02 Add a data source

[ Applies to ] StorageGuard 9.x and later / All supported storage, backup, SAN and cloud systems / Windows and Linux deployments

A data source (formerly known as probe) is the connection point StorageGuard scans: a storage system, switch, backup server, cloud account or management console. Adding one follows the same steps for every category. After you save it, you verify the connection, and then discovery finds the systems it manages.

In this article

Connect directly or through a management system
Where to add each type
Add a data source
Verify the connection
Edit or delete a data source

Before you begin

The target system is prepared for scanning. See its article in StorageGuard Scan Requirements.
A connectivity policy exists for it. See Create a connectivity policy.

Connect directly or through a management system

A data source is either a single system, scanned through its own management interface, or a management system such as Dell Unisphere, Hitachi Ops Center or Brocade SANnav that reports on many systems. When your platform has a supported management system, use it: discovery finds every system it manages, including new ones, and you maintain one credential instead of many. Each platform's scan requirements article lists the connections it supports.

Additional guidance:

SAN directors can discover neighboring switches, so add one data source per SAN fabric.
Cloud storage that isn't native to the provider, such as NetApp Cloud Volumes or Dell DDVE, is added as a regular storage data source, not a cloud provider.
HPE Alletra arrays and physical hosts can't be discovered. You add them after this step; see Add systems that discovery can't find.

Note: Each system can be scanned by only one data source. If a system is reachable both directly and through a management system, pick one; you can switch later from the Systems page.

Where to add each type

To add	Go to
Storage systems and storage management systems	Settings > Scan > Storage > Data Sources
SAN directors, switches and SAN management systems	Settings > Scan > SAN > Data Sources
Backup servers and backup management platforms	Settings > Scan > Backup > Data Sources
Cloud provider accounts	Settings > Scan > Cloud > Data Sources
VMware vCenter and Dell VxRail	Settings > Scan > Servers > Data Sources

Add a data source

Use these steps for storage, SAN, backup and server data sources.

Open the Data Sources page for the category, as listed above.
Click +.
Select the Type.
In Description, enter a name you'll recognize, such as the system name and its role.
In IP, enter the management IP address of the system or management system.
In Policy, select the connectivity policy.
In Site, select the site where the system is located.
Make sure the enable toggle is on. While it's off, StorageGuard doesn't collect configuration data from this data source.
If a Discovery Options field appears, choose whether systems found by discovery are added to the scan scope automatically. This field appears only for types that support discovery.
Click Save (on some pages, Apply). The data source is added to the list.

Note: To add a cloud provider, go to Settings > Scan > Cloud > Data Sources, click +, select the provider type, enter the account details, including the Region and Account ID, assign a connectivity policy, and click Apply.

Verify the connection

Right-click the data source and select Verify. StorageGuard tries to connect and sign in, and shows the result in the Verify Status column.

Result	What it means	What to do
Connection Verified	StorageGuard connected and signed in. The system hasn't been scanned yet.	Continue to discovery.
Connection Failed	StorageGuard couldn't reach the system.	Check the IP address, and that the required ports are open between StorageGuard (or its collector) and the system.
Authentication Failed	StorageGuard reached the system, but sign-in failed.	This is usually a wrong password. Check the credential in the connectivity policy.
Missing Credentials	No valid credential was provided.	Check that the connectivity policy has a credential.
Data Collector Not Available	The collector assigned to this system isn't available.	Check that the collector is running and connected.

Edit or delete a data source

On the Data Sources page, right-click the data source, select Edit or Delete, and confirm.

[ Next step ]

Discover systems and choose what to scan.

[ Still need help? ]

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