Users Guide
Table Of Contents
- Dell EMC PowerStore Importing External Storage to PowerStore Guide
- Contents
- Additional Resources
- Introduction
- Import requirements and restrictions
- Host plugin installation (non-disruptive import only)
- Installing the host plugin for import on a Windows-based host
- Installing the host plugin for import on a Linux-based host
- Installing the Dell EqualLogic MEM kit on an ESXi-based host
- Install the Dell EqualLogic MEM kit on an ESXi-based host using the vSphere CLI
- Install the Dell EqualLogic MEM kit on an ESXi-based host using setup.pl script on VMA
- Install the Dell EqualLogic MEM kit on an ESXi-based host using VUM
- Install the Dell EqualLogic MEM kit during an ESXi-based host upgrade
- Uninstalling the host plugin for import
- Import workflows
- Configuring and managing import
- Import-CLI (Linux)
- Additional tasks related to import for Linux-based hosts
- ImportKit-CLI (Windows)
- How to run the ImportKit CLI commands
- List supported arrays
- Host plugin log information
- Import kit version
- Restart import kit host plugin service
- Import volumes information
- Get Web server port information
- Install import kit certificate
- Re-generate the import kit certificate
- Set Web server port information
- Set host plugin logging debug log level
- Import-CLI (VMware)
- CLI for EQL MPIO
- Fault handling by PowerStore import
○ Snapshot
○ Consistency group migration
○ Creating replication
○ Refreshing volume
Such operations should be done before starting import.
● Snapshot restore on a volume under import is not supported.
● Only 512b-sector sized devices are supported from the following systems, 4k-sector devices are not supported from these
systems:
○ Dell EqualLogic PS
○ Dell Compellent SC
○ Dell EMC Unity
○ Dell EMC VNX2
● Both 512b-sector and 4k-sector resources are supported from XtremIO systems.
● iSCSI hardware initiators are not supported.
● Running in iSCSI Data Center Bridging (DCB) configurations is not supported for Dell EqualLogic PS series and Dell
Compellent SC series.
CHAP restrictions
The following describes the CHAP support for importing external storage to a PowerStore cluster:
● For Dell EMC Unity and VNX2 systems, source volumes with single CHAP can be imported, source volumes with mutual
CHAP cannot be imported.
● For Dell EqualLogic Peer Storage (PS) series, there are three cases:
○ When Discovery CHAP is disabled, source volumes with both single and mutual CHAP can be imported.
○ If Discovery CHAP is enabled, source volumes with single CHAP can be imported.
○ If Discovery CHAP is enabled, source volumes with mutual CHAP cannot be imported.
NOTE:
If Dell EMC Unity or VNX2 systems are added in CHAP enabled mode and if a Dell EqualLogic PS system is
added, ensure that Discovery CHAP is enabled for the Dell EqualLogic PS system.
● For Dell Compellent Storage Center (SC) series, source volumes with both single and mutual CHAP can be imported.
● Each host must be added with unique CHAP credentials.
Source system restrictions
Each source system has its own restrictions, for example, the maximum number of volumes supported and the maximum number
of iSCSI sessions allowed. Importing external storage to PowerStore must work within these limitations of the source systems
and the limitations of the PowerStore cluster.
For restrictions specific to a source system, see the source-specific documentation. Go to Online Support (registration required)
at: https://www.dell.com/support. After logging in, locate the appropriate Product Support page.
General restrictions for Hosts
The following restrictions apply to hosts:
● (For non-disruptive import) Applications must be configured to use a given MPIO handle. In other words, the host
applications must be actively using either EqualLogic MPIO, or Native MPIO. See Supported combinations of host OS, host
multipath software, host protocol, and source system for non-disruptive import on page 8. Use of dynamic multi-pathing
(DMP), Secure-Path, and PowerPath MPIOs are not supported.
● (For agentless import) PowerPath is supported.
● (For non-disruptive import) Hosts should have only one MPIO installed that manages both the source and the PowerStore
cluster.
● Heterogeneous host cluster is not supported.
● The maximum of a 16 node cluster import is supported.
● During import, following configuration changes are not supported on the host:
○ (For non-disruptive import) Change of MPIO policy during import.
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Import requirements and restrictions