How to configure the Access Appliance for the first time
Cluster configuration should be performed only with mainline releases (major/minor versions). Once the cluster is configured, it can then be upgraded to a maintenance release. A node-level upgrade followed by cluster configuration should be avoided. It is not recommended to first install a mainline release, upgrade the node to a maintenance release, and then perform cluster configuration. Mainline releases are numbered as x.y.0.0, while maintenance releases are numbered as x.y.z.0. For example, if there is a patch release for Access Appliance version 8.4 with the version as 8.4.100, Veritas recommends that the cluster should be first upgraded to version 8.4.100.
When you configure the Access cluster, you can configure a separate management network and a single separate data network if the management NIC and the public NICs are in different subnets. If you choose to configure a separate management and data network, ensure that you specify a console IP, which is in the management network IP range. After the initial cluster configuration is complete, you can configure additional data networks.
The Veritas Access Appliance initial configuration process is broken into two phases. The first phase requires that you perform each configuration step on each individual node. You should have two terminal windows open during the first phase, each logged into one of the nodes.
During the second phase of the initial configuration, you should only perform the steps on one of the nodes. When you start the second phase of the initial configuration, close one of the terminal windows and continue doing the steps on only one of the nodes. When you initiate the cluster configuration, the settings that you configured on the current node are copied over to the second node in a one-time synchronization event.
The Veritas Access Appliance initial configuration process is broken into two phases. Perform all the configuration tasks required during the first phase and the second phase on the single appliance node.
This section provides an overview of the cluster configuration process.
Note:
Steps that are marked as (Recommended) or (Optional) are not required to complete the initial setup of the appliance.
Table: Before you configure the Access Appliance for the first time
Step | Task |
|---|---|
Step 1 | Confirm that the appliance hardware is installed correctly and powered on. Refer to the Veritas Access 3360 Appliance Hardware Installation Guide. |
Step 2 | Review the appliance initial configuration requirements. |
For the first phase, you need to perform each step on each individual node. You should have two terminal windows open, each logged into one of the nodes.
Table: First phase of the initial configuration
Step | Task |
|---|---|
Step 3 | Log onto the Access Appliance shell menu on both nodes individually. It is helpful to have the Access Appliance shell menu of both nodes available side by side. New appliances ship with the following default login credentials:
Veritas recommends that you access the shell menu using the Veritas Remote Management Console over the appliance IPMI port. |
Step 4 | Run the hardware self-test on each node. See "Testing the appliance hardware" section in the Veritas Access Appliance Administrator's Guide. |
Step 5 | Check the status of each node. show appliance status The appliance model, software version numbers, and node status are displayed. Both nodes should display the same software versions and the following node status: Node Status: Factory installed state |
Step 6 | Configure eth1 on both nodes for a two-node configuration. Configure eth1 on a single node for a single-node configuration. If there is no VLAN for the eth1, set the IP address for eth1 management interface using the set network interface command. See Configuring network address settings on the appliance nodes. To use VLAN for the eth1 management interface, use the set network vlan command to create a VLAN for eth1 and to configure an IP address for the VLAN. See Configuring VLAN settings on the appliance nodes. Note: Configuring VLAN on data network is not supported during the initial cluster configuration. You can configure VLAN for a data network after the configuration using the Access command-line interface or from the Access Appliance UI. |
Step 7 | Test the appliance software components. Run the system self-test software command. Ensure that the self test result displays PASS. |
When you start the second phase of the initial configuration, close one of the terminal windows and continue doing the steps on only one of the nodes. When you initiate the cluster configuration, the settings that you configured on the current node are copied over to the second node in a one-time synchronization event.
Table: Second phase of the initial configuration
Step | Task |
|---|---|
Step 8 (Recommended) | Configure the appliance to use a proxy server for AutoSupport and software updates. See the "Setting up AutoSupport on the appliance" section in the Veritas Access Appliance Administrator's Guide. See the "Using a proxy server with the appliance" section in the Veritas Access Appliance Administrator's Guide. |
Step 9 (Recommended) | Configure the appliance to send notifications and alerts. See the "Setting up email notifications on the appliance" section in the Veritas Access Appliance Administrator's Guide. See the "Setting up SNMP notifications on the appliance" section in the Veritas Access Appliance Administrator's Guide. |
Step 10 | Perform the cluster configuration. See Configuring the Access cluster on the appliance. Note: During the cluster configuration, the settings that you configured on the current node are copied over to the second node in a one-time synchronization event. That means any settings you configure in the Access Appliance shell menu after the cluster configuration must be done on each node individually. The only exceptions are SMTP/SNMP and proxy server settings - these settings can sync across the nodes even after the cluster configuration. For increased security, forced password changes are enforced during the initial cluster configuration to ensure known default passwords do not exist on the system. You must change the default passwords for the maintenance and IPMI user accounts. The GRUB and root passwords are set to the maintenance account password. New administrator user accounts are created and the known default administrator account (admin) is blocked after the configuration is completed successfully. |
Step 11 (Optional) | Log in to the Access Appliance web interface (UI) using one of the administrator user accounts that you created during the cluster configuration to configure storage. When you log in to the UI for the first time, you have the option to configure storage for long-term retention of data or skip directly to the . |