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A200: Generation 6 Installation Guide
Generation 6 Installation Guide: Install new Generation 6 hardware
Generation 6 Installation Guide: Connect the internal cluster network
Generation 6 Installation Guide: Configure the node

Generated: April 10, 2023 3:27 PM GMT

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Publication Date: April, 2023

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 Contents
Preliminary Activity Tasks .......................................................................................................3
Read, understand, and perform these tasks.................................................................................................3

General Information for Removing and Installing FRUs..........................................................4

Avoiding Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) damage..........................................................................................4
Emergency procedures (without an ESD kit)...........................................................................................4
Removing, installing, or storing FRUs .....................................................................................................5
Install new Generation 6 hardware .........................................................................................5
Drive types ....................................................................................................................................................5
Unpack and verify components.....................................................................................................................6
Installation types ...........................................................................................................................................6
New cluster ...................................................................................................................................................6
New chassis..................................................................................................................................................6
New node pair...............................................................................................................................................6
Install the chassis rails ..................................................................................................................................6
Install the chassis..........................................................................................................................................9
Install compute modules and drive sleds ....................................................................................................10
Back panel ..................................................................................................................................................11
Multifunction button.....................................................................................................................................12
Supported switches.....................................................................................................................................13
Installing the switch.....................................................................................................................................14
Dell Switch configuration.............................................................................................................................17
Attaching network and power cables ..........................................................................................................18
Cable management.....................................................................................................................................18
Protect cables .............................................................................................................................................18
Ensure airflow .............................................................................................................................................20
Prepare for maintenance ............................................................................................................................20
Connect the internal cluster network...........................................................................................................20
Configure the node .....................................................................................................................................21

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Preliminary Activity Tasks
This section may contain tasks that you must complete before performing this procedure.

Read, understand, and perform these tasks

1. Table 1 lists tasks, cautions, warnings, notes, and/or knowledgebase (KB) solutions that you need to
be aware of before performing this activity. Read, understand, and when necessary perform any
tasks contained in this table and any tasks contained in any associated knowledgebase solution.

Table 1 List of cautions, warnings, notes, and/or KB solutions related to this activity

2. This is a link to the top trending service topics. These topics may or not be related to this activity.
This is merely a proactive attempt to make you aware of any KB articles that may be associated with
this product.

Note: There may not be any top trending service topics for this product at any given time.

Isilon - PowerScale Top Service Topics

IMPORTANT: Please take our survey! Isilon - PowerScale Procedure Quality Survey

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General Information for Removing and Installing FRUs
This section describes precautions you must take and general procedures you must follow when
removing, installing, or storing field-replaceable units (FRUs). The procedures in this section apply to FRU
handling during hardware upgrades as well as during general replacement.
FRUs are designed to be powered up at all times. This means you can accomplish FRU replacements
and most hardware upgrades while the cabinet is powered up. To maintain proper airflow for cooling and
to ensure EMI compliance, make sure all front bezels, filler panels, and filler modules are reinstalled after
the FRU replacement or hardware upgrade is completed.

Avoiding Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) damage

When replacing or installing FRUs, you can inadvertently damage the sensitive electronic circuits in the
equipment by simply touching them. Electrostatic charge that has accumulated on your body discharges
through the circuits. If the air in the work area is very dry, running a humidifier in the work area helps
decrease the risk of ESD damage. You must use the following procedures to prevent damage to the
equipment, so read the following instructions carefully.
• Provide enough room to work on the equipment. Clear the work site of any unnecessary materials or
materials that naturally build up electrostatic charge, such as foam packaging, foam cups, cellophane
wrappers, and similar items.
• Do not remove replacement or upgrade FRUs from their antistatic packaging until you are ready to
install them.
• Gather the ESD kit and all other materials you will need before you service a component. Once
servicing begins, you should avoid moving away from the work site; otherwise, you may build up an
electrostatic charge.
• Use the ESD kit when handling any FRU.
If an emergency arises and the ESD kit is not available, follow the procedures in the section
Emergency procedures (without an ESD kit).
• Use the ESD wristband that is supplied with your system.
To use it, attach the clip of the ESD wristband (strap) to any bare (unpainted) metal on the cabinet
enclosure; then secure the wristband around your wrist with the metal button against your skin.

Emergency procedures (without an ESD kit)

In an emergency, when an ESD kit is not available, use the following procedures to reduce the possibility
of an electrostatic discharge by ensuring that your body and the subassembly are at the same
electrostatic potential.

IMPORTANT: These procedures are not a substitute for the use of an ESD kit. You should follow them
only in the event of an emergency.

• Before touching any FRU, touch a bare (unpainted) metal surface of the enclosure.
• Before removing any FRU from its antistatic bag, place one hand firmly on a bare metal surface of the
enclosure, and at the same time, pick up the FRU while it is still sealed in the antistatic bag. Once you
have done this, do not move around the room or contact other furnishings, personnel, or surfaces
until you have installed the FRU.
• When you remove a FRU from the antistatic bag, avoid touching any electronic components and
circuits on it.

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 • If you must move around the room or touch other surfaces before installing a FRU, first place the
FRU back in the antistatic bag. When you are ready again to install the FRU, repeat these
procedures.

Removing, installing, or storing FRUs

Use the following precautions when you remove, handle, or store FRUs:
• Do not remove a FRU from the cabinet until you have the replacement available.
• Handle a FRU only when wearing a properly attached ESD wristband:
Attach the clip of the ESD wristband to the ESD bracket or to a bare metal portion of the FRU’s
enclosure.
Secure the wristband around your wrist with the metal button against your skin.
• Handle a FRU gently. A sudden jar, drop, or violent vibration can permanently damage some FRUs.
• The weight of some FRUs is not evenly distributed. To prevent personal injury or equipment damage
when removing, installing, or handling theses FRUs, use both hands and provide extra support at the
heavy end of the FRU.
• Never use excessive force to remove or install a FRU.
• Store a FRU in the antistatic bag and the specially designed shipping container in which you received
it. Use this special shipping container when you need to return the FRU.
• If you need to store a FRU for a short time, make sure the temperature of the location where you
store the FRU is within the limits specified by the FRU’s Technical Specifications.
• Disk modules are sensitive to the extreme temperatures sometimes encountered during shipping. We
recommend that you leave a new disk module in its shipping container and allow it to acclimate to the
installation site’s ambient temperature for at least four hours before operating the new module in the
system.
• When removing a disk module, pull the module part way out of the slot; then wait 30 seconds for the
drive to spin down before removing it.
• When installing multiple disks in a powered-up system, wait at least 6 seconds before sliding the
second and each subsequent disk into the system.
• Place a disk module on a soft, antistatic surface, such as an industry-standard antistatic foam pad or
the container used to ship the module. Never place a disk module directly on a hard surface.

Install new Generation 6 hardware

Drive types
This installation guide applies to nodes that contain any of the following drive types: self-encrypting
drives (SEDs), hard disk drives (HDDs), and solid state drives (SSDs).

CAUTION:
Only install the drives that were shipped with the node. Do not mix drives of different capacities in your node.

If you remove drive sleds from the chassis during installation, ensure to label the sleds clearly. Replace
the drive sleds in the same sled bay you removed them from. If drive sleds are mixed between nodes,
even before configuration, the system is inoperable.

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If you are working with a node containing SEDs, the node might take up to two hours longer to join the
cluster than a node with standard drives. Do not power off the node during the join process.

Unpack and verify components

Before you install any equipment, inspect it to ensure that no damage occurred during transit.
Remove all components from the shipping package, and inspect the components for any sign of
damage. Do not use a damaged component.

NOTE:
To avoid personal injury or damage to the hardware, always use multiple people to lift and move heavy equipment.

Installation types
You may be able to skip certain sections of this procedure based on the type of installation you are
performing.

New cluster
If you are installing a new cluster, follow every step in this procedure. Repeat the procedure for each
chassis you install.
If you are installing a new cluster with more than 22 nodes, or if you are growing an existing cluster to
include more than 22 nodes, follow the instructions in Install a new cluster using Leaf-Spine configuration
in the Leaf-Spine Cluster Installation Guide. See the PoweScale Site Preparation and Planning Guide for
more information about the Leaf-Spine network topology.

New chassis
If you are adding a new Generation 6 chassis to an existing cluster, follow every step in this procedure.

New node pair

If you are installing a new node pair in an existing chassis, you can skip the steps in this procedure that
describe how to install rails and a chassis.

Install the chassis rails

Install the adjustable chassis rails in the rack.
You can install your chassis in standard ANSI/EIA RS310D 19-inch rack systems, including all racks.
The rail kit is compatible with rack cabinets with the following hole types:

• 3/8 inch square holes

• 9/32-inch round holes
• 10-32, 12-24, M5X.8, or M6X1 prethreaded holes
The rails adjust in length from 24 to 36 inches to accommodate various cabinet depths. The rails are not
left-specific or right-specific and can be installed on either side of the rack.

NOTE:

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Check the depth of the racks to ensure that they fit the depth of the chassis being installed. The Generation 6 Site Preparation and
Planning Guide provides details.

The two rails are packaged separately inside the chassis shipping container.
1. Separate a rail into front and back pieces.
Pull up on the locking tab, and slide the two sections of the rail apart.

2. Remove the mounting screws from the back section of the rail.
The back section is the thinner of the two rail sections. There are three mounting screws that are
attached to the back bracket. There are also two smaller alignment screws. Do not uninstall the
alignment screws.

3. Attach the back section of the rail to the rack with the three mounting screws.
Ensure that the locking tab is on the outside of the rail.

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 4. Remove the mounting screws from the front section of the rail.
The front section is the wider of the two rail sections. There are three mounting screws that are
attached to the front bracket. There are also two smaller alignment screws. Do not uninstall the
alignment screws.
5. Slide the front section of the rail onto the back section that is secured to the rack.

6. Adjust the rail until you can insert the alignment screws on the front bracket into the rack.
7. Attach the front section of the rail to the rack with only two of the mounting screws.
Attach the mounting screws in the holes between the top and bottom alignment screws. You will
install mounting screws in the top and bottom holes after the chassis is installed, to secure the
chassis to the rack.

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 8. Repeat these steps to install the second rail in the rack.

Install the chassis

Slide the chassis onto the installed rails and secure the chassis to the rack.

NOTE:
A chassis that contains drives and nodes can weigh up to 285 pounds. We recommend that you attach the chassis to a lift to install
it in a rack. If a lift is not available, you must remove all drive sleds and nodes from the chassis before you attempt to lift it. Even
when the chassis is empty, only attempt to lift and install the chassis with multiple people.

CAUTION:
If you remove drive sleds from the chassis during installation, make sure to label the sleds clearly. You must replace the drive sleds
in the same sled bay you removed them from. If drive sleds are mixed between nodes, even prior to configuration, the system will
be inoperable.

1. Align the chassis with the rails that are attached to the rack.
2. Slide the first few inches of the back of the chassis onto the supporting ledge of the rails.
3. Release the lift casters and carefully slide the chassis into the cabinet as far as the lift will allow.
4. Secure the lift casters on the floor.
5. Carefully push the chassis off the lift arms and into the rack.

CAUTION:
Make sure to leave the lift under the chassis until the chassis is safely balanced and secured within the cabinet.
6. Install two mounting screws at the top and bottom of each rail to secure the chassis to the rack.

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 7. If you removed the drives and nodes prior to installing the chassis, re-install them now.

Install compute modules and drive sleds

Follow the steps in this section if you are installing a new node pair into an existing chassis, or if you
needed to remove compute modules and drive sleds to safely install the chassis in the rack.

CAUTION:
Remember, you must install drive sleds with the compute module they were packaged with on arrival to the site. If you removed the
compute nodes and drive sleds to rack the chassis, you must replace the drive sleds and compute modules in the same bays from
which you removed them. If drive sleds are mixed between nodes, even before configuration, the system is inoperable.

If all compute nodes and drive sleds are already installed in the chassis, you can skip this section.

1. At the back of the chassis, locate the empty node bay where you install the node.
2. Pull the release lever away from the node.
Keep the lever in the open position until the node is pushed all the way in to the node bay.
3. Slide the node into the node bay.

NOTE:
Support the compute node with both hands until it is fully inserted in the drive bay.

4. Push the release lever in against the node back panel.

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 You can feel the lever pull the node into place in the bay. If you do not feel the lever pull the
node into the bay, pull the lever back into the open position, make sure that the node is pushed
all the way into the node bay, then push the lever in against the node again.
5. Tighten the thumbscrew on the release lever to secure the lever in place. Node automatically
powers up when you insert it into the bay.
6. At the front of the chassis, locate the empty drive sled bays where you install the drive sleds that
correspond to the compute module you installed.
7. Make sure the drive sled handle is open before inserting the drive sled.
8. With two hands, slide the drive sled into the sled bay.
9. Push the drive sled handle back into the face of the sled to secure the drive sled in the bay.

10. Repeat the previous steps to install all drive sleds for the corresponding compute module.
11. Repeat all the steps in this section to install other nodes.

Back panel
The back panel provides connections for power, network access, and serial communication, as well as
access to the power supplies and cache SSDs.

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1. 1GbE management and SSH port 6. Multifunction button

2. Internal network ports 7. Power supply

3. External network ports 8. Cache SSDs

4. Console connector 9. USB connector

5. Do Not Remove LED 10. HDMI debugging port

NOTE:
1GbE management interface on Generation 6 hardware is designed to handle SSH traffic only.

CAUTION:
Only trained Isilon personnel should connect to the node with the USB or HDMI debugging ports. For direct access to the node,
connect to the console connector.

CAUTION:
Do not connect mobile devices to the USB connector for charging.

Multifunction button
You can perform two different functions with the multifunction button. With a short press of the button,
you can begin a stack dump. With a long press of the button, you can force the node to power off.

NOTE:
It is recommended to power off nodes from the OneFS command line. Only power off a node with the multifunction button if the
node does not respond to the OneFS command.

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 Supported switches
Switches ship with the proper rails or tray to install the switch in the rack.

The following internal network switches ship with rails to install the switch. The switch rails are adjustable
to fit NEMA front rail to rear rail spacing ranging from 22 in. to 34 in.

Table 1. Z9264F-ON Ethernet switch

Switch Maximum number of ports Network

Z9264F-ON 128-port 64x100 GbE, 64x40 GbE, 128x10 GbE, 128 x 25GbE (with
breakout cables)

The Z9264F-ON is a fixed 2U Ethernet switch. The Z9264-F provides either 64 ports of 100 GbE or 40
GbE in QSFP28 or 128 ports of 25 GbE or 10 GbE by breakout. Breakout cables are only used in the odd-
numbered ports and using one in odd-numbered port disables the corresponding even-numbered port. For
example, you can use 10 GbE or 25 GbE = 128 (32x 4:1 breakouts). You can then mix and match by
removing 2x 40 GbE or 100 GbE and adding 4x 10 GbE or 25 GbE, and conversely.

Table 2. Z9100-ON Ethernet switch

Switch Maximum number of ports Network

Z9100-ON 128-port 32x100 GbE, 32x40 GbE, 128x10 GbE (with breakout cables),
128 x 25GbE

The Z9100-ON fixed 1U Ethernet switch can accommodate high port density (lower and upper RUs). The
switch accommodates multiple interface types (32 ports of 100 GbE or 40 GbE in QSFP28 or 128 ports of
25 GbE or 10 GbE with breakout).

NOTE:
In OneFS 8.2.0 and later, the Z9100-ON switch is required for Leaf-Spine networking of large clusters.

Table 3. S5232 Ethernet switch

Switch Maximum number of Network

ports

S5232 128-port 32x100 GbE, 32x40 GbE, 128x10 GbE (with breakout cables), 128 x
25GbE (with breakout cables)

Only 124 10/25 GE nodes can be supported on the S5232 through breakout.

Table 4. S4148F-ON Ethernet switch

Switch Maximum number of ports Network

S4148F-ON 48-port 2x40 GbE 48x10 GbE

The S4148F-ON is the next generation family of 10 GbE (48 ports) top-of-rack, aggregation-switch, or

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router products that aggregate 10 GbE server or storage devices. The switch provides multi speed uplinks
for maximum flexibility and simple management.

Table 5. S4112F-ON Ethernet switch

Switch Maximum number of Network

ports

S4112F-ON 12-port 3x100 GbE (with breakout, connect 12x10 GbE nodes using the
3x100 GbE ports) 12 x10GbE

The S4112F-ON supports 10/100GbE with 12 fixed SFP+ ports to implement 10 GbE and three fixed
QSFP28 ports to implement 4x10 or 4x25 using breakout. A total of 24 10 GbE connections including the
three fixed QSFP28 ports using 4x10 breakout cables.

Table 6. InfiniBand switches

Switch Ports Network

Mellanox Neptune MSX6790 36-port QDR InfiniBand

Installing the switch

The switches ship with the proper rails or tray to install the switch in the rack.

NOTE:
If the installation instructions in this section do not apply to the switch you are using, follow the procedures provided by your switch
manufacturer.

CAUTION:
If the switch you are installing features power connectors on the front of the switch, it is important to leave space between
appliances to run power cables to the back of your rack. There is no 0U cable management option available at this time.

1. Remove rails and hardware from packaging.

2. Verify that all components are included.
3. Locate the inner and outer rails and secure the inner rail to the outer rail.
4. Attach the rails assembly to the rack using the eight screws as illustrated in the following figure.

NOTE:
The rail assembly is adjustable for NEMA, front to rear spacing extends from 22 in to 34 in.

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 Figure 1. Install the inner rail to the outer rail

5. Attach the switch rails to the switch by placing the larger side of the mounting holes on the inner
rail over the shoulder studs on the switch. Press the rail even against the switch.

NOTE:
The orientation of the rail tabs for the front NEMA rail are located on the power supply side of the switch.

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 Figure 2. Install the inner rails

6. Slide the inner rail towards the rear of the switch slide into the smaller side of each of the
mounting holes on the inner rail. Ensure the inner rail is firmly in place.
7. Secure the switch to the rail, securing the bezel clip and switch to the rack using the two screws
as illustrated in the following figure.

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 Figure 3. Secure the switch to the rail

8. Snap the bezel in place.

Dell Switch configuration

Install the configuration file depending on the switch you are using, and the role for which it is being
configured.
The following steps apply only to switches that are running DNOS 10.5.0.6 with the exception of the
S5232, which requires DNOS 10.5.2.7.
1. For all flat, top of rack (ToR) setups of switches S4112, S4148, Z9100, S5232, and Z9264, run
the following command to configure the leaf role:

configure terminal

smartfabric l3fabric enable role LEAF

For Leaf and Spine network configuration, see the PowerScale Leaf Spine Cluster Installation
Guide.
2. The following prompt appears: Reboot to change the personality? [yes/no]
Type yes.

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The switch reboots, and loads the configuration.

Attaching network and power cables

Network and power cables must be attached to make sure that there are redundant power and network
connections, and dressed to allow for easy maintenance in the future.
The following image shows you how to attach your internal network and power cables for a node pair.
Both node pairs in a chassis must be cabled in the same way.

1. To internal network switch 2 2. To internal network switch 1

3. To PDU 1 4. To PDU 2

Work with the site manager to determine external network connections, and bundle the additional
network cables together with the internal network cables from the same node pair.
It is important to keep future maintenance in mind as you dress the network and power cables. Cables
must be dressed loosely enough to allow you to:

• remove any of the four compute nodes from the back of the Generation 6 chassis.
• remove power supplies from the back of compute nodes.

In order to avoid dense bundles of cables, you can dress the cables from the node pairs to either side of
the rack. For example, dress the cables from nodes 1 and 2 toward the lower right corner of the chassis,
and dress the cables from nodes 3 and 4 toward the lower left corner of the chassis.
Wrap network cables and power cables into two separate bundles to avoid EMI (electromagnetic
interference) issues, but make sure that both bundles easily shift together away from components that
need to be removed during maintenance, such as compute nodes and power supplies.

Cable management
To protect the cable connections, organize cables for proper airflow around the cluster, and to ensure
fault-free maintenance of the nodes.

Protect cables

NOTE:

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1GbE management interface on Generation 6 hardware is designed to handle SSH traffic only.

Damage to the cables can affect the cluster performance. Consider the following to protect cables and
cluster integrity:

• Never bend cables beyond the recommended bend radius. The recommended bend radius for
any cable is at least 10–12 times the diameter of the cable. For example, if a cable is 1.6 inches,
round up to 2 inches and multiply by 10 for an acceptable bend radius. Cables differ, so follow
the recommendations of the cable manufacturer.
• As illustrated in the following figure, the most important design attribute for bend radius
consideration is the minimum mated cable clearance (Mmcc). Mmcc is the distance from the
bulkhead of the chassis through the mated connectors/strain relief including the depth of the
associated 90 degree bend. Multimode fiber has many modes of light (fiber optic) traveling
through the core. As each of these modes moves closer to the edge of the core, light and the
signal are more likely to be reduced, especially if the cable is bent. In a traditional multimode
cable, as the bend radius is decreased, the amount of light that leaks out of the core increases,
and the signal decreases.

Figure 1. Cable design

• Keep cables away from sharp edges or metal corners.

• Never bundle network cables with power cables. If network and power cables are not bundled
separately, electromagnetic interference (EMI) can affect the data stream.
• When bundling cables, do not pinch or constrict the cables.
• Avoid using zip ties to bundle cables, instead use velcro hook-and-loop ties that do not have
hard edges, and can be removed without cutting. Fastening cables with velcro ties also reduces
the impact of gravity on the bend radius.

NOTE:
Gravity decreases the bend radius and results in the loss of light (fiber optic), signal power, and quality.

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 • For overhead cable supports:
o Ensure that the supports are anchored adequately to withstand the significant weight of
bundled cables. Anchor cables to the overhead supports, then again to the rack to add a
second point of support.
o Do not let cables sag through gaps in the supports. Gravity can stretch and damage
cables over time. You can anchor cables to the rack with velcro ties at the mid-point of
the cables to protect your cable bundles from sagging.
o Place drop points in the supports that allow cables to reach racks without bending or
pulling.
• If the cable is running from overhead supports or from underneath a raised floor, be sure to
include vertical distances when calculating necessary cable lengths.

Ensure airflow
Bundled cables can obstruct the movement of conditioned air around the cluster.
9. Secure cables away from fans.
10.To keep conditioned air from escaping through cable holes, employ flooring seals or grommets.

Prepare for maintenance

To accommodate future work on the cluster, design the cable infrastructure. Think ahead to required
tasks on the cluster, such as locating specific pathways or connections, isolating a network fault, or
adding and removing nodes and switches.

• Label both ends of every cable to denote the node or switch to which it should connect.
• Leave a service loop of cable behind nodes. Service technicians should be able to slide a node
out of the rack without pulling on power or network connections. In the case of Generation 6
nodes, you should be able to slide any of the four nodes out of the chassis without disconnecting
any cables from the other three nodes.

WARNING:
If adequate service loops are not included during installation, downtime might be required to add service loops later.
• Allow for future expansion without the need for tearing down portions of the cluster.

Connect the internal cluster network

Internal network cables connect nodes to the cluster's internal network so the nodes can communicate
with each other.

1. Depending on the type of internal network card in the node, connect a network cable between
the int-a port, the bottom of the two ports, and the network switch for the Internal A network.
2. For the secondary internal network, connect the int-b port, the top port, to a separate network
switch for the int-b network.

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1. int-a port 2. int-b port

Configure the node

Before using the node, you must either create a new cluster or add the node to an existing cluster.

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