Dell PowerFlex 3.6.1 Release Notes

• PowerFlex is now available as a consumption model in the public cloud. PowerFlex 3.6.0.4 is supported on AWS.
• PowerPath 7.4 for Linux now supports PowerFlex devices. PowerPath Migration enabler can be used for data migration across PowerFlex and other PowerPath supported storage array classes.
  NOTE: Only PowerFlex SCSI devices are supported. Since PowerFlex devices have only a single path, PowerFlex takes care of load balancing across different SDS.
• A new alert, SDS_EXCEEDED_IMM_TIMEOUT, is displayed if SDS name <NAME> SDS Id <nnn> is running with Instant Maintenance Mode (IMM), exceeding the configured duration. It places the system at risk for a second failure of another node and might lead to data unavailability.

Important

The following aspects of PowerFlex 3.6.1 must be understood before deploying or upgrading your system:

1. CloudIQ integration
   • Discovering a PowerFlex system in CloudIQ requires the system to be registered with Secure remote services. In the PowerFlex Installer, Maintain tab, ensure that the PowerFlex system is registered with Secure remote services and that Send data to CloudIQ is enabled.
   • After installing a new PowerFlex system with PowerFlex version 3.6, it takes 24 hours until data is available in CloudIQ. Systems upgrading to PowerFlex 3.6 will appear in CloudIQ within an hour of enabling the Send data to CloudIQ option.
   • PowerFlex appliance and rack systems need PowerFlex Manager version "H" in order to be discovered in CloudIQ.
2. Replication enhancements
   • Bi-directional replication between two sites only is supported.
   • See the PowerFlex Sizer for sizing guidelines for correct replication system specifications, including WAN bandwidth sizing. When using the PowerFlex Sizer, take into account existing workload and existing hardware, and the possible need to add additional nodes to enable replication without impacting the current workload.
   • Replication capability has higher I/O overhead, as explained in the v3.6 Getting to Know PowerFlex Guide (Replication section) and the white paper Dell EMC PowerFlex: Introduction to Replication. See these recommendations in order to size your system correctly, and ensure that you have sufficient existing storage capabilities to enable this ability.
3. Network resiliency improvements
   • Proactive network path error detection requires SDC to be at v3.6 or later.
4. Upgrade Paths
   • Upgrade from PowerFlex version 3.0.x and 3.5.x to version 3.6 are supported.
   • Older PowerFlex/ VxFlex operating system versions must be upgraded to version 3.0.x prior to upgrading to version 3.6.
5. vSphere plug-in End-of-Support-Life
   • The PowerFlex vSphere plug-in continues to be supported with vSphere versions 6.5 and 6.7, however it reaches end-of-support-life when vSphere 6.5 and 6.7 reach end-of-support by VMware. For details on the last release of vSphere plug-in due to end of general support for ESXi 6.5 and 6.7 by VMware, see: Announcing End of General Support for vSphere 6.5.x and vSphere 6.7.x (89305). Also note the new issue in the Known Issues section that is related to vSphere Plug-in.
   • The PowerFlex vSphere plug-in does not support vSphere 7 hyperconverged (HCI) configurations.