VMAX 3 / PowerMax Performing a Profile

• Notice, there are multiple .zip files.

  To import the data into Live Optics these zip files will need to be added to a single zip. For example using the selected entries above performance_data_compressed_file.zip would contain:

  • 20190321_0900_TO_20190321_1300_000496800999.zip
  • 20190321_1300_TO_20190321_1700_000496800999.zip
  • 20190321_1700_TO_20190321_2100_000496800999.zip
  • 20190321_2100_TO_20190322_0100_000496800999.zip
  • 20190322_0100_TO_20190322_0500_000496800999.zip

   

  Validating Collected Data

  Live Optics will validate the data provided to ensure it is correct before it is uploaded to a Live Optics Project. These validations include:

  • The symapi bin file selected is a valid file
  • The symapi file contains data for at least one valid VMAX3/PowerMax array
  • The DCF performance files chosen are for the selected VMAX3/PowerMax array
  • The DCF .zip files are within a single compressed file
  • The date range will be no more than 7 consecutive days, automatically selecting the most recent 7 days when more existPulling the files directly from the array

  Live Optics does not recommend extracting VMAX3 DCF Performance Files without assistance from qualified  Dell EMC PowerMax Customer Engineer.

  If your VMAX3/PowerMax is connected to Dell Support Assist with an unrestricted access policy, contact your Dell EMC Systems Engineer and ask them to open a request to collect the VMAX3/PowerMax data.

  Alternatively If your VMAX3/PowerMax is not connected to Dell Support Assist or your Dell Support Assist connection is restricted, open a Service Request at MyService360 to extract the VMAX3/PowerMax Metrics Files (.DCF).   

  Bundling DCF Performance Data

  Once extracted, consolidate the metric files into one or more .ZIP files and place them in a dedicated folder.

   

  Quick-Start Instructions

• Click Get Started

• Click Get Started

• Click Yes, I Agree to accept the End User License Agreement (prompted only on first execution)

• Click Yes, it is correct after verifying your identity is correct (prompted only on first execution)

• Select Storage from the left menu

• Select VMAX/PowerMax

• Select VMAX3/PowerMax

• Click Next and select one of these options:

  • Collect Config & Performance

  • Collect Config Data only

• Click Browse for File, browse and select the SYMAPI_DB.bin file, click Open
• Click Next
• Select a VMAX3/PowerMax array from the list
• Click Next
• Click Browse for File, browse and select the a zip file that contains the DCF performance files, click Open
• Click Next
• Select the Upload Option, either upload automatically (recommended) or upload later
• Click Next
• If upload automatically was selected, enter the project name to be created, click Next
• After the files are processed and optionally siokit created, click Quit to exit the application

Detailed Instructions

Download and run the Live Optics Windows collector software

• There are two methods to download the collector software:
• From the email you received from your systems consultant inviting you to Live Optics by clicking the Download Collector link.
• From the Live Optics portal, select Collectors from the left menu, then Download Collector. For more information on how to download a Live Optics collector, please see knowledge base article Download the Live Optics Collector Either option will bring you to the Download Collectors page. 

NOTE: the collector can run on any host with IP connectivity to the storage array being profiled

Start Profile Selection Process

• Select Storage from the category list and VMAX/PowerMax from the asset type.
• Select VMAX3/ PowerMax from the options and click Next.

• Click Collect Config & Performance or Collect Config Data Only and click Next
• Click Browse for File to choose a VMAX3/PowerMax configuration symapi_db.bin file. Click Next to continue.

NOTE: the impl file is not a supported format.

• Select a symapi_db.bin file and click Open

• The name and path of the file is displayed when it is selected
• Click Next to continue when a file is selected.

• Select VMAX3/PowerMax array from the list. Multiple arrays can exist in one symapi_db.bin file. Click Next to continue.

• Select Performance files for VMAX3/PowerMax array.

• The duration of performance data will be displayed. If it is more than 7 consecutive days, then the most recent 7 days will be processed from the performance data provided

NOTE: a single .zip file can be selected that contains DCF zip files

• A zip file can be created by selecting all the performance files and adding them to a zip file.

• The selected zip file is validated for correctness. The following error messages can be displayed:

• Select the method to upload to the Live Optics web site for processing

• Enter the name of the project for your array profile. 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.

Uploading the SIOKIT (applies only if the “upload later” was selected)

• The Live Optics collector software is used to upload the SIOKIT files using the Windows collector. See knowledge base article Uploading SIOKIT file in the Live Optics collector 

The process has completed successfully

• Once the upload has completed. Click Quit to close the collector
• An email from Live Optics will be sent when the project is ready for viewing on the web portal

• The project details page appears. From here you can download the report in PowerPoint format (PPT) containing all the array details, share your project with other Live Optics users such as your systems consultant, or delete your project.  The page also shows the Project ID and the current status of your project.

Additional Notes:

Error message Handling

The selected file is validated for correctness. The following error messages can be displayed:

• symapi file does not contain any VMAX3/PowerMax arrays.