Using Storage Manager for SANs

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

This section provides basic information about the system requirements for Storage Manager for SANs and its storage management features.

In this section:

  • Requirements for Storage Manager for SANs

  • Opening Storage Manager for SANs

  • Managing Storage on a Remote Computer

Requirements for Storage Manager for SANs

To use Storage Manager for SANs, the server and the storage subsystems must meet the following requirements:

  • The server must be running Windows Server 2008 with the Storage Manager for SANs feature installed. To add the feature, in Server Manager click the Features node, and then click Add Features to launch the Add Features Wizard.

  • The storage subsystems that you want to administer using Storage Manager for SANs must support Virtual Disk Service (VDS). For more information about VDS, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=93546.

  • The VDS hardware provider for each storage subsystem must be installed on the server.

  • The storage subsystems must be directly attached to your server or must be accessible over the network.

  • To use Storage Manager for SANs with an Internet SCSI (iSCSI) subsystem, an iSCSI software initiator such as Microsoft iSCSI Initiator must be installed on the server. iSCSI Initiator is available in Administrative Tools in Windows Server 2008. For more information about iSCSI, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=102299.

Opening Storage Manager for SANs

After you install the feature, you can use the Storage Manager for SANs Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

You must be a member of the local Administrators group, or equivalent, to use Storage Manager for SANs.

To open Storage Manager for SANs

  • In Administrative Tools, click Storage Manager for SANs.

    -Or-

  • Open Server Manager.

    1. Expand Roles, expand File Services, and expand Share and Storage Management.

    2. Click Storage Manager for SANs.

Performing Storage Management Tasks

The following is a list of tasks that you can perform from the three main nodes in Storage Manager for SANs.

LUN Management

  • View detailed information about the logical unit numbers (LUNs) on your Fibre Channel and iSCSI storage subsystems.

  • Create, rename, extend, delete, assign, and unassign LUNs.

  • Add servers or clusters to your storage area network (SAN) and enable host bus adaptor ports and iSCSI initiator adaptors on those servers or clusters.

  • Manage targets for iSCSI subsystems: create, remove, configure security settings for, and log on to iSCSI targets.

Subsystems

  • View detailed information about the storage subsystems in your SAN that have been discovered by VDS.

  • Rename a subsystem.

Drives

  • View detailed information about the disk drives in the storage subsystems that have been discovered in your SAN.

  • Make a drive light blink.

Managing Storage on a Remote Computer

To manage storage resources on a remote computer, you can connect to the computer from Storage Manager for SANs. While you are connected, the Results pane displays the objects created on the remote computer, which allows you to manage them from MMC.

To manage remote storage resources with Storage Manager for SANs:

  • The remote computer must be running Windows Server 2008, and at least one VDS hardware provider must be installed on it.

  • The remote computer must be a member of the same domain as the computer you are connecting from.

  • Enable the Remote Volume Management firewall exception on both the local computer and the remote computer. This exception can be enabled by using Windows Firewall in Control Panel.

  • You must be logged on to the local computer with a domain account that is a member of the Administrators group on the remote computer.

To connect to a remote computer from Storage Manager for SANs

  1. In Administrative Tools, click Storage Manager for SANs.

  2. In the console tree, right-click Storage Manager for SANs, and then click Connect to another computer.

  3. In the Connect to Another Computer dialog box, click Another computer. Then type the name of the computer that you want to connect to (or click Browse to search for a remote computer).

  4. Click OK.