Configuration Notes

Asynchronous Replication

  • When activating or deactivating the replication side, please make sure there is no I/O running on this virtual disk (vDisk) to avoid data corruption.

  • Entering Test mode on many vDisks at the same time might cause the DataCore Management Console to stop responding, even though the test mode will complete successfully in the background.

  • For setting up addresses specific to a partner replication server:

    • Modify the 'hosts' files for the destination servers with the correct IP addresses that should be used to reach the source server. The 'hosts' file is located at "%windir%\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts".

      This will affect all the applications running on these machines.

    • Then, set the network interface for the remote machine back to 'Default' which will allow the destination servers to use the different IP addresses stored in their 'hosts' files.

Custom Cache Setting

If you have a custom cache setting on a DataCore Server and you then add that server to a different server group, the cache setting will be changed back to the default, "Use system managed cache size". However, you will need to do a stop and start on the DataCore Server you added to the group for the default cache setting to be fully applied.

DataCore SANsymphony Help

See About the Help for details on accessing the DataCore SANsymphony Help.

Fibre Channel Adapters

  • Do not configure host Emulex Fibre Channel adapters to use Third Party Logout (TPRLO) as a method of resetting storage target devices.
  • Installing DataCore SANsymphony software will set the Fibre Channel Port WW Port Name (WWPN) and the WW Node Name (WWNN) to be the same. If the native QLogic driver was previously configured with unique WWPN and WWNNs, these will be reset to be the same and will have to be reconfigured.

Qlogic Service Update

A Service Update installation is required to address the issue regarding the ports not starting with certain Qlogic QLE26xx and QLE27xx firmware.

Environment

 Upgrade instructions Install instructions
  Qlogic
  1. Stop the SANsymphony node via DataCore Management Console.
  2. Set the DataCore Executive Service (DCSX.exe) in the Windows Services Manager to be disabled to prevent it from automatically starting.
  3. Verify that the Qlogic firmware is the latest or upgrade the Qlogic firmware to the latest available.
  4. Run a manual update of SANsymphony and reboot.

    5. Do not use the DataCore Deployment Wizard workflow to upgrade.

  5. Check in the Windows Device Manager under the DataCore Fibre Channel Adapters if the Qlogic Host Bus Adapter (HBA) ports display a yellow exclamation sign (expected behavior is all or some may not start and show this sign).
  6. If the ports do not start, install the Qlogic Service Update by following the instructions in the readme.rtf file located in the C:\Program Files\DataCore\ServiceUpdatePackages folder, and then reboot.
  7. Set the DCSX.exe in the Windows Services Manager to automatic start and start it.
  8. Once the service starts, start the SANsymphony node in the DataCore Management Console and wait for the recovery to finish.
  9. Proceed to the next node and repeat Steps 1-8.
  1. Verify that the Qlogic firmware is the latest or upgrade the Qlogic firmware to the latest available.
  2. Run a manual installation of SANsymphony and reboot.

    3. Do not use the DataCore Deployment Wizard workflow to install.

  3. Check in the Windows Device Manager under the DataCore Fibre Channel Adapters if the Qlogic Host Bus Adapter (HBA) ports display a yellow exclamation sign (expected behavior is all or some may not start and show this sign).
  4. If the ports do not start, install the Qlogic Service Update by following the instructions in the readme.rtf file located in the C:\Program Files\DataCore\ServiceUpdatePackages folder, and then reboot.
  5. Proceed to the next node and repeat Steps 1-4.
iSCSI Regular upgrade and installation instructions apply.
Emulex Regular upgrade and installation instructions apply.

Front-End Ports

Most host operating systems require the DataCore Server port to be configured with FE-only ports (or FE/MR ports where the target-only property has been explicitly set) for failover to work when the host is stopped. Refer to the appropriate Host Configuration Guide for host-specific operating system requirements (see DataCore FAQ 838).

Historic Performance Recording

Historic performance recording functionality has been deprecated and is no longer supported.

Host Operating Systems

Before performing storage source replacements for mirrored virtual disks (vDisks) on Sun Solaris or HP-UX hosts, perform manual failover I/O paths to the "other" DataCore Server.

Individual Component Installation

Do not install individual components (e.g. DataCore cmdlets) from the DataCoreServer.exe because uninstall and upgrade to the full product are known to fail. As a workaround, install the stand-alone version of the component (DataCorePowerShellSupport.exe or DataCoreManagementConsole.exe).

Microsoft IIS Settings

Existing configuration settings will be overwritten when installing for the first time. In addition, IIS logging is enabled by default. See DataCore FAQ 2196 for information on managing IIS log files on a DataCore SANsymphony node.

Microsoft Windows Features or Roles on Microsoft DataCore Servers

  • Do not create storage pools from with Windows Server Manager/File and Storage Services as this will interfere with DataCore SANsymphony.
  • The DataCore REST service will install the following Windows features: Web-Server, NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45, Web-Http-Redirect, and Web-Mgmt-Console.

Network Interface Cards (NICs)

  • Ensure that there is at least one network interface card with an IP address configured. DataCore Servers will time out when connecting to the user interface if there are no network cards with IP addresses present in the system.
  • The installation of the DataCore iSCSI driver will pause if one or more NICs do not have an IP address or a network connection. Please choose OK in the resulting dialog box to continue the install and troubleshoot after the installation completes.

Physical Disks

  • Disks under DataCore SANsymphony management will appear as Unknown/Not initialized in Microsoft Windows Disk Management. An Unknown/Offline disk appears in Disk Management for each mirrored virtual disk (vDisk). Upon opening Windows Disk Manager, a prompt to initialize these disks will be displayed. Select Cancel to close the dialog box.

  • Do not present disks that are being used by a DataCore Server to any other non-DataCore Server at the same time, as this could lead to corrupt data.

Post-Processing Deduplication

  • Post-Processing Deduplication is considered to be experimental.
  • On Windows Server 2016 installations, ensure that Microsoft KB4013429 (July 2017 Rollup) or greater is installed.
  • Post-Processing Deduplication is not appropriate for high I/O patterns where hosts are constantly changing the same files over extended periods.
  • Create deduplication pools one at a time. Wait for completion before creating another pool.
  • Do not run disk defragmentation software on volumes used to create deduplication pools or on volumes created from deduplication pools. In Windows 2012, defragmentation is a maintenance mode task that occurs automatically during optimization. Disks are optimized automatically by default, so optimization must be disabled for volumes involved in post-processing deduplication. Settings for scheduled optimization must be changed by the administrator in the Windows Defragment and Optimize Drives utility so that volumes used in deduplication pools and volumes created from deduplication pools are not selected for optimization. See Microsoft documentation for more information and also DataCore FAQ 1622

Server and Host Clocks

System clocks on all DataCore Servers and hosts should be time-synchronized wherever possible. This makes it easier to use the Asynchronous Replication, Snapshot, and Continuous Data Protection (CDP) features as well as helps troubleshoot issues using Windows and DataCore log files.

Server Group Connections and the DataCore Management Console

Always use the same DataCore Management Console version when connecting to a server group.

Support of DataCore VDI Services

DataCore Virtual Desktop Integration (VDI) Services have been deprecated and are no longer supported.

Support of Microsoft Hyper-V Server as SANsymphony Server

Installation in the parent partition of the Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 stand-alone product (that contains only the Windows hypervisor) is not supported.

Support of Microsoft Windows Server 2012 as SANsymphony Operating System

Installation on Microsoft Windows Server 2012 operating system is not supported.