Manuals

Getting Started: Dell™ Flexible Array Storage Tool User's Guide

The controller management products integrate advanced controller management technology with state-of-the-art controller hardware to deliver leadership performance, data availability, and storage management features.

To configure and manage components running on the controller, Dell has developed a special software suite that includes an easy-to-use graphical interface with wizard support—called the Flexible Array Storage Tool (FAST)—and a command-line interface (CLI).

On NetWare^®, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 systems, the controller management software enables you to manage data, files, and storage devices, both locally and remotely, from a single console, often in a single step. The controller management software is simple to use and resistant to operator error. In addition, on Microsoft^® Windows^® NT^® and Windows 2000 systems, you can integrate the controller management software with higher-level management platforms to unify systems and network management.

This user's guide provides the information about FAST that you need to configure and manage your controller management subsystem.

Related Documents

The installation guide for your controller includes instructions for installing the controller and its related drivers, management software, and utilities.

The Command Line Interface Reference Guide provides information on how to use the CLI to configure and manage your controller.

Audience

This user's guide is intended for system administrators and experienced users who are familiar with SCSI device configurations and who have a general understanding of Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and, where applicable, NetWare.

Document Overview

This section reviews the structure of this user's guide and explains the typographical conventions and symbols used.

Organization

Getting Started, provides an overview of this user's guide, including intended audience, related documents, Windows compatibility, typographical conventions, and symbols.

Storage Concepts and Terminology, introduces the controller management subsystem and its components.

Features and Benefits, describes the software's online management features and the performance advantages offered by the controller management subsystem.

Choosing Your Controller Configuration, compares various container types—based on relevant criteria—to help you choose the configuration that best meets your storage needs

Introducing the Flexible Array Storage Tool, tells you how to start and exit FAST; identifies the parts of the FAST window; explains how to work with view windows; provides information on how to manage FAST objects and tasks; and includes instructions for using online help.

Working with Controllers, provides instructions for opening, closing, and rescanning local and remote controllers; how to pause I/O on a controller; how to work with controller properties; and reconditioning the controller's battery (for controllers that have a battery).

Working with Disks, includes information about initializing clearing, and verifying SCSI disks, and tells you how to work with disk properties.

Working with Enclosures, explains how to use FAST to operate an enclosure and provides instructions for working with enclosure properties. (This version of the controller management software supports SAF-TE 1.0-compliant enclosures only.)

Working with Disk Space, contains information about freespace and partitions, including instructions for selecting freespace and working with freespace and partition properties, and information about partitions that must be managed using Microsoft Disk Administrator.

Creating Containers, presents procedures for creating containers and multilevel containers using the Container Creation Wizard and from the Container menu, and tells you how to set and use default container creation properties.

Modifying Containers, provides instructions for reconfiguring existing containers, including how to migrate from one RAID level to another, add space, specify a new chunk size, and move a container's partitions to other disks; managing container failover; working with container properties; clearing a container; and deleting a container.

Using the Command Prompt Window, tells you how to use the Command Prompt window to run the CLI from within FAST.

Container Reconfiguration Guidelines, provides source-to-destination suggestions for expanding and migrating containers.

Remote Management, explains how to protect the controller from unauthorized access over the network.

FAST Management Interfaces, explains how to use the FAST Management Interfaces dialog box to set network-wide permissions for remote access, turn e-mail notification and SNMP interfaces on and off, and enable and disable Performance Monitor counters.

Monitoring Controller Performance, tells you how you can measure the performance of the controller using Windows NT Performance Monitor.

NetWare and rconsole, explains how to use the rconsole utility to make the NetWare operating system aware of the devices that make up a container.

Software Version

This book supports Version 2.6 or higher.

Conventions

The following typographical conventions are used in this user's guide:

bold	Used for keystrokes (press Enter) and for window and dialog box titles, field labels, and buttons (click Create in the Container Creation Wizard dialog box).
Courier	Used for system messages (Controller I/O has been paused...) and text you are to enter from your keyboard (enter the IP address in the Network Address box, for example, 123.10.2.30).
italics	Used to indicate glossary terms and variables in examples.

Figures

Although FAST supports multiple operating systems, for purposes of conciseness, the screen captures in this book are based primarily on controllers installed on Windows NT systems. Whenever necessary, differences in the display of other operating systems are pointed out in the text. FAST also operates on RAID controllers with and without batteries. Most of the figures in this book represent a controller with a battery. If there are any differences in usage, they are pointed out in the text.

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

Always use care when handling any electrical equipment. To avoid injury to people or damage to equipment and data, be sure to follow the cautions and warnings in this document.

Note: Notes are reminders, tips, or suggestions that may simplify the procedures included in this document.

Caution: Cautions alert you to actions that could cause damage to your system or your data.

WARNING: Warnings alert you to actions that could cause injury to you or someone else.