Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EVO:RAIL Version 1.
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Contents 1 Dell Engineered Solution for EVO:RAIL setup checklist................................ 5 2 VMware EVO:RAIL Network Configuration table........................................... 7 3 EVO:RAIL Networking........................................................................................10 EVO:RAIL Appliance............................................................................................................................ 10 Top-of-Rack switch..............................................
Upload configuration file ................................................................................................................... 35 JSON file format and valid values.......................................................................................................36 Modification instructions for the sample JSON file ..........................................................................36 11 Appendix B: Physical requirements...............................................................
Dell Engineered Solution for EVO:RAIL setup checklist 1 Read through the Dell Engineered Solution for EVO RAIL Initial Configuration and Network User’s Guide, and type the required information in the EVO:RAIL Network Configuration table. Table 1.
Dell Engineered Solution for EVO RAIL setup checklist • Optional: The hostname of your third-party syslog server instead of vRealize Log Insight • Optional: The IP address of your Qualified EVO:RAIL partner solution, if supplied with EVO:RAIL Ensure you have all of the following ready EVO:RAIL Appliance(s) • Your EVO:RAIL Appliance(s) • 2U rack space is required in a 19x30-inch cabinet for each Appliance • A custom management VLAN can optionally be created, as described in this user guide, before
2 VMware EVO:RAIL Network Configuration table Table 2. VMware EVO:RAIL Network Configuration table Row Category Description Sample Default 1 Client workstation or laptop for EVO:RAIL Configuration and Management Pre-configuration IP address, netmask, gateway Example: 192.168.10.210 Customer Values 255.255.255.0 92.168.10.
Row 6 7 8 Category Virtual SAN Description Sample Default Netmask 255.255.255.0 VLAN ID for Virtual SAN 30 Starting IP address 192.168.30.1 Ending IP address 192.168.30.4 Netmask 255.255.255.
Row 13 14 Category Dell Solution (optional) Out-of-band Management (optional – configurable only in server BIOS) Description Sample Default Existing syslog server(s) - optional No default Primary VM IP address No default Secondary VM IP address No default Username and password root Hostname for each node Customer Values root -01 -02 etc.
EVO:RAIL Networking 3 To ensure the correct functioning of EVO:RAIL™ and an optimal end-to-end user experience, understanding the recommendations and requirements are document in this User’s Guide. EVO:RAIL Appliance EVO:RAIL consists of four nodes. Figure 1 shows an example of the physical appliance and simple network setup. EVO:RAIL ships with either eight RJ-45 or SFP+ NIC ports. Eight corresponding ports are required for each EVO:RAIL appliance on the TOR switch(es).
Figure 2. Rear view of one deployment of EVO:RAIL connected to two TOR switches, which can be used for redundancy. EVO:RAIL is more prescriptive than Virtual SAN in order for customers to have a true "appliance" experience, although VMware Virtual SAN™ drives many of the hardware components in EVO:RAIL. VMware Loudmouth autodiscovery capability drives the EVO:RAIL network requirements on the basis of the RFC-recognized "Zero Network Configuration" protocol.
Figure 3. EVO:RAIL configuration For more information, see Dell PowerEdge C6220 II Systems Hardware Owner’s Manual at Dell.com/ poweredgemanuals. To understand the physical power and cooling facilities provided for the expected resiliency level of the appliance, see Appendix B Physical requirements.
Top-of-Rack switch For information about Dell Networking, clickhttp://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/networking/m/ networking_files/20441278/download. A 10 GbE TOR switch that is correctly configured to carry IPv4 multicast and IPv6 multicast traffic is required. IPv4 multicast and IPv6 multicast traffic must be carried to all ports connected to EVO:RAIL on the TOR switch. Multicast is not required on your entire network, just on the ports connected to EVO:RAIL.
Understanding switch configuration In order for EVO:RAIL to function properly, you must configure your TOR switch as instructed by your switch manufacturer. Sample output configurations for common switch modes are provided in the VMware Knowledge Base as examples. Go to http://kb.vmware.com for the EVO:RAIL product. Ports on a switch operate in one of the following modes: • Access mode — The port accepts only untagged packets and distributes the untagged packets to all VLANs on that port.
connect to the EVO:RAIL graphical user interface (GUI) by using either an IP address or a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) configured on the local DNS server (for example, http://evorail.yourcompany.com: 7443). Port 7443 reaches the EVO:RAIL graphical user interface (GUI) and port 9443 reaches the vSphere Web Client on vCenter Server. Table 5.
• configure ESXi hosts. Management traffic includes all EVO:RAIL, vCenter Server, ESXi, and vRealize Log Insight (optional) communication. Custom Management VLAN: To customize the management VLAN on-site (but before EVO:RAIL is initially configured), changes are required for two different portgroups on all ESXi hosts in an EVO:RAIL cluster. The first portgroup is the ESXi "Management Network", and the second portgroup is the vCenter Server management network ("VM Network").
address fields, but you can change them to coordinate with your network. When selecting your IP addresses, ensure that none of them conflict with existing IP addresses in your network. This section describes the EVO:RAIL supports the IP addresses for EVO:RAIL or vCenter Server, ESXi, vSphere vMotion, Virtual SAN, and the network services. EVO:RAIL or vCenter Server IP address EVO:RAIL and vCenter Server share an IP address.
ESXi, vSphere vMotion, Virtual SAN IP addresses For ESXi, vSphere vMotion, and Virtual SAN, you are allocating 12 IP addresses per appliance. If you allocate more IP addresses for future scale-out, you are able to add EVO:RAIL appliances with no additional configuration; otherwise, you can enter additional IP addresses when you expand EVO:RAIL. Table 8. IP address requirements Network IP Requirements ESXi hosts Continuous IP range is required, with a minimum of 4 IPs.
Table 9. Network configuration table Network Configuration Table4 Row 7 Type an example of your desired ESXi host-naming scheme. Be sure to show your desired prefix, separator, iterator, and top-level domain. Network Configuration Table4 Row 4 Type the vCenter Server hostname; the top-level domain is automatically copied from the ESXi host-naming scheme. Passwords Passwords are required for ESXi host root access and vCenter Server admin access.
CAUTION: Make sure that the DNS IP address is accessible from the network to which EVO:RAIL is connected and functioning properly. If the DNS server requires access through a gateway, the gateway must be EVO:RAIL, do not type a DNS IP address. To add a DNS server after you have configured EVO:RAIL, see the VMware Knowledge Base 2107249 . Table 13. Network configuration table • Network Configuration Table4 Row 29 Type the IP address(es) for your DNS server(s).
separation. Although you could use four additional ports on your TOR 10 GbE switch (if the TOR supports your BMC ports), it is more economical to use a lower bandwidth switch. When EVO:RAIL is shipped, the BMC ports are preconfigured by DHCP. The can be found on a pull-out tag located in front of the physical appliance.
4 Networking best practices • Various network topologies for TOR switch(es) and VLANs are possible with EVO:RAIL. Complex production environments have multiple core switches, TOR switches, and VLANs. • For high-availability, use two TOR switches and connect one port from each node to each TOR switch. Connect multiple TOR switches through a VLAN trunked interfaces, and ensure that all VLANs used for EVO:RAIL are carried across the trunk following the requirements in this document .
Avoiding common mistakes 5 To avoid common network mistakes: 1. The network prerequisites described in this document must be met; otherwise, this results in a failed EVO:RAIL installation and/or does not function. You must fill the EVO:RAIL Network Configuration Table. 2. If you have separate teams for network and servers in your data center, you need to work together to design the network and configure the switch(es). 3. Read through your vendor instructions for your TOR switch. a.
EVO:RAIL Appliance 6 Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EVO:RAIL combines Compute, Networking, Storage, and Management resources together with VMware's industry leading infrastructure virtualization and management products to form a radically simple hyperconverged infrastructure appliance.
Software EVO:RAIL delivers the first hyperconverged infrastructure appliance 100 percent powered by VMware’s proven suite of core products. The EVO:RAIL software bundle, preloaded onto Dell hardware, is included of: • EVO:RAIL Deployment, Configuration, and Management • VMware vSphere® Enterprise Plus, including ESXi for compute • Virtual SAN for storage • vCenter Server™ • vRealize Log Insight™ EVO:RAIL is optimized for the new VMware user and for experienced administrators.
EVO:RAIL Deployment 7 To deploying the EVO:RAIL: 1. Rack and cable: connect the 10 GbE adapters on EVO:RAIL to your TOR switch(es). 2. Turn on each node on your EVO:RAIL appliance. 3. Connect a workstation or laptop (any operating system) to the TOR switch and configure the network address to talk to EVO:RAIL or vCenter Server. For example: IP address: 192.168.10.210; netmask: 255.255.255.0; gateway: 192.168.10.254 4. Browse to the EVO:RAIL IP address (for example, https://192.168.10.200:7443).
EVO:RAIL Setup Validation 8 1. Log in to the EVO:RAIL management web client and check the health status: https://:7743. 2. Log in to vSphere Web Client at https:// :/vsphere-client/, go to Home → Hosts and Clusters and ensure all ESXi nodes, vSphere vCenter Server Appliance, and VMware vRealize Log Insight are accessible. If you see any red critical alerts, it implies that there is an issue in the setup. 3.
Figure 6. Validating VM Can Reach Gateway Configured on Dell Networking S4810 ToR Switches 5. Console, telnet, or SSH into the second ToR switch in the pair; in this case Dell S4810_2. This switch is receiving the SAN traffic since VMNIC2 (connecting to Dell S4810_2) is active and VMNIC1 (connecting to Dell S4810_1) is standby for the VSAN port group as discussed earlier. Verify IGMP snooping is working with the show ip igmp snooping groups command.
NOTE: The IPv6 link-local address for the ESXi host. Repeat this process for other ESXi hosts within the cluster and note their IPv6 link-local addresses. Figure 9. Verifying ESXi Host IPv6 Address Run the SSH commands on one of the ESXi hosts ping -6 -I vmk0 ff02::1. ff02::1 is the IPv6 linklocal scope all-nodes multicast address. All IPv6 entities, including the respective EVO:RAIL ESXi nodes should respond. You see many replies and replies with DUP! posted.
EVO:RAIL Initial Configuration 9 Overview After you have filled the required information in the EVO:RAIL Network Configuration Table, you are ready to begin EVO:RAIL Initial Configuration. There are four methods to configure EVO:RAIL. Default values are based on a JSON-formatted file. For more information, see Appendix A section in this document. • Customize When you customize EVO:RAIL, fields are prepopulated with default values, except for the ESXi and vCenter Server passwords.
Type the VLAN IDs, IP addresses, netmask, and gateway for ESXi, Virtual SAN, vSphere vMotion, vCenter Server, and VM Networks from Rows 8–24. • Passwords Type ESXi hosts and vCenter Server passwords from Row 25. Type the Active Directory (optional) domain, username and password from Row 26. • Globals Type your time zone and your existing NTP and DNS server(s) from Rows 27–29.
4. 5. To customize EVO:RAIL, click Hostnames to define a naming scheme for your ESXi hosts. The hostname consists of an ESXi hostname prefix , a Separator, an Iterator, and a Top-level domain. The Preview field displays an example of the result of the first ESXi host, see the screenshot here. • Type the ESXi hostname prefix. • Select the Separator (None or a - dash), and the Iterator (Alpha, Num X, or Num 0X). • Type the Top-level domain name. • Type the vCenter Server hostname.
Passwords must contain 8 –20 characters, with at least one uppercase, one lower case, and one special character. No character can be repeated three consecutive times. Optional: To use AD for authentication, type the AD username, AD password, and AD domain. EVO:RAIL does not fully configure Active Directory. You must perform more steps http:// pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-55/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc/GUID-B23B1360-8838-4FF2B074-71643C4CB040.html on the vSphere Web Client. 9.
CAUTION: If EVO:RAIL cannot connect to the new IP address that you configured, you get a message to fix your network and try again. CAUTION: If you are not able to connect to the new IP address after 20 minutes, EVO:RAIL reverts to its original configuration and re type your custom configuration. 12. Finishing up: Building your appliance! EVO:RAIL implements data services, creates the ESXi hosts, and configures the vCenter Server.
Appendix A: JSON configuration file 10 EVO:RAIL relies on a JSON-formatted file to initially populate fields in the user interface. The end user is presented with this data during initial appliance configuration (both for Customize and Just Go workflows). The initial configuration file is found on the EVO:RAIL service datastore at: /usr/lib/ vmware-marvin/marvind/webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/classes/default-config-static.
Deploy EVO:RAIL as usual by configuring your ToR switch, racking and cabling your new EVO:RAIL appliance, and turning on each EVO:RAIL node. Connect the EVO:RAIL Configuration and Management workstation or laptop to the network, and continue with the following steps: 6. Go to the initial IP address in Row 5. Click the Yes, Let’s Go! button. Accept the VMware End-User License Agreement. 7. Click the Customize button. 8. On the lower-right corner of the page, click Upload Configuration File.
– The general formula for the FQDN (fully qualified domain name) of an ESXi host is: . – When using "-" as the separator, the FQDN of an ESXi host is: . (i.e. host-01.vsphere.local) – When using "" as the separator, the FQDN of an ESXi host is: . (i.e. host01.vsphere.local) • iterator: – ALPHA means that the first host starts with A, the second host with B, and so on.
Figure 14. Sample JSON file based on EVO:RAIL Release 1.1.0 and 1.2.
Figure 15. Sample JSON file based on EVO:RAIL Release 1.1.0 and 1.2.0 Leave "vendor" as shown preceding if you are not using a Qualified EVO:RAIL Integrated Solution. Or, if you do not want to have default IP address(es) for the Dell Solution. Else, type default IP addresses similar to what is shown here. Figure 16. Sample JSON file based on EVO:RAIL Release 1.1.0 and 1.2.
Appendix B: Physical requirements 11 For more information, see Dell PowerEdge C6220 II Systems Hardware Owner’s Manual at Dell.com/ poweredgemanuals. For modifying BMC Interface IP address in the BIOS, refer to the Set BMC LAN configuration topic in the Server Menu section of Dell PowerEdge C6220 II Systems Hardware Owner’s Manual at Dell.com/ poweredgemanuals. • Default Username: root • Default Password: root Technical specifications Table 19.
Power Environmental NOTE: For more information about environmental measurements for specific system configurations, go to www.dell.com/environmental_datasheets. Operating 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F) wit h a maximum temperature gradation of 10°C p er hour NOTE: For altitudes above 2950 feet, the maximum operating temperature is derated 1°F/550 ft.
Power Airborne Contaminant Level Class 42 G1 as defined by ISA-S71.
12 Getting help Contacting Dell Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer-service issues: 1. Go to Dell.com/support. 2.
To... Refer to... Configure and log in to iDRAC, set up managed and management system, know the iDRAC features and troubleshoot using iDRAC Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User's Guide at Dell.com/idracmanuals Know about the RACADM subcommands and supported RACADM interfaces RACADM Command Line Reference Guide for iDRAC at Dell.
