Skip to main content
Sign Out

Welcome to Dell

My Account
  • Place orders quickly and easily
  • View orders and track your shipping status
  • Enjoy members-only rewards and discounts
  • Create and access a list of your products
Sign In Create an Account Dell Financial Services Premier Sign In Partner Program Sign In
Contact Us

Your Dell.com Carts

Getting to know Dell PowerFlex v3.6.x

PDF

Configuring direct attached storage (DAS)

When adding DAS to SDS, it is recommended to configure the raw devices as stand-alone devices. Upon adding a device to an SDS PowerFlex verifies that the device is clear and returns an error if it is otherwise.

PowerFlex works with any free capacity—internal or direct-attached devices, either magnetic hard disk drives (HDD) or flash-based devices such as solid state drive (SSD) and PCIe cards. Although PowerFlex can work with any device topology, it is recommended to configure the raw devices as stand-alone devices.

Device data is erased when devices are added to SDS. When adding a device to an SDS, PowerFlex will check that the device is clear before adding it. An error will be returned, per device, if it is found not to be clear. You can override this check by using the force device takeover option.

The following devices are considered to be not "clear," and thus cannot be added to SDS:

  • Linux - A complete device with either a filesystem or partition, or a partitioned device with a filesystem.
    • Multipath devices can't be added as SDS devices
    • Devices in an LVM group can't be added to an SDS
  • ESXi - Same as above, depending on the OS of the SVM where the SDS is installed.

Limitations:

  • SAN devices will not be prevented from being added.
  • Devices in an LVM group cannot be added to an SDS.
  • Within the database devices, only Oracle ASM devices can be detected and blocked.
NOTE:

If the server has a RAID controller, PowerFlex prefers to use the controller’s caching abilities for better performance, but is better utilized when all devices are configured as stand-alone (i.e. setting each of the devices to RAID-0 separately). For HDD devices, it is recommended to enable RAID-controller caching. As for SSD devices, caching is not needed.

NOTE:

For HDDs: It is recommended to use RAID-controller caching when available as follows:

  • READ/WRITE: if cache is battery-backed
  • READ ONLY: if cache is NOT battery-backed

For SSD's (e.g. Flash): setting should be write-through

Rate this content

Accurate
Useful
Easy to understand
Was this article helpful?
0/3000 characters
  Please provide ratings (1-5 stars).
  Please provide ratings (1-5 stars).
  Please provide ratings (1-5 stars).
  Please select whether the article was helpful or not.
  Comments cannot contain these special characters: <>()\