In this article, we will show you HOW TO: Add a Dell EqualLogic PS Series Array (SAN) to System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 SP1 as a SMP Provider.
System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2012 SP1 supports the same storage arrays that were supported in SCVMM 2012, plus the SMP provider. For more information see this SCVMM 2012 Storage and Load Balancer Provider Downloads
Why and What is a SMP Provider? (Andy’s Laymans Definition)
It provides the ability to integrate SCVMM and your storage array, e.g. the ability to create logical units (LUNs) from within SCVMM, traditionally you would login to your SAN, via command line or Dell PS Group Manager using a browser. Integrating into SCVMM, you can create and manage Pools and LUNs from within SCVMM.
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Prerequisites
- Compatible Dell EqualLogic PS Series Array (SAN) running 5.2.4 FW or higher
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012
- Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 SP1 (SCVMM)
- Dell EqualLogic Host Integration Tools 4.5.0
- SCVMM 2012 SP1 Host with access to your iSCSI storage network or subnet
To obtain the Dell EqualLogic Host Integration Tools 4.5.0, requires registration of your Dell EqualLogic PS Series Array with the Dell EqualLogic website, and obtaining a username and password. Then you can proceed and download the required software.
It is beyond the scope of this document, to show how to install Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 SP1 (SCVMM) on Microsoft Windows Server 2012, and connect to your Dell EqualLogic PS Array. It is assumed that you have already installed Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 SP1 (SCVMM) on Microsoft Windows Server 2012, and connected to your Dell EqualLogic PS Series Array.
Host Integration Tools for Microsoft® v4.5 – 64-bit – EXE
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Installation of Host Integration Tools for Microsoft® v4.5 – 64-bit
In this tutorial we will complete a very quick and basic setup and by no means exhaustive. Refer to the Dell PS documentation that comes with the HIT KIT for all the available options.
If the server is not accessing the storage directly, DSM installation can be skipped. PowerShell and SMP are required, it can work without ASM but then all configuration must be done through Powershell. It’s probably unlikely that your SCVMM 2012 SP1 server needs to access any VM LUNs.
We have discovered recently that if configuration is performed through the Auto Snapshot Manager GUI there is an issue, with the group admin credentials being correctly parsed to the configuration, and therefore we would recommend ALL configuration to be performed via Windows Powershell
Get-PSSnapin -Registered
Create a new group and assign access, using the PS Group Name, Group IP Address, Management IP Address and grpadmin credentials. The new group name is not to be confused with the group name, that’s already been created on the Array. This is a “label” for the powershell creation process, so its good idea to use the same group name, but the two are not connected in anyway.
The syntax and command to use is
New-EqlGroupAccess -groupname GROUPNAME -GroupWKAddress 10.10.1.1 -MgmtWKAddress aaa.bbb.89.176 -username grpadmin -Password password
It is recommended to have a Group IP Address, in the example above 10.10.1.1, and a Dedicated Management IP Address – aaa.bbb.89.176
Type the following in the Windows Powershell window.
New-EqlGroupAccess -GroupName Group -GroupWKAddress 10.10.1.1 -MgmtWKAddress aaa.bbb.89.176 -UserName grpadmin -Password grpadmin
![New-EqlGroupAccess -groupname [b]GROUPNAME[/b] -GroupWKAddress 10.10.1.1 -MgmtWKAddress aaa.bbb.89.176 -username grpadmin -Password password](http://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2013/05_w20/654963/New-EqlGroupAccess1.jpg)
Update-StorageProviderCache
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Start the SCVMM 2012 SP1 client and connect to the SCVMM 2012 SP1 server
Before the provider will be available in SCVMM, another cmlet needs to be typed into the Windows Powershell window.
Congratulations, you have successfully Added a Dell EqualLogic PS Series Array (SAN) to System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 SP1 as a SMP Provider.
In my next article in this series, we will show you how to assign VMM managed pools, and created logical units in the pools.
Virtual Machine Manager in depth
You can download evaluation System Center trial and Windows 2012 server VHD’s from here
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