Shared folder’s access denied on windows 7 after enabling Protocol Encryption - EMC VNXe3150

Or, Access to shared folders denied after enabling Protocol Encryption in VNXe3150

Or, Shared folder’s access denied after enabling Protocol Encryption EMC VNXe3150

Or, How shared folders Protocol Encryption works – EMC VNXe 3150

Descriptions: Guys if you have enabled protocol encryption on some of your shared folder that are directly shared from your VNXe3150 storage box, it is possible that windows 7 machines may not be able to access those shared folders after enabling protocol encryption on the shared folders from storage side. However, windows 10 machines can access those shared folder without any errors.

How shared folders Protocol Encryption works – EMC VNXe 3150: Enabling Protocol Encryption is not the encryption of data either on client or storage side. Enabling Protocol encryption just encryption the data in transit. Means, the data travelling between client and storage is encrypted only while travelling.

Scenario: I had recently enabled protocol encryption on some of the shared folder of my storage box VNXe3150 to meet organisation security requirement of data encryption.

Soon after enabling Protocol Encryption from storage side, I noticed that windows 7 users are not able to access any of the shared folders, which are having protocol encryption enabled on them. However, users using windows 10 machines are able to access those folders without any error.

IMP Note: Never be confused with management IP and shared folders IP if you are using direct-shared folders from VNXe3150 storage box. Management IP is the one that gives you the ability to manage your storage box (e.g. any administrative tasks, firmware update, health check etc...) whereas, shared folder IP address is the one that you use to access the shared folder’s using \\path etc…

You may be aware of already (that is goodJ) but I would like to let you that, shared folder’s IP address that you use to access the shared folder on your windows machines also have Registry Keys Hierarchy like windows. To resolve the problem all you need to do is you need to fine-tune the registry keys of the shared folders (not the local machine’s regedit keys). 

Solution: modifying the shared folders registry keys

On your local windows machine, go to Run > type regedit > press Enter

Got to File option > Click on ‘Connect Network Registry’ > Type the IP address of the shared folder to connect

After successful connection, the shared folder’s registry should look like below.

Browse the registry key until the path:

“HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters”

Set the following parameters

“Encryptdata” to 1 and "RejectUnencryptedAccess" to 0

Take a reboot of your storage and SPs to make sure these changes are completely applied and in effect.

Note: Please understand the risk of modifying registry keys before modify them.

Cheers, please let me know if you have any query or feedback on this.

How to collect SP diagnostic logs in EMC VNX5200 Block using storage admin console?

Or, How to perform SP Collects in EMC VNX5200 Block Storage?

Steps:

Once you are logged in to the storage admin console, click on Storage System Name hyperlink as reference shown below:

Click on System tab

In the Right side task pane, go to Diagnostic Files section > Click on Generate Diagnostic Files – SPA and Generate Diagnostic Files – SPB respectively.

Wait for 10-20 minutes to complete the SPA log collection process.

To get the logs saved on your local PC, click on Get Diagnostic Files – SPA and Diagnostic Files – SPB respectively and transfer the files on your local PC (reference screenshots and steps are given below).

Select the .zip file > If required change the Destination Directory to desired path > Click on Transfer

Click Yes to confirm.

Wait for the file transfer to be completed. Once the transfer is completed, Click OK to close the file transfer windows.

Cheers, write me back if you have any query or feedback..

Installing additional HDDs in exiting RAID5 storage pool of CISCO C240 Rack Server.

Or, How to extend exiting RAID5 storage pool in CISCO C240 Rack Server?

Descriptions/Scenario: This is very generic requirement that, sometime we may need to extend the exiting server’s drive space due to space crunch. If it’s a virtual machine, your life is easy but if it’s a hardware machine, you need to go with lots of things (purchase new HDDs, extend existing RAID space, wait for successful reconstruction completion, expand the logical drive associated with the RAID group you are extending etc..).

In my case, I have a CISCO C240 rack server where I have two RAID groups. RAID1 for OS and RAID5 with one hot-spare drive for data.

The RAID5 data drive in the OS is full and having no space. I have purchased some additional HDDs and inserted in empty slots of my CISCO Serer.

Lets see in below steps what else to be done.

Steps:

Login to CISCO Server management console (CIMC) and verify if all the hardware components are functional well without any error.

Select RAID5 pool > Click on Edit Virtual Drive

Click OK to confirm if prompted in the Pop-up window

Select RAID Level (5)

Select all the “Unconfigured Good” newly inserted drives > Click on Save Changes

The configuration process will be started now

Wait for reconstruction task to be completed (it may take longer).

Note: Please check if all the hardware components are working well. Here we got a Moderated Fault because of reconstruction job. Don’t worry, once the reconstruction will be completed, the fault will go away.

If there are other components which are showing fault status, you must take action on that with the help of CISCO Support guys.

Upon the successful completion of “Reconstruction” you can extend the disk from OS inside.

What is Stripping, Spanning and Mirroring in RAID?

Or, Understanding concepts behind RAID techniques Spanning, Stripping and Mirroring.

Stripping (RAID-0): RAID-0 is a performance oriented non-redundant data mapping technique. Stripping can be implemented in disks of different sizes but the storage space allocated to the disk array by each disk is limited to the total usable size of smallest disk in the array.

This type of RAID is not usually considered for business critical data or servers.

Example: If you have two disks which are using stripping technique for writing data, the data will be written like below:

Stripping
Disk-0	Disk-1
A	B
C	D
E	F…..

Mirroring (RAID-1):  RAID-0 consist of at least two or more disks drive storing duplicate copies of the same data. In this mode, data is written simultaneously in to two disks. Array capacity is limited to smallest disk in the array.

This type of RAID is mostly used for business critical server’s OS disks. So that, if one disk fails another will help Server to be up and running.

Example: If you have two disks which are using mirroring technique for writing data, the data will be written like below:

Mirroring
Disk-0	Disk-1
A	A
C	C
E	E

Spanning: Spanning provides another maximum capacity solution. Unlike stripping, spanning writes data to the first physical drive until it reaches its full usable storage capacity. When the first disk is reached to the full usable capacity, data writing starts in second physical disk.

Example: If you have two disks which are using spanning technique for writing data, the data will be written like below:

Mirroring
Disk-0	Disk-1
A	D
B	E
C	F

Friends, I have written this based my understanding about these concepts so far.. If you have any feedback or suggestion, please write me back..