Adding a EXP810 to an existing DS4700

More information: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/systems/support/system_x_pdf/59y7287.pdf

Connecting storage expansion enclosures at the end (bottom) of a drive loop 

To add a 16-drive expansion enclosure, for example, an EXP810 or EXP420 to the DS4000 subsystem configuration, you basically follow the same procedure as in adding the 14-drive enclosure to a DS4000 subsystem configuration; however, the port connections on the 16-drive enclosure are different, as illustrated in Figure 4and the three steps that follow it.

1. Insert the small form-factor pluggables (SFPs) or gigabit interface converters (GBICs) into only those ports that you intend to use. Do not leave GBICs or SFPs inserted into port connectors without connecting them to other ports using cables.
2. Extend one of the drive loops (that is, drive loop A) in a DS4000 storage subsystem redundant drive loop pair by connecting the OUT port of the last storage expansion enclosure to the IN port of the storage expansion enclosure as shown in Figure 1Note: The port name on an EXP810 is not labeled IN. See Figure 4 for details.

Attention: Carefully reconfigure only one drive loop at a time, making sure that the drive loop that you modify is correctly connected and in Optimal state before you attempt to reconfigure another drive loop. Take this precaution to prevent the arrays from being inadvertently failed by the DS4000 storage subsystem controllers, which happens when two or more drives in the arrays cannot be reached through either drive loop in the redundant drive loop pair.

3. Power on the added storage expansion enclosure unit.
4. Wait a few seconds; verify that the port bypass LEDs of all of the ports in drive loop A, now extended to the storage expansion enclosure, are not lit. Using the DS Storage Manager Client Subsystem Management window, verify that the storage expansion enclosure is added and displayed in the Logical/Physical view of the window.Correct any errors before you proceed to step 5. For port bypass, complete the following steps:

  1. Make sure that the SFPs and GBICs or fiber cables are in good condition.
  2. Remove and reinsert SFPs, GBICs, and fiber cables.
  3. Make sure the drive expansion enclosure speed switch is set to the same speed as the existing drive expansion enclosures and the DS4000 storage subsystem speed setting.
  4. Make sure that the ESM is functioning correctly by removing and swapping it with the other ESM in the same drive expansion enclosure. For enclosure ID conflict, set the drive expansion enclosure ID switch to values that are unique from the current settings in the existing drive expansion enclosures and storage server.

 

Call IBM support for assistance, if the problem remains.

5. In the other drive loop (drive loop B) in a DS4000 storage subsystem redundant drive loop pair, remove the connection from the storage subsystem drive loop port to the OUT port of the last storage expansion enclosure and connect it to the OUT port of the drive enclosure as shown in Figure 2.Note: The port name on an EXP810 is not labeled OUT. See Figure 4 for details.
6. Wait a few seconds; verify that the port bypass LEDs of the two ports in the connection between the storage subsystem drive loop port and the OUT port of the drive enclosure are not lit. Using the DS Storage Manager Client Subsystem Management window, verify that the drive enclosure does not indicate the Drive enclosure lost redundancy path error. See step 4 for possible corrective actions, as needed.Note: The existing storage expansion enclosures are shown with “Drive enclosure lost redundancy” path errors until you establish the Fibre Channel cabling connection that is described in step 7.
7. In drive loop B, cable the drive enclosure IN port to the OUT port of the last enclosure in the already functioning storage expansion enclosure drive loop, as shown in Figure 3.
8. Wait a few seconds; verify that the port bypass LEDs of all of the ports in drive loop B to which you have added a connection are not lit. Using the DS Storage Manager Client Subsystem Management window, verify that all of the drive enclosures in the DS4000 redundant drive loop pair to which the enclosure was added do not report the “Drive enclosure lost redundancy” path error.

 

Figure 1: Cabling a single drive enclosure to the end of a functioning drive loop (step 1 of 3)

Figure 2: Cabling a single drive enclosure to the end of a functioning drive loop (step 2 of 3)

 

Figure 3: Cabling a single drive enclosure to the end of a functioning drive loop (step 3 of 3)

 

Figure 4: Cabling an EXP810 to the end of a functioning drive loop

Use a USB key to install Windows 7

How to create a bootable USB key from which you can install Windows 7 on your system.

  1. Start diskpart on your machine (Start, run, diskpart)
  2. Then check which disk is your usb key with list disk
  3. Select your USB key with select disk 3 where “3” is your USB key
  4. Run Clean (this will wipe your usb key)
  5. Run  Create partition primary to create a new primary partition
  6. Set the created partition to active with the command Active
  7. Format the partition as a Fat32 file system:  Format fs=fat32 quick
  8. Assign a drive letter to your USB key for easy access from a explorer
  9. Copy the complete contents of the Windows 7 installation disk to you USB key (drag & drop)

Now you have a USB key with an installable windows 7 on it. It will install faster then a DVD and it’s easier to carry it with you. Another advantage is that you can install netbooks without dvd players from the USB key.

Ubuntu Server 9 Commands

Trying to install an Ubuntu Server but i’m not an expert, so here are a few commands to help it setup:

changing proxy config for internet access:

  • export http_proxy=http://<proxy address>:<proxy port>

Getting SSH to work:

  • sudo apt-get install openssh-server

Add new user:

  • sudo adduser <username>

Add user to groups:

  • sudo usermod -a -G <group> <user>

Check group members

  • sudo id <user>

Installing ESX 4 u1 on a Dell R710 with Intel Quad Port Adapter

We had a new Dell PowerEdge R710 with an additonal Intel Gigabit ET Quad Port Server Adapter network card.

After installing ESX i saw that the intel NIC wasn’t recognized, so i had to install it myself.

What where the steps i performed to install the drivers (after ESX was installed)?

1. Downloaded drivers from the following page: http://downloads.vmware.com/d/details/esx_esxi40_intel_82575_82576_dt/ZHcqYmR0QGpidGR3
2. Extracted the iso to disk
3. Copied the files with WinSCP over to the Dell server
4. Logged in the ESX server as root
5. Placed the ESX server in maintenance mode
6. Run “esxupdate -bundle=INT-intel-ladd-ddk-igb-1.3.19.12.1-offline_bundle-185976.zip update”
7. Issued a “shutdown -r now” command

After the server was rebooted, the nic was recognized and i did a exit maintenance mode.

Update Firmware DELL PowerEdge under ESX 3.5u2

For a customer we needed to upgrade ESX servers from 32 GB to 46 GB. This type of servers (Dell PowerEdge 2850) had a problem reading 8GB memory modules. To support 8 GB memory modules a minimum BIOS level is 2.3.1 and BMC level 2.10 is required.

Therefore we needed to upgrade the firmware of the BIOS and BMC.

I downloaded the newest Dell images from the Dell site (actually the complete DVD image of all updates) and attached the DVD in the DVD player. After that i mounted the DVD with a ssh session:

mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom

I browsed to the repository directory of the DVD (offcourse you can copy the files through the netwerk with tools like winscp. Make sure you have the proper rights to execute the files “chmod +x filename.BIN”) and updated the BMC first (no reboot required) with the command:

./BMC_FRMW_LX_R202152.BIN

This will enter the install dialog wich you need to follow. After the BMC update was finished i continued with the BIOS update:

./PE2950_BIOS_LX_2.6.1.BIN

After this the Server needs to reboot on which point (during reboot) i shut down the server and placed the 8 GB memory modules in slot 1, 2, 5 and 6 for optimal performance (this are the first 4 slots).

Migrate Symantec Anti Virus to Symantec Endpoint Protection

Document ID: 2007071909500548

What should I think about in advance before I begin migrating my Symantec AntiVirus environment to Symantec Endpoint Protection?
Consider several factors before you begin your migration:

  • Do you have the resources to create a test migration environment?
    If you create such an environment is highly beneficial before you begin migration so that you can test exactly how clients and servers are grouped, which settings are migrated, and the overall migration success rate.
  • Can you perform a complete migration to Symantec Endpoint Protection?
    If your network contains operating systems (such as Netware) that are not supported with Symantec Endpoint Protection, then Symantec System Center must manage a subset of the clients and servers.
  • Do you want to create a new client groupings or use the existing groupings from Symantec System Center?
  • How do you plan on migrating Symantec Endpoint Protection to your clients? Do you plan to use third party tools or the Migration and Deployment Wizard?
  • After you determine the method that you want to use to migrate your clients, you can determine whether to use certain Symantec Endpoint Protection features.
  • Are there client settings that you must disable or reconfigure to ensure successful migration?
  • Some client settings such as scheduled scans must be disabled before you begin migration.

Before you begin migration, you must read the migration chapters in the Installation Guide for Symantec Endpoint Protection and Symantec Network Access Control.

What are the general steps to migrating Symantec AntiVirus to Symantec Endpoint Protection?
You must complete the following steps to migrate Symantec AntiVirus to Symantec Endpoint Protection in the order listed:

  1. Uninstall the Reporting Sever if you have it installed.
  2. Use Symantec System Center to configure settings for the management server and clients that prepare them for migration.
    These settings changes are: disable scheduled scans, modify Quarantine purge options, delete histories, disable LiveUpdate, disable roaming, unlock server groups, and disable Tamper Protection. Install the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager.
  3. Migrate your legacy clients and servers.
  4. Uninstall Symantec System Center
  5. Migrate the legacy client or server that was used to protect the computer running Symantec System Center.

Install windows 2003 Server on a Dell Latitude E6500

When you try to install windows 2003 server onto a dell laptop, it will crash during the dos setup.

This is because the Hard disk mode has the wrong type. Change the hard disk mode in the bios of the system to ATA and try again.

When booting press F12
Select BIOS
Change Hard disk mode to ATA
Reboot, and install Windows 2003 Server

Configuring Symantec AntiVirus for deployment as part of a drive image

Symantec Document ID: 2005092215503348

Question/Issue:
You need to create a drive image with Symantec AntiVirus already installed.

Solution:
Every installation of Symantec AntiVirus creates a globally unique identifier (GUID) for that installation when the Rtvscan service first starts. If you use a computer with Symantec AntiVirus to create a drive image, and if that image is used to create clones of that computer on the same network, then each computer will have the same GUID. This causes problems in Symantec System Center, such as the following:

  • Clients do not appear.
  • Clients randomly appear and disappear.

You can prevent this problem by creating a drive image that does not have a Symantec AntiVirus GUID.

To create an image without a Symantec AntiVirus GUID

  1. Install the operating system, and install all patches as you would normally.
    Do not install Symantec AntiVirus yet.
  2. Install any other software besides Symantec AntiVirus that will be on the image.
  3. Install Symantec AntiVirus last, after any other installations.
  4. Before you save the image, start the Registry Editor.
  5. Go to the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Intel\LANDesk\VirusProtect6\CurrentVersion

  6. In the right pane, right-click GUID, and then click Delete.
  7. Exit the Registry Editor.
    The hard drive now contains the final image. Do not restart the computer.
  8. Create the image with your preferred disk imaging software.

When the computer starts again, Rtvscan checks for the GUID value, and when it determines that it does not exist, it generates a new one.

If you have computers that were already deployed with identical GUID values, you can delete the GUID value on each computer, as described above. This can be done with a batch file, a login script, or a group policy object.

How to Install IBM DS4000 (FastT) Storage Manager Client on Windows

The IBM Storage Manager Client allows you to control and manage your DS4800, DS4700, DS4300 disk systems.  This guide describes how to install on a Windows machine.

How to Install or Upgrade Storage Manager Client

1) Download the software.

For Windows XP, 2000, 2003, or 2008, on a 32-bit platform, click here.
For Windows Vista , 2003, 2008, on a 64-bit platform, click here
For Windows Vista 32-bit, click here.

If these links don’t work for you, try navigating IBM’s site:

www.ibm.com > support & downloads > fixes, updates, and drivers
Category > (under SYSTEMS) system storage
Product Family > disk systems, Product > DS4800 or whichever DS4000
Select Operating System and Click GO
Click Downloads on the Support and Downloads box.

2) Unzip your download. Keep a copy of these install files around.  The scripts folder will likely come in handy.

3) Run your installation executable file.  In my case it’s SMIA-WS32-10.10.35.06.exe.

4) Select your language, agree to IBM’s legal stuff.

5) Select your Installation type.  To select the right type, answer this question.  What computer are you installing Storage Manager on?

If it’s the server connecting to your DS4000 disks, select Full Installation.
If it’s just a desktop workstation or a laptop, select Management Station.

6) Select Do not Automatically Start the Monitor

You should designate one machine, preferably a server that’s always running and connected to the disks by fibre channel, to act as the monitor.  For me, that’s our AIX machine.

7) Review the disk space requirements and click Install.