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Generate a PowerMax v4 Storage Array Profile

Team Live Optics
  • Updated

Live Optics supports profiling of the Dell PowerMax storage array family. Using the Live Optics collector, configuration and performance data is captured, analyzed, and compiled into a project for viewing. This article outlines the process to produce a PowerMax v4 storage array profile for the following PowerMax v4 models:

  • PowerMax 2500
  • PowerMax 8500

 

Prerequisites

  • Download the Live Optics collector. See Download the Live Optics Collector for further information. The collector can run on any host with IP connectivity to the storage array being profiled.
  • Before an array profile can be completed, the array configuration and performance data must be gathered. Use the PowerMax v4 storage array management interface to collect a symapi_db.bin file (configuration data) and contact Dell Support Assist to collect a .DCF file (performance data).
  • If you wish to collect impl.bin data for your array (optional), you must have a valid impl.bin file. Contact PSS, PCoE, or PowerMax support for assistance in generating a valid impl.bin file. 
    • symapi_db.bin is required to view the configuration of a PowerMax v4 array.
    • .DCF files are required to view the performance of the workloads of the array.
    • impl.bin files are used to provide PMEM and DRAM details for the array. 

 

Before you begin

The following section outlines the steps you must read and complete before performing an array profile:

  • Important Information/Help
  • Live Optics Data Validation
  • Collect Configuration Data
  • Collect Performance Data

 

Important Information/Help

NOTE: Live Optics does not recommend extracting PowerMax v4 .DCF files without assistance from a qualified Dell PowerMax Customer Engineer.

If your PowerMax v4 array is connected to Dell Support Assist with an unrestricted access policy, contact your Dell EMC Systems Engineer and request a collection of your PowerMax v4 data.

If your PowerMax v4 array is not connected to Dell Support Assist, or your Dell Support Assist connection is restricted, open a service request at MyService360 requesting a collection of your PowerMax v4 .DCF files.

 

Live Optics Data Validation

Live Optics validates the collected data to ensure it is correct before being uploaded to a Live Optics project. The following items are verified: 

  • The symapi_db.bin file selected is a valid file, and does not contain any spaces or additional characters in the file name.
  • The symapi_db.bin file contains data for at least one valid PowerMax v4 array.
  • The .DCF performance files chosen are for the selected PowerMax v4 array.
  • he .DCF zip files are contained within a single compressed file which does not contain any spaces or additional characters in the file name (a zip file containing zip files).
    Picture4.png
  • The date range for performance data must be no more than 7 consecutive days. If it is more than 7 consecutive days, only the most recent 7 days are processed.
  • The files are collected directly from the array.

Collect Configuration Data

Use the PowerMax v4 storage array management interface to collect a symapi_db.bin file from your array.

 

Collect Performance Data

  1. Contact Dell Support Assist and request a collection of .DCF performance data. Multiple .ZIP files containing .DCF data are provided.  
    NOTE: Multiple zip files containing .DCF data are provided.  
  2. To import this data into Live Optics, create a single zip file and add your selected .DCF zip files (a zip file containing zip files).   
    The following screenshot shows multiple .DCF files provided by Dell Support Assist. In this example, we only want to use the 5 files marked by the blue arrows. Copy these to new folder and create a zip file containing these .DCF files only. This file is used later (Step 8) in the array profile procedure.

    Picture14.png

 

Generate a PowerMax v4 Storage Array Profile

  1. Launch the Live Optics collector and select Storage from the left panel. Select VMAX/PowerMax from the options on the right panel.
  2. On the following screen, click Browse for File, and select the symapi_db.bin file for the VMAX/PowerMax v3 array from which you wish to collect data. 

    1 (1).png

  3. The symapi_db.bin file is validated. The following error message displays for unsupported VMAX versions:

    Picture3.png
  4. The arrays and their respective Sym IDs are listed (multiple arrays can exist in one symapi_db.bin file). 

    Picture15.png

  5. Select a PowerMax v4 array from the list. If a symapi_db.bin file with Solution Enabler version 10.x is extracted, this can be selected for processing. Other PowerMax arrays may be attached to the same Sym ID, but are not supported due to their associated Solution Enabler version. These arrays cannot be selected and a message highlighting the required Solution Enabler version displays. Click Next.

    1.png

  6. On the Collect Data for PowerMax screen, choose if you wish to upload configuration data only, or configuration, performance, and impl.bin data (optional), and click Next. 

    Picture1.png

  7. For Collect Config Data Only, click Next and browse to the symapi_db.bin file you collected earlier, and click Next. 
  8. For Collect Config, Performance, and IMPL.bin (optional), use the toggle to choose Collect DCF Performance or Collect IMPL.BIN. Click Browse for File.
    - For performance data collection, select the zip folder of .DCF files you created earlier. The length of the collected performance data is displayed. If it is more than 7 consecutive days, only the most recent 7 days are processed.
    - For impl.bin data collection, select an impl.bin file. For information on impl.bin files, and how to generate one, see the end of this article. 

    Picture2.png

  9. Click Next. The selected zip file is validated. If an invalid file is chosen, one of the following error message displays: 

    Picture19.png

    Picture4.png

  10. On the Upload Options screen, chose if you wish to upload your collection data automatically or manually (Automatically is the recommended default option). 
  11. Enter a name for the array profile and click Next. The files are processed and uploaded to the web portal. During the upload, a status bar indicates the progress.  As storage array data can be quite large, the upload may take some time to complete depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

    Picture20.png
  12. The collector indicates when the upload is complete. You will also receive an email from Live Optics when your project is ready to view on the web portal. Click Quit to close the collector. 
  13. If you selected the manual upload option, "I will upload later", your data is processed and saved to an encrypted file with the name [hostname]_VMAX.siokit. The file is written to the same folder from which the collector was launched. After the collection process completes, the file must be uploaded to the Live Optics web portal. To upload collection data manually, see Upload an SIOKIT file from the Live Optics collector or Upload an SIOKIT file from the Live Optics web portal. 
  14. To view your project results, log on to the Live Optics web portal and select your project from the recent projects listed on the main dashboard. 

    Picture13.png

    The project details page displays. From here, you can download the report in PowerPoint or Excel format, share your project with other Live Optics users, or delete your project. This page also shows the Project ID and the current status of your project.

    Picture2.png

 

Information on IMPL.bin files

Collecting impl.bin data from a PowerMax (version 4) array is an optional step which aims to provide insights into the array PMEM and DRAM total configured, used memory, and the DRAM, PMEM, and memory configuration for each node pair.

Live Optics recommend that you contact PCoE, PSS, or PowerMax support for assistance in generating a valid impl.bin file.

The impl.bin file must be in the format *impl*.bin and must be generated for the same SymID selected from the uploaded symapi_db.bin file. Data is collected for impl.bin at the same time as performance data (.DCF file).

 

The impl.bin file is parsed and generates a config.xml file. This file then generates a PowerPoint slide with the following DRAM and PMEM details:

Picture5.png

  • DRAM Total/Configured (GiB) and Used (GiB) refer to the available and required DRAM from the config.xml file
  • PMEM Total/Configured (GiB) and Used (GiB) refer to the available and required NVDIMM from the config.xml file
  • The numbered node pairs refers to the amount of memory engines listed in the config.xml file.
  • Memcfg refers to the type of the memory engine configuration listed.

 

Each memory engine configuration refers the DRAM/PMEM values below:

  • 384GB/512GB  = mem config 1 
  • 768GB/1024GB = mem config 2
  • 1536GB/2048GB = mem config 3
  • 1536GB/6144GB = mem config 4