Software-Defined Storage Administration: PowerFlex Installation, Management, and Scaling

Software-Defined Storage Administration: PowerFlex Installation, Management, and Scaling

About the Course

This comprehensive technical course provides deep-dive instruction on the deployment, configuration, and long-term administration of a high-performance software-defined storage (SDS) platform. Designed for data center professionals, the curriculum explores the versatility of various consumption models, including integrated racks, appliances, and software-only deployments. Students will master both the physical and logical architectures required to deliver extreme scalability and sub-millisecond latency for mission-critical workloads.

The program emphasizes hands-on proficiency in managing core system components such as the Metadata Manager (MDM), Storage Data Server (SDS), and Storage Data Client (SDC). Participants will learn to navigate diverse operating environments, including VMware and Linux, ensuring seamless integration into existing enterprise ecosystems. From initial cluster installation to advanced scaling operations, this course provides the technical roadmap for maintaining a resilient and flexible software-defined infrastructure.

Beyond basic setup, the training covers sophisticated data services, including volume mobility, native asynchronous replication, and snapshot management. Administrators will gain the expertise needed to secure the system through robust role-based access controls and proactive monitoring tools. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to troubleshoot complex workflows and optimize resource utilization, ensuring high availability across the entire software-defined storage fabric.

Audience Profile

This course is intended for:

• Storage administrators responsible for provisioning and managing high-performance SDS.

• Systems engineers involved in the installation, expansion, and upgrading of software-defined clusters.

• IT professionals tasked with maintaining enterprise-grade hyper-converged or storage-only environments.

• Technical architects designing scalable infrastructure for Linux and VMware workloads.

Learning Objectives

Domain 1: System Architecture and Deployment Models

• Analyze the architectural foundations of the software-defined storage solution.

• Differentiate between rack-scale, appliance-based, and custom node deployment options.

• Identify hardware requirements, including node types, switching, and networking prerequisites.

Domain 2: Storage Configuration and Management

• Create and organize storage entities, including Protection Domains, Storage Pools, and Fault Sets.

• Execute volume operations such as creation, mapping, and mobility across clients.

• Implement snapshot strategies for data protection and point-in-time recovery.

Domain 3: Governance, Security, and Replication

• Manage system user accounts, roles, and authentication protocols to secure the environment.

• Configure native asynchronous replication to support disaster recovery objectives.

• Utilize various management interfaces including Web UIs, CLI, and REST APIs.

Domain 4: Maintenance, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting

• Perform system upgrades and scale-out operations without interrupting data availability.

• Navigate maintenance modes (Instant and Protected) to perform hardware or software service.

• Utilize specialized management software to automate lifecycle tasks and monitor system health.

Prerequisites

• Foundational knowledge of storage networking infrastructure and protocols.

• Understanding of virtualized and software-defined data center (SDDC) concepts.

• Familiarity with enterprise monitoring, reporting, and troubleshooting methodologies.