Installation Guidance and Notes

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Overview

The Installation Guidance and Notes provides you with detailed instructions and considerations for installing and configuring DataCore SANsymphony using the Deployment Wizard. It outlines supported installation scenarios, pre‑installation requirements, network and account considerations, error handling, and post‑installation steps.

Introduction to the DataCore Deployment Wizard

The automated installer tool (Deployment Wizard) is recommended to assist and guide administrators through the process of configuring and deploying SANsymphony servers in a variety of environments, including:

  • Single self-guided installation of a DataCore Server.
  • Basic installation of a pair of highly available DataCore Servers.
  • Clustered environment solutions such as:
    • Clustered NAS/SAN solutions
    • Clustered virtual machines using Windows Hyper-V
  • Upgrades to existing DataCore SANsymphony installations.
  • DataCore VASA Provider installation and registration in VMware vCenter.
  • DataCore Windows Integration Kit on application hosts.

The DataCore Windows Integration Kit is a separate software package and must be downloaded to the server running the installation wizard before selecting this template.

Deployment Wizard Notes

  • A minimum screen resolution of SXGA (1280x1024) is required.
  • System requirements are validated for new installations only; they are not validated when selecting the upgrade template.
  • The wizard verifies that servers meet necessary software, hardware, and operating system requirements for new installations.
  • To bypass the installation wizard and upgrade manually, exit the wizard by clicking the Exit button, and double‑click the DataCore SANsymphony executable in the installation folder previously designated. Refer to the Manually Upgrading DataCore Servers section for detailed instructions.

Pre-Installation Requirements

For new installations only, the wizard verifies that servers meet necessary software, hardware, and operating system requirements, including the required version of .NET Framework.

Hardware Prerequisites

  • Minimum number of ports and port connectivity.
  • At least one available unformatted disk on the server to create a pool.

System requirements are not verified when selecting an upgrade template.

Connectivity and Installation Environment

Network Connectivity: All participating servers must connect to each other using Network Interface Cards (NICs) with valid IPv4 addresses.

  • Minimum Network Ports: Each server requires at least three NIC or Fibre Channel (FC) ports:
    • At least one must be a NIC.
    • The other two can be NIC or FC ports.
  • TCP/IP Settings: During installation, you can configure DHCP, DNS server, and gateway addresses as needed.
  • Firewall Requirements:
    • Firewalls must be temporarily disabled to allow communication between servers during deployment.
    • They can be re-enabled after the installation completes.
  • Internet Access Considerations:
    • If a DataCore Server lacks Internet access, installation may be significantly slower.
    • To mitigate this:
      1. Open Internet Explorer.
      2. Go to Tools > Options > Advanced.
      3. In the Security section, clear the Check for Publisher's Certificate Revocation check box.
      4. Click OK. This change takes effect immediately and does not require restarting the installation

Cluster and Account Considerations

  • All servers must be members of the same domain or workgroup.
  • If servers reside in different domains/workgroups, use the manual upgrade method. See the Manually Upgrading DataCore Servers instructions for more information.

User Accounts

Use a local administrator account to:

  • Deploy a single SANsymphony server
  • Deploy a high-availability pair
  • Deploy a virtualized SANsymphony server

Use a domain administrator account when configuring clustered solutions.

User Accounts and Permissions

  • For single-server deployments, self-guided installation, High Availability pairs, or virtual SANsymphony server: log in with a local administrator account.
  • For cluster solutions requiring multiple servers: use a domain administrator account to run the wizard.
  • During software installation on new nodes, a DataCore Administrator password is created for the DcsAdmin service. This password must be consistent across all servers in the group. Ensure it is remembered securely.

Wizard Operation and Behavior

If the wizard is exited prematurely or the server restarts during installation, the wizard will:

  • Offer to resume from the last completed step upon restart.
  • Automatically resume if the server is rebooted during installation or upgrade.

Error Handling and Recovery

  • Warnings and errors encountered during installation are logged to:
    • A log.txt file located in the Deployment Wizard installation folder at C:\Program Files\DataCore\DataCoreDeployment\SDW.
    • Windows Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application Logs.
  • Warning: If a step raises a warning, the wizard may allow continuation. Ensure that a valid configuration is being created before proceeding.
  • Error: If a step results in an error, the wizard will not proceed. Correct the issue and resume the wizard.

High Availability Server Deployment

  • When deploying two servers in a High Availability configuration:
    • The wizard identifies the local server as Server One.
    • The remote server is referred to as Server Two.
    • Installation of Server Two is performed remotely from Server One.
  • For single-server deployments, the server is referred to as Server One.

Additional Configuration Tips

  • For large server groups, when adding nodes, consider checking Disable iSCSI auto-login in the wizard to optimize performance.
  • Cache size may be required during installation. Be mindful of RAM usage by other applications on the server.

    Cache size may be changed after installation. Refer to Changing Cache Size for more information.

Post Installation

  • Launch the DataCore Management Console and connect to the server group.
  • Activate permanent licenses as required.
  • Refer to the Welcome page for instructions on using the software.

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