Preparing reinstallation of a storage cluster

Replace the target hardware if you are instructed to do so by the Hitachi design team (for example, as a result of dump analysis).

You can use the physical server that was running as a spare node during configuration backup for hardware replacement.

CAUTION:

Verify that the replacement hardware is of the same SKU (for Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, HA800 G2 series, and HA800 G3 series, see VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Hardware Compatibility Reference), the installation location is the same before and after the hardware replacement, and that only the failed hardware has been removed.

Server models other than those described in the VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Hardware Compatibility Reference do not support the spare node function. Therefore, when replacing hardware by performing spare node switchover, verify that the spare node to be replaced and the replacement spare node both support the spare node function.

Maintenance personnel must request users to provide records of drive additions. If the value recorded at the time of drive addition is WWN, the drive WWID (WWN) might differ from the last 1 to 3 digits of the right-side 16-digit part of the WWID (WWN) reported at the time of hardware replacement instruction.
When reconfiguring external servers, make the same settings as those set at the time of backup. Especially regarding the VSSB configuration file at the time of backup (SystemConfigurationFile.csv), verify that nothing is changed except in the part described in the instructions of this document.
The items related to each server in the VSSB configuration file are as follows. For details about each item, see VSSB configuration file format in the VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Setup and Configuration.
- Setting items in SystemConfigurationFile.csv
  - Setting items related to NTP servers
    
    NtpServer1
    
    NtpServer2
    
    Timezone
  - Setting items related to DNS servers
    
    DnsServer1
    
    DnsServer2
  - Setting items related to network devices
    
    ControlInterNodeNWIPv4RouteDestination
    
    ControlInterNodeNWIPv4RouteGateway
Do not change the following network settings from those set at the time of obtaining backup.
- Compute port
- Control network
- Internode network
Disconnect a physical server of a storage node that is not used anymore from the network. Also, take measures (erasing data of the system disk, excluding the system disk that was used before from the targets to boot, and so on) to prevent the OS on the unused storage node from starting up against expectation.

If the physical server remains connected to the network, problems such as IP address duplication might be caused by the network settings stored in the physical server or the like when you reinstall the storage cluster.

Note:

Perform steps 2 to 5 only when you replaced the physical server. If you did not perform physical server replacement, go to step 6.

Specify the default settings for each physical server according to the server vendor documentation.

Note:

For the following servers, see the Server User Guide for the applicable server.

Hitachi Advanced Server HA820
Hitachi Advanced Server HA820 G2
Hitachi Advanced Server HA810 G3
Hitachi Advanced Server HA820 G3

Connect networks for each storage node or each spare node. For details, see Internode network requirements, Control network requirements, Compute network requirements (iSCSI), Compute network requirements (NVMe/TCP), Compute network requirements (FC), and BMC network requirements in the VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Setup and Configuration, and documentation of the server vendor.

Connect the following networks:

Controller network
Compute network
Internode network
BMC network

Note:

Note down the physical location and network connection port number of an NIC (adapter) or FCHBA to be mounted on the physical server. The recorded information will be used when replacing an NIC (adapter) or FCHBA in the event of a failure. For details about mounting location, see the VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Hardware Compatibility Reference.
For the following servers, see the Server User Guide for the applicable server.
- Hitachi Advanced Server HA820
- Hitachi Advanced Server HA820 G2
- Hitachi Advanced Server HA810 G3
- Hitachi Advanced Server HA820 G3

Specify the BMC-related settings according to the server vendor documentation.

Specify the following BMC-related settings:

Setting the BMC network
Synchronizing the time between the BMC and NTP server
Setting a license
Create a BMC user account

CAUTION:

Using the BMC functionality, specify settings to synchronize the BMC time with that of the NTP server so that the BMC time matches the time of other components* comprising your storage cluster.

Then, specify the settings so that the BMC time is applied to the physical servers as their system time. For details about the procedure, see Note described later.
When you use multiple NTP servers, also synchronize the time on NTP servers.
If there is a time difference between any physical servers that are used as storage nodes, there is a risk of problems such as a failure in configuring a storage cluster.

By synchronizing the time, you can avoid the risk of problems due to the time gap, and identifying the cause of a problem (such as a failure) becomes easier.

* The components include storage nodes, compute nodes, controller nodes, and network devices (switches).

Note:

The following BMC-related operations are performed in initial installation. So, create a user that has permissions to perform them. For permissions required for BMC operations, see the server vendor documentation.
- Operating the power supply
- Changing the BMC settings
- Changing the BIOS/UEFI settings
- Changing the RAID configuration settings
- Remote console function
- ISO image mounting function
For specific information on how to set up Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, HA800 G2 series, and HA800 G3 series, see the iLO User Guide.
For Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, HA800 G2 series, and HA800 G3 series, after specifying the setting to synchronize the BMC time with the NTP server, enable Propagate NTP Time to Host under SNTP Settings.

In addition, specify the BIOS/UEFI function settings to select UTC for the time data to be stored in the hardware clock (RTC).

In the Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, HA800 G2 series, and HA800 G3 series, you can specify this setting by selecting System Utilities > System Configuration > BIOS/Platform Configuration (RBSU) > Date and Time. For details about how to perform this setting, see the UEFI System Utility User Guide.
For physical servers other than Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, HA800 G2 series, and HA800 G3 series, configure the BMC time to be synchronized with the NTP server. In addition, configure the BIOS/UEFI function settings to select UTC for the time data to be stored in the hardware clock (RTC). For details about specific setting procedures, see the respective server vendor documentation.
To use a server with VSP One SDS Block, iLO Advanced license is required.

In VSP One SDS Block, perform BIOS-related environment settings for each storage node.

For details about the specific configuration and procedures for Hitachi Advanced Server HA800 series, see the server user’s guide and Supported Server Models in the VSP One SDS Block Bare Metal Hardware Compatibility Reference. For details about specific setting procedures for physical servers other than those servers, see the respective server vendor documentation.

CAUTION:

If the above procedure is not correctly performed, the following problems might occur:
- Configuration of the storage cluster fails.
- The operation and performance of the system are adversely affected.
To check or change the settings specified here after the storage cluster starts running, the storage cluster must be stopped and restarted. This procedure is mandatory.

Request the user to move the configuration backup file to the controller node.

[On the controller node] Verify that the configuration backup file is not damaged.

Unzip and extract a configuration backup file.
Run the following command.
```
$ tar xvf \
hsds_config_backup_<internalID>_<VERSION>_<YYYYMMDD>_<hhmmss>.tar
```
CAUTION:

Specify the configuration backup file specified by the user in this step although the format of the configuration backup file name might not comply with the naming convention in this document due to alteration by the user.

You can perform operations with the file name complying with the naming convention in the subsequent steps.

Calculate the hash value of the configuration backup file.

Run the following command.

If the controller node OS is Linux:

$ sha256sum \ 
hsds_config_backup_<internalID>_<VERSION>_<YYYYMMDD>_<hhmmss>/data.tar

If the controller node OS is Windows:

Get-FileHash `
hsds_config_backup_<internalID>_<VERSION>_<YYYYMMDD>_<hhmmss>/data.tar

Verify that the hash value of the configuration backup file matches the displayed hash value.
Run the following command.
```
$ cat \
hsds_config_backup_<internalID>_<VERSION>_<YYYYMMDD>_<hhmmss>/checksum
```
CAUTION:
- If the hash value does not match, request the user to run the same command for the storage-source configuration backup file.
- If the hash value does not match even for the storage-source configuration backup file, the storage-source configuration backup file is also damaged and is unusable. Ask the user to provide a configuration backup file that has a matching hash value.

[On the controller node] Obtain VSSB configuration file (SystemConfigurationFile.csv) for reinstallation from the configuration backup file.

Run the following command.

$ tar xvf \
hsds_config_backup_<internalID>_<VERSION>_<YYYYMMDD>_<hhmmss>/data.tar

The VSSB configuration file is extracted to a data directory.

[On the controller node] Update the VSSB configuration file (SystemConfigurationFile.csv).

Add the following description to the end of SystemConfigurationFile.csv.

[Debug]
0
hashKey:restore
hashVal:True

Note:

When adding the description to SystemConfigurationFile.csv, be sure that there are no spaces at the beginning of the line.

[On the controller node] Verify the version of the storage cluster to be reinstalled.

Run the following command.

$ cat data/version

Remember the displayed version. In step 11, you will download the displayed version of the file.

[On the controller node] Copy the files necessary for reinstallation to the controller node.

Obtain the following file from customer support (which has the same VSP One SDS Block software version as the one at the time backup was obtained) and copy it to the controller node.

Storage software installer file (.iso)

This is an ISO file for installing the storage software.

The file name is hsds-installer-vssb-<version>-<number>.iso.

Example: hsds-installer-vssb-01110140-0000.iso

Note:

The version of VSP One SDS Block is indicated in the following format: aa.bb.cc.dd. In the name of the storage software installer file (.iso), the <version> values are indicated with dots (.) removed. In addition, the <version> value in the name of the CLI package file (.whl) is indicated with the second zero (0) of aa, bb, cc, and dd (respectively) removed.
Select a file name whose <version> is the same as that verified in step 10. However, use the specified file, if instructed to do so by the Hitachi design team.

If you performed hardware replacement in step 1, verify that the settings are correct according to Check list for hardware replacement.