Isilon Vcenter Installation Guide 1 0
Content
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
December 2010
Isilon Systems respects the intellectual property of others.
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Isilon, Isilon Systems, OneFS, and SyncIQ are registered trademarks of Isilon Systems, Inc., Isilon IQ, SmartConnect,
SnapshotIQ, TrueScale, Autobalance, FlexProtect, SmartCache, SmartPools, InsightIQ, "HOW BREAKTHROUGHS BEGIN."
and the Isilon logo are trademarks of Isilon. Other product and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective
owners.
U.S. Patent Numbers 7,146,524; 7,346,720; 7,386,675; 7,509,448; 7,509,524; 7,551,572; 7,590,652; 7,593,938. China Patent
Number ZL 02816665.5. Other patents pending.
Due to ongoing product development, innovation, and revision, the information contained here is subject to change without
notice. Isilon will publish updates and revisions to this document as needed. The systems documented herein are provided
under End User License Agreements. Please refer to the Agreements for details governing the use of Isilon IQ systems.
Contents
Chapter 1: Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide.....................................................5
System requirements..........................................................................................................5
Activate the license.............................................................................................................6
Install the Isilon virtual appliance........................................................................................6
Configure the Isilon virtual appliance..................................................................................7
Add vCenter Server to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in...........................................................8
Enable and add Isilon clusters to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in..........................................8
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
The Isilon for vCenter plug-in runs on an Isilon virtual appliance and provides an interface to the VMware vSphere Client
software for management of virtual machines that use Isilon storage. The procedures in this guide require a working knowledge
of VMware.
With Isilon for vCenter, you can:
•
•
•
back up and restore virtual machines that reside on NFS or iSCSI datastores.
back up virtual machines using online (hot), nearline (warm), or offline (cold) backups.
restore virtual machines with the option to automatically power them back on.
To set up the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, you must enable the Isilon for vCenter license on the cluster that you want to manage,
install the Isilon virtual appliance, and configure the Isilon virtual appliance by adding a VMware vCenter Server and at least
one Isilon cluster to manage.
The entire virtual machine can exist on an Isilon-managed NFS or iSCSI datastore, or individual hard drives of the virtual
machine can be configured to use the managed Isilon storage.
By default, the Isilon virtual appliance starts in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) mode. In DHCP networking
mode, the Isilon virtual appliance obtains an automatically generated IP address through DHCP if a DHCP server is available
on your network.
DHCP networking is typically recommended for only one-time or short-term use because the DHCP-generated IP address can
expire without warning, causing interruptions in the data-collection process or preventing you from logging into the Isilon
virtual appliance; in this case, each time the current DHCP IP address expires, you must run the Configuration Wizard in order
to view a newly obtained DHCP IP address.
If a DHCP-assigned IP address is not sufficient or appropriate for your environment, or if you do not have a DHCP server
available on your network, you can manually configure a specific static IP address for the Isilon virtual appliance. Running
the Isilon virtual appliance in DHCP mode can offer convenience during initial configuration; however, for long-term ongoing
use, it is recommended that you manually configure a static IP address for the Isilon virtual appliance.
System requirements
To run the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, your environment must meet the following minimum system requirements.
•
•
Isilon OneFS operating system: The managed cluster must be running OneFS 6.0.2.
VMware: The Isilon for vCenter plug-in requires the following VMware products:
•
•
•
•
•
VMware vCenter Server 4.0 or later
VMware ESX/ESXi 4.0 or later
Isilon for vCenter product license: Before installing the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, you must obtain an Isilon for
vCenter license key from Isilon Systems; for more information, contact your Isilon representative.
Isilon SnapshotIQ licenses: SnapshotIQ licenses are required for back-end operations of the Isilon for vCenter
plug-in. For more information, contact your Isilon representative.
Web browser: A web browser is used for a one-time configuration after the virtual appliance has a network address
configured. To enable the plug-in, you must log into the virtual appliance through a supported web browser and
associate it with a VMware vCenter Server. You can access the Isilon for vCenter application through any current
5
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
•
web browser that supports sophisticated graphics, for example Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0, Mozilla Firefox 3.5,
Google Chrome, and Apple Safari 4.
Storage space for the Isilon for vCenter data store: The virtual appliance that runs the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
stores the data for virtual machine backups and restores in a locally configured database. This virtual appliance is
configured to use 2 GB of disk space.
Before you begin, ensure that the virtual machine is connected to a network that can communicate with the monitored
cluster.
Note: Isilon for vCenter communicates with the monitored cluster on HTTPS port 9443.
Activate the license
On the Isilon cluster that you want to monitor through Isilon for vCenter, you must activate the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
by entering a valid license key. You must also activate the SnapshotIQ license if it is not already activated.
Follow this procedure to activate the Isilon for vCenter plug-in and, if necessary, the SnapshotIQ module.
1. Log into the Isilon cluster via the web administration interface.
2. On the Cluster menu, point to Cluster Management, and then click Activate license.
The Activate license page appears.
3. In the License key box, type the license key.
4. Read the end user license agreement, select the I have read and agree option, and then click Submit.
The License List page appears, displaying updated status information.
Install the Isilon virtual appliance
The Isilon virtual appliance is installed via an Open Virtualization Format (OVF) template file that is provided by your
Isilon representative.
1. In VMware ESX or VMware ESXi, on the File menu, click Deploy OVF Template.
The Deploy OVF Template wizard starts.
2. On the Source page, in the Deploy from a file or URL box, type or browse to the location of the OVF file, and then
click Next.
Note: If you lost or cannot locate the OVF file, contact your Isilon representative.
3. On the OVF Template Details page, review the details, and then click Next.
4. On the Name and Location page, provide the name for the deployed OVF template, select the folder location within
the inventory where the virtual appliance will reside, and then click Next.
5. On the Host / Cluster page, select the standalone host or cluster on which you want to run the deployed OVF
template, and then click Next.
6. On the Select a Datastore page, select a datastore to store the deployed OVF template files, and then click Next.
Note: Do not select a cluster that is managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
7. On the Disk Format page, optionally change the disk format, and then click Next.
8. On the Ready to Complete page, review the OVF template's configuration, and then click Finish.
The Isilon virtual appliance is added to your VMware inventory.
6
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
Configure the Isilon virtual appliance
The Isilon virtual appliance is configured onto the local network so that it can communicate with the VMware vCenter
Server and the Isilon storage cluster.
1. In the vSphere Client, right-click the Isilon virtual appliance and then click Open Console.
2. Click the green Power On icon.
The VM starts, and the login prompt appears.
3. At the login prompt, type administrator and then press ENTER.
4. At the password prompt, type default and then press ENTER.
5. At the (current) UNIX password prompt, type default (the current password) and then press ENTER.
6. At the Enter new UNIX password prompt, type the password that you want to configure for the administrator
account.
This is the password that you will use to log into the web-based application and the VM console. The password must
be at least one character long.
7. At the Retype new UNIX password prompt, retype the password and then press ENTER.
8. At the password for administrator prompt, type the new password that you just configured for the
administrator, and then press ENTER.
The system displays a DHCP-generated IP address, the Configuration Wizard starts, and the Wizard prompt appears.
Note:
•
•
If you want to run the Isilon virtual appliance in DHCP networking mode, make a note of the
DHCP-generated IP address; you will need to enter this address in a web browser to access the Isilon
virtual appliance. If you want to configure networking settings manually, you can disregard the
DHCP-generated IP address.
If the Isilon virtual appliance cannot detect an interface, it cannot be configured. The Isilon virtual appliance
requires exactly one interface to be configured and connected in VMware. If an error message appears
and indicates that no interfaces are available, you must exit the wizard, configure the VMware interface,
and then restart the Isilon virtual appliance.
9. Follow the prompts to Configure networking, and then select either of the following options.
•
•
To configure the Isilon virtual appliance to run in DHCP networking mode (the default method), select Exit
from the menu.
To configure networking manually, select Configure networking manually and then perform the
following steps:
1. Follow the prompts to configure a netmask for the Isilon virtual appliance.
2. Follow the prompts to configure the IP address that you want to use to access the Isilon virtual appliance.
Note: Make a note of this IP address; you will need to enter this address in a web browser each time
you access the Isilon virtual appliance.
3. Follow the prompts to configure a default gateway for the Isilon virtual appliance.
4. Follow the prompts to configure one or more DNS servers for the Isilon virtual appliance.
5. Follow the prompts to configure one or more search domains for the Isilon virtual appliance.
10. Commit your settings, exit the wizard, and then quit the VMware console.
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
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Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
Add vCenter Server to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
VMware vCenter Server enables Isilon for vCenter to centrally manage your VMware ESX or ESXi hosts.
1. In a supported web browser, connect to the Isilon for vCenter application at http://<ipaddress or host name>,
where <ipaddress or host name> is either the IP address or the host name for the Isilon for vCenter virtual appliance.
If you want to connect to the Isilon for vCenter application by a host name, you must first configure a host name for
the specified IP address in DNS.
The Isilon for vCenter application login page appears.
2. Log in to the Isilon for vCenter application with the username Administrator and the administrator password that
you configured for the Isilon virtual appliance.
The one-time Isilon for vCenter End User License Agreement (EULA) appears.
3. Review the EULA, click I have read and agree to, and then click Submit.
The Welcome to Isilon for vCenter page appears.
4. Provide the following information for the vCenter Server that you are using:
•
•
•
•
Name (an alias for this server)
IP Address
Username
Password
If the credentials are correct, the vCenter Server will be listed.
Enable and add Isilon clusters to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
After performing this procedure, virtual machines on an iSCSI or NFS datastore that are configured on the managed
Isilon cluster can be backed up and restored using the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
Isilon for vCenter connects to the managed Isilon cluster as the local user 'vapi'.
Note: Prior to performing this procedure, you must set a password for the 'vapi' user. To do so, log into a node
on the cluster and run one of the following commands:
•
For pre-OneFS 6.5 operating systems, run the following command as root and follow the prompts to set the
new password:
passwd vapi
•
For OneFS 6.5 and later, run the following command, where <Password> is the password you want to set:
isi auth local users modify --name=vapi --password=<Password>
1. Open the VMware vSphere Client and log into the vCenter Server.
2. In the navigation menu, click to highlight the datacenter that contains the ESX servers or hosts that have access to
the Isilon clusters to be managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
3. Click the Isilon tab.
The Isilon for vCenter page appears.
Note: If the Isilon tab does not appear, follow these steps to enable the plug-in:
1. In the vSphere Client, on the Plug-ins menu, click Manage Plug-ins. The Plug-in Manager dialog box
opens.
2. In the list of installed plug-ins, right-click Isilon and then click Enable.
3. Click Close.
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©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
4. Click the Clusters menu.
The Cluster Management page appears.
5. Click Add Cluster.
The Add Isilon Cluster page appears.
6. Configure the following settings:
•
•
•
Cluster: Type the hostname or IP address of the Isilon cluster, or the name of a SmartConnect zone.
Username: Type vapi.
Password: Type the password for the 'vapi' user.
7. Click Submit.
The cluster is now managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
8. Enable the isi_vc_d service by logging into a node on the cluster and running the following command:
isi services isi_vc_d enable
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
9
December 2010
Isilon Systems respects the intellectual property of others.
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Isilon, Isilon Systems, OneFS, and SyncIQ are registered trademarks of Isilon Systems, Inc., Isilon IQ, SmartConnect,
SnapshotIQ, TrueScale, Autobalance, FlexProtect, SmartCache, SmartPools, InsightIQ, "HOW BREAKTHROUGHS BEGIN."
and the Isilon logo are trademarks of Isilon. Other product and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective
owners.
U.S. Patent Numbers 7,146,524; 7,346,720; 7,386,675; 7,509,448; 7,509,524; 7,551,572; 7,590,652; 7,593,938. China Patent
Number ZL 02816665.5. Other patents pending.
Due to ongoing product development, innovation, and revision, the information contained here is subject to change without
notice. Isilon will publish updates and revisions to this document as needed. The systems documented herein are provided
under End User License Agreements. Please refer to the Agreements for details governing the use of Isilon IQ systems.
Contents
Chapter 1: Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide.....................................................5
System requirements..........................................................................................................5
Activate the license.............................................................................................................6
Install the Isilon virtual appliance........................................................................................6
Configure the Isilon virtual appliance..................................................................................7
Add vCenter Server to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in...........................................................8
Enable and add Isilon clusters to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in..........................................8
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
The Isilon for vCenter plug-in runs on an Isilon virtual appliance and provides an interface to the VMware vSphere Client
software for management of virtual machines that use Isilon storage. The procedures in this guide require a working knowledge
of VMware.
With Isilon for vCenter, you can:
•
•
•
back up and restore virtual machines that reside on NFS or iSCSI datastores.
back up virtual machines using online (hot), nearline (warm), or offline (cold) backups.
restore virtual machines with the option to automatically power them back on.
To set up the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, you must enable the Isilon for vCenter license on the cluster that you want to manage,
install the Isilon virtual appliance, and configure the Isilon virtual appliance by adding a VMware vCenter Server and at least
one Isilon cluster to manage.
The entire virtual machine can exist on an Isilon-managed NFS or iSCSI datastore, or individual hard drives of the virtual
machine can be configured to use the managed Isilon storage.
By default, the Isilon virtual appliance starts in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) mode. In DHCP networking
mode, the Isilon virtual appliance obtains an automatically generated IP address through DHCP if a DHCP server is available
on your network.
DHCP networking is typically recommended for only one-time or short-term use because the DHCP-generated IP address can
expire without warning, causing interruptions in the data-collection process or preventing you from logging into the Isilon
virtual appliance; in this case, each time the current DHCP IP address expires, you must run the Configuration Wizard in order
to view a newly obtained DHCP IP address.
If a DHCP-assigned IP address is not sufficient or appropriate for your environment, or if you do not have a DHCP server
available on your network, you can manually configure a specific static IP address for the Isilon virtual appliance. Running
the Isilon virtual appliance in DHCP mode can offer convenience during initial configuration; however, for long-term ongoing
use, it is recommended that you manually configure a static IP address for the Isilon virtual appliance.
System requirements
To run the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, your environment must meet the following minimum system requirements.
•
•
Isilon OneFS operating system: The managed cluster must be running OneFS 6.0.2.
VMware: The Isilon for vCenter plug-in requires the following VMware products:
•
•
•
•
•
VMware vCenter Server 4.0 or later
VMware ESX/ESXi 4.0 or later
Isilon for vCenter product license: Before installing the Isilon for vCenter plug-in, you must obtain an Isilon for
vCenter license key from Isilon Systems; for more information, contact your Isilon representative.
Isilon SnapshotIQ licenses: SnapshotIQ licenses are required for back-end operations of the Isilon for vCenter
plug-in. For more information, contact your Isilon representative.
Web browser: A web browser is used for a one-time configuration after the virtual appliance has a network address
configured. To enable the plug-in, you must log into the virtual appliance through a supported web browser and
associate it with a VMware vCenter Server. You can access the Isilon for vCenter application through any current
5
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
•
web browser that supports sophisticated graphics, for example Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0, Mozilla Firefox 3.5,
Google Chrome, and Apple Safari 4.
Storage space for the Isilon for vCenter data store: The virtual appliance that runs the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
stores the data for virtual machine backups and restores in a locally configured database. This virtual appliance is
configured to use 2 GB of disk space.
Before you begin, ensure that the virtual machine is connected to a network that can communicate with the monitored
cluster.
Note: Isilon for vCenter communicates with the monitored cluster on HTTPS port 9443.
Activate the license
On the Isilon cluster that you want to monitor through Isilon for vCenter, you must activate the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
by entering a valid license key. You must also activate the SnapshotIQ license if it is not already activated.
Follow this procedure to activate the Isilon for vCenter plug-in and, if necessary, the SnapshotIQ module.
1. Log into the Isilon cluster via the web administration interface.
2. On the Cluster menu, point to Cluster Management, and then click Activate license.
The Activate license page appears.
3. In the License key box, type the license key.
4. Read the end user license agreement, select the I have read and agree option, and then click Submit.
The License List page appears, displaying updated status information.
Install the Isilon virtual appliance
The Isilon virtual appliance is installed via an Open Virtualization Format (OVF) template file that is provided by your
Isilon representative.
1. In VMware ESX or VMware ESXi, on the File menu, click Deploy OVF Template.
The Deploy OVF Template wizard starts.
2. On the Source page, in the Deploy from a file or URL box, type or browse to the location of the OVF file, and then
click Next.
Note: If you lost or cannot locate the OVF file, contact your Isilon representative.
3. On the OVF Template Details page, review the details, and then click Next.
4. On the Name and Location page, provide the name for the deployed OVF template, select the folder location within
the inventory where the virtual appliance will reside, and then click Next.
5. On the Host / Cluster page, select the standalone host or cluster on which you want to run the deployed OVF
template, and then click Next.
6. On the Select a Datastore page, select a datastore to store the deployed OVF template files, and then click Next.
Note: Do not select a cluster that is managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
7. On the Disk Format page, optionally change the disk format, and then click Next.
8. On the Ready to Complete page, review the OVF template's configuration, and then click Finish.
The Isilon virtual appliance is added to your VMware inventory.
6
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
Configure the Isilon virtual appliance
The Isilon virtual appliance is configured onto the local network so that it can communicate with the VMware vCenter
Server and the Isilon storage cluster.
1. In the vSphere Client, right-click the Isilon virtual appliance and then click Open Console.
2. Click the green Power On icon.
The VM starts, and the login prompt appears.
3. At the login prompt, type administrator and then press ENTER.
4. At the password prompt, type default and then press ENTER.
5. At the (current) UNIX password prompt, type default (the current password) and then press ENTER.
6. At the Enter new UNIX password prompt, type the password that you want to configure for the administrator
account.
This is the password that you will use to log into the web-based application and the VM console. The password must
be at least one character long.
7. At the Retype new UNIX password prompt, retype the password and then press ENTER.
8. At the password for administrator prompt, type the new password that you just configured for the
administrator, and then press ENTER.
The system displays a DHCP-generated IP address, the Configuration Wizard starts, and the Wizard prompt appears.
Note:
•
•
If you want to run the Isilon virtual appliance in DHCP networking mode, make a note of the
DHCP-generated IP address; you will need to enter this address in a web browser to access the Isilon
virtual appliance. If you want to configure networking settings manually, you can disregard the
DHCP-generated IP address.
If the Isilon virtual appliance cannot detect an interface, it cannot be configured. The Isilon virtual appliance
requires exactly one interface to be configured and connected in VMware. If an error message appears
and indicates that no interfaces are available, you must exit the wizard, configure the VMware interface,
and then restart the Isilon virtual appliance.
9. Follow the prompts to Configure networking, and then select either of the following options.
•
•
To configure the Isilon virtual appliance to run in DHCP networking mode (the default method), select Exit
from the menu.
To configure networking manually, select Configure networking manually and then perform the
following steps:
1. Follow the prompts to configure a netmask for the Isilon virtual appliance.
2. Follow the prompts to configure the IP address that you want to use to access the Isilon virtual appliance.
Note: Make a note of this IP address; you will need to enter this address in a web browser each time
you access the Isilon virtual appliance.
3. Follow the prompts to configure a default gateway for the Isilon virtual appliance.
4. Follow the prompts to configure one or more DNS servers for the Isilon virtual appliance.
5. Follow the prompts to configure one or more search domains for the Isilon virtual appliance.
10. Commit your settings, exit the wizard, and then quit the VMware console.
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
7
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
Add vCenter Server to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
VMware vCenter Server enables Isilon for vCenter to centrally manage your VMware ESX or ESXi hosts.
1. In a supported web browser, connect to the Isilon for vCenter application at http://<ipaddress or host name>,
where <ipaddress or host name> is either the IP address or the host name for the Isilon for vCenter virtual appliance.
If you want to connect to the Isilon for vCenter application by a host name, you must first configure a host name for
the specified IP address in DNS.
The Isilon for vCenter application login page appears.
2. Log in to the Isilon for vCenter application with the username Administrator and the administrator password that
you configured for the Isilon virtual appliance.
The one-time Isilon for vCenter End User License Agreement (EULA) appears.
3. Review the EULA, click I have read and agree to, and then click Submit.
The Welcome to Isilon for vCenter page appears.
4. Provide the following information for the vCenter Server that you are using:
•
•
•
•
Name (an alias for this server)
IP Address
Username
Password
If the credentials are correct, the vCenter Server will be listed.
Enable and add Isilon clusters to the Isilon for vCenter plug-in
After performing this procedure, virtual machines on an iSCSI or NFS datastore that are configured on the managed
Isilon cluster can be backed up and restored using the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
Isilon for vCenter connects to the managed Isilon cluster as the local user 'vapi'.
Note: Prior to performing this procedure, you must set a password for the 'vapi' user. To do so, log into a node
on the cluster and run one of the following commands:
•
For pre-OneFS 6.5 operating systems, run the following command as root and follow the prompts to set the
new password:
passwd vapi
•
For OneFS 6.5 and later, run the following command, where <Password> is the password you want to set:
isi auth local users modify --name=vapi --password=<Password>
1. Open the VMware vSphere Client and log into the vCenter Server.
2. In the navigation menu, click to highlight the datacenter that contains the ESX servers or hosts that have access to
the Isilon clusters to be managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
3. Click the Isilon tab.
The Isilon for vCenter page appears.
Note: If the Isilon tab does not appear, follow these steps to enable the plug-in:
1. In the vSphere Client, on the Plug-ins menu, click Manage Plug-ins. The Plug-in Manager dialog box
opens.
2. In the list of installed plug-ins, right-click Isilon and then click Enable.
3. Click Close.
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©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
Isilon for vCenter Installation and Setup Guide
4. Click the Clusters menu.
The Cluster Management page appears.
5. Click Add Cluster.
The Add Isilon Cluster page appears.
6. Configure the following settings:
•
•
•
Cluster: Type the hostname or IP address of the Isilon cluster, or the name of a SmartConnect zone.
Username: Type vapi.
Password: Type the password for the 'vapi' user.
7. Click Submit.
The cluster is now managed by the Isilon for vCenter plug-in.
8. Enable the isi_vc_d service by logging into a node on the cluster and running the following command:
isi services isi_vc_d enable
©
2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
9
