Install the Windows Toolkit

Before you begin

Nimble recommends that you install all prerequisites that apply to your hosts before you install the Nimble Windows Toolkit (NWT). Doing so minimizes the number of host reboots.

Download the NWT from Nimble InfoSight™.

See Download the Windows Toolkit.

CAUTION:

If your Windows host currently runs Windows Server 2008 R2 and you plan to upgrade to Windows Server 2012, upgrade to Windows Server 2012 first, and then install the NWT.

Important: In a Windows cluster environment, install the same version of NWT on all nodes in the cluster. Then it is recommended that you run a cluster validation after installation. See Microsoft Windows Server Library article cc772055.

If you plan to install the NWT in a Remote Desktop session, or on a virtual machine, open the Command Prompt and type:

mstsc /console

Procedure

On the Windows host, right-click the installer file and choose Run as administrator.
Follow the prompts. You must accept the End User License Agreement to install the NWT.
Choose a Complete Installation and Yes to modify the Registry Keys.
Click Yes to restart the Windows host.
In the Microsoft Hotfixes Required dialog box, click the link to access the latest list of hotfixes. The hotfix list contains links to individual Microsoft knowledge base articles that explain the required hotfixes.
Important: The Windows Toolkit installer checks for hotfixes. You will need to install or update any missing or out-of-date hotfixes on your Windows host. (Several reboots may be required.) Hotfixes contain critical patches for the Windows disk, iSCSI and MPIO stacks. Failure to install all listed hotfixes may lead to unexpected connectivity issues.
In the Nimble Logs Directory dialog box, accept the default location or choose a new location for the log files and click Next.

By default, Nimble allows you to customize your setup, depending on whether you want to run iSCSI or Fibre Channel connections. Determine which features to install based on your connection method.

NWT Setup Options
Connection Method	Features
iSCSI	Nimble Setup Manager
	Nimble Diagnostic Utility
	Nimble DSM for MPIO: (Required) Nimble VSS Services (Optional) Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI (Required)
Fibre Channel	Nimble Setup Manager
	Nimble Diagnostic Utility
	Nimble DSM for MPIO: (Required) Nimble VSS Services (Optional) Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI * (Not Selected - iSCSI Initiator is not running)

* The installer automatically detects whether iSCSI initiator service is running on the host to determine the setup. If no iSCSI initiator service is running, the Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI feature is not selected for installation (which is not needed in a Fibre Channel environment). You can add Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI later if your environment changes.

In the Custom Setup dialog box, deselect any other NWT components that you do not want to install, then click Next.

NWT Custom Options
Feature	Description
Nimble Setup Manager	Enables first-time setup of the Nimble array.
Nimble Diagnostic Utility	Collects logs from the Windows host for Nimble Storage Support.
Nimble DSM for MPIO Nimble VSS Services Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI	Nimble DSM for MPIO allows independent installation of Nimble specific modules for multipath I/O. Enables installation of Nimble DSM. Selects the optimal path for each I/O request. Must be selected to choose installation of its sub components. Also installs PowerShell cmdlets* and creates a shortcut.
	VSS Services - Provides snapshot support using Nimble VSS requestor and Nimble VSS hardware provider. Enables highly efficient, application-consistent backups. Any third party backup recovery software which uses VSS for restore can now leverage restore functionality available through Nimble VSS Hardware Provider. Note: VSS Hardware Provider version 3.x does not support arrays prior to version 3.0.
	Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI - Helps you make iSCSI connections between the Windows host and the Nimble array. Monitors changes over time and adjusts the number of connections as needed. (Applies only to iSCSI connections, and will not be installed for FC.)

* If you are running Windows 2008 R2, and PowerShell 3.0 is not detected, the installer returns a warning but still installs the cmdlets. The cmdlets are not usable until PowerShell 3.0 is installed. After installation, when volumes are configured, use the shortcut (created by the Installer) to open PowerShell as an Administrator.

Click Next to prompt an information dialog if Nimble Connection Management for iSCSI is not selected for installation. Click OK to confirm the installation. You can modify this option after clicking OK by clicking Back to return to the Custom Setup dialog.
In the Ready to Install dialog box, click Install.
In the MPIO Timeout Settings prompt, click OK. The NWT software installs itself onto the Windows host. This process may take a few minutes. The installer log is saved to the C:\NTW_install.log file.
In the InstallShield Wizard Completed dialog box, click Finish.
Select an option to reboot the Windows host: Click Yes to reboot. Click No to reboot later. You must reboot the Windows host for the NWT to take effect.