Deploying and Configuring the Dell PS Series Multipath Device Specific Module with Microsoft Windows - Owner's Manual
Summary
Enhance connectivity and reliability to your Dell PS Series storage array with this technical guide. This manual provides comprehensive instructions for deploying, configuring, and managing the Multi-Path I/O Device Specific Module (MPIO DSM) within Microsoft Windows Server environments. Learn best practices for ensuring high availability and optimal performance by setting up multi-path I/O connections. Ideal for IT professionals, storage engineers, and system administrators responsible for enterprise data center infrastructure connecting PS Series arrays to Windows Servers.
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Configuring and Deploying the Dell PS Series Multi-Path I/O Device Specific Module with Microsoft Windows Deploy and configure the Dell PS Series MPIO DSM for Windows Server to enable multi-path I/O for high availability access to a PS Series array. Dell Storage Engineering January 2017
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Page Summary Contents For Deploying and Configuring the Dell PS Series Multipath Device Specific Module with Microsoft Windows - Owner's Manual
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Configuring and Deploying the Dell PS Series Multi-Path I/O Device Specific Module with Microsoft Windows Deploy and configure the Dell PS Series MPIO DSM for Windows Server to enable multi-path I/O f...
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Revisions Date Description February 2008 Initial Release June 2009 Host Integration Tools V3.2 updates February 2011 Windows® Server 2008 R2, 10 Gb support, and Host Integration Tools v3.5.1 updates J...
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Table of contents Revisions................................................................................................................................................................................
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Executive summary Dell™ Storage PS Series arrays optimize resources by automating performance and network load balancing. Additionally, PS Series arrays offer all-inclusive array management software, ...
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1 Introduction In our technology-driven world, data is one of the most valuable assets in any business organization. Increasingly, organizations are requiring that their data be available 24 x 7. Cont...
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1.2 Microsoft Multi-Path I/O Microsoft MPIO enables storage vendors to develop multi-path modules that contain specific information about their storage hardware. This ultimately results in more effici...
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1. A driver component in the I/O stack that works in conjunction with the Microsoft MPIO driver to route I/O to the desired path. This is the PS Series DSM for Microsoft Windows. It selects the best p...
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2 Getting started Before installing PS Series HIT/Microsoft (that allows configuration of the PS Series MPIO DSM), plan the networking configuration. More than one network interface should be dedica...
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PS Series Group Manager From the PS Series Group Manager, highlight the member on the left. From the Status tab, click on Rear View and mouse over the corresponding network interfaces to confirm Jumbo...
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3 Installing, configuring and managing the PS Series MPIO DSM The PS Series MPIO DSM is included with HIT/Microsoft. For installation guidelines, please refer to the Host Integration Tools for Microso...
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MPIO Settings showing included and excluded network connections Select Settings at the bottom left of the application and click on MPIO Settings in the left hand object tree. This will open the MPIO s...
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Setting Description Max sessions per The max number of session connections permitted per volume per member. This volume slice number represents the # of connections a volume will make to each member o...
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volume will load balance across the arrays in the storage pool and each array will host a slice of the volume. The number of session connections per volume can be calculated based on the following equ...
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3.1.3 Microsoft i SCSI initiator This section describes the Microsoft i SCSI initiator interface, including the Dell Equal Logic MPIO tab. Launch the Microsoft i SCSI Initiator. See Table 2 on the nex...
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Microsoft i SCSI initiator tabs and descriptions Tab Name Available options… Discovery Add or remove and configure i SCSI portal settings Targets Connect or disconnect and view properties of i SCSI ta...
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Both the included and excluded subnets are visible for MPIO as well as all i SCSI MPIO i SCSI Sessions. Note the even distribution of i SCSI sessions to each volume across each NIC. Finally, the scrol...
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4 Connecting to volumes If Auto-Snapshot Manager was used to configure PS Group access from the host then the Discover Target Portal Step can be skipped as Auto-Snapshot Manager will do this automatic...
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unique i SCSI initiator name. Volume access controls are configured through the PS Group Manager, either at the time of volume creation or afterwards. Add the PS Group Portal to the Initiator List Dis...
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Highlight the target of choice from the list and click Connect. To make this i SCSI connection persistent after a reboot, select Add this connection to the list of Favorite Targets. The connection wil...
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4.3 Make the PS Series Volume Available to the Server Next, make the disk available to the server through Server Manager’s Disk Management. Right-click on Disk Management and select Re-Scan. After Re-...
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Adding the drive letter from the i SCSI Initiator tool’s Volumes and Devices tab 4.4 Verify MPIO There are two common places to look to verify volume session connections to the array. 1. The Microsoft...
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i SCSI Initiator and Disk Management screens 4.5 Log off a volume with MPIO From the Microsoft i SCSI Initiator Favorite Targets tab, highlight each favorite target and Remove it. The Windows server w...
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i SCSI Initiator’s Targets tab 23 Configuring and Deploying the Dell PS Series Multi-Path I/O Device Specific Module with Microsoft Windows | TR1036
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5 Summary The Dell PS Series array supports multiple i SCSI SAN connections for performance and reliability. MPIO provides multiple paths from servers to storage, delivering fault tolerance, high avai...
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A Using hardware initiators In addition to the Microsoft i SCSI Initiator, the PS Series DSM supports hardware initiators. At the time of this document, the Dell PS Series MPIO DSM supports the QLogic...
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B Tips, troubleshooting and hotfixes Dell recommends that all hardware and software be kept up-to-date with patches and latest firmware and driver revisions. The latest version of the Dell Storage Com...
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C Technical support and resources Dell.com/support is focused on meeting customer needs with proven services and support. Dell Tech Center is an online technical community where IT professionals have ...
Manual Details
| Brand | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Pages | 27 |
| File Size | 1.03 MB |
| Published | May 29, 2026 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I configure the PS Series MPIO DSM?
Configuration involves setting the default Load Balancing policy, managing Volume session connections, and utilizing the Microsoft iSCSI initiator.
What should be updated to maintain system stability?
Dell recommends keeping all hardware and software up-to-date with patches and the latest firmware and driver revisions.
Where can I find hotfixes for Windows Servers using MPIO with PS Series arrays?
Consult the Dell PS Series Arrays iSCSI Initiator and Operating System Considerations documentation online.
How do large cluster environments affect connections?
Large clusters can push maximum allowable connections, requiring strategies like scaling down Max sessions per entire volume or Max sessions per volume slice.