D-MSS-DS-23 Dell Midrange Storage Solutions Design 2023 Questions and Answers

When sizing a Dell Unity XT solution using the Simple Performance method, parameters such as Read size (KB) and Target IOPS can be defined. The Simple Performance method focuses on understanding the expected IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) and read size to ensure that the system is sized appropriately to meet performance requirements. This approach helps in configuring the storage system to handle the expected workload efficiently.

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Dell Unity XT DPE (Disk Processor Enclosure) front-end port connectivity options that can support up to 45000 IOPS per port and up to 1500 MB/s include both 16 Gb Fibre Channel (FC) and 25 GbE iSCSI. These connectivity options provide the necessary performance and bandwidth to handle high IOPS and throughput demands:

16 Gb Fibre Channel (FC):Known for high performance and low latency, 16 Gb FC ports are widely used in enterprise storage environments to support high IOPS and bandwidth.

25 GbE iSCSI:25 Gigabit Ethernet iSCSI ports offer high-speed connectivity for IP-based storage networks, capable of supporting high throughput and IOPS requirements.

Dell recommends scheduling FAST VP (Fully Automated Storage Tiering for Virtual Pools) relocations before backups or nightly batch processing to ensure optimal performance. This scheduling helps to avoid conflicts and performance degradation that can occur if relocation tasks compete for resources during critical data operations such as backups. Pre-scheduling these relocations ensures that the storage system is balanced and ready for intensive operations without impacting performance.

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The tool that a Solution Architect must use to check the compatibility of a new storage solution with an existing infrastructure is E-Lab Navigator. E-Lab Navigator is a comprehensive online database provided by Dell that includes compatibility information for various hardware and software configurations. It helps ensure that new storage solutions are compatible with existing infrastructure, reducing the risk of integration issues. Reference:Dell E-Lab Navigator Overview

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SAS Flash 4 drives in Dell Unity XT arrays are rated at 1 write per day. This rating indicates the drive’s endurance level and how many times the entire drive capacity can be written to per day over its warranty period. This level of endurance is designed to balance performance, cost, and reliability for general-purpose workloads.

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DataDobi is a tool that can be used to migrate file data for Windows hosts from a legacy VNX array to a new Dell Unity XT array. DataDobi offers efficient and reliable data migration capabilities, ensuring minimal downtime and data integrity during the migration process.

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Dell recommends disabling DelayedACK when configuring ESXi hosts using iSCSI to connect to PowerStore systems. DelayedACK can cause performance degradation and connectivity issues in iSCSI environments. By disabling DelayedACK, the communication between the ESXi host and the PowerStore array becomes more efficient, leading to better performance and reliability.

In Dell Unity XT storage processors, SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) ports are used to move data to and from the backend drives. SAS ports provide a high-speed and reliable connection between the storage processors and the physical drives, ensuring efficient data transfer and access. This connectivity is crucial for maintaining the performance and scalability of the storage system. Reference:Dell Unity XT Architecture

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Before designing a storage solution, a solution architect must gather comprehensive information to ensure the system meets the customer’s needs. The critical information includes:

Network Infrastructure:Understanding the existing network setup, including LAN and WAN configurations, is essential. This information helps in planning how the storage solution will integrate with the current network and support data traffic efficiently.

Storage Requirements:Detailed knowledge of the storage needs, including capacity, performance, and redundancy requirements, is crucial. This includes understanding the types of data to be stored, the expected data growth, and any specific storage technologies or features the customer may need.

Customer Workload Performance Requirements:Insight into the customer's workload characteristics, such as IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), throughput, latency requirements, and peak usage times, is vital. This information helps in designing a storage solution that can handle the expected workloads without performance bottlenecks.

By gathering this information, the solution architect can design a tailored storage solution that meets the customer’s performance and capacity needs while integrating seamlessly with their existing infrastructure.

Recovery Point ObjectiveWhen you set up an asynchronous replication session, you can configure automatic synchronization based on the RPO. You can specify an RPO from a minimum of 5 minutes up to a maximum of 1440 minutes (24 htours).

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PowerStore Clustering:

PowerStore appliances can be clustered to form a single management entity. However, adding different models within the same cluster follows specific guidelines.

Cluster Compatibility:

PowerStore 1000T and 5000X are different models with potentially different hardware configurations and capabilities.

Dell recommends creating a new cluster with the PowerStore 5000X instead of mixing models within an existing cluster to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

Adding Appliances:

Using the PowerStore CLI or PowerStore Manager to add appliances within the same model range is common, but mixing models generally requires creating a separate cluster.

Dell Midrange Storage References:

Dell PowerStore documentation provides guidelines on clustering and appliance management, highlighting the importance of model compatibility.

When planning and sizing a Midrange storage solution, two key guidelines for optimal performance are to consolidate workloads and design for resilience. Consolidating workloads helps in maximizing the utilization of storage resources, reducing overhead, and improving performance. Designing for resilience ensures that the storage solution can handle failures and continue to operate effectively, maintaining data availability and performance. These practices are critical for achieving reliable and efficient storage solutions. Reference:Dell Midrange Storage Planning Guide

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ForNAS (Network Attached Storage)connectivity in Dell Unity XT systems,network availability and redundancyare critical. Dell Unity XT’s best practice for providing thehighest network availabilityfor NAS involvescombining Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) with Fail-Safe Networking (FSN).

✅Why Combine LACP and FSN?

LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol)allows multiple physical network links to be combined into a single logical link. This increases bandwidth and provides redundancy at the link level.

FSN (Fail-Safe Networking)provides redundancy at the network path level. It allows two network paths (or groups of links) to be configured with one active and one standby group. If the active path fails, FSN automatically switches to the standby path.

✅Best Practice Benefits:

LACP:Improves link utilization and provides protection against link-level failures.

FSN:Protects against broader network path failures, including switch failures or upstream connectivity issues.

Combined Approach:Providesboth link-level and path-level redundancy, ensuring the highest availability and resiliency for NAS workloads.

✅Documentation Reference:

Dell EMC Unity XT Best Practices Guide (Dell Technologies)– Specifically outlines the recommendation tocombine LACP and FSNfor NAS deployments.

Dell EMC Unity XT Networking Guide– Provides configuration examples and detailed explanations for implementing LACP and FSN in a Unity XT NAS environment.

✅Why not the other options?

A. LACP alone– Improves availability at the link level but not for upstream switch or path-level failures.

B. FSN alone– Provides path-level redundancy but lacks link-level load balancing.

D. Multi-pathing software like PowerPath– Primarily used forblock storage (FC/iSCSI), not NAS.

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Dell Unity XT offers both synchronous and asynchronous replication to protect data and ensure business continuity.

Synchronous replication is used for zero RPO, ensuring no data loss, but it is typically limited to shorter distances due to latency concerns.

Asynchronous replication is suitable for longer distances and provides near real-time data protection with a minimal RPO.

Distance Considerations:

The distance between Boston and Cambridge (8 km) is suitable for synchronous replication, providing zero RPO.

The distance between Boston and New York (342 km) is better suited for asynchronous replication due to latency, ensuring data recovery with a minimal RPO, such as 15 minutes.

Optimal Replication Strategy:

Synchronous replication from Boston to Cambridge ensures zero RPO for critical data protection.

Asynchronous replication from Boston to New York provides additional data protection with a 15-minute RPO, suitable for longer-distance disaster recovery.

Dell Midrange Storage References:

Dell Unity XT documentation and best practices provide detailed guidelines on configuring synchronous and asynchronous replication.

Community forums and support resources from Dell Technologies offer insights into real-world implementation strategies.

During normal operation, a promotion to FAST Cache is initiated after the Policy Engine determines that 64 KB block of data is being accessed frequently. For consideration, the 64 KB block of data must have been accessed by reads and/or writes multiple times within a short amount of time.

When designing a Metro Volume, placing the witness at a third site is crucial to avoid unnecessary storage and compute resource usage. The witness helps in maintaining quorum and ensuring the consistency of the Metro Volume in case of a site failure. Here’s how it works:

Witness at Third Site:Placing the witness at a separate, third site ensures that it can independently verify the status of the primary and secondary sites, maintaining high availability and failover capabilities without consuming significant resources.

Avoids Resource Usage:By offloading the witness function to a third site, the primary and secondary sites can focus their resources on storage and compute tasks without the overhead of managing quorum.

The Unity Designer tool helps in designing storage solutions by taking specific inputs and generating detailed outputs. Here are the inputs and outputs of the Unity Designer tool:

Inputs:

Sales Order:Details about the customer’s purchase order.

Sizing XML File:An XML file that contains sizing information and requirements for the storage solution.

System Configuration PDF File:A PDF file that outlines the system configuration and specifications.

Outputs:

Detailed Design:A comprehensive design document that outlines the storage solution, including configuration details and recommended setups.

Excel Configuration Guide Report:An Excel report that provides a step-by-step guide for configuring the system based on the inputs provided.

CloudIQ Mobile App Features:

CloudIQ provides comprehensive monitoring and management for Dell storage platforms, accessible through both web and mobile apps.

Supported Features:

Overview of Health, Capacity, and Performance: The mobile app provides users with an overview of the health, capacity, and performance details for supported Dell storage platforms.

Email Recommended Remediation: The app allows users to email recommended remediation steps to colleagues, facilitating collaboration and resolution of identified issues.

Other Features:

Manage Capacity and Performance Details: While the mobile app provides an overview, detailed management typically requires access through the web interface.

Access Controls and User Roles: Setting up access controls and assigning user roles is generally managed through the primary CloudIQ interface rather than the mobile app.

Dell Midrange Storage References:

CloudIQ documentation and mobile app guides detail the features available to users for monitoring and collaboration.

Community forums and support resources from Dell Technologies provide additional insights into using CloudIQ effectively.

Sizing for PowerStore Solutions:

Accurate sizing for PowerStore solutions requires specific workload parameters to ensure that the storage system meets performance and capacity requirements.

Required Parameters:

IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second): A key performance metric indicating the number of read/write operations the system must handle.Essential for determining the required performance capability.

Effective Capacity: The usable storage capacity after considering data reduction technologies like compression and deduplication. Critical for ensuring the system can accommodate the data volume.

Other Parameters:

Response Time: While important for performance, it is not typically required to proceed with sizing.

Data Reduction Ratio: Influences effective capacity but is not a direct input for initial sizing.

Dell Midrange Storage References:

Dell PowerStore documentation provides detailed guidelines on the parameters needed for accurate sizing.

Community forums and support resources from Dell Technologies offer additional insights and best practices.

The recommended maximum cable length for PowerStore back-end NVMe cabling to avoid performance issues is 10 meters. This recommendation helps to ensure signal integrity and optimal performance across the NVMe interface, which is critical for maintaining the high throughput and low latency characteristics of NVMe storage.

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My Work Reporting Capabilities:

My Work is a Dell EMC tool that allows for the generation of various reports, including those from non-Dell storage products.

It provides a unified view and management capabilities for a range of storage systems, enhancing cross-platform monitoring and reporting.

Supported Non-Dell Products:

My Work can generate reports for a variety of non-Dell storage systems. Among the options listed, NetApp and Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) are supported for this purpose.

HP EVA, IBM SVC, 3PAR, and IBM XIV are not mentioned as directly supported in the context of My Work reporting capabilities within the provided references.

Dell Midrange Storage References:

Dell EMC documentation and product guides detail the interoperability and reporting features of My Work, highlighting supported third-party storage systems.

Resources from Dell Technologies' support and community forums provide additional validation.