📖 About this Domain
This domain covers the fundamental architecture and core functionalities of the Dell PowerStore platform. It details the container-based PowerStoreOS, unified storage capabilities for block and file, and its data-centric, intelligent, and adaptable design.
🎓 What You Will Learn
- Understand the dual-node, active-active architecture, base enclosure, and expansion enclosure components.
- Learn about core data services including thin provisioning, snapshots, replication, and data reduction technologies like deduplication and compression.
- Grasp how PowerStore provides unified block (iSCSI, FC) and file (NFS, SMB) access through a single platform.
- Differentiate between PowerStore T models with unified storage and PowerStore X models with AppsON hypervisor integration.
🛠️ Skills You Will Build
- Identify and describe key PowerStore features like the Dynamic Resiliency Engine (DRE) and AppsON.
- Analyze the PowerStore hardware and software architecture, including the container-based microservices of PowerStoreOS.
- Map PowerStore capabilities, such as unified storage and data reduction, to specific workload requirements.
- Differentiate between PowerStore T and PowerStore X models for appropriate solution positioning.
💡 Top Tips to Prepare
- Focus on the container-based architecture of PowerStoreOS and the hardware components like NVMe drives and DAEs.
- Deeply understand the 4:1 data reduction guarantee, snapshots, and asynchronous/synchronous replication features.
- Clearly distinguish the use cases and capabilities of PowerStore T models versus PowerStore X models with AppsON.
- Utilize Dell's official PowerStore technical white papers and product specification sheets for accurate feature details.
📖 About this Domain
This domain covers the day-to-day administrative tasks required to manage and monitor a Dell PowerStore cluster. It focuses on using management interfaces like PowerStore Manager, CLI, and REST API for system configuration, user management, and health monitoring.
🎓 What You Will Learn
- How to manage user accounts, roles, and configure authentication using LDAP and Active Directory.
- The process for configuring system-level settings including NTP, DNS, SMTP, and remote support via SupportAssist.
- Methods for monitoring system health, capacity, and performance metrics using PowerStore Manager dashboards and reports.
- Procedures for performing non-disruptive software upgrades (NDUs) and managing hardware components within the PowerStore appliance.
🛠️ Skills You Will Build
- Navigating the PowerStore Manager UI to execute routine administrative and monitoring functions.
- Configuring core system services and security parameters for a PowerStore T or PowerStore X cluster.
- Analyzing system alerts, events, and performance data to ensure optimal array operation and health.
- Executing software and firmware updates using the documented NDU process and managing hardware lifecycle tasks.
💡 Top Tips to Prepare
- Gain hands-on familiarity with the PowerStore Manager GUI, specifically the Hardware, Monitoring, and Settings tabs.
- Differentiate between the permissions of built-in user roles like Administrator, Storage Administrator, and VM Administrator.
- Memorize the prerequisites and workflow for a successful Non-Disruptive Upgrade (NDU) process.
- Practice interpreting performance metrics for latency, IOPS, and bandwidth to diagnose system behavior.
📖 About this Domain
This domain focuses on the operational management of a PowerStore array, covering system health monitoring, performance analysis, and serviceability features. It emphasizes using native tools like PowerStore Manager and cloud-based solutions like CloudIQ to maintain system stability and availability.
🎓 What You Will Learn
- You will learn to use PowerStore Manager to monitor system capacity, performance metrics, and hardware health.
- You will understand how to configure and manage system alerts, events, and notifications for proactive fault detection.
- You will explore the functionality of CloudIQ for centralized monitoring, predictive analytics, and health scoring.
- You will learn the procedures for performing non-disruptive software upgrades (NDU) and collecting support materials.
🛠️ Skills You Will Build
- Ability to interpret performance charts and identify potential bottlenecks within the PowerStore system.
- Skill in generating and analyzing system health checks and support data collects for troubleshooting.
- Competence in executing the pre-upgrade health check and the NDU process through PowerStore Manager.
- Proficiency in identifying failed hardware components and understanding the associated service actions.
💡 Top Tips to Prepare
- Master the key dashboards in PowerStore Manager, specifically the Hardware, Performance, and Capacity views.
- Differentiate between the monitoring capabilities of PowerStore Manager versus the proactive analytics of CloudIQ.
- Memorize the steps and prerequisites for a successful Non-Disruptive Upgrade (NDU) process.
- Familiarize yourself with the types of support materials that can be collected, such as Data Collects.
📖 About this Domain
PowerStore Provisioning covers the allocation of block and file storage resources to hosts. This involves creating storage objects like volumes and file systems and establishing host connectivity for data access.
🎓 What You Will Learn
- You will learn the procedures for provisioning block storage, including creating volumes, thin clones, and volume groups.
- You will understand how to configure host access by registering hosts, creating host groups, and mapping volumes via SAN protocols.
- You will discover the steps for provisioning file storage, which involves creating NAS servers and configuring file systems for NFS or SMB.
- You will grasp the concepts of unified provisioning and the role of storage containers within the PowerStoreOS architecture.
🛠️ Skills You Will Build
- You will build the skill to configure and map LUNs to hosts using iSCSI and Fibre Channel protocols.
- You will develop proficiency in creating and managing SMB shares and NFS exports using PowerStore Manager.
- You will gain the ability to implement snapshots and thin clones for efficient data management and test/dev workflows.
- You will learn to manage host connectivity, including initiator registration (WWN, IQN) and multipathing verification.
💡 Top Tips to Prepare
- Master the specific workflows in PowerStore Manager for creating volumes versus creating file systems.
- Focus on the differences in host registration and initiator types for iSCSI (IQN) and Fibre Channel (WWN).
- Memorize the use cases for volume groups and consistency groups in application-centric provisioning.
- Understand the relationship between a NAS server, its network interface, and the file systems it serves.
