts.
Provides detailed storage device FRU reports (FIGURE 1) that describe the device type, vendor, model, and revision number information.
Offers a secure-mode configuration for environments where security is a concern.
FIGURE 1 shows the StorADE FRU and model summary page.
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FIGURE 1 StorADE
FRU and Model Summary
Storage Automated Diagnostic Environment System Edition
The System Edition version of the StorADE software is bundled with the Service Provider image. It offers the same features as the unbundled version of StorADE with added support for monitoring solution racks (StorEdge 39x0/69x0/6320 storage devices).
NOTE
The only way to upgrade this version of the StorADE software is to upgrade the Service Provider image.
Monitoring Solution Racks With StorADE 2.3
The StorADE 2.3 master can be configured to monitor solution racks by discovering the rack as an out-of-band device. Multiple solution racks can be monitored from the same master providing a single pane for local notifications. Solution racks can be discovered by IP address in the /etc/deviceIP.conf file, subnet discovery, or added to the masters monitored devices with the add device function.
Supported Storage Products
Once installed, StorADE monitors the local and remote storage products listed in TABLE 1.
NOTE
The product list in TABLE 1 is up to date as of the time of publication. Refer to the StorADE release notes for updates.
TABLE 1 Supported Products
|
Sun StorEdge products |
Sun StorEdge A5000 array (14 slot) |
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Sun StorEdge A5200 array (22 slot) |
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Sun StorEdge A3500-FC array |
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Sun StorEdge T3 array (F/W 1.17 or greater) |
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Sun StorEdge T3+ array (F/W 2.0 or greater) |
|
|
Sun StorEdge 6120 array |
|
|
Sun StorEdge FC Tape T9840 |
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Sun StorEdge FC Tape T9840B |
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Sun Fire V880 server |
|
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Sun StorEdge D2 Array |
|
|
Sun Internal Fibre Channel disks |
|
|
Sun StorEdge 3310 array |
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Sun StorEdge 3510 FC array |
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|
Sun StorEdge 3900/6900 series |
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|
Sun StorEdge 6320 system |
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Sun StorEdge Solution racks |
|
SAN-type products |
Sun StorEdge Network FC Switch-8 and Switch-16. |
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Sun StorEdge Network 2-Gbit FC Switch-8, Switch-16 and Switch-64. |
|
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Brocade Silkworm 2400/2800 FC Switch |
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Brocade Silkworm 3200/3800/12000 FC Switch |
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Brocade 3900 32-Port FC Switch |
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McData ED6064 FC Switch |
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McData ES3232 FC Switch |
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McData 4500 2GB 24-Port FC Switch |
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McData 6140 FC Switch |
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Inrange FC 9000 Director FC Switch |
|
Host bus adapters |
Sun StorEdge PCI FC-100 Host Adapter |
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Sun StorEdge SBus FC-100 Host Adapter |
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Sun StorEdge PCI Dual Fibre Channel Host Adapter |
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Sun StorEdge 2 Gb FC PCI Single-Channel Network Adapter |
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Sun StorEdge 2 Gb FC PCI Dual-Channel Network Adapter |
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Sun StorEdge 2 Gb FC cPCI Dual-Channel Network Adapter |
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|
Sun supported FC host bus adapters |
Extending StorADE Functionality
You can install and configure StorADE to work in concert with the following two Sun Products:
Sun Remote Services (SRS) Net Connect – is a collection of system management services that enables you to self-monitor systems, create performance and trend reports, and receive automatic notifications. Get information on obtaining this service from http://www.sun.com/service/support/srs/netconnect/index.html.
Sun Management Center (SunMC) – is an element management system for monitoring and managing the Sun environment. The base package of Sun Management Center is free and provides hardware monitoring. Visit http://wwws.sun.com/software/solaris/sunmanagementcenter/ for information on obtaining this product.
StorADE and Sun Net Connect 3.1
StorADE takes advantage of the Sun Net Connect 3.1 service, which provides a comprehensive web-based customer portal. By installing Sun Net Connect 3.1, you will have access to the following features:
Self-monitoring – Uses a set of performance gauges that track Solaris OS system events, and alerts you when system parameters and thresholds are exceeded based on configurable parameters.
Hardware failure monitoring and notification – Provides monitoring of key hardware failures on a broad selection of Sun systems based on SPARC technology with notification to a pager or email when monitored hardware components are failing or have failed.
Trend reporting – Collects and graphs data to determine common system problems and helps you forecast future system needs.
Availability reporting – Delivers a high-level system availability report.
Configuration and patch reporting – Provides a time-based snapshot of systems within your domain and gives a detailed inventory of system assets and patch updates, helping you to stay in touch with resources that reside in your Sun systems. This helps you to identify configurations and patch levels, perform comparative and change analysis to identify issues, and resolve problems before they escalate to system failure.
By using the Sun Net Connect 3.1 service with StorADE, storage information from the StorADE is forwarded to and displayed alongside server information at the customer service portal.
What is Forwarded From StorADE to Sun?
StorADE forwards the following information to the Sun customer service portal:
Telemetry data – Includes information about all devices in the monitoring environment. Telemetry information is comprised of device instrumentation.
Asset information – Includes FRU serial numbers, hardware and firmware versions, make, model, and location data.
Device status – Health of the component.
Events stream – All the events that StorADE observes.
StorADE and Sun Management Center
You can set up StorADE to send alerts to the Sun Management Center (SunMC) software. Selecting the SunMC Provider enables the StorADE software to send topology and alert information to a SunMC agent. These alerts are visible from the SunMC console. The rasagent module must be installed on the SunMC agent to receive these alerts. This module is included in the StorADE package in the /opt/SUNWstade/System/SunMC/SUNWesraa.tar.gz file.
For information on enabling and configuring the SunMC Provider refer to the StorADE 2.3 online help on the following topics:
SunMC Provider
SunMC Provider Best Practices