System components
The system contains many components and is housed in a rack or cabinet. This section describes the main system components.
| Component | Description |
| Hitachi NAS Platform or Hitachi Unified Storage File Module server |
The system can contain a single server or several servers that operate as a cluster. Clusters that use more than two servers include two 10 Gbps Ethernet switches. Hitachi Vantara supports two switches for redundancy. For information about the physical configuration of a cluster configuration, see the Hitachi NAS Platform and Hitachi Unified Storage File Module System Installation Guide . NoteFor additional data protection, it is recommended to use an external UPS to power the server. Also, each of the redundant power supplies in the server and in the storage subsystems should be operated from a different mains power circuit in order to provide a degree of protection from mains power supply failures. In the event that one circuit fails, the other will continue to power the server and the storage subsystem.
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| System management unit (SMU) |
A standalone server can operate without an external SMU, but all of the cluster configurations require an external SMU. The SMU is the management component for the other components in a system. An SMU provides administration and monitoring tools. It supports data migration and replication, and acts as a quorum device in a cluster configuration. Although integral to the system, the SMU does not move data between the network client and the servers. In a single-server configuration, typically an embedded SMU manages the system. In clustered systems and some single-node systems, an external SMU provides the management functionality. In some cases, multiple SMUs are advisable. |
| Storage subsystems | A Hitachi NAS Platform or Hitachi Unified Storage File Module system can control several storage enclosures. The maximum number of storage enclosures in a rack depends on the model of storage enclosures being installed. Refer to the Storage Subsystem Administration Guide for more information on supported storage subsystems. |
| Fibre Channel (FC) switches |
The server supports FC switches that connect multiple servers and storage subsystems. |
| External Fast Ethernet (10/100) or Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) switches |
A standalone server can operate without an external Ethernet switch, provided that it uses an embedded SMU and there are less than three RAID subsystems attached. A standalone server requires an external Ethernet switch if there are more than two RAID subsystems attached or if there are two RAID subsystems attached and an external SMU is used. All cluster configurations require an external Ethernet switch. |
| 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) switches |
Used in cluster configurations only. A server connects to a 10 GbE switch for connection with the public data network (customer data network). A 10 GbE switch is required for internal cluster communications for clusters of three or more nodes. Contact Hitachi Vantara Support Connect for information about the 10 GbE switches that have been qualified for use with the server, and to find out about the availability of those switches. Hitachi Vantara requires dual 10 GbE switches for redundancy. In a dual-switch configuration, if one switch fails, the cluster nodes remain connected through the second switch. |