Creating a New File Server Using the File Server Wizard

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Pre-requisites

To create a file virtual interface you need at least one pair of unused physical Ethernet ports with the service set to iSCSI. The pair must consist of the same physical Ethernet ports on different controllers. For example, you can select the ct0.eth4 and ct1.eth4 physical ports.

The recommended configuration is to use two pairs of unused physical Ethernet ports with the service set to iSCSI in the file virtual interface setup.

Warning: Avoid using the management or replication physical Ethernet ports for file virtual interface creation. Using dedicated DirectFlash Shelves (DFS) ports is also not supported.

Identify the pairs of physical Ethernet ports to be used for the new file virtual interface.

Note: Ensure that the selected physical Ethernet ports are not already in use by management services, block, a bond, subnet configuration, or a dedicated DFS port. The sub-interfaces cannot share service types (e.g.replication and file cannot share the same ports.) All FA File ports must also have the same MTU value.

Navigate to Settings > Network > Connectors to review the available physical Ethernet ports.

In this example, we will use the eth4 and eth5 ports on both controllers.

Launching the File Server Wizard

You can begin configuring the default File Services server by going to Storage > Servers and clicking the Initial Configuration link on the right hand side.

This will open the File Server Wizard.

Note:

If your FlashArray configuration already includes a File Services Virtual Network Interface (VIF), a File Services-specific DNS, and the FlashArray is joined to an Active Directory domain, the Initial Configuration link will not appear, as the system assumes that the initial configuration has already been completed.

Alternatively, if the VIF is configured but a File Services-specific DNS is not, you will see a link that allows you to begin from the second step in the wizard (DNS).

The File Server wizard consists of four steps:

  1. Create a File Services Virtual Network Interface (VIF): Configure a new virtual network interface for file services, including options for physical bonding, LACP bonding, and VLAN subnets.

  2. Configure File Services-Specific DNS Settings: Set up DNS for File Services, either using the existing FlashArray configuration or creating a new, File Services-specific DNS configuration.

  3. Join an Active Directory: Join an existing Active Directory domain.

  4. Summary: Review and invoke the server configuration, where the status of individual configuration steps will be displayed.

  1. Create a File Services Virtual Network Interface (VIF).

    In this step, you configure the networking for File Services. Begin by entering the following values for the new File Services Virtual Network Interface (VIF) based on your network environment:

    1. Name

    2. Subnet Mask

    3. Gateway

    4. IP Address

    5. Subinterfaces: There are two options for creating the File Services VIF: Physical Bonding and LACP Bonding.

      Option 1: Physical Bonding

      Physical bonding is the simplest option for creating a File Services VIF. Add the two pairs of free Ethernet ports that have been identified: ct0.eth4, ct1.eth4 and ct0.eth5, ct1.eth5.

      Option 2: LACP Bonding

      Alternatively, you can configure standards-based LACP Bonding for load balancing, which is managed by your LACP-compliant routers.

      1. Select the New LACP option from the Subinterfaces dropdown.

      2. Choose the two free Ethernet ports that have been identified: eth4 and eth5 (on both array controllers), to create two LACP-aggregated network interfaces.

      The new File Services VIF will be created on top of these LACP-aggregated interfaces.

      VLAN Tagging

      File Services VIF also support VLAN tagging. If you have already created VLANs on your FlashArray, select the desired VLAN from the VLAN Subnet dropdown. If you have not, you can create one by following the steps below:

      1. Check the Create new VLAN Subnet with specified details checkbox.

      2. Enter the VLAN name in the VLAN for new Subnet field.

      3. Enter the subnet mask in the Subnet Mask field.

      Once you have entered all of the required configuration details, click the Next button to proceed to the next step of the wizard.

    6. MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit)

  2. Configure File Services-Specific DNS Settings.

    File Services can either use the DNS configuration set up during the FlashArray initial setup (management DNS) or a specific DNS configuration just for File Services:

    • To use the existing DNS configuration (management DNS), simply proceed to the next step by clicking the Next button without making any changes at this step.

    • To create a specific DNS configuration for File Services: Select the Create New option from the DNS Config dropdown and update the following fields (Name, Domain Suffix (optional), DNS 1, DNS 2 and DNS 3.

      Source Network Interface: By default, FlashArray uses the management Ethernet port for DNS communication. However, if the management Ethernet port cannot reach the file-specific DNS server you are configuring, you can specify an alternative network interface using this dropdown.

      Typically, you should select the File Services Virtual Network Interface (VIF) created in the previous step. This interface should have network access to the file-specific DNS server.

    Once you have configured the DNS settings to meet your requirements, click Next to proceed to the next step of the wizard.

  3. Join an Active Directory.

    FlashArray can authenticate SMB and NFS users through either the FlashArray's local users database or an Active Directory domain. You can choose one of these options in this step wizard:

    Option 1: Using the Local Users Database

    If you wish to use the local users database, click the Next button.

    Ensure you have defined the necessary local users for accessing the array. For instructions on creating FlashArray File local users and groups, and referencing them from clients, see Creating File Local Users and Groups.

    Note:

    • For NFS, you can also use an export policy with unmapped users (--disable-user-mapping). This allows local users on clients to access NFS exports without user or group validation. In this case, FlashArray fully trusts the NFS client's user credentials (UID, GID, and secondary GIDs).

    • When referencing local users and groups from SMB clients, prefix the usernames with your FlashArray's DNS name, VIF IP address. Refer to Creating File Local Users and Groups Creating File Local Users and Groups for more details.

    Option 2: Using Active Directory

    To authenticate SMB and NFS users with Active Directory, you must first create an account for the FlashArray in the target Active Directory domain. There are two options:

    • Create a New Computer Account: Enter the username and password of an Active Directory user with sufficient permissions to create a new computer account in the domain:

    • Use an Existing Computer Account: If you lack credentials with the necessary permissions:

      1. Ask your Active Directory administrator to pre-create the computer account.

      2. Check the Use Existing Account checkbox.

      3. Add the username and password of a regular Active Directory user who can look up the pre-created account.

      Important: FlashArray does not store Active Directory credentials. These credentials are used only once during the join operation and are then discarded to ensure their security and privacy.

    Once you have completed the configuration for creating or using a FlashArray computer account in Active Directory, click Next to proceed to the final step of the wizard.

    Note:

    If you need to change the source network interface for Active Directory communication after completing the wizard, you can either:

    • Delete the new File Services network interface and rerun the wizard.

    • Use the following CLI commands:

      1. Revert to the default network interface (vir0) for Active Directory communication:

        purenetwork eth setattr --remservicelist ds <file-services-virtual-interface-name>

      2. Assign a new File Services Virtual Interface for Active Directory communication:

        purenetwork eth setattr --addservicelist ds <file-services-virtual-interface-name>
  4. Summary

    The final step of the wizard sets up FlashArray File Services based on the configuration you defined in the previous steps. This page displays a list of all the configuration actions to be performed, such as the creation of new objects or modifications to existing ones.

    Navigation Options

    • Click the Prev button to return to earlier steps of the wizard to review or adjust your configuration if needed.

    • Click the Close button to cancel the configuration without applying any changes.

    • Click the Complete Set Up button once you are ready to apply the File Services configuration to your FlashArray.

    Successful Configuration

    If the configuration is successfully applied, all actions under File Services Set Up Summary will have green checkmarks:

    Navigation Options

    • Click the Close button to close the wizard.

    • Click the Continue in Server Detail button to review or further modify your File Services configuration.

Troubleshooting the File Server Wizard Errors

If any configuration step fails, an error message will be displayed per the below example:

Important: The wizard does not undo steps that were successfully applied. You can fix any errors by navigating to the Server Detail page.

Click the Continue in Server Detail button to access the Server Detail page and resolve any issues encountered during the wizard application process.

Note:

All the configurations made in the File Server Wizard can be modified later from the Server Detail Page described above. For more detailed instructions on performing individual configurations, refer to the following appendices: