Default Parameters for EMCPvMeCtlStTest

The storage controller is essentially a server that's responsible for performing a wide range of functions for the storage system. Each controller has an I/O path to communicate to the storage network or the directly-attached servers, an I/O path that communicates to the attached storage devices or shelves of devices, and a processor that handles the movement of data as well as other data-related functions, such as RAID and volume management. In the modern data center, the performance of the storage system can be directly impacted (and in many cases determined) by the overall health of the storage controller. In single-controller configurations, if the storage controller crashes, then the storage system as a whole will become inaccessible to users. This is why, it is good practice to go for dual-controller configurations. A dual-controller configuration improves application availability because in the unlikely event of a controller failure, the affected controller fails over to the surviving controller with little interruption to the flow of data. However, since fail over occurs automatically upon the failure of a controller, administrators may not even know why the primary controller failed or whether the secondary has taken over or not! This is when the EMCPvMeCtlStTest comes in handy!

This test not only monitors the status of each controller in the EMC PowerVault ME storage system, but also promptly reports controller failures and the reason for the failure. In the process, the test also indicates whether the primary controller has failed over to the secondary or not.

This page depicts the default parameters that need to be configured for the EMCPvMeCtlStTest.

• The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

• By default, this test always connects to the Host to collect metrics. If the Host is unavailable, then the test will not be able to execute. This is because, the Additional Controller IP is set to none by default.

  If the monitored storage device has two controllers, then you can configure the test to connect to an alternate controller, if the host is unreachable. For this purpose, specify the IP address of the alternate controller in the Additional Controller IP text box.

• In order to monitor a EMC PowerVault ME storage system, the eG agent has to be configured with the credentials of a user who has been assigned the Monitor role. Specify the login credentials of such a user in the USER and PASSWORD text boxes. To know how to create such a user, refer to Pre-requisites-for-monitoring-the-EMC PowerVault-ME-storage-system. Confirm the password by retyping it in CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

• The Management Controller of the EMC PowerVault ME storage system provides access for monitoring and management via the HTTP and HTTPS protocols for XML API request/response semantics. To enable the eG agent to access the management controller, invoke the XML API commands, and collect the required metrics, you need to specify the SERVICE PORT on the controller that listens for HTTP/HTTPS requests for XML API semantics. By default, this is port 80.

• Specify the time duration for which this test should wait for a response from the storage system in the TIMEOUT text box. By default, this is 60 seconds.

• By default, EMC PowerVault ME system is not SSL-enabled. This is why, SSL flag is set to False by default. If it is SSL-enabled, then change this flag to True.

• Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the UPDATE button will register the changes made.

When changing default configurations of tests, the values with “$” indicate variables that will be replaced by the eG system according to the specific server being managed - for instance, $hostName is the host/nickname of the target host, $port is the port number of the server being monitored. E.g., for a server xyz:80, $hostName will be changed automatically by the eG manager to “xyz*” and $port will be changed to “80” when configuring a test.