Dell EMC PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays Owner's Manual
Summary
Owner's manual for Dell EMC PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i iSCSI storage arrays covering hardware installation, front and back panel features, physical drive indicator patterns, power supply configuration, and storage management using Dell Storage Manager. The document details RAID virtual disk creation, snapshot and replication setup, host-to-LUN mapping, and performance monitoring. Targeted at storage administrators managing block-level storage for application servers in small to medium-sized data centers.
Page 1 Text Content
Dell EMC Power Vault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays Owner's Manual
Regulatory Model: E03J and E04J Series Regulatory Type: E03J001 and E04J001 July 2018 Rev. A02
Page Summary Contents For Dell EMC PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays Owner's Manual
Page 1
Dell EMC Power Vault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays Owner's Manual Regulatory Model: E03J and E04J Series Regulatory Type: E03J001 and E04J001 July 2018 Rev. A02
Page 2
Notes, cautions, and warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of d...
Page 3
Contents Chapter 1: About Your System.......................................................................................................5 Introduction.................................................
Page 4
Removing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit .......................................................................... Installing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit...............
Page 5
About Your System Topics: Introduction Front-Panel Features and Indicators Back-Panel Features and Indicators Physical-Drive Indicator Patterns Power Supply and Cooling Fan Features Power Indicator Co...
Page 6
Figure 2. Front-Panel Features and Indicators—Dell EMC Power Vault MD3820i Figure 3. Front-Bezel Features and Indicators Table 1. Front-Panel Features and Indicators Item Indicator, Button, or Connect...
Page 7
Table 1. Front-Panel Features and Indicators (continued) Item Indicator, Button, or Connector Description Blinks amber when the enclosure is either in a fault state or the hosts are not using the pref...
Page 8
Physical-Drive Indicator Patterns Figure 5. Physical-Drive Indicators 1. physical-drive activity indicator (green) 2. physical-drive status indicator (green and amber) NOTE: If the physical drive is i...
Page 9
Power Indicator Codes and Features Figure 6. Power Indicator Codes and Features Table 3. Power Indicator Codes and Features Item LED Type Icon Description DC power The LED lights green when the DC out...
Page 10
Dell EMC Power Vault Modular Disk Storage Arrays CLI Guide — Provides information about configuring and managing the system using the MDSM CLI. Dell EMC Power Vault MD3800i and MD3820i Storage Arrays ...
Page 11
Controller Modules Topics: RAID Controller Modules RAID Controller Module Connectors And Features RAID Controller Module—Additional Features Cache Functions and Features RAID Controller Modules The RA...
Page 12
Table 4. RAID Controller Module Connectors And Features (continued) Item Component Function Seven segment display sequence Displays status or error codes for the storage array. Controller power LED Li...
Page 13
NOTE: For virtual disks, the RAID controller firmware changes the data cache setting based on the state of the battery. If the battery is missing or does not have sufficient charge, the controller flu...
Page 14
The RAID controller automatically switches to write-through if cache mirroring is disabled, or if the battery is missing, or has a fault condition. Controller Modules
Page 15
Installing Array Components Topics: Recommended Tools Front Bezel (Optional) Physical Drives RAID Controller Module RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit Power Supply or Cooling Fan Module Contro...
Page 16
3. release latch 4. hinge tab Installing the Front Bezel 1. Hook the right end of the bezel onto the chassis. 2. Fit the free end of the bezel onto the system. 3. Secure the bezel with the keylock. Ph...
Page 17
Removing a 3.5 Inch Physical-Drive Blank CAUTION: To maintain proper system cooling, all empty hard-drive slots must have drive blanks installed. 1. If installed, remove the front bezel. 2. Press the ...
Page 18
Figure 11. Removing and Installing a Hot-Swap Physical Drive 1. release button 2. physical drive 3. physical-drive carrier handle Installing a Hot-Swap Physical Drive CAUTION: Many repairs may only be...
Page 19
Figure 12. Removing and Installing a Physical Drive Into a 2.5 inch Physical-Drive Carrier a. physical-drive carrier b. physical drive c. screws (4) Figure 13. Removing and Installing a 3.5 Inch Physi...
Page 20
Installing a Physical Drive Into a Physical-Drive Carrier CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as author...
Page 21
Installing a RAID Controller Module Blank 1. Align the blank with the RAID controller module bay. 2. Insert the blank into the chassis until it clicks into place. Removing a RAID Controller Module CAU...
Page 22
4. If applicable, update the firmware for the RAID controller module. For information about the latest firmware, see dell.com/ support. Opening the RAID Controller Module CAUTION: Many repairs may onl...
Page 23
RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit Removing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You must only perform troub...
Page 24
Power Supply or Cooling Fan Module NOTE: Your storage array includes two integrated, hot-swappable power supply/cooling fan modules. The array supports two hot-swappable power supply/cooling fan modul...
Page 25
telephone service and support team. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell EMC is not covered by your warranty. Read and follow the safety instructions that came with the product. 1. S...
Page 26
Figure 20. Removing and Installing the Control Panel—Power Vault MD3800i a. control panel b. release tab Figure 21. Removing and Installing the Control Panel—Power Vault MD3820i a. release pin b. cont...
Page 27
Backplane Removing the Backplane CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You must only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your product docume...
Page 28
Figure 23. Removing and Installing the Backplane—Power Vault MD3800i a. screws (5) b. backplane c. captive screw Figure 24. Removing and Installing the Backplane—Power Vault MD3820i a. screws (4) b. b...
Page 29
Troubleshooting Your System Safety First—For You and Your System CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as...
Page 30
Troubleshooting Power Supply or Cooling Fan Modules CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized i...
Page 31
CAUTION: It is recommended that you turn off the host server before turning off the expansion enclosure array to prevent loss of data. If EMM Status LED is Blinking Amber at Five Times per Sequence Up...
Page 32
7. Replace the RAID controller module. 8. Turn on the host server. If the problem is not resolved, see Getting Help. If the Link Status LEDs are not Green 1. Turn off the host server. 2. Reseat the ca...
Page 33
Troubleshooting a Wet System CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your product document...
Page 34
5. Close the system. 6. Run the appropriate diagnostic test. For more information, see Using System Diagnostics. If the tests fail, see Getting Help. Controller failure conditions Certain events can c...
Page 35
PCI errors The storage array firmware can detect and only recover from PCI errors when the RAID controller modules are configured for redundancy. If a virtual disk uses cache mirroring, it fails over ...
Page 36
Technical Specifications Table 6. Physical Disks Physical disks Up to twelve 3.5 inch or twenty-four 2.5 inch SAS, nearline SAS physical disks, or SAS SSDs Table 7. RAID Controller Modules RAID contro...
Page 37
Table 10. Power (continued) NOTE: Heat dissipation is calculated using the power supply wattage rating. The heat dissipation values are for the entire system which includes chassis and two controllers...
Page 38
Table 12. Particulate Contamination NOTE: This section defines the limits to help avoid IT equipment damage and/or failure from particulates and gaseous contamination. If it is determined that levels ...
Page 39
Getting help Topics: Locating your system Service Tag Contacting Dell Documentation feedback Locating your system Service Tag Your system is identified by a unique Express Service Code and Service Tag...
Manual Details
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Pages | 39 |
| File Size | 2.05 MB |
| Published | June 26, 2026 |
11 views
Enter the captcha to get the download link:
Frequently Asked Questions
What precautions must be taken regarding ambient air quality when handling drives?
The air must be free of corrosive dust, and residual dust requires the area to maintain less than 60% relative humidity.
Where can I locate my system's unique identification number or Service Tag?
The Express Service Code and Service Tag are found on a physical information tag at the front of the system, or accessible via the GUI Support page.
What cache functions and features are available for the controller modules?
Supported caching features include Cache Mirroring, Write-Back Cache, and Write-Through Cache options.