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Configure an extended CIFS or NFS datastore

The following procedures show you how to configure an external datastore for the ExtraHop system.

Before you begin

Calculate the size needed for your extended datastore
To configure an extended datastore, you will complete the following steps:
  • First, you mount the NFS or CIFS share where you want to store data.
  • For NFS, optionally configure Kerberos authentication before you add the NFS mount.
  • Finally, specify the newly added mount as the active datastore.

Add a CIFS mount

  1. Log in to the Administration settings on the ExtraHop system through https://<extrahop-hostname-or-IP-address>/admin.
  2. In the System Configuration section, click Datastore.
  3. In the Extended Datastore Settings section, click Configure Extended Datastore.
  4. Click Add Mount.
  5. Click Add CIFS Mount.
  6. On the Configure CIFS Mount page, enter the following information:
    Mount Name
    A name for the mount; for example, EXDS_CIFS.
    Remote Share Path
    The path for the share in the following format:
    \\host\mountpoint

    For example:

    \\herring\extended-datastore
    SMB Version
    The SMB version that is compatible with your file server.
    Domain
    The site domain.
  7. If password protection is required, complete the following steps:
    1. From the Authentication drop-down menu, select password.
    2. In the User and Password fields, type a valid username and password.
  8. Click Save.

(Optional) Configure Kerberos for NFS

You must configure any desired Kerberos authentication before you add an NFS mount.
  1. Log in to the Administration settings on the ExtraHop system through https://<extrahop-hostname-or-IP-address>/admin.
  2. In the System Configuration section, click Datastore and Customizations.
  3. In the Extended Datastore Settings section, click Configure Extended Datastore.
  4. Click Add Kerberos Config, then complete the following information.
    1. In the Admin Server field, type the IP address or hostname of the master Kerberos server that issues tickets.
    2. In the Key Distribution Center (KDC) field, type the IP address or hostname of the server that holds the keys.
    3. In the Realm field, type the name of the Kerberos realm for your configuration.
    4. In the Domain field, type the name of the Kerberos domain for your configuration.
  5. In the Keytab File section, click Choose File, select a saved keytab file, and then click Open.
  6. Click Upload.

Add an NFS mount

Before you begin

  • Configure any applicable Kerberos authentication before you add an NFS mount.
  • Either allow read/write access for all users on the share or assign the 'extrahop' user as the owner of the share and allow read/write access.
  • You must have NFS version 4.
  1. In the System Configuration section, click Datastore and Customizations.
  2. In the Extended Datastore Settings section, click Configure Extended Datastore.
  3. Click Add NFSv4 Mount.
  4. On the Configure NFSv4 Mount page, complete the following information:
    1. In the Mount Name field, type a name for the mount, such as EXDS.
    2. In the Remote Share Point field, type the path for the mount in the following format: host:/mountpoint, such as herring:/mnt/extended-datastore.
  5. From the Authentication drop-down, select from the following options:
    • None, For no authentication
    • Kerberos, For krb5 security.
    • Kerberos (Secure Auth and Data Integrity), for krb5i security.
    • Kerberos (Secure Auth, Data Integrity, Privacy), for krb5p security
  6. Click Save.

Specify a mount as an active extended datastore

After you add a CIFS or NFS mount, set the mount as your active extended datastore. Remember that only one datastore can collect metrics at a time.
Note:If you decide to store 5-minute and 1-hour metrics on the extended datastore, this option causes the appliance to migrate any 5-minute and 1-hour metrics that the appliance collected from the local ExtraHop system datastore to the extended datastore. Migrating 5-minute and 1-hour metrics to an extended datastore leaves more room to store 30-second metrics on the local datastore, which increases the amount of high-resolution lookback available.
  1. Log in to the Administration settings on the ExtraHop system through https://<extrahop-hostname-or-IP-address>/admin.
  2. In the System Configuration section, click Datastore and Customizations.
  3. In the Extended Datastore Settings section, click Configure Extended Datastore.
  4. From the Mount Name drop-down, select the name of the mount you want to specify as the extended datastore.
  5. In the Datastore Directory field, type a name for the datastore directory. The directory is automatically created on the mount point by the ExtraHop system.
  6. From the Configure as options, select the Active radio button.
  7. In the Datastore Size field, specify the maximum amount of data that can be stored on the datastore.
  8. Select the checkbox to store 5-minute and 1-hour metrics on the extended datastore. 24-hour metrics are always stored on the extended datastore.
  9. Specify whether to migrate existing metrics to the extended datastore by selecting from one of the following options.
    • To migrate existing metrics, click Move existing metrics to the extended datastore.
    • To retain existing metrics on the local datastore, click Keep existing metrics on the ExtraHop.
    Warning:While data is migrated, the ExtraHop system stops collecting data and system performance is degraded. The migration process takes more time under the following circumstances:
    • If there is a large amount of data to migrate
    • If the network connection to the NAS device hosting the datastore is slow
    • If the write performance of the NAS device hosting the datastore is slow
  10. Select Move existing.
  11. Specify what the system should do if the datastore becomes full by selecting from the following options.
    • To overwrite older data when the datastore becomes full, click Overwrite.
    • To stop storing new metrics on the extended datastore when the datastore becomes full, click Stop writing.
  12. Click Configure.
  13. After the storage is added, the Status displays Nominal.

Next steps

Last modified 2023-11-07