Planning and Compatibility

Before you take advantage of the robust management and monitoring capabilities of StorNext Connect, make sure to read the planning and requirements information for StorNext Connect.

StorNext Connect is a single graphical interface that connects your Quantum appliances and StorNext resources. Therefore, you should also familiarize yourself with the planning and requirements information for the other Quantum products that make up your StorNext environment.

See the site planning and requirements documentation for the hardware components that make up the StorNext environment (for example, appliance server, storage, tape library) to understand the hardware-specific requirements.

Review the following sections to understand the network configuration that must be in place for a successful StorNext Connect installation.

Domain Name System (DNS) is recommended for hostname resolution. If the environment does not have a DNS server, use IP addresses or hostnames (in the /etc/hosts file) to identify system services (such as NTP and SMTP) and clients, which ensures resolution with the StorNext Connect system.

Note: The hostnames must be consistent across all devices.

At least one DNS server, but no more than three, can be set for the management network. Make sure consistent valid lookup of hostnames is available on the metadata network. If hostname resolution is not met, discovery may not be able to find all nodes in the StorNext Connect workspaces, and it is likely that data for some nodes will not appear in the applications.

You can run the command nslookup to query the configured domain name server and return the IP address for a domain name (or vice versa). For example:

nslookup <domain_name|IP_address>

Quantum strongly recommends you have a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server in place. The NTP allows you to:

  • Keep the time synchronized between different components and data shared within the StorNext workspace (cluster).
  • Alleviate data mismatches caused by incorrect time stamps between both nodes of an HA server pair and the metadata on their shared file system.
  • Keep the date and time between the two server nodes of an HA server pair consistent, and thus keep HA reliable.
  • Ensure consistent time synchronization and communication between connected Quantum products.

To avoid errors, it is critical that all the server nodes and other components that capture time stamps and operate in the same network are synchronized to the same time. If an Internet connection is available, we recommend you use a public NTP server pool. If there is no outside connection available, set up an internal NTP server on another node and use that server as the NTP server. That way the time and date stamps for data will be consistent.

If the environment does not have a DNS server, use the IP address or a hostname (in the /etc/hosts file) to configure NTP.

Note: The hostnames must be consistent across all devices.

NTP is not required for single-node appliances. However, if NTP is not configured, and client stats are transmitted with a time that is later than the time on the StorNext Connect system, the stats are discarded and StorNext Connect does not report accurate monitoring stats.

See Configuration > System to change your network configuration settings.

StorNext Connect requires a valid IP route to any managed or monitored system.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is recommended but not required. If an SMTP server is not configured, StorNext Connect cannot send password recovery emails.

If the environment does not have a DNS server, use the IP address or a hostname (in the /etc/hosts file) to configure SMTP.

Note: The hostnames must be consistent across all devices.

  • StorNext Connect does not provide health monitoring for StorNext QD-, QM-, and QS-Series storage. This means that the Storage Arrays widget on the Dashboard does not report data for those types of systems.
  • The StorNext M330 Metadata Appliance can be discovered and monitored from a StorNext Connect system. An M330 Metadata Appliance cannot function as a host for StorNext Connect. If it is to be discovered and monitored, an M330 needs to follow the same prerequisites and compatibility rules in the Planning and Compatibility section. Quantum Professional Services installation with a reviewed and approved site configuration is required.

StorNext Connect performs many monitoring and collection tasks. These tasks consume resources of the Quantum appliance (Node 2 in a high-availability, dual-node system). To ensure proper operation of StorNext Connect, follow the guidelines below. In the event that these guidelines have been exceeded, contact Quantum Support.

Notes

  • Replication-configured volumes (file systems) are not supported.
  • 25 clients per Quantum appliance are supported.

Total number of systems (MDC/Workflow Director HA pairs)

4

Total number of clients (monitored/managed)

100

Total number of tape libraries

10

Total number of tape drives

N/A

Total number of concurrent users

9

Total historical data retained (years)

3

StorNext Connect is a collection of independent applications, with some dependencies between them as necessary. The applications are released in compatible bundles. All StorNext Connect applications have incrementing integer version numbers (for example, 1, 2, 3). Quantum recommends using the latest versions of StorNext Connect applications for the latest features and functions.

See the Planning and Compatibility section of the StorNext Connect Doc Center for the requirements for enabling and operating StorNext Connect.

Update All Applications or Install an Application through the App Store.

The Connector is made up of several components that StorNext Connect uses to communicate with clients for monitoring and management tasks. The Connector passes statistics to StorNext Connect, allows StorNext Connect to execute administrative commands on the client, and provides information about StorNext and the client operating system to StorNext Connect.

Many StorNext Connect applications rely on the Connector. Make sure the same (and latest) version of the Connector is installed on the StorNext Connect system and all hosts in the environment to ensure proper operation.

When you update to Discover Components, StorNext Connect rediscovers the name servers that were established for the environment before the update. If any of the hosts are offline, discovery will not be able to identify them. After you get the hosts back online, perform a rediscovery so that StorNext Connect recognizes them again.

If Discover Components does not find the name servers during the post-update rediscovery, you can perform a rediscovery and manually enter the name servers.

If the environment includes two or more separate Connect systems, only one can manage a given client. Therefore, each workspace (cluster) can be managed by a single Connect system. This ensures that Discover Components reflects complete and accurate information about each client.

Quantum recommends you update your system to the latest version of StorNext software. The latest versions of StorNext Connect and StorNext software provide the latest features and functions for your system.

See Upgrade the System (Upgrade Firmware).

Note: Xcellis configurations using 900 GB drives for metadata-only QXS-424 are not supported prior to StorNext 5.3.1.1.

QXS minimum firmware level GL105P005 (or later) is required.

Note: Xcellis Workflow Director systems do not support QXS releases prior to GL210.

StorNext Connect uses clients for capturing monitoring data and configuration information. Quantum highly recommends that all client versions be updated to the latest version of StorNext software for full support of all StorNext Connect features and functionality.

StorNext Connect supports management of StorNext Linux clients only (includes install and upgrade operations). For complete StorNext client operating system support, see StorNext Client Operating System Support.

Make sure the same (and latest) version of the Connector is installed on the StorNext Connect system and all hosts in the environment to ensure proper operation.

StorNext Connect software supports current and future Quantum appliances.

StorNext Connect provides full support for single- or dual-node configurations of the Xcellis Workflow Director or the Xcellis Workflow Extender appliance.

  • New installations of StorNext Connect are not supported.

  • The metadata appliance is supported for upgrade scenarios only.

    Note: The metadata appliance must be running StorNext 6.1 (or earlier) in order to upgrade.

The Xcellis Workflow Extender Gateway is not supported for hosting StorNext Connect.

StorNext Connect only provides Dashboard (health monitoring) support.

Use a supported browser so that the myStorNext website and StorNext Connect display and work properly. Unsupported browsers typically render poor formatting on the screen. In addition, make sure you have applied all updates and security fixes issued for the browser or device.

Note: All browser displays must be 1024 in width or higher.

Tablets and iOS devices do not support the management of clients, or the ability to export chart data.

Browser/Device OS

StorNext Connect

Chrome current version

✓

Edge current version

✓

Firefox current version

✓

IE 11

✓

macOS Safari current version

✓

The table provides the list of the most current StorNext client operating systems supported.

StorNext Client OS

Discover

Monitor

Manage

CentOS 7.x

 Yes

Yes

Yes

Debian

 Yes

No

No

macOS 10.14 (or later)

Not supported.

RHEL 7.x

 Yes

Yes

Yes

SLES 11 or 12.1 (or later)

 Yes Yes Yes

Ubuntu 14.01.x, where x is greater than or equal to 1

 Yes Yes Yes

Ubuntu 16 and 18

 Not supported.

All Windows clients supported by StorNext.

 Yes

Requires Connector V18 or later.

No

Note: For StorNext client operating systems not listed in the table, the Discover Components application identifies components as long as the client operating system is supported and listed within the StorNext Compatibility Guide.