DataCore Server Settings Disclosure

Explore this Page

Overview

This page summarizes the key system-level settings and configurations automatically applied by DataCore SANsymphony during installation and upgrades. These settings are essential for ensuring proper communication, security, and performance of DataCore services across the server group.

To allow DataCore SANsymphony to function properly, certain Windows operating system and firewall settings are altered during installation, and upgrades. Security settings are changed but never disabled.

Firewall rules are added to allow the DataCore Executive Service to communicate with all other DataCore Servers on the network and to allow any iSCSI connections to take place. All firewall rules can be viewed in Server Manager>Local Server>Windows Firewall.

This page includes details about:

  • Core Windows services and user accounts (such as the DcsAdmin account) used by SANsymphony.
  • Firewall rules and port usage required for secure and uninterrupted data and control flow.
  • Power and MPIO settings for optimized performance in iSCSI environments.
  • Remote URLs accessed by DataCore services for support, telemetry, and license activation.

Services and User Accounts Used by DataCore SANsymphony

DcsAdmin User Account

A local administrator account called DcsAdmin is created and assigned as the user for the following DataCore-specific services:

Do not delete the DcsAdmin account. For more on this account, see Changing DcsAdmin Password for Service Accounts.

Service State
DataCore Executive Running and set to "Automatic" on install
DataCore Intelligence Service Running and set to "Automatic (Delayed Start)" on install
DataCore Performance Monitor Agent Stopped and set to "Disabled" on install
DataCore SNMP Agent Stopped and set to "Disabled" on install

Default Local System User Account

A further service is installed but assigned the default "Local System" user account instead:

Service State
DataCore Update Service Running and set to "Automatic" on install

Network Ports Used by DataCore SANsymphony

Internal firewall exceptions are added for the following ports:

Port Use
161 and 162 Required when the DataCore SNMP Agent is being used. A manually configured firewall rule may be required.
3260 Used for all iSCSI connections to and from the DataCore Server.
3793

Used by the DataCore Executive Service to communicate with all DataCore Servers in the same server group and to/from remote server groups configured for asynchronous IP mirroring.

DataCore Server hostnames will be resolved by Windows and/or local DNS settings.

See Name Resolution for more information.

Power Options

Control Panel > Hardware > Power Options is set to "High performance".

Windows MPIO on a DataCore Server

This applies to iSCSI connections only:

  • Backend Connections (Initiator) have a load balance policy of "Failover Only"
  • Mirror Paths (Initiator and Target) have a load balance policy of "Round Robin"

See also DataCore FAQ #1456.