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How StorADE Works
The StorADE software is installed on one or more servers in a data center. During the installation you are prompted to configure the server as a StorADE master agent or slave agent. The following points and FIGURE 2 describe the roles of each.
Master Agent serves the following functions:
Aggregates all monitoring data collected from master and slave monitoring activities.
Monitors devices out of band (monitors the device using the device Ethernet interface).
Monitors devices in band (monitors the device using the device Fibre Channel or SCSI data path).
Monitors various Solaris OS log files for storage-related events.
Stores StorADE events in StorADE log files.
Sends notification of key events to local personnel using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Optionally, sends notification of key events to Sun using Sun Net Connect. For details on Sun Net Connect services, go to http://www.sun.com/srs.
Provides the centralized BUI for StorADE administration and for checking monitoring data.
Can be used as a management station (performs no monitoring; used only to aggregate data, send notifications, and provide the BUI).
Slave Agent serves as another StorADE resource with the following functions:
Provides the ability to scale the StorADE functionality according to needs.
Monitors devices out of band (monitors the device using the device Ethernet interface).
Monitors devices in band (monitors the device using the device Fibre Channel or SCSI data path.)
Monitors its own Solaris OS log files for storage-related events.
Stores StorADE events in StorADE log files.
Forwards actionable events and alerts from all monitoring activities to the master agent.
Can be installed on a log host, and used only as a central repository for log files.
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FIGURE 2 StorADE
Configuration Components
The StorADE user interface is accessed through a browser. Pointing a browser at a slave host port 7654 (or port 7443 for secure configurations) redirects it to the master server automatically.
The StorADE Service Advisor feature provides content that includes a summary of the event, its probable-cause, as well as a recommended corrective action.
Instrumentation agents are specialized modules designed to probe specific types of devices. Each instrumentation agent produces reports and, when available, reads new entries into the logs accessed by the syslog function.
How StorADE Monitors Devices
Monitoring is performed by master and slave agents installed on a set of servers. Agent execution is controlled by a cron on each server. Only one instance of a monitoring agent can run at a given time. StorADE checks for agents that might already be running. If the cron starts an agent while another agent is running, the new instance kills itself and sends an event indicating that a cron conflict occurred.
NOTE
If you receive repeated cron conflicts, you should increase the time provided for an agent to complete (defined as a polling interval). Run the agent report to determine the average running time for a specific device.
The agent executes all appropriate modules used to generate instrumentation.
Events are generated by the master using local instrumentation and log files as well as information forwarded from all slaves in the monitored environment.
How StorADE 2.3 Provides Optimization and Fault Symptom Analysis
StorADE 2.3 has two new features to improve optimization and fault symptom analysis.
Event Aggregation
The master reviews all events that are reported against a specific device and combines them into a single email notification. Events are sorted by severity and list the most likely suspected faulty component as the first entry.
Elimination of Repetitive Alarm Notifications
StorADE supports email thresholds that you can use to prevent the generation of multiple emails about the same component of the same device.
StorADE executes the local notifications defined in notification tab of the BUI.