The "express method" for installing your storage array and accessing SANtricity System Manager is appropriate for setting up a standalone VMware host to an E-Series storage system. It is designed to get the storage system up and running as quickly as possible with minimal decision points.
The express method includes the following steps:
- Setting up one of the following communication environments:
- Fibre Channel (FC)
- iSCSI
- SAS
- Creating logical volumes on the storage array.
- Making the volumes available to the data host.
This guide is based on the following assumptions:
| Component |
Assumptions |
| Hardware |
- You have used the Installation and Setup Instructions included with the controller shelves to install the hardware.
- You have connected cables between the optional drive shelves and the controllers.
- You have applied power to the storage system.
- You have installed all other hardware (for example, management station, switches) and made the necessary connections.
|
| Host |
- You have made a connection between the storage system and the data host.
- You have installed the host operating system.
- You are not using VMware as a virtualized guest.
- You are not configuring the data (I/O attached) host to boot from SAN.
|
| Storage management station |
- You are using a 1 Gbps or faster management network.
- You are using a separate station for management rather than the data (I/O attached) host.
- You are using out-of-band management, in which a storage management station sends commands to the storage system through the Ethernet connections to the controller.
- You have attached the management station to the same subnet as the storage management ports.
|
| IP addressing |
- You have installed and configured a DHCP server.
- You have not yet made an Ethernet connection between the management station and the storage system.
|
| Storage provisioning |
- You will not use shared volumes.
- You will create pools rather than volume groups.
|
| Protocol: FC |
- You have made all host-side FC connections and activated switch zoning.
- You are using NetApp-supported FC HBAs and switches.
- You are using FC HBA driver and firmware versions as listed in the NetApp Interoperability Matrix Tool.
|
| Protocol: iSCSI |
- You are using Ethernet switches capable of transporting iSCSI traffic.
- You have configured the Ethernet switches according to the vendor’s recommendation for iSCSI.
|
| Protocol: SAS |
|
If these assumptions are not correct for your installation, or if you want more conceptual background information, see the VMware Configuration Guide for E-Series SANtricity iSCSI Integration with ESXi 6.X Technical Report