So I was visiting a customer recently and the topic came up of building a linux based SMC/SPA server, also called SMAS. I have been asked this a few times, so with lots of inspiration from @vtexan I am putting some instructions in blog form.
The first thing you will need is a base linux image. I use CentOS, and in this case I used version 5.7 x86. You can use x86 or x86_64. If you are going to install SPA then you will want at least 120GB of space for possible growth of the logs. If its just SMC, then you can do 20GB or so. The safest way to install CentOS would just to use the default, when I build mine I uncheck X, as I want mine as lightweight as possible. I also include development librariers and Legacy Libraries such as glibc.
Once you have your linux VM built, you will need to assign some gatekeepers as RDM’s. The general rule of thumb is 6-8 GK’s. So go ahead and present those GK’s and then reboot the Linux VM. Once that is finished you will need to go to powerlink and download the Solutions Enabler package for linux, and the SMAS package.
Solutions Enabler is located here
Home > Support > Software Downloads and Licensing > Downloads S > Solutions Enabler
the current version is 7.3.1 and for linux you will want this package
Kit for Linux x86 and x64 hosts.
MD5 Checkum = 9809ac14ed8bfcc19789d7d5671d6015
Once you have the tar file, SCP it over using a tool like WinSCP or Cyberduck.
Once it is over on your VM, you will want to decompress it.
[root@smc ~]# tar xzvf se7310-Linux-i386-ni.tar.gz
Once it is decompressed, lets go ahead and kick of the install, I am including all of the options and output I used.
[root@smc ~]# ./se7310_install.sh -install #---------------------------------------------------------------------------- # EMC Installation Manager #---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2010, EMC Corporation All rights reserved. The terms of your use of this software are governed by the applicable contract. Do you want to import public key for verifying Digital Signatures? [Y]: Solutions Enabler Native Installer [RT] Kit Location : /i386 Install root directory [/opt/emc] : Working root directory [/usr/emc] : Checking for OS version compatibility...... Checking for previous installation of Solutions Enabler...... Following daemons can be set to run as a non-root user: storsrvd, storevntd, storgnsd, storwatchd Do you want to run these daemons as a non-root user? [N]: Checking for active processes..... Checking for active SYMCLI components... Checking for LIBGCC version compatibility...... Install All EMC Solutions Enabler Shared Libraries and Run Time Environment ? [Y]: Install Symmetrix Command Line Interface SYMCLI ? [Y]: Install Option to Enable JNI Interface for EMC Solutions Enabler APIs ? [N]: Install EMC Solutions Enabler SRM Components ? [N]: Install EMC Solutions Enabler SYMRECOVER Components ? [Y]: Do you want to change default permission on /var/symapi directory from [755]? [N]: Installing symcli-data-V7.3.1-0.i386.rpm..... Installing symcli-thincore-V7.3.1-0.i386.rpm..... Installing symcli-base-V7.3.1-0.i386.rpm..... Installing symcli-symcli-V7.3.1-0.i386.rpm..... Installing symcli-symrecover-V7.3.1-0.i386.rpm..... Enabling stordaemon... Do not forget to run 'symcfg discover' after the installation completes and whenever your configuration changes. You may need to manually rediscover remotely connected arrays. Please see the installation notes for further information. #----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # The following HAS BEEN INSTALLED in /opt/emc via the rpm utility. #----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ITEM PRODUCTVERSION 01 EMC Solutions EnablerV7.3.1.0 RT KIT #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now you have successfully installed Solutions Enabler, now you can test it by doing a few things.
First thing is run the symcfg discover command to tell Solutions Enabler to find the GK’s you presented as RDM’s.
After that runs, you will do a sympd list. This will show you the GK devices and its details. If for some reason you don’t get a list, then the OS does not see the GK’s and you need to troubleshoot that first. Without a GK present, then SMC will not be able to communicate with the VMAX.
[root@smc bin]# /opt/emc/SYMCLI/bin/symcfg discover This operation may take up to a few minutes. Please be patient... [root@smc bin]# ./sympd list Symmetrix ID: 000194900728 Device Name Directors Device --------------------------- ------------- ------------------------------------- Cap Physical Sym SADA :IT Config Attribute Sts (MB) --------------------------- ------------- ------------------------------------- /dev/sdb 003D 08E:0 07B:D0 2-Way Mir N/Grp'd RW 3 /dev/sdc 0061 08E:0 07D:C5 2-Way Mir N/Grp'd RW 3 /dev/sdd 0062 08E:0 08C:C5 2-Way Mir N/Grp'd RW 3
So now, we have verified that we can see our GK devices, and we are ready to install SMAS.
Download the latest version of SMAS here
Home > Support > Software Downloads and Licensing > Downloads S > Symmetrix Management Solution
Now there is a specific version for 32 or 64-bit. So make sure you get the one that is appropriate for you.
Now transfer this file over to your VM.
Now we are ready to install SMAS, I am going to save you time by not making you read the install guide, and give you a command you need to run so that the MySQL installation will work. Without doing this SPA will NOT work correctly.
[root@smc ~]# groupadd mysql [root@smc ~]# useradd -m -g mysql -p mysql mysql
This creates the correct mysql user and group that SMAS needs to operate correctly.
Now we need to make the installer we downloaded executable. So perform the following command.
[root@smc ~]# chmod +x SMAS_V7.3.1.4_LINUX_X86_32.bin
Now we can go ahead and run the installer, I am going to paste all of the output here
[root@smc ~]# ./SMAS_V7.3.1.4_LINUX_X86_32.bin Preparing to install... Extracting the JRE from the installer archive... Unpacking the JRE... Extracting the installation resources from the installer archive... Configuring the installer for this system's environment... Launching installer... =============================================================================== EMC SMAS (created with InstallAnywhere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preparing CONSOLE Mode Installation... Custom code execution Started... Custom code execution Completed... Custom code execution Started... Custom code execution Completed... Custom code execution Started... Custom code execution Completed... =============================================================================== Introduction ------------ InstallAnywhere will guide you through the installation of EMC SMAS V7.3.1.4. It is strongly recommended that you quit all programs before continuing with this installation. Respond to each prompt to proceed to the next step in the installation. If you want to change something on a previous step, type 'back'. You may cancel this installation at any time by typing 'quit'. PRESS <ENTER> TO CONTINUE: =============================================================================== Choose Install Folder --------------------- Where would you like to install? Default Install Folder: /opt/emc ENTER AN ABSOLUTE PATH, OR PRESS <ENTER> TO ACCEPT THE DEFAULT : Custom code execution Started... Custom code execution Completed... =============================================================================== Choose Install Set ------------------ Please choose the Install Set to be installed by this installer. ->1- SMC 2- SPA ENTER THE NUMBER FOR THE INSTALL SET, OR PRESS <ENTER> TO ACCEPT THE DEFAULT : 2 =============================================================================== SPA Install - MySQL User and Group ---------------------------------- Create the 'mysql' group and 'mysql' user before continuing. PRESS <ENTER> TO ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING (OK): =============================================================================== Symapi Connection Type ---------------------- Enter your Initial Setup User and select a Symapi Connection Type. If you select Remote connection, enter the Node Name and Net Port. Enter Initial Setup User (DEFAULT: smc): ->1- Local 2- Remote Symapi Connection Type(Default:Local): =============================================================================== Ports Configuration ------------------- Please select port(s) type and enter the port number to connect to Symmetrix Management Application Server Note: Use the specified port(s) in your browser to launch Symmetrix Management Application Server software features. Enter HTTPS Port Number (DEFAULT: 8443): ->1- Yes 2- No Do you want to configure HTTP Port?(DEFAULT:1): Enter HTTP Port Number (DEFAULT: 7070): Enter DB Port Number (DEFAULT: 3324): =============================================================================== Pre-Installation Summary ------------------------ Please Review the Following Before Continuing: Install Folder: /opt/emc Install Features: SPA,SMC HTTPS:8443 HTTP:7070 DB Port:3324 Symapi Connection: SMC Username:smc Connection Type:Local Disk Space: Required Disk Space:81920.0MB Available Disk Space:133817.4MB NOTE: The system must meet or exceed the disk space requirements. If you do not have enough disk space, the install may succeed, but the application may not function properly and you may lose application data. Press Enter to continue: =============================================================================== Installing... ------------- [==================|==================|==================|==================] [------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------] =============================================================================== Installation Complete --------------------- Congratulations. EMC SMAS has been successfully installed to: /opt/emc PRESS <ENTER> TO EXIT THE INSTALLER: Custom code execution Started... Custom code execution Completed...
That completes the SMAS install, give it a few minutes to start as it does a lot of initialization for the MySQL database. One of the things we can do in the meantime is make sure that SMAS starts up whenever the VM boots. So we execute the following command.
[root@smc bin]# chkconfig --level 345 smas on
This tells the OS to launch SMAS for us at boot-time.
Now you can launch your web browser and go to the following URL
Https://<SMC IP ADDRESS>:8443
Then login using the defualt account we created
Login: smc Password: smc
Now you have a working SMC install!
Now we can also launch SPA
https://<SMC IP ADDRESS>:8443/spa
There you have it! you now have a SMAS linux appliance.
Onne thing to note, we do have pre-built vApp’s in OVF format for both Solutions Enabler and SMC/SPA, they are in the same sections on the Powerlink website, with instructions on how to use/deploy them.
here is a screenshot of where the vApp files are for SMAS.
And where the vApp is for Solutions Enabler.