Setting up my first fabric

Hi all.

I am currently setting up my first fabric. I want to add my existing simple
fibre SAN setup to it. I just need a little bit of clarification / sanity
check on what I am doing.

Currently I have a simple point-to-point setup with a LSILogic Disk array
with 2x controllers with 2x fibre connectors each. This is directly
connected to two servers. Each server has 2xHBA's and hence each server is
directly connected to both controllers. I am running Veritas cluster on the
servers, with multipathing enabled.

I have now purchased 2x Mcdata 4500 switches, and I want to add another two
servers to the mix. I have setup my switches with different DomianID's,
plugged them together; they can see each other and seem happy!

Questions

Can I simply take down the mounted disks on my two existing servers, route
all of the connections through my 2 switches (=fabric?) and bring the disks
back up? I think this should work! Are there any obvious traps for young
players that I should be aware of? I would also appreciate any links to
good resouces

Thanks a lot
Steve

"Steve Christall" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all.

I am currently setting up my first fabric. I want to add my existing
simple
fibre SAN setup to it. I just need a little bit of clarification / sanity
check on what I am doing.


I would refer you to the support group, if you have a support contract.

Currently I have a simple point-to-point setup with a LSILogic Disk array
with 2x controllers with 2x fibre connectors each. This is directly
connected to two servers. Each server has 2xHBA's and hence each server
is
directly connected to both controllers. I am running Veritas cluster on
the
servers, with multipathing enabled.

What model is the disk array? What model of HBA's? I am assuming Solaris,
since you mentioned VCS.


I have now purchased 2x Mcdata 4500 switches, and I want to add another
two
servers to the mix. I have setup my switches with different DomianID's,
plugged them together; they can see each other and seem happy!

Questions

Can I simply take down the mounted disks on my two existing servers, route
all of the connections through my 2 switches (=fabric?) and bring the
disks
back up? I think this should work! Are there any obvious traps for young
players that I should be aware of? I would also appreciate any links to
good resouces

Thanks a lot
Steve

Currently I have a simple point-to-point setup with a LSILogic Disk array
with 2x controllers with 2x fibre connectors each. This is directly
connected to two servers. Each server has 2xHBA's and hence each server is
directly connected to both controllers. I am running Veritas cluster on the
servers, with multipathing enabled.

I have now purchased 2x Mcdata 4500 switches, and I want to add another two
servers to the mix. I have setup my switches with different DomianID's,
plugged them together; they can see each other and seem happy!

Questions

Can I simply take down the mounted disks on my two existing servers, route
all of the connections through my 2 switches (=fabric?) and bring the disks
back up? I think this should work! Are there any obvious traps for young
players that I should be aware of? I would also appreciate any links to
good resouces


Of course, rerouting connections through fc-switches from direct attached
systems is no big deal. But your right to assume that there might be traps:

1) Make sure to configure all HBA's to "Point-to-Point" Topology.
If you use Emulex HBA's this could be done with their HBAnywhere Tool.
Use Driver and Tool from their internet site (don't touch the CD comming
with the HBA, that is suff from the stone age ;-) )
If you uses Qlogic, Topology setting could be done with SANsurfer Toolkit.
2) Set appropriate Zoning configuration in your Spheron switches, create
zones with only one HBA-port and the LSI-controller port(s). This multiple
zones have to be added to your active Configuration. This is due to RSCNs.
3) Check carefully if you have licence codes for the Spheron switch port(s)
you want to use. You need to have a licence key from McData for each
8-port block. Ports without licence codes are unusable (get no link, even
if you put SFPs inside!)
4) Make sure that HBA driver revision, HBA firmware revision, switch revision
and LSI Disk Array Type & revision match with LSI's support matrix.
5) If you use fc-patch panels, these patch panel ports should have the same
diameter for the optic, as your fc-cable have (e.g. 50µm). With 50µm,
2Gbit speed, your cable should not be longer than 385 meter.

Good luck.

Rene
--
------------------------------------------------------
**** Complex Systems tend to fail in complex ways ****
------------------------------------------------------