POWERSCALE

HARDWARE
INSTALLATION

COURSE GUIDE

PARTICIPANT GUIDE
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Table of Contents

Installation Engagement 5
Customer Engagement 5
Job Roles 6
Installation Phases 7
Onsite Activity 8

Planning the Installation 9

Installation References 9
Physical Tools Required 9
Safety 11
Electrostatic Discharge 13
SolVe Overview 14
SolVe Online 15
SolVe Desktop 19
Installation Planning Considerations 23
Serial Number 27
Service Tag 28

Prepare the Site 30

Building the Rack Cabinet 30
Bolting Rack to the Floor 32
Unpacking the Components 33
Repackaging the Shipping Material 34
Powering the Rack 38

Installing Rack Components 40

Sliding Rails 40
Installing 1U Nodes 41
Installing 2U Nodes 42
Installing 4U Nodes 44
Install Gen6 Chassis 46

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 Installing Back-End Switches 48
Backend Switch Support 49

Installing Node Components 52

Installation Guides 52
Installing Gen6 Subcomponents 52
PowerScale All-Flash Drive Bays 54
PowerScale All-Flash Nodes Internal Components 54
PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes - Drive Bays 61
PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes - Internal Components 62
Performance and Backup Accelerator Drive Bays 65
Accelerator Node Components 66
Installing Front Panel or Bezel 66

Cabling the Node to the Network 67

Connecting to the Network 67
Breakout Cables 71
Cable and Cabling Considerations 72
Connecting to the External Network 74
PowerScale All-Flash Nodes Network Connectivity 75
Connecting Power 77
Configuration Wizard 79

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Installation Engagement

Customer Engagement

There are several steps in acquiring a PowerScale cluster. Each step has
specific team members who engage with the customer. For example,
when designing a system, a Solution Architect (SA) works with the
customer, determines their specific needs, and documents what the
solution looks like.

After the product purchase, shipment, and delivery to the customer site,
the installation and implementation of a PowerScale cluster begins. The
result of the SA engagement are specific customer requirements that are
used by Customer Engineers (CE) and Implementation Specialists (IS) to
install and configure the cluster. Before the installation phase, all design
decisions have been made.

The basic steps are:

• Plan, design, purchase

• Ship to location
• Installation and implementation1
• Production

1 Hardware installation and upgrades. Create the PowerScale cluster.

Works with sales, customer service, project managers, tech support, and
the customer, to ensure a smooth delivery. Verify installation is successful.

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Job Roles

There are four job roles that are associated with PowerScale hardware
installation and implementation process.

1: Customer Engineer

• Performs hardware installation and hardware upgrade services

• Creates the PowerScale cluster
• Verifies that the hardware installation is successful.

2: Project Manager

• First contact of customers for service engagement

• Builds delivery schedule
• Coordinates services delivery with customer and service personnel
• Monitors progress of service delivery

3: Implementation Specialist

• Has knowledge of the PowerScale storage system

• Implements the PowerScale cluster

4: Solution Architect

• Develops implementation plan

• Designs configuration

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Installation Phases

There are three distinct steps in a PowerScale installation: Install, Build,

and Implement.

1: During the install, the components are unpacked and racked. Nodes
are connected to the back-end switches, power is added, and front-end
network cables are connected between the cluster and customer network.
The Customer Engineer or CE performs these tasks.

2: Depending on the role, the CE may perform the cluster build also. The
cluster build is achieved when the system is powered on, the PowerScale
Configuration Wizard has been launched and the information added.

3: In some regions, running the Configuration Wizard may be the sole

responsibility of the IS. After the cluster is built, the IS configures the
features of OneFS as requested by the customer.

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Onsite Activity

Whenever onsite at a customer location or data center, remember to

represent Dell Technologies and yourself in the best possible light. While
changes are rare at this stage, get approval from the design team before
making any changes. Any approved changes should be meticulously
tracked, and any appropriate change control processes should be
followed. Remember to bring your documentation and copies to provide to
the customer.

Before you leave a client site, ensure the following:

• Test the device function and connectivity by following documented test

procedures in the training material and support guides.
• Escalate any client satisfaction issues or severity level 1 situations to
the next level of support.
• Follow up on any outstanding commitments that are made to the client.
• Contact PowerScale support to report the call status.
• Ensure that the product is registered and that the Install Base Record
is updated.

Tip: To make an Install Base entry or product registration,

see the Dell Administrative Support page.

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Planning the Installation

Installation References

The PowerScale Info Hub has links to specific OneFS software, hardware,
and troubleshooting pages. Each specific OneFS software version info
hub has documents for installation-related areas.

PowerScale OneFS Info Hubs and OneFS 9.4 page

Physical Tools Required

Shown in the graphic are suggested tools for a typical installation.

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1: The cables that are required are a single CAT5/CAT6 network patch
cord, to directly connect your laptop to the node. USB-to-serial adapter,
preferably one that uses the Prolific 2303 Chipset.

2: DB9-to-DB9 Null modem cable (female/female).

3: The software that is required or recommended is:

• Latest recommended OneFS release

• Latest cluster firmware
• Latest drive firmware package
• Access to SolVe Online or installed current SolVe Desktop
• WinSCP - copies files to and from cluster
• PuTTy - serial access cluster using SSH

4: Basic hand tools: screwdrivers (flat-head and Phillips), wire cutters,

anti-static wrist strap.

5: Cable ties/Velcro strips for cable management and routing.

Resources: Download PuTTy and WinSCP.

Other Software is available at the Dell Support Site.

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Safety

When working with PowerScale equipment, it is critical to ensure you

adhere to the following precautions.

1: You can install racks in raised or nonraised floor data centers capable
of supporting that system. It is your responsibility to ensure that the data
center floor can support the weight of the system. A fully populated rack
with A2000 chassis’ weighs about 3,500 lbs (1,590 kg). Titan-HD is the
preferred rack that is used to install A2000. If the floor is rated at less than
3,500 lbs, then additional care and planning must be taken. Some data
center floors have different static load vs. dynamic (rolling) load
specifications, and sectional weight and load point limits. It becomes
important while moving preracked solutions around the data center.

2: If you install PowerScale nodes in a rack that is not bolted to the floor,
use both front and side stabilizers. Installing PowerScale nodes in an
unbolted rack without these stabilizers could cause the rack to tip over,
potentially resulting in bodily injury. Use only approved replacement parts
and equipment.

3: To avoid personal injury or damage to the hardware, always use two

people to lift or move a node or chassis. A Gen6 chassis can weigh more
than 200 lbs. It is recommended to use a lift to install the components into
the rack. If a lift is not available, you must remove all drive sleds and
compute modules from the chassis before lifting. Even when lifting an
empty chassis, never attempt to lift and install with fewer than two people.

4: Beyond precautions of working with electricity, it is also critical to

ensure proper cooling. Proper airflow must be provided to all PowerScale
equipment. Gen6 nodes have an ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) designation of A3. The

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nodes can operate in environments with ambient temperatures from 5°, up

to 40° Celsius for limited periods of time.

5: The AC supply circuit for PowerScale nodes must supply the total
current that is specified on the label of the node. All AC power supply
connections must be properly grounded. Connections that are not directly
connected to the branch circuit, such as nodes that are connected to a
power strip, must also be properly grounded. Do not overload the branch
circuit of the AC supply that provides power to the rack holding
PowerScale nodes. The total rack load should not exceed 80% of the
branch circuit rating. For high availability, the left and right sides of any
rack must receive power from separate branch feed circuits. To help
protect the system from sudden increases or decreases in electrical
power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power
supply or UPS.

Caution: Failure to adhere to the safety precautions may

result in electric shock, bodily injury, fire, damage to
PowerScale systems equipment, or loss of data. Review the
safety precautions and considerations2 before the
installation.
See the current PowerScale Node Site Preparation and
Planning Guide for proper procedures and environmental
information.

2 Failure to heed these warnings may also void the product warranty. Only
trained and qualified personnel should install or replace equipment.

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Electrostatic Discharge

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is a major cause of damage to electronic

components and potentially dangerous to the installer. To avoid ESD
damage, review ESD procedures before arriving at the customer site and
adhere to the precautions when onsite.

1: Clean Work Area: Clear the work area of items that naturally build up
electrostatic discharge.

2: Anti-static Packaging: Leave components in anti-static packaging until

time to install.

3: No ESD Kit Available:

• Before touching a component, put one hand firmly on the bare metal
surface.
• After removing components from the anti-static bag, do NOT move
around the room or touch furnishings, personnel, or surfaces.
• If you must move around or touch something, first put the component
back in the anti-static bag.

4: ESD Kit: Always use ESD kit when handling components.

5: Do not Move: Minimize movement to avoid buildup of electrostatic

discharge.

Tip: Always follow ESD procedures when handling

components.

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SolVe Overview

SolVe3 is a knowledge solution that is used by our customers, partners,

and employees to access trusted best-practice guided instructions to
complete a service-based activity. Used online or on a users’ desktop,
SolVe offers navigation choices by product and version number. These
choices include procedures for product installations, upgrades,
replacements, and troubleshooting. There are also videos,
knowledgebase articles, and warnings for known issues from Dell
technical and security advisories.

The benefits of using SolVe are:

• Compiling of the knowledge

• Delivering a step-by-step guide
• Ensuring consistently successful customer engagements

Tip: Additional SolVe information is available at the internal

SolVe Sharepoint site.

3 Solutions for Validating your Engagement.

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SolVe Online

Solve Online is used by most of our technicians as a simple and

straightforward way to access standard procedures.

Select each panel for a description about using SolVe Online and
generating a procedure.

Home

The SolVe home page lists all top-level products available to generate
appropriate documents. Tabs include Advisories, Product Support
Newsletters, Service Topics, Tools, and Support pages. The My Content
tab contains any procedure routes you accessed.

SolVe Online home page

New Route

When selecting a top-level product, SolVe Online starts the menu for a
new route.

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As an example, if you want the procedure to replace a drive in an F900

node, select Replacement Procedures.

New route for the Isilon - PowerScale platform.

Product Topics

Selecting the Replacement Procedures topic shows both the

PowerScale and the Gen6 topics expanded. PowerScale F900 is
highlighted.

Isilon - PowerScale platform route page with Replacement Procedures expanded.

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Procedure Generator

Selecting PowerScale F900 launches Step 1 of the document generator.

The Replace Drive procedure is selected, and then Next.

Step 1 of the procedure generator.

Generator Steps

Step 2 asks for the usage information, and step 3 shows the procedure to
generate.

Generating the document may take a few minutes. Once complete, the
PDF is downloaded, and you return to the home page.

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Steps 2 and 3 to generate the procedure.

Procedure Routes

SolVe Online retains a history of the procedure routes you accessed and
can be downloaded again. An email notice comes to your inbox as
another way to download.

Route to replacing an F900 hard drive backplane and email notice.

Tip: SolVe Online home page.

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SolVe Desktop

SolVe Desktop provides a resident SolVe procedure generator for

supported products to be accessible directly on laptops. This is particularly
useful for service engineers who often work in dark sites or places without
internet access, making SolVe Online inaccessible.

This video demonstrates how to download, install, and use the SolVe
desktop app.

Movie:

The web version of this content contains a movie.

Go to: SolVe Online then navigate to the Tools & Forms

tab, where the SolVe Desktop installer is listed for
download.

Audio Script:

We're going to show you how to download, install, and then navigate the
solved desktop using the executable. So let's go to dell.com support and
we're going to want to sign in, so when I click in, sign in here. It's going to
take me to where I need to enter my credentials if I'm a partner or a
customer. I'm going to use my signing credentials here. If I'm an employee
of Dell, I'm going to click sign in here. There was a sign in. I will see a
search bar here at the top and I'm going to type in solve desktop. It hit
enter and it will bring up a page with search results and what I want to do
is I want to click on these, solve desktop executable. So as I click on that
my executable should kick off here and I will see it populate here at the
bottom of my screen because I'm using Google Chrome. Once that's
finished, click the executable and let's let it run. OK, so I'm going to go
through the steps here. I'm going to click next. I'm going to install. It's a
fairly quick install, so let's let this finish really quickly. And I'm going to
launch myself, desktop executable here, let's finish. Now what it's doing is
it's asking me to accept the end user license agreement. You can read the
entirety of this agreement by choosing the scrollbar here on the right hand

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side and then clicking except. A popup comes up saying that I need to
authorize the reason that we're doing this is because we need to know if
you are a partner, an employee or a customer by using single sign on, we
understand who you are and so by clicking OK it's going to go to the site.
It's going to give us a key chain token telling us who we are. Are we
employ your partner or a customer as I get that key chain file, I'm going to
click on it and you'll notice that my solve desktop. Since I am now
authenticated as an employee, if you're a partner, if you're a customer,
you're going to see this as either a partner or a customer. You'll notice
here that it populates with the product generators that are available to me
as an employee. I see more generators than a partner or customer would.
It's a subset of these generators. Depending on the access of for these
particular products. Now you also see a pop-up come up its release notes.
These are release notes about the product generators within the solve
desktop application. You can read through those and you can also click
close. However, if you wanted to review those again, we always have the
option to go in and see those again by just clicking up here on your health
file an using the release notes here.

So what we want to do with this point is we want to make sure that we

download the generators. Now these are all showing a product as a tile.
Here. However, nothing has been done yet that there are blank products.
At this point you'll notice that it says Click to install this generator in order
to download that generator, you need to actually click on the generator
itself. So we're going to go ahead and just do V Plex. So I'm going to click
here down on the V Plex Click to install this generator as I do that, you'll
see a pop-up come up, it says that it's going to take this amount of space
to download this generator. Just be aware that space is limited an if you
download all of them. That does take up a lot of space, but if you need
them, just make sure you do have the space to get it downloaded. So let's
click OK and let's let it run. You'll notice down here that you can watch the
progress for that download. It says V. Plex is started and it will actually
walk you through how much time is remaining to see a little bit more detail.
All you have to do is click on that box and you can see the percentage is
going down here. It will continuously start to go through and you can click
close to close that box out and continue to watch it at the bottom. Now as
that finishes up, but let's just go through a key couple of factors here at the
top. Again, you have your click here to download or delete generators. We
have the. Authentication level here. We also have access level. This is

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only available to employees at this time, so you can toggle between views
between a water employee would see what a partner would see. I want a
customer would see. We also have the Dell security and the technical
advisories listed here and they are broken out by product and by years.
We also have the surface topics. Again you can search for the service
topics by product when you click on this. We also have tools and forms.
These are available and again this will depend on whether you're going to
play you partner or customer. And we have options and we also have the
help files.

Now as we go through this, we do see that they decompressing, it's

almost completed and once that is completed we will see this V Plex
generator populate into the application UI here. OK, so now it's finished
up. It says that the Plex download is complete and we now show it in our
UI as a version listed which is 29043. It was last updated on November
9th. These states inversions were always going to change and you will
see this populate as soon as you come in and authenticate and solve. So
to use a generator and let's just open this old desktop generator here, let's
go to V. Plex. We're going to click on it. You can either double click it here
or just highlight it and choose the next button at the bottom, which became
illuminated when I click next on any of these generators that you
download, you'll notice a navigation path.

Here we have installs, we have upgrades, miscellaneous reference

material. There's a lot of different paths that you can choose for that
particular product. Now we're going to come in here and let's just choose
upgrade. As a path, and you'll notice, once I select a word, I can click next
because it becomes illuminated and let's click next. Now the next panel
appears and this is the navigation wizard with radio button that are
available for me to choose. I can either choose an upgrade cluster
hardware to next generation, I can do an upgrade engine count, or I can
upgrade Geo Synchrony. I'm just going to go ahead and choose the first
one. And it's giving me a pop up is telling me that a following caution has
been applied to please make sure we pay attention to this. So let's click
OK in any notes applicable and let's click next. Let's select a configuration
type. Remember to generate the worksheet as well so you can always
click on this worksheet. Here you can click on it and it will open up as a
single standalone file, but I'm going to continue through my path as well.
So if I click sample output from procedures Metro Single 6.1 Patch one,

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I've chosen the radio button option and let's click next. Now it's telling me
that these alerts are actually going to be shown in my popup, so these will
be part of my generator procedure. And we're going to get to the last panel
here. This is where we actually need to generate the procedure. It's going
to take all the radio button options that I choose is going to compile that
into a single step by step generated document. I can choose where to put
the document if I want to save it to a different location. I can click on the...
buttons and I can save it to my desktop so I can save it and I can rename
it to whatever I need to. So if I click save, let's just do that and we're going
to click generate. This is again is going to compile all my information and
it's going to give me that step-by-step procedure in a PDF format. So now
my PDF is going to open. And there it is. So now we have the generated
step-by-step procedure.

We were at the Plex off generator. We went down and installation and
upgrade path and these are the radio button options that I chose gives me
my date. It gives me my feedback and as I scroll through this document
you'll be able to see that I have tasks that I needed to perform. I have
information in here that's going to be relevant for the task that I'm
performing. It gives me my step-by-step information as I go through this
document. So I've generated procedure and that's how you navigate
through a path. So one final thing within the solved desktop application I
do have feedback available. If I click on contact support. This feedback is
an area where you can provide information and also attach files if you
need to. This will be sent to solve feedback. At dell.com you will get a
response with a case number associated with it for tracking purposes. So
please feel free to reach out to us with any issues, concerns at solve
feedback at dell.com.

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Installation Planning Considerations

The installation process starts before you arrive at the customer site.
When planning an installation, there are a few items that you must know
before you arrive.

IP Address Verification

The Customer Engineer (CE) typically works with the Implementation

Specialist (IS), who completes any custom configurations after the initial
configuration is done. CEs must verify that all internal networks configured
for a PowerScale cluster use IPv4 address. The external network can use
either IPv4 or IPv6 addresses.

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Rack Space Planning

Ensure you discuss with the customer the plan for the spacing of the Gen6
chassis4.

In mixed environments, nodes, chassis, and switches should be

positioned in the rack as shown in the graphic.

4 All Gen6 chassis are 4U and the recommended maximum number that
can be installed in a standard 19" rack is 12. The chassis are installed with
additional space necessary for switches or cabling. Up to ten chassis can
fit in a 42U rack. Keep in mind that Gen6 nodes that are based on the
High and Ultra compute modules contain high-line only (240 V) power
supplies. When used in an environment where only low-line power (120 V)
is available, two rack-mounted step-up transformers are required per
Gen6 chassis. Each transformer consumes 2U additional rack space per
chassis and thus reduces the amount of space available for nodes. The
PowerScale A300, A3000, H700, and H7000 are newer nodes that reuse
the same hardware architecture as the Isilon Gen6 platforms with minor
changes. 4U chassis, available as standard (1 m rack compatible) and
deep (Titan-D/HD rack equivalent). Up to 80 3.5” storage HDDs per
chassis, and 2 2.5” cache SSDs per node.

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PowerScale rack example.

 Heavier nodes5
 Pairs of step-up transformers6
 Ethernet backend7
 1U accelerator nodes and Secure Remote Services gateway servers8

5 Such as 4U components, like the Gen6 chassis, should go at the bottom.

6 If needed, should be placed next to their associated chassis, one above
the chassis and the other below (to prevent cabling issues).
7 A new Gen6, PowerScale All-Flash, PowerScale Archive and Hybrid

nodes have Ethernet switches for the BE network.

8 1U accelerator nodes and Secure Remote Services gateway servers

should go at the top of the rack.

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 Gaps between nodes or switches9

 Cable management accessories10

9 Any gaps between nodes or switches require a filler panel to ensure

proper airflow.
10 The cable management tray option requires 1U of rack space per node,

so you must plan for the additional space.

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Serial Number

Serial Number

Before beginning the installation, document the serial number of each

node to register the product and update the install base (IB) records. The
serial number is on the physical node itself. The serial number should
match the service tag. For Gen6 Series nodes, the serial number is
printed on a sticker or tag, which is attached to the back of the node. The
tag is a plastic card that is fixed to the node or compute module.

Example: Access A100

The video demonstrates how to access the A100 serial number. See the
student guide for the audio script.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

Audio Script:

For A100 accelerator nodes, you must remove the face plate from the
front of the node. Press both latches simultaneously until they click, then
remove the face plate. Locate the black plastic tab on the upper left of the

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node and slide it out. The serial number is printed on the blue label. When
you are done, slide the tab back in and replace the face plate.

Service Tag

View the /etc/isilon_serial_number file or run the

isi_hw_status command to display the node serial number.

The service tag is in the front of the system or on a sticker on the chassis
of the system. The mini–Enterprise Service Tag (EST) is found on the
back of the system. Dell uses the information to route support calls to the
appropriate personnel.

Performing a chassis replacement11 should retain the service tag

information.

F200 with the System Service Tag on the front.

11An F200/F600 chassis replacement is done when replacing a system

board (motherboard). The replacement retains the service tag data.
iDRAC and OneFS retain the Identify Module (IDM) settings. The
replacement retains other critical data and resources for the hardware.

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1: Pull out the tag in front to view the Express Service Code and Service
Tag.

2: Top view of the service tag.

3: Back view of the service tag.

4: OpenManage Mobile (OMM) label.

5: Service Tag

6: iDRAC MAC address and iDRAC secure password label.

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Prepare the Site

Building the Rack Cabinet

SolVe Online procedure for PowerScale node install.

Generate the appropriate guide using SolVe. The guide explains the
required tools, unpacking, and building the rack.

The rack should have dual power supplies with a power distribution that
allows load balancing and switches between the two if there is an outage.
Use a rack cabinet that has dual power distribution units, one on each
side.

Download the PowerScale Node Site Preparation and Planning Guide

from the PowerScale Info Hub for more information.

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Titan Racks

PowerScale rack solutions per node type.

Node type Rack type

A300, H700, Titan D, Titan HD

F200, F600, Titan HD
F900
A3000, A7000

Titan HD is designed to support fully populated racks of A3000, A2000,

H7000 and H5600 chassis/nodes. However, all Generation 6 platforms
can be installed in the Titan HD racks.

The current Dell Technologies rack solutions support up to 8 PDUs (4 on

each side).

Third-party racks

You can use a standard ANSI/EIA RS310D 19-inch rack system in a

PowerScale cluster installation.

The rail kit is compatible with rack cabinets with the following hole types:

• 3/8-inch square holes

• 9/32-inch round holes
• 10-32, 12-24, M5X.8, or M6X1 pre-threaded holes

The A2000, A3000, H5600, and H7000 are deep chassis nodes, and can
use the third-party rack solution.

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Warning: Do not install A3000, A300 (archive nodes),

H7000, or H700 (hybrid nodes) into existing Gen6 chassis
installations. The archive and hybrid nodes must only be
installed in the chassis provided from the factory. The
higher-powered archive and hybrid nodes can cause a fuse
to open on the Gen6 chassis midplane, which then requires
a chassis replacement.

Bolting Rack to the Floor

The customer is responsible for bolting the rack to the floor. If a third-party
rack is used, be sure to secure the rack to the subfloor with a stabilizer
bracket or some other method. Use both front and side stabilizers when
installing nodes in a rack that is not bolted to the floor. Installing
equipment in an unbolted rack without these stabilizers could cause the
rack to tip over, potentially resulting in bodily injury. Use only approved
replacement parts and equipment.

1: If the rack is not bolted to the floor, it is recommended to secure the

rack cabinet to the floor with stabilizing brackets or use anti-tip devices.
The stabilizing brackets are important if installing or removing a server in
the upper half of the cabinet when the lower half is empty.

2: Sometimes, the trim strips are unattached from the cabinet, or were
removed to detach the shipping brackets. Once the cabinet is secured to

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the floor stabilization brackets, install the lower trim strip to the bottom
front of the cabinet.

3: The seismic bracket is installed on the front, back, and sides of the
cabinet.

4: The anti-move bracket is installed on the front and back of the cabinet.

5: The anti-tip bracket is installed on the front of the cabinet.

Unpacking the Components

Once the rack is built, you are ready to unpack the components. Before
installing any equipment, inspect it to ensure that no damage occurred
during transit. Remove all components from the shipping package and
inspect the components for any sign of damage.

Ensure that you have sufficient clearance around the rack cabinet. If
components are still packed onto a pallet, you need approximately eight ft

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of clearance to position the pallet. Open the shipping container and

remove the PowerScale components.

Tip: To avoid personal injury or damage to the hardware,

always use multiple people to lift and move heavy
equipment. Inspect each component for any sign of
damage. If the components appear damaged in any way,
notify PowerScale technical support. Do not use any
damaged components.

Repackaging the Shipping Material

After you have built the rack, you will want to repack and return the
shipping material as it is reused for cost and environmental reasons.
Leave the job site of the customer as clean as possible, or cleaner than it
was when you arrived.

Click each step to learn more.

Step one

Lay each of the outer sleeves flat, then fold it lengthwise before collapsing
the three sections.

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Step two

Stack the shipping brackets on the pallet.

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Step three

- Place ramp section B upside-down on the pallet, then stack section A,

right-side up.

- Stack the two folded outer sleeves above the ramp sections.

- Apply the two collar sections to either side of the pallet; hold them in
place with the package hood.

Step four

Band the unit with shipping straps.

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Powering the Rack

Powering the rack using four sources.

The next step is to attach power cables to the power distribution units on
each side of the rear of the cabinet. Most configurations require four PDUs
(2 per side, mounted one above the other).

 Connect Power Cord12

12You must connect power cords to unpopulated P1 and P2 connectors

on the four power distribution units within the cabinet.

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 Cabinet requirements13
 PDU configuration14

40U-P cabinet PDUs do not include a power On/Off switch. Ensure that
the circuit breakers on each PDU are UP, and in the OFF position until
ready to supply AC power to the unit.

Equipment that is correctly installed within the rack cabinet is grounded

through the AC power cables and connectors. In general, supplemental
grounding is not required.15

13 Depending on the cabinet components and configuration, the 40U-P

cabinet requires two, four, six, or eight independent 200 V to 240 V power
sources.
14 The default PDU configuration includes 4 PDUs. You receive power

cords to support the maximum configurations, and are likely to have extra
cords as part of your shipment.
15 If your site requires external grounding (for example, to a common

grounding network beneath the site floor), you can use the grounding lugs
that are provided on each of the lower power distribution panels of the
cabinet.

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Installing Rack Components

Sliding Rails

After the rack cabinet is built, you can begin installing the hardware.
Building the rack includes unpacking the node, verifying contents, and
repacking the shipping material.

Sliding Rails

The first step is to attach the sliding rails. A sliding rail system is used to
attach the node or chassis to the rack or cabinet and allows easy access
to the components. The sliding rail kit is compatible with rack cabinets with
the following hole types:

• 3/8-inch square holes

• 9/32-inch round holes
• 10-32, 12-24, M5X.8, or M6X1 prethreaded holes

A number 2 Phillips screwdriver is required to complete the installation.

Adjustable Rails

1U, 2U, and 4U rails for nodes and chassis adjust in length from 24 to 36
inches to accommodate various cabinet depths. The rails are not left-
specific or right-specific and can be installed on either side of the rack.

The video demonstrates installing the rails for a Gen6 chassis. See the
student guide for the video transcript.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

Pre-Threaded Holes

The video demonstrates installing the rail kit in a rack with prethreaded
holes. See the student guide for the video transcript.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

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Considerations

Listed are some things to consider:

• The step alignment pins on the rails are used for round or square hole
rack types.
• Using a rail kit other than the Dell Technologies approved rail kit might
cause injury or damage to the node.
• Failure to attach rails correctly as described in the Rail Kit Installation
Guide can lead to severe injury if the node is pulled for future service.
The rails may fail when installing a node, resulting in a whole chassis
worth of equipment being damaged.

Pre-Threaded Holes Transcript: To install the rail kit in a rack with

prethreaded holes, replace the preassembled step alignment pins in the
ends of the outer rails. Install the rail kit with the proper shoulder alignment
pins. Adjust the outer slide rail rear slide bracket to fit the depth of rack
cabinet, ensuring that the alignment pins protrude through the rack
mounting rails. Secure each outer rail to the rack cabinet using two 8, 32 x
0.75” knurled thumbscrews in the center holes of the slide rail.

Installing 1U Nodes

Before you begin, verify that the rail kit contains all the necessary
components. Each 1U slide rail consists of a slide bracket, an outer rail,
an intermediate rail, and an inner rail. Change the rail alignment posts if
needed. Download and view the SolVe Online procedure for the most
recent instruction details.

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1: Remove the inner rails from the rail assemblies on both rails.

2: Attach an inner rail to each side of the node.

3: Install both the slide rails in the rack. Each assembly contains a right
and a left slide rail.

4: You are now ready to install the node on the rails in the rack, pushing in
until the slide rails are locked. Remember, the enclosure is heavy and
must be installed into or removed from a rack by two people.

5: To further secure the rail assembly and server in the cabinet, insert and
tighten a small stabilizer screw directly behind each bezel latch.

Installing 2U Nodes

The video demonstrates installing 2U nodes in the rack. See the student
guide for the video transcript.

Movie:

The web version of this content contains a movie.

Installing 2U Nodes Transcript: First, verify that the rail kit contains all
the necessary components. The 2U node rail kit includes:

• Two slide rails, used to mount a node in a rack or cabinet.

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• Four 8-32 x 0.75-inch knurled slide rail mounting screws for securing
the slide rails to the rack or cabinet.
• Eight 8-32 x 0.25-inch shoulder alignment pins for use only in a
prethreaded rack or cabinet.
• Two 6-32 x 0.25-inch knurled chassis retaining screws for securing the
node to the rack or cabinet.
• One node retaining bracket, which provides a mounting surface for the
chassis retaining screws.

Movie transcript: Each slide rail consists of a slide bracket, an outer rail,
an intermediate rail, and an inner rail. To remove the inner rails from the
rail assemblies, fully extend the slide rails to the open and locked
positions. Press the release button on the inner slide rail, and pull it from
the intermediate slide rail until they separate.

Next, you attach the inner rails to the sides of the node. Align the large
end of the keyhole slots of the inner rail over the shoulder screws on the
side of the node chassis. It may be necessary to loosen the shoulder
screws to slide the rails on. Push the inner slide rail until it locks into place.
Tighten the shoulder screws. Then, attach the second slide rail on the
other side the same way. To attach the rail to the rack, first determine the
rack cabinet that you are using. See the Rail Kit Installation Guide for
specific instructions for different types of rack cabinets. Here, we are using
a rack cabinet with 3/8” square holes. (Note: If using a rack with
prethreaded holes, replace the preassembled step alignment pins in the
ends of the outer rails. Install the rail kit with the proper shoulder alignment
pins before proceeding to the next step.)

First, place the rear slide bracket into the back of the rack. Adjust the outer
slide rail to fit the depth of the rack cabinet. Ensure that the alignment pins
protrude through holes in the rack mounting rails and that the outer and
rear slide brackets are level. Attach to the same holes on both ends of the
rack. Place the node retaining bracket on the front of the right side rail so
that the middle hole covers the top alignment pin. Then secure the bracket
with one of the 8 to 32 x 0.75-inch knurled thumbscrews. Secure all other
ends of the rail to the rack by inserting the 8 to 32 x 0.75-inch knurled
thumbscrews. Tighten the screws. Repeat the process for the second rail.

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Next, install the node in the rack. However, Do Not Continue until you
confirm that both rails are secured to the rack and all mounting screws are
in place and tightened. Failing to do so could result in injury or damage to
the node, and to avoid injury, use two people to lift and move the node.

Fully extend each intermediate slide rail until the rail is fully open and
locked into place. With a person on each side of the node, keep the node
level with the slide rails. And align the ends of the inner slide rails with the
ends of the intermediate slide rails. Slide the inner slide rails on each side
of the node into the intermediate slide rails. Then retract the slide rails until
the node is fully inserted in the rack. There is an audible click when the
node is secure. Confirm that the inner slide rails attached to the node are
inserted correctly and firmly secured to intermediate slide rails that are
attached to the rack.

Secure the node to the rack cabinet using either the 6 to 32 x 0.25-inch
knurled chassis retaining screws or retaining screws and retainer bracket
depending on node type. Tighten the screws.

Installing 4U Nodes

Before you begin, unpack and verify that the rail kit contains all the
necessary components. Each 4U slide rail consists of an inner rail, an
outer rail, and an intermediate rail. To attach the rail to the rack, first
determine the rack cabinet that you are using. See the SolVe Online guide
for specific instructions for different rack cabinets.

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1: Place the rear slide bracket into the back of the rack. Adjust the outer
slide rail to fit the depth of the rack cabinet, ensuring that the alignment
pins protrude through holes in the rack mounting rails. Ensure that the
outer and rear slide brackets are level and attached to the same holes on
both ends of the rack. Secure all other ends of the rail to the rack by
inserting the 8 to 32 x 0.75-inch knurled thumbscrews. Tighten the screws.
Repeat the process for the second rail.

2: Attach a clip-on nut retainer to the third hole above the slide rail on
each side of the rack. The next step is to install the node in the rack.
However, do not continue until you confirm that both rails are secured to
the rack and all mounting screws are in place and tightened. Failing to do
so could result in injury or damage to the node. Remember to always use
multiple people to lift a 4U node. If a 4U node is shipped with hard drives
already installed, it can weigh over 285 lbs. Use of a mechanical lift is
recommended. To use the cable management tray, be sure to leave 1U
space under the node for the cable management tray. For ease of
installation, install the cable management tray before installing the main
chassis.

3: Once the node is installed in the rack, insert the drives into the node.

4: Once the drives are inserted into the node, insert the front panel.

Important: 4U nodes ship with the inner slide rails

preinstalled on the node. If using a rack with prethreaded
holes, replace the preassembled step alignment pins in the
ends of the outer rails. Replace the rack with the proper
shoulder alignment pins before proceeding to the next step.

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Install Gen6 Chassis

A chassis containing drives and nodes can weigh more than 285 pounds.
Attach the chassis to a lift to install16 it in a rack.

Steps to install a chassis:

Installing a chassis.

1. Align the chassis with the rails that are attached to the rack.
2. Slide the first few inches of the back of the chassis onto the supporting
ledge of the rails.
3. Release the lift casters and carefully slide the chassis into the cabinet
as far as the lift allows.

16If a lift is not available, you must remove all drive sleds and nodes from
the chassis before you attempt to lift it. Even when the chassis is empty,
only attempt to lift and install the chassis with multiple people.

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4. Secure the lift casters on the floor.

5. Carefully push the node off the lift arms and into the rack. Ensure to
leave the lift under the chassis until the chassis is safely balanced and
secured within the cabinet.
6. Install two mounting screws at the top and bottom of each rail to
secure the chassis to the rack.

Caution: If removing drive sleds from the chassis during

installation, make sure to label the sleds clearly. You must
replace the drive sleds in the same sled bay you removed
them from. If drive sleds are mixed between nodes, even
prior to configuration, the system will be inoperable.

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Installing Back-End Switches

Back-end switches are PowerScale procured, supported, and managed.

See the PowerScale Networking Map for current configurations.

1: Back-end Switches

• Provided by PowerScale.
• Install switches into the rack with the ports facing the rear of the rack.
• Connect each switch to separate power circuit.
• If the switch has multiple power connectors, connect each cable to a
different power circuit. Some switches have additional power
connectors to support optional redundant power supplies that may not
be installed.
• Each switch pair supports a single cluster.

2: InfiniBand (Gen5 and Gen6)

• When adding Gen6 nodes to an existing Gen5 cluster, the Gen6 nodes
connect to the InfiniBand switches. InfiniBand is supported for Gen5
nodes and for mixed Gen5 and Gen6 node clusters. See the
PowerScale Node Site Preparation and Planning Guide on the
PowerScale Info Hub for more details.
• High-speed, unmanaged fabric.
• Greater range of sizes.
• Identical functionality for Gen5 and Gen6 nodes.

3: Ethernet (Gen6 and All-Flash Nodes)

• When building a new cluster of all Gen6/PowerScale nodes, the Dell

provided back-end switches are Ethernet.

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• High-speed, managed fabric.

• Limited monitoring.
• An all Gen6 cluster can scale up to 252 nodes.

4: Ethernet/InfiniBand

• Scales to a maximum 252 node cluster.

• InfiniBand is supported for the back-end (internal) traffic on F900,
F600, F200, A300, A3000, H700, and H7000 nodes for existing
clusters only.

Backend Switch Support

Select each tab to learn about backend switch support for PowerScale
nodes.

Ethernet Back-end Switches

The table lists the following Ethernet switches currently supported for
PowerScale back-end connectivity.

Vendor Model Switch

speed

Dell S5232- 100 GbE

ON

Dell Z9264- 100 GbE

ON

Dell Z9100- 100 GbE

ON

Dell S4112F- 10/100

ON GbE

Dell S4148F- 10 GbE

ON

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Celestica D4040 40 GbE

Arista DCS- 40 GbE

7308

Celestica D2024 10 GbE

Celestica D2060 10 GbE

Arista DCS- 10 GbE

7304

PowerScale Gen6, All-Flash, Archive, or Hybrid Model

Network Connectivity Summary

PowerScale Front-end Transceiver Back-end Back-end

Model NIC Ethernet InfiniBand

F900, F600 100/40 GbE 100/40/25/10 100/40 GbE 40 GbE QSFP+

QSFP28 GbE QSFP28
25/10 GbE
SFP28

F200 100/40 GbE 100/40 GbE 100/40 GbE 40 GbE QSFP+

QSFP+, 25/10 GbE QSFP+/QSFP28 SFP+/SFP28
QSFP28 (OneFS 9.5 or
(OneFS 9.5 later)
or later) 25/10 GbE SFP28
25/10 GbE
SFP+, SFP28

F800, F810 40 GbE 40/25/10 40 GbE QSFP 40 GbE QDR

QSFP+ GbE QSFP+ (F800
25/10 GbE only)
SFP28
10 GbE
SFP+

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H700, 100/40 GbE 100/40/25/10 100/40 GbE 40 GbE QDR

H7000, QSFP28 GbE QSFP28 QSFP+
A300, 25/10 GbE 25/10 GbE SFP28
A3000 SFP28

H400, A200, 25/10 GbE 25 /10 GbE 10 GbE SFP+ 10 GbE QDR
A2000 SFP28 QSFP+
10 GbE
SFP+

H500, 40 GbE 40/25/10 40 GbE QSFP+ 40 GbE QDR

H5600, QSFP+ GbE QSFP+
H600 25/10 GbE
SFP28
10 GbE
SFP+

Go to: For more information on legacy product support, see

the PowerScale Product Availability Guide on the
PowerScale Info Hub.

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Installing Node Components

Installation Guides

By using SolVe online or desktop, you can generate installation guides for
any specific node or product for PowerScale. The example shows the first
step in generating an F200 node installation guide.

Generate install guides using SolVe.

Installing Gen6 Subcomponents

Install the chassis components after the chassis is racked. Select each tab
to view a short demonstration on installing the drives, drive sleds, and
compute modules.

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Drive and Sled

This short video demonstrates installing drives into a drive sled and
installing the sled into a chassis. See the student guide for the video
transcript.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

Compute Module

This video demonstrates how to install the compute module of a node into
a chassis. See the student guide for the video transcript.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

Install Drive and Sled Transcript: For 3.5" drives, push the drive and
paddle card straight down into the empty connector. Insert the tabs on the
drive sled cover into the slots in the drive sled. For 2.5” drives, with the top
cover at an angle, insert the covers three tabs into the slots on the sled.
Next lower the open side of the cover until it is flat against the drive sled.
Slide the cover forward to lock it onto the sled. Swing the blue sled cover
latches back into place and press until you feel the latches click. Ensure
that the drive sled handle is open. With two hands, slide the drive sled into
the same bay you removed it from. Push the drive sled handle back into
the face of the sled to secure the drive sled in the bay. Swing the display
assembly back against the chassis until you feel it click into place. Align
the front bezel with the front of the chassis, then push until you feel the
bezel snap into place.

Install Compute Module Transcript: Keep the lever in the open position
until the compute module is pushed all the way into the bay. Support the
node with both hands and slide it into the node bay. Push the release
lever in against the compute module back panel. You can feel the lever
pull the module into place in the bay. If the lever does not pull the compute
module into the bay, pull the lever back into the open position. Next,
ensure that the module is pushed all the way into the bay, then push the
lever in against the compute module again. Tighten the thumbscrew on
the release lever to secure the lever in place.

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PowerScale All-Flash Drive Bays

The F200 has four SAS SSDs numbered from 0 to 3 and uses no SAS
expander.

The F600 drive bays 0 and 1 are empty due to the internal cabling layout
of the node. The F600 has eight NVMe SSDs that use bays 2 to 9.

The F900 has 24 vertical 2.5" NVME SSD drives that use bays 0 to 23.

Click the images to enlarge.

PowerScale All-Flash Nodes Internal Components

The graphic shows the F600 with the cover removed.

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1: CPU2 is available on the F600. On the F200, this area is the location of
the NVDIMM battery.

2: CPU1 is populated on the F200 and F600.

3: High-performance fans. To maintain proper cooling while the system is

on, replace only one fan at a time. Fans are labeled 1 to 8. The graphic
shows the topmost fan 1.

4: NVDIMM battery. The NVDIMM battery is not hot swappable. To

prevent data loss and potential damage to the node, ensure that the node
and the LEDs on the node is turned off. Ensure that the LEDs on the
NVDIMM and the LEDs on the NVDIMM battery are off before removing
the NVDIMM battery.

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5: Disk drives. The F200 uses SAS SSDs, and the F600 uses NVMe
SSDs. Hard drives are supplied in hot swappable hard drive carriers that
fit in the hard drive slots. You can check the status indicator on the carrier
to identify a faulted hard drive.

6: DIMM. The F200 uses 48 GB (6x8GB Single Rank DDR4 RDIMMs) or

96 GB (6x16GB Dual Rank DDR4 RDIMMs). The F600 uses 128 GB
(8x16GB Dual Rank DDR4 RDIMMs), or 192 GB (12x16GB Dual Rank
DDR4 RDIMMs), or 384 GB (12x32GB Dual Rank DDR4 RDIMMs). Both
the F200 and F600 journal use a 16GB NVDIMM (1x16GB Single Rank
DDR4 NVDIMM-N).

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7: Backplane. Label each hard drive before removing from the node to
ensure that the drives are returned to the same drive bay.

8: Power supply units (PSU). The node must have one PSU for normal
operation. Remove and replace only one PSU at a time in a node that is
powered on. PSUs must be of the same type and have the same
maximum output power.

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9: Internal Dual SD Module (IDSDM). The F200 and F600 nodes use one
of the two micro-SD slots. The micro-SD shows up in OneFS as a USB
device (da0). isi_hwmon monitors IDSDM. IDSDM in OneFS is used for
secondary backup for PSI information and temporary storage for FW
upgrade binaries.

10: Frontend NIC. The F600 uses PCIe slot 3 for front-end connectivity,
and the F200 uses the rack network daughter card (rNDC).

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F200 rNDC.

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F600 PCIe card in the expansion card riser.

11: Backend. The backend NIC is installed in slot 1 for both the F200 and
F600. The F200 has a 25 GbE NIC while the F600 uses a 100 GbE NIC.

Backend NIC on the riser.

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PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes - Drive Bays

PowerScale offers high density with Archive and Hybrid Hard Disk Drives
nodes.

The PowerScale Archive and Hybrid nodes have two or four nodes per
chassis with five multidrive sleds per node (three to four drives per sled)
for greater drive density. The 4U chassis are available as standard (1 m
rack compatible) and deep (Titan D/HD rack equivalent) depending on
model. These nodes can have up to eighty 3.5” storage HDDs per
chassis, and two 2.5” cache SSDs per node. Archive and Hybrid nodes
have SATA and SAS support only (no NVMe).

Gen6 Sled

Front View

Chassis rear view

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PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes - Internal

Components

PowerScale Archive and Hybrid nodes are a purpose-built platform of

modular design similar with the well-known Gen6 platform.

Node Components

PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Node Components

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1. 1 GbE 6. Multifunction
management and button
SSH port

2. Internal network 7. Power

ports supply

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3. External 8. Cache
network ports SSDs

4. Console 9. USB
connector connector

5. Do Not Remove 10. HDMI

LED. debugging port

Compute Node

Internal Compute

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Performance and Backup Accelerator Drive Bays

The P100 and B100 nodes have 2x2.5" SAS SSD drives each. Drive bays
3 to 8 are not used and have fillers.

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Accelerator Node Components

If the NIC is 25 GbE, then rNDC is used for the front end, otherwise it is
populated by a 1 GbE four port card, which is required for PXI in factory.
There is no 100GbE rNDC option.

Installing Front Panel or Bezel

Bezels in A-Series devices are accelerator node specific and may not
appear as shown. Bezels may include a keylock. All bezels include tabs
on either side that you press in to release the bezel and its latches. Push
the ends, not the middle of the bezel, press the bezel onto the latch
brackets until it snaps into place.

The video demonstrates installing the bezel on a Gen6 chassis.

Installing front panel video

Movie:

The web version of this content contains a movie.

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Cabling the Node to the Network

Connecting to the Network

Once the system is racked and stacked, move on to connecting the node
to the internal and external networks.

Network

A PowerScale cluster uses separate internal and external networks for

back-end and front-end connectivity.

 Internal Network17
 External Network18

17 The internal network is dedicated for intracluster data and messages,

providing point-to-point connectivity with microsecond latency. Nodes
connect to the internal network of a cluster to communicate with other
cluster nodes.

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 InfiniBand19
 Cables20

Gen6 Internal Network

The graphic shows a Gen6, four node cluster with an InfiniBand back-end.
There are no special considerations when connecting to an Ethernet back-
end. The two steps are:

18 The external networking components of a cluster provide client access

over various protocols. Each node connects to one or more external
Ethernet network connections.
19 Infiniband is supported with Gen5, PowerScale, and PowerScale all-

flash nodes in the same cluster. For new clusters, Ethernet is

recommended for the internal network.
20 If working with legacy nodes or switches, reference the PowerScale

Supportability and Compatibility Guide, to determine the cable type

needed. Nodes with QDR InfiniBand adapters are incompatible with SDR
InfiniBand switches.

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1. Connect an InfiniBand or Ethernet cable between the int-a port and the
switch (switch 1) for the Internal A network.
2. If the network topology supports a second internal network, connect
the int-b port to a separate network switch (switch 2) for the int-b
network.

PowerScale All-Flash Internal Network

PowerScale All-Flash nodes only support Ethernet. Each F200, F600, and
F900 node provides two ports for backend connectivity. The PCIe slot 1 is
used. F900 and F600 nodes use 100 GbE and 40 GbE ports. F200 nodes
use 10/25 GbE ports, or 40/100 GbE ports with OneFS 9.5 or later.

F200/F600 Rear View

F900 rear view

PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Internal Network

PowerScale Archive and Hybrid nodes replace the 10 GbE and 40 GbE
Gen6 NIC options with 10/25 GbE or 40/100 GbE NICs for front-end and
back-end networking. InfiniBand is used as an option for back-end
networking for existing clusters.

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PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes Rear View

Important: See the PowerScale Supportability and

Compatibility Guide on the OneFS Info Hub.

Best Practice: Though two switches are not required, it is best

practice to have a redundant internal network.

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Breakout Cables

Example 1:4 breakout cables.

Before creating the cluster, do a quick cable inspection.

The 40 GbE and 100 GbE connections contain four individual lines of 10
GbE and 25 GbE.

Most switches support breaking out a QSFP port into four SFP ports using
a 1:4 breakout cable.

The back-end is managed automatically when the switch detects the cable
type as a breakout cable.

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The front-end is often configured manually21 on a per port basis.

Cable and Cabling Considerations

To protect the cable connections, organize cables for proper airflow

around the cluster, and to ensure fault-free maintenance of the nodes.

Each cable and the cabling should adhere to the cabling

recommendations listed:
• Color code the cables to depict their type and function within the
environment.
• Both ends of the cables should be clearly labeled depicting cable
usage and connection points in accordance with the labeling
convention.
• Labeling should be done with the correct type of label to sustain
environmental stress such as heat and humidity.
• Attached labels should not constrict the cable.
• The minimum bend radius22 of an InfiniBand cable is 25 cm (10
inches).
• Avoid placing cables along sharp edges.
• Do not zip and constrict cables. Instead use Velcro ties for the cable
bundling.

21 The front-end, client-facing, network connections should be evenly

distributed across patch panels in the server room. Distributing the
connections may avoid single points of failure.
22 Do not coil the cables less than 10 inches in diameter to prevent

damage. Never bend cables beyond their recommended bend radius.

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• Bundle different cable types separately and keep a good distance

between power and InfiniBand and other data cables.
• Ensure that your cabling support is well anchored and able to
withstand cable weight.
• Restrict cables from dangling between rack spaces.
• Retain a sufficient loop on the cable to facilitate maintenance work, for
example, when sliding out a node.
• Align cable placements to facilitate future addition of cables along the
path.

Go to: See the PowerScale Node Site Preparation and

Planning Guide on the OneFS Info Hub.

Warning: Do not bend or twist the InfiniBand cables23

during installation or while the cluster is in production use.

23Use care when handling and looping copper InfiniBand cables, and any
type of optical network cables. Bending or mishandling cables can result in
damaged and unusable cables.

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Connecting to the External Network

External networks connect the cluster to the outside world. Subnets are
used in external networks to manage connections more efficiently.
Specifying external network subnets depends on the topology of the
network24. The Ethernet cable connects the node to the external network
so the node can communicate with external clients. Use an Ethernet cable
to connect the ext-1 port on the node to the switch for the external
network.

PowerScale nodes25 have two ports, ext-1 and ext-2, as the graphic
depicts.

24 In a basic network topology, one in which all nodes reside on a single

subnet, only one external subnet is required.
25 The Gen6 nodes can connect to one or more external Ethernet

networks using 10 GbE or 40 GbE connections. PowerScale Archive and

Hybrid nodes can connect to external Ethernet networks using 25 GbE
and 100 GbE connections.

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Gen5 and Gen6 nodes connectivity

to external networks.

PowerScale All-Flash, PowerScale

Archive and Hybrid nodes
connectivity to external networks.

PowerScale All-Flash Nodes Network Connectivity

The graphic shows a closer look at the external and internal connectivity.

Slot 1 is used for back-end communication on both the F200 and F600.

Slot 3 is used for the F600 2 x 10/25 or 40/100 GbE front-end network
connections.

In the F200, the rNDC can provide 10 GbE or 25 GbE connections for
front-end networking.

• OneFS 9.4.0.9 includes support for 100 GbE Ethernet option on F200.

The F200 and F600 have no dedicated management port.

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PowerScale F200 network connections

PowerScale F600 network connections

Important: Access to the 1 GbE Management port for

F200/F600/F900 requires OneFS version 9.4.0.3 or later. If
the nodes were shipped with an older OneFS version, a
one-time configuration change might also be needed to
enable management port access even if the node is
upgraded to OneFS 9.4.0.3 or later. However, 1GbE
Management ports are not available on F200 nodes
obtained before 6 December 2022.

Tip: Interfaces are named "25gige-N" or "100gige-N."

Interface names may not indicate the link speed. For
example, the interface name for NICs that are running at the
lower speed such as 10 Gb do not change to "10gige-1."
You can use ifconfig to check the link speed.

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Connecting Power

Node Power Supply

Nodes and chassis contain redundant power supplies to ensure that the
node remains powered in case a power supply fails. Connect the power
supply cables to the node power connectors, and then connect each
power supply cable to a separate power source.

An LED shows the current state of each power supply.

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• Gen6
o Compute has single power supply.26
o Node-pair provides redundant power.27
o Nodes automatically power on.28
• PowerScale All-Flash, PowerScale Archive and Hybrid Nodes

o Flash nodes have dual redundant power supplies. Archive and

hybrid nodes have node-pairs for power redundancy.

Connecting Power Cord

The video demonstrates connecting the power cable to a Gen6 node.

Movie: The web version of this content contains a movie.

Connecting Power Cord Transcript: Connect the power cable to the

power supply. Rotate the metal bail down over the power cable to hold the
cord in place.

26 With Gen6, each compute module has a single power supply.

27 If the power supply fails, the node receives power from the power
supply of the adjacent node.
28 Gen6 nodes automatically power on when they are connected to power.

When setting up new nodes, if you are not yet ready for them to be
powered on, do not connect the power cables.

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Configuration Wizard

Connect to Node

For initial configuration, access the CLI by establishing a serial connection

to the node designated as node 1.

The serial console gives you serial access when you cannot or do not
want to use the network. Other reasons for accessing using a serial
connection may be for troubleshooting, site rules, a network outage, and
so on.

Serial Port29

Configure the terminal emulator utility to use the following settings:

• Transfer rate = 115,200 bps

• Data bits = 8
• Parity = none
• Stop bits = 1
• Flow control = hardware

29The serial port is a male DB9 connector. Connect a serial null modem
cable between a serial port of a local client, such as a laptop, and the
node serial port. Connect to the node designated as node 1. If no laptop
serial ports are available, use a USB-to-serial converter. Start a serial
communication utility such as Minicom (UNIX) or PuTTY (Windows).

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Run the Configuration Wizard

The configuration
wizard starts
automatically when a
new node is powered
on. The wizard
provides step-by-step
guidance for
configuring a new
cluster or adding a node to an existing cluster.

For new clusters, joining a node to an existing cluster, or preparing a node

to run in SmartLock compliance mode, choose one of the following
options:

1. To create a cluster, type 1.

2. To join the node to an existing cluster, type 2.
3. To exit the wizard and configure the node manually, type 3.
4. To restart the node in SmartLock compliance mode, type 4.

Caution: If you choose to restart the node in SmartLock

compliance mode, the node restarts and returns to this step.
Selection 4 changes to enable you to disable SmartLock
compliance mode. Selection 4 is the last opportunity to back
out of compliance mode without reformatting the node.

Go to: The PowerScale Node Installation Guide on the

Hardware - PowerScale Info Hub for complete information
necessary to configure the cluster.

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