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Configuring Agent Parameters

The Agent Options Management window lets you configure agent parameters, including polling time, periodic device discovery time, SMART monitoring, and enabling JBOD support. It also lets you specify whether to use out-of-band or in-band storage management.

  1. From the main window, choose View > Agent Options Management. The Agent Options Management window is displayed.
  2. NOTE: Agent Options Management might not be available if one or more groups are configured and one of them is selected in the main window. To enable it, select an icon other than a Group, and click View.

  3. For Monitoring Frequency in seconds, type the desired number in seconds.
  4. This value entered is the interval between successive polling for any status change of devices, array controllers, and enclosure monitoring by the agent. The default value is 60 seconds. If you want the console to update more frequently with device status changes, decrease this value.

    NOTE: Increasing the polling interval could negatively impact error messaging under heavy I/O load.

  5. For Periodic Device Discovery, type the value in minutes you would like to have the program check for new devices.
  6. The periodic device discovery value is used to determine how often each device ID is scanned for a new device. The default value of 0 means do not scan for new devices. Note that device IDs are scanned less frequently, as the numerical value entered increases.

    Conversely, device IDs are scanned more frequently, as the numerical value entered decreases. Five minutes is the minimum value that can be entered.

  7. For Interval of trap generation, type the amount of time (in seconds) between the sending of each trap message.

    If the value is 60 seconds or greater: a message is sent at that interval, for that particular trap, until the event is cleared or corrected. For example, if a fan fails, a message regarding that fan failure is sent every 60 seconds until fixed.

    If the value is 0: Sun StorEdge Configuration Service (and therefore Sun StorEdge Diagnostic Reporter) sends only one message regarding that particular event. For example, if a fan fails, only one email is sent.

  8. For Timeout of heartbeat lost, set the amount of time in minutes to wait between the sending of failed server messages. The default value is 15; the value range is 1 to 30 minutes.
  9. To enable SMART Monitoring, select the check box.
  10. SMART monitoring is a method for hard drives to report predicted failures. Most disk vendors supply drives with this feature. The agent monitors this feature by issuing an unsolicited request sense. SMART monitoring can be turned off if this request causes conflicts with the underlying host operating system device drivers. For more information on SMART monitoring, refer to the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family RAID Firmware User's Guide for your array.

  11. To Enable JBOD support, see Enabling JBOD Support.

  12. The parameters under Controller Primary Agent Information, including the Password fields, pertain to out-of-band management.

    See Controller Primary Agent Information - Using Out-of-Band Storage Management for information about configuring these parameters.

  13. If you have entered and/or selected any of the previous options, click Apply to save your changes.
  14. The Setting Agent Options notification box is displayed showing the server's TCP/IP address.

  15. Click OK to finish the procedure.

Enabling JBOD Support

Use JBOD support only when you have a JBOD connected directly to the workstation. This enables you to monitor the peripheral device condition and events. If you have a JBOD connected to the RAID array, the RAID controllers monitor the JBOD condition and events for you.

NOTE: Enabling JBOD support could negatively impact I/O.

  1. Follow the steps in Configuring Agent Parameters (Optional)
  2. Select Enable JBOD support.

    See Monitoring JBODs for details.

Controller Primary Agent Information - Using Out-of-Band Storage Management

The out-of-band storage management capability enables you to monitor and manage arrays over the network using TCP/IP. Unlike in-band storage management (the standard method of storage management), which requires the agent to be running on the server that is physically attached to the storage, out-of-band storage management does not require the agent to be running on the server that is physically attached to the storage. With out-of-band storage management, if the server that is attached to the storage is shut down, monitoring and maintenance is unaffected.

Caution: If you assign an IP address to an array in order to manage it out-of-band, for security reasons make sure that the IP address is on a private network, rather than a publicly routable network. When your array is on a public network, it is vulnerable to outside attacks.

In-Band Storage Configuration

In-band storage and monitoring of the array requires the Sun StorEdge Configuration Service Agent to be running on the server that is physically connected to the storage.

Out-of-Band Storage Configuration

Out-of-band management and monitoring of the array does not require the Sun StorEdge Configuration Service Agent to be running on the server that is physically connected to the storage.

Using Out-of-Band Management

Note: Controller, SAF-TE, and Drive firmware cannot be upgraded through out-of-band management.

Caution: If you assign an IP address to an array in order to manage it out-of-band, for security reasons make sure that the IP address is on a private network, rather than a publicly routable network.

  1. Make sure you have set up a static or dynamic IP address for the array.
  2. If Sun StorEdge Configuration Service has been configured already to manage the array through in-band, you can set the IP address through the Network tab on the Change Controller Parameters window. If Sun StorEdge Configuration Service has not been configured yet, you can set the IP address through an RS-232 terminal. Refer to the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family Installation, Operation, and Service Manual for your array.

  3. After setting the IP address, reset the controller.

  4. Select the server.
  5. Choose View -> Agent Options Management.

  6. In the Change Agent Options window, check Out-Of-Band Agent preferred over In-Band.
  7. NOTE: With this option checked, out-of-band becomes the preferred method of storage management. If the out-of-band configuration is removed, Sun StorEdge Configuration Service reverts to in-band storage monitoring after you start/restart the services.

  8. Type the IP address of the array in the IP Address field, and click Add.

  9. If you have created a password for the array using the firmware application, type it in the Password field, and then re-type it in the Verify Password field.

    NOTE: By default there is no password set for the array. For information on creating or changing the password, refer to the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family RAID Firmware User's Guide for your array.

  10. For Sun StorEdge Configuration Service to recognize the out-of-band array and display it in the main window, select the server.
  11. Choose View > View Server.
  12. Click Probe.
  13. If Sun StorEdge Configuration Service has not been configured to manage the array, you need to assign the server to manage the controller.

    Choose Array Administration > Controller Assignment. Select a server from the Server to manage this controller list and click Apply.

    An out-of-band HBA is displayed in the main window and View HBA Card is displayed in the Main Menu under View.

    NOTE: If an out-of-band HBA is not displayed in the window, reset the controller.

To Remove an Array From Out-of-Band Management

  1. Select the server.
  2. Choose View > Agent Options Management.

  3. Select the array's IP address that you want to remove, click Remove, and click OK.

    The HBA remains displayed in the main window; to remove it, you need to unassign and reassign the managing server.

  4. From the main window, choose Array Administration > Controller Assignment.

  5. Select the controller for which you want to unassign a server.

  6. From the Server to manage this controller list box, select none, and click Apply.

  7. Click Close to confirm.

  8. Reassign the managing server following the steps in Controller Assignment.
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