In the event of an unplanned site outage and subsequent recovery, if a storage administrator is unable to access the management server, they can connect to a specific port on the back of the management server with a hardcoded IP address to regain access to the VPLEX cluster and begin troubleshooting.
* Identify the Management Port: The management server typically has a dedicated port that can be used for direct access in case of network issues. This port is designed to accept a hardcoded IP address for such scenarios1.
* Connect to the Management Port: The administrator should use an Ethernet cable to connect a laptop or a computer directly to the management port, which is usually labeled and can be identified based on the server's hardware manual or documentation1.
* Configure the Hardcoded IP Address: On the connected device, the administrator needs to configure a static IP address that is in the same subnet as the management server's default IP range1.
* Access the VPLEX CLI: Once the connection is established, the administrator can use SSH or a similar protocol to access the VPLEX Command Line Interface (CLI) through the hardcoded IP address1.
* Troubleshoot the Issue: With access to the VPLEX CLI, the administrator can now run diagnostic commands, check the system status, and troubleshoot the connectivity issue1.
In this scenario, the correct port to connect to is labeled 'A' on the back of the management server. This port is reserved for such direct access and allows the administrator to bypass the network to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.