Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager Software GUI Help

5.3 Options window

In the Options window, you can do the following:

View the HDLM operating environment

Set the HDLM operating environment

For details on how to view or set up the HDLM operating environment, see 3.1.8 Viewing or setting up the operating environment.

Figure 5-8 The Options window shows the Options window.

Figure 5-8 The Options window

Table 5-6 Default value and recommended value for each item displayed in the Options window describes the default value and recommended value for each item displayed in the Options window.

Table 5-6 Default value and recommended value for each item displayed in the Options window

Displayed item Default value Recommended value

Load balancing ON
The Extended Least I/Os algorithm is used. ON
The recommended setting for the algorithm depends on the operating environment.

Path health checking ON
The checking interval is 30 minutes. ON
The recommended checking interval depends on the operating environment.

Auto failback ON The recommended checking interval depends on the operating environment.

Intermittent Error Monitor OFF OFF

Reservation level (Not specifiable) (Not specifiable)

Remove LU OFF OFF

Logging level 3: Information or higher level 3: Information or higher level

Trace level 0: Do not output any trace 0: Do not output any trace

File size (for Error log) 9900 (KB) 9900 (KB)

Number of files (for Error log) 2 2

File size (for Trace) 1000 (KB) 1000 (KB)

Number of files (for Trace) 4 4

The following explains the window components in the Options window.

HDLM version

HDLM version number

This area displays the version number of the HDLM.

Service pack version number

This area displays the version number of the HDLM SP. If no SP was installed, this area remains blank.

Component information button

Clicking this button displays the HDLM Component Information dialog box. Figure 5-9 HDLM Component Information dialog box shows the HDLM Component Information dialog box.

Figure 5-9 HDLM Component Information dialog box

Table 5-7 Items displayed in the HDLM Component Information dialog box lists and describes the items displayed in the HDLM Component Information dialog box.

Table 5-7 Items displayed in the HDLM Component Information dialog box

Item Description

Component HDLM component

Version number Version number of the component

Status Status of the component:
Alive: Normal
Dead: Stopped

Wakeup time Time the component was started

Clicking the OK button closes the HDLM Component Information dialog box.

Basic function settings

In this area, you can set whether to use load balancing, path health checking, automatic failback, intermittent error monitoring, and LU dynamic deletion functionality.

Load balancing

Specify whether or not the load balancing function is to be used. To use the function, select ON; otherwise, select OFF.

When ON is selected, you must also select a load-balancing algorithm from the pull-down list box:

Round robin

Extended round robin

Least I/Os

Extended Least I/Os

Least Blocks

Extended Least Blocks

Path health checking

Specify whether or not the path health checking function is to be used. To use the function, select ON; otherwise, select OFF.

When ON is selected, you can specify the interval (in minutes) at which path health checks are performed. Specify a value from 1 to 1440 minutes depending on the user environment. The default is 30.

If you change the checking interval, the new interval takes effect immediately. If you shorten the checking interval and a path health check is already overdue according to the new checking interval (since the last path health check was completed), path health checking begins immediately.

Once a checking interval is set, it remains in effect even if the path health checking function is subsequently changed from OFF to ON. In such a case, path health checking begins when the specified checking interval elapses after the path health checking function setting was changed to ON.

If you set the path health checking function to ON, you can detect errors on paths on which I/O requests are not normally issued (such as non-owner paths of Thunder 9500V series, or Hitachi AMS/WMS series; or paths of a standby host of a cluster system).
Auto failback

Specify whether or not the auto failback function is to be used.

To use the function, select ON; otherwise, select OFF.

When ON is selected, you can specify the interval (in minutes) at which the path status is checked. Specify a value from 1 to 1440 minutes. The default, which is also the recommended value, is 1. Set the value depending on system operations.

If the intermittent error monitoring is ON and the number of times that an error is to occur is set to a value of 2 or more, the following condition must be satisfied:
 
error-monitoring-interval >= checking-interval-for-automatic-failback x number-of-times-error-is-to-occur-during-intermittent-error-monitoring
 
If this condition is not satisfied, the KAPL02064-W message is output and an error occurs. In such a case, change any of the following settings; the checking interval for automatic failback, intermittent error monitoring interval, or the number of times that an error is to occur.

When you set the number of times that an error is to occur to 1, the above condition does not need to be satisfied.

If you change the checking interval, the new interval takes effect immediately. If you shorten the checking interval and a status check is already overdue on the basis of the new checking interval (since the last path status check was completed), path status checking begins immediately.

Once a checking interval is set, it remains in effect even if the auto failback function is subsequently changed from OFF to ON. In such a case, path status checking begins when the specified checking interval elapses since the auto failback function setting was changed to ON.

Table 5-8 Advantage and disadvantages of setting the auto failback function to ON shows the advantage and disadvantages of setting the auto failback function to ON.

Table 5-8 Advantage and disadvantages of setting the auto failback function to ON

Advantage Disadvantage

Paths where errors have occurred are activated automatically.

A path that has been shut down intentionally (Offline(E)) by the user (such as for maintenance purposes) may be activated automatically.

If there is a recurring failure in a storage subsystem or on a path, I/O performance may become degraded because the path's status changes repeatedly between shutdown and active.^#

#

To prevent an intermittent error from reducing I/O performance, we recommend that you also enable intermittent error monitoring when enabling automatic failback. Intermittent error monitoring can only be specified when automatic failback is enabled. For details about the relations of the settings for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring, see Table 5-9 Relation between the setting and available operations for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring.
Intermittent Error Monitor

Intermittent Error Monitor can only be specified when Auto failback is set to ON.

Specify whether or not intermittent error monitoring is to be used. To use this function, select ON; otherwise, select OFF. When you use automatic failback, we recommend that you set intermittent error monitoring to ON to prevent an intermittent error from reducing I/O performance.

When you set Intermittent Error Monitor to ON, you can specify the error monitoring interval and the number of times that an error is to occur. Specifiable values are as follows:

Monitoring interval for intermittent errors (in minutes): from 1 to 1440

Number of times the error is to occur: from 1 to 99

The system assumes that an intermittent error is occurring if the specified number of times that an error is to occur is reached during the monitoring interval (from the time that the monitoring interval starts, until the specified interval ends). A path that is assumed to have an intermittent error is excluded from automatic failback. Intermittent error monitoring starts when a path recovers from an error through automatic failback. Monitoring is performed on individual paths.

When Intermittent Error Monitor is set to ON, by default the monitoring interval is 30 and the number of times that an error is to occur is 3.

When a value of 2 or more is specified in Number of times, the following condition must be satisfied:
  
error-monitoring-interval >= checking-interval-for-automatic-failback x number-of-times-error-is-to-occur-during-intermittent-error-monitoring
  
If this condition is not satisfied, the KAPL02064-W message is output and an error occurs. In such a case, change any of the following settings; the checking interval for automatic failback, the intermittent error monitoring interval, or the number of times that an error is to occur.

If you specify 1 for the number of times that an error is to occur, the above condition does not need to be satisfied.

During intermittent error monitoring, if changes are made to the settings of the intermittent error monitoring interval or the number of times that an error is to occur, the error count and the elapsed time measured since monitoring starts are set to 0. Then, monitoring starts with the new settings applied.

Outside the duration of intermittent error monitoring, if changes are made to the settings of the intermittent error monitoring interval or the number of times that an error is to occur, the new settings take effect after the next time automatic failback succeeds. Because errors and the elapsed time are counted and measured while intermittent errors are monitored, those values do not change.

Once the monitoring interval and the number of times that an error is to occur are set, they remain in effect even if the intermittent error monitoring is subsequently changed from OFF to ON.

When you click the Apply button in the Options window while intermittent errors are being monitored, the error count and the elapsed time measured since monitoring starts are set to 0 even if you have not changed the settings, and monitoring continues.

When Intermittent Error Monitor is set to ON and automatic failback is set to OFF, intermittent error monitoring is disabled. If you return the automatic failback to ON, intermittent error monitoring is enabled.

Available operations for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring depend on the function settings. Table 5-9 Relation between the setting and available operations for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring shows the relation between the settings and available operations for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring.

Table 5-9 Relation between the setting and available operations for automatic failback and intermittent error monitoring

Setting Available operation Result of operation

AFB IEM

ON ON Set AFB to ON.

When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts.^#1

When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.

Change the AFB setting.

AFB operates using new settings.^#2

When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts.^#1

When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.

Set AFB to OFF.

AFB and IEM are disabled.

The error count, elapsed monitoring time, and information about paths not subject to automatic failback are completely cleared.

Set IEM to ON.

When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts.

When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.

Change the IEM settings.

When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts according to the changed conditions.^#2

When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the IEM settings will take effect when the path is recovered from the error status by automatic failback.

Set IEM to OFF.

IEM is disabled.

The error count, elapsed monitoring time, and information about paths not subject to automatic failback are completely cleared.

OFF Set AFB to ON. The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.

Change the AFB setting. AFB operates using new settings.

Set AFB to OFF. AFB is disabled.

Set IEM to ON. IEM is enabled.^#2

OFF ON^#3 Set AFB to ON. AFB and IEM are enabled.^#2

Set AFB to OFF. The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.

OFF Set AFB to ON. AFB is enabled.

Set AFB to OFF. The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.
Legend:

AFB: Automatic failback

IEM: Intermittent error monitoring

#1

If you want to change automatic failback settings but you do not want to reset the intermittent error monitoring settings, use the HDLM commands.

#2

When the conditions for settings values of the automatic failback check interval and the intermittent error monitoring are not satisfied, the KAPL02064-W error occurs. In this case, the intermittent error monitoring status does not change.

#3

Since automatic failback is OFF, intermittent error monitoring is disabled, and the settings for intermittent error monitoring are not specifiable.

When the HDLM version on the connected host is earlier than 5.4, intermittent error monitoring is not supported. So, the intermittent error monitoring setting is disabled and not selectable.

Reservation level

You cannot set the reservation level (the reservation control method for the LU).

Remove LU

When using the Remove LU functionality, set it to ON. When not using the Remove LU functionality, set it to OFF.

For details on the LU deletion functionality, see 3.3.2 Deleting an LU dynamically. For details on the LU deletion function value, see Table 5-10 LU Deletion Function Values.

Table 5-10 LU Deletion Function Values

Value Description

OFF The LU is not removed from HDLM management even if an error occurs in all the paths to the LU, all the paths to the LU are disconnected, or the LU is deleted. The status of the paths is Offline(E) and Online(E). This operation is the same as the operation in HDLM 05-01 or earlier. The off option is recommended when you want to use the same functionality as you use in HDLM 05-01 or earlier, without using the LU deletion functionality.

ON The Remove the LU even if there are Offline(C) paths option is set to OFF. The LU is removed from HDLM management when all the paths to the LU are disconnected. However, if an Offline(C) path is included in the disconnected paths, the LU is not deleted from HDLM management. The deleted LU is restored when it is recovered from the physical failure and the disk is re-scanned.

The Remove the LU even if there are Offline(C) paths option is set to ON. The LU is removed from HDLM management when all the paths to the LU are disconnected, even when an Offline(C) path is included.
The removed LU is restored when it is recovered from the physical failure and the disk is re-scanned.

Error management functions settings

In this area, you set items for the error management functions.

Logging level

From the pull-down list box, select the desired level of error information that is to be collected in the error log.

0: Do not collect an error log

1: Error or higher level

2: Warning or higher level

3: Information or higher level

4: Information or higher level (including maintenance information)

As the set value becomes larger, the amount of log information to be output increases. As the amount of log information to be output increases, the amount of time until the old error log file is overwritten decreases.

The error log collection level can be set for the following log files:

Log files for the HDLM manager

dlmmgrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 16)

Log files for the HDLM GUI

dlmguin.log (n indicates a file number of 1 or 2)

When the HDLM version on the host is earlier than 5.6, you can select 0 to 3.

Trace level

From the pull-down list box, select the desired trace output level. In the event of an error, you may need to set the trace level to 1 or higher and collect the log information again.

0: Do not output any trace

1: Error information only

2: Summary of program operation

3: Details of program operation

4: All information

The amount of log information to be output increases as the value of the setting increases. As the amount of log information to be output increases, the amount of time before log information wraps around and existing information is overwritten becomes shorter.

A trace file in which a trace level can be set is hdlmtrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 64). If the HDLM version on the host is earlier than 5.6, a trace level can be set in hntr2n.log or hntrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 16).

File size (for Error log)

In this box, you set the size of the error log file (in kilobytes). Set a value between 100 and 2000000. You can set the file size for the HDLM manager log (dlmmgrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 16)) and the HDLM GUI log (dlmguin.log (n indicates a file number of 1 or 2)). The specifiable range for the file size of the HDLM GUI log is 100 to 9900. If you set a value of 9901 or more, 9900 is applied. The specified value is applied to the HDLM manager log, however, if the version of HDLM is a version earlier than 5.6, you must specify a value from 100 to 9900.

When all log files reach the specified size, the oldest error log file is overwritten by new log information.

You can collect an error log of up to 32000000KB (approximately 30GB) by specifying the log file size and the number of log files.

Number of files (for Error log)

In this box, you set the number of log files. Set a value from 2 to 16.

By specifying the log file size and the number of log files in combination, you can collect up to 32000000KB (approximately 30GB) of error logs in total.

You can set the number of files for only the HDLM manager log (dlmmgrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 16)). The number of files for the HDLM GUI log (dlmguin.log (n indicates a file number of 1 or 2)) is fixed at 2.

When the HDLM version on the host is earlier than 5.6, this box is disabled and you cannot set the number of log files.

File size (for Trace)

In this box, you set the size of the trace (in kilobytes). Set a value from 100 to 16000.

If you set a smaller value than the current one, an execution confirmation message is output and then the trace file is deleted. You can set the file size for the trace file hdlmtrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 64). The trace files are fixed in length. Thus, even if the amount of written trace information is less than the setting file size, the size of each output trace file is always fixed. When all trace files are written by trace data, the oldest trace file is overwritten by new trace data.

By specifying the trace file size and number of trace files, you can collect up to 1024000KB of trace information in total.

When the HDLM version on the host is earlier than 5.6, this box is disabled and you cannot set the size.

Number of files (for Trace)

In this box, you set the number of trace files. Set a value from 2 to 64

If you set a smaller value than the current one, an execution confirmation message is output and then the trace file is deleted.

By specifying the trace file size and number of trace files, you can collect up to 1024000KB of trace information in total.

You can set the number of files for the trace file hdlmtrn.log (n indicates a file number from 1 to 64).

When the HDLM version on the host is earlier than 5.6, this box is disabled and you cannot set the number of trace files.

OK button

Clicking OK applies the settings in the Options window, and then the Options window closes.

Cancel button

Clicking Cancel cancels the settings in the Options window, and then the Options window closes.

Apply button

Clicking Apply applies the settings in the Options window, but the Options window does not close. When the Options window is opened, the Apply button is displayed as inactive. When the settings in the Options window are changed, the button becomes active. After applying the settings, the Apply button becomes inactive again.

If you change the settings for the error log file size, the changed value is only applied to the HDLM GUI log (dlmguin.log (n indicates a file number of 1 or 2)) when HDLM GUI is restarted.

Displayed item	Default value	Recommended value
Load balancing	ON The Extended Least I/Os algorithm is used.	ON The recommended setting for the algorithm depends on the operating environment.
Path health checking	ON The checking interval is 30 minutes.	ON The recommended checking interval depends on the operating environment.
Auto failback	ON	The recommended checking interval depends on the operating environment.
Intermittent Error Monitor	OFF	OFF
Reservation level	(Not specifiable)	(Not specifiable)
Remove LU	OFF	OFF
Logging level	3: Information or higher level	3: Information or higher level
Trace level	0: Do not output any trace	0: Do not output any trace
File size (for Error log)	9900 (KB)	9900 (KB)
Number of files (for Error log)	2	2
File size (for Trace)	1000 (KB)	1000 (KB)
Number of files (for Trace)	4	4

Item	Description
Component	HDLM component
Version number	Version number of the component
Status	Status of the component: Alive: Normal Dead: Stopped
Wakeup time	Time the component was started

Advantage	Disadvantage
Paths where errors have occurred are activated automatically.	A path that has been shut down intentionally (Offline(E)) by the user (such as for maintenance purposes) may be activated automatically. If there is a recurring failure in a storage subsystem or on a path, I/O performance may become degraded because the path's status changes repeatedly between shutdown and active.^#

Setting	Available operation	Result of operation
AFB	IEM
ON	ON	Set AFB to ON.	When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts.^#1 When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.
Change the AFB setting.	AFB operates using new settings.^#2 When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts.^#1 When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.
Set AFB to OFF.	AFB and IEM are disabled. The error count, elapsed monitoring time, and information about paths not subject to automatic failback are completely cleared.
Set IEM to ON.	When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts. When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), nothing changes.
Change the IEM settings.	When a path is being monitored (in the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the value of the error count and the elapsed monitoring time are reset to 0, and then intermittent error monitoring restarts according to the changed conditions.^#2 When a path is not being monitored (outside the period of conditional intermittent error monitoring), the IEM settings will take effect when the path is recovered from the error status by automatic failback.
Set IEM to OFF.	IEM is disabled. The error count, elapsed monitoring time, and information about paths not subject to automatic failback are completely cleared.
OFF	Set AFB to ON.	The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.
Change the AFB setting.	AFB operates using new settings.
Set AFB to OFF.	AFB is disabled.
Set IEM to ON.	IEM is enabled.^#2
OFF	ON^#3	Set AFB to ON.	AFB and IEM are enabled.^#2
Set AFB to OFF.	The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.
OFF	Set AFB to ON.	AFB is enabled.
Set AFB to OFF.	The operations of AFB and IEM do not change.

Value	Description
OFF	The LU is not removed from HDLM management even if an error occurs in all the paths to the LU, all the paths to the LU are disconnected, or the LU is deleted. The status of the paths is Offline(E) and Online(E). This operation is the same as the operation in HDLM 05-01 or earlier. The off option is recommended when you want to use the same functionality as you use in HDLM 05-01 or earlier, without using the LU deletion functionality.
ON	The Remove the LU even if there are Offline(C) paths option is set to OFF.	The LU is removed from HDLM management when all the paths to the LU are disconnected. However, if an Offline(C) path is included in the disconnected paths, the LU is not deleted from HDLM management. The deleted LU is restored when it is recovered from the physical failure and the disk is re-scanned.
The Remove the LU even if there are Offline(C) paths option is set to ON.	The LU is removed from HDLM management when all the paths to the LU are disconnected, even when an Offline(C) path is included. The removed LU is restored when it is recovered from the physical failure and the disk is re-scanned.

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