Nimble Storage Setup - So Easy, Even *I* Can Do It! - Part I

Hi Friends,

I'm back from my hiatus and ready to share some great new stuff with you!  Today I'm going to start a new series, Nimble Storage - So Easy, Even *I* Can Do It!  Today I'm going to show you how easy it is to get your Nimble array on your network.

So you got your brand new Nimble array, racked it and plugged in an ethernet cable into eth1 that you want to be your management network.  Now what?!

It's super easy you can go about it in a few ways.

1.  Hook up your PC with a serial cable and use the CLI to configure.
2.  Use a Keyboard Video Mouse console and use the CLI to configure.
3.  Use the Nimble Setup Manager tool and configure with a GUI from the comfort of your desk.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm lazy, don't like the noise of datacenters and have come to appreciate GUI's these days. :-)

Got your eth1 plugged into your management network?  Excellent!

Here's what you have to do.

1.  Download the Nimble Setup Manager from InfoSight.  What you haven't been to InfoSight?  You've gotta check it out!  This page will give you more information about what it is.  Once you're there, click on the InfoSight link at the top.

 

2.  Install on a Windows box on the same physical subnet as the management network you have plugged into eth1 on your array.  Also, make sure you have Adobe Flash Player and if this box doesn't have access to the internet, install Bonjour Print Services for Windows.  (Thanks Phil!)

3.  Launch Nimble Setup Manager and it will go find your new array!  How cool is that?

4.  Select the array you want to configure and click Next.
5.  Next you'll need to have some network information regarding that management network to give to your new array.

Here we enter in the Array Name, Management IP, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and a password.

6.  Guess what?  You're done!  Well not done done, but now you can access your array from the management network to setup your volumes and all from the comfort of your cube.  Just go to a browser and enter in the IP address you gave the management network and you'll be able to do all your administration from the GUI.  Now if you're a CLI fan, never fear, you can SSH to that IP and configure from there as well!

Next time I'll show you how easy it is to create volumes and make them seen by ESXi.

Until Next Time Friends!
-Brain

Nimble Storage Setup - So Easy, Even *I* Can Do It! - Part II

Nimble Storage Setup - So Easy, Even *I* Can Do It! - Part III

Nimble Storage Setup - So Easy, Even *I* Can Do It! - Part IV