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CHAPTER 2
SAN Configurations
This chapter introduces the components that you can include in your Storage Area
Network (SAN). It also explains the different operating system environments and
configurations that you can use in your SAN.
SAN Components
The following sections describe the various components in a SAN.
Servers
In a SAN, servers provide the attached client systems with access to high throughput,
reliable storage systems. Servers also manage the storage systems and attached
SAN applianc
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Figure 2-1. Example of Server Accessing Storage Systems Servers Accessing Storage Systems Behind a PowerVault 530F SAN Appliance Ensure that each host server that is only accessing storage systems through a Power- Vault 530F SAN appliance, such as the server in Figure 2-2, has the following software installed: Dell OpenManage Data Managed Node Data Agent (for 650F and 651F only) QLogic QLdirect (for 530F and 660F) Dell OpenManage Array Manager (for 650F, 651F and 660F) NOTE: The PowerVau
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Figure 2-2. Example of Server Accessing Storage Systems Behind a PowerVault 530F Servers Accessing Storage Systems Directly and Behind a 530F SAN Appliance Ensure that each host server that is accessing storage systems both directly and through a PowerVault 530F SAN appliance, such as server in Figure 2-3, has the fol- lowing software installed: Dell OpenManage Data Managed Node Data Agent (for 650F and 651F only) Dell OpenManage Storage Consolidation (for 650F, 651F, and 660F) Dell Ope
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Figure 2-3. Example of Server Accessing Storage Systems Directly and Behind a PowerVault 530F Host Bus Adapters Within a SAN, a host bus adapter (HBA) provides the connectivity from the host com- puter system to the external Fibre Channel device or to a PowerVault 50F, 51F, or 56F switch. The following HBAs are supported. QLogic QLA2100, QLA2100F, QLA2200, and QLA2200F The QLA2x00 series HBAs support a 33-megahertz (MHz), 64-bit Peripheral Compo- nent Interconnect (PCI) 2.1 interface (fully b
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PowerVault Fibre Channel Switches Dell PowerVault Fibre Channel switches are used for building and managing a SAN. The PowerVault 50F and 51F are 8-port Fibre Channel switches, and the PowerVault 56F is a 16-port Fibre Channel switch. The switch is a key component of a SAN. The switch’s primary function is to enable true switched Fibre Channel fabric configura- tions. The PowerVault Fibre Channel switches are necessary for PowerVault 650F, 651F, and 660F storage system configurations that includ
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PowerVault 130T Library and 120T Autoloader The PowerVault 130T library is a compact, tape-based, HVD SCSI-2 storage sub- system for data backup and restore for one or more servers and disk storage subsystems. Referred to as a tape library, the PowerVault 130T features high capacity, high throughput, data compression, automated backup capability, and reliable, accu- rate data restore functions. The PowerVault 120T DLT4000 and DLT7000 autoloaders are fully automated, seven- tape, random-access ta
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Table 2-1. Supported Windows NT and Windows 2000 SAN Configurations Component Supported Maximum Conditions/Requirements Servers Maximum of 20 servers Seethe Release Notesonthe Dell running Windows NT PowerVault Fibre Channel Utilities and Windows 2000; a CD Version 4.0 or the Dell Power- maximum of 24 serv- Vault Fibre Channel Update CD ers for a backup-only Version 4.0 or see the Dell Power- SAN. Vault Storage Area Network (SAN) Version 4.0 Revision Compatibility Guide at http://support.dell.
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Table 2-1. Supported Windows NT and Windows 2000 SAN Configurations (continued) Component Supported Maximum Conditions/Requirements MSCS clusters Maximum of 10 Each MSCS pair with its PowerVault Microsoft Cluster storage system must be in its own Server (MSCS) clusters. zone; see the latest clustering docu- mentation for your systems, the Dell PowerEdge Cluster F-Series SAN Guide, and the Dell PowerEdge Clus- ter FE100/FL100 and FE200/FL200 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide Switches Maxim
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If you are using Novell Storage Services (NSS) volumes in your SAN, you must edit each systems autoexec.ncf file. In this file, find the command load nss.nlm and change it to LOAD NSS /AutoDeactivateVolume=all /Mail- boxSize=16000 /ClosedFileCacheSize=100000 /CacheBalance=60. This command prevents the NSS manager from mounting all NSS volumes attached to the SAN. Table 2-2. Supported Novell NetWare SAN Configurations Component Supported Maximum Conditions/Requirements Servers Maximum of 20
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Table 2-2. Supported Novell NetWare SAN Configurations (continued) Component Supported Maximum Conditions/Requirements 130T libraries Maximum of two Allows a maximum of 16 PowerVault PowerVault 130T 130T libraries per SAN with a maxi- DLT4000 or DLT7000 mum offourtapedrives per Power- libraries per PowerVault Vault 35F bridge. 35F bridge. Switches Maximum of six Power- Three switches are supported per Vault Fibre Channel fabric, allowing six switches for switches per SAN. redundant configuratio
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Table 2-3. Supported PowerVault 530F SAN Appliance Configurations (continued) Component Supported Maximum Conditions/Requirements Target storage Maximum of eight ports A maximum of eight ports are avail- ports for storage per fabric. able for any combination of the For the purpose of fault- following devices: PowerVault 35F tolerance and load- bridges, PowerVault 650F and 651F balancing, each Power- disk processor enclosures (DPEs), Vault 56F switch pro- PowerVault 660F storage systems, vides
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Heterogeneous SAN Configurations Heterogeneous SANs are SANs that include multiple operating system environments. Each operating system environment must be in a separate zone. However, Windows NT and Windows 2000 servers can reside in the same or separate zones. NetWare servers must reside in a separate zone, each PowerVault 530F configuration must reside in a separate zone, and each MSCS cluster pair must reside in a separate zone. Table 2-4 lists the maximum number of devices that are supporte
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Table 2-4. Supported Heterogeneous SAN Configurations (continued) Components Supported Maximums Conditions/Requirements Management One Windows NT or The Windows NT or Windows 2000 station Windows 2000 system management station must be is required for managing attached to the same local- or wide- storage. area network as the NetWare servers. One of the SAN-attached NetWare servers must be running Data Managed Node for NetWare. 650F, 651F, Each PowerVault 650F, PowerVault 660F storage systems and
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Getting the Connected Device WWNs Using the PowerVault 5xF Fibre Channel Switch Name Server Table Zoning is required in heterogeneous SAN configurations to separate incompatible environments, such as separating Windows environments and storage from NetWare environments. It may be used in other configurations depending on the components and environments in your SAN. Zoning uses World-Wide Names (WWNs) to uniquely identify each target device in a SAN. Youcan obtain theWWNs of devicesthat areconn
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Attaching Cables For an illustration of how some of the components are cabled in a SAN, see the cabling example in Figure 2-4. For more information about cables that can be used in a SAN, see Appendix A, “Cable Types.” Figure 2-4. SAN Cabling Configuration Example Cabling Servers to PowerVault Storage Systems Perform the following steps to cable your servers to a 650F, 651F, or 660F PowerVault storage system. For additional cabling information, see Appendix A, “Cable Types.” 1. Turn off the se
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NOTICE: Do not turn on the server(s) or the PowerVault storage systems until all cabling is complete. 2. Create an interface between the 50F, 51F, or 56F Fibre Channel switches and each of the servers that you want to install in the SAN (see Figure 2-4). a. Connect the high-speed serial data connector (HSSDC) on the interface cable to the QLogic HBAs on each server. b. Connect the other end of the cable to the 5xF Fibre Channel switch. 3. Create an interface between each of the storage processo
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4. Power up all 660F and 650F storage systems and tape libraries and autoloaders. 5. Power up all 530F SAN appliances. 6. Power up all host servers. Shutting Down a SAN NOTE: All devices identified in a step must be fully shut down before continuing to the next step. 1. For PowerVault 660F and 224F storage systems, open the Dell OpenManage Array Manager and use the shutdown command to prepare the cache for shut down. 2. Shut down all host servers, and ensure that the power is turned off. 3. Shut
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2-18 Dell PowerVault SAN Administrator’sGuide
