[ Contents ] [ Index ]

Monitoring Storage Devices on a Network

The SANscape Console monitors storage devices on a network by communicating with a SANscape Agent on the servers.

When SANscape is started, the console software begins by establishing contact with the SANscape Agent on each managed server if Auto Discovery was specified when the server was configured. If Auto Discovery was not specified, you have to double-click each server and type a password to start the discovery process for that server.

Establishing a TCP/IP connection between the console and the SANscape Agent on each server and receiving back inventory information can take several minutes, depending on the complexity of your network. When this is occurring, the server icon in the main window displays a satellite dish icon on its right side. Once the inventory is refreshed, the satellite dish symbol is replaced by an active server symbol.

The agent on each server does a periodic scan of its inventory to check for changes. If there is a change, the agent sends an event to the console. Depending on the event, the console might request the inventory from that server's last scan to use for updating the representation of the server as displayed on the main window. During this process, the satellite dish icon is attached to the server icon, and you are not able to perform any configuration and array activity commands on that server until the refresh process is completed and the console main window is updated.

When SANscape is running and the server agent and console are connected, the agent pings or transmits a periodic signal to the console to verify the server's status. If the console does not receive a certain number of consecutive responses (handshakes) from the agent, the console marks the server as offline and disconnects from the server. The server's icon is made inactive and adjacently marked with a question mark symbol.

If a non-active server was originally made active through the Auto Discovery function, the console periodically tries to re-establish server communications.

Occasionally, you might want to have an inventory performed on a server between the periodic status. To do this, double-click the server's icon to display the Server View window, and then click Rescan in that window.

Auto Discovery Options

If you have selected the Auto Discovery option (during the process of adding servers to the Managed Servers list ), SANscape automatically scans and performs an inventory on these servers. You are not required to type a monitoring password to retrieve information provided by SANscape. Depending on the complexity of the network and the number of servers, it can take several minutes for the discovery process to finish.

However, if you choose not to use the Auto Discovery option on startup, the servers' icons are white, indicating that there is currently no information available for these servers. In this case, you need to double-click each server and enter the appropriate monitoring password.

You can also select File > Login. Once the password is entered for a server, SANscape begins the discovery process to perform an inventory on the selected server.

NOTE: If you need a very secure environment where access to server inventory data is restricted, select No for Auto Discovery.

[ Contents ] [ Index ]