Hp B Series Remote Replication Solutions Reference Guide SAN Design

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HP
SAN Design Reference Guide

Abstract
This reference document provides information about HP SAN architecture, including Fibre Channel, iSCSI, FCoE, SAN extension,
and hardware interoperability. Storage architects and system administrators can use this document to plan, design, and maintain
an HP SAN.

HP Part Number: 5697-3647
Published: February 2015
Edition: 84

© Copyright 2001-2015 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Confidential computer software. Valid license from HP required for possession, use or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212, Commercial
Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and Technical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Government under
vendor's standard commercial license.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express
warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall
not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Acknowledgments
Itanium® is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
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http://www.hp.com/go/storagewarranty

Contents
I Architecture..............................................................................................15
1 SAN design overview............................................................................16
SAN solutions....................................................................................................................16
HP SAN implementations....................................................................................................17
SAN components...............................................................................................................18
Fibre Channel technology...................................................................................................18
Storage area networks........................................................................................................18
SAN infrastructure..............................................................................................................19
Fabrics.........................................................................................................................19
SAN scaling.................................................................................................................19
Fibre Channel switches.......................................................................................................20
SAN design approaches.....................................................................................................20
SAN design considerations.................................................................................................21

2 SAN fabric topologies...........................................................................24
Fabric topologies...............................................................................................................24
Routed SAN fabrics.......................................................................................................25
FCoE SAN fabrics.........................................................................................................25
Benefits........................................................................................................................25
Single-switch fabric............................................................................................................25
Switch models...............................................................................................................26
Benefits........................................................................................................................26
Cascaded fabric................................................................................................................26
Switch models...............................................................................................................27
Benefits........................................................................................................................27
Meshed fabric...................................................................................................................28
Switch models...............................................................................................................29
Benefits........................................................................................................................29
Ring fabric........................................................................................................................29
Switch models...............................................................................................................31
Benefits........................................................................................................................31
Core-edge fabric...............................................................................................................31
Core-edge fabric types...................................................................................................32
Switch models...............................................................................................................34
Benefits........................................................................................................................34
Topology data access.........................................................................................................34
Topology maximums...........................................................................................................35
B-series switches............................................................................................................35
C-series switches...........................................................................................................36
H-series switches...........................................................................................................36
Routed fabric topologies.....................................................................................................36
B-series Meta SAN........................................................................................................37
B-series Virtual Fabrics with IFR........................................................................................38
C-series VSANs with IVR................................................................................................38
H-series switches with TR................................................................................................39
FCoE fabric topologies.......................................................................................................39
Data availability................................................................................................................40
Levels..........................................................................................................................40
Considerations..............................................................................................................42
Topology migration............................................................................................................43
Nondisruptive migration.................................................................................................43
Contents

3

Migrating a cascaded fabric SAN...................................................................................43
Migrating a meshed fabric SAN.....................................................................................44
Migrating a ring fabric SAN...........................................................................................44

3 Fibre Channel routing............................................................................45
Fibre Channel routing overview............................................................................................45
Fabric, Virtual Fabric, and VSAN independence...............................................................46
Fabric services..............................................................................................................46
Worldwide Name.........................................................................................................46
Import and export.........................................................................................................46
Routing table................................................................................................................46
SAN scaling and routing....................................................................................................47
Switch scaling...............................................................................................................47
Scaling by routing.........................................................................................................48
Fibre Channel routing implementations.................................................................................48
Fibre Channel routing techniques....................................................................................48
B-series fabric groups.....................................................................................................50
B-series fabric partitioning using Virtual Fabrics.................................................................50
B-series Virtual Fabrics architecture..................................................................................50
C-series fabric partitioning..............................................................................................50
H-series switch fabric routing...........................................................................................51
B-series, C-series, and H-series routing differences..............................................................51
Fabric redundancy and routing............................................................................................53
Supported routing configurations.........................................................................................55
Routing and core-edge fabrics........................................................................................55
Routing through an IP network........................................................................................56
High-availability router configurations..............................................................................57
400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use cases................................................................59
H-series switches with TR configurations............................................................................59
Routing use cases..........................................................................................................60

4 Fibre Channel over Ethernet...................................................................64
HP FCoE solutions overview.................................................................................................64
HP FCoE converged switch technology..................................................................................65
Converged network switch ports......................................................................................65
CN Switch Interoperability.........................................................................................66
HP FCoE products..............................................................................................................67
Converged network switches and blades..........................................................................67
HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch....................................................................................67
HP 5820 Ethernet/FCoE Switch..................................................................................68
HP 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch ................................................................69
HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade......................................69
HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network Switches........................................70
Cisco Nexus 5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switches........................................70
Cisco Fabric Extender for HP BladeSystem...................................................................71
Converged network adapters .........................................................................................72
HP StoreFabric CN1200E .........................................................................................72
HP CN1000E and CN1100E.....................................................................................73
HP StoreFabric CN1100R..........................................................................................73
HP CN1000Q.........................................................................................................73
FCoE storage systems....................................................................................................74
3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800/7200/7400/7450 with 10GbE FCoE host ports..............74
XP7 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (8 ports per adapter)..................................74
P9500 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (4 ports per adapter)..............................75
P63xx/P65xx with FCoE/iSCSI 10-GbE front end host ports (2 ports per controller)..........76
FCoE configuration rules.....................................................................................................79
4

Contents

Server support..............................................................................................................83
HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch and HP 5900AF Switch.......................................................83
HP 5820 Converged Network Switch...............................................................................84
Usage.....................................................................................................................84
FCoE Converged Network Switch fabric rules...............................................................84
Firmware, CNA, operating systems, and storage products support..............................84
B-series FCoE Converged Network switch.........................................................................84
Features..................................................................................................................85
Operating systems and storage products.....................................................................86
C-series and Cisco FCoE Converged Network switches.......................................................86
C-series Nexus 5020 FCoE Converged Network Switch.................................................86
C-series Nexus 5010 FCoE Converged Network Switch..................................................86
Expansion modules for the C-series Nexus 5000 Series switches.....................................86
Cisco Nexus 5548UP FCoE Converged Network Switch................................................86
Cisco Nexus 5596UP FCoE Converged Network Switch................................................87
Expansion Module Options for the Cisco Nexus 5500 Series switches.............................87
Models...................................................................................................................87
Features.............................................................................................................88
Usage.....................................................................................................................88
FCoE Converged Network switch fabric rules...............................................................89
Operating systems and storage products.....................................................................89
Boot from SAN support.......................................................................................................89
Multipathing software support.............................................................................................90

II Fabric infrastructure rules...........................................................................91
5 B-series switches and fabric rules.............................................................92
B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension
SAN Switches, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade.............................................................92
Model naming..............................................................................................................93
Switch models...............................................................................................................93
Features.......................................................................................................................95
Usage.......................................................................................................................100
Fibre Channel switch fabric rules........................................................................................102
Operating systems and storage products........................................................................102
B-series Fibre Channel switch and fabric rules.................................................................103
B-series Encryption Switch fabric rules............................................................................106
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules.............................................107
1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules.................109
Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules...........................111
Core switch addressing mode.......................................................................................115
Zoning limits and enforcement......................................................................................116
Zoning guidelines for B-series Fibre Channel switches.......................................................116

6 C-series switches and fabric rules..........................................................119
C-series Fibre Channel switches.........................................................................................119
Model naming............................................................................................................121
Switch models.............................................................................................................122
Features.....................................................................................................................127
Usage.......................................................................................................................128
Fibre Channel switch fabric rules........................................................................................130
Operating systems and storage products........................................................................130
Fabric rules for C-series Fibre Channel switches...............................................................131
ISL maximums.............................................................................................................132
Smart Zoning.............................................................................................................132
Zoning limits and enforcement......................................................................................133
Contents

5

C-series VSAN high availability.....................................................................................133

7 H-series switches and fabric rules..........................................................135
H-series switches..............................................................................................................135
Model numbering.......................................................................................................136
Model naming............................................................................................................136
Switch models.............................................................................................................136
Features.....................................................................................................................137
Usage.......................................................................................................................139
Fabric rules.....................................................................................................................139
Servers, operating systems, and storage products............................................................139
Fabric rules for H-series switches....................................................................................140
ISL maximums.............................................................................................................141
Fabric rules for H-series switches with TR.........................................................................141
Zoning limits and enforcement......................................................................................144

8 McDATA/M-series switches .................................................................145
9 SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules..........................146
SAN fabric connectivity rules.............................................................................................146
Switch port interfaces...................................................................................................146
Device port interfaces..................................................................................................146
Fiber optic cables........................................................................................................146
Fiber optic cable loss budgets.......................................................................................148
Storage product interface, switches, and transport distance rules.......................................151
SAN fabric switch interoperability rules...............................................................................155
Dual interoperable, heterogeneous SAN fabrics..............................................................155
Interoperable, heterogeneous switch fabrics....................................................................155
Third-party switch support.................................................................................................155
SAN performance considerations.......................................................................................156
Infrastructure factors.....................................................................................................156
Performance guidelines................................................................................................156

III Host and storage system rules..................................................................158
10 Heterogeneous server rules.................................................................159
SAN platform rules...........................................................................................................160
Heterogeneous storage system support................................................................................160
HP FC Switches for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment..............................................161
HP Virtual Connect for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment.........................................161
HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-Port Module for c-Class BladeSystem....................161
HP Virtual Connect Flex10/10D Ethernet Module for c-Class Blade System..........................162
HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem.................162
HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem.................163
HP 4 Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel module for c-Class BladeSystem............................163
HP Virtual Connect FC connectivity guidelines............................................................163
BladeSystem with Brocade Access Gateway mode...............................................................164
Failover policy and failback policy................................................................................165
AG mode considerations..............................................................................................165
AG mode connectivity guidelines..................................................................................166
BladeSystem with Cisco N_Port Virtualization mode..............................................................166
Failover policy............................................................................................................167
NPV mode considerations............................................................................................168
NPV mode connectivity guidelines.................................................................................168
NPV with FlexAttach.........................................................................................................169
HP BladeSystem c3000 enclosure considerations.................................................................170
HBA N_Port ID Virtualization.............................................................................................171
6

Contents

HBA NPIV considerations.............................................................................................171
HBA NPIV connectivity guidelines..................................................................................171
NonStop servers (XP only).................................................................................................172
HP-UX SAN rules.............................................................................................................184
HP OpenVMS SAN rules..................................................................................................186
Host-based volume shadowing......................................................................................188
HP Tru64 UNIX SAN rules.................................................................................................188
Apple Mac OS X SAN rules..............................................................................................189
IBM AIX SAN rules...........................................................................................................190
Linux SAN rules...............................................................................................................192
Linux multipath software coexistence support...................................................................193
Microsoft Windows SAN rules...........................................................................................194
Oracle Solaris SAN rules..................................................................................................196
VMware ESX SAN rules....................................................................................................198
VMware ESX HBA and multipath software coexistence support..........................................199
Citrix Xen SAN rules.........................................................................................................199
Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence..................................................................200
Common SAN storage coexistence................................................................................201
Common server access, different storage system types......................................................201
Common server, common HBA......................................................................................201
Common server, different HBAs.....................................................................................201
Server zoning rules..........................................................................................................202

11 MSA storage system rules...................................................................203
HP MSA storage system configurations................................................................................203
Heterogeneous SAN support........................................................................................204
Configuration rules......................................................................................................205
Zoning.......................................................................................................................205
Maximums.................................................................................................................205
P2000 data migration.................................................................................................207
MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration.......................................................207
Management software support......................................................................................209
Tape storage..............................................................................................................209

12 HP StoreVirtual storage system rules.....................................................210
Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage...................................................................210
Campus cluster support.....................................................................................................210
Heterogeneous SAN support.............................................................................................211
Configuration rules...........................................................................................................211
Configuration parameters..................................................................................................212
Data migration................................................................................................................212
Zoning...........................................................................................................................212
Boot from SAN support.....................................................................................................212

13 P6000/EVA storage system rules.........................................................213
P6000/EVA storage.........................................................................................................213
Heterogeneous SAN support........................................................................................214
Configuration rules......................................................................................................214
Configuration parameters.............................................................................................216
P6000/EVA data migration..............................................................................................218
MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration...........................................................218
Data migration considerations......................................................................................220
HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration....................................................................220
Zoning...........................................................................................................................222
Tape storage..............................................................................................................222
P6000/EVA SAN boot support.........................................................................................222
Contents

7

Storage management server integration..............................................................................222
Cabling..........................................................................................................................223
Level 4 NSPOF configuration........................................................................................223
Dual-channel HBA configurations..................................................................................225

14 P9000/XP storage system rules...........................................................227
P9000/XP storage systems................................................................................................227
Heterogeneous SAN support........................................................................................227
Configuration rules......................................................................................................228
Zoning.......................................................................................................................229
Tape storage..............................................................................................................229
P9000/XP SAN boot support............................................................................................230
LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP support...........................................................231
P9000/XP data migration.................................................................................................231
MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration...........................................................231
Data migration considerations......................................................................................233

15 SVSP storage system rules...................................................................234
SVSP storage systems.......................................................................................................234
Features.....................................................................................................................234
Software....................................................................................................................235
Hardware for a single SVSP domain..............................................................................235
Heterogeneous SAN support........................................................................................236
Configuration rules......................................................................................................236
Storage rules..............................................................................................................237
SVSP supported third-party arrays......................................................................................237
SVSP data migration........................................................................................................237
MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration...........................................................238
SVSP Continuous Access...................................................................................................238
Configuration parameters..................................................................................................239
SVSP SAN boot support....................................................................................................240
Storage management server integration..............................................................................240

16 3PAR StoreServ storage rules..............................................................241
3PAR StoreServ storage....................................................................................................241
Heterogeneous SAN support........................................................................................241
Configuration rules......................................................................................................242
Configuration parameters.............................................................................................243
Virtual Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR Storage...........................................243
3PAR data migration........................................................................................................243
HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage.......................................................................244
MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration...........................................................244
Zoning.......................................................................................................................246
Tape storage...................................................................................................................247
3PAR SAN boot support...................................................................................................247
3PAR storage management...............................................................................................247

17 Enterprise Backup Solution..................................................................248
IV SAN extension and bridging...................................................................249
18 SAN extension..................................................................................250
SAN extension overview...................................................................................................250
SAN extension technology............................................................................................251
SAN-iSCSI bridging technology....................................................................................252
Fibre Channel long-distance technology..............................................................................252
Fiber optic transceivers.................................................................................................252
Wavelength division multiplexing..................................................................................254
8

Contents

WDM overview......................................................................................................254
WDM network implementation.................................................................................254
WDM system architectures.......................................................................................255
WDM system characteristics.....................................................................................255
HP coarse wave division multiplexing........................................................................256
Third-party WDM products......................................................................................256
Extended fabric settings for Fibre Channel switches..........................................................257
B-series switch settings.............................................................................................257
B-series trunking and WDM.....................................................................................258
C-series switch settings............................................................................................258
H-series switch settings............................................................................................259
Multi-protocol long-distance technology...............................................................................259
Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol...............................................................................259
FCIP mechanisms...................................................................................................259
FCIP link configurations...........................................................................................259
FCIP single-link configuration...............................................................................259
FCIP dual-link configuration.................................................................................260
FCIP shared-link configuration.............................................................................260
FCIP network considerations....................................................................................260
FCIP bandwidth considerations.................................................................................261
Recommendations for managing bandwidth with FCIP............................................261
FCIP gateways.......................................................................................................262
Third-party QoS and data encryption FCIP products....................................................263
FCIP QoS products............................................................................................263
WAN accelerator products...........................................................................................263
Fibre Channel over SONET..........................................................................................263
FC-SONET IP link configurations...............................................................................264
FC-SONET dual-link configuration........................................................................264
FC-SONET shared-link configuration.....................................................................264
FC-SONET network considerations............................................................................264
Third-party SONET gateways...................................................................................264
Fibre Channel over ATM..............................................................................................265
HP multi-protocol long-distance products.............................................................................265
HP SAN extension products summary and usage.............................................................265
HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110).................................................................................266
IP Distance Gateway configuration examples.............................................................267
Configuration rules.................................................................................................274
General configuration rules.................................................................................274
Operating system and multipath support...............................................................275
EVA storage system rules.....................................................................................275
XP storage system rules.......................................................................................275
XP storage system software.................................................................................275
Fibre Channel switch and firmware support...........................................................275
MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP..........................................................................275
MPX200 Multifunction Router FCIP configuration examples..........................................276
FCIP Configuration rules..........................................................................................279
General FCIP configuration rules..........................................................................279
Operating system and multipath support...............................................................279
Storage system rules...........................................................................................279
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch.............................................................280
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch features and requirements...................280
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch configuration examples.......................284
B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade......................282
1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade features and
requirements..........................................................................................................283
Contents

9

1606 Extension SAN Switch configuration examples...................................................284
B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade.................................................................285
400 MP Router and MP Router Blade features and requirements...................................285
400 MP Router and MP Router Blade configuration examples.......................................286
C-series MDS 9222i, IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Modules, 18/4 Multiservice
Modules....................................................................................................................287
HP storage replication products.........................................................................................288
SAN extension best practices for HP P6000 Continuous Access.........................................289
HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS 09x...................................289
HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 6.x....................................................................291
HP P6000 Continuous Access with VCS 4.x...................................................................293
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access................................................................................295
OpenVMS host-based volume shadowing.......................................................................307
Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products.........................................................308
Certified third-party WDM products...............................................................................308

19 iSCSI storage....................................................................................309
iSCSI overview................................................................................................................309
iSCSI and Fibre Channel..............................................................................................309
iSCSI concepts................................................................................................................309
Initiator and target devices...........................................................................................310
iSCSI naming.............................................................................................................310
Discovery mechanisms.................................................................................................310
Service Location Protocol ........................................................................................311
Static configuration.................................................................................................311
SendTargets command............................................................................................311
Internet Storage Name Service.................................................................................311
Sessions and logins.....................................................................................................311
Security.....................................................................................................................312
Software and hardware iSCSI initiators..........................................................................312
iSCSI boot..................................................................................................................312
iSCSI storage network requirements....................................................................................313
HP Native iSCSI products..................................................................................................313
3PAR StoreServ10000 and 7000 .................................................................................313
3PAR StoreServ 10000 iSCSI overview......................................................................313
3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 10 GbE iSCSI support...............................313
3PAR F-Class, T-Class...................................................................................................314
3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI overview........................................................................314
3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI support..........................................................................314
P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA...............................................................................315
P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA overview.............................................................315
P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA iSCSI support......................................................315
HP StorageWorks MSA family of iSCSI SAN arrays.........................................................316
HP MSA 2040 SAN overview..................................................................................316
HP MSA 1040 iSCSI overview..................................................................................316
MSA2000i G2 and MSA2000i overview..................................................................317
P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI, P2000 G3 10Gb iSCSI, P2000 G3 iSCSI overview.....................317
MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations.....................................................317
Server support...................................................................................................318
Operating system support...................................................................................318
Path failover software.........................................................................................319
Management software support............................................................................319
Maximum configurations.....................................................................................319
HP StoreVirtual Storage................................................................................................319
HP StoreVirtual Storage overview..............................................................................320
10

Contents

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage support.......................................................................320
Multi-pathing software........................................................................................321
Management software support............................................................................321
Maximum configurations.....................................................................................321
HP iSCSI bridge products..................................................................................................322
Bridging and routing...................................................................................................322
iSCSI bridge to Fibre Channel.......................................................................................322
MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage......................................323
MPX200 simultaneous operation..............................................................................323
MPX200 configuration options.................................................................................323
MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums ..........................................................326
MPX200 blade configurations..................................................................................327
P6000/EVA storage system rules and guidelines .......................................................327
HP P6000 Command View and MPX200 management rules and guidelines..................328
P6000/EVA storage system software........................................................................329
Fibre Channel switch and fabric support....................................................................329
Operating system and multipath software support.......................................................329
MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage..................................329
MPX200 configuration options.................................................................................329
MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums...........................................................331
3PAR storage system rules and guidelines..................................................................331
MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage....................................................332
MPX200 configuration options.................................................................................332
MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums...........................................................333
XP storage system rules and guidelines......................................................................333
Operating system and multipath software support.......................................................334
EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option ...............................................................334
Hardware support..................................................................................................337
mpx100/100b data transport.............................................................................337
Fibre Channel switches.......................................................................................338
Storage systems.................................................................................................338
Software support....................................................................................................338
Management software........................................................................................338
Multipath software.............................................................................................339
HP P6000 Continuous Access.............................................................................340
Operating systems and network interface cards.....................................................341
NIC Teaming....................................................................................................341
iSCSI initiators...................................................................................................341
iSCSI boot.............................................................................................................341
EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Options supported maximums............................341
General rules for the EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Options.............................342
B-series iSCSI Director Blade.........................................................................................343
Blade overview......................................................................................................343
Hardware support..................................................................................................343
Storage systems.................................................................................................344
Fibre Channel switches.......................................................................................344
Software support....................................................................................................344
Operating systems and network interface controllers...............................................344
Network Teaming..............................................................................................344
B-series management applications........................................................................344
iSCSI initiators...................................................................................................344
Scalability rules......................................................................................................344
C-series iSCSI.............................................................................................................345
Modules overview..................................................................................................345
Hardware support..................................................................................................346
Contents

11

Storage systems.................................................................................................346
Fibre Channel switches.......................................................................................346
Software support....................................................................................................347
Operating systems and network interface controllers...............................................347
HP Network Teaming.........................................................................................347
C-series management applications.......................................................................347
iSCSI initiators...................................................................................................348
Configuration rules.................................................................................................348
HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack................................................................349
Overview..............................................................................................................349
HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack support................................................349
Hardware support..............................................................................................349
Application support...........................................................................................350
Management software support............................................................................350
iSCSI Initiator support rules.................................................................................350
HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI license upgrade options............................................350
Snapshot..........................................................................................................350
Clustering.........................................................................................................351
Direct Backup....................................................................................................351
Designing a Microsoft Exchange solution with iSCSI Feature Pack.................................351
Network design.................................................................................................351
Hardware selection............................................................................................351
Exchange storage design....................................................................................351
Supported load with Exchange............................................................................352
Sample iSCSI NAS Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 configuration...............................352
HP ProLiant DL380 G4 Storage Server configuration..............................................353

V Storage security, best practices, and support information.............................354
20 Storage security................................................................................355
Storage security threats.....................................................................................................355
Storage security compliance..............................................................................................356
Security technologies........................................................................................................356
IP SAN security technologies........................................................................................356
Fibre Channel SAN security technologies.......................................................................357
Encryption security technologies....................................................................................357
Key management........................................................................................................358
Organizational security policies....................................................................................358
HP security strategy..........................................................................................................358
HP Secure Advantage..................................................................................................358
Resource protection.................................................................................................358
Data protection......................................................................................................359
Security validation..................................................................................................360
Storage security best practices...........................................................................................360
Assessing security risks.................................................................................................360
Managing organizational risks.................................................................................360
Data security implementations..................................................................................360
HP storage security solutions..............................................................................................361
C-series Storage Media Encryption................................................................................361
C-series SAN-OS security.............................................................................................362
C-series IP SAN security...............................................................................................363
B-series Encryption Switch and Encryption FC Blade security.............................................363
B-series Fabric OS security............................................................................................364
Resource protection.................................................................................................364
Data protection......................................................................................................366
Security validation..................................................................................................367
12

Contents

Key management........................................................................................................367

21 Best practices...................................................................................369
SAN planning.................................................................................................................369
Design specification.........................................................................................................369
SAN topology.................................................................................................................370
Multi-fabric SANs........................................................................................................370
SAN and fabric monitoring..........................................................................................370
Failover protection.......................................................................................................370
Data access patterns...................................................................................................371
ISL ratio.....................................................................................................................371
Incremental SAN expansion.........................................................................................371
SAN configuration ..........................................................................................................371
Fibre Channel switch configuration................................................................................372
Server setup...............................................................................................................372
Storage system configuration........................................................................................372
Storage-based LUN masking.............................................................................................372
Zoning...........................................................................................................................373
Zoning enforcement.....................................................................................................373
Zoning guidelines.......................................................................................................373
Zoning by operating system.....................................................................................374
Zoning by HBA......................................................................................................374
Zoning by HBA port................................................................................................374
Zoning by NPIV port...............................................................................................374
Zoning with 3PAR persistent ports.............................................................................374
Zoning by application.............................................................................................375
Zoning by port allocation........................................................................................375
EBS zoning................................................................................................................375
Zone naming..............................................................................................................375
Naming by identifier type........................................................................................375
Case sensitivity of fabric identifiers............................................................................375
Server naming.......................................................................................................376
Storage system naming...........................................................................................376
FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions.................................................................376
HP 5820 FCoE Converged Network Switch quick setup....................................................376
2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch and DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade
quick setup.................................................................................................................379
HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network Switch and Cisco 5548UP/5596UP
Converged Network Switch quick setup..........................................................................381
SAN scaling...................................................................................................................387
Cascaded fabric expansion..........................................................................................387
Meshed fabric expansion.............................................................................................387
Ring fabric expansion..................................................................................................388
Core-edge fabric expansion.........................................................................................388
SAN fabric merging.........................................................................................................388
Fabric segmentation errors............................................................................................389
Switch configuration parameters....................................................................................389
Independent fabric merge............................................................................................389
High-availability redundant fabric merge........................................................................389
SAN infrastructure monitoring.......................................................................................390

22 Support and other resources...............................................................391
Contacting HP.................................................................................................................391
HP technical support....................................................................................................391
Subscription service.....................................................................................................391
New and changed information in this edition......................................................................391
Contents

13

Related information..........................................................................................................392
Typographic conventions...................................................................................................392
Customer self repair.........................................................................................................393

23 Documentation feedback...................................................................394
VI HP Complete Program............................................................................395
24 HP Complete Program ......................................................................396
HP Complete Products......................................................................................................396
Brocade VDX Switch....................................................................................................396
Features................................................................................................................396

Glossary..................................................................................................398
Index.......................................................................................................406

14

Contents

Part I Architecture
SAN architecture is presented in these chapters:
•

“SAN design overview” (page 16)

•

“SAN fabric topologies” (page 24)

•

“Fibre Channel routing” (page 45)

•

“Fibre Channel over Ethernet” (page 64)

1 SAN design overview
SANs provide the data communication infrastructure for advanced, cost-efficient storage systems.
SAN technology offers investment protection, management features, and I/O price performance
to minimize capital expense. HP SAN architecture provides open network storage solutions for all
sizes and types of businesses, including small-to-medium-sized IT departments and enterprise
environments.
This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“SAN solutions” (page 16)

•

“HP SAN implementations” (page 17)

•

“SAN components” (page 18)

•

“Fibre Channel technology” (page 18)

•

“Storage area networks” (page 18)

•

“SAN infrastructure” (page 19)

•

“Fibre Channel switches” (page 20)

•

“SAN design approaches” (page 20)

•

“SAN design considerations” (page 21)

SAN solutions
SANs provide flexibility in system management, configuration, connectivity, and performance to
meet the needs of the changing business environment. For the most challenging IT problems, SANs
offer resilient solutions:
•

Open systems
SANs support various operating systems and servers to meet your operational requirements.
A robust storage infrastructure accommodates new business models, unexpected growth, and
corporate reorganizations.

•

Fast backup and restore
SANs remove backup and recovery traffic from the LAN, reducing congestion, improving
backup windows, and efficiently utilizing storage resources. You can use centrally managed,
high-performance tape libraries to reduce backup overhead.

•

Business continuance
SANs can eliminate single points of failure, incorporate failover software, and support mirroring
at geographically dispersed data centers for disaster recovery. You can quickly restore
productivity after a power failure or component downtime.

•

High availability
Redundant fabric designs, storage replication, dynamic failover protection, traffic rerouting,
and server clustering enable SANs to provide enterprise-class availability to open systems
servers.

•

Server and storage consolidation
Multiple servers and backup systems can share storage for efficient processing and increased
availability.

•

Cost savings
SAN total cost of ownership is typically less than DAS. The business realizes a higher return
on investment because sharing storage among servers utilizes capacity more efficiently, and

16

SAN design overview

expenses for backup hardware are reduced. Increased system availability can help prevent
costly downtime and lost data.
•

Centralized management
You can manage consolidated storage by using web-based tools from any location, thus
reducing labor costs.

•

Security
SANs support network security measures, such as authentication, authorization, access control,
and zoning.

•

Online scalability
You can add storage capacity or expand the fabric as needs change. You can add and
remove servers, and increase, change, or reassign storage while the SAN is online.

•

Modularity
Modular design simplifies SAN scalability and increases ROI by consolidating and sharing
systems.

Your SAN can incorporate all of these features, or you can start with a small SAN and add features
as your business needs change.

HP SAN implementations
You can configure a custom SAN by choosing components and following the HP design rules. HP
SAN designs employ a configuration philosophy that supports comprehensive SAN implementations.
•

Flexible design and deployment
HP provides standard topologies and design rules to meet the widest range of requirements
for small office environments, mid-range business systems, and enterprise-class installations.
The design rules and methods described in this guide enable change and expansion as needs
arise.

•

Incremental scaling
HP SANs maximize value by optimizing features and functionality of the SAN components.
You can expand your SAN over time by adding capacity and features as required.

•

Interoperability
HP SAN designs support multiple operating system, server, storage system, and SAN
infrastructure component types.

•

Geographically dispersed installations
HP provides components to meet local and long-distance connectivity requirements.

HP SAN implementations

17

For information about SAN infrastructure solutions, see the HP Storage Networking website at
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure.html

SAN components
A SAN consists of the following hardware and software components:
•

Switches
A Fibre Channel switch creates the fabric of the SAN. By interconnecting switches, you can
create scalable SANs with thousands of port connections.

•

Routers, bridges, and gateways
Router functionality provides high levels of scalability, dynamic device sharing, and Fibre
Channel network fault isolation. Routers, bridges, and gateways extend the SAN over long
distances and enable integration of multi-protocol technologies.

•

Storage devices
A SAN can integrate multiple storage system types, such as disk arrays and tape libraries, to
allocate storage efficiently.

•

Servers and HBAs
HBAs connect the server to the SAN. HBA drivers provide an intelligent interface to the switches
and minimize CPU overhead.

•

Cabling and cable connectors
Fiber optic cables provide the physical connections between SAN components.

•

SAN management applications
HP applications manage and monitor components and ensure optimal SAN operation.

Fibre Channel technology
Fibre Channel is a comprehensive set of standards for communication among servers, storage
systems, and peripheral devices. A Fibre Channel network provides connectivity among
heterogeneous devices and supports multiple interconnect topologies.
The network can be connected to a variety of storage systems:
•

RAID arrays

•

Tape devices and backup libraries

Fibre Channel technology supports simultaneous use of these transport protocols:
•

IP

•

SCSI

•

iSCSI

For the latest information on Fibre Channel and related technologies, see the following website:
http://www.incits.org

Storage area networks
General-purpose networks, such as LANs, enable communication between servers. A SAN uses
multiple paths to connect servers and storage systems. To take full advantage of its capabilities,
the SAN is maintained separately from parallel general-purpose networks.
The network topology is the physical arrangement of interconnected hardware components. In a
basic topology, a Fibre Channel switch interconnects multiple servers and a storage system. To
protect against hardware failure, high-availability topologies connect redundant systems. You can
18

SAN design overview

connect a complex and extensible network across long distances by choosing the required topology
and appropriate components, and then connecting devices with fiber optic cable.

SAN infrastructure
You use fabric switches to create the SAN communication paths. The number of storage systems
that can be connected is determined by the number of ports available and other hardware
constraints.
SANs enable expansion by scaling storage capacity across numerous systems and long distances.
Scaling increases the number of devices and connections in a SAN. You can increase the number
of switches in a fabric, or you can use routing technology to connect multiple SAN fabrics or
multiple VSANs.

Fabrics
A fabric is a single switch or a set of switches connected to form a network. Fabric services manage
device names and addresses, timestamps, and other functionality for the switches.
A set of switches can be connected as a single fabric, an interconnected network of independent
fabrics (LSANs for B-series), or partitioned into multiple logical fabrics (Virtual Fabrics for B-series
or VSANs for C-series).

SAN scaling
You can increase SAN connectivity by adding switches to an existing SAN or by using switches
with more ports. When designing a SAN, you must ensure compliance with Fibre Channel standards
and switch specifications. For switch-based scaling, consider the following factors:
•

Fibre Channel architecture
Fibre Channel supports a maximum of 239 switches in a single fabric. HP specifies support
based on rules for the maximum number of switches and maximum number of ports in a single
fabric or multi-fabric SAN. Using many switches to obtain a high number of ports is
unacceptable if the fabric exceeds the total switch count limit. Likewise, using large-capacity
switches can create a network that exceeds the maximum number of ports.
For the HP-supported switch and port count fabric maximums, see:

•

◦

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

◦

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

◦

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Supported configurations
Each Fibre Channel switch product line specifies the maximum number of ISLs, user ports, and
hop counts, as well as link distances and other configuration limitations. The supported
configurations determine the practical size of a SAN.

•

Fabric services
Fabric services are distributed throughout the SAN to coordinate functions among all switches
in the fabric. A large SAN requires the management functions provided by high-end switches.
Some low-end switches have a limited capacity for expansion.

Routing technology facilitates SAN expansion beyond the capacity offered by switch-based scaling.

SAN infrastructure

19

Fibre Channel switches
A switch is identified by its function in a SAN:
•

Core (or director)—Provides ISLs for any-to-any connectivity

•

Edge (or fabric or SAN)—Provides user ports for connecting servers and storage systems

For some switches, the model name (for example, HP StorageWorks Core Switch 2/64) indicates
its intended use in a SAN.
NOTE:
This guide describes specific switch and fabric rules for SAN configuration. A
heterogeneous environment requires coordination of components based on their rules to create a
consolidated system. You must also consider the restrictions and requirements of the servers, HBAs,
operating systems, cables, and other components.

SAN design approaches
HP has three approaches to SAN design, listed here in order of complexity and experience required:
•

HP standard design
HP standard designs specify the arrangement of Fibre Channel switches in a SAN fabric, and
are optimized for specific data access requirements and typical workloads. Implementing a
standard design is the simplest approach to SAN design. HP recommends this approach for
users who are designing a SAN for the first time.

•

Modified HP standard design
Select a standard SAN design that satisfies most of your requirements, and then modify it to
meet your data access and connectivity requirements. HP recommends this approach for users
with an intermediate level of SAN experience.

•

Custom design using the HP SAN design rules
Use a custom SAN design for specific storage and data access requirements. The SAN design
rules in this guide specify guidelines for configuring custom topologies. HP recommends this
approach for users with an intermediate or advanced level of SAN experience.

For information about:
•

Standard SAN designs, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24)

•

Customizing a SAN design, see:

•

•
20

◦

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

◦

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

◦

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Heterogeneous SAN design, see:

◦

“Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159)

◦

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

◦

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

◦

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

◦

“SVSP storage system rules” (page 234)

◦

“3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241)

Recommended SAN solutions and conventions, see “Best practices” (page 369)

SAN design overview

SAN design considerations
To design or modify a SAN, evaluate the following:
•

Geographic layout
The locations of campuses, buildings, servers, and storage systems determine the required
SAN connections. SAN infrastructure components support long-distance connections and
multiple interswitch cable segments. Fibre Channel routing interconnects independent SAN
islands (fabrics) or VSANs to form a single, geographically distributed SAN.
For information about supported distances, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

•

Data availability
A resilient SAN environment minimizes vulnerability to fabric or device failures and maximizes
performance. A mixture of availability levels can be implemented in the same SAN, depending
on the level of protection required for specific applications or data.
For information about availability levels, see “Data availability” (page 40).

•

Connectivity
Provide enough ports to connect servers, storage systems, and fabric components. To create
a high-capacity SAN, you can connect multiple fabrics or VSANs using routing.
For information about the connections available in a SAN fabric topology, see “SAN fabric
topologies” (page 24).

•

Storage capacity
Calculate the total storage capacity requirement and determine the type and number of storage
systems needed for current and future requirements.
For storage systems information, see:

•

◦

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

◦

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

◦

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

◦

“SVSP storage system rules” (page 234)

◦

“3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241)

Heterogeneous platforms and operating systems
Customize your SAN for specific hardware platforms and operating systems. In a heterogeneous
environment, component interoperability depends on the capabilities and limitations of each
platform.
For information about configuring systems in a heterogeneous environment, see “Heterogeneous
server rules” (page 159).

•

Scalability and migration
Choose a design that can be expanded incrementally over time as storage and connectivity
needs increase. Migration paths for each of the topologies provide flexibility to expand a
SAN. Fibre Channel routing accommodates expansion with minimal disruption to the network,
especially where growth requirements are not known.
For information about scaling and migrating, see “Best practices” (page 369).

•

Backup and restore
Provide adequate connectivity and bandwidth to maximize the performance of SAN-based
backup.
SAN design considerations

21

For information about centralized backup, see “Enterprise Backup Solution” (page 248).
•

Disaster tolerance
Consider remote data replication requirements to ensure protection against site failures and
recovery of critical data.
For information about disaster tolerance and failover protection, see “SAN extension”
(page 250).

•

Switch and hop counts
Minimize the number of hops between devices that communicate regularly in the SAN.
For information about switches and hop counts, see:

•

◦

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

◦

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

◦

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Oversubscription
For improved performance, reduce the potential for oversubscription. Ensure that the SAN
design provides an adequate number of ISLs between switches, and minimize cases where
many devices share a single-switch ISL.
For information about oversubscription, see “Recommended ISL ratios” (page 33).

•

Data locality, performance, and application workloads
Provide an adequate level of performance based on application workloads. For frequent data
reference and quick response times, use local, high-capacity paths to connect servers and
storage systems. Deploy servers and storage in your SAN based on your data access
requirements.
See “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24).

•

Manageability
To enhance efficiency, you can manage consolidated storage from a centralized location.

•

Fabric zoning
You can use fabric zoning to control SAN access at the device or port level.
For information about zoning, see:

•

◦

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

◦

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

◦

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Selective Storage Presentation
To provide data access security and enable storage system use by multiple operating systems
in a single SAN, use SSP.

•

SAN security
Use a combination of SAN features and sound management practices to ensure data security
throughout the SAN.

•

Fibre Channel routing functionality
To increase the number of devices accessible in a SAN, use Fibre Channel routing functionality
to interconnect existing SAN fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs.

22

SAN design overview

For routing functionality information, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24).
•

Virtual Fabrics (B-series switches) and virtual SANs (C-series switches)
To create a SAN consisting of multiple logical SANs with separate fabric services, implement
logical fabrics or VSANs. Use the IFR or inter-VSAN routing feature to enable device sharing
across Virtual Fabrics or VSANs.
For information about Virtual Fabrics and VSANs, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24).

SAN design considerations

23

2 SAN fabric topologies
This chapter discusses HP standard SAN fabric topologies. It describes the following topics:
•

“Fabric topologies” (page 24)

•

“Single-switch fabric” (page 25)

•

“Cascaded fabric” (page 26)

•

“Meshed fabric” (page 28)

•

“Ring fabric” (page 29)

•

“Core-edge fabric” (page 31)

•

“Topology data access” (page 34)

•

“Topology maximums” (page 35)

•

“Routed fabric topologies” (page 36)

•

“FCoE fabric topologies” (page 39)

•

“Data availability” (page 40)

•

“Topology migration” (page 43)

Fabric topologies
A SAN fabric topology defines the arrangement of Fibre Channel switches in a fabric. This section
describes the HP-supported SAN fabric topologies.
There are three approaches to designing a SAN. You can implement:
•

An HP standard SAN fabric topology design

•

A subset or variation of an HP standard SAN fabric topology design

•

A custom SAN fabric topology design

Regardless of which approach you use, the SAN design must adhere to the SAN design rules
described in the following chapters:

24

•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

•

“SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146)

•

“Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159)

•

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

•

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

•

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

•

“SVSP storage system rules” (page 234)

•

“3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241)

SAN fabric topologies

Routed SAN fabrics
HP standard fabric topologies support Fibre Channel routing. Fibre Channel routing enables
connectivity between devices in multiple fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or multiple VSANs. HP supports
the following routed fabric technologies:
•

“B-series Meta SAN” (page 37)

•

“C-series VSANs with IVR” (page 38)

•

“H-series switches with TR” (page 39)

FCoE SAN fabrics
HP standard fabric topologies can integrate with FCoE technology. FCoE is deployed in existing
Ethernet and Fibre Channel environments providing convergence at the server and fabric edge
using CNAs and FCoE CN switches, see “FCoE fabric topologies” (page 39).

Benefits
With HP standard SAN fabric topologies, you can:
•

Create a SAN fabric for each department or application in your organization.

•

Perform centralized management and backups.

•

Update a SAN fabric to accommodate changing capacity or data access needs. You can
also convert to another SAN fabric topology as needed.

•

Connect devices over long distances using extended Fibre Channel or IP connections. See
“SAN fabric connectivity rules” (page 146) and “SAN extension” (page 250).

•

Connect multiple SAN fabrics using routing technology, see “B-series Meta SAN” (page 37).

•

Deploy multiple logical fabrics using the Virtual Fabrics feature.

•

Deploy multiple VSANs, see “C-series VSANs with IVR” (page 38).

•

Incorporate a range of SAN availability levels, see “Data availability” (page 40).

Single-switch fabric
A single-switch fabric consists of a Fibre Channel switch, server, and storage system (Figure 1).
This topology forms the basis for all HP standard topologies. For example, you can connect two
single-switch fabrics to create a cascaded fabric. Or, you can connect three or more single-switch
fabrics to create a ring fabric or a core-edge fabric.
Figure 1 Single-switch fabric

25089a

Single-switch fabric

25

Switch models
For a small, single-switch SAN fabric, use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch; the 8/20q Fibre
Channel Switch (or the HP Simple SAN Connectivity Kit); or an HP SAN, Fabric, or Edge switch
(4, 8, 16, or 20 ports). For a larger single-switch SAN fabric, use a SAN, Fabric, or Edge switch
(32 to 40 ports), or a Core or Director switch (64 to 240 ports), which have higher port counts.
For a high-availability SAN, use two switches configured in a dual-fabric SAN.

Benefits
The benefits of a single-switch fabric include:
•

Easy installation and configuration of servers and storage

•

Maximum fabric performance because all communicating devices connect to the same switch

•

Support for local, centralized, and distributed data access needs

Cascaded fabric
A cascaded fabric is a set of interconnected switches, arranged in a tree format, that have one or
more ISLs (Figure 2). You can connect one switch to one or more switches using a single ISL to
each, or connect a pair of ISLs between two switches. HP recommends that you have a minimum
of two ISL connections on each switch to provide fabric path redundancy. You should consider
using a cascaded fabric topology if you require multiple groups of devices with localized intraswitch
access.
Cascading enables you to:

26

•

Achieve optimum I/O activity by connecting servers and storage to the same switch in the
cascaded fabric

•

Easily scale the fabric over time by adding cascaded switches

SAN fabric topologies

Figure 2 Cascaded fabric

25090a

Switch models
All HP Fibre Channel switches are supported for use in a cascaded fabric topology. Cascaded
fabric topologies typically use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch; the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch
(or the HP Simple SAN Connectivity Kit); or SAN, Fabric, or Edge switches, which support smaller
incremental growth.
NOTE: Over time, a cascaded fabric topology can result in increased hops between switches.
B-series, C-series, and H-series fabrics must not exceed seven hops. For additional switch hop
information, see:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Benefits
The benefits of a cascaded fabric include:
•

Ability to connect SANs in diverse geographic locations

•

Ease of scalability for increased server and storage connectivity

•

Shared backup and management support

•

Optimum local performance when communicating devices are connected to the same switch
in the cascaded fabric

•

Cost efficiency due to the large number of switch ports available

•

Support for local data access and occasional centralized data access
Cascaded fabric

27

Meshed fabric
A meshed fabric is a group of interconnected switches using multiple ISLs for fabric resiliency
(Figure 3). If one ISL fails, the switch automatically reroutes data through an alternate path in the
fabric. If the alternate path includes other switches, the data must pass through those switches to
reach its destination.
Figure 3 Meshed fabric

25091a

As you add switches, ISLs are connected to two or more adjacent switches to maintain mesh
connectivity, ensuring path redundancy throughout the fabric (Figure 4). The additional ISL
connectivity provides communicating devices with more paths through the fabric. This dramatically
reduces the chance that, as you add switches, you will exceed the maximum hop count.
Figure 4 ISL connections in a meshed fabric

25092a

28

SAN fabric topologies

Switch models
All HP Fibre Channel switches are supported for use in a meshed fabric topology. Meshed fabric
topologies typically use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch; the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch (or
the HP Simple SAN Connectivity Kit); or SAN, Fabric, or Edge switches, which support smaller
incremental growth. To meet higher port-count requirements, use Core or Director switches.

Benefits
The benefits of a meshed fabric include:
•

Ability to meet multiple data access needs

•

Multiple paths for internal fabric resiliency

•

Ease of scalability

•

Shared backup and management support

•

Support for a mix of local and distributed data access (see “Topology data access” (page 34))

•

Less impact on performance due to intraswitch traffic

Ring fabric
A ring fabric is a ring of interconnected switches (Figure 5). The ring fabric provides a similar level
of fabric resiliency as the meshed fabric and ensures full fabric connectivity with a minimum of two
paths for each switch.
The ring fabric enables you to:
•

Scale the fabric in a modular fashion.

•

Achieve optimum I/O performance by connecting a group of servers and storage to one
switch.

NOTE: HP does not recommend the ring fabric for applications requiring many-to-many
connectivity.

Ring fabric

29

Figure 5 Ring fabric

25093a

If the ring fabric has fewer than 12 switches, you can add switches (called satellite switches) outside
the ring to create more user ports (Figure 6). Satellite switches are not supported.
NOTE:

Adding satellite switches slightly reduces fabric availability.

For more information on switch fabric maximums, see:

30

•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

SAN fabric topologies

Figure 6 Ring fabric with satellite switches

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Switch models
All HP Fibre Channel switches are supported for use in a ring fabric topology. Ring fabric topologies
typically use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch; the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch (or the HP Simple
SAN Connectivity Kit); or SAN, Fabric, or Edge switches, which support smaller incremental growth.
To meet higher port-count requirements, use Core or Director switches.

Benefits
The benefits of a ring fabric include:
•

Modular design and ease of scalability by adding a switch and other devices

•

Multiple paths for internal fabric resiliency

•

Support for a mix of local data access and occasional centralized data access

Core-edge fabric
HP recommends using a core-edge fabric wherever possible.
A core-edge fabric has one or more Fibre Channel switches (called core switches) that connect to
edge switches in the fabric (Figure 7). The core switches provide high bandwidth and redundant
connectivity to the edge switches. The edge switches provide user ports for servers and storage.
You can also connect centralized storage (disk or tape) to the core switches if centralized access
is required.
The core-edge fabric is optimal for:
•

Many-to-many connectivity environments that require high performance

•

Unknown or changing I/O traffic patterns

•

SAN-wide storage pooling

Core-edge fabric

31

Figure 7 Core-edge fabric (typical depiction)

25095a

Core-edge fabric topologies are typically depicted as shown in Figure 7 (page 32), but can also
be depicted hierarchically as shown in Figure 8 (page 32). Both figures represent the same physical
implementation. How a topology is logically represented can help you understand the potential
performance of a core-edge topology.
Figure 8 Core-edge fabric (hierarchical depiction)

25096a

Core-edge fabric types
The number of ISLs between edge and core switches—typically expressed as a fan-in ratio, such
as 7:1—characterizes the core-edge fabric types. The first number (7) indicates the number of
edge ports. The second number (1) indicates the number of ISLs used by the edge ports to connect
to a core switch in the fabric.

Fat and skinny trees
There are two core-edge fabric topology types: fat tree and skinny tree. Table 1 (page 33) describes
fat and skinny trees.
32

SAN fabric topologies

Table 1 Core-edge fabric topology types
Topology type

Description

Fat tree

At least 50% of edge ports are dedicated as ISLs, resulting in an ISL ratio of 1:1.

Skinny tree

Less than 50% of edge ports are dedicated as ISLs, resulting in an ISL ratio of x:1, where
x is 2 or more.

Recommended ISL ratios
The core-edge fabric type has a high fabric cross-sectional bandwidth (the maximum amount of
data that can pass through ISLs at the fabric midpoint, which is the central connection or core of
the fabric). The higher the ISL ratio, the lower the cross-sectional bandwidth and the more prone
a topology is to ISL oversubscription. Oversubscription occurs when traffic is blocked due to
insufficient ISL bandwidth.
NOTE: When determining the ideal ISL ratio, you must consider the speed of the server, storage,
and ISL ports.
The minimum ISL ratio for an implementation depends on several factors, including:
•

Location of server and storage fabric connection

•

Server and storage hardware performance

•

Data access type (see “Topology data access” (page 34))

•

Server application performance requirements

Table 2 (page 33) describes the recommended core-edge fabric ISL ratios.
Table 2 Recommended core-edge fabric ISL ratios
I/O workload

Recommended ratios

Higher I/O data intensive application requirements (> 70 MB/s at 2 Gb/s, > 140
MB/s at 4 Gb/s, > 280 MB/s at 8 Gb/s)

1:1 to 3:1

Lower I/O data intensive application requirements (< 70 MB/s at 2 Gb/s, < 140
MB/s at 4 Gb/s, < 280 MB/s at 8 Gb/s)

7:1 to 15:1

NOTE:

HP recommends a ratio of 7:1 for typical distributed data access.

Numeric representation
Core-edge fabrics can also be represented in numeric terms, such as n1 x n2, where n1 represents
the number of core switches and n2 represents the number of edge switches.
For example, a 4 x 24 core-edge fabric indicates 4 core switches and 24 edge switches, for a
total of 28 switches.
Figure 9 (page 34) shows a 4 x 12 core-edge fabric with 4 core switches and 12 edge switches,
each connected to the core with 4 ISLs.

Core-edge fabric

33

Figure 9 Core-edge fabric (4 x 12)
8

16

24

32

40

48

56

1

9

17

25

33

41

49

57

2

10

18

26

34

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50

58

3

11

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35

43

51

59

4

12

20

28

36

44

52

60

5

13

21

29

37

45

53

61

6

14

22

30

38

46

54

62

7

15

23

31

39

47

55

63

0

8

16

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48

56

1

9

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2

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3

11

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4

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60

5

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53

61

6

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62

7

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63

0

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1

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2

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3

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4

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0

25097a

Switch models
All HP Fibre Channel switches are supported for use in a core-edge fabric topology. Core-edge
topologies typically use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch; the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch (or
the HP Simple SAN Connectivity Kit); SAN, Fabric, or Edge switches on the edge; and Core and
Director switches in the core. H-series core-edge topologies use the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switches
as edge and core switches (particularly if using the stacking capability) and 8/20q Fibre Channel
Switches as edge and core switches. When using switches with different Fibre Channel maximum
speed capabilities (such as 1 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, or 8 Gb/s), HP recommends using the
higher-speed switches in the core.

Benefits
The benefits of a core-edge fabric include:
•

Typically, a maximum of two hops between switches

•

Equal, centralized access to devices in the core

•

Increased fabric and switch redundancy with two or more switches in the core

•

Full many-to-many connectivity with evenly distributed bandwidth

•

Support for centralized and distributed data access needs

•

Ability to designate an optimally located core switch as the primary management switch, with
direct connections to all switches

Topology data access
To choose a SAN fabric topology, you must determine which data access type is appropriate for
your environment. The data access types are as follows:

34

•

Local (one-to-one)—Data access between a local server and a storage system connected to
the same switch

•

Centralized (many-to-one)—Data access between multiple, dispersed servers and one centrally
located storage system

•

Distributed (many-to-many)—Data access between multiple, dispersed servers and storage
systems

SAN fabric topologies

Table 3 (page 35) lists the data access performance ratings for each SAN fabric topology.
Table 3 Data access performance by SAN fabric topology
Data access performance
SAN topology

Local

Centralized

Distributed

Single-switch fabric

Highest

Highest

Highest

Cascaded fabric

Highest

Not recommended

Not recommended

Meshed fabric

Medium

Medium

High

Ring fabric

Highest

Medium

Not recommended

Medium

High

High

High

Highest

Highest

Core-edge fabric
(15:1, 7:1)
Core-edge fabric
(3:1, 1:1)

Topology maximums
Table 4 (page 35), Table 5 (page 36), and Table 6 (page 36) describe the maximum number of
supported switches and ports for specific fabric topologies. In some cases, the number may be
less than the maximums specified in the switch and fabric rules chapters. These differences relate
to the number of hops in the fabric topology, as well as the number of ISLs, which affects the
number of available user ports.
Consider the following:
•

User ports are for server and storage connections.

•

It is assumed that you have the minimum number of ISLs. If you require more ISLs, this reduces
the number of user ports available for server and storage connections. See the following
chapters for configuration limits:

•

◦

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

◦

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

◦

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

If you connect a Storage Management Appliance to the fabric, this further reduces the number
of ports available for server and storage connections.

B-series switches
Table 4 (page 35) lists the B-series switch and port maximums for specific fabric topologies.
Table 4 B-series switch and port topology maximums
SAN topology
Single-switch fabric

Number of switches

Total number of ports

Number of user ports

1

512

512

Cascaded fabric
56
Meshed fabric

2,300

Ring fabric

15

Ring fabric with satellite
switches

56

Core-edge fabric

2,560
1,212
2,300
Topology maximums

35

C-series switches
Table 5 (page 36) lists the C-series switch and port maximums for specific fabric topologies.
Table 5 C-series switch and port topology maximums
SAN topology
Single-switch fabric

Number of switches

Total number of ports

Number of user ports

1

528

528
3,500

Cascaded fabric

60

Meshed fabric

60

4,000

Ring fabric

15

(maximum of 12
Director switches)

Ring fabric with satellite
switches

60

Core-edge fabric

60

(cascaded with 12 Director switches
and 10 Fabric switches)

3,500

H-series switches
Table 6 (page 36) lists the H-series switch and port maximums for specific topologies.
For large fabrics, the number of user ports is determined by use of SN6000 Fibre Channel Switches
and making maximum use of their dedicated 10Gb/20Gb stacking port ISLs, which leaves more
of the 8 Gb ports available for device connections.
Table 6 H-series switch and port topology maximums
SAN topology
Single-switch fabric

Number of switches

Total number of ports

Number of user ports

1

20

20

30

600

Cascaded fabric

460

Meshed fabric

512

Ring fabric

15

300

264

Ring fabric with satellite
switches

30

600

462

Core-edge fabric

Routed fabric topologies
HP standard fabric topologies support Fibre Channel routing, which provides connectivity between
devices in multiple fabrics or VSANs.
This section describes the following HP Fibre Channel routed fabric technologies:

36

•

“B-series Meta SAN” (page 37)—Implemented in certain 8 Gb/s switch models with license
enabled integrated Fibre Channel routing or using the B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch,
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 Multi-protocol Router (400 MP Router), Multi-protocol
Router Blade (MP Router Blade), or HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, which
provide selective Fibre Channel routing connectivity between multiple B-series fabrics.

•

“B-series Virtual Fabrics with IFR” (page 38)—Implemented in B-series switches (DC SAN
Backbone Director, DC04 Director, 8/80 SAN Switch, and 8/40 SAN Switch) using B-series
Virtual Fabrics. IFR allows you to share devices across multiple B-series Virtual Fabrics partions.

SAN fabric topologies

•

“C-series VSANs with IVR” (page 38)—Implemented using C-series IVR. IVR provides selective
Fibre Channel routing connectivity between devices in different VSANs. Ports on one or more
switches can be assigned to different VSANs.

•

“H-series switches with TR” (page 39)—Implemented using the TR feature, which is available
with firmware 8.x (or later). The TR feature provides inter-fabric routing, allowing controlled
access between devices on an SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch or an 8/20q Fibre Channel
Switch (local) fabric and devices on a remote fabric consisting of B-series or C-series switches.

B-series Meta SAN
A Meta SAN contains multiple B-series fabrics connected together using the B-series 8 Gb/s switches
with Fibre Channel routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension
SAN Switches, DC Director Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade. The
8 Gb/s switches with Fibre Channel routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switches, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP Router, or MP Router
Blade implement the Fibre Channel routing service, which allows selective access between devices
in different fabrics without having to merge fabrics. This provides a high level of isolation between
fabrics. This isolation can be viewed as individual Fibre Channel subnetworks within the Meta
SAN.
LSANs provide access to devices in different fabrics. You create LSAN zones just as you create
standard zones in a single fabric. The difference is that LSAN zone definitions span multiple fabrics
and therefore must be replicated on all fabrics that comprise the LSAN.
For more information about Meta SANs and Fibre Channel routing, see “Fibre Channel routing”
(page 45).

B-series Virtual Fabrics architecture
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several logical switches and logical
fabrics (Figure 15 (page 49)) by using the Virtual Fabrics feature. To accomplish this, the Virtual
Fabrics feature must be enabled. The Virtual Fabrics feature is set to OFF by default. Enabling
Virtual Fabrics is a disruptive operation, which requires a reboot. Devices can be shared across
multiple logical fabrics using IFR, increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and Virtual
Fabrics with IFR are included on B-series switch models: DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04 Director,
8/80 SAN Switch and 8/40 SAN Switch only.

B-series fabric partitioning with administrative domains
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several management domains using
the Administrative Domains feature. An administrative domain is only a filtered administrative view
of the fabric. Each administrative domain has its own set of resources, such as: administrator and
users, Name Server, and zoning database. Resources can be shared across multiple administrative
domains by properly defining their membership. The Administrative Domains feature is available
on all switches using firmware 5.2x (or later).
NOTE: Virtual Fabrics and Administrative Domains are mutually exclusive; they cannot run on
the switch simultaneously. To use Administrative Domains, you must first disable Virtual Fabrics; to
use Virtual Fabrics, you must first delete all Administrative Domains.

Switch models and fabric topologies
HP supports Meta SANs with all B-series switches in either HP standard or customized topologies.
You must follow all B-series and Meta SAN fabric rules. For more information about Meta SANs,
see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Routed fabric topologies

37

Benefits
A Meta SAN:
•

Allows fabric connections (without the need to merge fabrics), providing a high level of fault
isolation and centralized fabric management

•

Connects multiple SAN islands (independent fabrics), enabling selective resource sharing

•

Eliminates the need to move and re-cable equipment in different fabrics

•

Allows connection of fabrics with the same domain ID and zoning definitions

•

Reduces the impact of scaling limits for individual fabrics

•

Increases levels of storage consolidation

•

Provides centralized backup for multiple fabrics

•

Allows higher level of fabric management and management consolidation

B-series Virtual Fabrics with IFR
The B-series Virtual Fabrics feature allows you to partition fabrics. You create partitions in the fabric
by creating logical switches within a physical switch and by creating logical fabrics within a
physical switch or across multiple switches. This provides a high level of isolation between Virtual
Fabrics partitions or logical fabrics, allowing you to view individual Fibre Channel subnetworks
in a B-series fabric.
The IFR feature allows you to configure devices in one logical fabric for access to devices in another
logical fabric. B-series Virtual Fabrics and Virtual Fabrics with IFR are included on selected 8 Gb
switches only.

Switch models and fabric topologies
HP supports Virtual Fabrics in either HP standard or customized topologies. You must follow all
B-series fabric rules. For more information, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Benefits
Virtual Fabrics:
•

Isolate fabric services and minimize fault propagation

•

Allow multiple secure fabric partitions over the same physical infrastructure

•

Restrict device access for improved control and security

•

Provide selective device access and sharing using the IFR feature

C-series VSANs with IVR
VSANs are groups of switch ports from one or more C-series switches. Each VSAN has a unique
set of fabric services. Different fabric settings can be applied to each VSAN. This provides a high
level of isolation between VSANs. This isolation can be viewed as individual Fibre Channel
subnetworks within a C-series fabric.
The IVR feature enables you to configure devices in one VSAN for access to devices in another
VSAN. All C-series switches include the VSAN feature. IVR is an optional licensed software feature.
There is no need for additional hardware.

Switch models and fabric topologies
HP supports VSANs with all C-series switches in either HP standard or customized topologies. You
must follow all C-series and VSAN fabric rules.
For more information about VSANs, see “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119).

38

SAN fabric topologies

Benefits
A VSAN:
•

Isolates fabric services and minimizes fault propagation

•

Allows multiple secure VSANs over the same physical infrastructure

•

Restricts device access for improved control and security

•

Provides selective device access and sharing using the IVR feature

H-series switches with TR
The TR feature provides inter-fabric routing on a per-port basis, allowing controlled access between
devices on an H-series switch (local) fabric and devices on a remote fabric consisting of B-series
or C-series switches. The establishment of a routed connection using TR maintains a high level of
isolation between fabrics. A transparent route between two devices consists of a connection from
a TR_Port on an SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch or an 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch to a switch in
the remote fabric, a mapping of the two devices to be routed together, and an IFZ for the routed
devices in both fabrics.
A TR_Port server as a bridge between the transparent router's local fabric and a remote fabric.
The TR_Port uses standard NPIV login methods to connect to the remote fabric. You can configure
any of the 8 Gb ports of the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch or the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch
as TR_Ports.

Switch models and fabric topologies
HP supports the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch or the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch with TR with
B-series or C-series switches in either HP standard or customized topologies. For the supported
B-series and C-series switches and firmware, see “Supported switches in an H-series switch with
TR remote fabric” (page 142). You must follow all H-series switch fabric rules. For more information,
see “H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135).

Benefits
H-series switches with TR provide the following benefits:
•

Allows fabric connections (without the need to merge fabrics), providing a high level of fault
isolation and centralized fabric management

•

Allows connection of fabrics with the same domain ID and zoning definitions

•

Reduces the impact of scaling limits for individual fabrics

•

Increases levels of storage consolidation

•

Provides centralized backup for multiple fabrics

FCoE fabric topologies
FCoE technology allows you to converge Ethernet and Fibre Channel technology, providing
significant cable, adapter, and switch consolidation. All HP-supported Fibre Channel topologies
are supported integrated with FCoE at the Fibre Channel fabric edge. HP also supports end-to-end
FCoE solutions for the P63xx/P65xx EVA storage systems with the FCoE target interface, HP 3PAR
StoreServ Storage systems with the FCoE target interface, HP 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems
using a fabric connection between the MPX200 and Fibre Channel storage, and P6000 EVA
storage using the MPX200 Multifunction Router. For more information about FCoE, see “Fibre
Channel over Ethernet” (page 64).

FCoE fabric topologies

39

Data availability
SAN data availability depends on the reliability of the SAN fabric, servers, and storage systems
during routine operations. The data availability level required for your SAN environment is based
on:
•

Administrative requirements (for example, backup schedules, operating procedures, and
staffing)

•

Protection level for applications or data

•

Hardware redundancy
NOTE: For more information about high-availability configurations when using the HP B-series
MP routing function or C-series VSANs, see “High-availability router configurations” (page 57).

Several factors affect SAN data availability:
•

Application software

•

Server operating systems

•

Server hardware

•

SAN fabric infrastructure

•

Primary and secondary storage

•

Number of switches

•

Number of ISLs

•

Number of paths between a server or clustered servers and the fabric

•

Number of storage controller paths in the fabric

Levels
This section describes the data availability levels.

Level 1: single connectivity fabric
Level 1 provides maximum connectivity but does not provide fabric resiliency or redundancy. Each
switch has one path to other switches in the fabric (Figure 10). Each server and storage system
has one path to the fabric.
Figure 10 Level 1: single connectivity fabric

25098a

Level 2: single resilient fabric
Level 2 provides fabric path redundancy by using multiple ISLs between switches (Figure 11). Each
server and storage system has one path to the fabric. If an ISL or switch port failure occurs, the

40

SAN fabric topologies

switch automatically reroutes data through an alternate fabric path and there is no interruption in
server I/O activity.
Figure 11 Level 2: single resilient fabric

25099a

Level 3: single resilient fabric with multiple device paths
Level 3 is the same as level 2 but also provides multiple server and storage system paths to the
fabric to increase availability (Figure 12). If a switch, server HBA, or storage system path failure
occurs, data is automatically rerouted through an alternate path and there is no interruption in
server I/O activity.
To take full advantage of this level, HP recommends that you connect each server HBA and each
storage system path to a different switch to increase availability and reduce the potential for an
SPOF. This level provides both fabric resiliency and device path redundancy.
NOTE: Certain operating systems may require the use of fabric zoning to define a minimum of
two zoned paths for each server configured with multiple paths in a single fabric.
Figure 12 Level 3: single resilient fabric with multiple device paths

25100a

Level 4: multiple fabrics and device paths (NSPOF)
Level 4 provides multiple data paths between servers and storage systems, but unlike level 3, the
paths connect to physically separate fabrics (Figure 13). This level ensures the highest availability
with NSPOF protection. If a switch, server HBA, or storage system path failure occurs, data is
automatically rerouted through the alternate fabric and there is no interruption in server I/O activity.
Level 4 minimizes vulnerability to fabric failures (for example, improper switch replacement, incorrect
fabric configuration settings, or a fabric service failure). Level 4 also provides the highest level of
Data availability

41

performance and a higher number of available ports, since all fabrics can be accessed
simultaneously during normal operations.
Figure 13 Level 4: multiple fabrics and device paths (NSPOF)

A

B

25101a

Using two fabrics may increase implementation costs, but it also increases the total number of
available ports. For example, in a single meshed fabric with four switches, you have a maximum
of 52 user ports for servers and storage. Implementing the same topology using two fabrics increases
the maximum number of user ports to 104.

Considerations
When choosing a data availability level, you must consider:
•

Cost

•

Access to critical data

For mission-critical applications, HP recommends that you implement a level 4, fully redundant
fabric configuration. You can justify the additional cost if you consider the cost of losing access to
critical data.
Table 7 (page 42) indicates data availability and supported topologies for each level.
Table 7 Fabric design data availability
Fabric design

Availability level

SAN topologies

Level 1: single connectivity fabric

No redundancy

Single switch or multiple switches with single ISL

Level 2: single resilient fabric

Medium

Cascaded with two ISLs, meshed, ring, and
core-edge

Level 3: single resilient fabric with
multiple device paths

High

All

Level 4: multiple fabrics and device
paths (NSPOF)

Highest

All

You can add fabrics to increase the number of available ports. Table 8 (page 43) lists the cost
calculations for each data availability level.

42

SAN fabric topologies

Table 8 Calculating for data availability levels
Fabric design

Hardware cost

Number of available ports

Level 1: single connectivity fabric

x1

# ports = n – number of ISL ports2

Level 2: single resilient fabric

x + additional ISLs

# ports = n – number of ISL ports

Level 3: single resilient fabric with
multiple device paths

x + additional ISLs + additional HBAs

# ports = n – number of ISL ports –
additional HBA ports3

Level 4: multiple fabrics and device
paths (NSPOF)

x + additional ISLs + additional HBAs
+ additional switches

# ports = 2n – number of ISL ports –
additional HBA ports

1

x is the cost of a single connectivity fabric.

2

n is the total number of ports for servers and storage systems.

3

May require use of zoning to define a minimum of two data paths in a single fabric (operating system dependent).

Topology migration
To increase SAN connectivity and capacity:
•

Increase the number of switches.

•

Use switches with more ports.

•

Implement multiple fabrics.

•

Implement Fibre Channel routing.

•

Migrate to another fabric topology.

•

Deploy multiple independent SANs.

Nondisruptive migration
If you have a level 4 multiple fabric NSPOF SAN, you can fail over all operations to one fabric
and then reconfigure the other fabric.
When planning a migration, try to avoid or minimize the movement of devices between switches.
Migrations that require the addition or re-cabling of ISLs are less disruptive than migrations that
require movement of device connections.

Migrating a cascaded fabric SAN
This section describes migration paths for a cascaded fabric SAN.

Cascaded to meshed
To create a meshed fabric SAN, you need additional ISLs to connect all switches. To ensure a
successful migration, calculate the number of ports needed for the additional ISLs. You may need
to move device connections to another switch to make ports available for ISLs.

Cascaded to ring
If you have a linear cascaded fabric SAN, connect the last switch in the fabric to the first switch
to create a ring fabric SAN. If you have a tree-like cascaded fabric SAN (with multiple levels), you
may need to re-cable the ISLs.

Cascaded to core-edge
Determine which switches will be the backbone switches and which ones will be the edge switches.
Re-cable the ISLs to connect all edge switches to the core switches. Connect devices (servers and
storage) or core switches, as required. This migration is less disruptive if you use the existing
switches as edge switches and add switches as core switches.

Topology migration

43

Migrating a meshed fabric SAN
This section describes migration paths for a meshed fabric SAN.

Meshed to ring
You can migrate a meshed fabric SAN to a ring fabric SAN by removing the cross-connected ISLs
and leaving the outer-connected ISLs as a ring. Use the available ports for device connections or
for redundant ring ISL connections.

Meshed to core-edge
Use the method described in “Cascaded to core-edge” (page 43).

Migrating a ring fabric SAN
This section describes migration paths for a ring fabric SAN.

Ring to meshed
If you have two ISLs between all switches in the ring fabric, re-cable each ISL so that it connects
to the appropriate switch in the meshed fabric you design.

Ring to core-edge
This migration is less disruptive if you have two ISLs between all switches in the ring fabric SAN.
Use the method described in “Cascaded to core-edge” (page 43).

44

SAN fabric topologies

3 Fibre Channel routing
This chapter describes Fibre Channel routing in an HP SAN environment. It describes the following
topics:
•

“Fibre Channel routing overview” (page 45)

•

“SAN scaling and routing” (page 47)

•

“Fibre Channel routing implementations” (page 48)

•

“Fabric redundancy and routing” (page 53)

•

“Supported routing configurations” (page 55)

Fibre Channel routing overview
Fibre Channel routing facilitates the development and management of higher-capacity SANs,
significantly increasing device connectivity. By enabling communication between two or more
physically independent fabrics, multiple logical fabrics, or VSANs, routing provides high levels of
SAN scalability. Each fabric, logical fabric, or VSAN maintains a unique fabric services
configuration.
NOTE:
•

In the context of Fibre Channel routing, the terms "fabric," "Virtual Fabric," and "VSAN" are
used interchangeably. HP does not support using the B-series Fibre Channel routing, HP
StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch
MP Extension Blades, Multi-protocol Routers, or B-series Virtual Fabrics-IFR with C-series IVR
functionality in the same SAN configuration.

•

HP only supports routing devices connected to H-series switches through TR_Ports to devices
in B-series and C-series fabrics.

Routing enables independent fabrics, Virtual Fabrics with IFR, or VSANs with IVR to dynamically
share devices without the need to reconfigure or re-cable physical connections.
Routed fabrics, Virtual Fabrics with IFR, or VSANs with IVR can consolidate management interfaces.
Instead of one management interface per fabric, there can be one per SAN, or two per SAN, if
redundant fabrics are used.
Routing using the TR feature of the H-series switches does not provide consolidated management
of the routed fabric.
Fibre Channel routing features include:
•

•

Increased SAN scalability

◦

Interconnecting (not merging) multiple physical fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs

◦

Overcoming individual fabric scaling limits

Improved device access and sharing

◦

Sharing devices dynamically across multiple fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs

◦

Increasing device utilization

Fibre Channel routing overview

45

•

•

Fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN independence

◦

Isolation of fault domains

◦

Separate fabric services

Centralized SAN fabric management

◦

Common fabric management

◦

Tape backup consolidation

Fabric, Virtual Fabric, and VSAN independence
Fibre Channel routing identifies data frames in a fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN for transfer to
other fabrics, Virtual Fabrics with IFR, or VSANs with IVR. Only data addressed to a device in
another fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN passes through the router or routing function; therefore, a
disruption of fabric services in one routed fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN is unlikely to propagate
to another.

Fabric services
Fabric services coordinate communication between switches in a fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN.
The fabric services manage:
•

Device names and addresses

•

Timestamps

•

Switch utilities

Routing connects devices in multiple fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs without extending fabric
services from one routed fabric to another. Devices in a routed network can communicate across
LSANs, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs despite having different fabric services configurations.

Worldwide Name
A recognized naming authority assigns each Fibre Channel device a unique identifier, called the
WWN. Use the device WWNs to:
•

Assign devices to zones.

•

Define devices to export from one fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN to another.

Import and export
Routing creates a Meta SAN, extended Virtual Fabric, or extended VSAN when it connects fabrics,
Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs. Routing exports devices from one fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN to
another. An exported device has an imported address in every destination fabric, Virtual Fabric,
or VSAN to which it has been exported. The address of the exported device in the source fabric,
Virtual Fabric, or VSAN is its exported address.
An imported device is a device as seen in a fabric when using its imported address. An exported
device is a device as seen in the fabric when using its exported address.

Routing table
The routing function reads the fabric address information in each frame that it receives, and then
uses a routing table to determine the destination fabric, destination Virtual Fabric, or destination
VSAN and the address within that fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN. The routing function then
transmits the frame to the address in the destination fabric.

46

Fibre Channel routing

SAN scaling and routing
This section describes two methods for increasing the size of SANs:
•

Increase the Fibre Channel switch capability within a fabric.

•

Connect independent fabrics using a Fibre Channel router, Virtual Fabrics with IFR, or VSANs
with IVR.

Switch scaling
The switches that make up fabrics define the fabric limits. This section describes the relationship
between switches.

Switch scaling limits
Adding ports to a fabric means increasing the number of switches in the fabric or increasing the
number of ports per switch. For large fabrics, adding ports may not be possible unless the limits
for total port count and total switch count are increased.
Each Fibre Channel switch product line has its own limits for total port count and switch count. You
must ensure that a new or modified SAN design complies with these limits.
NOTE:
see:

Other limits, such as hop counts and link distances, also apply. For more information,

•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

For a SAN design to meet the total port count and total switch count limits, the following
configuration restrictions are enforced:
•

The fabric size limit for total port or total switch count must not be exceeded.

•

The use of several small switches to reach a high total port count number is not acceptable if
the design exceeds the total switch count limit.

•

The use of several high-port-count switches is not acceptable if the design exceeds the total
port count limit.

For fabric configurations, HP defines the maximum supported port and switch counts.

Fabric services limits
Fabric services provide coordination between all switches in a fabric. Increasing fabric size
increases the overhead associated with coordination. Fabric services include:
•

Fabric Login Server

•

State Change

•

Notification Server

•

Name/Directory Server

•

Zone Server

•

Key Server

•

Time Server

•

Simple Name Service

SAN scaling and routing

47

Simple fabric services
SNS provides a mapping between device names and their addresses in a fabric. To ensure that
the mapping is up-to-date, every switch in the fabric implements SNS.

Coordinating fabric services
Each fabric maintains a unique set of fabric services. When two fabrics are connected, their two
sets of services merge to form a single set.
As fabrics grow, coordinating the fabric services across switches, hosts, and storage devices
becomes more challenging. It is difficult to match the fabric service requirements for very small,
inexpensive switches with those for large, high-end switches. Without routing, fabric scaling is
limited by the ability of the smallest fabric switch to participate in the distributed fabric services
system.

Scaling by routing
Increasing fabric port count and switch count limits meets most customer scaling requirements.
Demand for higher port counts and connectivity between devices in different fabrics, Virtual Fabrics,
or VSANs requires Fibre Channel routing.
Routing improves scaling by connecting independent fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs, each
potentially at its full capacity. Connectivity between fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs allows
sharing of resources, reducing unnecessary redundancy in the routed network.
You can route between fabrics without affecting the total switch and port count limits. However,
the routed network is not the same as a single large fabric, Virtual Fabric, or VSAN. Only selected
devices in each fabric, specified by a routing table, can communicate with devices in other fabrics.
For example, using a router, you can connect three 1,200-port fabrics to construct a 3,600-port
Meta SAN. You determine which fabrics require connectivity, and then specify the devices allowed
to communicate across fabrics. The router does not provide 100% any-to-any connectivity between
fabrics, but it does meet most SAN requirements.

Fibre Channel routing implementations
With Fibre Channel routing, you can create a routed fabric by:
•

Connecting several fabrics using a router or a switch with router functionality

•

Partitioning a fabric into several Virtual Fabrics

•

Dividing a single fabric into several smaller Virtual Fabrics or VSANs

Fibre Channel routing techniques
This section describes the following Fibre Channel routing techniques:
•

48

B-series routing connects independent fabrics (SAN islands), as shown in Figure 14 (page
49). HP-supported B-series router products include:

◦

8 Gb/s switch models with license enabled integrated Fibre Channel routing

◦

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

◦

HP StorageWorks 1606 Extension SAN Switch (1606 Extension SAN Switch)

◦

HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Multi-protocol Extension Blade (DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade)

Fibre Channel routing

◦

400 Multi-protocol Router (400 MP Router)

◦

Multi-protocol Router Blade (MP Router Blade for the 4/256 SAN Director)

•

A B-series switch with IFR connects multiple Virtual Fabrics, as shown in Figure 15 (page 49).

•

A C-series switch with IVR connects multiple VSANs, as shown in Figure 16 (page 49).

•

An H-series switch with TR connects to other B-series or C-series fabrics, as shown in
Figure 17 (page 49).

Figure 14 Basic 400 MP Router configuration
400 MPR (B-Series)
Fabric 1

Fabric 3

Fabric 2
25102c

Figure 15 Basic Virtual Fabric IFR configuration
Virtual Fabric IFR
(B-series)
LF1

LF3

LF2
25265d

Figure 16 Basic VSAN IVR configuration
VSAN IVR
(C-series)
VSAN 1

VSAN 3

VSAN 2
25103b

Figure 17 Basic TR configuration
H-series switch
Remote
fabric 1

TR

TR

Remote
fabric 2

ISL
H-series
switch fabric
26527b

Fibre Channel routing implementations

49

B-series fabric groups
In B-series routing configurations, devices in different fabrics can be grouped to form LSANs. An
LSAN is similar to a Fibre Channel zone, but can extend through a router to include devices in
other fabrics. This configuration, which includes the physical fabrics (subnetworks), LSANs, and
router, is called a Meta SAN. A Meta SAN consolidates multiple fabrics into a single entity.
Figure 14 (page 49) shows Fabric 1, Fabric 2, and Fabric 3, each containing one or more switches.
Any B-series switch can be used in these fabrics. In each fabric, the switches must use the same
version of switch firmware for like switches and must have the same variable settings (for example,
R_A_TOV). Each fabric has a unique set of fabric services. For fabric restrictions, see “B-series
switches and fabric rules” (page 92).
Fabrics connected with routing must comply with configuration rules for a routed fabric. See “1606
Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules” (page 109), “Fibre
Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules” (page 111), and “HP StoreFabric
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules” (page 107). The fabrics can have identical domain
names and zoning definitions.
The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, or DC Dir
Switch MP Extension Blades 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade also provide FCIP capabilities,
allowing implementation of Fibre Channel routing and FCIP SAN extension. See “Integration of
Fibre Channel routing and FCIP” (page 60).

B-series fabric partitioning using Virtual Fabrics
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several Virtual Fabrics
(Figure 15 (page 49)). Each Virtual Fabric has its own set of resources, such as administrator and
users, Name Server, and zoning database. Devices can be shared across multiple Virtual Fabric
administrative domains using IFR, thus increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and
Virtual Fabrics with IFR are included on all B-series switches using firmware 5.2x (or later) without
the need for a router.

B-series Virtual Fabrics architecture
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several logical switches and logical
fabrics by using the Virtual Fabrics feature, see Figure 15 (page 49). Logical switches within a
physical switch can be created by dividing the switch ports and assigning them to individual logical
switches. An FID also must be configured to each logical switch. A logical fabric is a fabric that
contains at least one logical switch; but logical switches can be connected to other logical switches
with the same FID to form logical fabrics across multiple switches. Devices can be shared across
multiple logical fabrics using IFR, thus increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and
Virtual Fabrics with IFR are included on B-series switch models: DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04
Director, 8/80 SAN Switch and 8/40 SAN Switch only.

C-series fabric partitioning
In C-series configurations, a single fabric is partitioned into several subnetworks or logical groups
of switches or switch ports called VSANs. The group of VSANs is called a SAN.
Figure 16 (page 49) shows VSAN 1, VSAN 2, and VSAN 3, each a set of switch ports on one
or more C-series switches. A VSAN can extend across multiple switches. Each VSAN has a unique
set of fabric services with independent fabric management. VSANs can share devices by using
the license-enabled IVR function. IVR is distributed across all switches in the SAN, and there is no
separate router hardware. Because the switches are a connected set, they must run the same version
of switch firmware.

50

Fibre Channel routing

H-series switch fabric routing
You can configure any H-series switch 8 Gb port as a TR_Port, which you use to connect devices
on the H-series switch to devices on a remote fabric. You do this by configuring TR mapping, which
establishes a route to connect one device on the H-series switch to one device on a remote fabric
through one TR_Port. Multiple devices can share TR_Ports, and you can configure multiple TR_Ports
to the same remote fabric. HP currently supports connection to B-series and C-series remote fabrics.
Figure 17 (page 49) shows how one or more remote fabrics can connect to an H-series switch.
Remote Fabric 1, Remote Fabric 2, and the H-series switch fabric each contain one or more switches.
Devices connected through routing must comply with the configuration rules for the TR function,
see “Fabric rules for H-series switches with TR” (page 141). The fabrics can have identical domain
names and zoning definitions.

B-series, C-series, and H-series routing differences
B-series 8 Gb/s switches with integrated Fibre Channel routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP
Router, or MP Router Blade, Virtual Fabrics with IFR, or VSANs with IVR can connect existing fabrics
or VSANs. When existing fabrics are connected to an 8 Gb/s switch with Fibre Channel routing
400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade it creates a Meta SAN. Using B-series switches with Virtual
Fabrics or C-series switches with VSANs, existing fabrics are physically connected, and the routing
function in the switches is configured using IFR or IVR.
As shown in Figure 18 (page 51), an LSAN can include devices connected to different fabrics (for
example, the LSAN Zone connects devices from Fabric 1 and Fabric 2).
Figure 18 B-series routing

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch,
1606 Extension
SAN Switch,
400 MPR
(FC Routing)

Fabric 1

LSAN Zone

Fabric 2

Fabric Zone
25104c

Figure 19 (page 52) and Figure 20 (page 52) show the differences between B-series routing and
C-series routing.
Figure 19 (page 52) shows how Virtual Fabrics can include devices that connect to a single switch
or multiple switches in the SAN. Devices in different Virtual Fabrics communicate using IFR. Multiple
switches can be connected in any supported fabric configuration.

Fibre Channel routing implementations

51

Figure 19 B-series Virtual Fabric IFR

LF1

LF3

LF3

LF1

LF2

LF2

LF3

LF1

LF2

25266b

As shown in Figure 20 (page 52), VSANs can include devices that connect to a single switch or
multiple switches in the SAN. Devices in different VSANs communicate using IVR. Multiple switches
can be connected in any supported fabric configuration.
Figure 20 C-series VSAN IVR

VSAN 1

VSAN 3

VSAN 3

VSAN 1

VSAN 1

VSAN 2

VSAN 2

VSAN 3

VSAN 2

25105a

Figure 21 (page 53) shows how TR_Ports on the H-series switch can connect devices in a local
fabric to devices in a remote fabric. When a device on the H-series switch is mapped to a device
in the remote fabric, the H-series switch automatically creates an inter-fabric zone whose members
52

Fibre Channel routing

are the two devices and the TR_Port that connects them. CLI commands for adding this zone to the
remote fabric zone set are generated automatically.
Figure 21 H-series switch routing
H-series
switch (TR)

Inter-fabric
zone (IFZ)

Remote
fabric

Fabric zone

26528b

Fabric redundancy and routing
B-series 8 Gb/s switches with integrated Fibre Channel routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP
Router, or MP Router Blade can connect one group of fabrics, or a single fabric can connect
multiple Virtual Fabrics or VSANs with IFR or IVR. For a high-availability, fully redundant
implementation, you can have two routers and two groups of fabrics (Figure 22), or two groups
of Virtual Fabrics or VSANs with IFR (Figure 23) or IVR (Figure 24).
For more information, see “High-availability router configurations” (page 57).

Fabric redundancy and routing

53

Figure 22 Dual-redundant Meta SAN with HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606
Extension SAN Switch, 400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switch,
400 MPR (FC Routing)
Fabric A2

Fabric A1

Meta SAN A
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switch,
400 MPR (FC Routing)
Fabric B1

Fabric B2

Meta SAN B

25106d

Figure 23 Dual-redundant Virtual Fabric
FC Switch
(IFR)
VF A1

VF A2
IFR SAN A
FC Switch
(IFR)

VF B1

VF B2
IFR SAN B
25267b

54

Fibre Channel routing

Figure 24 Dual-redundant VSAN
FC Switch
(IVR)
VSAN A1

VSAN A2
IVR SAN A
FC Switch
(IVR)

VSAN B1

VSAN B2
IVR SAN B
25107b

Supported routing configurations
Routing requires additional configuration rules for fabrics. For more information about routing
configuration rules, see “Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules”
(page 111), “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119), and “H-series switches and fabric rules”
(page 135).
The typical configuration is a router or 8 Gb/s switch with integrated Fibre Channel routing
connected to two or more fabrics, as shown in Figure 25 (page 55). A 400 MP Router, MP Router
Blade, or 8 Gb/s switch with integrated Fibre Channel routing is required for fabrics that include
B-series switches.

Routing and core-edge fabrics
This section describes how to connect core switches when using routing to the following:
•

B-series Fibre Channel routing (Figure 25)

•

B-series Virtual Fabrics with IFR (Figure 26)

•

C-series VSANs with IVR (Figure 27)

Figure 25 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, or 400
MP Router connecting core switches
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switch,
400 MPR
(FC Routing)

25108c

An alternative core switch routing configuration is to use the 8 Gb/s switch integrated Fibre Channel
routing feature or MP Router Blades in the SAN Directors.

Supported routing configurations

55

Figure 26 Virtual Fabrics connecting core switches

VF1

VF3

VF3

VF2

VF2

VF1

VF3

VF1

VF2

25268a

Figure 27 VSANs connecting core switches

VSAN 1

VSAN 3

VSAN 3

VSAN 2

VSAN 2

VSAN 1

VSAN 1

VSAN 3

VSAN 2

25109a

Routing through an IP network
When connecting fabrics through IP, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606
Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP Router, or MP Router
Blade serve as FCIP gateways with Fibre Channel routing. Routers that communicate with the FCIP
protocol must be installed in pairs (Figure 28 and Figure 29).

56

Fibre Channel routing

HP supports FCIP configurations in which HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606
Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, 400 MP Router or MP Router
Blade serve as an FCIP gateway and a Fibre Channel switch. Servers and storage systems that
support Continuous Access with FCIP can be directly connected to the Fibre Channel ports on the
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch
MP Extension Blades (Figure 28), 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade (Figure 37).
Figure 28 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches connecting
fabrics through IP
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric 1

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric 2

IP
FCIP with FC routing

26598a

Figure 29 MP Routers connecting fabrics through IP

400 MPR

400 MPR

Fabric 1

Fabric 2

IP
FCIP with FC routing

25152b

VSANs can be connected through IP using the FCIP functionality of the C-series Fibre Channel
switches, see “C-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 119).
Figure 30 (page 57) shows IVR connecting VSANs through IP.
Figure 30 IVR connecting VSANs through IP

VSAN 1
VSAN 2
.
.
VSAN n

VSAN 1
VSAN 2
.
.
VSAN n
FC Switch
(IVR)

IP
FCIP with IVR

FC Switch
(IVR)

25111a

High-availability router configurations
In high-availability configurations, use pairs of 8 Gb/s switches with integrated Fibre Channel
routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, routers,

Supported routing configurations

57

or IFL pairs to provide redundant paths between fabrics. Figure 31 (page 58) and Figure 32 (page
59) show valid configurations.
•

The first configuration shows servers and storage connected using a pair of redundant fabrics
in a level 4 NSPOF configuration. For information about high-availability levels, see “Data
availability” (page 40).

•

The second configuration shows routers cross-wired to provide full fabric connectivity in case
a router fails.

•

The third configuration shows multiple IFLs between the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch or 400 MP Router and edge fabrics to provide
redundancy in case an IFL or MP Router port fails.

The configurations show a small number of SAN fabrics connected to each router. The same
principles apply to configurations with a higher number of fabrics connected to a router, and a
higher number of routers in a Meta SAN. For scalability rules, such as the maximum number of
fabrics and MP Routers, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).
Figure 31 High-availability HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606 Extension SAN
Switch configurations
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B1

Fabric B2

NSPOF configuration
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

SN4000B
SAN Extension Switch
or 1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B1

Fabric B2

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

26597b

58

Fibre Channel routing

Figure 32 High-availability MP Router configurations
400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric B1

Fabric B2

NSPOF configuration
400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric B1

Fabric B2

400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

25112c

400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use cases
For configuration examples, see the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use-case white papers:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/whitepapers.html

H-series switches with TR configurations
The TR feature allows you to configure each 8 Gb port on the H-series switch as a TR_Port, enabling
the sharing of server and storage resources between fabrics through the industry-standard NPIV
protocol. The TR feature also provides a higher level of security by ensuring that only
customer-specified devices are visible and shared between fabrics.
Figure 17 (page 49) shows how an H-series switch can be in a fabric with other H-series switches
and how you can connect it to multiple remote B-series or C-series fabrics. Figure 21 (page 53)
shows how you can map each device connected to an H-series switch to multiple devices connected
in one remote B-series or C-series fabric.

Supported routing configurations

59

Routing use cases
This section describes use cases for routing.

SAN island consolidation and scaling
B-series routing consolidates SAN islands (multiple independent fabrics) into a Meta SAN. This
modular SAN design offers:
•

Simplified scalability that allows you to scale a SAN without having to merge fabrics.

•

Selective sharing of devices in different fabrics so that only devices required for specific
functions are seen across fabrics.

•

Limited sharing or specific times for data migrations and storage consolidation.

•

Ability to access equipment without changing its physical location. Connecting multiple fabrics
to 8 Gb/s switches with integrated Fibre Channel routing, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, or
400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade enables sharing of devices located anywhere in the Meta
SAN.

•

Ability to connect B-series fabrics using Secure Fabric OS.

Routing does not merge fabrics, so existing zoning definitions and assigned domain IDs can be
used without modification. Duplicate zoning definitions and domain IDs in fabrics are hidden by
the MP Router. Fabrics in a Meta SAN can be scaled without affecting other fabrics.
Multiple SANs can be centralized and consolidated into one Meta SAN, or partitioned into different
administrative domains or different logical fabrics using the Virtual Fabrics feature as required. HP
recommends the use of Fabric Manager to simplify management procedures when implementing
a Meta SAN.
Figure 33 (page 60) shows a typical configuration for SAN island consolidation.
Figure 33 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, 400 MP
Router, or MP Router Blade consolidating SAN islands
LSAN 2

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switch,
Fabric 2
400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric 1

Fabric 3
LSAN 1
25113c

Integration of Fibre Channel routing and FCIP
You can use the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch,
400 MP Router, or MP Router Blades integrated FCIP capability to extend disaster-tolerant
applications such as HP Continuous Access for storage arrays.
In nonrouted FCIP configurations, local and remote fabrics merge when connected through an IP
network. The IP connection acts as an ISL in a single fabric. By using Fibre Channel routing and

60

Fibre Channel routing

FCIP, the local and remote fabrics connect without merging. You can create an LSAN that contains
local and remote storage arrays and servers.
Figure 34 (page 61), Figure 35 (page 61), Figure 36 (page 62), and Figure 37 (page 62) shows
typical HP Continuous Access NSPOF configurations in which the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, or 400 MP Router provides Fibre Channel routing
and FCIP. Figure 36 (page 62) and Figure 37 (page 62) show a configuration in which the HP
StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, or 400 MP Routers
are used as both an FCIP gateway and Fibre Channel switch.
NOTE: The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switches need to be installed in pairs for
FCIP. They cannot be used for FCIP tunnels with any other platform.
Figure 34 NSPOF configuration with HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606
Extension SAN Switch providing Fibre Channel routing and FCIP with direct connect devices
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A1

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A2

IP A

FCIP with FC routing
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B1

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B2

IP B

FCIP with FC routing

26583b

Figure 35 NSPOF configuration with 400 MP Router providing Fibre Channel routing and FCIP
400 MPR
Fabric A1

400 MPR
Fabric A2

IP A

FCIP with FC routing

400 MPR
Fabric B1

400 MPR
IP B

FCIP with FC routing

Fabric B2

25270b

Supported routing configurations

61

Figure 36 NSPOF configuration with HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or 1606
Extension SAN Switch providing FC routing and FCIP with direct connect devices
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VEX
Fabric A1

IP A

Fabric A2

FCIP with FC routing

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VEX
Fabric B1

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VE

IP B

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch or
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VE
Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing

26585b

Figure 37 NSPOF configuration with 400 MP Router providing Fibre Channel routing and FCIP with
direct connect devices

400 MPR

400 MPR
VEX

Fabric A1

IP A

VE
Fabric A2

FCIP with FC routing

400 MPR

400 MPR
VEX

Fabric B1

IP B

FCIP with FC routing

VE
Fabric B2
25282c

Tape backup consolidation
The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 SAN Extension Switch, or 400 MP
Router enables tape consolidation across multiple fabrics. Increased consolidation enables tape
backup for devices in fabrics without tape libraries. Tape libraries and backup operations can be
centralized and shared across multiple fabrics in a Meta SAN. There is no need to merge fabrics,
which reduces equipment and management costs.
Figure 38 (page 63) shows a configuration in which a HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch, 1606 SAN Extension Switch, or 400 MP Router consolidates tape backup in a Meta
SAN. For information about supported HP tape products and backup applications, see the HP
Enterprise Backup Solution Design Guide and the EBS compatibility matrix. These documents are
available at http://www.hp.com/go/ebs.

62

Fibre Channel routing

Figure 38 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, or 400
MP Router consolidating tape backup in a Meta SAN

SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
1606 Extension SAN Switch,
Fabric 2
400 MPR
(FC Routing)
Fabric 3

Fabric 1

Fabric 4

25115c

Independent fabrics connected through a HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606
Extension SAN Switch, or 400 MP Router cannot have a direct ISL connection (Figure 39). A direct
ISL connection between fabrics bypasses the FC routing function of the switch, resulting in a full
fabric merge.
Figure 39 Unsupported HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN
Switch, 400 MP Router configuration
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch,
400 MPR
(FC Routing)

Fabric 1

Fabric 2

ISL

25116c

Supported routing configurations

63

4 Fibre Channel over Ethernet
Fibre Channel over Ethernet is a protocol in which Fibre Channel frames can be sent over Ethernet
networks. This allows Fibre Channel to use 10-GbE networks while preserving the Fibre Channel
protocol. Simultaneously, the 10-GbE network supports Ethernet data thus creating a single
converged network for Ethernet and Fibre Channel.
The convergence of Ethernet and FC provides the same level of connectivity as each individual
technology provides separately, but requires:
•

50% fewer switches in each server rack—Only two converged network ToR switches, compared
with four switches per rack with separate Ethernet and FC switches (two network and two FC)

•

50% fewer adapters per server

•

75% fewer cable connections

This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“HP FCoE solutions overview” (page 64)

•

“HP FCoE converged switch technology” (page 65)

•

“HP FCoE products” (page 67)

•

“FCoE configuration rules” (page 79)

HP FCoE solutions overview
HP offers multiple FCoE solutions:
•

•

64

HP FCoE fabric-edge solutions deploy FCoE technology in Ethernet and FC environments with
the benefit of convergence at the server and fabric edge using CNAs and CN switches. These
solutions provide the benefits of both convergence and investment protection by allowing
FCoE to be integrated with existing HP Fibre Channel SANs.
HP end-to-end FCoE solutions for 3PAR StoreServ, XP7, P9500, and P6000/EVA storage
provide an FCoE technology implementation from server to storage. The solutions consist of
FCoE CNAs, CN switches, and FCoE storage targets. The following FCoE end-to-end
configurations are available:

◦

3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800/7200/7400/7450 FCoE/iSCSI target—Provides 10GbE
FCoE and iSCSI ports. The number of available ports varies depending on the StoreServ
model. See the 3PAR Feature Availability Matrix located on the HP SPOCK website at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

◦

XP7 FCoE target— Provides eight 10 GbE FCoE ports on each channel adapter. See
“FCoE storage systems” (page 74) and the HP XP7 Owner Guide.

◦

P9500 FCoE target—Provides four 10 GbE FCoE ports on each channel adapter. See
“FCoE storage systems” (page 74) and the HP P9500 Owner Guide.

◦

P63xx/P65xx FCoE/iSCSI target—Provides two 10 GbE FCoE/iSCSI ports on each
storage controller. See Figure 42 (page 77),“P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA” (page
315), and the iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE configuration rules and guidelines chapter in the HP
P63x0/P65x0 Enterprise Virtual Array User Guide.

◦

MPX200 Direct-connect—Provides 10-GbE FCoE and iSCSI target connectivity for up to
two P6000/EVA Fibre Channel storage systems without requiring any Fibre Channel
switches.

◦

MPX200 Fabric-connect—Provides additional FCoE and iSCSI storage connectivity,
allowing for up to four P6000/EVA, 3PAR StoreServ, or XP24000/12000 (iSCSI only)

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Fibre Channel storage systems using a fabric connection between the MPX200 and the
Fibre Channel storage.
The HP FCoE module and switch product set consists of the following:
•

HP c-Class BladeSystem Virtual Connect FCoE capable modules:

◦

HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module for c-Class BladeSystem

◦

HP Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Ethernet Module for c-Class BladeSystem

•

HP 6125XLG Ethernet Blade Switch—Provides a converged fabric solution that supports Ethernet,
native FCoE, and iSCSI protocols that enables connectivity for FCoE or iSCSI storage solutions.

•

HP FlexFabric 5900CP-48XG-4QSFP+ Switch—Provides a bridge function from a converged
network to separate Ethernet and FC fabrics, or support end-to-end FCoE when used with
CNAs and FCoE storage targets, and end-to-end FC when used with HBAs and FC storage
targets.

•

HP 5900AF-48XG-4QSFP+ Switch—Provides Ethernet and end-to-end FCoE when used with
CNAs and FCoE storage targets.

•

HP 5820X-14XG-SFP+ Switch—Provides a bridge function from a converged network to
separate Ethernet and FC fabrics.

•

HP B-series and C-series CN switches—Provide a bridge function from converged network to
separate Ethernet and FC fabrics, or support end-to-end FCoE when used with CNAs and
FCoE storage targets.

•

HP CN1000E, CN1100E, StoreFabric CN1200E, CN1100E, CN1100R, CN1000E, CN1000Q
CNAs, and NC650, NC556, NC554, NC553, NC551, 534 FlexFabric Adapters—Converge
Ethernet and FC technologies in the server over 10-GbE links to converged network switches.

•

3PAR StoreServ, XP7, P9500, and P63xx/P65xx EVA storage systems with FCoE—Provides
native FCoE target connectivity within the storage system.

•

HP MPX200 Multifunction Router iSCSI/FCoE—Provides FCoE target functionality when
integrated with P6000/EVA or 3PAR StoreServ Fibre Channel storage systems. For more
information, see the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router User Guide.

HP FCoE converged switch technology
HP FCoE CN switches enable Ethernet and FC to coexist in a fabric and are designed as edge
switches or ToR switches. Edge/ToR switches are typically deployed in redundant pairs installed
at the top of a server rack. By using FCoE CN switches, you reduce the number of required switches
by replacing separate Ethernet and FC switches with a converged edge/ToR switch. From the
edge/ToR switch, ISL connections to the EoR FC and EoR Ethernet/IP switches provide access to
the separate core layers of the FC fabric and Ethernet/IP network.
An FCoE blade that resides in a DC or DC04 SAN Director can also be used to integrate FCoE
solutions with existing or new FC fabrics.

Converged network switch ports
HP FCoE CN switches have multiple types of physical ports:
•

10-GbE ports

•

40-GbE (HP FlexFabric 5900CP, HP 5900AF)

•

4-Gb or 8-Gb FC ports

•

Converged ports: 10-GbE, 2-Gb, 4-Gb, or 8Gb FC ports (HP FlexFabric 5900CP)

Converged ports on the HP FlexFabric 5900CP switch can be used for Ethernet/FCoE or FC device
connectivity, including NPV/NPIV. 40GbE ports on the HP FlexFabric 5900CP and HP 5900AF
HP FCoE converged switch technology

65

switches can be used for Ethernet/FCoE connections. Fibre Channel ports on the HP 5820 CN
switch can be used for NPV/NPIV connections.
Fibre Channel ports on the HP B-series FCoE CN switches and HP C-series CN switches can be
used for ISL connections to an existing Fibre Channel fabric, or to an HP Fibre Channel storage
system or HBA.
Table 9 (page 66) lists the number of ports for each HP FCoE CN switch.
Table 9 Number of ports per switch
HP switch
HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch

Number of 10-GbE ports

Number of FC ports

0 to 48 (10GbE/FCoE or 2Gb/s, 4Gb/s, 8Gb/s FC)
0 to 4 (40GbE/FCoE or 16x10GbE/FCoE)

HP 5900AF Switch

0 to 48 (10GbE/FCoE)

None

0 to 4 (40GbE/FCoE or
16x10GbE/FCoE)
HP 5820 Converged Network Switch

14 to 18

4 to 8 (8 Gb/s)

2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch

24

8 (8 Gb/s)

DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade

24

C-series Nexus 5010 Converged Network Switch

20 to 26

C-series Nexus 5020 Converged Network Switch 40 to 52

0 external ports
32 (8 Gb/s) backplane ports
0 to 8 (4 Gb/s)
0 to 6 (8 Gb/s)
0 to 16 (4 Gb/s)
0 to 12 (8 Gb/s)

Cisco Nexus 5548UP Converged Network Switch 0 to 48 with expansion module 0 to 48 with expansion module
Cisco Nexus 5596UP Converged Network Switch 0 to 96 with expansion modules 0 to 96 with expansion modules

NOTE: All FCoE CN switch models are by design CEE/IEEE DCB switches and are enabled for
Ethernet by default. In order to be used for FCoE they must be enabled to forward FC frames to
the FC ports, functioning as a Fibre channel forwarder.
The FCoE CN switch firmware update process causes momentary loss of Ethernet and Fibre Channel
port connectivity. HP recommends that you implement a dual path configuration with redundant
FCoE CN switches to minimize disruption during firmware updates.

CN Switch Interoperability
The HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch and HP 5820 Converged Network Switch interoperate with
certain other series HP FC switches using NPV/NPIV uplinks.
NOTE: For switch series and switch model NPV/NPIV support with the HP FlexFabric 5900CP
switch, see the HP FlexFabric 5900CP Solutions Configuration Guide and the HP SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
HP does not support E_Port interoperability between HP FlexFabric 5900CP, B-series, and C-series
CN and FC switches:

66

•

2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch and the 10/24 FCoE Blade operate with B-series FC
switches only.

•

C-series Nexus 5010/5020 and Cisco Nexus 5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switches
operate with other C-series MDS FC switches only.

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

HP FCoE products
This section describes the following FCoE CN switches and CNAs.
•

“HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch” (page 67)

•

“HP 5820 Ethernet/FCoE Switch” (page 68)

•

“HP 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch ” (page 69)

•

“HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade” (page 69)

•

“HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network Switches” (page 70)

•

“Cisco Nexus 5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switches” (page 70)

•

“HP CN1000E and CN1100E” (page 73)

•

“HP StoreFabric CN1100R” (page 73)

•

“HP CN1000Q” (page 73)

•

“FCoE storage systems” (page 74)

Converged network switches and blades
HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch
The HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch is a ToR converged L2/L3 switch with 48 converged ports and
4-40GbE QSFP+ ports. This switch provides seamless integration of 10GbE networks into existing
server edge environments (FCoE DCB, Fibre Channel) and the HP Server/Storage Ecosystem. The
switch is full featured and no software licensing is required. Switches can be added in an HP 5900
series IRF (Intelligent Resilient Framework) fabric. An IRF fabric appears as one node and is
accessible at a single IP address on the network. You can use this IP address to log in at any
member device to manage all the members of the IRF fabric.
NOTE: For more information about IRF usage in a storage configuration, see the HP FlexFabric
5900CP Solutions Configuration Guide .
Features and benefits:
•

Ethernet/FCoE support on 10GbE converged ports and 40GbE ports

•

Fibre Channel 8Gb/4Gb/2Gb support on converged ports

•

DCB/FCoE-FCF/NPV/TRILL/IPv6 support (QCN ready)

•

Forty-eight converged ports that can use a single transceiver which supports 10GbE/FCoE or
8Gb/4Gb Fibre Channel

•

FCoE/FC NPV gateway support

•

Dual-hop support with Virtual Connect blade switches and the HP 6125-XLG

•

Multi-hop support using FCoE VE_Port (7 hops) or Fibre Channel E_Port (3 hops) ISLs

•

5900 Series IRF support (up to nine switches with Ethernet, two switches with storage)

•

iSCSI support

•

Front-to-back or back-to-front airflow

•

Comware OS version 7.1

•

No additional feature licenses. The following four switch modes are available:

◦

Standard—Configurable DCB switch

◦

FCF—FC/FCoE initiator; target; FlexFabric SAN switch; F, VF, VE, and E port connectivity
(4,000 zones); FSPF
HP FCoE products

67

◦

NPV—Gateway for FC/FCoE multivendor connectivity

◦

Transit—FIP-snooping DCB aggregation switch

•

1.28 Tb/s switching capacity

•

952.32 million PPS throughput, integrated 9 MB packet buffer

•

10GbE cut-through latency < 1.5 μs (64-byte packets)

•

CLI and iMC/VAN/VFM (Intelligent Management Center) fabric management

•

HP IIAS (Intelligent Infrastructure Analyzer Software) support

•

L2/L3, IPv4/IPv6 dual stack, TRILL, VEPA

•

Cloud and SDN ready (OpenFlow 1.3.1 support)

HP 5820 Ethernet/FCoE Switch
The HP 5820 Switch Series features advanced flex-chassis switches that deliver a unique combination
of unmatched 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel over Ethernet connectivity, high-availability
architecture, full Layer 2/3 dual-stack IPv4/v6, and line-rate, low-latency performance on all ports.
Features and benefits:
•

68

Powerful QoS features:

◦

Creates traffic classes based on access control lists (ACLs), IEEE 802.1p precedence, IP,
DSCP or Type of Service (ToS) precedence.

◦

Supports filter, redirect, mirror, or remark.

◦

Supports the following congestion actions: strict priority (SP) queuing, weighted round
robin (WRR), weighted fair queuing (WFQ), weighted random early discard (WRED),
weighted deficit round robin (WDRR), and SP+WDRR.

•

Integrated network services—With support for open application architecture (OAA) modules,
extends and integrates application capability into the network.

•

Ring Resiliency Protection Protocol (RRPP)—Provides fast recovery for ring Ethernet-based
topology; ensures consistent application performance for applications such as VoIP.

•

14 fixed 10-GbE ports

•

Two expansion bays, one 4-port FCoE expansion module required. Second bay can be used
for second FCoE module or additional 10-GbE ports.

•

Optional expansion modules:

◦

HP 4-port 8/4/2 Gb/s FCoE SFP+ 5820 Module

◦

HP 5820X/A5800 4-port 10-GbE SFP+ Module

◦

HP 5820X/A5800 2-port 10-GbE SFP+ Module

•

Compatible with B-series, C-series, and H-series FC switches

•

Considerations:

◦

Requires connectivity to an FC switch for access to FC storage systems. See
Figure 45 (page 79) and Figure 47 (page 81).

◦

Access to native FCoE target devices not supported via 10-GbE ports

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

HP 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch
The 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch is a rebranded version of the Brocade 8000 FCoE
Switch.
Features
•

Next-generation Ethernet L2/L3 switch and next-generation FC switch merged into one product

•

CEE support

◦

Full industry-standard implementation

◦

Supports FCoE and FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP)

•

24 10-GbE and 8 8-Gb/s FC ports

•

Uses 1 RU of space

•

Leverages existing Brocade fabric operating system (FOS)

•

Supports link aggregation (LAG) on DCB ports

•

Supports Brocade ISL trunking on FC ports

Considerations
•

The port types are fixed. You cannot use 10-GbE ports for FC connections, and you cannot
use FC ports for 10-GbE connections.

•

L3 routing features are not currently supported.

•

10-GbE ports support virtual F_Ports only (virtual E_Ports are not supported).

HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade
The HP DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade is a rebranded version of the Brocade
FCOE10-24 blade.
Features
•

24 10-GbE ports

•

32 8-Gb/s FC ports on the backplane (DC and DC04 SAN Directors only)

•

Hot pluggable

•

Blade power and status LEDs

•

Link status LEDs for each port

•

FCoE switching

•

CEE switching

•

L2 Ethernet protocols STP/MSTP/RSTP, VLAN tagging, and link aggregation

•

Standard Ethernet encapsulation

Considerations
•

The DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade has 24 FCoE ports and can be installed in
either a DC or DC04 SAN director.

•

The DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade enables server edge connectivity by
connecting CNAs directly to any of its 24 Ethernet ports.

HP FCoE products

69

•

Storage can be connected to:

◦

Any other Fibre Channel blade in the same director

◦

Any Fibre Channel switch that is in the same fabric as the DC or DC04 SAN Director
that contains the DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade

•

The DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade supports optical cabling and SFP+ transceivers
only.

•

There are no licensing requirements for this blade.

HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network Switches
HP resells the Cisco Nexus 5010 and 5020 Switches.
Features
•

L2 access:

◦

IEEE DCB and FCoE support
IEEE DCB is a Cisco unified fabric product with additional proprietary features.

◦
•

•

•

NX-OS with combined features from Cisco IOS and Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS/NX-OS

Cisco 5020 (2 RU):

◦

40 10-GbE ports

◦

Two optional expansion module slots

◦

Up to 52 10-GbE ports, or a combination of 40 10-GbE ports and 16 FC ports

Cisco 5010 (1 RU):

◦

20 10-GbE ports

◦

One optional expansion module slot

◦

Up to 26 10-GbE ports, or a combination of 20 10-GbE ports and 8 FC ports

Optional expansion modules:

◦

6-port 10-GbE expansion module

◦

6-port 8-Gb/s FC expansion module

◦

8-port 4-Gb/s FC expansion module

◦

4-port 4-Gb/s FC and 4-port 10-GbE expansion module

Cisco Nexus 5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switches
HP supports the interoperability through Cisco Nexus 5548UP and 5596UP switches to HP storage
systems and CNAs. For more information about supported configuraions, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
NOTE: HP neither sells nor provides HP Services support for Cisco Nexus 5548UP and 5596UP
switches.

70

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Features
•

L2 switch ports, VLAN trunks, VLAN remapping

•

IEEE DCB and FCoE support

•

L3 support with up to 4,096 VLANs

•

Support up to 16 fabric extenders on each Nexus 5500 with L3 module

•

Cisco Nexus 5548UP (1 RU)

•

•

◦

Up to 48 ports—32 unified ports and 1 16-port expansion module

◦

32 unified ports can be configured as 1- and 10-GbE and FCoE, or 8/4/2/1 Gb/s FC
ports

Cisco Nexus 5596UP (2 RU)

◦

Up to 96 ports—48 unified ports and 3 16-port expansion modules

◦

48 unified ports can be configured as 1- and 10-GbE and FCoE, or 8/4/2/1 Gb/s FC
ports

Optional expansion modules include:

◦

16-port Unified Port Expansion Module—Up to 16 of 1/10 GbE FCoE ports or 16 of
8/4/2/1 Gb/s FC ports

◦

8-port FC (8/4/2/1-Gb) + 8-port Ethernet and FCoE (1/10 GB) module

Cisco Fabric Extender for HP BladeSystem
The Cisco Fabric Extender for HP BladeSystem (Model B22HP) provides an extension of the Cisco
Nexus switch fabric to the HP server edge (see Figure 40 (page 72)). Logically, it behaves like a
remote line card to a parent Cisco Nexus 5000 series or 5500 series switch, with the Fabric
Extender and the parent Nexus together forming a distributed modular system. When combined
with HP server embedded CNA or mezzanine adapters, it provides total network flexibility with
1Gb/10Gb Ethernet, Data Center Bridging (FCoE) and iSCSI network connections.
Features
•

Sixteen 1Gb/10Gb downlinks

•

Each Ethernet downlink supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Datacenter Bridging
(DCB), and iSCSI

•

Each Ethernet downlink can autonegotiate to 1Gb to support legacy NICs and/or Wake On
LAN

•

Eight 10Gb uplinks:

◦

Each Fabric uplink carries both Ethernet and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) traffic

◦

Fabric uplinks support .5m/1m/3m/5m/7m/10m twinax, Fabric Extender Transceiver
(FET-10G), 10Gbase-SR, and 10Gbase-LR optics

•

Up to 24 Fabric Extenders can be managed by a single Nexus 5000 or 5500 series switch

•

Ports support Ethernet, iSCSI and DCB protocols

HP FCoE products

71

Figure 40 FC and FCoE storage with Cisco Fabic Extender for HP BladeSystem configuration
Blade servers with CNAs and
Cisco Fabric Extender* for HP BladeSystem
(*with C-series FCoE switches only)
C-series FCoE switches
FC switches

3PAR
FC storage

3PAR
FCoE/iSCSI storage

P65xx/P63xx EVA
FCoE/iSCSI storage

10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
10-GbE connection
Fibre Channel

26663d

Converged network adapters
Servers with CNAs require fewer adapters per server and, therefore, 75% fewer cable connections
for network and FC attachments.
HP offers the HP CN1000E CNA, the HP CN1100E CNA, the HP StoreFabric CN1200E CNA,
CN1100R 2P CNA, and the HP CN1000Q CNA. For information about servers that support
CNAs, see “Server support” (page 83). For information about embedded CNAs, see “HP Virtual
Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-Port Module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 161).
Table 10 (page 72) lists the supported HP CNAs.
Table 10 HP CNA part numbers
HP part number

HP model number

E7Y06A

CN1200E

BK835A

CN1100E

AW520A

CN1000E

QW990A

CN1100R

BS668A

CN1000Q

Description

Dual port converged network adapter (no cable or transceiver is
included)

HP StoreFabric CN1200E
Features
The HP StoreFabric CN1200E 10Gb Converged Network Adapter has the following features:

72

•

Ships with half-height and full-height brackets

•

Dual ports for redundancy

•

Full 10-Gb/s bandwidth on both ports

•

Each port can operate as a NIC and/or FCoE port

•

Two SFP+ connectors

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

•

Supports optical or copper cables

•

x8 PCIe Gen3

Considerations
•

Requires an x8 PCIe 3.0 card slot

•

1 GbE is not supported

HP CN1000E and CN1100E
Features
The HP CN1000E and CN1100E CNAs have the following features:
•

Ships with half-height and full-height brackets

•

Dual ports for redundancy

•

Full 10-Gb/s bandwidth on both ports

•

Each port can operate as a NIC and/or FCoE port

•

2 SFP+ connectors

•

Supports optical or copper cables

Considerations
•

x8 PCI Express Gen2 card

•

Requires 14.5 W of power

•

1 GbE is not supported

HP StoreFabric CN1100R
Features
The HP StoreFabric CN1100R Dual Port CNA has the following features:
•

Ships with half-height and full-height brackets

•

Dual ports for redundancy

•

Full 10-Gb/s bandwidth on both ports

•

Each port can operate as a NIC and/or FCoE port

•

Two SFP+ connectors

•

Supports optical or copper cables

Considerations
•

Requires an x8 PCI Express Gen2.1 card slot

•

Provides 4 Watts typical, 9 Watts maximum power

•

1 GbE is not supported

HP CN1000Q
Features
The HP CN1000Q and CN1100E CNAs have the following features:
•

Ships with half-height and full-height brackets

•

Dual ports for redundancy
HP FCoE products

73

•

Full 10-Gb/s bandwidth on both ports

•

Each port can operate as a NIC and/or FCoE port

•

2 SFP+ connectors

•

Supports optical or copper cables

Considerations
•

x8 PCI Express Gen2 card

•

Requires 19 W of power

•

1 GbE is not supported

FCoE storage systems
HP supports the following FCoE storage systems:
•

“3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800/7200/7400/7450 with 10GbE FCoE host ports” (page
74)

•

“XP7 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (8 ports per adapter)” (page 74)

•

“P9500 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (4 ports per adapter)” (page 75)

•

“P63xx/P65xx with FCoE/iSCSI 10-GbE front end host ports (2 ports per controller)” (page
76)

3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800/7200/7400/7450 with 10GbE FCoE host ports
FCoE host ports
For more information, see the 3PAR StoreServ FCoE product documentation.
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

XP7 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (8 ports per adapter)
FCoE channel adapter
The FCoE channel adapter can be configured with redundancy using multiple ports on a single
channel adapter or using multiple channel adapters, see Figure 41 (page 76).
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 11 (page 75) provides the operating system and multipath software support for XP7 10-GbE
FCoE.

74

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Table 11 XP7 10-GbE FCoE operating system and multipath software support
Operating system

Multipath software

Clusters XP7 storage system

Microsoft Windows Server
2008

MPIO with Microsoft DSM

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux

Device Mapper

None

VMware

VMware embedded

None

Microsoft Windows Server
2012

MPIO with Microsoft DSM

Failover Clustering, MSCS

Failover Clustering, MSCS

P9500 with the FCoE 10-GbE channel adapter (4 ports per adapter)
FCoE channel adapter
The FCoE channel adapter can be configured with redundancy using multiple ports on a single
channel adapter or using multiple channel adapters, see Figure 41 (page 76).
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 12 (page 75) provides the operating system and multipath software support for P9500
10-GbE FCoE.
Table 12 P9500 10-GbE FCoE operating system and multipath software support
Operating system

Multipath software

Clusters P9500 storage
system

Microsoft Windows Server
2008

MPIO with HP DSM

MPIO with Microsoft DSM

Microsoft Windows Server
2003

MPIO with HP DSM
(supports CN1000E only)

MPIO with Microsoft DSM
(supports CN1000E only)

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux

Device Mapper

None

VMware

VMware embedded

None

Microsoft Windows Server
2012

MPIO with Microsoft DSM

Failover Clustering, MSCS

Failover Clustering, MSCS

Figure 41 (page 76) describes the P9500 10-GbE FCoE configuration.

HP FCoE products

75

Figure 41 XP7 and P9500 FCoE end-to-end configuration
Ethernet
network

B-series,
C-series, or HP CN
switches

Blade servers with CNAs
and Pass-Thru modules or
ProCurve 6120XG*, or 6125XLG** or VC**
FIP Snooping DCB switches
(*with C-series FCoE switches only)
(**with HP FlexFabric 5900CP only)

XP7

P9500
FCoE storage
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
10-GbE connection

26661c

P63xx/P65xx with FCoE/iSCSI 10-GbE front end host ports (2 ports per controller)
iSCSI/FCoE module
The iSCSI/FCoE module is configured in a dual-controller configuration in the HP P63xx/P65xx
EVA, see Figure 42 (page 77). Dual-controller configurations provide for high availability with
failover between iSCSI/FCoE modules. All configurations are supported as redundant pairs only.
iSCSI connected servers can be configured for access to one or both controllers. For information
about P63xx/P65xx EVA Fibre Channel support, see “P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page
213). For information about P63xx/P65xx EVA 1-GbE iSCSI support, see “iSCSI storage” (page
309).
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 13 (page 76) provides the operating system and multipath software support for P63xx/P65xx
EVA 10-GbE iSCSI/FCoE.
Table 13 P63xx/P65xx EVA 10-GbE iSCSI/FCoE operating system and multipath software support
Operating system

Multipath software

Microsoft Windows Server
2008

MPIO with HP DSM
(supports both CN1000E
and CN1100E)

MPIO with Microsoft DSM
(supports CN1000E only)

Microsoft Windows Server
2003

MPIO with HP DSM
(supports CN1000E and
CN1100E)

MPIO with Microsoft DSM
(supports CN1000E only)

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux

Device Mapper

Clusters EVA storage system

Failover Clustering, MSCS

76

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

None

Table 13 P63xx/P65xx EVA 10-GbE iSCSI/FCoE operating system and multipath software support
(continued)
Operating system

Multipath software

VMware

VMware MPxIO

Microsoft Windows Server
2012

MPIO with HP DSM
(supports CN1000E,
CN1100E, CN1100R,
CN1000Q)

Clusters EVA storage system
None

MPIO with Microsoft DSM
(supports CN1000E,
CN1100E, CN1100R,
CN1000Q)

Failover Clustering, MSCS

For more information, see the iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE configuration rules and guidelines chapter in
the HP P63x0/P65x0 Enterprise Virtual Array User Guide.
Figure 42 (page 77) describes the P63xx/P65xx EVA 10-GbE iSCSI/FCoE configuration.
Figure 42 P63xx/P65xx FCoE/iSCSI end-to-end configuration
Ethernet
network

B-series,
C-series, or HP CN
switches

P63xx
EVA

P65xx
Blade servers with CNAs
EVA
and Pass-Thru modules or
ProCurve 6120XG*, or 6125XLG** or VC**
FIP Snooping DCB switches
(*with C-series FCoE switches only)
(**with HP FlexFabric 5900CP only)

FCoE/iSCSI/FC EVA/SAS storage
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
10-GbE connection

26659c

Figure 43 (page 78) and Figure 44 (page 78) show mixed FC and FCoE configurations using FC
and FCoE storage targets.
Figure 43 (page 78) depicts blade server FC/FCoE configurations with B-series, C-series, or HP
FlexFabric FCoE switches and either Pass-Thru modules, 6120XG or 6125XLG DCB switches, or
Virtual Connect modules.
•

If Pass-Thru modules are used, this configuration is supported with B-series or C-series FCoE
and corresponding FC switches.

•

If 6120XG switches are used, this configuration is supported with C-series FCoE switches and
FC switches only.

•

If 6125XLG switches are used with HP FlexFabric 5900CP switches, the 6125XLG switch must
be in NPV mode.

HP FCoE products

77

Figure 43 Blade or rack server and mixed FC/FCoE storage with B-series, C-series, or HP FlexFabric
5900CP FCoE switches
Blade servers with CNAs and Pass-Thru modules or
HP 6120XG*, or 6125XLG, or VC
(*with C-series FCoE switches only)
FCoE switches
FC switches

HP

StorageWorks
MPX200

10GbE4

StorageWorks

Ethernet
network

10GbE3

MGMT

HP

IOIOI

MPX200

MPX200

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

Blade
Router

FC1
10GbE4
10GbE3

MGMT

FC2

HP

IOIOI

StorageWorks
MPX200

MPX200

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

GE1

Blade
Router

FC1

GE2
10GbE4
10GbE3

MGMT

FC2

HP

StorageWorks

IOIOI

MPX200

MPX200

GE1

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

Blade
Router

FC1

GE2

10GbE4
10GbE3

MGMT

FC2

IOIOI
MPX200

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

GE1

Blade
Router

FC1

GE2

FC2

GE1
GE2

Rack servers with CNAs
3PAR
FC storage

3PAR
FCoE/iSCSI P65xx/P63xx EVA
storage FCoE/iSCSI storage
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
10-GbE connection
Fibre Channel

26660e

NOTE:
For switch series and switch model NPV/NPIV support with the HP FlexFabric 5900CP
switch, see the HP FlexFabric 5900CP Solutions Configuration Guide and the HP SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Figure 44 (page 78) depicts blade server FC/FCoE configurations with HP 5820 switches and
either Pass-Thru modules or 6120XG DCB switches. Connectivity to B-series, C-series or H-series
FC switches is supported with HP 5820 switches.
Figure 44 Blade server mixed FC/FCoE storage with HP 5820 switches
Blade servers with CNAs and
Pass-Thru modules or HP 5820* switches
(*with B-series or C-series FCoE switches)
FCoE switches
FC switches

3PAR

P63xx EVA P65xx EVA
FCoE/iSCSI/FC EVA/SAS storage
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
10-GbE connection
Fibre Channel

78

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

26667c

FCoE configuration rules
This section describes configuration rules for the HP FCoE solution. The rules are defined for the
CNAs and each of the FCoE CN switch series.
Figure 45 (page 79) shows a converged SAN fabric with servers using CNAs only.
NOTE: Fibre Channel HBAs can also be connected to B-series, C-series, or HP FlexFabric 5900CP
converged ports as F_Ports.
Figure 45 Converged SAN fabric configuration
FC attached
HP storage

FC attached
HP storage

Fabric B

X-series
FC switch
X-series
/5820 CN/5900CP
(NPV mode)
switch

X-series
X-series
/5820 CN/5900CP
/5820 CN/5900CP
(NPV mode)
(NPV mode)
Fabric A
switch
switch

X-series
/5820 CN/5900CP
(NPV mode)
switch

X-series
FC switch
10-GbE
IP network

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

10-GbE/FCoE A/FCoE B connection
Fabric A Fibre Channel connection
Fabric B Fibre Channel connection
10-GbE connection
26647e

NOTE: For switch series and switch model NPV/NPIV support with the HP FlexFabric 5900CP
switch, see the HP FlexFabric 5900CP Solutions Configuration Guide and the HP SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

FCoE configuration rules

79

Figure 46 (page 80) shows a converged SAN fabric with servers using CNAs connected to a
B-series CN switch and a DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade.
Figure 46 Converged SAN fabric with a B-series FCoE blade
FC attached FCoE attached
HP storage
HP storage

FCoE attached FC attached
HP storage
HP storage

Fabric B

B-series
CN switch

B-series
FCoE
blade

B-series
CN switch

B-series
FCoE
blade

Fabric A

10-GbE
IP network

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

10-GbE/FCoE A/FCoE B connection
10-GbE FCoE A connection
10-GbE FCoE B connection
Fabric A Fibre Channel connection
Fabric B Fibre Channel connection
10-GbE connection
26648c

NOTE:

Consider the following for a converged SAN fabric with an FCoE blade:

•

End-to-end FCoE is supported through FC ISLs.

•

FCoE traffic can be carried across multiple FC ISL hops, eventually terminating in FC or FCoE
storage.

As an example, a CNA connected to the B-series CN switch on the left side can communicate with
an FCoE target connected to the B-series FCoE blade on the right, going through Fabric A or B
depending on where it is connected.

80

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Figure 47 (page 81) shows a converged fabric that has servers with CNAs and servers with FC
HBAs and NICs.
NOTE: Fibre Channel HBAs can also be connected to B-series, C-series, or HP FlexFabric 5900CP
Converged Network switch F_Ports.
Figure 47 FCoE integrated with FC SAN fabric

FC attached
HP storage

Fabric B

X-series
FC switch

FC attached
HP storage

Fabric A

X-series
FC switch
X-series
/5820 CN/5900CP
(NPV mode)
switch

X-series
/5820 CN/5900CP
(NPV mode)
switch
10-GbE
IP network

Server
with FC HBA
and NIC
Server
with CNA

Server
with CNA

Server
with FC HBA
and NIC
10-GbE/FCoE A/FCoE B connection
Fabric A Fibre Channel connection
Fabric B Fibre Channel connection
10-GbE connection
26649e

NOTE: For switch series and switch model NPV/NPIV support with the HP FlexFabric 5900CP
switch, see the HP FlexFabric 5900CP Solutions Configuration Guide and the HP SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

FCoE configuration rules

81

Figure 48 (page 82) shows an FCoE end-to-end direct-connect storage configuration using an
MPX200 Multifunction Router and P6000/EVA Fibre Channel storage systems. This provides
10-GbE FCoE and iSCSI connectivity for up to two P6000/EVA Fibre Channel storage systems
without requiring any Fibre Channel switches.
Figure 48 FCoE end-to-end MPX200 direct-connect P6000/EVA FC storage configuration
Servers with CNAs
Servers with NICs

FCoE/IP
/iSCSI
Converged
network

iSCSI/IP

FCoE/iSCSI
MPX200
FCoE/iSCSI
target

HP

X-series CN
switches

StorageWorks
MPX200

10GbE4
10GbE3

MGMT

IOIOI
MPX200

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

Blade
Router

FC1

FC2

HP

StorageWorks
MPX200

GE1
GE2
10GbE4
10GbE3

MGMT

IOIOI
MPX200

10 1 GbE
Multifunction

Blade
Router

FC1

FC2

GE1
GE2

IP
Ethernet
network

P6000/EVA storage systems

10-GbE/FCoE A/FCoE B connection
iSCSI/IP connection
10-GbE connection
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
Fabric A Fibre Channel connection
Fabric B Fibre Channel connection
26652d

The configuration shown in Figure 49 (page 83) provides additional connectivity, allowing for up
to four P6000/EVA storage systems using a fabric connection between the MPX200 and
P6000/EVA storage. In addition to FCoE and iSCSI, Fibre Channel connected servers can access
the same P6000/EVA storage systems through the Fibre Channel fabric. This configuration provides
the highest level of multi-protocol support with FCoE, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel connectivity for up
to four P6000/EVA storage systems.

82

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Figure 49 FCoE end-to-end MPX200 fabric-connect P6000/EVA FC storage configuration
Servers with NICs

Servers with CNAs
FCoE/IP
/iSCSI

iSCSI/IP

Converged
network

X-series CN switches
IP

FCoE/iSCSI
MPX200
FCoE/iSCSI
target

HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

10GbE4

IOIOI

FC1

10GbE3

HP StorageWorks
MPX200

10 - 1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE1

GE2

MGMT

10GbE4

IOIOI

FC1

10GbE3

Ethernet
network

10 - 1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE1

GE2

Fibre
Channel
Fabric B

Fabric A
P6000/EVA storage systems
10-GbE/FCoE A/FCoE B connection
iSCSI/IP connection
10-GbE connection
10-GbE FCoE/iSCSI connection
Fabric A Fibre Channel connection
Fabric B Fibre Channel connection

26653d

CNA configuration rules
Table 14 HP CNA requirements
Item

Description

Number of CNAs per server
(maximum)

2
• SFP+ optical: CN1100E, CN1100R, and CN1000Q 100m; CN1000E 40m

Cable types and distances

• Copper: CN1100R 5m; CN1100E, CN1000E, and CN1000Q 7m and 10m
(with C-series FCoE CN switches only)

For current firmware and driver support, see the HP SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/
storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

Server support
FCoE is supported with ProLiant G5, G6, G7, and Gen8 servers.
For current server support, see the server QuickSpecs at http://www.hp.com/go/quickspecs/.

HP FlexFabric 5900CP Switch and HP 5900AF Switch
For information about the HP FlexFabric 5900CP switch, see the HP FlexFabric 5900CP Solution
Configuration Guide . This document is available at http://www.hp.com/go/sandesignguide.
For the current HP FlexFabric 5900CP and HP 5900AF product support, see the HP SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
FCoE configuration rules

83

HP 5820 Converged Network Switch
This section describes support for the 5820X-14XG FCoE CN switch and FCoE fabric rules. For
information on configuring the 5820X-14XG FCoE CN switch, see “FCoE switch configuration
quick-setup instructions” (page 376).

Usage
The 5820X switch with its FCoE module is intended for use as a server edge switch, providing a
bridge between 10-GbE and Fibre Channel protocols, see “FCoE fabric topologies” (page 39).

FCoE Converged Network Switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for the 5820X FCoE CN switch and other factors you should
consider when building 5820X FCoE CN fabrics. For Fibre Channel switch fabric rules pertaining
to the specific family of FC switches being used, see “Fabric infrastructure rules” (page 91).
Table 15 HP 5820X CN switch fabric rules
Rule
number

Description

1

At least one HP 4-port 8/4/2 Gb/s FCoE SFP+ 5820 module is required for the 5820X-14XG to operate
as an FCoE CN switch.

2

At least one FC port of the 5280 FCoE module must be connected to a B-series, C-series, or H-series FC
switch.

3

NPIV must be enabled on all FC switches connected to the 5820 FCoE module.

4

The 5280 FCoE module FC ports only support FC switch connections.

5

Native FCoE storage is not supported using the 5820 10-GbE ports.

6

Up to two 5820 FCoE modules are supported in a single 5820X switch. However, when using two A5280
FCoE modules, consider the following:
• When two 5820 FCoE modules are connected to the same SAN, the FCoE modules attempt to load
balance the server load across the two FCoE modules as servers are added by distributing the CNA
logins between the two modules. Failover from one module to the other is supported in this configuration,
but failback is not supported.
• The current Emulex CNA firmware does not support the load balancing method used when two 5820
FCoE modules are connected to the same SAN, so the distribution of the CNA logins may not be optimal.
This issue will be corrected in a future Emulex CNA firmware release.

7

Connection to Brocade 8 Gb/s switches and ARB(FF)/ARB(FF) mode setting: HP recommends all 8 Gb/s
Brocade switches running FOS V6.3.1a and later be set to mode 3 using the portcfgfillword command.
For more information, see the Fabric OS Command Reference Manual supporting FOS V6.4 and the FOS
release notes.

8

When connecting the 5820 to multiple SANs, unique discovery and data VLANs are required for each
SAN.

Firmware, CNA, operating systems, and storage products support
For current information on supported 5820X firmware, operating systems, and options, see the
SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to
enable access.

B-series FCoE Converged Network switch
This section describes support for B-series FCoE CN switches, switch model, and FCoE fabric rules.
For more information on configuring B-series FCoE CN switches, see “FCoE switch configuration
quick-setup instructions” (page 376).

84

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

NOTE:
The naming scheme for the HP 2408 Converged Network Switch, which has 24 CEE
ports and 8 Fibre Channel ports, is slightly different from the typical B-series switch naming scheme.
Table 16 (page 85) describes the B-series FCoE CN switch.
Table 16 B-series FCoE CN switches
Switch name

Fabric Management

HP StorageWorks 2408 FCoE
Converged Network Switch

Number of ports
24 CEE ports

B-series SAN Network Advisor

8 FC ports

HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director
Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade

For the latest information on supported B-series FCoE CN switches and firmware versions:.
1. Go to http://www.hp.com/support/b-seriesSwitchesDownloads/.
2. From the list of StoreFabric B-series switches, select the B-series SAN Switches category, and
then select HP Converged Network Switches. The webpage for HP Converged Network Switches
displays.
3. Under Download Options, click the drivers, software & firmware link.
4. Select your switch.
5. Click Cross operating system (BIOS, Firmware, Diagnostics, etc.). The list of supported firmware
displays.

Features
Features of the 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch are the same as the B-series 8Gb switches,
but the following features are not supported:
•

Advanced Zoning (port-based and QoS)

•

Extended Fabrics

•

Adaptive Networking with QoS

•

Virtual Fabrics

•

Integrated Fibre Channel routing

•

FICON

•

Admin Domains

•

TI Zones

•

M-EOS Interop

•

Nondisruptive firmware upgrade

Table 17 (page 85) provides a comparison of the high-availability features for the B-series FCoE
CN switch.
Table 17 B-series FCoE CN switch high-availability feature comparison

Switch model
HP StorageWorks 2408
FCoE Converged Network
Switch

Redundant/ Redundant/
hot-swappable hot-swappable
power
cooling
Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Redundant
core
switching
blade
No

Redundant Non-disruptive Non-disruptive Redundant
control
code
port
active
processor
activation
expansion
components
No

No

N/A

No

The HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade (DC SAN Director Switch
10/24 FCoE Blade) provides the following features:
FCoE configuration rules

85

•

24 FCoE ports operating at 10 Gb/s

•

32 FC ports operating at 8 Gb/s through the backplane

•

Hot pluggable

•

Blade power and status LEDs

•

Port link-status LEDs

•

FCoE switching

•

CEE switching

•

L2 Ethernet protocols STP/MSTP/RSTP, 802.1q; and Link Aggregation (802.1ad)

•

Standard Ethernet encapsulation

Operating systems and storage products
For current operating system and storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

C-series and Cisco FCoE Converged Network switches
This section describes support for C-series and Cisco FCoE CN switches, switch models, and FCoE
fabric rules. For more information on configuring FCoE CN switches, see “FCoE switch configuration
quick-setup instructions” (page 376).

C-series Nexus 5020 FCoE Converged Network Switch
The C-series Nexus 5020 is a 2 RU, 10-GbE, Cisco IEEE DCB, FCoE, and Fibre Channel switch.
It has a fixed configuration of 40 10-GbE, Cisco IEEE DCB, and FCoE SFP+ ports. The first 16
fixed ports are dual speed, supporting both 10-GbE and 1-GbE. The switch has two expansion
slots that can accommodate up to 16 Fibre Channel switch ports.

C-series Nexus 5010 FCoE Converged Network Switch
The C-series Nexus 5010 is a 1 RU, 10-GbE, Cisco IEEE DCB, FCoE, and Fibre Channel switch.
It has a fixed configuration of 20 10-GbE, Cisco IEEE DCB, and FCoE SFP+ ports. The first 8 fixed
ports are dual speed, supporting both 10-GbE and 1-GbE. The switch has one expansion slot that
can accommodate up to 8 Fibre Channel switch ports.

Expansion modules for the C-series Nexus 5000 Series switches
The C-series Nexus 5000 Series switches can accommodate expansion modules that connect Fibre
Channel SANs to 8, 4, 2, or 1 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch ports. Use these modules to increase
the number of 10-GbE, Cisco IEEE DCB, and FCoE ports. The Nexus 5010 has one expansion
slot; the Nexus 5020 has two expansion slots that accommodate the following modules:
•

Nexus 5000 6-port 10-GbE Module

•

Nexus 5000 4-port 4 Gb FC and 4-port 10GbE Module

•

Nexus 5000 8-port 4 Gb FC Module

•

Nexus 5000 6-port 8 Gb FC Module

Cisco Nexus 5548UP FCoE Converged Network Switch
The Cisco Nexus 5548UP Converged Network Switch is a 1RU, 10-GbE and FCoE switch offering
up to 960 Gb/s throughput. It has up to 48 ports: 32 fixed unified ports and 1 16-port expansion
slot. The unified ports can be configured as 1- and 10-Gb/s SFP+ Ethernet and FCoE ports, or as
Fibre Channel ports. These two configurations are mutually exclusive, but either type can be
configured for any of the ports.

86

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Cisco Nexus 5596UP FCoE Converged Network Switch
The Cisco Nexus 5596UP Converged Network Switch is a 2RU switch. This 10-GbE and FCoE
switch offers up to 1,920 Gb/s throughput and up to 96 ports. The switch has 48 unified 1- and
10-GbE and FCoE ports and 3 16-port expansion slots. The unified ports can be configured as
either 1- or 10-GbE and FCoE, or 1/2/4/8 Gb/s native Fibre Channel ports. The use of GbE or
Fibre Channel on a port is mutually exclusive, but either type can be configured for any of the
ports.

Expansion Module Options for the Cisco Nexus 5500 Series switches
The Cisco Nexus 5500 platform is equipped with expansion modules that can be used to increase
the number of 10-GbE and FCoE ports, connect to Fibre Channel SANs with 8, 4, 2, or 1 Gb/s
Fibre Channel switch ports, or both.
HP support for the Cisco Nexus 5548UP and 5596UP includes the following types of expansion
modules:
•

8-port FC (8/4/2/1G) + 8-port Eth/FCoE Module—Fibre Channel plus Ethernet module that
provides eight 1- or 10-GbE and FCoE ports using the SFP+ interface, and eight ports of
8/4/2/1 Gb/s native Fibre Channel connectivity using the SFP+/SFP interface.

•

16-port Unified Port Expansion Module—Unified port module that provides up to 16 1- or
10-GbE and FCoE ports using the SFP+ interface or up to 16 ports of 8/4/2/1 Gb/s native
Fibre Channel connectivity using the SFP+ and SFP interfaces. The use of GbE or Fibre Channel
on a port is mutually exclusive, but either type can be configured for any of the ports.

Models
For
1.
2.
3.

the latest information on supported C-series FCoE CN switches and firmware versions:
Go to http://www.hp.com/support/c-seriesSwitchesDownloads/.
From the list of C-series switches, select HP StoreFabric C-series Fabric Switches.
From the list of HP StoreFabric C-series Fabric Switches, select Cisco Nexus 5000 Converged
Network Switches. The webpage for Cisco Nexus 5000 Converged Network Switches displays.
4. Under Download Options, click the drivers, software & firmware link.
5. Select your switch.
Table 18 (page 87) lists the port maximums for the C-series Nexus switches and Cisco Nexus
switches.
Table 18 Nexus switches for NX-OS
Maximum number of Fibre Channel
ports

Maximum number of Ethernet ports

C-series Nexus 5020

16

52

C-series Nexus 5010

8

26

Cisco Nexus 5548UP

48 with expansion module

48 with expansion module

Cisco Nexus 5596UP

96 with expansion modules

96 with expansion modules

Switch

Table 19 (page 87) describes Nexus expansion module support.
Table 19 Nexus expansion module support matrix
Switch
Expansion module

Nexus 5020

Nexus 5010

HP Nexus 5000 6-port 10-GbE Module

Yes

Yes

HP Nexus 5000 4-port 4 Gb FC and 4-port
10-GbE Module

Yes

Yes

FCoE configuration rules

87

Table 19 Nexus expansion module support matrix (continued)
Switch
Expansion module

Nexus 5020

Nexus 5010

HP Nexus 5000 8-port 4 Gb FC Module

Yes

Yes

HP Nexus 5000 6-port 8 Gb FC Module

Yes

Yes

Nexus 5548UP

Nexus 5596UP

Nexus 5500 8-port FC (8/4/2/1G) + 8-port
Eth/FCoE Module

Yes

Yes

Nexus 5500 16-port Unified Port Expansion
Module

Yes

Yes

Features
Features of the C-series FCoE CN switches include:
•

Unified fabrics

•

I/O consolidation—Reduces capital and operating expense

•

Application flexibility—Support a number of applications as access-layer switches co-located
with servers in data center racks or for middle-of-row deployments

•

Consolidated resource management—Support existing configuration and management tools

•

Energy efficiency

•

PFC

•

Bandwidth management

•

DCBX Protocol

•

Congestion management (BCN)

•

Layer 2 multipathing (hardware capable)

•

Convergence and compatibility with existing FC fabrics

•

High availability (see Table 20)

Table 20 (page 88) provides a comparison of the high-availability features for C-series Nexus
5000 Converged Network Switches and and Cisco Nexus 5500 Converged Network Switches.
Table 20 C-series Nexus 5000 series and Cisco Nexus 5500 series switch high-availability feature comparison
Redundant/
hot-swappable
power

Redundant/
hot-swappable
cooling

Redundant
control
processor

Nondisruptive
code activation

Expansion
module support

Nexus 5020

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Nexus 5010

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Nexus 5548UP

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Nexus 5596UP

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Switch

Protocol support
FCIEEE DCB
10-GbE FCoE
FCFCoECEE
compliant DCBX

Usage
The Nexus 5000 Series switches are intended for use as edge switches, providing a bridge between
10-GbE and Fibre Channel protocols, see “FCoE fabric topologies” (page 39).

88

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

FCoE Converged Network switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for C-series FCoE CN switches and other factors you should
consider when building C-series FCoE CN fabrics. For general C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric
rules, see “Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 130).

Operating systems and storage products
For current operating system and storage system support, see the SPOCK website at www.hp.com/
storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

Boot from SAN support
BFS is supported for FC arrays attached to standard FC switches in a fabric that includes CN
switches. BFS is not supported for FC arrays attached to 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switches
at this time.
DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE Blade supports BFS from the storage attached to any of the
other FC blades in the same director or to any Fibre Channel switch that is part of the same fabric
as the DC SAN Director that contains the 10/24 FCoE Blade.
This section provides information about installing BFS software.

Windows 2003 (x86, x64) and 2008 (x86, x64)
•

BFS is supported on all supported HP servers.

•

The information in HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is accurate for Windows BFS on
a CNA based server for Windows 2003 with the following exceptions:

◦

You must install an HP CNA driver kit, available for download at the HP website:http://
www.hp.com/support/downloads

◦

For Windows 2003, press F6 to prompt for the driver disk.

◦

For Windows 2008, click Load Driver when prompted for the location in which to install
Windows, see Figure 50.

Figure 50 Install Windows 2008 (x86, x64)

The HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is available at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
networking/bootsan.html. Under Features, click Boot from SAN documentation.
Boot from SAN support

89

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
•

BFS is supported on all supported HP servers.

•

The information in HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is accurate for BFS on a CNA
based server with the following exceptions:

◦

You must install an HP CNA driver kit, available for download at the HP website: http://
www.hp.com/support/downloads

◦

Use the linux dd mpath rather than the linux mpath command to prompt to load
a driver and enable multipath for the installation.

The HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is available at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
networking/bootsan.html. Under Features, click Boot from SAN documentation.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
•

BFS is supported on all supported HP servers.

•

The information in HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is accurate for BFS on a CNA
based server with the following exception:

◦

Use the GUI to load the driver, see Figure 51.

Figure 51 SLES installation

The HP Boot from SAN Configuration Guide is available at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
networking/bootsan.html. Under Features, click Boot from SAN documentation.

Multipathing software support
For current multipathing software support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/
spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

90

Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Part II Fabric infrastructure rules
Fabric infrastructure rules are presented in these chapters:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

•

“SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146)

5 B-series switches and fabric rules
This chapter describes the B-series Fibre Channel and FCoE switches and blades; Extension SAN
Switches and Blades; 400 MP Router, MP Router Blade, and fabric rules for building B-series
fabrics. It describes the following topics:
•

“B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606
Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade” (page 92)

•

“Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 102)

•

“B-series FCoE Converged Network switch” (page 84)

For information about using switches from the different series in the same SAN or the same fabric,
see “SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146).

B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP Router, and MP Router
Blade
B-series Fibre Channel switches:
•

Can be core or edge switches. When configured in a core-edge fabric topology, a core switch
typically connects to other switches in the SAN; an edge switch typically connects to servers
and storage.

•

Have 8, 16, 24, 28, 32, 40, 48, 64, 80, 96, 128, 192, 256, 384, 512 ports.

•

Include entry-level and high-availability switches.

•

Support plug-and-play compatibility.

•

Support 10 Gb/s ISL connectivity (through a 10/6 FC ISL Blade for DC SAN Backbone
Director, DC04 SAN Director, or 4/256 SAN Director, or by configuration of a 16 Gb port
for 10 Gb/s on 16 Gb switch or director blade ISL ports).

•

Support Fibre Channel routing, see:

◦

“1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules”
(page 109)

◦

“Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules” (page 111)

◦

“HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules” (page 107)

•

Support FCIP through the 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade,
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 400 MP Router, MP Router Blade, and HP
IP Distance Gateway, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

•

Support iSCSI through the iSCSI Director Blade, see “iSCSI storage” (page 309).

•

Support data at rest encryption through the encryption switch and encryption blade.

•
Support in-flight encryption and/or compression on 16 Gb switch or director blade ISL ports.
Switch blade support is as follows:
•

92

HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director and HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director support
the 64-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel blade, 32, 48, and 64-port 16 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades,

B-series switches and fabric rules

32 and 48-port enhanced 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, encryption blade, and DC Dir Switch
MP Extension Blade.
•

DC SAN Backbone Director and DC04 SAN Director support the 16, 32, 48, and 64-port 8
Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, 10 Gb/s 10/6 FC ISL Blade, MP Router Blade, encryption blade,
and the DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.

•

SAN Director 4/256 supports the 16, 32, and 48-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, 16,
32, and 48-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, 10 Gb/s 10/6 FC ISL Blade, the MP Router
Blade, and iSCSI Director Blade.
The B-series switches offer:
•

High availability

•

Scalability

•

Cost efficiency

Model naming
The B-series Fibre Channel switches are typically called HP SAN, SAN Backbone, Core, or Director
switches. SAN switches are edge (entry-level or mid-range) switches. SAN Backbone, Core, and
Director switches are core (enterprise-class) switches.
The B-series embedded switches for HP c-Class BladeSystem server environment are called the
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class and the Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class. The B-series Fibre Channel routers are called the HP StorageWorks 400
Multi-protocol Router (400 MP Router) and Multi-protocol Router Blade (MP Router Blade). The 8
Gb SAN extension products are called the HP StorageWorks 1606 Extension SAN Switch and
HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Multi-protocol Extension Blade. The 16 Gb SAN extension
product is called the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch.
The current HP model naming convention has the B-series Storage Networking switches named
SNxxxxB where SN stands for Storage Networking switch and B for B-series. The xxxx numbering
is 8000 (Director Class), and 6000, 4000, and 3000 (Fabric Class).
The 16 Gb/s, 8 Gb/s, and 4 Gb/s switch ports autonegotiate the signaling speed. For example,
when you connect a 16 Gb/s or 8 Gb/s port directly to a 4 Gb/s port, both ports run at 4 Gb/s
in each direction. If the ports are not directly connected, the fabric switch that connects the ports
determines the signaling speed.

Switch models
Table 21 (page 94) and Table 22 (page 95) describe the B-series Fibre Channel switches and
routers currently available from HP (16 Gb/s and 8 Gb/s B-series Fibre Channel switches).
Table 23 (page 95) describes the legacy Fibre Channel switches and routers supported by HP.
HP supports all B-series Fibre Channel switches in a fabric if you:
•

Use the recommended firmware versions. All like switch models must use the same version
when configured in a single-fabric or multi-fabric SAN, see Table 21 (page 94) through
Table 23 (page 95). When updating switch firmware, you can use two successive switch
firmware versions temporarily in a single-fabric and multi-fabric SAN.

•

Follow the fabric rules, see “Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 102).

For the latest information on supported B-series Fibre Channel switches and firmware versions,
see the HP SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP
Passport to enable access.
After logging in, click Switches under Other Hardware in the last navigation panel of the window
to access the Fibre Channel Switch Streams. Click on the B-Series FC Switch Connectivity Stream
to open the document.
To download the latest firmware from the HP Support Center website:
B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP
Router, and MP Router Blade

93

1.
2.

Go to the HP Support Center home page at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc.
From the left navigation panel, under DOWNLOAD OPTIONS, click Drivers, Software &
Firmware. The Select a Product page appears.
3. To select an appropriate product, under All HP products, click Storage.
4. Under Storage, click Storage Networking.
5. Under Storage Networking, click StoreFabric B-series Switches.
6. Under StoreFabric B-series Switches, click appropriate switch product.
7. Select the appropriate switch model from the list.
8. Click Cross operating system (BIOS, Firmware, Diagnostics, etc.).
9. From the firmware table, click on the firmware version you want.
10. Click Download to obtain the firmware.
As the product information is updated periodically, HP recommends that you download release
notes and additional documentation from the HP Support Center website.
To download release notes and additional documentation:
1. Go to the HP Support Center home page at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc.
2. From the left navigation panel, under KNOWLEDGE BASE click Manuals. The Select a Product
page appears.
3. Under All HP products, click Storage.
4. Under Storage, click Storage Networking.
5. Under Storage Networking, click StoreFabric B-series Switches.
6. Under B-series SAN Switches, click appropriate switch product.
7. Select the appropriate switch model from the list.
8. Select the category of the documentation desired such as User guide, Setup and Install, Getting
Started, or General Reference.
TIP:
9.

Release notes are available in General Reference.

To download the document, click the title of the desired document from the table.

Table 21 B-series Fibre Channel switches
HP switch name

Fabric Management

HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone
Director Switch

32 to 512

HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director
Switch

32 to 256

HP SN6000B 16Gb Fibre Channel
Switch

24 to 48

HP SN3000B 16Gb Fibre Channel
Switch

HP Network Advisor

HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb Fibre
Channel Switch

1 to 16 internal
1 to 12 external

HP StorageWorks Encryption SAN
Switch

32

HP StorageWorks Encryption FC Blade
Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class
B-series switches and fabric rules

12 to 24
48 to 96

Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class

94

Number of Ports

16
HP Network Advisor

1 to 16 internal
1 to 8 external

Table 21 B-series Fibre Channel switches (continued)
HP switch name

Fabric Management

Number of Ports
2 internal

HP StorageWorks EVA4400 Embedded
Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade

10 external

HP StorageWorks DC SAN Backbone
Director

16 to 512

HP StorageWorks 8/8 SAN Switch

8 to 24

HP StorageWorks 8/24 SAN Switch

16 to 24

HP StorageWorks 8/40 SAN Switch

24 to 40

HP StorageWorks 8/80 SAN Switch

48 to 80

HP StorageWorks DC04 SAN Director

16 to 256

Table 22 B-series Fibre Channel switches and routers
HP switch name

Fabric Management

Number of ports
24 at 16 Gb/s Fibre Channel

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch

HP StorageWorks 1606 Extension SAN
Switch

16 at 1-GbE or 10-GbE FCIP
2 at 40-GbE FCIP
HP Network Advisor

HP Multi Protocol Extension Blade

6 at 1-GbE FCIP
12 at 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel
10 at 1-GbE FCIP

HP StoreFabric Enhanced Multiprotocol
Extension Blade1
1

16 at 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel

2 at 10-GbE FCIP

IPsec support for the XGEO port has been added to this blade enabling creation of IP security enabled FCIP tunnels.
FOS FOS 7.1.0a or later is required to take advantage of the enhanced IPsec capability. This feature is not enabled
when running earlier versions of FOS firmware.

Table 23 B-series legacy Fibre Channel switches and routers
Legacy HP switch name

Fabric Management

8 at 1, 2, or 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel

HP StorageWorks iSCSI Director Blade
HP Multi-protocol Router Blade for
B-Series

Number of ports

8 at 1-GbE iSCSI
16 at 1, 2, or 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel
HP Network Advisor

2 at 1-GbE FCIP

HP StorageWorks 400 Multi-Protocol
Router
HP StorageWorks 4/256 SAN
Director base/power pack

16 to 384

Features
Features of the B-series Fibre Channel switches include:
•

Access Gateway Mode—Provides connectivity to B-series or other switch-series fabrics that
support NPIV. The following B-series Fibre Channel switches support Access Gateway Mode:
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class, Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class, HP StorageWorks SAN Switch 8/24, 8/40 (with 40 ports enabled and

B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP
Router, and MP Router Blade

95

6.2.0a or later), HP StorageWorks 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch (Fibre Channel
ports with 6.3.1a or later), HP SN3000B, and HP SN6000B 16Gb FC switches.
•

Advanced Performance Monitor—Analyzes resource utilization throughout the fabric.

•

Advanced WebTools—Centralizes and simplifies switch management through a browser-based
application.

•

Advanced Zoning—Provides secure access control over fabric resources. Uses the switch
hardware to enforce port and WWN zoning.

•

Extended Fabrics—Enhances performance for Fibre Channel SAN connectivity for distances
greater than 1 km (8 Gb/s), 2.5 km (4 Gb/s), 5 km (2 Gb/s), and 10 km (1 Gb/s) to improve
disaster recovery operations and ensure business continuity. Extended fabric support for
distances up to 10 km is provided in all B-series switches. For distances greater than 10 km,
an Extended Fabrics license is required. For maximum supported distances based on the link
speed, see “SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146).

•

HP Network Advisor—Centralizes fabric management through a host-based application. This
is available free for single-fabric management (Network Advisor Professional), or for purchase
for multiple-fabric management and increased device count (Network Advisor Professional
Plus and Network Advisor Enterprise).

•

Fabric Watch—Proactively monitors the health and performance of switches and the fabric.

•

ISL Trunking—Combines multiple links between switches to form a single, logical ISL with a
total bandwidth of 64 Gb/s. This feature enables dynamic load balancing of data across
ISLs.

•

FCIP Trunking—Allows multiple IP source and destination address pairs (defined as FCIP
circuits) via multiples of the 1-GbE or 10-GbE interfaces to provide a high-bandwidth FCIP
tunnel and failover resiliency. FCIP tunnels using 1-GbE ports can have up to four FCIP circuits
spread over four 1-GbE ports. FCIP tunnels using 10-GbE ports can have up to ten FCIP circuits
per 10-GbE port. Each FCIP circuit supports four QoS classes as a TCP connection (Class-F,
Hi, Medium, and Low priority).
NOTE: FCIP Trunking is supported only on the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, and the DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade. For more
information, see “HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch” (page 280) and “B-series
1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade” (page 282).

•

Adaptive Rate Limiting—Dynamically adjusts data transmission through the TCP connections
in a FCIP tunnel, based on preconfigured minimum and maximum data rates and by taking
feedback from the quality of the TCP connections. This allows FCIP connections to use the
maximum bandwidth available while providing a minimum bandwidth guarantee.
NOTE: ARL is supported for configuring FCIP tunnels only on the 1606 Extension SAN Switch
and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.

•

96

NPIV—See “SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146).
The following B-series Fibre Channel switches are NPIV compliant:

◦

16 Gb/s: SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director, SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director, HP
SN6000B 16Gb Fibre Channel Switch, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch;
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class

◦

8 Gb/s: Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class; SAN Switch 8/8, 8/24,
8/40, and 8/80; DC SAN Backbone Director; DC04 SAN Director; EVA4400 Embedded

B-series switches and fabric rules

Switch Module; Encryption SAN Switch; Encryption FC Blade; 2408 FCoE Converged
Network Switch (fibre channel ports)

◦

4 Gb/s: 4/256 SAN Director

Features of Fabric OS 6.x follow (see the appropriate Fabric OS administrator guide for
configuration restrictions and more information):
•

Adaptive Networking with QoS (optional licensed feature)—Provides tools to support high
bandwidth on high-priority connections, ensuring optimum performance, even in congested
networks. This option includes two features: QoS SID/DID Prioritization and Ingress Rate
Limiting. Fabric OS 6.3 includes QoS support for domain, index and WWN zone definitions,
and bottleneck detection for F_Ports. For configuration restrictions, see the HP StorageWorks
Fabric OS 6.x Administrator Guide.

•

ICLs (DC SAN Backbone Directors and DC04 SAN Directors only)—Provides dedicated
high-bandwidth links between two DC SAN Backbone Director chassis, without using the
front-end 8 Gb/s ports. Each DC SAN Backbone Director must have the ICL license installed
to enable ICL connections.

•

Top talkers (requires Advanced Performance Monitor license)—Provides real-time information
about the top bandwidth-consuming flows passing through a specific point in the network.

•

Traffic isolation zones—Enables application segregation, guaranteeing separate paths through
the fabric. You can isolate traffic assigned to ISLs in the fabric.

•

Virtual Fabrics—Enables division of a single physical chassis into logical switches, allowing
you to create logical fabrics with other switches. This feature was introduced with Fabric OS
6.2x and is supported on the DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04 SAN Director, and 8/40
and 8/80 SAN switches. Virtual Fabrics is enabled by default on these switches with V6.3.1a
(or later) factory installed.

•

Fibre Channel routing and FCIP enhancements—Support for EX_Port Masterless Trunking and
QoS, enhanced compression, FCIP Trunking, and ARL features for the 1606 Extension SAN
Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, and the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch.
NOTE: Masterless EX_Port Trunking is not supported when using FCIP links in Fabric OS
6.3.0. It is supported in Fabric OS 6.3.0a (or later).

•

Encryption enhancements—Supports the System card and Quorum card, tape encryption and
HA clustered key vault beginning with Fabric OS 6.3.0.

NOTE: Advanced Zoning and WebTools are automatically enabled without additional licensing
starting with Fabric OS 6.1x.
Features of Fabric OS 7.x follow (see the HP B-series Fabric OS 7.x Release Notes and appropriate
Fabric OS administrator guide for configuration restrictions and more information):
•

Fabric Vision —Fabric Vision technology provides a breakthrough hardware and software
solution that helps simplify monitoring, maximize network availability, and dramatically reduce
costs. Featuring innovative monitoring, management, and diagnostic capabilities, Fabric Vision
technology enables administrators to avoid problems before they impact operations, helping
their organizations meet SLAs. Fabric Vision technology features for storage extension
management include:

◦

Monitoring and Alerting Policy Suite (MAPS): Provides a pre-built, policy-based threshold
monitoring and alerting tool that proactively monitors storage extension network health
based on a comprehensive set of metrics at tunnel, circuit, and QoS layers. Administrators

B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP
Router, and MP Router Blade

97

can configure multiple fabrics at one time using pre-defined or customized rules and
policies for specific ports or switch elements.

98

◦

Fabric Performance Impact (FPI) Monitoring: Uses pre-defined thresholds and alerts in
conjunction with MAPS to automatically detect and alert administrators to severe levels
of latency and identifies slow drain devices that might impact the network. This feature
uses advanced monitoring capabilities and intuitive MAPS dashboard reporting to indicate
various latency severity levels, pinpointing exactly which devices are causing or impacted
by a bottlenecked port.

◦

Dashboards: Provides integrated dashboards that display an overall SAN health view,
along with details on out-of-range conditions, to help administrators easily identify trends
and quickly pinpoint issues occurring on a switch or in a fabric.

•

In-flight encryption and compression on 16 Gb/s capable ISLs—Provides security for frames
while they are passing between two switches. Compression improves bandwidth utilization
on the ISLs, especially over long distance. Encryption and compression are both disabled by
default but may be enabled at an individual port level.

•

Buffer credit loss detection and automatic recovery on 16 Gb/s capable ISLs—Provides support
for the detection and automatic recovery of buffer credits on 16 Gb/s capable ISLs (both ends
of the link must terminate on 16 Gb/s capable ports).

•

10 Gb/s Fibre Channel capability on 16 Gb/s Fibre Channel platforms—Provides the ability
to configure ports on the SN8000B 16 Gb/s 32-port or 48-port Fibre Channel Blades for the
HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director Switch, the HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director
Switch, the HP SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch, and the SN6500B 16Gb FC Switch to operate
at 10 Gb/s.

•

Advanced diagnostics support on 16 Gb/s Fibre Channel platforms—Provides new and
enhanced diagnostics support, such as Diagnostic port (D_Port), Forward Error Correction
(FEC), real-time power monitoring, and advanced SFP monitoring.

•

Dynamic fabric provisioning—Supports Fabric Assigned WWN (FA-WWN), which uses a
virtual WWN for a server instead of the server’s physical pWWN to create zoning and LUN
mapping/masking (requires specific Brocade HBA and driver support).

•

Detection and resolution of duplicate device WWNs—Implements a feature to detect duplicate
device WWNs in a fabric.

•

FCIP enhancements—Some of the FCIP enhancements include:

◦

10 GigE lossless failover on HP DC SAN Director Multiprotocol Extension Blade and the
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

◦

Multi-Gigabit circuits which allows more than 1 Gb/s to be configured on a single FCIP
Circuit

◦

10 GigE Adaptive Rate Limiting (ARL) on HP DC SAN Director Multiprotocol Extension
Blade and the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

◦

40GbE support on the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

◦

Non-disruptive firmware upgrade on the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

•

Configurable QoS on FCIP tunnel—Provides the option to override the default percentages of
bandwidth assigned to each of the QoS classes within an FCIP tunnel.

•

Auto-mode option for compression—Provides the option to automatically adjust the compression
mode (1, 2, or 3) based on the maximum configured tunnel bandwidth on the HP StoreFabric
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, the HP DC SAN Director Multiprotocol Extension Blade,
and the HP 1606 SAN Extension Switch.

B-series switches and fabric rules

•

XISL support on HP DC SAN Director Multiprotocol Extension Blade—Provides the ability to
use VE ports as XISLs on HP DC SAN Director Multiprotocol Extension Blade only in both 1
Gb/s and 10 Gb/s modes.

•

InBand Management on HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, HP DC SAN Director
Multiprotocol Extension Blade, and HP 1606 SAN Extension Switch—Allows you to define one
or more IP addresses on the non-management GE ports and provide a management path from
WAN to the switch CP.

•

Encryption platform enhancements (HP StorageWorks Encryption SAN Switch/HP StorageWorks
DC Switch Encryption FC Blade)—Fabric OS 7.0.0a (or later) include support for the key vault
diagnostics. The key vault connectivity information is periodically collected and any connectivity
errors are reported as RASlog.

•

Security enhancements—Provides the following security enhancements:

◦

SSH authentication using public keys

◦

SFTP support for firmwaredownload, configupload and configdownload

◦

IPv6 support for LDAP authentication

•

FCoE enhancements—Provides support for high availability for FCoE traffic going through HP
DC SAN Director 10/24 FCoE Blade in HP StorageWorks DC SAN Backbone Director
Switch/HP StorageWorks DC04 SAN Director Switch and in slot 1 of the HP SN8000B 8-Slot
SAN Backbone Director with FOS v7.3.x.

•

ICLs (HP SN800B 8-Slot and HP SN8000B Directors)—Provides an additional 1 Tb/s of
bandwidth and does not consume usable ports with an additional full duplex connection. ICL
connections operate as hardware trunked ISLs. A single license will enable all the ICL ports
on the SN8000 4-Slot Director. However, a single license enables only half the available ICL
ports on the SN8000B 8-Slot Director, and requires an additional license to enable the
remaining ICL ports.

•

Enterprise ICL—Enables the connection of more than four SN8000B SAN Director platforms
within a single fabric using optical ICLs to deliver massive scalability. This license augments
but does not replace existing licensed ICL support (ICL licenses are still required to enable ICL
ports) for larger ICL-based topologies of 5 to 10 SN8000B SAN Director chassis per fabric.
This license is required to be installed on every SN8000B SAN Director chassis with ICLs in
a fabric when an ICL-based topology exceeds the four chassis limit. This license is
recognized/displayed only when operating with Fabric OS 7.0.1 and later. There is a separate
license for each of the SN8000B SAN Directors, the HP SN8000B 8-Slot Director, and the
HP SN8000B 4-Slot Director.

Table 24 (page 99) provides a comparison of the high-availability features for B-series Fibre
Channel switches.
Table 24 B-series Fibre Channel switch high-availability feature comparison

Model

Redundant/hot- Redundant/hotswappable swappable
power
cooling

Redundant
core
switching
blade

Redundant
control
processor

Non-disruptive Non-disruptive
code
port
activation
expansion

Redundant
active
components

HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN
Backbone Director Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN
Director Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

HP SN6000B 16Gb Fibre
Channel Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP
Router, and MP Router Blade

99

Table 24 B-series Fibre Channel switch high-availability feature comparison (continued)

Model

Redundant/hot- Redundant/hotswappable swappable
power
cooling

Redundant
core
switching
blade

Redundant
control
processor

Non-disruptive Non-disruptive
code
port
activation
expansion

Redundant
active
components

HP SN3000B 16Gb Fibre
Channel Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

HP StoreFabric SN6500B
16Gb Fibre Channel
Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

HP StoreFabric SN4000B
SAN Extension Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Encryption SAN Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

N/A

No

Brocade 16Gb SAN
Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class

N/A

N/A

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Brocade 8Gb SAN
Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class

N/A

N/A

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

EVA4400 Embedded
Switch Module, 8 Gb
Brocade

N/A

N/A

No

No

Yes

No

(2 switches
per chassis)

SAN Switch 8/8, 8/24,
8/40, 8/80

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

DC SAN Backbone
Director

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

DC04 SAN Director

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

SAN Director 4/256

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

400 MP Router

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

No

No

HP StorageWorks 1606
Extension SAN Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Usage
Table 25 (page 100) describes the use of B-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches.
Table 25 Using B-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches
Model

1-96 user ports

97-224 user ports

225-500 user ports 501-728 user ports

729-1280 user ports

HP SN8000B 8-Slot
SAN Backbone Director
Switch
HP SN8000B 4-Slot
SAN Director Switch

Excellent

DC SAN Backbone
Director
DC04 SAN Director
Director Switch 4/256
HP StoreFabric
SN6500B 16Gb FC
Switch
SAN Switch 8/80
100 B-series switches and fabric rules

Excellent

Very good

Good

Not recommended

Table 25 Using B-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches (continued)
Model

1-96 user ports

97-224 user ports

Excellent

Very good

225-500 user ports 501-728 user ports

729-1280 user ports

HP SN6000B 16Gb FC
Switch
HP SN3000B 16Gb FC
Switch

Good

Not recommended

SAN Switch 8/24,
8/40
HP StoreFabric
SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, SAN
Switch 8/8, 400 MP
Router, 1606 Extension
SAN Switch

Good

Not recommended

Brocade 16Gb SAN
Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class
Brocade 8Gb SAN
Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class

Good

Not recommended

EVA4400 Embedded
Switch Module, 8 Gb
Brocade

Table 26 (page 101) describes the use of B-series Fibre Channel switches as edge switches.
Table 26 Using B-series Fibre Channel switches as edge switches
Model

1-96 user ports

97-224 user
ports

225-500 user ports

501-728 user
ports

729-1280 user ports

HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN
Backbone Director Switch
HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN
Director Switch
Excellent

DC SAN Backbone Director
DC04 SAN Director
SAN Director 4/256
Director Switch 4/256
HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb
FC Switch

Excellent

HP SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch
SAN Switch 8/40, 8/80
HP SN3000B 16Gb FC Switch
SAN Switch 8/8, 8/24
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class
Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch

Excellent

Very good

Good

EVA4400 Embedded Switch
Module, 8 Gb Brocade,
400 MP Router,
1606 Extension SAN Switch
B-series Fibre Channel switches, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, 400 MP
Router, and MP Router Blade

101

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for B-series Fibre Channel switches and routers, and other
factors you should consider when building B-series fabrics.
When using B-series Fibre Channel switches in a fabric:
•

Use the HP default settings for all current HP switches.

•

Use the legacy HP default settings if the fabric contains only legacy HP switches.

•

See “Third-party switch support” (page 155).
NOTE: To download the HP Default Config Files from the HP Support Center website:
1. Go to the HP Support Center home page at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc.
2. From the left navigation panel, under DOWNLOAD OPTIONS, click Drivers, Software &
Firmware. The Select a Product page appears.
3. To select an appropriate product, under All HP products, click Storage.
4. Under Storage, click Storage Networking.
5. Under Storage Networking, click StoreFabric B-series Switches.
6. Under StoreFabric B-series Switches, click appropriate switch product.
7. Select the appropriate switch model from the list.
8. Click Cross operating system (BIOS, Firmware, Diagnostics, etc.).
9. From the Software table, click on the HP Default Config Files for B-Series FC Switches or
the Download button to obtain the Default Config Files.

This section describes the following topics:
•

“Operating systems and storage products” (page 102)

•

“B-series Fibre Channel switch and fabric rules” (page 103)

•

“B-series Encryption Switch fabric rules” (page 106)

•

“HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules” (page 107)

•

“1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules” (page 109)

•

“Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules” (page 111)

•

“Core switch addressing mode” (page 115)

•

“Zoning limits and enforcement” (page 116)

•

“Zoning guidelines for B-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 116)

Operating systems and storage products
The fabric rules for B-series switches, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade apply to SANs that
include the operating systems and storage products listed in Table 27 (page 102).
Table 27 B-series Fibre Channel switch operating system and storage system support
Operating systems

Storage products

• HP-UX

• MSA 2040fc/1040fc

• OpenVMS

• P4300 FC

• Tru64 UNIX

• MSA2000fc G2 (MSA2300fc)/MSA2000fc

• Apple Mac OS X

• EVA8400/6400

• Citrix Xen

• EVA4400/4400 (embedded switch)

• IBM AIX

• HP StoreVirtual 4000 FC

• Linux

• P6550/P6500/P6350/P6300 EVA

102 B-series switches and fabric rules

Table 27 B-series Fibre Channel switch operating system and storage system support (continued)
Operating systems

Storage products
• P9500
• P2000 G3 FC
• XP24000/20000
• XP12000/10000

• Microsoft Windows

• XP7

• Oracle Solaris

• 3PAR StoreServ 10000/7000

• VMware ESX

• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class
• 3PAR Remote Copy
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
• HP P6000 Continuous Access
See “HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration” (page 220)

The operating systems listed in Table 27 (page 102) might not be supported with all the storage
systems listed. For current operating system and storage system support, see the SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
See “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159) and the following storage system rules chapters:
•

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

•

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

•

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

B-series Fibre Channel switch and fabric rules
The following fabric rules apply to all B-series Fibre Channel SANs. They also apply, in general,
to HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and HP P6000 Continuous Access (formerly HP StorageWorks
Continuous Access EVA) configurations. However, additional rules apply to HP P6000 Continuous
Access implementations. For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation
Guide.
Table 28 (page 103) describes the rules for creating a Fibre Channel SAN with B-series Fibre
Channel switches.
Table 28 B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules
Rule number

Description

1

FOS v7.0.x and later: A maximum of 6000 switches and 6000 virtual or physical connections in a
single fabric with for fabrics that contain only the following platforms: DC SAN Backbone Director
Switch, DC04 SAN Director Switch, SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director Switch, HP SN8000B
4-Slot SAN Director Switch, SN6500B 16Gb FC Switch, SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch, HP SN3000B
16Gb FC Switch, 8/80 SAN Switch, 8/40 SAN Switch, 8/8 SAN Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch,
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, or the Encryption SAN Switch.
A maximum of 56 switches and 4,096 virtual or physical connections in a single fabric that contains
platforms not listed above.
FOS v6.x: A maximum of 56 switches and 2,560 virtual or physical connections in a single fabric with
DC SAN Backbone, or DC04 SAN Directors, 8/8, 8/24, 8/40, 8/80, or 4/256 switches.
A maximum of 16 DC SAN Backbone Director or DC04 SAN Director chassis, or 6,000 virtual or
physical connections (WWNs logged into a single fabric), are supported in a fabric containing HP
SN8000B 8-Slot Backbone Director, HP SN8000B 4-slot Backbone Director, DC SAN Backbone Directors
or DC04 SAN Directors only.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules 103

Table 28 B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules (continued)
Rule number

Description
A maximum of 4,096 virtual or physical connections are supported in a fabric containing other switch
models using firmware 6.1.x (or later).

2

8 Gb/s switches and ARB(FF)/ARB(FF) mode setting—HP recommends all 8 Gb/s switches running FOS
6.3.1a and later (6.4.0a and later for XP storage array connectivity) be set to mode 3 using the
portcfgfillword command. For more information, see the Fabric OS Command Reference Manual
supporting Fabric OS v6.4 and the FOS release notes.
Note: HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director Switch, HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director Switch,
HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb FC Switch, HP SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch, or the HP SN3000B 16Gb
FC Switch automatically selects the proper fill word.

3

HP StorageWorks 4/256 SAN Director—Maximum of 20 chassis per fabric with all 16-port Fibre
Channel blades, maximum of 10 chassis with all 32-port Fibre Channel blades using firmware 5.x (or
later). For all configurations, the maximum number of total virtual or physical connections must not exceed
2,560. Each chassis adds one switch to the fabric switch count if it is configured as one domain. This
switch does not support port-based routing, see "Routing Traffic" in the HP StorageWorks Fabric OS
5.x Administrator's Guide.

4

B-series switches and routers supported routing modes with Continuous Access products:
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (aptpolicy = 1) or
exchange-based routing (aptpolicy = 3), see “HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP gateway
support” (page 305).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (all XCS versions) or exchange-based
routing (XCS 09534000 or later), see “Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with
XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS 09x” (page 289).
Routing policy—HP recommends that you use the same routing policy in all switches and routers within
a fabric.

5

EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade—Supports connectivity to:
• Servers
• Storage
Note: The EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade supports the same connectivity to HP
storage systems as the 8/8, 8/24, and 8/80 switches.
• Other B-series switches, including the EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade
• MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA
storage” (page 323)) and EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option (see “EVA and EVA4400
iSCSI Connectivity Option ” (page 334))
• MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP, HP IP Distance Gateway, and B-series 400 MP Router (see
“HP multi-protocol long-distance products” (page 265))

6

Access Gateway (AG) requirements are:
• AG mode for Brocade 16Gb/16 SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class requires firmware 7.1.0_blv.
• AG mode for HP SN3000B 16Gb FC Switch requires firmware 7.0.1 (or later).
• AG mode for HP SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch requires firmware 7.0.0a (or later).
• AG mode for Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class and HP StorageWorks SAN
Switch 8/8 or 8/24 (with 24 ports enabled) requires firmware 6.1x (or later).
• AG mode for the SAN Switch 8/40 requires firmware 6.2x (or later).
• AG mode for the 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch requires firmware 6.3.1a (or later).
• All switches that communicate with Access Gateway switches require firmware 5.1.x (or later), see
“BladeSystem with Brocade Access Gateway mode” (page 164).

7

In a fabric that contains a StorageWorks SAN Director 4/256, Core switch addressing mode is required
on all other switches in that fabric, see “Core switch addressing mode” (page 115).

8

All B-series Fibre Channel switches and routers must use the HP default setting of dlsSet for
non-Continuous Access configurations and HP P6000 Continuous Access configurations running XCS

104 B-series switches and fabric rules

Table 28 B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules (continued)
Rule number

Description
version 09534000 (or later) have two protocol options—HP Fibre Channel protocol or HP SCSI Fibre
Channel protocol. The settings for DLS and IOD functionality on the B-series switches should be configured
as follows:
HP Fibre Channel protocol:
• dlsreset (DLS disabled)
• iodset (IOD enabled)
HP SCSI Fibre Channel protocol:
• dlsset (DLS enabled)
• iodreset (IOD disabled)
Note: dlsset is the default policy when aptpolicy 3 (enable exchange-based routing) is enabled
on B-series switches.
For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide.
For HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, see “HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP gateway support”
(page 305).

9

Within a fabric, assign a unique domain number (domain ID) and a unique WWN to each switch. All
switch configuration parameters for the same switch models must be the same. Do not configure any
switches with a domain ID of 8, which is reserved for HP-UX.
Insistent Domain ID mode is required on all B-series switches in fabrics that include HP-UX 11i v3 (or
earlier) or IBM AIX servers, when configuring switches for FICON or when implementing port-based
fabric zoning.
Routing policy—HP recommends the same routing policy be used in all switches within a fabric.

10

Switch data routing policies—Different switch models support different routing policies. For most
configurations, the default routing policy provides the best performance. See "Routing Traffic" in the
appropriate Fabric OS administrator guide.

11

Maximum of seven hops (eight switches) between any two communicating devices.

12

You can configure a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing),
and configure a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP) or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel routing).
Note: The 16 Gb/s Switches and port blades do not support FL ports.
Note: VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot be connected to the same edge fabric.

13

For HP StoreVirtual 4000 FC, unique domain IDs are required in the entire Fibre Channel SAN to which
the StoreVirtual storage system is connected, including multiple independent fabrics. Overlapping domain
IDs (even in non-merged/independent fabrics) are not supported.

NOTE: Not all topologies can support the maximum port or switch count, see “Topology
maximums” (page 35).

Switch database size
Table 29 (page 106) describes the database size rules for B-seriesFibre Channel switches in a fabric.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules 105

Table 29 Database size rules for B-series Fibre Channel switches
Rule number
1

Description
Secure Fabric OS—With security enabled in a fabric, the maximum security database size is:
• 128 KB with 64 KB active if the fabric contains only 2 Gb/s or 4 Gb/s switches.
• 1 MB with Fabric OS 6.x.
This database, which stores DCC, SCC, and FCS policies, can support ACL security settings for
environments with up to 14,000 attached devices. This is not supported with the 4/16 SAN switch.

2

Advanced Zoning—The maximum zoning database size is as follows:
• For fabrics using only the DC SAN Director, DCO4 SAN Director, and SN8000B Director platforms,
the maximum database size is 2 MB. If any other platform in included in the fabric, then the maximum
database size is 1 MB.
• If all switches in a fabric are using firmware 5.2x (or later), the database size must not exceed 1
MB.
• If the fabric contains 2 Gb/s or 4 Gb/s switches with firmware 3.2.x (or later), the database must
not exceed 256 KB.
Note: Use the cfgsize command to determine the size of the zoning database.

ISL maximums
You can use all ports on all B-series Fibre Channel switches for ISLs, with a maximum of one half
of the total ISL port count configured to the same destination switch.
NOTE:

Some switches require licensing for additional ISL ports.

DC SAN Director FC8-64 cabling
The DC SAN Director FC8-64 port blade requires mSFP fiber optic cable connectors. Table 30 (page
106) describes the two possible connection scenarios and solutions for cabling.
Table 30 DC SAN Director High Density 64-port blade mSFP cabling
Scenario

Solution

Connecting from an FC8-64 port blade (mSFP) to an
Use an HP mSFP-LC fiber optic cable connected directly to
existing standard Fibre Channel cabling infrastructure (LC) the LC port of an existing LC-based switch or device to an
HP LC-LC coupler then connected to an existing LC fiber
optic cable, or to an LC patch panel.
Connecting from an FC8-64 port blade (mSFP) to another • Option 1: Use two mSFP-LC fiber optic cables connected
FC8-64 (mSFP) for ISL connectivity
together with an LC-LC coupler.
• Option 2 (Brocade): Use an mSFP-mSFP fiber optic
cable.
Note: The mSFP-mSFP cable is not available from HP.
See the HP DC SAN Director QuickSpec and Brocade
Best Practices Guide: High Density Cable Management
Solutions.

B-series Encryption Switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for the B-series Encryption Switches (HP StorageWorks
Encryption SAN Switch and HP StorageWorks Encryption FC Blade) and factors you should consider
when building fabrics. These switches have a built-in encryption engine and contain 8 Gb/s Fibre
Channel ports (32 for the encryption switch, 16 for the encryption blade) and two GbE ports.
Table 31 (page 107) describes the rules for creating fabrics with B-series Encryption Switches. For
more information about the security uses of these switches, see “B-series Encryption Switch and
Encryption FC Blade security” (page 363). HP strongly recommends that you read the Brocade
106 B-series switches and fabric rules

Fabric OS Encryption Administrator's Guide at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
saninfrastructure/switches/encrypt_sanswitch/index.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN before
configuring a fabric using the encryption switch or encryption blade.
Table 31 B-series Encryption Switch fabric rules

1

Rule number

Description

1

Encryption blade can be installed in an HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director Switch, HP
SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director Switch, DC SAN Director, or DC04 SAN Director.

2

There is a maximum of four encryption blades per director.

3

There is a maximum of four encryption switches per encryption group.

4

There is a maximum of 16 encryption engines (with four Directors, each having four encryption
engines) per encryption group.

5

There is a maximum of 2561 physical targets per encryption switch or blade.

6

There is a maximum of 1,0241 physical initiators per encryption switch or blade.

This value is half the value of the actual limit supported in a high-availability cluster.

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch,
and other factors you should consider when building B-series fabrics with Fibre Channel routing
enabled. These fabric rules apply to SANs that include the same operating systems and storage
products as the B-series switches, see “Operating systems and storage products” (page 102). For
information about configuring the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch for FCIP, see
“HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch” (page 280).
Table 32 (page 107) describes the rules for creating fabrics with Fibre Channel routing using the
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch.
Table 32 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules
Rule
number

Description

1

All configurations must use the default setting for R_A_TOV (10,000 milliseconds) and E_D_TOV (2,000
milliseconds).

2

Devices connected to edge fabrics can be routed through an LSAN to a backbone fabric.
NOTE:
Edge fabric to backbone fabric routing is supported using the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, and
MP Router Blade. It is not supported if an MP Router is configured in the backbone.

3

Direct connection of devices to the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch Fibre Channel ports
(F_Port, FL_Port) is supported.

4

Fibre Channel server boot through the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch is not supported.

5

Each HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch can attach to one backbone fabric only; multiple
routers can attach to the same backbone fabric.

6

A backbone fabric supports a maximum of 512 devices.

7

You can configure a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing),
and configure a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP) or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel routing).
NOTE:

8

VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot be connected to the same edge fabric.

FCIP is supported between pairs of HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switches. FCIP is not
supported in between the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch,
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, or the MP Router Blade.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules 107

Table 32 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch fabric rules (continued)
Rule
number
9

Description
FCIP tunnels (virtual E_Ports) pass traffic between the SAN extension devices. The HP StoreFabric SN4000B
SAN Extension Switch supports:
• 16 1/10-GbE Ports for FCIP
• 2 40-GbE Ports for FCIP.
Up to 20 VE_Ports per HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch are supported for FCIP tunnel
configurations.

10

IPsec is supported on the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch .

11

FCIP FastWrite and Fibre Channel FastWrite support:
FCIP is supported with FCIP FastWrite SCSI write acceleration with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.
FCIP FastWrite is not supported with HP P6000 Continuous Access.
NOTE:

12

FCIP FastWrite and IPsec are mutually exclusive and cannot be configured simultaneously.

For redundancy, HP recommends using a minimum of two EX_Ports (router IFLs) for each fabric connected
to a HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch. The number of EX_Ports required is based on the
performance requirements for all devices shared by fabrics through the router.
• Calculate the number of EX_Ports using a 5:1 ratio of standard ISLs or switch device ports to router
EX_Port IFLs. Monitor port performance to determine if this ratio is acceptable based on usage. Use
the portperfshow command to monitor router port performance.
• For very high bandwidth requirements and applications, use a ratio of 3:1 or 1:1.

13

Supports routing between B-series secured and nonsecured edge fabrics using advanced security features
or ACLs.

14

Supports the following features:
• 16 Gb/s on FC ports
• FCIP Trunking
• Adaptive Rate Limiting
• 1/10 GbE ports
• 40 GbE ports

Scalability rules
Table 35 (page 113) lists the scalability rules for Meta SANs using integrated Fibre Channel routing.
The following terms describe the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch scalability:
•

Front phantom domains—All EX_Ports on a Fibre Channel router that are connected to the
same edge fabric are presented as a single front phantom domain.

•

Translate phantom domains—Assigned to each remote fabric connected to a HP StoreFabric
SN4000B SAN Extension Switch. Each fabric has one unique translate domain, regardless
of how many EX_Ports are connected to the fabric.

•

Backbone fabric—The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch backbone fabric
consists of at least one HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, and includes all
B-series switches connected via E_Ports to the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch.

•

Edge fabric—A fabric that is attached to an EX_Port on the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch.

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch hop count
The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch is counted in the same way as a Fibre Channel
switch when determining the fabric hop count.

108 B-series switches and fabric rules

1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for the 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade, and other factors you should consider when building B-series fabrics with Fibre
Channel routing enabled. These fabric rules apply to SANs that include the same operating systems
and storage products as the B-series switches, see “Operating systems and storage products”
(page 102). For information about configuring the 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch
MP Extension Blade for FCIP, see “B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade” (page 282).
Table 33 (page 109) describes the rules for creating fabrics with Fibre Channel routing using the
1606 Extension SAN Switch and the DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.
Table 33 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules
Rule
number

Description

1

The DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade supports only the HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director,
HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director, DC SAN Backbone Director and DC04 SAN Director. The maximum
number of DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades per HP SN8000B SAN Directors (both 4 and 8-slot) is
four. The maximum number of DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades per DC SAN Backbone Director or
DC04 SAN Director is two.

2

All configurations must use the default setting for R_A_TOV (10,000 milliseconds) and E_D_TOV (2,000
milliseconds).

3

Devices connected to edge fabrics can be routed through an LSAN to a backbone fabric.
Note: Edge fabric to backbone fabric routing is supported using the 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC
Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade. It is not supported if an MP Router
is configured in the backbone.

4

Direct connection of devices to the 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
Fibre Channel ports (F_Port, FL_Port) is supported.

5

Fibre Channel server boot through the 1606 Extension SAN Switch or the DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blade is not supported.

6

Each 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade can attach to one backbone
fabric only; multiple routers can attach to the same backbone fabric.

7

If a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade has a port configured as an EX_Port, then the blade Fibre Channel
ports, the Fibre Channel ports on the director containing the blade, and all switches connected to the
director using an E_Port are part of the backbone fabric.

8

A backbone fabric supports a maximum of 512 devices.

9

You can configure a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing),
and configure a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP) or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel routing).
Note: VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot be connected to the same edge fabric. VEX_Ports are not supported
on the DC Dir MP Extension Blade with firmware 6.3.0.

10

FCIP is supported between pairs of 1606 Extension SAN Switches and DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blades, or between a 1606 Extension SAN Switch and a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade. FCIP is not
supported in between the 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP
Router, or MP Router Blade, see “B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blade” (page 282).

11

FCIP tunnels (virtual E_Ports) pass traffic between the SAN extension devices.
• The 1606 Extension SAN Switch supports up to 8 FCIP tunnels.
• The DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade supports up to 20 FCIP tunnels.

12

IPsec is supported on the 1606 Extension SAN Switch beginning with firmware 6.3.1a, see Rule 18.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules 109

Table 33 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules (continued)
Rule
number
13

Description
FCIP FastWrite and Fibre Channel FastWrite support:
• FCIP is supported with FCIP FastWrite SCSI write acceleration when using firmware 6.3.0a (or later)
with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access. FCIP FastWrite is not supported with HP P6000 Continuous
Access.
Note: FCIP FastWrite and IPsec are mutually exclusive and cannot be configured simultaneously.
• Fibre Channel FastWrite—FC FastWrite is currently not supported with the 1606 Extension SAN Switch
or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.

14

For redundancy, HP recommends using a minimum of two EX_Ports (router IFLs) for each fabric connected
to a 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade. The number of EX_Ports required
is based on the performance requirements for all devices shared by fabrics through the router.
• Calculate the number of EX_Ports using a 5:1 ratio of standard ISLs or switch device ports to router
EX_Port IFLs. Monitor port performance to determine if this ratio is acceptable based on usage. Use
the portperfshow command to monitor router port performance.
• For very high bandwidth requirements and applications, use a ratio of 3:1 or 1:1.

15

Supports routing between B-series secured and nonsecured edge fabrics using advanced security features
or ACLs.

16

Supports the following features:
• 8 Gb/s on FC ports
• FCIP Trunking
• Adaptive Rate Limiting
• 10-GbE ports (DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade)

17

The 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade do not support the following
features with firmware 6.3.0:
• IPsec
• DiffServ priorities
• VLAN tagging
• Third-party WAN optimization
• IPv6 addresses for FCIP tunnels
• VEX_Ports (DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade)

Scalability rules
Table 35 (page 113) lists the scalability rules for Meta SANs using integrated Fibre Channel routing,
the 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, and MP
Router Blade. For configurations with a 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade, apply the rules listed
in Table 35 (page 113).
The following terms describe 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
scalability:

110

•

Front phantom domains—All EX_Ports on a Fibre Channel router that are connected to the
same edge fabric are presented as a single front phantom domain.

•

Translate phantom domains—Assigned to each remote fabric connected to a 1606 Extension
SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade. Each
fabric has one unique translate domain, regardless of how many EX_Ports are connected to
the fabric.

•

Backbone fabric—The 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
backbone fabric consists of at least one 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade, and includes all MP Routers and B-series switches connected via E_Ports to

B-series switches and fabric rules

the 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade. When you install a
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade in an SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Director, DC SAN Backbone
Director or a DC04 SAN Director, all devices connected to the SAN Director Fibre Channel
ports are part of the backbone fabric.
•

Edge fabric—A fabric that is attached to an EX_Port on a 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC
Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.

1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade hop count
The 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade are counted in the same
way as a Fibre Channel switch when determining the fabric hop count. Devices communicating
across fabrics through 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade must adhere to both the B-series 7-hop
limit within an edge fabric and the MP Router 12-hop limit.

1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade usage
Use a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade:
•

If you want to add multiple fabrics to a Meta SAN, and one of those fabrics contains an
SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Director, a DC SAN Backbone Director, or a DC04 SAN Director
with an available slot for a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
NOTE: All devices connected to one of the SAN Director's Fibre Channel ports are part of
the backbone fabric.

•

If you want to share up to 512 local devices in a backbone fabric connected to multiple edge
fabrics

•

For FCIP, if there are SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Directors, DC SAN Backbone Directors, or
DC04 SAN Directors at both the local site and remote site
Use a 1606 Extension SAN Switch:
•

If you do not have an SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Director, a DC SAN Backbone Director, or
a DC04 SAN Director, and do not plan to use one

•

For FCIP, if there are no SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Directors, DC SAN Backbone Directors,
or DC04 SAN Directors at the local site or remote site

•

If you do not have an available slot in your SN8000B 8-Slot or 4-Slot Director, DC SAN
Backbone Director, or DC04 SAN Director to install a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade

For use-case configuration examples, see the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use-case white
papers at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/sanwhitepapers.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.

Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for 8 Gb/s switches with license-enabled integrated Fibre
Channel routing, the 400 MP Router, and the MP Router Blade, and other factors you should
consider when building B-series fabrics that contain Fibre Channel routing. The fabric rules for
Fibre Channel routing apply to SANs that include the same operating system and storage products
as the B-series switches, see “Operating systems and storage products” (page 102). For information
about configuring MP Routers for FCIP, see “B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade”
(page 285).
Table 34 (page 112) describes the rules for creating fabrics with Fibre Channel routing using 8
Gb/s switches, 400 MP Routers, and MP Router Blades.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

111

Table 34 Integrated Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules
Rule
number

Description

1

The MP Router Blade supports only the DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04 SAN Director, and SAN Director 4/256.
The maximum number of MP Router Blades per DC SAN Backbone Director is four; the maximum number of MP
Router Blades per DC04 SAN Director is four; the maximum number of MP Router Blades per SAN Director 4/256
is two.

2

All configurations must use the default setting for R_A_TOV (10,000 milliseconds) and E_D_TOV (2,000 milliseconds).

3

Devices connected to edge fabrics can be routed through an LSAN to a backbone fabric.
Note: Edge fabric-to-backbone fabric routing is supported using the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade only. It is
not supported if a 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade is configured in the backbone.

4

Direct connection of devices to the 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade Fibre Channel ports (F_Port, FL_Port) is
supported.

5

Fibre Channel server boot through the 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade is not supported.

6

Each 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade can only attach to one backbone fabric; multiple routers can attach to the
same backbone fabric.

7

If an MP Router Blade has any port configured as an EX_Port, then the blade Fibre Channel ports, all Fibre Channel
ports in the director the blade is in, and all other switches connected to the director using an E_Port are part of the
backbone fabric.

8

A backbone fabric supports a maximum of 256 devices.

9

For the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade, you can configure a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port,
or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing), and configure a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP) or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel
routing).
Note: VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot be connected to the same edge fabric.

10

FCIP is supported between pairs of 400 MP Routers, MP Router Blades, or between a 400 MP Router and MP Router
Blade. FCIP is not supported between a 400 MP Router, MP Router Blade, and any other platform., see “B-series
400 MP Router and MP Router Blade” (page 285).

11

FCIP is supported with IPsec data encryption. This requires a minimum firmware version of 5.2.0a. IPsec is supported
with HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.
Note: IPsec and FCIP FastWrite are mutually exclusive and cannot be configured simultaneously.

12

FCIP FastWrite support:
• FCIP is supported with FCIP FastWrite SCSI write acceleration. This requires a minimum firmware version of 5.2.0a.
For firmware version 6.3.x, version 6.3.0c (or later) is required for FCIP FastWrite. FCIP FastWrite is supported
with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and is not supported with HP P6000 Continuous Access.
Note: FCIP FastWrite and IPsec are mutually exclusive and cannot be configured simultaneously.

13

Fibre Channel FastWrite support:
• FC FastWrite is supported starting with Fabric OS 5.3.0. However, the following rules apply while configuring
FCFW:
• FCFW disables the local Ethernet ports (ge0 and ge1), making it impossible to configure FCFW and FCIP tunnels
on the same 400 MPR or the MP Router blade.
• FCFW does not work in FICON environments.
• FCFW flows may be routed to another 400 MPR or MP Router blade on the FC network. This 400 MPR or MP
Router blade may have active FCIP tunnels over an IP network. FCFW flows may be passed through the FCIP
tunnel, but only if the FCIP FastWrite option is disabled on the tunnel.
• FCFW does not support loop device configurations for more than one device.
For more information, see the Fabric OS FCIP Administrator's Guide, V6.3.0 (or later).

112

B-series switches and fabric rules

Table 34 Integrated Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules (continued)
Rule
number

Description

14

For redundancy, HP recommends using a minimum of two EX_Ports (router IFLs) for each fabric connected to an 400
MP Router or MP Router Blade. The number of EX_Ports required is based on the performance requirements for all
devices shared by fabrics through the router.
• For initial settings, calculate the number of EX_Ports using a 5:1 ratio of standard ISLs or switch device ports to
router EX_Port IFLs. Monitor port performance to determine if this ratio is acceptable based on usage. Use the
portperfshow command to monitor router port performance.
• For very high bandwidth requirements and applications, use a ratio of 3:1 or 1:1.

15

Supports routing between B-series secured and nonsecured edge fabrics using Secure Fabric OS.

16

The MP Router Blade is not supported with FOS v7.1 or later.

17

The MP Router Blade is not supported in the same chassis as a DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade with FOS v7.0 or
higher.

Scalability rules
Table 35 (page 113) lists the scalability rules for Meta SANs using integrated Fibre Channel routing,
the 400 MP Router, and the MP Router Blade. For configurations with a 400 MP Router or MP
Router Blade, apply the rules in Table 35 (page 113).
The following terms describe 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade scalability:
•

Front phantom domains—All EX_Ports on a Fibre Channel router that are connected to the
same edge fabric are presented as a single front phantom domain.

•

Translate phantom domains—Assigned to each remote fabric connected to a 400 MP Router
or MP Router Blade. Each fabric has one unique translate domain, regardless of how many
EX_Ports are connected to the fabric.

•

Backbone fabric—The 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade backbone fabric consists of at least
one 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade and includes all MP Routers and B-series switches
connected via E_Port to the 400 MP Router or MP Router Blades. When you install an MP
Router Blade in a 4/256 SAN Director, all devices connected to the SAN Director Fibre
Channel ports are part of the backbone fabric.

•

Edge fabric—A fabric that is attached to an EX_Port on a 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade.

Table 35 Integrated Fibre Channel routing, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade,
400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade scalability rules for firmware 6.2x/6.3x/6.4x/7.x
Edge fabric scalability
Domains

Maximum number of real domains (local switches) per edge fabric

26

Devices (user
ports)

Maximum number of local and remote devices per edge fabric. (For edge fabrics with
more than 600 devices, 4.2.0c (or later) is required for all switches in the fabric when
using the 400 MP Router, MP Router Blade.)

1,2001

Maximum number of imported devices per edge fabric

1,000

LSAN zone scalability
Zoning

Maximum number of entries per LSAN zone
Note: LSAN zones support WWN-based zoning only.

64

Meta SAN scalability

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

113

Table 35 Integrated Fibre Channel routing, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade,
400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade scalability rules for firmware 6.2x/6.3x/6.4x/7.x (continued)
Edge fabrics containing
up to 1,500 WWNs:
•

Edge fabrics

Maximum number of edge fabrics connected in a Meta SAN

Maximum number of total devices per Meta SAN

Maximum number of edge fabrics per chassis:
400 MP Router and MP Router Blade

Meta SAN

Maximum number of edge fabrics per chassis:
DC Director, 8/80, 8/40, 1606, SN6000B, SN6500B switches with Integrated Routing
HP SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director Switch, HP SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director
Switch

48 (DC and
SN8000B Directors)

•
24 (all others)
Edge fabrics containing
up to 2,000 WWNs
(FOS v6.3 and higher):
•

32 (DC and
SN8000B Directors)

•

12 (all others)

10,000 (with only DC
and SN8000B Directors
as routers)
5,000 (with all other 8
Gb or 16 Gb switches
as routers)
12
24 (DC Director, HP
SN8000B 8-Slot SAN
Backbone Director
Switch, HP SN8000B
4-Slot SAN Director
Switch with Integrated
Routing)
12 (all other chassis)

Maximum number of EX_Ports per chassis with Integrated Routing
(DC and SN8000B Directors, 8/80, 8/40, 1606, SN6000B, SN6500B switches)

Routers

Maximum number of 400 MP Routers per Meta SAN

Maximum number of LSAN device entries (proxy devices) per Meta SAN
LSAN

Maximum number of LSAN zones per Meta SAN

128 for DC and
SN8000B Directors.
Up to maximum port
count for all other
chassis
10
10,000 (with only DC
and SN8000B as
routers)
5,000 (with any 8/40,
8/80, 1606, SN6000B
as routers)
3,0002 (6.x and 7.x)

Backbone fabric scalability
Switches

Maximum number of local switches per backbone fabric

WWNs

Maximum number of local WWNs per backbone fabric

12 (6.x)
12 (7.x)
512

Hop count scalability
Hop count

114

Maximum number of hops between switches (including routers) in a Meta SAN

B-series switches and fabric rules

12

1

2

Tested to 1,200, but can support up to 1,500 or 2,000 (with reduced number of maximum edge fabrics) on v6.3 and higher.
Contact your HP representative for further details.
Tested to 3,000, but will support up to 5,000 on FOS v6.3 and higher (all backbone FCRs with FOS v6.0.0 and higher). Contact
your HP representative for further details.

400 MP Router and MP Router Blade hop count
The 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade are counted in the same way as a Fibre Channel switch
when determining the fabric hop count. Devices communicating across fabrics through 400 MP
Router or MP Router Blade must adhere to both the B-series 7-hop limit within an edge fabric and
the MP Router 12-hop limit.

400 MP Router and MP Router Blade usage
Use an MP Router Blade:
•

If you want to add multiple fabrics to a Meta SAN, and one of those fabrics contains a 4/256
SAN Director, DC SAN Backbone Director, or DC04 SAN Director with an available slot for
an MP Router Blade
NOTE:
fabric.

All devices connected to the SAN Director Fibre Channel ports are part of a backbone

•

If you want to share up to 256 local devices in a backbone fabric with multiple edge fabrics

•

For FCIP, if there are 4/256 SAN Directors, DC SAN Backbone Directors, or DC04 SAN
Directors at both the local site and remote site

Use a 400 MP Router:
•

If you do not have a 4/256 SAN Director, DC SAN Backbone Director, or DC04 SAN
Director, and do not plan to use one

•

If you have a 4/256 SAN Director, DC SAN Backbone Director, or DC04 SAN Director, and
do not want to use it as a backbone fabric

•

For FCIP, if there are no 4/256 SAN Directors, DC SAN Backbone Directors, or DC04 SAN
Directors at the local site or remote site

For use-case configuration examples, see the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use-case white
papers at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/sanwhitepapers.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.

Core switch addressing mode
B-series Fibre Channel switches using firmware 4.1 (or later) are shipped with the Core switch PID
parameter bit set to 1. Legacy switches using firmware 4.0 or 3.1 (or earlier) were shipped with
this bit set to 0, which limited the number of switches in a fabric and the number of ports on a
switch. HP recommends that you set the Core switch PID parameter bit to 1 in all B-series fabrics.
Use the configure command to modify the Core switch PID setting.
NOTE: Beginning with Fabric OS 6.x, the only supported PID format is core pid (1). For more
information, see the HP StorageWorks Fabric OS Administrator Guide.
If you change the Core switch addressing mode for a fabric, consider the following:
•

If a B-series Fibre Channel fabric contains a SAN Director 4/256, you must set the Core
switch PID parameter bit for all other switches in the fabric.

•

All switches in the fabric must have the same Core switch PID parameter bit setting; otherwise,
the fabric will segment.

•

For multi-fabric SANs, you can change the Core switch PID parameter bit setting on one fabric
at a time, allowing SAN operations to continue without interruption.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

115

•

HP-UX and IBM AIX systems use the address bits to identify logical units. Therefore, if you
change the Core switch PID setting, you must also change the logical unit definitions. After
making these changes, you must reboot all servers in the SAN.

•

If you add switches (other than the switches that require the Core switch PID settings) to a
fabric in which the Core switch PID parameter bit is cleared, you must clear this bit on the
new switches.

For more information about Core switch addressing mode, see the HP SAN Infrastructure website
at
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure.html

Zoning limits and enforcement
Table 36 (page 116) describes zoning enforcement for B-series Fibre Channel switches and MP
Router LSANs, see also “Zoning” (page 373).
Table 36 Zoning enforcement for B-series Fibre Channel switches and MP Router LSANs
Switches or routers
Encryption SAN Switch
SN8000B 8-Slot SAN Backbone Director
SN8000B 4-Slot SAN Director
SN6000B 16Gb FC Switch
HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb FC Switch

Configuration
Define zones using
domain number and
port number
Define zones using
WWNs only

Enforcement

Comments

Access authorization
at frame level in
hardware

Hard zoning

Name Server
directory-based
authentication, login
authentication

Soft zoning, Name
Servers discovery-based
authentication, and login
protection

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch
SN3000B 16Gb FC Switch
DC SAN Backbone Director
DC04 SAN Director
SAN Director 4/256
SAN Switch 8/8, 8/24, 8/40, 8/80

Define zones using
combination of
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class domain/port numbers
and WWNs
Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class
EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade

Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem
1606 Extension SAN Switch
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
400 MP Router, MP Router Blade1
B-series FCoE CN switch
1

400 MP Router and MP Router BladeLSAN zones support WWN-based zoning only.

Zoning guidelines for B-series Fibre Channel switches
To configure B-series Fibre Channel switch zoning, observe the following best practices:

116

•

Always zone using the highest Fabric OS-level switch.

•

Switches with earlier Fabric OS versions do not have the capability to view all the functionality
that a newer Fabric OS provides, as functionality is backwards compatible but not forwards
compatible.

•

Zone using the core switch versus an edge switch.

•

Zone using an enterprise-class platform rather than a switch.

•

An enterprise-class platform has more resources to handle zoning changes and implementations.

B-series switches and fabric rules

•

Frame-based hardware enforcement is in effect, on a per-zone basis, if all members of a zone
are identified the same way, either using WWNs or domain,index notation, with no
overlapping zones.

•

Session-based hardware enforcement is in effect in the following cases, on a per-zone basis:

•

◦

A zone does not have either all WWN or all domain, index entries.

◦

Overlapping zones (in which zone members appear in two or more zones).

For 4 Gb/s SAN fabric switches, avoid transitions to soft zoning in a hardware-enforced
zoning environment.
B-series Fibre Channel switches allow a maximum of 64 SID entries for each quad. If you
exceed this limit, the affected ports transition from hard to soft enforcement. Although the
switch logs display warning messages, data integrity is preserved during this transition.

•

Maintain data access as defined in your SAN design, but avoid configuring hosts and targets
on the same quad.

•

Configure each quad with members of the same zone. Avoid configuring members of different
zones on the same quad. For example, configure UNIX zone members on one quad and
Windows members on a different quad.

•

Minimize zone entries by including only hosts and targets that communicate. For example,
rather than combine all hosts of the same OS type into one zone, make smaller zones with
only hosts and targets that need to communicate.

•

Use the portzoneshow command to display and verify the zoning status of each port.
The portzoneshow command displays the status of each port:

◦

Frame—based hardware enforcement

◦

Session—based hardware enforcement

Zoning guidelines
The following messages indicate that a port has changed to soft zoning:
WARNING ZONE-ZONEGROUPADDFAIL, 3, WARNING - port 7 Out of CAM entries
WARNING ZONE-SOFTZONING, 3, WARNING - port 7: zoning enforcement changed
to SOFT
The zoning configuration has exceeded limits, forcing the specified port to change from
hardware-enforced zoning to software-enforced zoning. Other zone members remain hardware
enforced. These warning messages appear at zoning configuration time (for port-level zoning) or
dynamically at run time (for WWN zoning).

Primary management switch recommendations (B-series Fibre Channel switches)
Recommendations for primary management switches follow:
•

Designate one switch in the fabric as the primary management switch and use it for all
management and control, including zoning, Time Services, fabric management interface, and
WebTools. Using one switch for access prevents multiple administrators from making changes
to switches in the fabric at the same time. If you have a core-edge topology, HP recommends
you use a core switch as the primary management switch. Typically, a core switch is connected
directly to all other switches in a core-edge fabric, providing optimal communication. In SANs
with mixed Fabric OS, these functions must only be executed from a switch running the highest
Fabric OS. For example, if a SAN contains switches running Fabric OS 3.x and switches

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

117

running Fabric OS 5.x, these functions must be executed from a switch running Fabric OS
5.x.
•

Configure the primary management switch in the fabric as the preferred principal switch by
using the fabricprincipal command.

•

How a principal switch is assigned can vary in a fabric. That assignment depends on the state
of the fabric, the switch WWN, and whether other switches or fabrics merge with that fabric.
The principal switch in a fabric may not remain a principal switch once new switches are
added to the original fabric or the original fabric is reconfigured. The Fibre Channel standards
alone specify the mechanisms to implement the fabricprincipal command. These
mechanisms allow a preference for a switch that requests to be the principal switch in a fabric.
However, they do not absolutely guarantee that a switch that requests to be the principal
switch actually achieves that status.
The primary management switch is used by the fabric management interface as the main
access point to that fabric.

•

118

Fabric time synchronization is implemented differently based on the security setting. For
switches in a fabric where security is not enabled, synchronize time with the principal switch
in the fabric. The principal switch in the fabric synchronizes its clock with an NTP time server
by identifying the time server with the tsclockserver command. In a fabric where security
is enabled, switches synchronize time with the primary Fibre Channel switch, which may or
may not be the principal switch.

B-series switches and fabric rules

6 C-series switches and fabric rules
This chapter describes the C-series Fibre Channel and FCoE switches and the fabric rules for
building C-series fabrics. It describes the following topics:
•

“C-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 119)

•

“Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 130)

•

“C-series and Cisco FCoE Converged Network switches” (page 86)

NOTE: For information about using switches from the different series in the same SAN or fabric,
see “SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146).

C-series Fibre Channel switches
C-series Fibre Channel switches have the following features:
•

They can be core or edge switches. When configured in a core-edge topology, a core switch
typically connects to other switches in the SAN; an edge switch typically connects to servers
and storage.

•

They are supported for use with FCIP through the HP IP Distance Gateway. For more
information, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

•

HP StoreFabric SN8500C 8-slot 16Gb FC Director can accommodate high port density (up
to 384 ports). The base units include an 8- slot modular chassis with two hot swappable
redundant Supervisor–1 Modules, six hot swappable redundant 3000W Power Supplies, and
three hot swappable redundant Fabric 1 Modules, providing up to 384 ports of full 16Gbps
line-rate performance across all ports. The open expansion slots of the SN8500C Director
can be filled by with HP StoreFabric C-series Family Modules, which include a 48-port 16Gb
FC Module.

•

◦

The HP StoreFabric SN8500C 48-port 16Gb FC Module is recommended for
high-performance 16 Gb/s enterprise-level host connections, storage connections, and
ISL connections.

◦

The HP StoreFabric C-series SN8500C 48-port FCoE Module offers 384 FCoE Channel
ports (autosensing 10Gb/s) in a single chassis.

◦

The HP StoreFabric SN8500C Fabric-1 Module (up to six total per chassis) allows N+1
Fabric Modules protection to provide zero impact to Application Bandwidth in the event
of a fabric card or supervisor card failure.

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A
Director Switch, HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch, HP SN8000C
13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director Switch, MDS 9506, MDS 9509, and MDS 9513
Director switches can accommodate various Fibre Channel Switching Modules, IP Storage
Services Modules (IPS), a Multiprotocol Services Module, a Multiservice Module, and a Storage
Services Module (SSM).

◦

The 12-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module is recommended for
high-performance 4 Gb/s enterprise-level host connections, storage connections, and ISL
connections.

◦

The 24-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module uses 2:1 internal oversubscription
across four 6-port port groups and is recommended for 4 Gb/s enterprise-level mid-range
host and storage connections.

C-series Fibre Channel switches

119

•

◦

The 48-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module uses 4:1 internal oversubscription
across four 12-port port groups and is recommended for 4 Gb/s low-range host
connections and tape devices connections.

◦

The 4-port 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module is ideal for ultra-high-bandwidth
ISL connectivity and inter-data center connection over a metropolitan optical infrastructure.

◦

IPS modules, Multiprotocol Services Modules, and Multiservice Modules provide MDS
iSCSI and FCIP functionality:
–

IPS-4 and IPS-8 provide 4 and 8 GbE IP ports, respectively.

–

The 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module provides 14 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel ports
and 2 GbE IP ports.

–

The 18/4 Multiservice Module provides 18 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel ports and 4 GbE
IP ports.

◦

The 32-port 2 Gb/s SSM is recommended for Fibre Channel write acceleration and SCSI
statistics.

◦

The 48-port 8 Gb/s Host-Optimized Fibre Channel Switching Module uses four 12-port
port groups at 12.8 Gb/s per port group and is recommended for 8 Gb/s low-range
host connections.

◦

The 48-port 8 Gb/s Performance Fibre Channel Switching Module uses eight 6-port port
groups at 12.8 Gb/s per port group and is recommended for 8 Gb/s enterprise-level
mid-range host and storage connections.

◦

The 24-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module uses eight 3-port port groups at
12.8 Gb/s per port group and is recommended for high-performance 8 Gb/s
enterprise-level host connections, storage connections, and ISL connections.

◦

The HP SN8000C 8Gb 32-Port Advanced Fibre Channel Module uses eight 4-port port
groups and delivers full line rate performance across all ports when used in conjunction
with the HP SN8000C Fabric 3 Director Module, and is recommended for high-end 8
Gb/s storage system connections and ISL connections. When used in the SN8000C
13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director Switch, or the SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A
Fabric 2 Director Switch and the HP Cisco MDS 9513 Director Switch upgraded with
HP SN8000C Fabric 3 Director Modules, up to 24 ports can be configured to 10 Gb/s
for use as ISLs. These 10 Gb/s interfaces enable reduced cabling for ISLs as they provide
50 percent higher data rate than 8 Gb/s interfaces.

◦

The HP SN8000C 8Gb 48-Port Advanced Fibre Channel Module uses eight 6-port port
groups and delivers 48-ports of line-rate 8 Gb/s with Arbitrated Local Switching. It is
recommended for deploying dense virtual machine clusters. When used in the SN8000C
13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director Switch, or the SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A
Fabric 2 Director Switch and the HP Cisco MDS 9513 Director Switch upgraded with
HP SN8000C Fabric 3 Director Modules, up to 24 ports can be configured to 10 Gb/s
for use as ISLs. These 10 Gb/s interfaces enable reduced cabling for ISLs as they provide
50 percent higher data rate than 8 Gb/s interfaces.

SN6500C switch

◦

The HP SN6500C 16Gb Multiservice Switch integrates both Fibre Channel and IP Storage
services in a single system to allow maximum flexibility in user configurations. With 20
16 Gb/s Fibre Channel ports active by default, two 10 Gigabit Ethernet IP Storage
Services ports, and eight 10 Gigabit Ethernet FCoE ports, the HP SN6500C 16Gb
Multiservice switch is a comprehensive package, ideally suited for enterprise storage
networks that require high performance SAN extension or cost-effective IP Storage

120 C-series switches and fabric rules

connectivity for applications, such as Business Continuity using Fibre Channel over IP or
iSCSI host attachment to Fibre Channel storage devices.

◦
•

•

Using the eight 10 Gigabit Ethernet FCoE ports, the SN6500C 16Gb Multiservice Switch
attaches to directly connected FCoE and Fibre Channel storage devices and supports
multitiered unified network fabric connectivity directly over FCoE.

MDS 9222i switches have 2 slots:

◦

One slot is a fixed configuration with a 18/4 Multiservice Module.

◦

The second slot can accommodate a 48-port 8 Gb/s Host-Optimized Fibre Channel
Switching Module; 12, 24, or 48-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module; 4-port
10 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module; IPS-8 or 18/4 Multiservice Module for iSCSI
and FCIP support; and the 32-port 2 Gb/s SSM.

MDS 9134 switches have a base 34-port chassis to accommodate up to 32 4 Gb/s and 2
10 Gb/s ports. Four configurations are available:

◦

24 4 Gb/s active ports with optional 8-port 4 Gb/s and 2-port 10 Gb/s software
expansion licenses

◦

32 4 Gb/s active ports with an optional 2-port 10 Gb/s software expansion license

◦

24 4 Gb/s and 2 10 Gb/s active ports
A 48-port stackable solution is available with the purchase of two MDS 9134 switches.

◦

32 4 Gb/s and 2 10 Gb/s active ports
A 64-port stackable solution is available with the purchase of two MDS 9134 switches.

•

MDS 9124 switches have fixed configurations with 8, 16, and 24 full-rate 4 Gb/s Fibre
Channel ports. The 8 and 16-port switches can be upgraded in 8-port increments with a
software expansion license.

•

MDS 9124e 12-port Fabric switch and the MDS 9124e 24-port Fabric switch for the c-Class
BladeSystem have fixed configurations with 8 internal/4 external or 16 internal/8 external
full-rate 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel ports. The 12-port switch can be upgraded to a 24-port switch
with a software expansion license.

•

MDS 8Gb 12-port fabric switch and the MDS 8Gb 24-port fabric switch for HP BladeSystem
c-Class have fixed configurations with 8 internal/4 external or 16 internal/8 external full-rate
8 Gb/s Fibre Channel ports. The 12-port switch can be upgraded to a 24-port switch with a
software expansion license.

•

SN6000C Fabric Switches have fixed configurations with 16 and 32 full-rate 8 Gb/s Fibre
Channel ports. The 16 and 32-port switches can be upgraded in 8-port increments with a
software expansion license.

The C-series Fibre Channel switches offer:
•

High availability

•

Scalability

•

Cost efficiency

Model naming
The C-series Fibre Channel switches are named MDS 9xnn, SN8000C, and SN8500C. The 95nn,
SN8000C, and SN8500C switches (Multilayer Directors) are director or core switches. The nn
value indicates the number of slots available for supervisors and port modules. The 92nn switches
are mid-range switches; the SN6000C and 91nn switches are entry-level switches. For the 92nn,
91nn, and 90nn, the nn value indicates the number of fixed ports.
C-series Fibre Channel switches

121

Multiprotocol and Multiservice products are designated with the i suffix, such as the MDS 9222i
or as IP storage services modules, such as the IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4. For IPS products, the
number indicates the total number of IP ports available. For example, the IPS-4 has 4 IP ports and
the IPS-8 has 8 IP ports.

Switch models
Table 37 (page 122), and Table 38 (page 122) describe the C-series Fibre Channel switches, and
Table 39 (page 123) describes the legacy C-series Fibre Channel switches.
HP supports all C-series Fibre Channel switches in a fabric if you:
•

Use the recommended firmware versions.
When using NX-OS and FabricWare in the same fabric, HP highly recommends upgrading
all fabric switches in the SAN to the latest supported software version. All switches in the same
major NX-OS/FabricWare family must use the same software version. When updating switch
firmware, you can use two successive NX-OS/FabricWare versions temporarily. Do not enable
new switch features until the upgrade is complete.

•

Follow the fabric rules, see “Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 130).

For the latest information on supported C-series Fibre Channel switches and firmware versions, see
the HP SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport
to enable access.
After logging in, click Switches under Other Hardware in the last navigation panel of the window
to access the Fibre Channel Switch Streams. Click on the C-Series FC Switch Connectivity Stream
to open the document.
Table 37 C-series Fibre Channel switches for NX-OS 4.x
Switch

Maximum number of Fibre Channel ports

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch

192

MDS 9506 Multilayer Director
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch

336

MDS 9509 Multilayer Director
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director
Switch

528

MDS 9513 Multilayer Director

Table 38 C-series Fibre Channel switches for NX-OS 5.x, 6.x
Switch
HP StoreFabric SN8500C 8-Slot 16Gb FC Director

384

HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director
Switch

528

SN6000C Fabric Switch (MDS 9148)

48

HP SN6500C 16Gb Multiservice Switch (MDS 9250i)

40

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
MDS 9506 Multilayer Director
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
MDS 9509 Multilayer Director
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director
Switch
122

Maximum number of Fibre Channel ports

C-series switches and fabric rules

192

336

528

Table 38 C-series Fibre Channel switches for NX-OS 5.x, 6.x (continued)
Switch

Maximum number of Fibre Channel ports

MDS 9513 Multilayer Director
MDS 8Gb 12-Port Fabric Switch for HP BladeSystem
c-Class

8 internal, 4 external

MDS 8Gb 24-Port Fabric Switch for HP BladeSystem
c-Class

16 internal, 8 external

NOTE: NX-OS requires Supervisor-2 or Supervisor-2A Modules for the MDS 950x Director
switches.
Table 39 C-series Fibre Channel legacy switches
Switch

Maximum number of Fibre Channel ports

MDS 9124e 12-Port Fabric Switch for HP c-Class
BladeSystem

8 internal, 4 external

MDS 9124e 24-Port Fabric Switch for HP c-Class
BladeSystem

16 internal, 8 external
32 at 4 Gb/s

MDS 9134 Fabric Switch

2 at 10 Gb/s

MDS 9124 Fabric Switch

24

MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric

66

Table 40 (page 123) describes SAN-OS C-series switching module support.
Table 40 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for SAN-OS

MDS 9506

MDS 9509

MDS 9513

Switching module

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C 6-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

HP SN8000C 9-Slot HP SN8000C 13-Slot
SUP2A Director
SUP2A FAB2 Director
Switch
Switch

14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module
(1 Gb, 2 Gb, GbE)

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

18/4 Multiservice Module (1 Gb, 2
Gb, 4 Gb, GbE)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

32-port Storage Services Module (1
Gb, 2 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4-port IP Storage Services Module
(GbE)

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

8-port IP Storage Services Module
(GbE)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

12-port Fibre Channel Switching
Module (1 Gb, 2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

24-port Fibre Channel Switching
Module (1 Gb, 2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

48-port Fibre Channel Switching
Module (1 Gb, 2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

C-series Fibre Channel switches

123

Table 40 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for SAN-OS (continued)

MDS 9506

MDS 9509

MDS 9513

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C 6-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

4-port Fibre Channel Switching
Module (10 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Supervisor-1 Switching Module

No

Yes

Yes

No

Supervisor-2 or Supervisor-2A
Switching Module

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Switching module

HP SN8000C 9-Slot HP SN8000C 13-Slot
SUP2A Director
SUP2A FAB2 Director
Switch
Switch

NOTE: The 9124, 9134, and 9124e switches have fixed configurations and do not support
additional switching modules.
The 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Modules require NX-OS.
Table 41 (page 124) and Table 42 (page 125) describe NX-OS C-series switching module support.
Table 41 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for NX-OS 4.x

MDS 9513with
Fabric-2
Modules

MDS 9506withSUP2 MDS 9509withSUP2
or SUP2A Modules or SUP2A Modules

Switching module

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C 6-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

14/2 Multiprotocol Services
Module (1 Gb, 2 Gb, GbE)

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

18/4 Multiservice Module (1
Gb, 2 Gb, 4 Gb, GbE)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

32-port Storage Services
Module (1 Gb, 2 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

12-port Fibre Channel
Switching Module (1 Gb, 2
Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

24-port Fibre Channel
Switching Module (1 Gb, 2
Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

48-port Fibre Channel
Switching Module (1 Gb, 2
Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4-port Fibre Channel
Switching Module (10 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4-port and 8-port IP Storage
Services Module (GbE)

No

No

No

No

No

48-port 8Gb Host-Optimized
Fibre Channel Switching
Module (2 Gb, 4 Gb, 8 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

124

C-series switches and fabric rules

HP SN8000C 9-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

MDS 9513with
Fabric-1
Modules

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB2 Dir Switch

Table 41 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for NX-OS 4.x (continued)

MDS 9513with
Fabric-2
Modules

MDS 9506withSUP2 MDS 9509withSUP2
or SUP2A Modules or SUP2A Modules

Switching module

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C 6-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

HP SN8000C 9-Slot
SUP2A Director
Switch

MDS 9513with
Fabric-1
Modules

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB2 Dir Switch

48-port 8Gb Performance
Fibre Channel Switching
Module (2 Gb, 4 Gb, 8 Gb)

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

24-port 8Gb Fibre Channel
Switching Module (2 Gb, 4
Gb, 8 Gb)

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Table 42 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for NX-OS 5.x, 6.x
MDS 9513with
Fabric-2
Modules
MDS
9506withSUP2
or SUP2A
Modules

MDS
9509withSUP2 or
SUP2A Modules

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C
6-Slot SUP2A
Director Switch

HP SN8000C
9-Slot SUP2A
Director Switch

14/2
Multiprotocol
Services Module
(1 Gb, 2 Gb,
GbE)

No

No

18/4
Multiservice
Module (1 Gb,
2 Gb, 4 Gb,
GbE)

Yes

32-port Storage
Services Module
(1 Gb, 2 Gb)

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB2 Dir Switch
MDS 9710

MDS
9513withFabric-1
Modules

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB3 Director
Switch

HP SN8500C
8-Slot 16Gb FC
Director Switch

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

12-port Fibre
Channel
Switching
Module (1 Gb,
2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

24-port Fibre
Channel
Switching
Module (1 Gb,
2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

48-port Fibre
Channel
Switching
Module (1 Gb,
2 Gb, 4 Gb)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

4-port Fibre
Channel

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Switching
module

C-series Fibre Channel switches

125

Table 42 C-series Fibre Channel switching module support matrix for NX-OS 5.x, 6.x (continued)
MDS 9513with
Fabric-2
Modules
MDS
9506withSUP2
or SUP2A
Modules

MDS
9509withSUP2 or
SUP2A Modules

MDS 9222i

HP SN8000C
6-Slot SUP2A
Director Switch

HP SN8000C
9-Slot SUP2A
Director Switch

4-port and
8-port IP Storage
Services Module
(GbE)

No

No

48-port 8Gb
Host-Optimized
Fibre Channel
Switching
Module (2 Gb,
4 Gb, 8 Gb)

Yes

48-port 8Gb
Performance
Fibre Channel
Switching
Module (2 Gb,
4 Gb, 8 Gb)

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB2 Dir Switch
MDS 9710

MDS
9513withFabric-1
Modules

HP SN8000C
13-Slot SUP2A
FAB3 Director
Switch

HP SN8500C
8-Slot 16Gb FC
Director Switch

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

24-port 8Gb
Fibre Channel
Switching
Module (2 Gb,
4 Gb, 8 Gb)

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

HP SN8000C
8Gb 32-Port
Advanced Fibre
Channel Module
(2 Gb, 4 Gb, 8
Gb)

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

HP SN8000C
8Gb 48-Port
Advanced Fibre
Channel Module
(2 Gb, 4 Gb, 8
Gb

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

HP SN8500C
48-port 16Gb
FC Module

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

HP SN8500C
48-port FCoE
module

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

HP SN8500C
Fabric-1 Module

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Switching
module
Switching
Module (10 Gb)

126

C-series switches and fabric rules

NOTE: The MDS 9124, 9134, 9124e, 8Gb fabric switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class, and
SN6000C switches have fixed configurations and do not support additional switching modules.
The MDS 9513 requires Fabric-2 Modules to support the 48-port 8 Gb/s Performance Fibre
Channel Switching Module and the 24-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Module. Fabric
modules are also known as crossbar modules.

Features
Features of the C-series Fibre Channel switches include:
•

Nonblocking architecture using VOQ

•

VSAN deployment over the physical infrastructure
VSANs are separate instances of all fabric services, including address space.

•

Advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting (FC Ping, FC Traceroute, SPAN, RSPAN, and Call
Home)

•

Comprehensive security (SSH, SFTP, RADIUS, SNMPv3, and RBAC)

•

Comprehensive fabric management (CLI, SNMP, and Java-based GUI)

•

Traffic management (FCC and QoS)

•

High-availability, fault-tolerant software

•

PortChannel (ISL aggregation for highly resilient SAN architectures)

•

Integrated Multiprotocol capability (MDS 95nn and 92nn) for SAN extension (FCIP and iSCSI)

•

NPV—The following C-series Fibre Channel switches are NPV compliant: MDS 9124, MDS
9134, MDS 9124e, 8Gb fabric switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class, and SN6000C. NPV
requires SAN-OS 3.3(5b) (or later), see “SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability
rules” (page 146).

•

FlexAttach virtual pWWN
The Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem, MDS 9124, MDS 9134,
8Gb fabric switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class, and SN6000C support NPV with FlexAttach.
FlexAttach provides automatic mapping of physical WWNs to virtual WWNs using NAT.
When NPV mode is enabled, FlexAttach allows SAN and server administrators to install and
replace servers without having to rezone or reconfigure the SAN. For more information on
FlexAttach, see “NPV with FlexAttach” (page 169).

•

Storage Media Encryption (SME)
The MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric Switch and the 18/4 Multiservice Module are SME
compliant.

•

IO Accelerator (IOA)
The MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric Switch and the 18/4 Multiservice Module are IOA
compliant.

Additional features of the Director switches include:
•

Nondisruptive software upgrades

•

Hot-swappable line cards, supervisors, power supplies, and SFPs

•

Redundant supervisor, cross-bar fabric, and power supplies

C-series Fibre Channel switches

127

NOTE:

The following features are not supported by MDS 9124, MDS 9124e, or MDS 9134:
•

IVR

•

Remote SPAN

•

Translative loop support

•

FCC—No generation, quench reaction only

Table 43 (page 128) provides a comparison of the high-availability features for C-series Fibre
Channel switches.
Table 43 C-series Fibre Channel switch high-availability feature comparison
Redundant/
hot-swappable
power

Redundant/
hot-swappable
cooling

Redundant
control
processor

Nondisruptive
code activation

Port module
support

Protocol
support

SN6000C Fabric

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

Yes

No

FC

SN6500C

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

Yes

No

Fc/FCoE/FCIP

SN8500C 8-slot 16Gb
FC Director Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

FC

MDS 9124/9134 Fabric

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

Yes

No

FC

N/A

N/A

No

Yes

No

FC

Yes

FCIP

Model

MDS 9124e Fabric

FC
MDS 9222i Multiservice
Fabric
MDS 9506/9509/9513
Director, SN8000C
Supervisor 2A Fabric 2
Director Switches

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

No

Yes

iSCSI

FC
Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 3
Director Switch
MDS 8Gb fabric switch
for HP BladeSystem
c-Class

FCIP
iSCSI

N/A

N/A

No

Yes

No

FC

Usage
Table 44 (page 128) describes the use of C-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches.
Table 44 Using C-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches
Model
SN6000C Fabric

SN6500C

MDS 9124 Fabric
MDS 9134 Fabric

128

C-series switches and fabric rules

1–48 total ports

49–224 total ports

225–512 total ports

Excellent
(48-port stackable solution)
Excellent

Not recommended

(40 port maximum)
Excellent
(24 port maximum)
Excellent

Excellent

Not recommended

Table 44 Using C-series Fibre Channel switches as core switches (continued)
Model

MDS 9124e Fabric
MDS 9222i Multiservice
Fabric

1–48 total ports

49–224 total ports

225–512 total ports

(48-port stackable solution)

(64-port stackable solution)

Excellent
(8 port maximum)

Not recommended

Excellent

HP SN8000C 6-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch
MDS 9506 Multilayer
Director
HP SN8000C 9-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch
MDS 9509 Multilayer
Director
Good

Excellent

HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 3
Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 2
Director Switch
MDS 9513 Multilayer
Director
SN8500C 8-slot 16Gb FC
Director Switch
MDS 8Gb Fabric switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class

Excellent

Not recommended

(8 port maximum)

Table 45 (page 129) describes the use of C-series Fibre Channel switches as edge switches.
Table 45 Using C-series Fibre Channel switches as edge switches
Model

1–48 total ports

49–224 total ports

225–512 total ports

SN6000C Fabric
SN6500C
MDS 9124 Fabric

Excellent

MDS 9134 Fabric
MDS 9124e Fabric
MDS 9222i Multiservice
Fabric
HP SN8000C 6-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch

Excellent

Very good

Excellent (select modules to optimize performance or user port count)

MDS 9506 Multilayer
Director

C-series Fibre Channel switches

129

Table 45 Using C-series Fibre Channel switches as edge switches (continued)
Model

1–48 total ports

49–224 total ports

225–512 total ports

HP SN8000C 9-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch
MDS 9509 Multilayer
Director
HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 3
Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 2
Director Switch
MDS 9513 Multilayer
Director
SN8500C 8-slot 16Gb FC
Director Switch
MDS 8Gb Fabric switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class

Excellent

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules
This section describes the fabric rules for C-series Fibre Channel switches and other factors you
should consider when building C-series fabrics.

Operating systems and storage products
The fabric rules for C-series switches apply to SANs that include the operating systems and storage
products listed in Table 46 (page 130).
Table 46 C-series Fibre Channel switch operating system and storage system support
Operating systems

Storage products
• P6550/P6500/P6350/P6300 EVA
• EVA8400/6400
• EVA4400

• HP-UX
• OpenVMS
• Apple Mac OS X
• Citrix Xen
• IBM AIX
• Oracle Linux
• Red Hat Linux
• SUSE SLES Linux
• Microsoft Windows
• Solaris
• VMware ESX

• MSA2000fc G2 (MSA2300fc)/MSA2000fc
• MSA2040
• P9500
• P2000 G3 FC
• P4330 FC
• P4370 FC
• XP24000/20000
• XP12000/10000
• XP7
• 3PAR StoreServ 10000/7000
• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class
• 3PAR Remote Copy
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
• HP P6000 Continuous Access See “HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration”
(page 220)

130 C-series switches and fabric rules

The operating systems listed in Table 46 (page 130) might not be supported with every storage
system listed. For current operating system and storage system support, see the SPOCK website at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
See “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159) and the following storage system rules chapters:
•

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

•

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

•

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

Fabric rules for C-series Fibre Channel switches
The following fabric rules apply to all C-series Fibre Channel SANs. They also apply, in general,
to HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and HP P6000 Continuous Access configurations. However,
additional rules apply to HP Continuous Access implementations. For more information, see the
HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide.
Table 47 (page 131) lists the rules for creating a SAN with C-series Fibre Channel switches.
Table 47 C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules
Rule number

Description

1

Up to 60 MDS switches with up to 4,000 total ports and 3,500 user ports in a fabric

2

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch and MDS 9506 switch supports up to
192 ports over four modular slots (four 48-port modules1).

3

HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch and MDS 9509 switch supports up to
336 ports over seven modular slots (seven 48-port modules1).
Note: This requires Supervisor-2 or Supervisor-2A Modules.

4

HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director Switch, HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A
Fabric 2 Director Switch and MDS 9513 switch supports up to 528 ports over eleven modular slots
(eleven 48-port modules1).

5

HP SN8500C 8-Slot 16Gb FC Director Switch, supports up to 384 ports over eight modular slots (eight
48-port modules1).

6

Maximum of seven switch hops (eight switches) between any two communicating devices

7

Maximum of 80 VSANs per fabric2

8

Maximum of 4,000 IVR shared devices per routed fabric3
Note: IVR is not supported on the MDS 9124, MDS 9124e, and MDS 9134.

9

Maximum of 2,000 IVR zones per routed fabric3

10

Persistent FCID mode (default setting) is required on all C-series Fibre Channel switches in fabrics or
VSANs that include HP-UX or IBM AIX servers when implementing port-based fabric zoning.

11

NPV mode with Cisco MDS 9124e for HP c-Class BladeSystem, MDS 9124, and MDS 9134 require
SAN-OS 3.2(1a) (or later). NPV mode supports interoperability with B-series firmware 5.3.0, 5.3.0b,
and 6.1.0d, see “BladeSystem with Cisco N_Port Virtualization mode” (page 166).

12

FCIP is supported with IPsec data encryption using the 18/4 Multiservice Module, 14/2 Multiprotocol
Services Module, and MDS 9222i. IPsec is supported with HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.

13

Maximum of 114 FLOGIs or F Disc per port group for the 9200, 9500, and SN8000C series switches.
Maximum of 89 FLOGIs or F Disc per port for the 9100 series switches.

14

Within a fabric, assign a unique domain number (domain ID) and a unique WWN to each switch. All
switch configuration parameters for the same switch models must be the same.
Do not configure any switch with a domain ID of 8, which is reserved for HP-UX.

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

131

1

For information about the 48-port module, see “C-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 119).

2

MDS 9124, MDS 9124e, and MDS 9134 support a maximum of 16 VSANs.

3

MDS NX-OS release 5.0(x) configuration limits.

NOTE:

Not all topologies can support the maximum port or switch count.

ISL maximums
You can use all full-rate ports on all C-series Fibre Channel switches for ISLs, with a maximum of
one half of the total ISL port count configured to the same destination switch. Table 48 (page 132)
lists the ISL maximums for switches with higher port counts.
Table 48 ISL maximums
Total number of
available user ports

Number of ports allowed as ISLs

HP SN8500C 48-port 16Gb FC Module

48

48 at 16 Gb/s

HP SN8500C 48-port 10 Gb FCoE module

48

48 at 10 Gb/s

SN6000C

48

48 at 8 Gb/s

SN6500C

50

40 at 16 Gb/s

HP SN8000C 8Gb 32-Port Advanced Fibre
Channel Module

32

32 at 8 Gb/s, 24 at 10Gb/s

HP SN8000C 8Gb 48-Port Advanced Fibre
Channel Module

48

48 at 8 Gb/s, 24 at 10Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 48-port 8 Gb/s Host-Optimized
Fibre Channel Switching Module

48

48 at 1 Gb/s

MDS 95xx 48-port 8 Gb/s Performance Fibre
Channel Switching Module

48

48 at 2 Gb/s

MDS 95xx 24-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Switching Module

24

24 at 4 Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 48-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Switching Module

48

48 at 1 Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 24-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Switching Module

24

24 at 2 Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 12-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Switching Module

12

12 at 4 Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 4-port 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Switching Module

4

4 at 10 Gb/s

MDS 9xxx 18/4 Multiservice Module

18

18 at 2 Gb/s

MDS 9124 Fabric

24

24 at 4 Gb/s

MDS 9124e Fabric

8

8 at 4 Gb/s

MDS 9134 Fabric

34

Switch

32 at 4 Gb/s
2 at 10 Gb/s

Smart Zoning
Smart Zoning is the preferred zoning method for C-Series switches.
Smart Zoning is supported for NX-OS Software Release 5.2(6) or later. Smart zoning implements
hard zoning of large zones with fewer hardware resources than was previously required. The
traditional zoning method allows each device in a zone to communicate with every other device
132

C-series switches and fabric rules

in the zone. The administrator is required to manage the individual zones according to the zone
configuration guidelines. Smart zoning eliminates the need to create a single initiator to single
target zones. For more information on configuring Smart Zoning, see the CISCO MDS 9000 Family
NX-OS Fabric Configuration Guide for the appropriate version of NX-OS running in your SAN.

Zoning limits and enforcement
Table 49 (page 133) lists the zoning limits for C-series Fibre Channel switches, see also “Zoning”
(page 373).
Table 49 Zoning limits for C-series Fibre Channel switches
Description1

Rule number

1

1

Maximum number of zones for a fabric with VSANs is 8,000.

2

Maximum number of zone members for a fabric with VSANs is 20,000.

IVR is not supported on the MDS 9124, MDS 9124e, and MDS 9134.

Table 50 (page 133) describes zoning enforcement for C-series Fibre Channel switches.
Table 50 Zoning enforcement for C-series Fibre Channel switches
Switch

Configuration

Enforcement

Comments

MDS 8Gb Fabric switch for
HP BladeSystem c-Class
SN6000C
HP SN8000C 6-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch
HP SN8000C 9-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director
Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 2
Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot
Supervisor 2A Fabric 3
Director Switch
HP SN8500C 8-Slot 16Gb
FC Director Switch

Defines zones using Domain
ID and port number
Defines zones using WWNs
only
Defines zones using Domain
ID and port number with
WWNs

Access authorization at
frame level in hardware

Hard zoning

MDS 9506
MDS 9509
MDS 9513
MDS 9222i
MDS 9124
MDS 9124e
MDS 9134

C-series VSAN high availability
Figure 52 (page 134) shows a typical high-availability configuration with server and storage
connections to different fabrics. It provides two paths for data access between servers and storage.
The addition of an ISL between Fabric A and Fabric B enables you to manage both fabrics through
a single management server. This configuration is classified as a level 3 high-availability
configuration. For information about SAN data availability levels, see “Data availability” (page 40).

Fibre Channel switch fabric rules

133

Figure 52 C-series Fibre Channel switch high-availability VSAN management configuration

Fabric A
VSAN 3

ISL
Management
VSAN 1

Fabric B
VSAN 2

25121a

134

C-series switches and fabric rules

7 H-series switches and fabric rules
This chapter describes the fabric rules for the HP H-series switches. It describes the following topics:
•

“H-series switches” (page 135)

•

“Fabric rules” (page 139)

H-series switches
The SN6000 Fibre Channel Switches:
•

Can be used as core or edge switches. When configured in a core-edge fabric topology, a
core switch typically connects to other switches in the SAN; an edge switch typically connects
to servers and storage.

•

Support multi-switch networks with up to 30 switches and 7 hops.

•

Have eight or twenty (all) base 8 Gb ports and four stacking (high speed ISL) 10 Gb ports.
For the switch model with eight 8 Gb ports enabled, you can upgrade to twenty 8 Gb ports
in 4-port increments. You can upgrade the 10 Gb ports to 20 Gb. Using the 10 Gb/20 Gb
ports for ISLs reduces or eliminates the need to use 8 Gb device ports for ISLs, allowing more
device connections to the switch.

•

Can make use of the 10 Gb/20 Gb stacking ports to configure up to six switches into a stack
(single manageable unit), resulting in up to 120 usable device ports in a stack.

•

Support plug-and-play compatibility.

•

Have two hot-swappable power supplies or one replaceable power supply depending on
model.
The 8/20q Fibre Channel Switches:
•

Can be used as core or edge switches. When configured in a core-edge fabric topology, a
core switch typically connects to other switches in the SAN; an edge switch typically connects
to servers and storage.

•

Support multi-switch networks with up to 30 switches and 7 hops.

•

Have 8 or 16 base ports, which you can upgrade to 20 ports in 4-port increments.

•
Support plug-and-play compatibility.
The 8 Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit offers:
•

Ease of use

•

Cost efficiency
The kit includes:

•

◦

An 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch (8 base ports that can be upgraded to 12, 16, or 20)

◦

(4) 81Q PCI-e FC HBAs

◦

(10) 8-Gb SFP+ transceivers (SFP+ is the expanded standard for 8-Gb Fibre Channel
support.)

◦

(6) Fiber optic cables

Scalability
You can expand the SAN in four port increments using license keys and additional HBAs and
switches.

H-series switches

135

Model numbering
The SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch uses the numbering scheme of SN6xxx, which indicates a
mid-range size switch type.
The 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch uses the numbering scheme x/y:
•

x—The highest speed at which the switch ports can operate, measured in Gb/s

•

y—The total number of switch ports available

For example, the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch is an 8 Gb/s switch with up to 20 ports.

Model naming
The SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch is available as a standalone switch. The 8/20q Fibre Channel
Switch is available as a standalone switch or as part of the 8 Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit. The
8 Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit includes the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch with eight ports
enabled, four HBAs, ten 8 Gb SFP+ transceivers, and six 5-meter fiber optic cables. Both switches
and kit include comprehensive management software—the HP SAN Connection Manager (SCM).

Switch models
HP supports all H-series switches in a fabric if:
•

All H-series switches in a single-fabric or multi-fabric SAN use the appropriate firmware version
(see Table 51). When updating switch firmware, you can use two successive switch firmware
versions temporarily.

•

The fabric rules are followed, see “Fabric rules” (page 139).

For the latest information on supported H-series Fibre Channel switch and firmware versions, see
the HP SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport
to enable access.
After logging in, click Switches under Other Hardware in the last navigation panel of the window
to access the Fibre Channel Switch Streams. Click on the H-Series FC Switch Connectivity Stream
to open the document.
To download the latest firmware from the HP Support Center website:
1. Go to the HP Support Center home page at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc.
2. From the left navigation panel, under DOWNLOAD OPTIONS, click Drivers, Software &
Firmware. The Select a Product page appears.
3. To select an appropriate product, under All HP products, click Storage.
4. Under Storage, click Storage Networking.
5. Under Storage Networking, click H-series Switches.
6. Under H-series Switches, click H-series SAN Switches.
7. Under H-series SAN Switches, click appropriate switch product.
8. Select the appropriate switch model from the list.
9. Click Cross operating system (BIOS, Firmware, Diagnostics, etc.).
10. From the firmware table, click Firmware for the HP H-series Fibre Channel Switches for version
8.0.14.08.00.
11. Click Download to obtain the firmware.
As the product information is updated periodically, HP recommends that you download release
notes and additional documentation from the HP Support Center website.
To download release notes and additional documentation:
1. Go to the HP Support Center home page at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc.
2. From the left navigation panel, under KNOWLEDGE BASE click Manuals. The Select a Product
page appears.
3. Under All HP products, click Storage.
136

H-series switches and fabric rules

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Under Storage, click Storage Networking.
Under Storage Networking, click H-series Switches.
Under H-series Switches, click H-series SAN Switches.
Under H-series SAN Switches, click appropriate switch product.
Select the category of the documentation desired such as User guide, Setup and Install, Getting
Started, or General Reference.
TIP:

9.

Release notes are available in General Reference.

To download the document, click the title of the desired document from the table.

Table 51 H-series switches
HP switch

Number of ports

HP SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch

8/12/16/20/24

HP 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch

8/12/16/20

Features
Features of the SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch include:
•

Four stacking (high speed ISL) 10 Gb/s ports, upgradable to 20 Gb/s. Using the stacking
ports for ISLs enables configuring up to six switches into a stack (single manageable unit). For
more information, see the HP SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch Installation and Reference Guide,
available at the HP Support Center website.

•

Autodiscovering, autonegotiating, and self-configuring ports (2/4/8 Gb/s and 10/20 Gb/s)

•

Nonblocking, full-bandwidth architecture

•

Adaptive trunking

•

Advanced security features (CHAP, RADIUS authentication, SSL/SSH, and port binding)

•

TR_Port configuration, which enables connectivity of SN6000 Fibre Channel Switches to
B-series or C-series fabrics

•

High-availability features:

◦

Two hot-swappable power supplies in dual power supply model

◦

Hot-swappable 8 Gb SFP+ and 10 Gb XPAK optical transceivers

◦

NDCLA

◦

Nondisruptive port-license activation

◦

Support in high-availability redundant configurations

Features of the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch include:
•

Autodiscovering, autonegotiating, and self-configuring ports (2/4/8 Gb/s)

•

Nonblocking, full-bandwidth architecture

•

Adaptive trunking

•

Advanced security features (CHAP, RADIUS authentication, SSL/SSH, and port binding)

H-series switches

137

•

TR_Port configuration, which enables connectivity of 8/20q Fibre Channel Switches to B-series
or C-series fabrics

•

High-availability features:

◦

Hot-swappable 8 Gb SFP+ optical transceivers

◦

NDCLA

◦

Nondisruptive port-license activation

◦

Support in high-availability redundant configurations

Features of the 8 Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit include:
•

Includes all components required to create a four-host SAN infrastructure with connection to
a single- or dual-controller storage target—HBA, switch, SFP+ optical transceivers, and cables
included in one SKU

•

Can be installed by HP, a VAR, or the customer

•
Provides end-to-end management, including switch, HBA, and storage provisioning
Features of the SCM include:
•

Comprehensive, easy-to-use management software

•

Simple wizard-based installation

•

One GUI for the H-series switches, HBAs, and MSA/EVA storage systems

•

Configuration, zoning, and application-based MSA/EVA storage setup and provisioning

•

Topology mapping

•

HBA and switch device management

•
Automated firmware and HBA software update notifications and downloads
Enterprise Fabric Management Suite (EFMS) is a separately licensed, workstation-based fabric
management GUI. Features of EFMS include:
•

All the capabilities of QuickTools

•

Fabric tracker for monitoring firmware versions

•

Port threshold alarm configuration

•

Performance view for port performance monitoring

•

Extended credits wizard to increase port distance capabilities (see Table 66 (page 151) and
“H-series switch settings” (page 259))

•

mPort technology for moveable port licenses

•

Media diagnostics

•

Fibre Channel tracing and connection verification

You can download EFMS with a 30-day trial license from the HP website www.hp.com/go/EFMS.
For information about configuring the switch using EFMS, see the HP 8/20q and SN6000 Fibre
Channel Switch Enterprise Fabric Management Suite User Guide.
Table 52 (page 139) describes the high-availability features of the H-series switches.

138

H-series switches and fabric rules

Table 52 H-series switches high-availability features
Model

Redundant/hot-swappable Redundant/hot-swappable
power
cooling

Nondisruptive code
load/activation

Nondisruptive port
expansion/upgrade

HP SN6000
Stackable Dual
Power Supply Fibre
Channel Switch

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

HP SN6000
Stackable Single
Power Supply Fibre
Channel Switch

No/No

No/No

Yes/Yes

Yes

HP 8/20q Fibre
Channel Switch

No/No

No/No

Yes/Yes

Yes

Usage
The H-series switches can be used as core or edge switches in fabrics with up to 600 ports (including
8 Gb ISLs, but not including 10 Gb/20 Gb stacking port ISLs).
The TR feature allows you to connect H-series switches to B-series or C-series fabrics, enabling the
sharing of server and storage resources between fabrics through the industry-standard NPIV protocol.

Fabric rules
This section describes the SAN fabric rules that apply to all H-series switch SANs.
When using H-series switches in a fabric:
•

Use the HP default switch settings for all configurations.

•

All switch and fabric rules apply to fabrics implemented with the switch firmware versions
listed in Table 51 (page 137).

Servers, operating systems, and storage products
The fabric rules for H-series switches apply to SANs that include the servers, operating systems,
and storage products listed in Table 53 (page 140).

Fabric rules

139

Table 53 H-series switches servers, operating systems, and storage system support
Servers

Operating systems

Storage products
• EVA8400/6400
• EVA4400
• MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)/MSA2000fc

• Microsoft Windows
• VMware ESX
• HP ProLiant ML-Series and DL-Series
servers
• HP Integrity servers

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
• HP-UX

• HP BladeSystem c-Class ProLiant Server
• Citrix Xen Enterprise
Blades
• Integrated Citrix XenServer
• HP BladeSystem c-Class Integrity
• Apple Mac OS X
Server Blades
• Oracle Linux

• HP StoreVirtual 4000 FC
• P6550/P6500/P6350/P6300 EVA
• P9500
• P2000 G3 FC MSA
• XP24000/20000, XP12000/10000
• 3PAR StoreServ 10000/7000
• 3PAR F-Class T-Class
• 3PAR Remote Copy

• Solaris

• P6000 Continuous Access1
• EBS products: See the EBS compatibility
matrix at http://www.hp.com/go/ebs.

1

P6000 Continuous Access is supported with EVA4400/6400/8400 and firmware XCS version 09534000, and with P6350/P6550
and firmware XCS version 11001000, P6300/P6500, EVA4400/6400/8400 and firmware XCS version10000000 and
10001000, with the data replication protocol option set for "HP SCSI FC Compliant Data Replication Protocol," and with switch
firmware 8.0.4.04.00 and 8.0.14.03.00.
For current storage system support and firmware, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign
up for an HP Passport to enable access.
For more configuration information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide.

The operating systems listed in Table 53 (page 140) may not be supported with every storage system
listed. For current operating system and storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
See “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159) and the following chapters:
•

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

•
“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)
To support SCM and other HP software, the server running the SCM management software (the
management station) must meet the following minimum requirements:
•

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x64/x86 with Service Pack 2

•

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64/x86

Fabric rules for H-series switches
Table 54 (page 140) describes the rules for creating a SAN with H-series switches.
Table 54 H-series switches fabric rules
Rule
number

Description

1

Supports up to 30 switches with up to 600 total 8 Gb/s ports, up to 120 10 Gb/20 Gb stacking ports,
and up to 512 user ports in a fabric.

2

Supports a maximum of 7 switch hops (8 switches) between any 2 communicating devices.

3

8/20q Fibre Channel Switch supports from 8 to 20 8 Gb/s ports, in 4-port increments; SN6000 Fibre
Channel Switch supports 8 to 20 8 Gb/s ports, in 4-port increments, plus 4 stacking ports.

140 H-series switches and fabric rules

Table 54 H-series switches fabric rules (continued)
Rule
number

Description

4

Within a fabric, if you assign a domain number (domain ID), it must be unique. Do not configure any
switches with a domain ID of 8, which is reserved for HP-UX.

5

For HP StoreVirtual 4000 FC, unique domain IDs are required in the entire Fibre Channel SAN to which
the StoreVirtual storage system is connected, including multiple independent fabrics. Overlapping domain
IDs (even in non-merged/independent fabrics) are not supported.

ISL maximums
When designing a fabric using 8-port, 12-port, 16-port, or 20-port switches, you can use up to
six 8 Gb ports per switch as ISLs.

Fabric rules for H-series switches with TR
This section describes the fabric rules for H-series switches with TR connecting to B-series or C-series
fabrics.
The TR feature provides inter-fabric routing on a per-port basis, allowing controlled access between
devices on an H-series switch (local) fabric and devices on a remote fabric consisting of B-series
or C-series switches. The establishment of a routed connection using TR maintains a high level of
isolation between fabrics. A transparent route between two devices consists of a connection from
a TR_Port on an H-series switch to a switch in the remote fabric, a mapping of the two devices to
be routed together, and an IFZ for the routed devices in both fabrics.
Each fabric contains a matching IFZ and each IFZ contains three WWN members: the local device,
the remote device, and the TR_Port connected to the remote fabric. This inter-fabric connection uses
the Fibre Channel industry-standard NPIV, making local and remote devices accessible to each
other and maintaining local and remote fabrics as separate fabrics.
You can connect multiple H-series switches to one or more remote fabrics using multiple TR_Ports.
Local and remote devices are identified by their respective worldwide port names.
You can configure transparent routing using QuickTools, EFMS, or the CLI. HP recommends that
you use QuickTools or EFMS because they validate your entries, manage the zone mapping for
the local fabric, and create a list of zoning commands you can run in a script on a B-series or
C-series SAN switch. For more information and important configuration details, see the following
documents:
•

HP SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch QuickTools Switch Management User Guide

•

HP SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch Command Line Interface Guide

•

HP 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch QuickTools Switch Management User Guide

•

HP 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch Command Line Interface Guide

•

HP 8/20q and SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch Enterprise Fabric Management Suite User
Guide

Table 55 (page 142) describes the supported remote fabric switches you can use to connect to an
H-series switch TR_Port.

Fabric rules

141

Table 55 Supported switches in an H-series switch with TR remote fabric
HP switch name

Firmware version

HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb 96 Fibre Channel Switch
HP SN6000B 16Gb 48 port Fibre Channel Switch
HP SN3000B 16Gb 24 Fibre Channel Switch
HP SN3000B 16Gb 24 Fibre Channel Switch
StorageWorks 8Gb DC SAN Backbone Director
StorageWorks 8Gb DC04 SAN Director
StorageWorks 8/40 SAN Switch
Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class

B-series 7.1.1 or later with H-series fw
8.0.14.08.00 only

HP 8/8 Base, SAN Switch
HP 8/24 SAN Switch
HP 8/40 SAN Switch
HP 8/80 SAN Switch
HP EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade
Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class
HP 8/8 Base, SAN Switch
HP 8/24 SAN Switch
HP 8/40 SAN Switch
HP 8/80 SAN Switch
HP EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade
Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem

B-series 6.2.2f or later

HP 4/8 SAN Switch
HP 4/16 SAN Switch
HP SAN Switch 4/32B
HP SAN Switch 4/64
HP 4/256 SAN Director
HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 3 Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9513 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9509 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9222i Fabric Switch
HP StorageWorks SN6000C Fabric Switch (Cisco MDS 9148)
Cisco MDS 8Gb Fabric Switch for BladeSystem c-Class

142

H-series switches and fabric rules

C-series 6.2(3) or later with H-series
fw 8.0.14.08.00 only

Table 55 Supported switches in an H-series switch with TR remote fabric (continued)
HP switch name

Firmware version

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9513 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9509 Multilayer Director Switch

C-series 5.2(2) or later

Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9222i Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9134 Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9124 Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for c-Class BladeSystem
HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9513 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9509 Multilayer Director Switch

C-series 4.2(9) with H-series fw
8.0.14.03.00 only

Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director Switch
Cisco MDS 9222i Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9134 Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9124 Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for c-Class BladeSystem

Table 56 (page 143) describes the rules for creating a SAN with an H-series switch with TR and
remote B-series or C-series fabrics.
Table 56 H-series switch TR and remote B-series or C-series fabric rules
Rule number

Description

1

The local fabric can consist of one or more H-series switches connected by ISLs.

2

Any H-series switch 8 Gb port can be configured as a TR_Port.

3

The switch port in the remote fabric to which the TR_Port is connected must be enabled for NPIV support.

4

A TR_Port can support a maximum of 32 local device to remote device mappings.

5

A local device can be mapped to one or more devices on only one remote fabric.

6

Local devices on an H-series switch can be mapped to different remote fabrics.

7

For mappings between an H-series switch and a remote fabric, each local device or remote device
can be mapped over one TR_Port. Additional mappings to either device must use that TR_Port.

8

Local devices connected to different local switches can be mapped to the same remote device over
one TR_Port on each local switch.

9

A local device cannot be mapped over an E_Port to a local switch, then over a TR_Port to the remote
device. The local switch to which the local device is connected must connect directly to the remote
fabric over a TR_Port.

10

In order for local devices to discover remote devices, the corresponding IFZs must be activated on both
the local and remote fabrics. To remove a mapping, you must remove the local IFZ and the corresponding
remote IFZ.

11

When a local device is mapped over a TR_Port to a remote device, the local device and its TR_Port
appear as an NPIV-connected device in the remote fabric. It is possible, though not recommended, to
map the local device over a second TR_Port to a local device in a second local fabric. In this case, if

Fabric rules

143

Table 56 H-series switch TR and remote B-series or C-series fabric rules (continued)
Rule number

Description
you merge the two local fabrics, the transparent route becomes inactive for the devices that now have
a path over an ISL, and an alarm is generated.

IMPORTANT: SCM version 3.00 (or later) is required for the HP SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch.
SCM cannot manage or discover remote switches or devices in the remote fabric when using the
Transparent Router feature. The Physical Connection map displays the remote fabric as a disabled
switch, indicating that SCM cannot manage the switch.

Zoning limits and enforcement
Table 57 (page 144) lists zoning limits for H-series switches, see also “Zoning” (page 373).
Table 57 H-series switch zoning limits
Rule
number

Description

1

Maximum number of zone sets is 256.

2

Maximum number of zones is 2,000.

3

Maximum number of zones in a zone set is 2,000.

4

Maximum number of zone members in a zone is 2,000.

5

Maximum number of zone members per fabric is 10,000.

Table 58 (page 144) describes zoning enforcement for H-series switches.
Table 58 Zoning enforcement for H-series switches
Switch

Configuration
Define zones using domain
number and port number

HP SN6000 Fibre Channel
Switch
Define zones using WWNs only
HP 8/20q Fibre Channel
Switch
Define zones using combination
of domain/port numbers and
WWNs
1

Enforcement

Comments

Access authorization at frame level
Hard zoning1
in hardware
Access authorization at frame level
Hard zoning1
in hardware
Name Server directory-based
authentication

Soft zoning

Zoning is hardware enforced only on a switch port or device that is a member of no more than 8 zones whose combined
membership does not exceed 64. Zoning is hardware enforced on a switch port if the number of logged-in devices plus
the number of zone members with access to that port is 64 or less. If these requirements are not met, the port implements
soft zoning.

144 H-series switches and fabric rules

8 McDATA/M-series switches
All M-series products have reached End Of Support Life (EOSL) and are no longer supported:
•

McDATA 4 Gb SAN Switch for HP p-Class BladeSystem

•

HP StorageWorks Director 2/140

•

HP StorageWorks Director 2/64

•

HP StorageWorks Edge Switch 2/32

•

HP StorageWorks Edge Switch 2/24

•

HP StorageWorks Edge Switch 2/12

•

StorageWorks HA-Fabric Manager (HAFM)

•

HA Fabric Manager Appliance

•

HA Fabric Manager Appliance FRU

•

HP HA Fabric Manager SW UG kit

The following McDATA and Brocade products have reached End Of Support Life (EOSL) and are
no longer supported:
•

Sphereon 4700/M4700 Fabric Switch

•

Sphereon 4400/M4400 Fabric Switch

•

McDATA Intrepid 10000 Director (i10K) / Brocade Mi10K Director

145

9 SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules
This chapter describes SAN fabric connectivity and interoperability rules. It describes the following
topics:
•

“SAN fabric connectivity rules” (page 146)

•

“SAN fabric switch interoperability rules” (page 155)

•

“Third-party switch support” (page 155)

•

“SAN performance considerations” (page 156)

SAN fabric connectivity rules
This section describes SAN fabric connectivity port interfaces, cables, and rules.

Switch port interfaces
The switch port interfaces are as follows:
•

E_Port—Provides switch-to-switch connectivity for ISLs

•

EX_Port—Connects a Fibre Channel router to an edge fabric

•

F_Port—Provides fabric-attached device connectivity for initiators (HBAs) and targets (storage
ports)

•

FL_Port—Provides fabric-aware public loop connectivity with 24-bit Fibre Channel addressing
capability

•

FCAL_Port—Provides private loop connectivity for 8-bit Fibre Channel addressable devices;
(requires B-series QuickLoop feature)
QuickLoop enables private FC-AL initiators and targets to communicate through the switch. A
target that is not configured with QuickLoop cannot communicate with a QuickLoop initiator.
QuickLoop is supported only for specific B-series switches and legacy storage systems. For
more information, contact an HP storage representative.

•

VE_Port—Virtual E_Port used with a GbE port for FCIP tunneling

•

VEX_Port—Virtual EX_Port used for Fibre Channel routing over a VE_Port

Certain HP B-series (NPIV), C-series (NPV), and all H-series (NPIV) switches use an N_Port ID
Virtualization interface. NPIV and NPV are industry-standard Fibre Channel protocols that support
the assignment of multiple Fibre Channel N_Port addresses on the same physical link, see “HP FC
Switches for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment” (page 161).

Device port interfaces
The server HBA or storage system controller device node port interfaces are as follows:
•

N_Port—Connects a Fibre Channel device to a switch

•

NL_Port—Connects a Fibre Channel device to a Fibre Channel arbitrated loop or switch

Fiber optic cables
All 16 Gb/s, 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, and 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel components use industry-standard LC
connectors for fiber optic cable connections; all 1 Gb/s Fibre Channel components use
industry-standard SC connectors. Cables and adapters are available with SC connectors on one
end and LC connectors on the other end.
Some fiber optic cable installations require SC or LC duplex couplers to couple the cable connector
ends (for example, if you use wall jacks or connect to existing installed cables). HP supports the
146

SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

use of duplex couplers, provided that you do not exceed the overall cable loss budget for that
cable segment.
HP recommends the use of HP PremierFlex OM4 and OM3+ fiber optic cables for 50 micron cable
installations. HP PremierFlex OM3+ fiber optic cables provide higher bend performance and
improved signal-transmission integrity, providing significant improvements in signal quality over
industry-standard OM3 fiber optic cable technologies.
For more information on PremierFlex, see:
•

PremierFlex video: http://h30428.www3.hp.com/?
fr_story=12f70d1056643c69d0754fe491bd218c3859a2e0&rf=bm

•

PremierFlex data sheet: http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetPDF.aspx/
4AA2-6479ENUC.pdf

•

Cables portfolio data sheet: http://www8.hp.com/h20195/V2/GetDocument.aspx?
docname=4AA5-2083ENW&cc=us&lc=en

NOTE: OM3+ is an HP designation indicating that the product exceeds all OM3 standards.
OM3+ fiber optic cables specify a modal bandwidth of 3,000 MHz-km at 850 nm.
HP also supports industry standard fiber optic cable types OM4, OM3, OM2, and OM1, see
“Fiber optic cable loss budgets” (page 148).
For cable part numbers, see the Fibre Channel switch QuickSpecs at http://www.hp.com/go/
QuickSpecs.
Table 59 (page 147) describes the rules for fiber optic cable connections.
Table 59 Rules for fiber optic cable connections
Rule
number

Description

1

Minimum bend radius—HP PremierFlex 50 micron OM4 and OM3+ fiber optic cable, 7 mm. Industry
standard OM3, OM2, OM1, 25 mm for 50, 62.5, and 9 micron fiber optic cable. HP recommends 50
micron fiber optic cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber connections. The 62.5 micron
fiber optic cable is acceptable for existing installations, see Table 63 (page 150) for supported maximum
cable distances.

2

HP does not support a mixture of 50, 62.5, and 9 micron cable in the same cable segment.
Note: A cable segment is defined as one or more cables connected serially between two transceivers.

3

HP does not support a mixture of different OM fiber cable types in the same cable segment.

4

For all cable segments, you must use the same transceiver type at both ends of the cable (for example,
short-wave transceiver to short-wave transceiver, long-wave transceiver to long-wave transceiver). HP does
not support mixing transceiver types in the same cable segment.

5

For fabric attachment, the minimum cable segment length between Fibre Channel components (transmitter
and receiver) is:
• 0.5 m for 50 and 62.5 micron cable
• 2.0 m for 9 micron cable
The minimum length does not apply to patch cords through a passive patch panel; it applies only to the
total distance between the transmitter and receiver of each device connected through the patch panel.

6

For fiber optic cable lengths greater than 50 m, contact a third-party vendor. 50 micron cable must be
duplex, tight-buffered multi-mode 50/125 µm (Belcore GR-409 compliant). The connectors must be SC
or LC duplex low metal (Belcore and IEC compliant).
9 micron cable must be duplex, tight-buffered, single-mode 9/125 µm (Belcore GR-409 compliant). The
connectors must be SC or LC duplex low metal (NTT-SC Belcore 326, IEC-874-19 SC compliant).

SAN fabric connectivity rules

147

Fiber optic cable loss budgets
Cable loss budgets are determined by the Fibre Channel Physical Interface Specification, see the
standards at http://www.incits.org/. The maximum supported distances are based on modal
bandwidth and type of fiber optic cable used. The different modal bandwidth and cable types that
HP supports for Fibre Channel are:
•

62.5 micron fiber optic cable, modal bandwidth of 200 MHz-km at 850 nm (type OM1)

•

50 micron fiber optic cable, modal bandwidth of 500 MHz-km at 850 nm (type OM2)

•

50 micron fiber optic cable, modal bandwidth 2000 MHz-km at 850 nm (type OM3)

•

50 micron fiber optic cable, modal bandwidth 3000 MHz-km at 850 nm (type HP PremierFlex
OM3+)
See “Fiber optic cables” (page 146) for more information on HP PremierFlex.

•

50 micron fiber optic cable, modal bandwidth 4700 MHz-km at 850 nm (type OM4, type
HP PremierFlex OM4)

Table 61 (page 149) through Table 65 (page 150) list the maximum loss budgets for different
interconnect speeds at specific distances. Table 66 (page 151) through Table 70 (page 153) and
Table 73 (page 154) and Table 74 (page 155) list the maximum supported Fibre Channel distances
based on switch-to-switch (ISL) or device-to-switch connectivity.
NOTE: The following tables do not specify media losses due to variances between different fiber
optic cable manufacturers. In all cases, the maximum loss budget is the total channel insertion loss,
which includes media losses based on the indicated fiber optic cable bandwidth. Table 71 (page
154) and Table 72 (page 154) list the maximum supported ATM and FCIP delays.
HP supports the use of optical fiber patch panels. The total channel insertion loss between the
transmitter and receiver for the cable segment routed through the patch panel must not exceed the
maximum listed for the connector and cable type.
NOTE: Channel insertion loss is the combined passive loss from connectors, splices, and media
between the transmitter and receiver.
A mated connector pair is defined as a device or switch transceiver-to-cable connection, or a
cable-to-cable connection when using a passive coupler in a patch panel. A typical (nonpatch
panel) installation has two mated pairs per cable segment, one for each end of the cable. Additional
mated connector pairs are allowed between two transceivers, provided the total loss of all connectors
and cables does not exceed the total channel insertion loss.
Table 61 (page 149) lists the 10 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using OM1, OM2,
OM3, or OM3+ multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.
Table 60 (page 149) lists the 16 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using OM2, OM3,
OM3+, or OM4 multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.

148

SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

Table 60 16 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets
Maximum distance per cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

35 m

1.63 dB

50/125 micron (OM3
2000 MHz-km at 850 nm,
OM3+ 3000 MHz-km at
850 nm)

100 m

1.86 dB

50/125 micron (OM4
4700 MHz-km at 850 nm)

125 m

1.95 dB

9/125 micron (singlemode)

10 km

6.4 dB1

25km (B-series only)

14.0 dB1, 2

Cable

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

1

This number assumes use of low-loss fiber optic cables for 16 Gb/s speeds.

2

Minimum link distance is 10km.

Table 61 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets
Maximum distance per cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

62.5/125 micron (OM1
200 MHz-km at 850 nm)

33 m

1.6 dB

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

82 m

1.8 dB

Cable

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

50/125 micron (OM3
2000 MHz-km at 850 nm,
OM3+ 3000 MHz-km at
850 nm)

300 m

2.6 dB

9/125 micron (singlemode)

10 km

6.0 dB

50/125 micron (OM4
4700 MHz-km at 850 nm)

550 m

3.5 dB

0.5 dB

Table 62 (page 149) lists the 8 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using OM1, OM2, OM3,
OM3+, or OM4 multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.
Table 62 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets
Maximum distance per cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

62.5/125 micron (OM1
200 MHz-km at 850 nm)

21 m

1.58 dB

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

50 m

1.68 dB

50/125 micron (OM3
2000 MHz-km at 850 nm,
OM3+ 3000 MHz-km at
850 nm)

150 m

2.04 dB

50/125 micron (OM4
4700 MHz-km at 850 nm)

190 m

2.19 dB

10 km

6.4 dB1

25 km (B-series only)

14.0 dB1, 2

Cable

9/125 micron
(single-mode)

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

SAN fabric connectivity rules

149

1

This number assumes use of low-loss fiber optic cables for 8 Gb/s speeds.

2

Minimum link distance is 10km.

Table 63 (page 150) lists the 4 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using OM1, OM2, OM3,
OM3+, or OM4 multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.
Table 63 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets (nominal bandwidth)
Maximum distance per cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

62.5/125 micron (OM1
200 MHz-km at 850 nm)

70 m

1.78 dB

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

150 m

2.06 dB

50/125 micron (OM3
2000 MHz-km at 850 nm,
OM3+ 3000 MHz-km at
850 nm)

380 m

2.48 dB

50/125 micron (OM4
4700 MHz-km at 850 nm)

400 m

2.95 dB

10 km

7.80 dB

30 km

19 dB

Cable

9/125 micron
(single-mode)

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

Table 64 (page 150) lists the 2 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using OM1, OM2, or
OM3 multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.
Table 64 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets
Maximum distance per cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

62.5/125 micron (OM1
200 MHz-km at 850 nm)

150 m

2.1 dB

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

300 m

2.62 dB

50/125 micron (OM3
2000 MHz-km at 850 nm)

500 m

3.31 dB

10 km

7.8 dB

35 km

21.5 dB

Cable

9/125 micron
(single-mode)

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

Table 65 (page 150) lists the 1 Gb/s fiber optic cable loss budgets when using nominal bandwidth
OM1 or OM2 multi-mode fiber optic cable, and single-mode fiber optic cable.
Table 65 1 Gb/s Fibre Channel fiber optic cable loss budgets (nominal bandwidth)
Maximum distanceper cable
segment

Total channel insertion loss

62.5/125 micron (OM1
200 MHz-km at 850 nm)

200 m

3.0 dB

50/125 micron (OM2 500
MHz-km at 850 nm)

500 m

3.85 dB

10 km

7.8 dB

35 km

21.5 dB

100 km

19 dB

Cable

9/125 micron
(single-mode)

150

Maximum loss per mated
connector pair

0.75 dB

SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

Storage product interface, switches, and transport distance rules
Table 66 through Table 70 and Table 73 and Table 74 describe the maximum distances supported
for each cable segment type (switch-to-switch or device-to-switch) for each interface and transport
type. Unless otherwise specified, the distances specified apply to both switch-to-switch (ISL)
connectivity and device-to-switch connectivity.
Table 66 (page 151) describes the distance rules for 16 Gb/s or 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel connections
when using 16 Gb/s or 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch models.
Table 66 Fibre Channel distance rules for 16 Gb/s and 8 Gb/s switch models (B-series, C-series,
and H-series)
Interface/transport

Supported storage
products

Supported distances
OM2 fiber

OM3, OM3+ fiber

35 m at 16 Gb/s
50 micron
multi-mode fiber optic 50 m at 8 Gb/s
cable and short-wave
150 m at 4 Gb/s
SFP+ transceivers
300 m at 2 Gb/s

100 m at 16 Gb/s
150 m at 8 Gb/s
380 m at 4 Gb/s
500 m at 2 Gb/s

OM4 fiber
125 m at 16 Gb/s
190 m at 8 Gb/s
400 m at 4 G/s
Heterogeneous SAN
servers, Fibre Channel
switches, and storage
systems

62.5 micron1
multi-mode fiber optic OM1 fiber
cable and short-wave 21 m ISL at 8 Gb/s
SFP+ transceivers
10 km ISL at 16 Gb/s (B-series only)
10 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (H-series with additional buffer credits allocated)2
10 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (B-series and C-series only)
9 micron single-mode
fiber optic cable and 25 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (B-series only)
long-wave SFPs
3.3 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (H-series only, base switch)

HP P6000 Continuous
Access (B-series,
C-series, and H-series
only)
HP P9000 (XP)
Continuous Access
(B-series and C-series
only)

6.6 km ISL at 4 Gb/s (H-series only, base switch)
10 km ISL at 2 Gb/s (H-series only, base switch)
40 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (B-series only)
Fibre Channel using
WDM3
1

2

3

100 km ISL at 4 Gb/s
250 km at 2 Gb/s

Information for 62.5 micron fiber optic cable is provided to facilitate use of installed cable. HP recommends 50 micron
fiber optic cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber.
You can use EFMS to allocate more buffer credits to ports of an H-series switch to achieve increased distance up to the
limit of the SFP capability.
WDM distance is the maximum distance for the WDM link.

Table 67 (page 151) describes the distance rules for 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel ISL connections when
using 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch models with 10 Gb/s ISL ports.
Table 67 Distance rules for 8 Gb switch models with 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel ISL ports (B-series,
C-series, and H-series switches)
Interface/transport
CX4 Copper

Supported distances
15 m ISL at 10 Gb/s (C-series only)
20 m ISL at 20 Gb/s (H-series only)

50 micron multi-mode fiber optic cable OM2 fiber
and short-wave SFP+ transceivers
82 m ISL at 10 Gb/s

OM3, OM3+ fiber
300 m ISL at 10 Gb/s

SAN fabric connectivity rules

151

Table 67 Distance rules for 8 Gb switch models with 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel ISL ports (B-series,
C-series, and H-series switches) (continued)
Interface/transport
62.5 micron1 multi-mode fiber optic
cable and short-wave SFP+
transceivers

Supported distances
33 m ISL at 10 Gb/s (H-series only)

9 micron single-mode fiber optic cable 10 km ISL at 10 Gb/s (B-series and C-series only)
and long-wave SFPs
40 km ISL at 10 Gb/s (C-series only)
1

Information for 62.5 micron fiber optic cable is provided to facilitate use of installed cable. HP recommends 50 micron
fiber optic cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber.

Table 68 (page 152) describes the distance rules for 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel connections when using
4 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch models.
Table 68 Fibre Channel distance rules for 4 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)
Interface/transport

Supported distances
OM2 fiber

50 micron multi-mode
fiber optic cable and
short-wave SFPs

150 m at 4 Gb/s
300 m at 2 Gb/s
500 m at 1 Gb/s

OM3, OM3+ fiber
380 m at 4 Gb/s
500 m at 2 Gb/s

Supported storage products

OM4 fiber
400 m at 4 G/s

62.5 micron1 multi-mode OM1 fiber
fiber optic cable and
70 m ISL at 4 Gb/s
short-wave SFPs
9 micron single-mode
fiber optic cable and
long-wave SFPs

4 km ISL at 4 Gb/s (C-series only)

9 micron single-mode
fiber optic cable and
extended-reach SFPs

30 km ISL at 4 Gb/s (B-series 8 Gb/s switches only)

10 km ISL at 4 Gb/s

Heterogeneous SAN servers,
Fibre Channel switches, and
storage systems
HP P6000 Continuous Access
and HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access
EBS

35 km ISL at 2 Gb/s with 2 Gb/s SFP (B-series only)
100 km at 4 Gb/s

Fibre Channel using
WDM2
1

2

250 km at 2 Gb/s
500 km at 1 Gb/s

Information for 62.5 micron fiber optic cable is provided to facilitate use of installed cable. HP recommends 50 micron fiber optic
cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber.
WDM distance is the maximum distance for the WDM link. For B-series switches, these distances are supported with firmware 5.x
(or later). Distances listed are based on use of SFPs supported by the WDM device used. For more information about B-series and
C-series supported WDM devices, see “Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308).

Table 69 (page 153) describes the distance rules for 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel connections when using
2 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch models.

152

SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

Table 69 Fibre Channel distance rules for 2 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)
Interface/transport

Supported distances
OM2 fiber

50 micron multi-mode fiber optic
cable and short-wave SFPs

Supported storage products

OM3, OM3+ fiber

300 m at 2 Gb/s

500 m at 2 Gb/s

500 m at 1 Gb/s

62.5 micron1 multi-mode fiber optic OM1 fiber
cable and short-wave SFPs
150 m at 2 Gb/s

Heterogeneous SAN servers, Fibre
Channel switches, and storage
systems

9 micron single-mode fiber optic
cable and long-wave SFPs

10 km ISL at 2 Gb/s

HP P6000 Continuous Access and
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access

9 micron single-mode fiber optic
cable and extended-reach SFPs

35 km ISL at 2 Gb/s (B-series)

EBS

Total distance2

200 km (B-series, C-series)

Fibre Channel using WDM3
1

2
3

100 km at 2 Gb/s
240 km at 1 Gb/s

Information for 62.5 micron fiber optic cable is provided to facilitate use of installed cable. HP recommends 50 micron fiber optic
cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber.
Total distance is the sum of all cable segments.
WDM distance is the maximum distance for the WDM link.

Table 70 (page 153) describes the distance rules for 1 Gb/s Fibre Channel connections when using
1 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch models.
Table 70 Fibre Channel distance rules for 1 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)
Interface/transport

Supported distances

Supported storage products

50 micron multi-mode fiber optic cable and short-wave
500 m at 1 Gb/s
GBICs and GLMs
62.5 micron multi-mode fiber optic cable and short-wave
200 m at 1 Gb/s
GBICs1
9 micron single-mode fiber optic cable and long-wave
GBICs

10 km ISL at 1 Gb/s

Heterogeneous SAN servers, Fibre
Channel switches, and storage
systems

35 km ISL (C-series)

9 micron single-mode fiber optic cable and very long
distance GBICs

HP P6000 Continuous Access and
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access

100 km ISL (B-series) at 1 Gb/s

EBS

Total distance2

200 km (B-series, C-series)

Fibre Channel using WDM3, 4

240 km at 1 Gb/s

1

2

Information for 62.5 micron fiber optic cable is provided to facilitate use of installed cable. HP recommends 50 micron fiber optic
cable for new installations that require multi-mode fiber.
Total distance is the sum of all cable segments.

3

WDM distance is the maximum distance for the WDM link.

4

Up to 240 km at 1 Gb/s, over a WDM link. Certain Fibre Channel switches may have reduced performance at this distance.

SAN fabric connectivity rules

153

Table 71 (page 154) describes the distance rules for ATM extension Fibre Channel connections.
Table 71 ATM extension Fibre Channel distance rules

Interface/transport

Heterogeneous SAN
host-to-disk storage
systems

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access1, 2

One T1/E1 WAN per
fabric
One T1/E1 WAN per
fabric (inverse multiplexing)

EBS

Inter-site backbone with FC-to-IP
converter, 100 ms IP network delay
one-way or 200 ms round-trip
Not supported as one ISL in a
single-fabric implementation

Not supported

T3/E3 WAN

Not supported

Inter-site backbone with FC-to-IP
converter, 100 ms IP network delay
one-way or 200 ms round-trip

Fractional and/or shared
T3/E3 and OC 3 WAN
1

For supported IP bandwidth levels, see the product documentation.

2

For more information on HP Continuous Access support limits, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

Table 72 (page 154) describes the distance rules for FCIP extension Fibre Channel connections.
Table 72 FCIP extension IP network distance rules
Interface/transport

HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access1

HP B-series 400 MP Router, MP
Router Blade (FCIP)
100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip

EBS2
100 ms IP network delay
one-way or 200 ms round-trip

HP C-series IPS-8, 14/2, 18/4
HP IP Distance Gateway
HP MPX200 Multifunction
Router FCIP

P6000: 100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip Not supported
XP: 50 ms IP network delay one-way or 100 ms round-trip
P6000: 100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip Not supported
XP: Not supported
Legacy FCIP products

IPS-4

Not supported
100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip

HP B-series MP Router (FCIP)
Third-party SAN extension
devices

See “SAN extension” (page 250).

1

For more information on HP Continuous Access support limits, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

2

EBS is not supported with FCIP IPsec data encryption.

100 ms IP network delay
one-way or 200 ms round-trip
Not supported

Table 73 (page 154) describes the distance rules for iSCSI bridging Fibre Channel connections.
Table 73 iSCSI bridging Fibre Channel distance rules
Interface/transport

Heterogeneous SAN Fibre Channel distances

HP B-series iSCSI Director Blade
HP C-series IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, 18/4
See Table 66 (page 151) through Table 70 (page 153).
EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router iSCSI

154 SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

Table 74 (page 155) describes the distance rules for Fibre Channel routing connections.
Table 74 Fibre Channel and IP network routing distance rules
Interface/transport
HP B-series 400
MP Router, MP
Router Blade
HP C-series IVR
(inter-VSAN
routing)
1

Heterogeneous SAN Fibre Channel
distances

See Table 68 (page 152) through
Table 70 (page 153).

HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access1

EBS

See Table 68 (page 152) through Table 70 (page 153) and
Table 72 (page 154).

For more information on HP Continuous Access support limits, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

SAN fabric switch interoperability rules
HP supports two heterogeneous switch SAN configurations:
•

Dual interoperable, heterogeneous SAN fabrics

•

Interoperable, heterogeneous switch fabrics

Dual interoperable, heterogeneous SAN fabrics
A dual interoperable, heterogeneous SAN consists of two fabrics, with each fabric comprised
exclusively of switches from a different series.
HP supports dual interoperable SAN fabrics for the following switch-series combinations:
•

A SAN with one fabric containing B-series switches only and a second fabric containing
C-series switches only.

•

A SAN with one fabric containing B-series switches only and a second fabric containing
H-series switches only.

When creating a dual interoperable, heterogeneous SAN, consider the following:
•

HP recommends that you use the same fabric topology and configuration in both fabrics to
maintain balanced SAN performance.

•

HA configurations require support for common HBA, driver, multipathing software, and storage
array firmware versions because servers and storage connect to both fabrics.

Interoperable, heterogeneous switch fabrics
An interoperable, heterogeneous switch fabric can contain different series of switches.
Table 75 (page 155) lists the switch combinations.
Table 75 Heterogeneous switches in the same fabric
Heterogeneous switch
combinations
C-series and B-series

Reference
Fabric Interoperability: Merging Fabrics Based on C-series and B-series Fibre Channel
Switches Application Notes

The document referenced in Table 75 (page 155) is available on the HP SAN Infrastructure website:
http://www.hp.com/go/SDGManuals

Third-party switch support
HP Services offers support for certain third-party switches if you purchase third-party support through
Multivendor Environment Services. For more information, see the HP Storage Services website:

SAN fabric switch interoperability rules

155

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/services/services-detail.html?
pageTitle=Integrated-Multivendor-Services&compURI=tcm%3A245-807609&
jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
HP Services also offers support for multivendor SANs. HP provides integrated hardware and
software support with proactive problem prevention and 24x7 assistance.

SAN performance considerations
The following SAN components affect SAN application performance:
•

Host CPUs

•

Fibre Channel HBAs

•

SAN topology and the number of fabrics

•

I/O transfer sizes and usage patterns

•

RAID controllers

•

Disk configuration

Infrastructure factors
A single-switch fabric provides the highest level of performance. In a fabric with multiple switches,
the following factors can affect performance:
•

Latency
Switch latency is less than 5% (at 1 Gb/s) of the data transfer time; therefore, the number of
switches and hops between devices is not a major performance factor. However, as devices
send frames through more switches and hops, other data traffic in the fabric routed through
the same ISL or path can cause oversubscription.

•

Oversubscription
Oversubscription degrades Fibre Channel performance. When devices must contend for the
same ISL or path, each device receives an equal share or 1/nth of the available bandwidth
on the path (where n is the number of contending devices). Oversubscription occurs when
one or more devices sends more data than the total bandwidth available on the ISL or path.

•

Fabric interconnect speeds
Fibre Channel supports 16 Gb/s, 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, and 1 Gb/s speeds. For optimum
performance, configure a fabric with all components at the same, highest available speed.
Additional factors such as distance, number of switch and device port buffers, and device
response times can also affect performance.

•

Mixed Fibre Channel speeds
For fabrics consisting of 16 Gb/s, 8 Gb/s, and 4 Gb/s; or 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, and 2 Gb/s;
or 4 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, and 1 Gb/s switches and devices, the fabric segment connections
negotiate the speed at which specific devices communicate.
The presence of lower speed devices in a fabric does not force other independent higher
speed devices or paths to a lower speed. Fibre Channel requires that all 16 Gb/s ports be
able to negotiate to 8 Gb/s and 4 Gb/s, all 8 Gb/s ports to 4 Gb/s and 2 Gb/s, and all 4
Gb/s ports to 2 Gb/s and 1 Gb/s speeds. Switch ports or user ports in a fabric communicate
at the highest mutually supported speed.

Performance guidelines
Although the topology and size of the fabric affect performance, adhering to the rules and
recommendations outlined in this guide minimizes these factors. The topology designs have been
defined to accommodate specific data access types. Recommendations on the number of ISLs
156

SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules

based on device-to-device access ratios ensure that adequate bandwidth is available across the
fabric, minimizing oversubscription.
To maximize fabric performance, HP recommends the following guidelines:
•

Implement dual-fabric SANs.

•

In a cascaded or core-edge fabric, position switches with the highest port speeds near the
center of the fabric.

•

Use the highest speed available for all infrastructure components and devices.

•

Ensure that communicating devices have the same speed connectivity path through the fabric.

•

Connect devices that communicate frequently to the same Fibre Channel switch.

•

When possible, ensure that there is an equal number of high-bandwidth application servers
and storage systems (for one-to-one access).

•

Ensure that FCC is enabled on all C-series switches.
FCC allows C-series switches to intelligently regulate traffic across ISLs and ensure that each
initiator-target pair of devices has the required bandwidth for data transfer. C-series switches
can also prioritize frames using the QoS feature.

SAN performance considerations

157

Part III Host and storage system rules
Host and storage system rules are presented in these chapters:
•

“Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159)

•

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

•

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

•

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

•

“SVSP storage system rules” (page 234)

•

“3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241)

•

“Enterprise Backup Solution” (page 248)

10 Heterogeneous server rules
This chapter describes platform configuration rules for SANs with specific operating systems and
heterogeneous server platforms:
•

“SAN platform rules” (page 160)

•

“Heterogeneous storage system support” (page 160)

•

“HP FC Switches for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment” (page 161)

•

“HP 4 Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 163)

•

“BladeSystem with Brocade Access Gateway mode” (page 164)

•

“BladeSystem with Cisco N_Port Virtualization mode” (page 166)

•

“NPV with FlexAttach” (page 169)

•

“HP BladeSystem c3000 enclosure considerations” (page 170)

•

“HBA N_Port ID Virtualization” (page 171)

•

“NonStop servers (XP only)” (page 172)

•

“HP-UX SAN rules” (page 184)

•

“HP OpenVMS SAN rules” (page 186)

•

“HP Tru64 UNIX SAN rules” (page 188)

•

“Apple Mac OS X SAN rules” (page 189)

•

“IBM AIX SAN rules” (page 190)

•

“Linux SAN rules” (page 192)

•

“Microsoft Windows SAN rules” (page 194)

•

“Oracle Solaris SAN rules” (page 196)

•

“VMware ESX SAN rules” (page 198)

•

“Citrix Xen SAN rules” (page 199)

•

“Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence” (page 200)

•

“Server zoning rules” (page 202)

The platform configuration rules in this chapter apply to SANs that comply with the following fabric
guidelines:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for support information for specific
configurations, including the following elements:
•

Server model

•

Storage system firmware

•

SAN attachment

•

HBAs and drivers

•

Multipathing

159

SAN platform rules
Table 76 (page 160) describes SAN platform rules for all SAN server configurations.
Table 76 General SAN platform rules
Rule
number
1

SAN platform configuration
Any combination of heterogeneous clustered or standalone servers with any combination of storage
systems is supported. The configuration must conform to requirements and rules for each SAN component,
including:
• Operating system
• Fabric
• Storage system
• Mixed storage system types

2

All HP and multivendor hardware platforms and operating systems that are supported in a homogeneous
SAN are also supported in a heterogeneous SAN.
In a heterogeneous SAN, define zones by operating system. Storage systems can be in multiple operating
system type zones.

3

Servers can connect to multiple fabrics. The number of supported fabrics per server depends on the
maximum number of Fibre Channel HBAs supported for the server, see “EVA single-server maximum
configurations” (page 217).

For cabling options for platforms that support high-availability multipathing, see “Cabling” (page 223).

Heterogeneous storage system support
HP supports HP storage products on shared hosts and HBAs in HP fabric environments that also
have third-party storage products. A third-party cooperative support agreement between HP Services
and the third party is required if HP will provide a single support point of contact that includes the
third-party storage. HP provides technical support for its products and cooperates with the third
party's technical support staff, as needed.
HP provides best-practices recommendations for connecting devices in the SAN, see “Best practices”
(page 369). These rules apply to configurations that include HP SAN storage products and
heterogeneous third-party SAN storage products:
•

Use zones to isolate HP storage ports from third-party storage ports.

•

HP storage zones are governed by HP product-specific configuration guidelines. See the
following HP storage system chapters:

◦

“MSA storage system rules” (page 203)

◦

“P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213)

◦

“P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 227)

◦

“SVSP storage system rules” (page 234)

◦

“3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241)

•

Overlapping zones with multiple multi-vendor storage ports are not supported.

•

Third-party storage zones are governed by product-specific configuration guidelines (see the
third-party product documentation).

For third-party fabric and switch support, see “Third-party switch support” (page 155).
For storage system coexistence support, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence”
(page 200).
160 Heterogeneous server rules

HP FC Switches for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment
Table 77 (page 161) lists supported switches for the HP c-Class BladeSystem server environment.
Table 77 Supported switches
Speed

Switches
B-series

4 Gb

Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem
C-series
Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem
B-series

8 Gb

Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class
C-series
Cisco MDS 8Gb Fabric Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class

16 Gb

B-series
Brocade 16Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class

For HP ProLiant BL c-Class SAN product support, see http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
saninfrastructure/switches/b4gbsscblade.
For fabric rules when using the HP p-Class BladeSystem SAN switches, see:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules” (page 146)

For third-party fabrics, HP supports the blade server, the HP p-Class BladeSystem SAN switch, and
switch connectivity (including the switch interface) to the non-HP fabric, see “Third-party switch
support” (page 155).

HP Virtual Connect for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment
HP offers multiple Virtual Connect products for c-Class BladeSystem servers:
•

“HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-Port Module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 161)

•

“HP Virtual Connect Flex10/10D Ethernet Module for c-Class Blade System” (page 162)

•

“HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 162)

•

“HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 163)

•

“HP 4 Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel module for c-Class BladeSystem” (page 163)

HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-Port Module for c-Class BladeSystem
HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-port Modules provide a simple, flexible way to connect
virtualized server blades to data or storage networks, or directly to HP storage systems (see “Virtual
Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR storage”.
Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules converge traffic inside enclosures and connect directly to
external LANs and SANs, eliminating up to 95% of network sprawl at the server edge. Using
Flex-10 technology with FCoE and accelerated iSCSI, these modules converge traffic over 10 GbE
connections to servers with HP FlexFabric adapters.
Each redundant pair of Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules provides eight adjustable downlink
connections (six Ethernet and two Fibre Channel, six Ethernet and two iSCSI, or eight Ethernet
connections) to dual-port 10 Gb FlexFabric adapters on servers. Up to eight uplinks are available
for connection to upstream Ethernet and Fibre Channel switches.
HP FC Switches for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment

161

Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules are more efficient than traditional and other converged network
solutions because they do not require multiple Ethernet and Fibre Channel switches, extension
modules, cables, and software licenses. Also, built-in Virtual Connect wire-once connection
management enables you to add, move, or replace servers in minutes.
For more information, see the product QuickSpecs at:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13652_div/13652_div.html

Virtual Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR storage
The Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-port Module supports direct-connection of HP 3PAR
StoreServ Storage Fibre Channel ports. This provides the option to deploy configurations with
c-Class BladeSystems and 3PAR storage without an intermediate Fibre Channel switch or fabric.
The result is a significant reduction in infrastructure costs and storage provisioning time, and an
increase in performance due to reduced latency.
NOTE: Virtual Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR storage has minimum Virtual Connect
firmware and 3PAR firmware requirements. For more information, see the Virtual Connect and HP
3PAR storage documentation at www.hp.com/go/3PAR.

HP Virtual Connect Flex10/10D Ethernet Module for c-Class Blade System
The Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module simplifies server connections by separating the server
enclosure from the LAN, simplifies networks by reducing cables without adding switches to manage,
allows changes to servers in minutes, and tailors network connections and speeds based on
application needs. HP Flex-10 technology significantly reduces infrastructure costs by increasing
the number of NICs per connection without adding extra blade I/O modules, reducing cabling
uplinks to the data center network.
•

Dual-hop FCoE support allows FCoE traffic to be propagated out of the enclosure to an external
FCoE-capable bridge

•

Simplifies networks by reducing cables without adding switches to manage

•

Allows you to wire once, then add, move and change network connections to thousands of
servers in minutes instead of days or weeks from one console without affecting LAN and SAN

•

Each module has 30 ports for a total effective full-duplex bandwidth of 600 Gb and 10
dedicated SFP+ uplink ports, which can be 1GbE or 10GbE

•

Reduces network overhead costs by wiring once and making changes dynamically without
additional network administrative support. Unlike other network virtualization offerings, Virtual
Connect does not require manual changes to network connections each time a server is added
or moved

•

Eliminates network sprawl at the server edge and saves up to 47% on upstream ToR switch
cable connections. For more information, see the product QuickSpecs available at http://
h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/14408_na/14408_na.html

HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem
The HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-port FC Module offers enhanced Virtual Connect capabilities,
allowing up to 128 virtual machines running on the same physical server to access separate storage
resources. With this module:

162

•

Provisioned storage resource is associated directly to a specific virtual machine, even if the
virtual server is re-allocated within the BladeSystem.

•

Storage management of virtual machines is no longer limited by the single physical HBA on
a server blade; SAN administrators can now manage virtual HBAs with the same methods
and viewpoint of physical HBAs.

Heterogeneous server rules

The HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-port Fibre Channel Module:
•

Simplifies server connections by separating the server enclosure from SAN

•

Simplifies SAN fabrics by reducing cables without adding switches to the domain

•

Allows you to change servers in minutes

For more information, see the product QuickSpecs at:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13421_div/13421_div.html

HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem
The HP Virtual Connect 8 Gb 24-port FC Module offers enhanced Virtual Connect capabilities,
allowing up to 24 ports of connectivity to a Fibre Channel SAN.
For more information, see the product QuickSpecs at:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13295_div/13295_div.html

HP 4 Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel module for c-Class BladeSystem
The HP 4Gb VC-FC module is an optional Fibre Channel interconnect offered on HP BladeSystem
c-Class servers. VC-FC employs NPIV protocol to aggregate multiple Fibre Channel HBAs over a
smaller number of N_Port uplinks. The VC-FC module is Fibre Channel standards based and is
compatible with all NPIV standards-compliant switch products.
The VC-FC module can aggregate up to sixteen Fibre Channel HBA ports at the back end connected
through the enclosure backplane, and comes with four uplinks or N_Ports which connect to an
external Fibre Channel fabric. Each of the four uplinks is configurable to aggregate between zero
and sixteen Fibre Channel HBAs resulting in an over-subscription ratio of up to 16:1. The default
over-subscription ratio is 4:1 with other user configurable options of 8:1 and 16:1. The VC-FC
module appears as a pass-thru device to the network. Any changes to the server are transparent
to its associated network. This separates the servers from the fabric and relieves SAN administrators
from server maintenance.
The VC-FC module is one of two components of the HP Virtual Connect technology. The other
component of the solution is the HP Virtual Connect Ethernet (VC-Enet) module. Both modules are
managed by Virtual Connect manager software embedded on VC-Enet module. The HP Virtual
Connect solution requires at least one VC-Enet module and one VC-FC module.

HP Virtual Connect FC connectivity guidelines
Deploy HP VC-FC in environments where you need to manage servers without impacting SAN
management (that is, the server administrator manages the entire configuration). There are several
customer configurations with varying numbers of VC-FC modules and blade enclosures. The actual
configurations depend on customer connectivity requirements, availability of existing equipment,
and future growth requirements. Table 78 (page 163) describes the HP VC-FC rules and
Figure 53 (page 164) shows an HP VC-FC example.
Table 78 HP Virtual Connect Fibre Channel guidelines and rules
Rule number

Description

1

For high availability, configure two redundant fabrics and two VC-FC modules, with each HBA connecting
to one fabric through one VC-FC module.

2

VC-FC is supported with B-series, C-series and H-series fabrics. The VC-FC module must connect to a
switch model that supports NPIV F_Port connectivity. Certain switch models may require a license.

3

HP supports a maximum of 4 VC-FC modules per blade enclosure.

HP Virtual Connect for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment

163

Figure 53 HP Virtual Connect Fibre Channel configuration
Server Bay 16

Server Bay 15

Server Bay 14

Server Bay 13

Server Bay 12

VC-FC
- Module

Server Bay 11

Server Bay 10

Server Bay 9

Server Bay 8

Server Bay 7

Server Bay 6

Server Bay 5

Server Bay 4

Server Bay 3

Server Bay 2

Server Bay 1

Blade
enclosure
with
16 servers

VC-FC
- Module
Blade enclosure/
Server management

N_Ports (NPIV) (uplinks)

SAN/
Storage management
FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

25271f

BladeSystem with Brocade Access Gateway mode
AG mode is a software-enabled feature available with the Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP
BladeSystem c-Class with Fabric OS 5.2.1b (or later). AG mode does not require the purchase of
additional hardware or software.
Blade switches in AG mode function as port aggregators using NPIV to connect to NPIV-compliant
Fibre Channel switches (including other vendor switches). The blade switches are logically
transparent to the hosts and fabric—they no longer function as standard switches.
The Brocade 8Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class and the Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for
HP c-Class BladeSystems in AG mode supports a maximum of 24 ports:
•

Maximum of 16 ports for back-end connections to blade server

•

Maximum of 8 external ports used as uplink N_Ports

AG mode features include:
•

The 8 external ports function as N_Ports, supporting NPIV. They connect to standard switches
that support NPIV-compliant F_Ports.

•

AG mode does not use a domain ID, preventing domain-count limits in large fabrics.

•

AG mode uses port mapping between the host-facing ports (virtual F_Ports) and the external
uplink ports (N_Ports). The default mapping is 2:1 ports, which you can reconfigure as needed.

Figure 54 (page 165) shows a view of an HP c-Class BladeSystem in AG mode.

164 Heterogeneous server rules

Figure 54 Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem in Access Gateway mode
c-Class BladeSystem Access Gateway
N_Port (host)
Server Bay 1

F_Port (virtual)

Uplink 1

Server Bay 2

N_Port (NPIV)

Server Bay 3

Uplink 2

Server Bay 4

c-Class BladeSystem
Access Gateway

Server Bay 5

Server Bay 7
Server Bay 8
Server Bay 9
Server Bay 10

Uplink 3
N_Port (NPIV)

Server HBA ports, N_Ports

Server Bay 6

N_Port (NPIV)

Uplink 4
Default server to
uplink mapping (2:1)

Server Bay 11
Server Bay 12
Server Bay 13
Server Bay 14

N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 5

Server
1,2
9,10
3,4
11,12
5,6
13,14
7,8
15,16

Uplink
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Server Bay 15
Server Bay 16
Blade enclosure
with 16 servers

N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 6
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 7
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 8
N_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

FC switch with
NPIV support

25318a

NOTE:

The uplink ports (N_Ports) in Figure 54 (page 165) are from the AG, not the hosts.

Failover policy and failback policy
AG mode supports the failover and failback policies (enabled by default), which you can configure
on a per-port basis.
The failover policy enables automatic remapping of hosts to other online N_Ports if N_Ports go
offline. It evenly distributes hosts among the available N_Ports. This policy ensures a smooth
transition with minimal traffic disruption when a link fails between an N_Port on the AG and an
F_Port on the external fabric.
The failback policy automatically routes hosts back to the original N_Ports when they come online.
NOTE:

When a failover or failback occurs, hosts must be logged back in to resume I/O.

AG mode considerations
AG mode considerations follow:
•

Ability to connect B-series, C-series, and H-series fabrics without interoperability constraints
(for support information, see the release notes)

•

Flexible licensing option (12 or 24 ports, with a 12-port upgrade option on the 12-port model)

•

Ability to use in either switch mode or AG mode (cannot function in both modes simultaneously,
software selectable)

•

Share Fabric OS with B-series switches

•

Port failover between N_Ports (uplinks)

•

Reduces the number of cables and SFPs compared to a Pass-Thru solution
BladeSystem with Brocade Access Gateway mode

165

•

No SAN management from the BladeSystem enclosure once the initial connections have been
configured

•

No direct storage attachment (requires at least one external Fibre Channel switch)

•

Lacks Fibre Channel embedded switch features (ISL Trunking, dynamic path selection, and
extended distances) with external links from AG to core switches

•

Managed separately from the BladeSystem, but if used with B-series switches, uses common
Fabric OS

•

Cannot move servers without impacting the SAN (Virtual Connect feature not available)

AG mode connectivity guidelines
AG-based solutions are best suited for B-series-only fabrics where you want multivendor switch
interoperability through N_Ports instead of E_Ports. Figure 55 (page 166) shows an AG with dual
redundant fabrics.
Figure 55 Access Gateway with dual redundant fabrics

Server Bay 16

Server Bay 15

Server Bay 14

Server Bay 13

Access Gateway

Server Bay 12

Server Bay 11

Server Bay 10

Server Bay 9

Server Bay 8

Server Bay 7

Server Bay 6

Server Bay 5

Server Bay 4

Server Bay 3

Server Bay 2

Server Bay 1

Blade
enclosure
with
16 servers

Access
- Gateway
N_Ports (NPIV) (uplinks)

FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

Blade
enclosure/
Server
management
SAN/
Storage
management

FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

25317d

NOTE: The N_Ports in Figure 55 (page 166) are not host N_Ports and cannot be connected directly
to storage.
Configuration highlights for Figure 55 (page 166) include:
•

Redundant SANs, with each server connecting to one fabric through one AG module

•

Ability to connect to B-series, C-series, and H-series fabrics

•

Support for up to six AGs per blade enclosure

BladeSystem with Cisco N_Port Virtualization mode
NPV mode is a software-enabled feature available on the Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for HP
c-Class BladeSystem with SAN-OS 3.2(1a) (or later). NPV mode does not require the purchase of
additional hardware or software.
NPV is available only if the Cisco MDS 9124e is in NPV mode; if the fabric switch is in switch
mode, NPV is not supported. To use NPV, the end devices connected to a switch in NPV mode
must log in as N_Ports. All links from the end switches in NPV mode to the core switches are
established as NP_Ports, not E_Ports for ISLs.
166 Heterogeneous server rules

An NP_Port is an NPIV uplink from the NPV device to the core switch. Switches in NPV mode use
NPIV to log in multiple end devices that share a link to the core switch. The Cisco MDS 9124e
Fabric Switch is transparent to the hosts and fabric—they no longer function as standard switches.
NOTE: This section describes HP c-Class BladeSystems. NPV mode is also supported on the Cisco
MDS 9124 and MDS 9134 Fabric Switches. For more information, see the Cisco MDS 9000
Configuration Guide.
The Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch in NPV mode supports a maximum of 24 ports:
•

Up to 16 ports for back-end connections to the BladeSystems.

•

Up to 8 external ports used as uplink ports (NP_Ports).

NPV mode features include:
•

Eight external ports used as NP_Ports, supporting NPIV. These ports connect to standard
switches (including vendor switches) that support NPIV-compliant F_Ports.

•

Does not use domain IDs, removing any domain-count limitations in large fabrics.

•

Port mapping between the host-facing ports (virtual F_Ports) and the external uplink ports
(NP_Ports).

Figure 56 (page 167) shows an HP c-Class BladeSystem in NPV mode.
Figure 56 Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem in NPV mode
c-Class BladeSystem N_Port Virtualization
N_Port (host)
Server Bay 1, fc1/16

F_Port (virtual)

ext1, fc1/10

Server Bay 2, fc1/15

NP_Port

Server Bay 3, fc1/11

ext2, fc1/14
c-Class BladeSystem

NP_Port

Server Bay 5, fc1/4

N_Port Virtualization
(NPV)

ext3, fc1/18

Server Bay 6, fc1/2
Server Bay 7, fc1/8
Server Bay 8, fc1/22
Server Bay 9, fc1/19
Server Bay 10, fc1/17

Server HBA ports, N_Ports

Server Bay 4, fc1/9

ext4, fc1/20
FLOGI/FDISC on all
available NP links is
load balanced using
round-robin.

Server Bay 11, fc1/12
Server Bay 12, fc1/13
Server Bay 13, fc1/3
Server Bay 14, fc1/6
Server Bay 15, fc1/7
Server Bay 16, fc1/21
Blade enclosure
with 16 servers

NP_Port

NP_Port
ext5, fc1/24
NP_Port
ext6, fc1/23

If there are multiple
uplinks, then the
server logins are
distributed equally
among them.

NP_Port
ext7, fc1/5
NP_Port
ext8, fc1/1
NP_Port

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

NPV Core Switch

25345a

NOTE:

The NP_Ports in Figure 56 (page 167) are on the NPV devices, not the hosts.

Failover policy
The failover policy enables automatic remapping of hosts if NP_Ports go offline. It evenly distributes
the hosts among the available NP_Ports. This policy ensures a smooth transition with minimal traffic
BladeSystem with Cisco N_Port Virtualization mode

167

disruption when a link fails between an NP_Port on the NPV devices and an F_Port on the external
fabric. To avoid disruption when an NP_Port goes online, the logins are not redistributed.

NPV mode considerations
Consider the following:
•

Nondisruptive upgrades are supported.

•

Grouping devices into different VSANs is supported.

•

A load-balancing algorithm automatically assigns end devices in a VSAN to one of the NPV
core switch links (in the same VSAN) at initial login.

•

You can connect B-series and C-series fabrics without interoperability constraints (for support
information, see the release notes).

•

A flexible licensing option is available (12 or 24 ports, with a 12-port upgrade option on the
12-port model).

•

You can select to use either switch mode or NPV mode.

•

Failover between NP_Ports (uplinks) is supported.

•

Direct storage attachment is not supported (requires at least one external Fibre Channel switch).

•

F_Ports, NP_Ports, and SD_Ports are supported.

•

NPIV-capable module servers (nested NPIV) are supported.

•

Local switching is not supported. All traffic is switched using the NPV core switch.

•

Remote SPAN is not supported.

•

NPV mode is managed separately from the BladeSystem; however, if used with C-series
switches, it uses a common SAN-OS.

NPV mode connectivity guidelines
NPV solutions are best suited for C-series-only fabrics in which you want multivendor switch
interoperability through NP_Ports instead of E_Ports. Figure 57 (page 168) shows an NPV device
with dual redundant fabrics.
Figure 57 NPV device with dual redundant fabrics
Server Bay 16

Server Bay 15

Server Bay 14

Server Bay 13

Server Bay 12

N_Port Virtualization

Server Bay 11

Server Bay 10

Server Bay 9

Server Bay 8

Server Bay 7

Server Bay 6

Server Bay 5

Server Bay 4

Server Bay 3

Server Bay 2

Server Bay 1

Blade
enclosure
with
16 servers

N_Port Virtualization

NP_Ports (NPIV) (uplinks)

FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

Blade
enclosure/
Server
management
SAN/
Storage
management

FC Fabric (B-series,
C-series, and H-series)
(with NPIV F_Port support)

25346e

NOTE: The NP_Ports in Figure 57 (page 168) are not host N_Ports and cannot connect directly
to storage.
168 Heterogeneous server rules

The configuration shown in Figure 57 (page 168) includes:
•

Redundant SANs, with each server connecting to one fabric through one NPV device

•

Connectivity to C-series and B-series fabrics

•

Support for up to six NPV devices per HP BladeSystem c7000 enclosure, or three NPV devices
per HP BladeSystem c3000 enclosure

NPV with FlexAttach
The Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem, MDS 9124 switch, and MDS
9134 switch support NPV with FlexAttach. FlexAttach provides automatic mapping of physical
WWNs to virtual WWNs using NAT. When NPV mode is enabled, FlexAttach allows SAN and
server administrators to install and replace servers without having to rezone or reconfigure the
SAN.
With FlexAttach, you can perform the following tasks without the need to make SAN or storage
configuration changes:
•

Preconfiguration—You can preconfigure the SAN for the addition of new servers whose
WWPNs are unknown, using the virtual WWPNs. After the servers are available, you can
bring them online and into the fabric.

•

Replacement (new server)—You can replace an existing server with a new server. FlexAttach
assigns a virtual WWPN to the server port.

•

Replacement (spare server)—You can bring a spare server online by moving the virtual WWPN
from the current server port to the spare server port.

•

Server redeployment—You can move a server to a different NPV switch (in the same fabric
or VSAN). FlexAttach allows you to manually create and transfer virtual WWPNs from one
server port to another server port.

NOTE: Other tasks may require configuration changes. For more information about FlexAttach,
see the Cisco MDS 9000 Family CLI Configuration Guide. The terms pWWN and WWPN are
used interchangeably.

NPV with FlexAttach

169

Figure 58 (page 170) shows a view of an HP c-Class BladeSystem using NPV with FlexAttach.
Figure 58 Cisco MDS 9124e Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem using NPV with FlexAttach
SAN
management

Blade server
management

c-Class N_Port Virtualization
MDS 9124e NPV mode
Blade 1

Uplink 1

Blade 2

N_Port (NPIV)

Blade 3

Uplink 2
N_Port (NPIV)

Blade 4

Blade 6
Blade 7
Blade 8
Blade 9
Blade 10
Blade 11
Blade 12
Blade 13
Blade 14
Blade 15
Blade 16

Server HBA ports, N_Ports

Blade 5
HBA
aggregator

Uplink 3
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 4
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 5
N_Port (NPIV)

Server-to-uplink
mapping (2:1)

Uplink 6
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 7
N_Port (NPIV)
Uplink 8
N_Port (NPIV)

Blade enclosure
with 16 servers

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

F_Port (NPIV)

VC switch with
NPIV support
26468a

NOTE: The names of the uplink ports (N_Ports 1 through 8) in Figure 58 (page 170) are symbolic
only. See the NPV documentation for the actual port numbers.

HP BladeSystem c3000 enclosure considerations
Consider the following when using the HP BladeSystem c3000 enclosure:

170

•

The c3000 has four interconnect bays: 1, 2, 3, and 4. If Fibre Channel switch redundancy
is required, use interconnect bays 3 and 4.

•

Interconnect bay 1 is dedicated to Ethernet or NIC connections; it cannot be used for Fibre
Channel connections.

•

Interconnect bay 2 can be used for Ethernet, NIC, or Fibre Channel connections; it is accessible
through the mezzanine 1 card only. If you use Fibre Channel connections from mezzanine 1
cards, connect them to the interconnect bay 2 switch only, which provides port redundancy
but not switch redundancy.

•

Interconnect bay 2 cannot be used for VC-FC; it is restricted to Ethernet, NIC, or Fibre Channel
connections. VC-FC modules must use interconnect bays 3 and 4.

•

Interconnect bays 3 and 4 can be used for Fibre Channel connections and switch redundancy.
The full-height or half-height mezzanine 2 cards provide Fibre Channel port and switch
redundancy.

Heterogeneous server rules

HBA N_Port ID Virtualization
HBA NPIV is a Fibre Channel standard that allows multiple N_Ports to connect to a switch F_Port.
HBA NPIV is used on servers running a VOS. You can assign a unique virtual port name to each
VM that shares the HBA. NPIV is supported on all 8 Gb and 4 Gb Emulex and QLogic HBAs when
using the vendor-supplied VOS drivers.

HBA NPIV considerations
Consider the following points when implementing a SAN with VOS servers using HBA NPIV:
•

You can assign and manage the virtual WWPN through the VOS. WWPN provides increased
security and integrity because you can create discreet zones based on the port name.

•

You must verify that the WWPNs in the SAN are unique. This is especially important for
complex SANs with heterogeneous VOSs.

•

You may need to enable HBA NPIV for some HBA and VOS combinations.

•

F_Port NPIV support differs for B-series, C-series, and H-series switches. For information about
setting up switches for use with HBA NPIV, see the switch documentation.

•

VMware ESX 3.5 and 4.0 are the only VOSes with native support for HBA NPIV. The supplied
Emulex and QLogic drivers are NPIV enabled by default.

•

Each VOS may have restrictions or requirements for HBA NPIV. For information about setting
it up for use with HBA NPIV, see the operating system documentation.

•

If a VOS supports VM migration, the virtual WWPNs associated with the VM will migrate.

HBA NPIV connectivity guidelines
Figure 59 (page 172) shows the logical relationship between virtual WWPNs and a VOS with HBA
NPIV enabled. A server running a VOS has three instances of VMs. The server has an HBA with
a manufacturing-assigned WWPN (20:00:00:00:c9:56:31:ba), and is connected to port 8 of a
switch whose domain ID is 37. The VOS generates three virtual WWPNs and maps them to the
VMs. The VOS uses an operating system-specific algorithm to create the WWPNs, which can
include a registered vendor unique ID.

HBA N_Port ID Virtualization

171

Figure 59 VOS with HBA NPIV enabled
Server
VM1
WWPN:
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:1a

Virtual OS

VM2
WWPN:
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:24

HBA
WWPN:
20:00:00:00:c9:56:31:ba
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:1a
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:24
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:2a

VM3
WWPN:
48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:2a

Port 8
Switch
Domain ID: 37

Name Server
:
:
FCID
WWPN
370800 20:00:00:00:c9:56:31:ba
370801 48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:1a
370802 48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:24
370803 48:02:00:0c:29:00:00:2a

Fabric
26411a

When using HBA NPIV, consider the following:
•

When a VOS initializes, the HBA performs a fabric login using the manufacturing-assigned
WWPN, and the switch assigns a FCID for the login session. The HBA WWPN and associated
FCID are logged in the fabric name server.
When an NPIV-enabled VM initializes, the HBA performs another fabric login using the virtual
WWPN associated with that VM, which creates another FCID and entry in the fabric name
server. This process is repeated for each NPIV-enabled VM.

•

When a VM stops, the entry is removed from the fabric name server. The relationship between
FCIDs assigned to multiple N_Ports logged in on the same F_Port is not defined by the
standards; instead, the switch vendors provide implementation details. In Figure 59 (page
172), the FCIDs have common values for the WWPN domain and area fields, and the port
field value is incremented for each new login.

NonStop servers (XP only)
NonStop servers are supported in direct host attach and SAN configurations for specific storage
systems.

172

Heterogeneous server rules

NonStop servers

Storage systems

S-series servers:
• S760, S76000
• S78, S780, S7800, S78000
• S86000, S88000
NS-series servers:
• NS1000, NS1200
• NS14000, NS14200
• NS16000, NS16000CG, NS16200
NonStop Integrity servers:
• NS2000, NS2000T/NS2000CG
• NS2100
• NS2200, NS2200T/NS2200ST
• NS2300

XP disk arrays:
• XP10000, XP12000 (RAID500)
• XP20000, XP24000 (RAID600)
• P9500
• XP7

• NS2400, NS2400T, NS2400ST
• NS3000AC
• NS5000T/NS5000CG
NonStop Integrity BladeSystem servers:
• NB50000c, NB50000c-cg
• NB54000c, NB54000c-cg
• NB56000c, NB56000c-cg

There are three types of I/O interfaces used to connect NonStop servers to XP disk arrays, see
Table 82 (page 175).
•

FCSAs—These are the NonStop version of Fibre Channel HBAs, used to connect to XP disk
arrays. The FCSA module slides into an 11U, rack-mounted Input/Output Adapter Module
Enclosure (IOAME), which can hold up to 10 ServerNet I/O Adapters, either FCSAs or Gigabit
Ethernet 4-port ServerNet Adapters (G4SAs), for Ethernet connectivity.

•

VIO—NS1000, NS1200, NS14000, and NS14200 servers use the VIO instead of the
IOAME. The VIO interface consists of two 4U VIO enclosures per system, one each for the X
and Y ServerNet fabrics. Each VIO enclosure has four embedded Fibre Channel ports in a
Fibre Channel PIC, for a total of eight embedded Fibre Channel ports in the NonStop system.
(The Fibre Channel ports provide the same functionality as the FCSAs in IOAME systems.)
Each VIO enclosure can be expanded to eight Fibre Channel ports using optional PICs in the
expansion slots, for a total of 16 Fibre Channel ports in the NonStop system. The expanded
ports can be used for FCDM or HP Enterprise Storage System (ESS) connections.

•

Storage CLIM—CLIMs are rack mounted in the NonStop server cabinet and connect to one or
two X- and Y-fabric ports through fiber cables running from ServerNet PICs to ServerNet ports
on the NonStop server. CLIMs provide the physical interface to storage devices and support
SAS and FC connections. CLIMs also perform certain storage management tasks previously
done on the NonStop server. For information about differences between configuring the storage
subsystem on IOAME-based systems and on CLIM-based systems, see the NonStop Cluster
I/O Module (CLIM) Installation and Configuration Guide.

NonStop servers (XP only)

173

NOTE:

Consider the following VIO requirements:

•

For NS1000 and NS1200 servers, expanded ports are available only to customers who have
the HP ESS.

•

The VIO enclosure software is not backward compatible and is supported only on H06.08
and later RVUs.

•

Prior to December 2006, the NS1000 and NS14000 servers were shipped with a limited
IOAME configuration known as the IO Core, which consisted of an IOAME with six adapter
slots rather than the usual ten slots. Customer installations with the IO Core configuration will
be supported until December 2011.

Table 79 (page 174) describes supported NonStop server configurations with IOAMEs.
Table 79 NonStop high-availability configurations using IOAMEs
Direct host attach configuration
minimum/recommended

SAN configuration
minimum/recommended

Maximum availability
configuration
minimum/recommended

Number of Fibre Channel
SAN fabrics

0/0

2/2

2/4

Number of XP storage systems

1/1

1/1

1/2

Number of IOAMEs

1/1

1/1

2/2

Number of Fibre Channel
ServerNet adapters

2/4

2/4

4/4

NonStop server support

Table 80 (page 174) describes supported NonStop server configurations with VIO enclosures.
Table 80 NonStop high-availability configurations using VIO enclosures (NS1000, NS1200, NS14000, and
NS14200 only)
Direct host attach configuration
minimum/recommended

SAN configuration
minimum/recommended

Maximum availability
configuration
minimum/recommended

Number of Fibre Channel
SAN fabrics

0/0

2/2

2/4

Number of XP storage systems

1/1

1/1

1/2

Number of VIO enclosures
per server

2/2

2/2

2/2

Number of 4-port Fibre
Channel PICs per VIO
enclosure

1/2

1/2

2/2

NonStop server support

Table 81 (page 174) describes supported NonStop BladeSystem with XP configurations using CLIMs.
Table 81 NonStop BladeSystem with XP high-availability configurations using CLIMs (HP Integrity NonStop
NB50000c BladeSystem only)
Direct host attach configuration
minimum/recommended

SAN configuration
minimum/recommended

Maximum availability
configuration
minimum/recommended

Number of Fibre Channel
SAN fabrics

0/0

2/2

2/4

Number of XP storage systems

1/1

1/1

1/2

NonStop server support

174

Heterogeneous server rules

Table 81 NonStop BladeSystem with XP high-availability configurations using CLIMs (HP Integrity NonStop
NB50000c BladeSystem only) (continued)
Direct host attach configuration
minimum/recommended

SAN configuration
minimum/recommended

Maximum availability
configuration
minimum/recommended

Number of CLIMs per Integrity
NonStop BladeSystem

2/4

2/4

2/4

Number of dual-port Fibre
Channel HBAs per CLIM

1/2

1/2

2/2

NonStop server support

Table 82 (page 175) describes supported I/O modules for XP connectivity with specific NonStop
systems.
Table 82 Supported I/O modules for XP connectivity with specific NonStop systems
NonStop servers

CLIM enclosure

IOAMEwith FCSAs installed

VIO enclosure

NonStop BladeSystems

Yes

Yes

No

NS5000T/NS5000CG

Yes

No

Yes

NS3000AC

Yes

No

Yes

NS2200, NS2400

Yes

No

Yes

NS2100, NS2300

Yes

No

Yes

NS2000

Yes

No

Yes

NS16000, NS16200

No

Yes

No

NS14000, NS14200

No

Before December 2006

After December 2006

NS14000 only

NS14000 and NS14200

NS1000, NS1200

No

Before December 2006

After December 2006

NS1000 only

NS1000 and NS1200

Table 83 (page 175) describes storage system configuration rules for NonStop servers.
Table 83 NonStop server configuration rules
Rule
number

Description

1

Requires a minimum of one XP storage system for storage connectivity.

2

Requires a minimum of one IOAME on the server. For the NS1000, NS1200, NS14000, and NS14200
servers using VIO, two VIO enclosures are used instead of the IOAME. For BladeSystems using CLIMs,
two CLIMs are used instead of the IOAME.

3

Requires a minimum of two FCSAs in an IOAME, as shown in Figure 60 (page 177), Figure 63 (page 179),
Figure 66 (page 180), and Figure 69 (page 182). Each FCSA has two Fibre Channel ports.

4

Servers using VIO require one embedded 4-port Fibre Channel PIC per VIO enclosure (total of two PICs
per server) for basic connectivity, as shown in Figure 61 (page 178) and Figure 64 (page 179). Logical
and physical redundancy of the storage system, as shown in Figure 67 (page 181) and Figure 70 (page
183), requires the addition of one expansion 4-port Fibre Channel PIC per VIO enclosure (total of two
expansion PICs per server).
For optimal I/O performance, use a separate I/O path for each logical disk volumes.

NonStop servers (XP only)

175

Table 83 NonStop server configuration rules (continued)
Rule
number
5

Description
The following restrictions apply to CLIMs:
• The maximum number of LUNs for each CLIM, (including SAS disks, XP disk arrays, and tapes) is 512.
Each primary, backup, mirror, and mirror backup path is counted.
• The XP LUN range for each port is 0 to 499.
• The maximum number of XP ports for each CLIM is four.
• The maximum number of mirrored XP volumes is 256 with two CLIMs, and 512 with four CLIMs.

6

Each LDEV requires two LUNs.

7

No boot support.

8

Contact HP support for host mode requirements on storage system ports.

9

For more information on supported B-series and C-series switches, contact HP support.

10

Each fabric must contain switches of the same series only—switches from multiple series within a fabric
is not supported.

11

Slot 1 of the VIO enclosure contains a 4-port Fibre Channel PIC, which provides FCSA functionality of
the IOAME systems. You can double the number of Fibre Channel ports on a server (from 8 to 16) by
adding a 4-port Fibre Channel PIC in slot 7c of each VIO enclosure. This requires the installation of an
expansion board in slot 7b of each VIO enclosure. FCDM or ESS connections can make use of these
expanded Fibre Channel ports.
Note: For NS1000 and NS1200 servers, expanded ports are available only to customers who have the
HP ESS.

12

The VIO enclosure software is not backward compatible. This product is supported only on H06.08 and
later RVUs.

13

The CLIM software is not backward compatible. This product is supported only on J06.04 and later RVUs.

14

Direct host attach
• HP recommends host-based mirroring. For example, each LDEV (P) is mirrored to a separate LDEV (M)
on separate XP ports (p, b, m, mb paths are used). A nonmirrored volume is allowed. For example,
each LDEV (P) is not mirrored to a separate LDEV (M) on separate XP ports (only p and b paths are
used).
• For high availability, the primary (P) LDEVs and mirror (M) LDEVs must be configured on separate
array ACP pairs.
• For high availability, the p and b paths must be in separate XP array clusters. The m and mb paths
must be in separate array clusters. The p and m paths must be in separate XP array clusters.
• The 2 Gb FCSAs (IOAME) are supported with 1 Gb/2 Gb CHIPs for XP 10000/12000/20000/24000
and with 4 Gb CHIPs for XP10000/12000/20000/24000.
• The 2 Gb Fibre Channel PICs (VIO) are supported with 1 Gb/2 Gb CHIPs for XP
10000/12000/20000/24000 and with 4 Gb CHIPs for XP10000/12000/20000/24000.
• The 4 Gb Fibre Channel HBAs (in CLIMs) are supported with 1 Gb/2 Gb CHIPs for XP
10000/12000/20000/24000 and with 4 Gb CHIPs for XP10000/12000/20000/24000.

15

High-availability SAN
• Requires dual-redundant SAN fabrics (level 4, NSPOF high-availability SAN configuration). For
information about data availability levels, see “Data availability” (page 40). Each fabric consists of
either a single switch or two cascaded switches, as shown in Figure 63 (page 179) through
Figure 70 (page 183).
• A single fabric supports a maximum of three switches.
• Requires separate fabric zones. Each zone consists of the set of NonStop host (FCSA, Fibre Channel
PIC, or CLIM) WWNs and XP storage system port WWNs to be accessed from a single NonStop
system.
• Configure WWN-based zoning only.

176

Heterogeneous server rules

Table 83 NonStop server configuration rules (continued)
Rule
number

Description
• Only NonStop homogeneous connections are allowed to the same zone.
• Heterogeneous operating systems can share the same switch or SAN if they are in different zones.
• HP recommends host-based mirroring. For example, each LDEV (P) is mirrored to a separate LDEV (M)
on separate XP ports (p, b, m, mb paths are used). A nonmirrored volume is allowed. For example,
each LDEV (P) is not mirrored to a separate LDEV (M) on separate XP ports (only p and b paths are
used).
• For high availability, primary (P) LDEVs and mirror (M) LDEVs must be configured on separate array
ACP pairs.
• For high availability, the p and b paths must be in separate XP array clusters. The m and mb paths
must be in separate array clusters.
• HP recommends that the p and mb paths be in the same XP array cluster, and the b and m paths be
together in the other XP array cluster for a volume.
• FCSAs (IOAMEs), Fibre Channel PICs (VIOs), FC HBAs (CLIMs), C-series switches, and B-series switches
are supported with 1 Gb/2 Gb CHIPs for XP10000/12000/20000/24000 and with 4 Gb CHIPs
for XP10000/12000/20000/24000.

Figure 60 (page 177) shows a minimum direct host attach configuration with an IOAME.
Figure 60 Minimum direct host attach IOAME configuration for XP storage systems

FCSA

FCSA

X

Y

IOAME
p mb

b

m

XP Array

P

M

CL1

CL2
25122a

NonStop servers (XP only) 177

Figure 61 (page 178) shows a minimum direct host attach configuration with VIO enclosures.
Figure 61 Minimum direct host attach VIO configuration for XP storage systems (NS1000, NS14000)
VIO Enclosure
Y

VIO Enclosure
X

XP Array

p

m
b

mb

mb

P

M

CL1

CL2
25279a

Figure 62 (page 178) shows a minimum direct host attach configuration with CLIMs.
Figure 62 Minimum direct host attach CLIM configuration for XP storage systems
X

CLIM

CLIM

Y

XP Array
m
mb

b

p

P

M

CL1

CL2
26489a

178

Heterogeneous server rules

Figure 63 (page 179) shows a minimum SAN configuration with an IOAME.
Figure 63 Minimum SAN IOAME configuration for XP storage systems

FCSA

FCSA

X

Y

IOAME
p mb

b

m

XP Array
mb

b

p

m

P

M

CL1

CL2
25123a

Figure 64 (page 179) shows a minimum SAN configuration with VIO enclosures.
Figure 64 Minimum SAN VIO configuration for XP storage systems (NS1000, NS14000)
VIO Enclosure
Y

VIO Enclosure
X

mb p

m

b

XP Array
m
mb

b

p

P

M

CL1

CL2
25280a

NonStop servers (XP only)

179

Figure 65 (page 180) shows a minimum SAN configuration with CLIMs.
Figure 65 Minimum SAN CLIM configuration for XP storage systems
CLIM

X

CLIM

Y

mb p

m

b

XP Array
m
mb

b

p

P

M

CL1

CL2
26490a

Figure 66 (page 180) shows a configuration with physical IOAME redundancy.
Figure 66 SAN IOAME configuration with logical and physical redundancy for XP storage systems

Y

X

b2

Y

IOAME

IOAME
p

FCSA

FCSA

FCSA

FCSA

X

mb

m2

mb2

m

b

XP Array
m2
mb

p

b2

p2

p2

mb2

m

b

M

P
P2
CL1

M2
CL2
25124a

180 Heterogeneous server rules

Figure 67 (page 181) shows a SAN configuration with VIO Fibre Channel PIC redundancy.
Figure 67 SAN VIO configuration with logical and physical redundancy for XP storage systems
(NS1000, NS14000)
VIO Enclosure
Y

VIO Enclosure
X

mb p m2

m

b2

XP Array

m2

b

M

P

b2

p2

m
mb

p

b mb2 p2

mb2

M2

P2
CL1

CL2
25281a

Figure 68 (page 181) shows a SAN configuration with CLIM physical redundancy.
Figure 68 SAN CLIM configuration with logical and physical redundancy for XP storage systems
CLIM

Y

CLIM

X

mb p

m2

m b mb2

b2

p2

XP Array
p2

m
mb

b2

CLIM

X

m2

p

CLIM

Y

b

M

P
P2
CL1

M2

mb2

CL2
26491a

NonStop servers (XP only)

181

Figure 69 (page 182) shows a configuration with physical IOAME redundancy.
Figure 69 SAN IOAME configuration (two cascaded switches) with logical and physical redundancy
for XP storage systems

Y

X

b2

Y

IOAME

IOAME
p

FCSA

FCSA

FCSA

FCSA

X

mb

m2

mb2

m

b

XP Array
m2
mb

p

b2

p2

p2

mb2

m

b

M

P
P2
CL1

M2
CL2
25125a

Figure 70 (page 183) shows a SAN configuration (two cascaded switches) with VIO Fibre Channel
PIC redundancy.

182

Heterogeneous server rules

Figure 70 SAN VIO configuration (two cascaded switches) with logical and physical redundancy
for XP storage systems (NS1000, NS14000)
VIO Enclosure
Y

VIO Enclosure
X

mb p m2

mb p

m

b2

m2

b2

m b

p2

p2

m
mb

b2

mb2

XP Array

m2

p

b mb2 p2

b

M

P
P2
CL1

M2

mb2

CL2
25278a

Figure 71 (page 184) shows a SAN (two cascaded switches) configuration with CLIM physical
redundancy.

NonStop servers (XP only) 183

Figure 71 SAN CLIM configuration (two cascaded switches) with logical and physical redundancy
for XP storage systems
CLIM

Y

CLIM

X

mb p

m2

m b mb2

b2

p2

XP Array
p2

m
mb

b

M

P

b2

CLIM

X

m2

p

CLIM

Y

P2
CL1

M2

mb2

CL2
26492a

HP-UX SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for HP-UX.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 84 (page 184) describes the SAN configuration rules for HP-UX. Table 85 (page 185) describes
support for HP-UX storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.
Table 84 HP-UX SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

HP-UX SAN rules
• Supports HP Serviceguard Clusters.
• Zoning is required when HP-UX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

All supported

• Supports boot from SAN. See “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222) and “P9000/XP
SAN boot support” (page 230).
• Supports connection to a common server for mixed storage system types, see “Common SAN
storage coexistence” (page 201).
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths, see “Data availability” (page 40).

P2000 G3 FC
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)

EVA4100

• Host name profile must be set to HP-UX
• MSA2012 and MSA2212 FC are not supported with HP-UX
• Support for HP-UX 11i v2 (June 2008 or later) using PvLinks
• Support for HP-UX 11i v3 using native multipathing
• Active/active failover mode is supported for HP-UX 11i v1 and 11i v2 using the Secure Path,
PvLinks, or Veritas DMP driver. HP-UX 11i v3 is supported with native multipathing.

184 Heterogeneous server rules

Table 84 HP-UX SAN configuration rules (continued)
Storage systems1

HP-UX SAN rules

EVA4400
EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8100

NOTE:

EVA8400

Secure Path support for HP-UX 11i v2 is not available on the P6XX0 arrays.

• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

P6300 EVA
P6350 EVA
P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA

• Host name profile must be set to HP-UX
• Support for HP-UX 11iv2 using Secure Path (legacy only)

SVSP

• Support for HP-UX 11iv3 using native multipathing
• Host name profile must be set to HP-UX
• Support for HP-UX 11iv3 using native multipathing

SVSP 3.0

• Zoning of host initiator ports, DPM target ports, DPM initiator ports, VSM ports and storage
target ports per SVSP requirements
• Supported with HP-UX 11iv2 and 11iv3
• Supports boot from SAN, see “3PAR SAN boot support” (page 247).

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating
systems and other storage system families or types.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona)
and the required host settings described in the 3PAR HP-UX Implementation Guide.

1

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Table 85 HP-UX storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
P2000 G3
MSA2000fc
G2

XP7

P9500

(MSA2300fc)

P63xx/P65xx EVA4
EVA4x00/6x00/8x003

10000/12000/
20000/24000

PL

VD

SP

PL

VD

SP

PL

VD

SP PL

VD

PL

VD

PL

VD

PL

VD

PL

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

VD

—

S

—

—

S

— —

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

—

—

S

EVA4x00/6x00/8x00 SP4

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

S

—

P63xx/P65xx
EVA4

PL

S

—

—

S

—

—

S

—

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

VD

—

S

—

—

S

— —

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

—

—

S

PL

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

VD

—

S

—

—

S

— —

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

—

—

S

SP

—

—

—

—

—

— —

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

PL

S

—

—

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

S

—

—

—

—

—

2

Notes

P2000
G3MSA2000fc
G2(MSA2300fc)

XP10000/12000/
20000/24000
P9500

SVSP 3.0

3PAR

SVSP 3.0
S

HP-UX SAN rules 185

Table 85 HP-UX storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support (continued)
P2000 G3
MSA2000fc
G2

XP7

P9500

(MSA2300fc)

P63xx/P65xx EVA4
EVA4x00/6x00/8x003

10000/12000/
20000/24000

PL

VD

SP

PL

VD

SP

PL

VD

SP PL

VD

PL

VD

PL

VD

PL

VD

VD

—

—

—

—

—

— —

—

—

—

—

—

S

—

—

—

—

PL

S

—

—

S

—

—

S

—

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

VD

—

S

—

—

S

— —

S

—

—

S

—

S

—

—

—

S

PL

S

—

—

S

—

—

S

—

—

—

—

S

—

S

—

S

—

VD

—

—

—

—

—

— —

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Notes2

SVSP 3.0

3PAR

3PAR

XP7
1

2

Legend: D = same server and different HBA; S = same server and HBA; — = not supported; sc = single controller; SP = Secure
Path; PL = PvLinks; VD = Veritas DMP
General rules:
• EVA4x00/6x00/8x00 and XP24000/20000/12000/10000 require Secure Path 3.0f SP4 (or later).
• When using Secure Path and Veritas DMP, coexistence is not supported.
• HP-UX 11i v3 is supported with native multipathing. Secure Path is not required or supported. Migration from Secure Path to
native multipathing is included in HP-UX 11i v3. For more information, contact an HP storage representative .
• All HP-UX 11i v3 supported storage systems are supported on the same server and HBA using native multipathing software.

3

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS firmware 6.110 or later.

4

P63xx EVAs and P65xx EVAs do not support Secure Path.

NOTE: Secure Path for HP-UX 11.23 is no longer provided through HP. The installations must
already have Secure Path for 11.23 already installed.
For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).

HP OpenVMS SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for HP OpenVMS.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 86 (page 187) describes the SAN configuration rules for HP OpenVMS. Table 87 (page 187)
describes support for HP OpenVMS storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.

186 Heterogeneous server rules

Table 86 HP OpenVMS SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

OpenVMS SAN rules
• Zoning is required when OpenVMS is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating
systems.
• Supports OpenVMS Clusters.

All supported

• Supports active/active and active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is embedded
in the operating system.
• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222)
and “P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230).
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths.

EVA4100
EVA4400
EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8100
EVA8400

• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

P6300 EVA
P6350 EVA
P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA
P2000 G3 FC
P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)

• Host name profile must be set to OpenVMS.
• OpenVMS uid must be set on all volumes mapped to a OpenVMS host.
• LUN ID 0 is not available for OpenVMS hosts.
• SVSP 3.x is supported by OpenVMS IA54 8.3-1H1, host profile name must be set to OpenVMS.

SVSP
1

• The number of hosts supported in a OpenVMS cluster is determined by the number of units times
the number of hosts times the number of paths < 4096.

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Table 87 HP OpenVMS storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
MSA2000fc
G2(MSA2300fc)

P63xx/P65xx
EVA4x00/6x00/8x002

XP

Native multipathing driver
P2000 G3 FC
P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI

S

S

S

EVA4x00/6x00/8x002

S

S

S

P9500,XP24000/20000,XP12000/10000

S

S

S

MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)
P63xx/P65xx EVA

Native
multipathing
driver

1

Legend: D = same server and different HBA; S = same server and HBA; — = not supported

2

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS firmware 6.110 minimum.

For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).
HP OpenVMS SAN rules

187

Host-based volume shadowing
HP OpenVMS servers with host-based volume shadowing are supported in a heterogeneous SAN.
Support includes configurations that use host-based volume shadowing over Fibre Channel links
with long-distance transceivers or WDM and use of B-series FC or FCIP Fastwrite, or C-series Write
Acceleration. Host-based volume shadowing is supported on the same link with the following
applications:
•

HP P6000 Continuous Access

•

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access

NOTE:

SVSP does not support host-based volume shadowing.

HP Tru64 UNIX SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for HP Tru64 UNIX.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 88 (page 188) describes the SAN configuration rules for HP Tru64 UNIX. Table 89 (page
188) describes support for HP Tru64 UNIX storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.
Table 88 Tru64 UNIX SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

Tru64 UNIX SAN rules
• Zoning is required when Tru64 UNIX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating
systems.
• Supports TruCluster Server.

All supported

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222)
and “P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230).
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths.
• Zoning is required when a SAN is configured for multiple TruCluster products. Each TruCluster
must be in its own zone.

EVA4100

• Supports connection of single HBA servers.

EVA6100

• Supports active/active or active/passive failover mode.

EVA8100

• A multipathing driver is embedded in the operating system.
• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

1

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Table 89 HP Tru64 UNIX storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
EVA4100/6100/81002

XP

Native multipathing driver
XP24000/20000,XP12000/10000

Native multipathing
driver

1

Legend: S = same server and HBA

2

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS firmware 6.cx (or later).

S

S

For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).

188 Heterogeneous server rules

Apple Mac OS X SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for Apple Mac OS X.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 90 (page 189) describes the SAN configuration rules for Apple Mac OS X.
Table 90 Apple Mac OS X SAN configuration rules
Storage systems

Apple Mac OS X SAN rules

EVA4100

• Zoning is required when Mac OS X is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

EVA4400

• Supports active/active and active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is embedded in the
host adapter driver.

EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8100

• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with zoned
paths.

EVA8400

P6000/EVA rules1

P6300 EVA

• Command View host entry operating system: Apple Mac OS X

P6350 EVA

Note:

P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA

For XCS 6.100 (or later) and for XCS earlier than 09003000, select Custom from the Operating System
Type list, and then enter 00000002024000A8 as the Custom type.

EVA4100

Multipathing rules

EVA4400

• HP recommends zoning single Host Adapter port WWPN with single array port WWPN.

EVA6100

• Single Host Adapter port WWPN zoned with multiple array port WWPNs to the same array is
supported.

EVA6400
EVA8100

• Single Host Adapter port WWPN zoned with multiple arrays is supported.

EVA8400

• I/O load balancing can span multiple Host Adapter ports.

P6300 EVA

P6000/EVA rules1

P6350 EVA

• Celerity FC-82EN, dual channel, x8 PCI Express

P6500 EVA

• Celerity FC-84EN, quad channel, x8 PCI Express

Apple Mac OS X SAN rules 189

Table 90 Apple Mac OS X SAN configuration rules (continued)
Storage systems

Apple Mac OS X SAN rules
• XCS 6.100 (or later) (EVA4100/6100/8100)
• XCS 09000000 (or later) (EVA4400)
• Command View 6.0.2 (or later) (EVA4100/6100/8100)
• Command View 8.0 (or later) (EVA4400)

P6550 EVA

• Command View host entry operating system: Custom, custom type "00000002024000A8"
• HP P6000 Command View 9.4 (or later) (P6300/P6500)
Notes:
For XCS 6.100 (or later), select Custom from the Operating System Type list, and then enter
00000002024000A8 as the Custom type.
For XCS 09003000 (or later), select Apple Mac OS X from the Operating System Type list.
Host adapter rules
• Supported only with ATTO 8 Gb and 4 Gb PCIe and PCI-x host adapters:

EVA4100
EVA4400

◦

Celerity FC-41XS, single channel, 64-bit/133 MHz PCI-X

EVA6400

◦

Celerity FC-42XS, dual channel, 64-bit/133 MHz PCI-X

EVA8100

◦

Celerity FC-41EL, single channel, x4 PCI Express

P6300 EVA

◦

Celerity FC-41ES, single channel, x4 PCI Express

P6350 EVA

◦

Celerity FC-42ES, dual channel, x4 PCI Express

◦

Celerity FC-44ES, quad channel, x8 PCI Express

EVA6100

EVA8400

P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA

For more information, see http://www.attotech.com/hp.
• Zoning is required when Apple OS X is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• Supported only with the following host adapters:
P2000 G3 FC

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000

1

◦

Celerity FC-82EN, dual channel, x8 PCI Express

◦

Celerity FC-84EN, quad channel, x8 PCI Express

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating systems
and other storage system families or types.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona) and the
required host settings described in the HP 3PAR Apple OS X Implementation Guide, available on the
HP Support Center website in the Manuals for HP 3PAR Operating System Software section.

Contact an HP storage representative for the latest information on product or firmware version support.

IBM AIX SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for IBM AIX.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 91 (page 191) describes the SAN configuration rules for IBM AIX. Table 92 (page 192)
describes support for IBM AIX storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.

190 Heterogeneous server rules

Table 91 IBM AIX SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

IBM AIX SAN rules
• Supports HACMP/ES Clusters. For specific version support, contact an HP storage representative.
• Zoning is required when IBM AIX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• Supports active/active and active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is required.

All supported

• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration implemented in multiple fabrics or in a single
fabric with zoned paths.
• For specific Secure Path zoning requirements, contact an HP storage representative.
• Supports boot from SAN for XP storage systems. For more information, see “P9000/XP SAN boot
support” (page 230).
• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).
• SVSP is supported with AIX 5.3 and 6.1.
• Supports HACMP/ES Clusters. For specific version support, contact an HP storage representative.
• Zoning is required when IBM AIX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

SVSP

• Supports active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is required.
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration implemented in multiple fabrics or in a single
fabric with zoned paths (must be Director Class to have dual path in the event of a component
failure).
• Zoning of host initiator ports, DPM target ports, DPM initiator ports, VSM ports, and storage target
ports per SVSP requirements.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona) and
the required host settings described in the 3PAR AIX Implementation Guide.

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class

• Supports HACMP/ES Clusters. For specific version support, contact an HP Storage representative.
• Zoning is required when IBM AIX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other Operating Systems.
• Active/Active failover mode supported. A multipath driver is required.
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration implemented in multiple fabrics or in a single
fabric with zoned paths.

1

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

IBM AIX SAN rules

191

Table 92 IBM AIX storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
P63xx/P65xx EVAEVA
4x00/6x00/8x002

EVA4x00/6x00/
8x002
P9500, XP7,
XP24000/20000,
XP12000/10000
SVSP 3.0
3PAR3

3PAR3

SVSP 3.0

MPIO5

Antemeta

HDLM

MPIO

MPIO

3PAR
MPIO

MPIO

MPIO5

S7

—

—

S7

S7

D

S

Antemeta

—

S6, 7

—

—

—

—

—

HDLM

—

—

S7

—

—

—

—

MPIO

7

—

7

7

S

S

7

Notes4
P63xx/P65xx EVA

P9500, XP7,
XP24000/20000,
XP12000/10000

S

—

S

7

S

MPIO

7

S

—

—

S

S

S

S

3PAR MPIO

D

—

—

S

D

S

—

MPIO

S

—

—

S

S

—

S

1

Legend: S = same server and HBA; D = same server and different HBA; — = not supported

2

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS firmware 6.110 or later.

3

3PAR storage requires that you enable both DynamicTracking and FastFail parameters on each of the IBM AIX FC HBAs connected
to 3PAR storage. 3PAR OS 3.1.2 is not supported with IBM AIX 5.3. For more information, see the HP 3PAR AIX Implementation
Guide.
Connection to a common server with different HBAs requires separate HBA zones for XP and P6000/EVA.

4
5

EVA4400/6400/8400 requires MPIO 1.0.4.1

6

Antemeta is supported with IBM native HBAs.

7

Requires AIX 5.3 (or later).

For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).

Linux SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for Linux.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 93 (page 192) describes SAN rules for Red Hat Linux and SUSE Linux.
Table 93 Linux SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1
All supported

P2000 G3 FC
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)
MSA2000fc

Linux SAN rules
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths.
• Zoning is required when Linux is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• For HBA parameter settings, see “MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, MSA2000fc
G2 and MSA2000fc storage system rules” (page 205).
• Supports boot from SAN, except for MSA2000fc with the latest versions of RHEL.
• Supports Device Mapper.

XP10000

• Zoning is required when Linux is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

XP12000

• Provides single-path support only.

XP20000

• Supports clusters (32-bit/64-bit).

192 Heterogeneous server rules

Table 93 Linux SAN configuration rules (continued)
Storage systems1

Linux SAN rules
• Supports active/active or active/passives failover mode.

XP24000

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230).

EVA4100
EVA4400
EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8100

• Zoning is required when Linux is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• Supports connection of single HBA servers.

EVA8400

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222).

P6300 EVA

• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

P6350 EVA
P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA

• Zoning
• Active/Passive support only (no device mapper support for Active/Passive array)

SVSP

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “SVSP SAN boot support” (page 240).
• For information about supported Fibre Channel components, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page
222).
SVSP 3.0

• Direct connect not supported.
• Requires a QLogic failover driver.
• For information about zoning of host initiator ports, DPM target ports, DPM initiator ports, VSM
ports, and storage target ports, see SVSP requirements.

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class
1

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating
systems and other storage system families or types.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona)
and the required host settings described in the HP 3PAR Linux Implementation Guide.

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Linux multipath software coexistence support
All HP FC storage systems supported with Linux are supported for coexistence on the same server
and HBA when using Device-Mapper Multipath software. The multipathing parameter settings for
each storage system are managed by Device Mapper.
Table 94 Linux storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
P2000 G3

P9500, XP7

MSA2000fc
XP24000/20000/
P63xx/P65xx EVA
G2(MSA2300fc) EVA4x00/6x00/8x00 12000/10000

3PAR

Device-Mapper Multipath
P2000 G3MSA2000fc G2(MSA2300fc)
P63xx/P65xx EVA
EVA4x00/6x00/8x00

Device-Mapper
Multipath

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Linux SAN rules

193

Table 94 Linux storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support (continued)
P2000 G3

P9500, XP7

MSA2000fc
XP24000/20000/
P63xx/P65xx EVA
G2(MSA2300fc) EVA4x00/6x00/8x00 12000/10000

3PAR

Device-Mapper Multipath
P9500, XP7
XP24000/20000/12000/10000
3PAR
1

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Legend: D = same server and different HBA; S = same server and HBA; — = not supported

Microsoft Windows SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for Microsoft Windows.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 95 (page 194) describes the SAN configuration rules for Microsoft Windows. Table 96 (page
195) describes support for Microsoft Windows storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.
Table 95 Microsoft Windows SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1
All supported

Windows SAN rules
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths.
• Zoning is required when Windows is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

P2000 G3 FC
MSA2000fc G2

• Supports a maximum of 64 hosts.
• Supports MSCS.

(MSA2300fc)

• Windows 2003 supported with HP MPIO FF DSM 2.6.0.5 (or later).

MSA2000fc

• Windows 2012, 2008 Microsoft MPIO DSM supported.
• For HBA parameter settings, see “MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, MSA2000fc
G2 and MSA2000fc storage system rules” (page 205).

XP10000
XP12000
XP20000

• Zoning is required when Windows is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

XP24000

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230).

XP 7
P9500
EVA4100

• Zoning is required when Windows is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

EVA4400

• In an environment with multiple Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 clusters that share a storage
array, configure each cluster and its storage in a separate zone. If the same storage array is used
by multiple clusters, the storage ports can be in an overlapping zone.

EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8000
EVA8100
EVA8400
P6300 EVA
P6350 EVA

• Supports active/active or active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is required, which is
supplied by HP.
• Supports MSCS and Microsoft Failover Clustering.
• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222).
• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

P6500 EVA

194

Heterogeneous server rules

Table 95 Microsoft Windows SAN configuration rules (continued)
Storage systems1

Windows SAN rules

P6550 EVA
• Zoning is required when Windows is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• In an environment with multiple Windows clusters that share a storage array, configure each cluster
and its storage in a separate zone. If the same storage array is used by multiple clusters, the storage
ports can be in an overlapping zone.

SVSP 3.0

• Supports only active/passive failover mode. A multipathing driver is required.
• Supports MSCS and Microsoft Failover Clustering.
• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “SVSP SAN boot support” (page 240).

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class
1

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating systems
and other storage system families or types.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona) and
the required host settings described in the HP 3PAR Microsoft Windows Implementation Guide.

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Table 96 Microsoft Windows storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
P2000 G3

XP 7
XP10000/12000XP

MSA2000fc
G2(MSA2300fc)

P63xx/P65xx EVA
MSA2000fc EVA4x00/6x00/8x002

20000/24000
P9500

MS MPIO
DSM3

HP
MPIO
FF4

MS
MPIO
DSM

S

S

S

S

S

HP
MPIO
FF4

S

S

—

S

MS
MPIO
DSM

S

—

S

S

S

S

SVSP 3.0

HP
MS MPIO MPIO MS MPIO
HP
FF4
DSM
DSM
MPIO FF

3PAR

MS
MPIO
DSM

3PAR
MPIO
DSM5

MS
MPIO
DSM6

MS
MPIO
DSM

—

—

—

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

—

—

S

—

S

S

—

S

—

S

S

—

S

S

—

S

—

—

—

S

—

P2000 G3
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)
MSA2000fc

P63xx/P65xx
EVA
EVA4x00/
6x00/8x00

HP
MPIO
XP10000/12000
FF4
XP20000/24000
MS
P9500
MPIO
DSM
XP 7

MS
MPIO
DSM

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

S

SVSP 3.0

HP
MPIO
FF

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

S

S

—

Microsoft Windows SAN rules 195

Table 96 Microsoft Windows storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support (continued)
P2000 G3

XP 7
XP10000/12000XP

MSA2000fc
G2(MSA2300fc)

P63xx/P65xx EVA
MSA2000fc EVA4x00/6x00/8x002

20000/24000
P9500

MS MPIO
DSM3

HP
MPIO
FF4

MS
MPIO
DSM

—

S

—

S

—

3PAR
MPIO
DSM5

—

S

—

S

MS
MPIO
DSM6

S

S

S

S

SVSP 3.0

HP
MS MPIO MPIO MS MPIO
HP
FF4
DSM
DSM
MPIO FF

3PAR

MS
MPIO
DSM

3PAR
MPIO
DSM5

MS
MPIO
DSM6

MS
MPIO
DSM

S

—

—

—

—

—

S

—

S

—

—

S

S

—

—

S

—

3PAR

1

Legend: S = same server and HBA; — = not supported

2

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires a minimum of XCS firmware 6.110.

3

Microsoft MPIO Device Specific Module

4

If 3PAR storage is in the same zone, you must use HP MPIO DSM version 4.x or later if you use the HP MPIO DSM.

5

3PAR MPIO DSM for Windows 2003 only.

6

Microsoft MPIO DSM for 3PAR storageis supported with Windows 2008 and later.

For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).

Oracle Solaris SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for Oracle Solaris.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 97 (page 197) describes the SAN configuration rules for Oracle Solaris. Table 98 (page 198)
describes support for Oracle Solaris storage, HBA, and multipathing coexistence.

196

Heterogeneous server rules

Table 97 Oracle Solaris SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

Solaris SAN rules
• Zoning is required when Solaris is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• Supports Veritas Cluster Server, Solaris Cluster, and PRIMECLUSTER. Contact an HP storage
representative for version and storage system support. Not all storage system types are supported
on all cluster solutions. 3PAR storage does not support PRIMECLUSTER.

All supported

• Each cluster must be in its own zone.
• Supports connection of single HBA servers.
• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration implemented in multiple fabrics or in a single
fabric with zoned paths.
• Requires a multipathing driver for active/active or active/passive failover with two or more paths.
3PAR storage does not support active/passive failover.
• Zoning is required when Oracle Solaris is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating
systems.

P2000 G3

• Single path is not supported. MPxIO is required.

MSA2000fc G2

• Retry count must be set to 10; entry in /kernel/drv/sd.conf must be set as follows:

(MSA2300fc)

SD-config-list=”HP

MSA”,”retries-timeout: 10”;

SD-config-list=”HP

P2000”,”retries-timeout: 10”;

Note: There should be six spaces between “HP” and the array model, “MSA” or “P2000.”
EVA4100

P6350 EVA

EVA4400

P6500 EVA

EVA6100

P6550 EVA

EVA6400

XP10000

EVA8100

XP12000

EVA8400

XP20000

P6300
EVA

XP24000

• Supports boot from SAN. For more information, see “P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222)
and “P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230).
• Requires MPxIO, Veritas Volume Manager DMP, or HDLM multipathing driver. For version support,
contact an HP storage representative. For multipathing coexistence support, see Table 98 (page
198).
• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

• SVSP supports Oracle Solaris and Solaris clusters as of 3.0.2 release. For more information about
Solaris support and supported Fibre Channel components, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
SVSP 3.0

• Requires MPxIO
• For information about zoning of host initiator ports, DPM target ports, DPM initiator ports, VSM
ports, and storage target ports, see the SVSP requirements.
• For information about configuring different storage system families on the same server with different
HBAs, see “Common server, different HBAs” (page 201).

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating systems
and other storage system families or types.
• For information about Solaris support and supported Fibre Channel components, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona) and
the required host settings described in the HP 3PAR Solaris Implementation Guide.

Oracle Solaris SAN rules

197

1

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Table 98 Oracle Solaris storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence support1
P2000 G3
MSA2000fc
G2(2300fc)
Notes3

P63xx/P65xx
EVAEVA4x00/
6x00/8x002

P9500, XP7, XP24000/20000,
XP12000/10000

SVSP
3.0

3PAR

MP

MP

VD4

H

MP

VD4, 5

MP

MP

VD4

MP

S

S

D

D

S

D

S

S

D

P63xx/P65xx EVA

MP

S

S

D

—

S

D

S

S

D

EVA4x00/
6x00/8x002

VD4

D

D

S

—

D

S

—

D

S

H

D

—

—

S

—

—

—

—

—

MP

S

S

D

—

S

D

S

S

D

VD4, 5

D

D

S

—

D

S

—

D

S

MP

S

S

—

—

S

—

S

S

D

MP

S

S

D

—

S

D

S

S

—

VD4

D

D

S

—

D

S

D

—

S

P2000 G3
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)

P9500, XP7,
XP24000/20000,
XP12000/10000
SVSP 3.0
3PAR
1

2
3

Legend: S = same server and HBA; D = same server and different HBA; — = not supported, MP = MPxIO, SP = Secure Path, VD
= Veritas DMP, H = Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager
For more information, see the HP 3PAR Solaris Implementation Guide.
EVA4100/6100/8100 requires a minimum of XCS firmware 6.110.
General notes:
• Connection to a common server with different HBAs requires separate HBA zones for 3PAR, XP, and P6000/EVA.
• Secure Path support with the same HBA requires 3.0d minimum. If Secure Path is combined with MPxIO on the same server,
Oracle-branded HBAs are required for MPxIO.

4

When using Symantec Veritas DMP, you must add the following lines to the /kernel/drv/fp.conf file:
• fcp_offline_delay=10;
• fp_offline_ticker=50;

5

Veritas DMP is not supported with XP7

For more information about storage system coexistence, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system
coexistence” (page 200).

VMware ESX SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for VMware ESX.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 99 (page 199) describes the SAN configuration rules for VMware ESX.

198 Heterogeneous server rules

Table 99 VMware ESX SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1
All supported

ESX SAN rules
Zoning is required when ESX is used in a heterogeneous SAN with
other operating systems.

EVA4100
EVA4400
EVA6100
EVA6400
EVA8100
EVA8400
P6300 EVA
P6350 EVA
P6500 EVA
P6550 EVA
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)

Supports Microsoft Windows Server 2003 base, with a maximum
of two nodes per cluster. It does not support Windows Server 2003
SP1.
Note: Not all listed storage systems are supported on all versions of
VMware ESX.

MSA2000fc
P2000 G3 FC
SVSP
XP10000
XP12000
XP20000
XP24000

3PAR StoreServ 10000/70003PAR F-Class,
T-Class

1

• Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN,
including other operating systems and other storage system
families or types.
• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type
parameter set (Host Persona) and the required host settings
described in the HP 3PAR VMware ESX Implementation Guide.

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information,
contact an HP storage representative.

VMware ESX HBA and multipath software coexistence support
All supported storage systems are supported on the same server using the same HBA and native
multipathing software.

Citrix Xen SAN rules
This section describes the SAN rules for Xen.
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 100 (page 200) describes SAN rules for Xen

Citrix Xen SAN rules 199

Table 100 Xen SAN configuration rules
Storage systems1

• Supports multipathing high-availability configuration in multiple fabrics or in a single fabric with
zoned paths.

All supported

• Zoning is required when Xen is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

P2000 G3 FC
MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2300fc)
MSA2000fc

Xen SAN rules

• For HBA parameter settings, see “MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, MSA2000fc
G2 and MSA2000fc storage system rules” (page 205).
• Boot from SAN is not supported.
• Supports Inbox Device Mapper.

XP10000

• Zoning is required when Xen is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.

XP12000

• Supports active/active or active/passives failover mode.

XP20000

• Boot from SAN is not supported.

XP24000
EVA4100
EVA4400
EVA6100
EVA6400

• Zoning is required when Xen is used in a heterogeneous SAN with other operating systems.
• Supports connection of single HBA servers.

EVA8100

• Boot from SAN is not supported.

EVA8400

• For HP P6000 Continuous Access configuration information, see “HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN integration” (page 220).

P6300 EVA
P6500 EVA

• 3PAR storage systems are not supported for common HBA access with other storage system
families. For information about configuring different storage system families on the same server
with different HBAs, see “Common server, different HBAs” (page 201).

3PAR StoreServ
10000/7000 3PAR F-Class, • Zoning by HBA is required when used in a heterogeneous SAN, including other operating
T-Class
systems and other storage system families or types.

• All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operating System type parameter set (Host Persona)
and the required host settings described in the HP 3PAR Citrix XenServer Implementation Guide.
1

Unlisted but supported storage systems have no additional SAN configuration restrictions. For the latest support information, contact
an HP storage representative.

Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence
HP supports SANs that contain different storage system types. This section defines rules for mixing
storage system types in a SAN.
Any combination of storage systems is supported in a SAN, provided that the configuration conforms
to all applicable fabric rules. For more information, see:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

•

“H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

•

“Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159)

200 Heterogeneous server rules

Common SAN storage coexistence
To configure different HP storage system types or third-party storage systems for coexistence in a
common SAN, without common access from the same server, define a separate zone for each
storage system family. Storage system families include:
•

P2000, MSA

•

P6000, EVA

•

P9500, XP

•

3PAR StoreServ 10000/7000; 3PAR F-Class, T-Class

•

SVSP

•

Third-party storage systems

To configure common server access to different storage system types, see “Common server access,
different storage system types” (page 201).

Common server access, different storage system types
Common server access enables simultaneous connectivity to different storage system types from
the same server. In some cases, connectivity to different storage system types, including disk and
tape, is allowed from the same HBA.
For supported common server access configurations and rules, see the storage solutions
documentation.
Common server access to HP storage and third-party storage is supported if you comply with the
following rules:
•

You must use HP-supported HBAs, parameter settings, drivers, and firmware to support HP
storage and third-party storage on the same HP or multi-vendor server.

•

Use different HP-supported HBA vendors if the required parameter settings, drivers, and
firmware are different for HP storage and the third-party storage.

•

Both HP storage and third-party storage must use the same multipath software.

Common server, common HBA
Simultaneous access to different storage system types from the same HBA is supported for some
storage systems. Each storage system must support identical:
•

HBA model numbers and firmware versions

•

Operating systems driver versions and parameter settings

•

Both HP storage and third-party storage must use the same multipath software

See the storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence table specific to each operating
system beginning with “HP-UX SAN rules” (page 184).

Common server, different HBAs
For information about supported storage system types using common server access with different
HBAs (Emulex and QLogic only), see the storage system, HBA, and multipath software coexistence
table specific to each operating system beginning with “HP-UX SAN rules” (page 184).
NOTE:

HP Brocade-branded HBAs are not supported for coexistence with other vendor HBAs.

For all multipath configurations, all paths for a given LUN must only be accessed by HBAs from
the same vendor (for example, Emulex or QLogic, but not both).

Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence 201

Connection to a common server with different HBA vendor products requires separate HBA zones
for each storage system:
•

All Fibre Channel HBA zones must contain HBAs from the same vendor.

•

A zone can contain different HBA models if they are all from the same HBA vendor.

•

A Fibre Channel HBA can be a member in more than one zone.

•

All HBA members in the same zone can reside in different servers, but must be the same
operating system type.

Failure to properly zone different HBA models may result in lost connectivity and instability of the
operating system.
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for a configuration review.
NOTE: For zoning requirements and recommendations on server operating system multipathing
settings, SCSI timeout settings, and HBA driver settings on 3PAR storage, see the HP 3PAR
implementation guides for each of the server operating systems.

Server zoning rules
A SAN configuration must conform to the zoning requirements of the operating system and other
SAN components. For specific information, see:
•

H-series—“H-series switch zoning limits” (page 144) and “Zoning enforcement for H-series
switches” (page 144)

•

B-series—“Zoning enforcement for B-series Fibre Channel switches and MP Router LSANs”
(page 116)

•

C-series—“Zoning limits for C-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 133) and “Zoning
enforcement for C-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 133)

•

“Configuration parameters” (page 216) for P6000/EVA

•

“Zoning” (page 222) for P6000/EVA

•

“Zoning” (page 229) for XP

•

“Zoning enforcement” (page 373)

•

“Zoning guidelines” (page 373)

•

“EBS zoning” (page 375)

•

“Zone naming” (page 375)

202 Heterogeneous server rules

11 MSA storage system rules
This chapter describes specific rules for the following entry-level storage systems:
•

HP MSA 2040 SAN

•

HP MSA 1040 FC

•

MSA P2000 FC, MSA P2000 FC/iSCSI

•

Modular Smart Array 2000fc G2

•

Modular Smart Array 2000fc

For the iSCSI rules for the MSA2000i, see “HP StorageWorks MSA family of iSCSI SAN arrays”
(page 316).

HP MSA storage system configurations
Table 101 (page 203) describes the configurations for the MSA family.
Table 101 HP MSA storage system configurations
Model

MSA 1040 FC

Array chassis

Preconfigured dual controller
LFF or SFF

Expansion options1

Expansion maximum

MSA 2040 LFF disk
enclosure

4 total enclosures

D2700 SFF disk enclosure
P2000 LFF drive enclosure

MSA 2040 SAN

MSA 2040 SFF

MSA 2040 LFF disk
enclosure

MSA 2040 LFF

D2700 SFF disk enclosure
P2000 LFF drive enclosure

48 LFF drives
99 SFF drives

8 total enclosures
96 LFF drives
199 SFF drives

P2000 3.5-in drive bay (LFF)
P2000 FC
P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI

P2000 2.5-in drive bay
(SFF)

P2000 LFF drive enclosure

2012 3.5-in drive bay (LFF,
upgrade only)

MSA2000 LFF drive
enclosure

2024 2.5-in drive bay (SFF,
upgrade only)

MSA70 SFF drive enclosure

MSA2000fc G2

2012 3.5-in drive bay (LFF)

(MSA2312fc/MSA2324fc)

2024 2.5-in drive bay (SFF)

MSA2000fc
(MSA2012fc/MSA2212fc)
1

Pre-configured single or dual
controller 3.5-in drive bay
(LFF)

D2700 SFF disk enclosure

MSA2000 LFF drive
enclosure
MSA70 SFF drive enclosure

MSA2000 LFF drive
enclosure

8 total enclosures or 149
drives
96 LFF drives
149 SFF drives

5 total enclosures or 99
drives
60 LFF drives
99 drives
4 total enclosures
48 LFF drives

Confirm cabling requirements and limitation in the cable configuration guide at http://www.hp.com/go/msa.

Table 102 (page 204) describes the MSA2000fc controller configurations.

HP MSA storage system configurations 203

Table 102 MSA2000fc controller configurations
Storage system

Description

MSA2012fc single controller

Used in a direct connect or SAN connect configuration with a standard single controller

MSA2012fc dual controller

Used in a direct connect or SAN connect configuration with standard dual controllers

MSA2212fc enhanced dual
controller

Used in a direct connect or SAN connect configuration with enhanced dual controllers

Heterogeneous SAN support
The MSA 2040/1040, P2000 G3, and MSA2000 families support heterogeneous access with
any of the operating systems listed in Table 103 (page 204). Standalone servers and clustered
servers are supported on the same storage system.
Table 103 MSA 2040/1040, P2000 G3 and MSA2000 family heterogeneous SAN support
Storage system

Firmware

Operating systems1

Switches

Microsoft Windows
MSA 1040

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

GL200R007 (or later)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX
Apple OS X
HP-UX

MSA 2040

Microsoft Windows

GL200R007 (or later)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX
H-series2

Apple OS X

B-series

HP-UX
OpenVMS

C-series
P2000 G3 FC
P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI

TS251P002-04(or
later)

3

HP FlexFabric 5900CP

Microsoft Windows
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Oracle Solaris
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX
HP-UX
Microsoft Windows

MSA2000fc G2
(MSA2312fc/MSA2324fc)

OpenVMS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux

M114P01 (or later)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX
Oracle Solaris

MSA2000fc
(MSA2012fc/MSA2212fc)

J202R10-03 (or later)

H-series

Linux

B-series

Microsoft Windows

C-series

VMware ESX

1

Not all operating systems listed are supported on all switch series or models.

2

The H-series switches have limited operating system support, see Table 53 (page 140).

3

HP FlexFabric 5900CP is not supported with MSA2000fc G2 storage systems.

204 MSA storage system rules

For the latest information on firmware versions and MSA storage system support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

Configuration rules
Table 104 (page 205) describes the MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, MSA2000fc
and MSA2000fc G2 storage system SAN configuration rules.
Table 104 MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, MSA2000fc G2 and MSA2000fc storage
system rules
Rule number

Description

1

The MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, MSA2000fc G2, MSA2000fc, and P2000 G3 FC are supported
in all SAN fabric topology configurations described in this guide.

2

Unless otherwise specified, the MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, MSA2000fc G2, MSA2000fc, and
P2000 G3 FC can be configured in a SAN using the switch models listed in this guide, see:
• Table 51 (page 137) (H-series switches)
• Table 21 (page 94) through Table 23 (page 95) (B-series)

3

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software (such as cluster
software) to preserve data.

4

MSA2000fc—When connecting to a SAN, disable Port Interconnect in the HP Storage Management
Utility. (See the HP StorageWorks 2000fc Modular Smart Array User Guide.)

5

MSA2000fc—Do not use the MSA2000fc port WWID in your zoning configuration. Port 1 on the
controller and the node share a WWID.

6

Linux with Emulex or QLogic—See the Installation and Reference Guide Device Mapper Multipath
Enablement Kit for HP StorageWorks Disk Arrays.
For all other supported operating systems, set the following parameters:
• Brocade: MPIO Mode Enable = off, Path Timeout = 60
• Emulex: LinkTimeOut = 60, NodeTimeOut = 60
• QLogic: Port Down Retry Count = 60, Link Down Timeout = 60

7

MSA2000fc—The primary controller presents the volumes. If the primary controller fails, the secondary
controller presents the volumes.

8

Use volume mapping to enable or disable volume access to specific hosts.

9

When connecting to a SAN, HP recommends setting the topology to "Point to Point" on the MSA 2040
SAN, MSA 1040 FC, MSA2000fc G2 and P2000 G3 FC. HP recommends setting the topology to
"Loop" in all cases for the MSA2000fc.

Zoning
These zoning rules apply to a heterogeneous SAN with MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000
G3 FC, FC/iSCSI, MSA2000fc G2, or MSA2000fc storage systems:
•

Zoning is required for all operating systems that access the array, see “Heterogeneous SAN
support” (page 204).

•

The array can be in multiple operating system zones.

For configurations that support common server access to multiple storage system types, see “Common
server access, different storage system types” (page 201).

Maximums
Table 105 (page 206) lists maximum configurations for the MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000
G3 FC, FC/iSCSI, MSA2000fc G2, and MSA2000fc.

HP MSA storage system configurations 205

Table 105 MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, FC/iSCSI, MSA2000fc G2, and MSA2000fc
maximum configurations
Storage systems

Operating systems

Drives

Hosts

Snapshots and
clones1

LUNs

LUN size

512

Up to 64 TB
depending
on vdisk
configuration

64 standard
(maximum 512
snapshots)

512

Up to 64 TB
depending
on vdisk
configuration

64 standard
(maximum 512
snapshots)

64

512

Up to 64 TB
64 standard
depending
(maximum 512
on vdisk
snapshots, clones or
configuration
remote snaps)

64

512

Up to 64 TB
depending Up to 255 snapshots
on vdisk
or clones
configuration

64

2562

Microsoft Windows 2008
Hyper-V 2012
MSA 1040 FC

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11

48 3.5-in LFF
99 2.5-in SFF

64

VMware 5
Apple OS X
HP-UX 11.31
Microsoft Windows 2008, Hyper-V
MSA 2040 SAN 2012
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6

96 3.5-in LFF
199 2.5-in SFF

64

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11
VMware 5
Apple OS X
HP-UX 11.23, 11.31
OpenVMS 8.3, 8.3-1H1
P2000 G3 FC
P2000 G3
FC/iSCSI

Citrix Xen Server HP Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
2008, Hyper-V 2012

96 3.5-in LFF
149 2.5-in SFF

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, 11
VMware ESX 3.5, 4.0
Oracle Solaris 10
HP-UX 11.23, 11.31
OpenVMS 8.3, 8.3-1H1
Citrix Xen Server HP Enterprise Edition

MSA2000fc G2 Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
2008, Hyper-V 2012
(MSA2312fc
/MSA2324fc)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5

60 3.5-in LFF
99 2.5-in SFF

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, 11
VMware ESX 3.0, 3.5, 4.0
Oracle Solaris 10
Citrix Xen Server HP Enterprise Edition
MSA2000fc
(MSA2012fc
/MSA2212fc)

Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
2008, Hyper-V 2012
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5

Up to 64 snapshots
48

16 TB

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, 10

Up to 128 volume
copies

VMware ESX 3.0, 3.5, 4.0
Oracle Solaris 10
1

Snapshots and clones require an additional license.

2

A single controller supports 128 LUNs. Two controllers are required for the maximum of 256 LUNs.

Contact an HP storage representative for a configuration review to determine support for
configurations that exceed the stated limits.

206 MSA storage system rules

P2000 data migration
The P2000 G3 Fibre Channel storage system supports data migration using the HP StorageWorks
MPX200 Multifunction Router data migration feature. This feature provides for block (LUN) level
data movement between source and destination storage systems.

MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes data migration
usage and support.
•

For information about FCoE, see “FCoE SAN fabrics” (page 25).

•

For information about iSCSI configurations, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for
P6000/EVA storage” (page 323), “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332), and “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page
329).

•

For information about FCIP, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275).

A license is required to enable the data migration feature in the MPX200. All licenses are
chassis-based, enabling data migration to be configured in both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis
configuration.
The following licenses are available for data migration:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 1TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 1 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 5TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 5 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis 1 Array Data Migration License—Includes the license
to migrate data from or to a single array using an MPX200 chassis.
NOTE: The MPX200 data migration has a unique fan-in/fan-out licensing model. Using this
particular license, you can migrate data from multiple arrays to a single array or from a single
array to multiple arrays. This license cannot be used when performing an iSCSI to iSCSI data
migration. For iSCSI to iSCSI data migration, you must use 1TB or 5TB capacity licenses.

Table 106 (page 208) describes the supported source and destination storage systems when using
the MPX200 data migration feature. All arrays listed are supported for offline and online data
migration, except where noted. Table 107 (page 209) describes the operating system support for
online data migration. For information about configuring the MPX200 for data migration, see the
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router Data Migration Solution Guide.

HP MSA storage system configurations 207

Table 106 P2000 data migration source-destination storage systems
Source storage systems

P2000 destination storage systems

• All HP MSA (Fibre Channel) and P6000/EVA models
• P9500/XP24000/20000, XP12000/10000
• SVSP
• 3PAR S-Class
Third-party array models:
• Dell EqualLogic family (iSCSI), Compellent Series 30
and 40 Controllers
• EMC CLARiiON AX series, CX Series, Symmetrix DMX
Series, Symmetrix VMAX SE (offline only), VNX5500
(offline only), VNX5300
• Fujitsu ETERNUS DX400, DX440 S2 (offline only),
DX8400
• Hitachi Data Systems V series (offline only), AMS
Family, WMS, DF-500, USP (offline only), VSP families
(offline only), TagmaStore Network StorageController
model NSC55
• IBM DS3000 series, DS4000 series (offline only),
DS5000 series, SVC, DS6000 series (offline only),
DS8000 series, XIV Storage System family (offline only),
nlStorwize V7000 Unified disk system (offline only)
• NEC D-Series SAN Storage arrays (offline only)
• NetApp FAS270, FAS250, FAS2000 Series, FAS3100
Series, FAS6000 Series (Fibre Channel and iSCSI)
• Xiotech Emprise 5000, Mag3D 4000

208 MSA storage system rules

P2000 G3 FC

Table 107 Online data migration operating system support
MPX200 online data migration support1

Online data migration destination storage system and
firmware (minimum)
• P2000 G3 FC (TS251P002-04)
• P4000 (9.0)
• P6350/P6550 (11001000)
• P6500/P6300 (10001000)
• EVA8100/6100/4100 (6.220)
• EVA8400/6400/4400 (09522000, 09534000)
See “P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218).

• Citrix XenServer 6.0
• HP-UX 11iv3, 11iv2, Clusters (Service Guard)
• IBM AIX 6.1, 5.32
• Microsoft Windows 2012 R2, 2008 R2, and 2003,
Failover Clustering and MSCS

• P9500 (70-00-50-00)
• XP24000/20000 (60-06-10-00)
• XP12000/10000 (50-09-83-00)
See “P9000/XP data migration” (page 231).

• Red Hat 6, 5 U4 , 4 U8, U7, U6, U3, Clusters (RH 6)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• SUSE 11, 10 SP3, SP1, Clusters (SUSE 11 U1)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7400, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• Oracle Solaris 10, Clusters 3.3

• 3PAR StoreServ 7450, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• VMware ESXi 5.1, 5.0, 4.1, 4.0, 3.5, Clusters

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7400c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7440c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7450c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 10400, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR StoreServ 10800, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class, 2.3.1 (MU2)
See “3PAR data migration” (page 243).

1

For operating system updates, the minimum supported version is specified.

2

IBM AIX 5.3 not supported with 3PAR OS 3.1.2 or later.

For the latest data migration storage system, operating system, and version support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

Management software support
The MSA 2040 SAN, MSA 1040 FC, P2000 G3 FC, FC/iSCSI, MSA2000fc G2, and MSA2000fc
support target-based management interfaces, including Telnet (CLI), FTP, and a web-based interface.
The web-based interface is supported with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

Tape storage
The following rules apply to tape storage support in a SAN with P2000 G3 FC, FC/iSCSI,
MSA2000fc G2, or MSA2000fc storage systems:
•

Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

•

Common HBAs for shared disk and tape connections are supported. Shared tape connections
can exist in a disk multipath environment, but there is no multipath support for tape connections
because they are zoned to only one host HBA. For optimal performance, HP recommends
using separate HBAs for disk and tape connections.

•

For a VLS, multiple heterogeneous initiators and multiple ports of the VLS device are supported
in the same fabric zone.
HP MSA storage system configurations 209

12 HP StoreVirtual storage system rules
This chapter describes specific rules for management groups with at least two of the following
storage systems:
•

HP StoreVirtual 4730 FC Storage

•
HP StoreVirtual 4330 FC Storage
This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage” (page 210)

•

“Campus cluster support” (page 210)

•

“Heterogeneous SAN support” (page 211)

•

“Configuration rules” (page 211)

•

“Configuration parameters” (page 212)

•

“Data migration” (page 212)

•

“Zoning” (page 212)

•

“Boot from SAN support” (page 212)

Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for information about support for
specific configurations, including the following elements:
•

LeftHand operating system version

•

Operating systems and Fibre Channel HBA support

•

Multipath configuration

Fibre Channel connectivity on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage is used for host traffic only. For all
management and cluster communication among storage nodes and iSCSI connectivity to other
initiators, a 10 GbE network is required.
To enable Fibre Channel for a management group, it must meet the following requirements:
•

There are at least two Fibre Channel enabled storage nodes (that is storage nodes with Fibre
Channel interfaces and on which Fibre Channel is enabled) in the management group

•

All storage nodes in the management group are running LeftHand operating system version
10.5 or higher

To extend Fibre Channel connectivity to existing HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage clusters, Fibre
Channel enabled storage nodes (see models listed at the beginning of this section) can be added
to these existing clusters. However, in cases where this is not recommended (different drive type,
different capacity), Fibre Channel enabled storage nodes should join the same management group,
but should form a new cluster. These storage nodes with Fibre Channel connectivity can serve as
gateway to volumes in other clusters in the same management group.

Campus cluster support
Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage can be deployed in clusters that are stretched
across two racks, data rooms or data centers. These installations require:

210

•

Two stretched Fibre Channel fabrics

•

A stretched 10 GbE Ethernet network

HP StoreVirtual storage system rules

NOTE: 500 MB/s (4,000 Mb/s) of bandwidth per storage node pair needs to be allocated on
the 10 GbE network between the two locations. Network latency among storage nodes cannot
exceed 1 ms.
The two Fibre Channel fabrics between the two sites can be stretched using any native and
transparent fabric extension technology, such as long-range optics and DWDM. SAN extension
using other intermediate protocols, like IP, is not supported in campus cluster configurations.
To set up the campus cluster functionality, create a multi-site cluster by assigning storage nodes to
sites. For more information on how to configure multi-site clusters and how to work with sites, see
the HP StoreVirtual documentation. Note that server connections, which are assigned to sites in
the management group and are configured for volume access via Fibre Channel, will not honor
the site preference. All multi-site cluster best practices apply.
All Fibre Channel ports of HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage must be visible to servers connecting via
Fibre Channel to ensure connectivity in case of port, node, or site failures. For more information,
see “Zoning” (page 212).
If Fibre Channel connectivity is used to access volumes on another cluster in the same management
group, the other cluster must have an identical site configuration.

Heterogeneous SAN support
HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage supports shared access with the operating system combinations
listed in the configuration sets on SPOCK. At the time of this writing, any combinations with Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 and later, and VMware vSphere 4 and later, is supported.
For more details on Fibre Channel HBA and switch support, see HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage
Configuration Sets available on SPOCK at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up
for an HP Passport to enable access.

Configuration rules
Table 108 (page 211) describes HP StoreVirtual 4000 storage system SAN configuration rules.
Table 108 Heterogeneous SAN storage with Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage rules
Rule number

Description

1

Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage is supported in all Fibre Channel SAN fabric
topology configurations described in this guide. This requires unique domain IDs in the entire Fibre
Channel SAN to which the StoreVirtual storage system is connected, including multiple independent
fabrics. Overlapping domain IDs (even in non-merged/independent fabrics) are not supported.

2

Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage can be configured in a SAN using the Fibre
Channel switch models listed in the HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage sets available on SPOCK at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

3

All Fibre Channel ports in a HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage management group must be zoned to
an HBA port of the server. The resulting zone has the HBA port of the server and all Fibre Channel
port of the HP StoreVirtual management group on the fabric as members.

4

Overlapping storage port zones are supported.

5

For information about shared access and heterogeneous platform zoning requirements,
see“Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence” (page 200).

6

A single server’s HBAs are supported for common access to other storage systems families as long
as the HBAs are from the same vendor, see “Zoning” (page 212).

7

To enable or disable volume or snapshot access to specific hosts, use the “Assign/unassign volumes
and snapshots” functionality in the Centralized Management Console. For more information, see
the HP StoreVirtual 4000 documentation.

8

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software (such as
cluster software) to preserve data integrity.
Heterogeneous SAN support

211

For information about configuring HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage using the Centralized Management
Console, see HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage User Guide.

Configuration parameters
For configuration settings for Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage, see HP StoreVirtual
4000 Storage User Guide, and configuration sets on SPOCK.

Data migration
Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage does not currently support data migration using
the MPX200. However, data from supported Fibre Channel source arrays can be migrated to
volumes on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage via iSCSI.
This data migration is done using the Multifunction Router data migration feature. It provides for
block (LUN) level data movement between source and destination storage systems.
For the latest data migration storage system, operating system, and version support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

Zoning
These zoning rules apply to a heterogeneous SAN with Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000
Storage:
•

Zoning by HBA is the HP recommended zoning method for Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual
4000 Storage, see “Configuration rules” (page 211).

•

Zoning is required for all operating systems that access HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage using
the Fibre Channel connection type, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).

•

Fibre Channel on HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage can be in multiple operating system zones.

Boot from SAN support
For current boot from SAN support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access to SPOCK.

212

HP StoreVirtual storage system rules

13 P6000/EVA storage system rules
This chapter describes specific rules for the following storage systems:
•

EVA4100

•

EVA4400

•

EVA6100

•

EVA8100

•

EVA6400/8400

•

P6300/P6500 EVA

•

P6350/P6550 EVA

IMPORTANT: HP P6000 storage was formerly called the HP Enterprise Virtual Array product
family. General references to HP P6000 can also refer to earlier versions of HP EVA products.
This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“P6000/EVA storage” (page 213)

•

“P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218)

•

“HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration” (page 220)

•

“Zoning” (page 222)

•

“P6000/EVA SAN boot support” (page 222)

•

“Storage management server integration” (page 222)

•

“Cabling” (page 223)

For information about the EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option, see “EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI
Connectivity Option ” (page 334).

P6000/EVA storage
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for information about support for
specific configurations, including the following elements:
•

Storage system firmware

•

HBA firmware and driver versions

P6000/EVA storage

213

Heterogeneous SAN support
P6000/EVA HSV-based controller storage systems support shared access with any combination
of operating systems listed in Table 109 (page 214).
Table 109 P6000/EVA heterogeneous SAN support
Storage systems1

Firmware2

EVA4100

B-series

EVA6100

XCS 6x

C-series

EVA8100

H-series

EVA4400

XCS 09xXCS 10x

EVA6400/8400

XCS 095xXCS 10x

P6300/P6500 EVA

Operating systems3

Switches

HP FlexFabric
5900CP4

Apple Mac
Citrix Xen Server
HP-UX
IBM AIX
Microsoft Windows
OpenVMS
Red Hat Linux

XCS 10x

Oracle Solaris

P6350/P6550 EVA

XCS 11x

B-series

SUSE Linux

C-series

Tru64 UNIX5

H-series

VMware ESX

HP FlexFabric
5900CP

Note: For the latest information on storage
system support, see the SPOCK website at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You
must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

1

EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS firmware 6.2x minimum.

2

Contact an HP storage representative for switch model and operating system support when using XCS 10x, 09x or 6x.

3

For the supported operating system versions, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159). Not all operating systems
listed are supported on all switch series or models.
HP FlexFabric 5900CP is not supported with EVA4100/6100/8100 storage systems.

4
5

The P63xx/P65xx EVA, EVA6400/8400 and EVA4400 are not supported with Tru64 UNIX.

Configuration rules
Table 110 (page 214) describes P6000/EVA storage system SAN configuration rules.
Table 110 P6000/EVA storage system rules
Rule
number

Description

1

P6000/EVA storage systems are supported in all SAN fabric topology configurations described in this
guide.

2

Unless otherwise specified, P6000/EVA storage systems can be configured in a SAN using the switch
models listed in this guide. See the following tables:
• Table 51 (page 137) (H-series switches)
• Table 21 (page 94) through Table 23 (page 95) (B-series)

214

3

For SANs with more than 1,024 HBAs, an HSV controller must be zoned for a maximum of 1,024 HBAs.
Add a zone to a SAN to satisfy the 1,024 HBA limit.

4

When using HP P6000 Continuous Access, the zoning limit is 256 HBAs.

5

For shared access and heterogeneous platform zoning requirements, see “Heterogeneous SAN storage
system coexistence” (page 200).

6

For EVA4400 storage systems with the EVA4400 Embedded Switch Module, 8 Gb Brocade connectivity
rules, see “B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 103). HP recommends setting the switch port
speed to autonegotiate.

P6000/EVA storage system rules

Table 110 P6000/EVA storage system rules (continued)
Rule
number
7

Description
EVA4400 (without the embedded switch module) with XCS 09x and EVA4100/6100/6400/8100/8400
are supported with 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, or 2 Gb/s switch or HBA direct connectivity only (see rule 9).
• EVA6400/8400 requires XCS 095x minimum.
• EVA4100/6100/8100 requires XCS 6.2x minimum.
• P6300/P6500 EVA requires XCS 10001000 minimum.
• P6350/P6550 EVA requires XCS 11001000 minimum.
• All Fibre Channel host port connections to P6000/EVA controllers must be set to autonegotiate, 8
Gb/s (P63xx/P65xx EVA only), 4 Gb/s, or 2 Gb/s. HP recommends setting the port speed to
autonegotiate.
• Fibre Channel 1 Gb/s components or fabric segments are allowed, including 1 Gb/s links for SAN
extension using long-distance direct Fibre Channel, WDM, or FCIP with 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s or 2 Gb/s
EVA models.
• P6000/EVA storage management server, Storage Management Appliance, and other supported
server connections to P6000/EVA controllers are allowed at 1 Gb/s when connected to a Fibre
Channel switch, provided that the P6000/EVA port is connected at 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, or 2 Gb/s.
Note: This rule applies to P6000/EVA controllers connected to a Fibre Channel switch and to P6000/EVA
controllers using direct connect to a server or HBA (also see rule 9).

8

EVA4100/4400/6100/6400/8100/8400 supports active/active failover.
Active/active failover and active/passive failover require a minimum of two Fibre Channel HBAs and
native operating system or layered multipathing driver functionality.
For exceptions, see “Single path implementation” in the HP StorageWorks 4x00/6x00/8x00 Enterprise
Virtual Array User Guide, available at http://www.hp.com/support/manuals. In the Storage section,
click Disk Storage Systems, and then select your product.

9

P6000/EVA storage systems are supported in configurations with a combination of fabric attached and
direct connect servers (direct connect uses no Fibre Channel switch). This is subject to the system maximum
for host connections. EVA XL storage system support includes support for mixed Fibre Channel speeds on
different host ports (4 Gb/s and 2 Gb/s) when using 4 Gb/s controllers.
• HP-UX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows are supported for direct connect.
• In a Linux environment, direct connect is supported with Emulex HBAs, except when booting from
Itanium servers. Direct connect is not supported with Brocade or QLogic HBAs (except where listed
below).
• Direct connect to blade servers is not supported.
Note the following direct connect restrictions for the EVA6400/8400:
• In a Windows environment (4 and 8 Gb), direct connect is supported with Emulex HBAs, except when
booting the operating system from the EVA. Direct connect and direct connect boot are supported with
QLogic HBAs. Direct connect is not supported with Brocade HBAs.
• In a Linux environment, direct connect is supported with Emulex 4 and 8 Gb HBAs, except when
booting the operating system from the EVA. Direct connect and direct connect boot are supported with
QLogic 8 Gb HBAs. Direct connect is not supported with Brocade HBAs.
• In an HP-UX environment, direct connect is not supported with 2 Gb HBAs or Emulex 4 Gb PCI-e HBAs.
Direct connect is not supported with Brocade HBAs.
Use the EVA OCP or WOCP to specify the proper topology setting for the controller host ports
(P63xx/P65xx/EVA4100/6100/6400/8100/8400).
• For fabric—Set the applicable HSV controller host ports to Fabric.
• For direct connect—Set the applicable HSV controller host ports to Direct Connect.
For information about the OCP or WOCP, see the P6000/EVA storage system documentation for your
model.
For information about configuring direct connect, see the HP 4400 Enterprise Virtual Array Installation
Guide.

P6000/EVA storage

215

Table 110 P6000/EVA storage system rules (continued)
Rule
number
10

Description
All P6000/EVA host ports must contain a cable or a loopback connector; otherwise, host port error events
will persist. If the P6000/EVA host port is empty, perform the following steps:
• From the OCP or WOCP, set the port to direct connect mode.
• Insert a loopback connector when a P6000/EVA host port is not connected to a switch or an HBA
(for direct connect).

11

Supports connection of single HBA servers. Contact an HP storage representative for the white paper
Connecting Single HBA Servers to the Enterprise Virtual Array without Multipathing Software.
Servers without native or layered multipathing software are not supported for HP P6000 Continuous
Access.

12

Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

13

Overlapping storage port zones are supported if multiple operating systems share an array port.

14

Use storage system LUN presentation to enable/disable LUN access to specific hosts.

15

All host table entries must have the operating system type parameter set (based on the operating system
accessing the assigned LUNs).

16

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software (such as cluster
software) to preserve data.

For information about configuring the Storage Management Appliance with storage systems in the
same SAN fabric, see “Storage management server integration” (page 222).

Configuration parameters
This section describes general P6000/EVA configuration parameters. Specific solutions, such as
high-availability clusters, or applications, such as HP P6000 Continuous Access (see “HP P6000
Continuous Access SAN integration” (page 220)), can define additional configuration parameters
or requirements. Solution requirements must be observed as specified by the solution configuration
documentation.
Table 111 (page 217) lists the maximum number of connections supported by P6000/EVA storage,
and the storage limits for each platform. The maximums are for access to a single P6000/EVA
storage system with redundant dual controllers. If the connection requirements for the number of
servers in a particular SAN exceed the maximum, deploy multiple storage systems in the SAN.
General maximums are as follows:
•

1,024 HBAs

•

Up to 256 LUN presentations per a single virtual disk

•

Up to 8,192 LUN presentations for all LUNs

For more information about P6000/EVA maximums, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference.
A LUN presentation is the number of hosts presented to, regardless of how many adapters are in
each host. For example, if a LUN is presented to eight hosts, that LUN has eight LUN presentations.
If a LUN is presented to two hosts, that LUN has two LUN presentations.

216

LUNs #001 through #032 are presented to 8-node cluster

= 0256 LUN presentations

LUNs #033 through #064 are presented to 8-node cluster

= 0256 LUN presentations

LUNs #065 through #096 are presented to 8-node cluster

= 0256 LUN presentations

LUNs #097 through #128 are presented to 8-node cluster

= 0256 LUN presentations

LUNs #129 through #160 are presented to 8-node cluster

= 0256 LUN presentations

P6000/EVA storage system rules

LUNs #161 through #192 are presented to 4-node cluster

= 0128 LUN presentations

LUNs #193 through #200 are presented to single host

= 0008 LUN presentations

When all LUNs are presented to all hosts, the number of LUNs multiplied by the number of hosts
must not exceed 8,192.
Table 111 (page 217) lists the maximum number of EVA storage systems that can be configured
on a single server. There is no limit on the maximum number of EVA storage systems in a SAN.
Table 111 EVA single-server maximum configurations
Operating systems1, 2

EVA storage systems per HBA3

LUNs per HBA target3, 4

NAS EFS Clustered
Gateway - Linux Edition
SUSE SLES 9

8

255

NAS EFS Clustered
Gateway - Windows
Edition Windows
Storage Server 2003

8

64

Tru64 UNIX5

64

255

IBM AIX

16

255

HP-UX

32

255

Linux (2.6 kernel)

16

255

Linux (2.4 kernel)

16

128

EVA4100/4400

OpenVMS

32

255

EVA6100

Oracle Solaris

16

255

VMware ESX 5.0 and
above

32

256 (per server)

VMware ESX 4.0, 3.x6

15

256 (per server)

15

128 (per server)

16

255 (per server)

16

255

Storage systems

EVA4100
EVA6100
EVA8100

EVA8100
EVA6400/8400
P6300/P6500 EVA
P6350/P6550 EVA

6

VMware ESX 2.5.x
Windows 20007
Windows 2003
Windows 2008
Windows 20128
Xen
1

For the supported operating system versions, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).

2

The maximum number of HBAs supported per server depends on the server model. (See the server documentation.) For Tru64 UNIX,
the maximum is 64 HBAs per server when using 5.1a (or earlier), 255 HBAs per server when using 5.1b (or later).
Multipath software may impose additional restrictions:

3

• Windows MPIO supports up to 32 paths per LUN.
• Secure Path for AIX supports up to 32 LUNs per HBA.
4

The maximum number of configurable LUNs per HBA target may be less based on performance requirements.

5

The P63xx/P65xx EVA is not supported with Tru64 UNIX.

6

VMware maximums are per VMware server, regardless of the number of guest operating systems. EVA6400/8400 is not supported
with ESX 2.5.x. The P63xx/P65xx EVA is not supported with ESX 2.5.x/3.x
Windows 2000 is not supported with the P63xx/P65xx EVA or EVA4400/6400/8400.

7
8

Windows 2012 is not supported with the EVA4100/6000/6100.

P6000/EVA storage

217

P6000/EVA data migration
The P6000/EVA family of Fibre Channel storage systems supports data migration using the HP
StorageWorks MPX200 Multifunction Router data migration feature. This feature provides for block
(LUN) level data movement between source and destination storage systems.

MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes data migration
usage and support.
•

For information about FCoE, see “FCoE SAN fabrics” (page 25).

•

For information about iSCSI configurations, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for
P6000/EVA storage” (page 323), “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332), and “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page
329).

•

For information about FCIP, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275).

A license is required to enable the data migration feature in the MPX200. All licenses are
chassis-based, enabling data migration to be configured in both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis
configuration.
The following licenses are available for data migration:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 1TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 1 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 5TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 5 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis 1 Array Data Migration License—Includes the license
to migrate data from or to a single array using an MPX200 chassis.
NOTE: The MPX200 data migration has a unique fan-in/fan-out licensing model. Using this
particular license, you can migrate data from multiple arrays to a single array or from a single
array to multiple arrays. This license cannot be used when performing an iSCSI to iSCSI data
migration. For iSCSI to iSCSI data migration, you must use 1TB or 5TB capacity licenses.

Table 112 (page 219) describes the supported source and destination storage systems when using
the MPX200 data migration feature. All arrays listed are supported for offline and online data
migration, except where noted. Table 113 (page 220) describes the operating system support for
online data migration. For information about configuring the MPX200 for data migration, see the
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router Data Migration Solution Guide.

218

P6000/EVA storage system rules

Table 112 P6000/EVA data migration source-destination storage systems
Source storage systems

P6000/EVA destination storage systems

• All HP MSA (Fibre Channel) and P6000/EVA models
• P9500/XP24000/20000, XP12000/10000
• SVSP
• 3PAR S-Class
Third-party array models:
• Dell EqualLogic family (iSCSI), Compellent Series 30
and 40 Controllers
• EMC CLARiiON AX series, CX Series, Symmetrix DMX
Series, Symmetrix VMAX SE (offline only), VNX5500
•
(offline only), VNX5300
•
• Fujitsu ETERNUS DX400, DX440 S2 (offline only),
•
DX8400
•
• Hitachi Data Systems V series (offline only), AMS
Family, WMS, DF-500, USP (offline only), VSP families •
(offline only), TagmaStore Network StorageController
model NSC55

EVA4400/4400 with embedded switch
EVA4100/6100/8100
EVA6400/8400
P6300/P6500 EVA
P6350/P6550

• IBM DS3000 series, DS4000 series (offline only),
DS5000 series, SVC, DS6000 series (offline only),
DS8000 series, XIV Storage System family (offline only),
nlStorwize V7000 Unified disk system (offline only)
• NEC D-Series SAN Storage arrays (offline only)
• NetApp FAS270, FAS250, FAS2000 Series, FAS3100
Series, FAS6000 Series (Fibre Channel and iSCSI)
• Xiotech Emprise 5000, Mag3D 4000

P6000/EVA data migration

219

Table 113 Online data migration operating system support
MPX200 online data migration support1

Online data migration destination storage system and
firmware (minimum)
• P2000 G3 FC (TS251P002-04)
• P4000 (9.0)
• P6350/P6550 (11001000)
• P6500/P6300 (10001000)
• EVA8100/6100/4100 (6.220)
• EVA8400/6400/4400 (09534000)
See “P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218).

• Citrix XenServer 6.0
• HP-UX 11iv3, 11iv2, Clusters (Service Guard)
• IBM AIX 6.1, 5.32
• Microsoft Windows 2012 R2, 2008 R2 and 2003,
Failover Clustering and MSCS

• P9500 (70-00-50-00)
• XP24000/20000 (60-06-10-00)
• XP12000/10000 (50-09-83-00)
See “P9000/XP data migration” (page 231)

• Red Hat 6, 5 U4 , 4 U8, U7, U6, U3, Clusters (RH 6)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• SUSE 11, 10 SP3, SP1, Clusters (SUSE 11 U1)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7400, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• Oracle Solaris 10, Clusters 3.3

• 3PAR StoreServ 7450, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• VMware ESXi 5.1, 5.0, 4.1, 4.0, 3.5, Clusters

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7400c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7440c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7450c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 10400, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR StoreServ 10800, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class, 2.3.1 (MU42)
See “3PAR data migration” (page 243).

1

For operating system updates, the minimum supported version is specified.

2

IBM AIX 5.3 not supported with 3PAR OS 3.1.2 or later.

For current data migration storage system support and up-to-date operating system version support,
see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport
to enable access.

Data migration considerations
MPX200 connectivity to P6000/EVA storage as a data migration destination array is obtained
through a Fibre Channel switch configured in the same fabric as the MPX200 Fibre Channel ports.
When the data migration operation is complete, server connectivity to the P6000/EVA storage
system must be configured based on current P6000/EVA support for operating systems, HBAs,
and multipath software. For current operating system/version and data migration storage system
support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an
HP Passport to enable access.

HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration
HP P6000 Continuous Access is supported in a heterogeneous SAN, provided that you follow the
rules described in Table 114 (page 221).

220 P6000/EVA storage system rules

Table 114 HP P6000 Continuous Access heterogeneous SAN configuration rules
Rule
number
1

Description
HP strongly recommends that all HP P6000 Continuous Access deployments implement level 4 NSPOF
SANs using two or more separate fabrics, see “Data availability” (page 40).
HP P6000 Continuous Access supports a subset of operating systems listed in this guide, which limits the
types of servers that can reside in the HP P6000 Continuous Access management zone. For more
information, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array Compatibility Reference at http://www.hp.com/
storage/spock.

2

The maximum number of switches and switch hops supported in a fabric with HP P6000 Continuous Access
is based on the limits for B-series, C-series, and H-series fabrics. All active and standby links must conform
to the switch hop limits, including the host-to-local storage link, the local storage-to-remote storage link,
and the local host-to-remote storage link. For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access
Implementation Guide at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/conaccesseva/
index.html and the switch and fabric rules. For switch and fabric rules, see:
• “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)
• “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)
• “H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)
For HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS version 09534000 (or later), HP supports two storage system
data replication protocols: the HP-FC protocol and the HP SCSI-FCP protocol. You must configure the Fibre
Channel switches based on which data replication protocol you use.
For H-series switches, you must use the HP SCSI FC Compliant Data Replication Protocol.

3

Shared usage of HP P6000 Continuous Access-configured storage systems by non-HP P6000 Continuous
Access-configured servers (for example, a single HBA or an operating system without multipathing support)
or non-HP P6000 Continuous Access-supported operating systems is not supported.

4

For information about supported versions of clustering software and Secure Path, contact an HP storage
representative.

5

Each HP P6000 Continuous Access implementation can contain 16 EVAs; each EVA is limited to 256
HBAs. With 2 HBAs per server, 128 servers are possible. Multiple HP P6000 Continuous Access solutions
can exist in the same SAN, provided that no solution exceeds the 16-array limit, imposed by zoning.

6

The maximum number of copy sets, DR groups, and remote copy sets is based on the EVA storage system
model and controller software version (see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array Compatibility Reference).
On all storage systems, the limit is the total number of DR groups and copy sets that are either a source
or a destination. When replicating across storage systems with different limits, the lower limit applies to
the storage system replication pair.

7

The HP P6000 Continuous Access link supports mixed heterogeneous SAN, HP P6000 Continuous Access,
and OpenVMS host-based shadowing traffic.

8

Two Storage Management Appliance Command View element managers are required: one active and
one either active in standby mode or in powered-off, passive mode. The active appliance and HP P6000
Command View can be used for initial setup of HP P6000 Continuous Access storage. Management of
the operational HP P6000 Continuous Access environment is done through the HP Replication Solutions
Manager and other products installed on the Storage Management Appliances.
For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide, available at http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/conaccesseva/index.html.

9

When adding EVA storage systems to a zone, use the controller port WWNs when implementing a
straight-cable configuration. Use the storage system WWN when implementing a cross-cable configuration.
For more information, see “Cabling” (page 223) and the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation
Guide.

HP P6000 Continuous Access SAN integration 221

Zoning
These zoning rules apply to a heterogeneous SAN with P6000/EVA storage:
•

Zoning is required for all operating systems that access P6000/EVA storage systems, see
“Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).

•

P6000/EVA storage can be in multiple operating system zones.

For configurations that support common server access to multiple storage system types, see “Common
server access, different storage system types” (page 201).
Table 115 (page 222) lists zoning rules for heterogeneous SANs with P6000/EVA storage.
Table 115 P6000/EVA configuration zoning rules
Rule number

Description

1

If a storage management server resides in the fabric, each operating system type must be in a separate
zone or VSAN. For more information, see “Storage management server integration” (page 222).

2

For C-series switches, each operating system type must be in a separate zone or VSAN.

Tape storage
The following rules apply to tape storage support in a SAN with P6000/EVA storage:
•

Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

•

Separate or common HBAs for disk and tape connections are supported.

•

For a VLS, multiple heterogeneous initiators and multiple ports of the VLS device are supported
in the same fabric zone.

•

HP recommends using a separate tape-to-HBA connection for servers when backups require
more than four DLT8000 tape drives or two Ultrium (LTO) tape drives.

For more information about tape storage support, contact your HP representative.

P6000/EVA SAN boot support
For current storage system support, see the Boot from SAN website at http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/networking/bootsan.html and the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. For the SPOCK website, you must sign up for an HP Passport to
enable access.
For HP P6000 Continuous Access, if the operating system supports boot from SAN, replication of
the boot disk is supported.
SAN boot through the B-series 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade is not supported.

Storage management server integration
A management server is required to manage an P6000/EVA storage system. The management
server can be an SMA, GPS, management station (dedicated server), or HP Storage Server. The
management server communicates with storage systems in-band through a Fibre Channel connection.
NOTE: Command View EVA 6.0 (or later) includes a more flexible security feature, which requires
the establishment of read/write (ability to manipulate storage) and/or read-only accounts. Before
using P6000 Command View or Command View EVA, be sure to review and implement the
Command View account security feature setup procedures. After you enable security, you cannot
disable it.
Table 116 (page 223) describes the rules for using a management server for P6000/EVA storage
systems.

222 P6000/EVA storage system rules

Table 116 Storage management server configuration rules
Rule number

Description

1

A storage management server is required for any fabric that contains a P6000/EVA storage system.

2

P6000 Command View 9.4 (or later) is required for P6300/P6500 EVA. P6000 Command View
10.1 (or later) is required for P6350/P6550 EVA.

3

Command View EVA 9.0 (or later) is required for the EVA6400/8400.

4

Command View EVA 8.0 (or later) is required for the EVA4400.

5

Command View EVA 5.0 (or later) supports management of multiple fabrics from a single instance.

6

Command View EVA 5.0 (or later) is required for the EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option.

7

Command View EVA 4x (or later) supports EVA4100/6100/8100 storage systems using XCS 6x
(or later).

8

If a storage management server resides in the fabric, it is recommended that it be configured in a
separate zone from all operating systems.
Create a storage management zone for the storage management server and the elements it will
monitor and manage.

9

It is not necessary to include the switch WWNs or server HBA WWNs in the storage management
server zone.
Management communication to these devices from the storage management server is done out-of-band
or outside the fabric via TCP/IP.

10

EVA Element Manager can operate in a dual-fabric configuration. Up to 16 P6000/EVA storage
systems can be managed from a single instance of Command View Element Manager.

11

Multiple storage management servers per fabric are allowed. A single P6000/EVA can be zoned
with more then one instance of HP P6000 Command View, independent of where HP P6000
Command View is loaded (SMA, GPS, management station, or HP Storage Server).

12

Each storage system can be managed by only one active storage management server.
Any standby storage management server can be powered on, but the HP P6000 Command View
or HP P6000 Continuous Access user interface must not control the storage system.
For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide, available at
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/conaccesseva/index.html.

13

For fabrics with more than 1,024 HBAs, the HSV controller must be zoned to limit access to a
maximum of 1,024 HBAs.
Add zones to the fabric as needed to adhere to the 1,024 HBA limit.

Cabling
This section describes cabling options for high-availability multipathing configurations for
P6000/EVA storage systems.

Level 4 NSPOF configuration
Figure 72 (page 224) through Figure 75 (page 225) show cabling options when implementing a
level 4, high-availability, NSPOF configuration. For a description of availability levels, see “Data
availability” (page 40).
Figure 72 (page 224) shows the physical connections for a straight-cable, high-availability NSPOF
configuration for EVA4100/6100 storage systems. This cabling scheme supports non-HP P6000
Continuous Access configurations and HP P6000 Continuous Access configurations with
EVA4100/6100 storage systems.

Cabling 223

Figure 72 EVA4100/6100 straight-cable, high-availability configuration

25130b

Figure 73 (page 224) shows the physical connections for a straight-cable, high-availability NSPOF
configuration for EVA4400 storage systems. This cabling scheme is also supported for HP P6000
Continuous Access.
Figure 73 EVA4400 9x straight-cable configuration

A

B

26408a

Figure 74 (page 225) shows the cabling scheme for both non-HP P6000 Continuous Access and
HP P6000 Continuous Access configurations for EVA8100 storage systems.

224 P6000/EVA storage system rules

Figure 74 EVA8100 straight-cable configuration

25131b

Figure 75 (page 225) shows an EVA8100 configuration in which all controller host ports support
two independent, dual-redundant SANs. In this configuration, SAN 1 represents a dual-redundant
SAN with Fabric A and Fabric B. Path failover is available between Fabric A and Fabric B. SAN
2 represents a second dual-redundant SAN with Fabric C and Fabric D. Path failover is available
between Fabric C and Fabric D.
A modified version of this configuration allows for up to eight fabrics, two configured in a
dual-redundant SAN with up to six independent fabrics. A minimum of two fabrics must be
configured as a dual-redundant SAN to provide redundant access for the EVA management server.
Figure 75 EVA8100 two independent, dual-redundant SAN configuration

Fabric A
SAN 1

Fabric B

Fabric C
SAN 2

Fabric D
25132a

Dual-channel HBA configurations
Use dual-channel HBAs when the number of server PCI slots is limited. Most installations are
configured as shown in Figure 76 (page 226) or Figure 77 (page 226). Both configurations are
implemented using a single PCI slot to provide access to the same targets or LUNs, or to a different
set of storage targets or LUNs through separate ports on the HBA.
Each dual-channel HBA provides greater performance than a single-channel HBA for a single PCI
slot.
Target ranges are examples only. The number of storage controller targets and LUNs associated
with each accessible target is operating system dependent.
Cabling 225

Figure 76 (page 226) shows two HBA paths connected to the same Fibre Channel switch.
Figure 76 Single PCI slot with dual-channel HBA and one switch
Dual-channel
HBA
Port 1

Port 2
Targets C, D,...

Targets A, B,...

25137b

The configuration shown in Figure 77 (page 226) provides increased availability during a single
switch failure. For example, availability to a specific set of targets is increased by configuring
access to targets A, B on both paths.
Figure 77 Single PCI slot with dual-channel HBA and two switches
Dual-channel
HBA
Port 1

Port 2
Targets C, D, or
Targets A, B,...

Targets A, B,...
1

2
25138b

Figure 78 (page 226) shows a sample NSPOF solution with two dual-channel HBAs. This availability
solution is equivalent to using two single-channel HBAs. For more information, see “Data availability”
(page 40).
Figure 78 Two dual-channel HBAs (NSPOF)
Dual-channel
HBA
Port 1
Targets A, B,...

Port 2

Targets C, D,...

1

Dual-channel
HBA
Port 1

Port 2

Targets A, B,...

Targets C, D,...

2
25139b

226 P6000/EVA storage system rules

14 P9000/XP storage system rules
This chapter describes specific rules for the following storage systems:
• XP7

• XP12000

• P9500

• XP10000

• XP24000
• XP20000

This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“P9000/XP storage systems” (page 227)

•

“P9000/XP SAN boot support” (page 230)

•

“LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP support” (page 231)

•

“P9000/XP data migration” (page 231)

P9000/XP storage systems
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for information about support for
specific configurations, including the following elements:
•

Storage system firmware

•

HBA firmware and driver versions

•

Multipath software

Heterogeneous SAN support
P9000/XP storage systems support shared access with any combination of operating systems listed
in Table 117 (page 227).
Table 117 P9000/XP heterogeneous SAN support
Storage systems

Firmware version1

Switches2, 3

Operating systems3
HP-UX
IBM AIX
Microsoft Windows

XP7

80x

B-series

Red Hat Linux

C-series

Oracle Solaris
SUSE Linux
VMware ESX
NonStop
HP-UX
IBM AIX

B-series4
P9500

70x

C-series
H-series5
HP FlexFabric 5900CP

Microsoft Windows
OpenVMS
Red Hat Linux
Oracle Solaris
SUSE Linux
VMware ESX
NonStop

P9000/XP storage systems 227

Table 117 P9000/XP heterogeneous SAN support (continued)
Storage systems

Firmware version1

Switches2, 3

Operating systems3
Citrix 5.6

XP20000

HP-UX

60x

XP24000

IBM AIX
Microsoft Windows

XP12000

50x

XP10000

B-series

OpenVMS

C-series

Red Hat Linux

H-series5

Oracle Solaris
SUSE Linux
Tru64 UNIX
VMware ESX

1

Contact an HP storage representative for the latest firmware version support.

2

XP7 and P9500 storage systems are not supported with 2 Gb/s switches.

3

For the supported operating system versions, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159). Not all operating systems
listed are supported on all switch series or models.
B-series switches set to mode 3 are not supported with the following firmware versions: 70-06-09-00/00, 70-06-11-00/00,
70-06-13-00/00 and 70-06-15-00/00.
The H-series switches have limited operating system support, see “H-series switches servers, operating systems, and
storage system support” (page 140).

4

5

Configuration rules
Table 118 (page 228) describes P9000/XP storage system SAN configuration rules.
Table 118 P9000/XP storage system rules
Rule
number

Description

1

P9000/XP storage systems are supported in all SAN fabric topology configurations described in this guide.

2

Unless otherwise specified, P9000/XP storage systems can be configured in a SAN using the switch models
listed in this guide. See the following tables:
• Table 51 (page 137) for H-series switches
• Table 21 (page 94) through Table 23 (page 95) for B-series
XP7 and P9500 storage systems are not supported with 2 Gb/s switches.
XP7 storage systems are not supported with H-series switches.

3

Storage ports can be accessed from heterogeneous operating system types and multiple clusters for HA
and non-HA configurations.
Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

4

LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP are required for LUN isolation with multiple hosts connected
through a shared array port.

5

Connection to a common server is supported for P9500/XP storage systems.
See “Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence” (page 200).

228 P9000/XP storage system rules

Table 118 P9000/XP storage system rules (continued)
Rule
number
6

Description
XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000 storage systems support F_Port, FL_Port, and NL_Port connectivity.
Use the following settings based on the required connectivity type:
• Switch/Fabric (F_Port), Fabric = On, Connection = Point to Point
• Switch/Fabric (FL_Port), Fabric = On, Connection = FC-AL
• Direct connect (no Fibre Channel switch) (NL_Port), Fabric = Off, Connection = FC-AL
See “HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access configuration support” (page 298) for settings when using HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.

7

Multiple operating systems and multiple clusters can be supported on the same fabric with appropriate
zoning.

8

Host zones must contain homogeneous operating system types.

9

Overlapping storage port zones are supported if more than one operating system must share an array
port.

10

Heterogeneous operating systems can share an P9000/XP array port with the appropriate host group/mode
settings (see P9000/XP documentation). All others must use a dedicated P9000/XP port.

11

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software (such as cluster
software) to preserve data.

Zoning
These zoning rules apply to a heterogeneous SAN with P9000/XP storage systems:
•

Zoning is required for all operating systems that access P9000/XP storage systems.
See “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).

•

P9000/XP storage systems can be in multiple operating system zones.

For configurations that support common server access to multiple storage system types, see “Common
server access, different storage system types” (page 201).

Tape storage
The following rules apply to tape storage support in a SAN with P9000/XP storage systems:
•

Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

•

Separate or common HBAs for disk and tape connections are supported.

•

For a VLS, multiple heterogeneous initiators and multiple ports of the VLS device are supported
in the same fabric zone.

•

HP recommends using a separate tape-to-HBA connection for servers when backups require
more than four DLT8000 tape drives or two Ultrium (LTO) tape drives.

For more information about tape storage support, contact your HP representative.
Figure 79 (page 230) shows a configuration with XP storage systems in the same fabric as tape
storage.

P9000/XP storage systems 229

Figure 79 P9000/XP storage systems with tape storage in a shared fabric

HP-UX

Windows

Solaris

AIX

VMware

All supported switches

XP

P9500

FC bridge

25140c

P9000/XP SAN boot support
P9000/XP LUNs can be booted from the SAN using B-series, C-series, and H-series switches.
switches.
SAN boot through the B-series 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade is not supported.
Support for booting from the SAN depends on:
•

PDC

•

Firmware

•

HBA

•

Operating system and version

•

Fibre Channel port speed

For support information, contact your HP representative.
Table 119 (page 230) indicates high-level boot support where at least one combination of storage
system, HBA, operating system type, and switch is supported as a bootable configuration.
Table 119 P9000/XP SAN boot support by operating system1
Switches

B-series
C-series
H-series4

Storage
systems

Tru64UNIX2,3 OpenVMS2 OracleSolaris

HP-UX

Linux

Windows

IBMAIX

IRIX

Xen

XP7

•

•

•

—

—

—

•

—

—

P9500

•

•

•

—

•

•

•

—

—

XP24000

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

—

•

XP20000

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

—

•

XP12000

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

—

•

XP10000

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

—

•

1

Legend: • = supported; — = not supported

2

XP24000/XP20000 boot on OpenVMS and Tru64 requires Alpha Server console 7.3 (or later).

230 P9000/XP storage system rules

3

XP12000/10000 boot on OpenVMS and Tru64 requires Alpha Server console 6.9 (or later).

4

Not all storage systems or operating systems listed are supported with H-series switches.

LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP support
LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP:
•

Is an array-based, LUN security and configuration tool

•

Enables you to limit access between hosts and array LUNs

•

Uses host WWNs to identify host access by LUN

•

Provides LUN security at the array level to secure data

•

Provides consolidated and consistent data access management, independent of the switch
vendor

•

Improves boot performance during ioscan by limiting the visibility between the host and
targets

P9000/XP data migration
The P9000/XP family of Fibre Channel storage systems support data migration using the HP
StorageWorks MPX200 Multifunction Router data migration feature. This feature provides for block
(LUN) level data movement between source and destination storage systems.

MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes data migration
usage and support.
•

For information about FCoE, see “FCoE SAN fabrics” (page 25).

•

For information about iSCSI configurations, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for
P6000/EVA storage” (page 323), “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332), and “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page
329).

•

For information about FCIP, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275).

A license is required to enable the data migration feature in the MPX200. All licenses are
chassis-based, enabling data migration to be configured in both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis
configuration.
The following licenses are available for data migration:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 1TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 1 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 5TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 5 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis 1 Array Data Migration License—Includes the license
to migrate data from or to a single array using an MPX200 chassis.
NOTE: The MPX200 data migration has a unique fan-in/fan-out licensing model. Using this
particular license, you can migrate data from multiple arrays to a single array or from a single
array to multiple arrays. This license cannot be used when performing an iSCSI to iSCSI data
migration. For iSCSI to iSCSI data migration, you must use 1TB or 5TB capacity licenses.

Table 120 (page 232) describes the supported source and destination storage systems when using
the MPX200 data migration feature. All arrays listed are supported for offline and online data
LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP support

231

migration, except where noted. Table 121 (page 233) describes the operating system support for
online data migration. For information about configuring the MPX200 for data migration, see the
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router Data Migration Solution Guide.
Table 120 P9500/XP data migration source-destination storage systems
Source storage systems

P9000/XP destination storage systems

• All HP MSA (Fibre Channel) and EVA models
• P9500/XP24000/20000, XP12000/10000
• SVSP
• 3PAR S-Class
Third-party array models:
• Dell EqualLogic family (iSCSI), Compellent Series 30
and 40 Controllers
• EMC CLARiiON AX series, CX Series, Symmetrix DMX
Series, Symmetrix VMAX SE (offline only), VNX5500
(offline only), VNX5300
• Fujitsu ETERNUS DX400, DX440 S2 (offline only),
DX8400
• Hitachi Data Systems V series (offline only), AMS
Family, WMS, DF-500, USP (offline only), VSP families
(offline only), TagmaStore Network StorageController
model NSC55
• IBM DS3000 series, DS4000 series (offline only),
DS5000 series, SVC, DS6000 series (offline only),
DS8000 series, XIV Storage System family (offline only),
nlStorwize V7000 Unified disk system (offline only)
• NEC D-Series SAN Storage arrays (offline only)
• NetApp FAS270, FAS250, FAS2000 Series, FAS3100
Series, FAS6000 Series (Fibre Channel and iSCSI)
• Xiotech Emprise 5000, Mag3D 4000

232 P9000/XP storage system rules

• P9500/XP24000/20000/12000/10000

Table 121 Online data migration operating system support
MPX200 online data migration support1

Online data migration destination storage system and
firmware (minimum)
• P2000 G3 FC (TS251P002-04)
• P4000 (9.0)
• P6350/P6550 (11001000)
• EVA8000/6000/4000 (6.200)
• EVA8100/6100/4100 (6.220)
• EVA8400/6400/4400 (09522000, 09534000)
See “P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218).

• Citrix XenServer 6.0
• HP-UX 11iv3, 11iv2, Clusters (Service Guard)
• IBM AIX 6.1, 5.32
• Microsoft Windows 2012 R2, 2008 R2, and 2003,
Failover Clustering and MSCS

• P9500 (70-00-50-00)
• XP24000/20000 (60-06-10-00)
• XP12000/10000 (50-09-83-00)
See “P9000/XP data migration” (page 231)

• Red Hat 6, 5 U4 , 4 U8, U7, U6, U3, Clusters (RH 6)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• SUSE 11, 10 SP3, SP1, Clusters (SUSE 11 U1)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7400, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• Oracle Solaris 10, Clusters 3.3

• 3PAR StoreServ 7450, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• VMware ESXi 5.1, 5.0, 4.1, 4.0, 3.5, Clusters

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7400c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7440c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7450c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 10400, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR StoreServ 10800, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class, 2.3.1 (MU2)
See “3PAR data migration” (page 243).

1

For operating system updates, the minimum supported version is specified.

2

IBM AIX 5.3 not supported with 3PAR OS 3.1.2 or later.

Data migration considerations
MPX200 connectivity to P9500/XP storage as a data migration destination array is obtained
through a Fibre Channel switch configured in the same fabric as the MPX200 Fibre Channel ports.
When the data migration operation is complete, server connectivity to the P9500/XP storage
system must be configured based on current P9500/XP support for operating systems, HBAs, and
multipath software. For current operating system/version and data migration storage system support,
see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport
to enable access.

P9000/XP data migration 233

15 SVSP storage system rules
This chapter describes the HP SVSP storage system rules. It includes the following topics:
•

“SVSP storage systems” (page 234)

•

“SVSP supported third-party arrays” (page 237)

•

“SVSP Continuous Access” (page 238)

•

“Configuration parameters” (page 239)

•

“SVSP SAN boot support” (page 240)

•

“Storage management server integration” (page 240)

SVSP storage systems
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for information about support for
specific configurations, including the following elements:
•

Storage system firmware

•

HBA firmware and driver versions

•
Multipath software
HP SVSP is a scalable platform that provides:
•

Centralized management of the HP SVSP domain and homogeneous or heterogeneous storage
arrays. SVSP does not support JBOD configuratons.

•

Multitiered data protection (to applications) enabling tiered storage

◦

Data import from supported arrays

◦

Thin provisioning

•

Nondisruptive data provisioning

•

Local and remote replication and volume management

HP SVSP improves array utilization by creating storage pools that span multiple arrays. Storage
pools are managed using a single interface and are provided with a rich set of virtualization
features, even though they span multiple physical devices from multiple vendors.
After a storage pool is defined, a volume of storage, called a virtual disk, can be allocated from
the storage pool to a server. The virtual disk size is flexible and independent of the size of physical
storage component or any logical unit in the SAN.

Features
HP SVSP offers the following features:
•

The ability to create storage pools that span up to 16 arrays

•

SAN storage-based local and remote replication

•

Thin provisioning for designated virtual disks, even if the array does not support thin
provisioning

•

A centralized VSM GUI to manage all objects in the domain, providing a single view of data
on multiple arrays

•

Data migration between arrays from multiple vendors

•
•

Disaster recovery for a site, array, or virtual disk
Bidirectional, asynchronous remote replication with automated initial normalization between
source and destination (up to 150 ms one-way latency for asynchronous mirroring)

234 SVSP storage system rules

NOTE: HP SVSP uses built-in iSCSI; therefore, no additional devices are required to connect
HP SVSP to the intersite IP network. For network requirements for asynchronous replication,
see Table 124 (page 238).
•

Synchronous mirroring across 100 km or (0.5 ms) one way over a Fibre Channel network

•

Native support for up to four site campus, metropolitan, and continental disaster-tolerant
configurations

•

Front end virtual disk size of 1 GB to 16 TB

•

Virtual disk groups to preserve write-order consistency across multiple virtual disks using the
Continuous Access feature

•

HP SAN API server-based CLI that allows scripted access to VSM

•

I/O continuation (no application disruption) during normalization and merging, and data
migration to another pool in the domain or storage array

•

Multiple-path failover support

•

Seamless, online, software and firmware upgrades

•

Selective storage presentation for SAN-based data zoning

•

Connectivity to Fibre Channel 2, 4, and 8 Gb/s switches

•

Support for up to sixteen 4-port arrays, eight 8-port arrays, or some other combination up to
128 ports

Software
HP SVSP software consists of the following:
•

HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform Business Copy for copies within an
SVSP domain

•

HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform Continuous Access for copies between
SVSP domains

•

HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform thin provisioning

•

HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform Volume Manager

•

HP StorageWorks Virtualization Services Manager (VSM)

•

HP StorageWorks Virtualization Services Manager Command Line Interface

NOTE: For the latest product support information, including operating system support, go to
SPOCK at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access to SPOCK.

Hardware for a single SVSP domain
Hardware requirements are as follows:
•

Minimum of one EVA, MSA, or XP

•

High-availability dual-fabric environment (see “Level 4: multiple fabrics and device paths
(NSPOF)” (page 41))

•

IP-based intersite links (for SVSP Continuous Access)

•

Minimum of one host

•

Minimum of two HBAs per host or one dual-channel HBA per host

SVSP storage systems 235

NOTE: Long-distance asynchronous remote mirroring requires an additional domain at the other
site and sufficient IP-based bandwidth between sites. For network requirements for asynchronous
replication, see Table 124 (page 238).
For more information, see “Level 4: multiple fabrics and device paths (NSPOF)” (page 41).

Heterogeneous SAN support
SVSP storage systems support shared access with any combination of operating systems listed in
Table 122 (page 236)
Table 122 SVSP supported operating systems
SVSP Firmware

Switches

Operating systems
HP-UX
IBM AIX
Microsoft Windows
OpenVMS

3.0.2 (or later)

B-series

Red Hat Linux

C-series

Oracle Solaris

H-series1

SUSE Linux
VMware ESX
Note: For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website
at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an
HP Passport to enable access.

1

Not all operating systems listed are supported with H-series switches.

Configuration rules
Table 123 (page 236) describes SVSP storage system SAN configuration rules.
NOTE: HP SVSP only supports native Fibre Channel. Other interfaces, such as IP, are not supported
as an SVSP transport.
Table 123 SVSP heterogeneous SAN storage rules
Rule number

Description

1

HP requires that SVSP deployments implement level 4 NSPOF SANs using two or more separate
fabrics. Each fabric must be composed of switches from a single switch vendor, compatibility
mode is not supported. See “Data availability” (page 40).

2

Unless otherwise specified, SVSP storage systems can be configured in a SAN using the switch
modules listed in this guide. See the following tables:
• Table 21 (page 94) through Table 23 (page 95) for B-series
• Table 51 (page 137) for H-series

3

Fabrics must be made of a single switch series and must not be running in compatibility mode.

4

An SVSP controller must be correctly zoned in order to achieve the maximum supported
configurations. See the HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform Best Practices
Guide at http://www.hp.com/go/SVSP (dependent upon the number of DPM groups).

5

The maximum number of switches and switch hops supported in a fabric with SVSP is based on
the limits for B-series, C-series, and H-series fabrics. All active and standby links must conform to

236 SVSP storage system rules

Table 123 SVSP heterogeneous SAN storage rules (continued)
Rule number

Description
the switch hop limits, including the host-to-local storage link, the local storage-to-remote storage
link, and the local host-to-remote storage link. For switch and fabric rules, see:
• “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)
• “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)
• “H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 135)

6

For shared access and heterogeneous platform zoning requirements, see the HP StorageWorks
SAN Virtualization Services Platform Administrator Guide supplied with the SVSP media.

7

SVSP is supported with 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, or 2 Gb/s switch.

8

SVSP supports active/passive failover and requires a minimum of two Fibre Channel HBAs and
native operating system or layered multipathing driver functionality.

9

Single initiator zones are recommended for ease of troubleshooting and configuration.

10

Overlapping storage port zones are supported if multiple operating systems share an array port.

11

All host table entries must have the operating system type parameter set (based on the operating
system accessing the assigned LUNs).

12

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software (such as
cluster software) to preserve data.

For information about configuring the Storage Management Appliance with storage systems in the
same SAN fabric, see “Storage management server integration” (page 240).

Storage rules
The following HP arrays are supported by HP SVSP:
• XP 24000/20000

• MSA2000

• XP 12000/10000

• MSA2000fc G2 (MSA2300fc)

• EVA4100/4400

• MSA2000fc

• EVA6100

• P2000 G3

• EVA8100

• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class

• EVA6400/8400

• P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA

NOTE:

SVSP does not support LUNs presented to iSCSI hosts.

For more information about arrays supported with SVSP, go to the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access to SPOCK.
For information about supported vendor arrays, contact an authorized HP representative.

SVSP supported third-party arrays
SVSP supports third-party arrays (EMC, HDS, IBM, NetApps, SGI, and Oracle). For more information
on supported third-party arrays, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

SVSP data migration
SVSP is supported as a data migration source storage system when using the HP StorageWorks
MPX200 Multifunction Router data migration feature. This feature provides for block (LUN) level
data movement between source and destination storage systems.

SVSP supported third-party arrays 237

For data migration from SVSP to P2000, see “P2000 data migration” (page 207) and for SVSP to
P6000/EVA, see “P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218). For data migration from SVSP to
P9000/XP, see “P9000/XP data migration” (page 231), and for SVSP to 3PAR StoreServ Storage,
see “3PAR data migration” (page 243).

MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes data migration
usage and support.
•

For information about FCoE, see “FCoE SAN fabrics” (page 25).

•

For information about iSCSI configurations, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for
P6000/EVA storage” (page 323), “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332), and “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page
329).

•

For information about FCIP, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275).

A license is required to enable the data migration feature in the MPX200. All licenses are
chassis-based, enabling data migration to be configured in both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis
configuration.
The following licenses are available for data migration:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 1TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 1 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 5TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 5 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis 1 Array Data Migration License—Includes the license
to migrate data from or to a single array using an MPX200 chassis.
NOTE: The MPX200 data migration has a unique fan-in/fan-out licensing model. Using this
particular license, you can migrate data from multiple arrays to a single array or from a single
array to multiple arrays. This license cannot be used when performing an iSCSI to iSCSI data
migration. For iSCSI to iSCSI data migration, you must use 1TB or 5TB capacity licenses.

For information about configuring the MPX200 for data migration, see the HP MPX200 Multifunction
Router Data Migration Solution Guide.

SVSP Continuous Access
This section describes the SVSP Continuous Access asynchronous data replication specifications
and the supported minimum and maximum transmission rates when using the SVSP VSM servers.
Table 124 (page 238) lists the minimum network QoS requirements when using SVSP.
Table 124 SVSP inter-site network requirements for long distance gateways
Specification

Description
Can be shared. System bandwidth must be sufficient to accommodate changes
per time. Your HP representative can provide tools for modeling.

Bandwidth
MTU of the IP network
1

1,500 bytes

Maximum latency

150 ms IP network delay one-way or 300 ms round-trip

Average packet-loss ratio2

Must not exceed 0.5% averaged over a 5-minute window

Latency jitter3

Must not exceed plus or minus 10% over a 5-minute window

238 SVSP storage system rules

1

Pre-existing restriction

2

A high packet-loss ratio indicates the need to retransmit data across the inter-site link. Each retransmission delays
transmissions queued behind the current packet, thus increasing the time to complete pending transactions.
Latency jitter is the difference between the minimum and maximum values, and indicates how stable or predictable the
network delay. The greater the jitter, the greater the variance in the delay, which lowers the performance predictability.

3

NOTE: Applications typically require more than the minimum bandwidth to meet throughput or
initial full copy requirements. For example, at 10 Mb/s it could take up to two weeks to copy 1
TB of data, longer if the average available bandwidth is less than 10 Mb/s.

Configuration parameters
This section describes general SVSP Configuration parameters. Specific solutions, such as
high-availability clusters, or applications, such as Continuous Access or Business Copy can define
additional configuration parameters or requirements. Solution requirements must be observed as
specified by the solution configuration documentation.
General maximums are as follows:
•

Number of servers at 2 HBAs per server (each 2 HBAs will be counted as an additional server)

◦

512 with one DPM group

◦

1024 with two DPM groups

◦

1536 with three DPM groups

◦

2048 with four DPM groups

•

Number of initiators per FE virtual disk is 64 (32 dual-port hosts)

•

Number of paths per Host per FE virtual disk is 8

•

FE virtual disks:

◦

4096 with one DPM group

◦

8192 with two DPM groups

◦

12,288 with three DPM groups

◦

16,384 with four DPM groups

•

BE LUN from a single BE array is 254

•

BE LUN from all arrays 1,024

•

FE max capacity 16 TB

•

BE LUN max capacity 2 TB

•

DPM FE paths:

•

◦

16,384 with one DPM group

◦

32,768 with two DPM groups

◦

49,152 with three DPM groups

◦

65,536 with four DPM groups

DPM BE paths 4,096 maximum per DPM (regardless of pairs, all must see same storage)

NOTE: For Large LUNs, every 2 TB counts as one LUN. For example, a Large LUN of 8 TB would
count as 4 LUNs against the maximum of 2,047 LUNs per EVA.
Configuration parameters 239

SVSP SAN boot support
For current storage system support, see the Boot from SAN website at http://
h20272.www2.hp.com/Pages/spock2Html.aspx?htmlFile=an_boot_guides.html. You must sign
up for an HP Passport to enable access.

Storage management server integration
A management server may be required to manage a SVSP storage system. Two management
interfaces are available on the SVSP 3.0.2 (or later) version, the standard using the Java-based
interface and the Command View SVSP. The management server communicates with storage
systems out-of-band through an Ethernet connection.
For more information about using Command View SVSP, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

240 SVSP storage system rules

16 3PAR StoreServ storage rules
This chapter describes specific rules for the following storage systems:
•

3PAR F200/F400 Storage

•

3PAR T400/T800 Storage

•

3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800 Storage

•

3PAR StoreServ 7200/7400 Storage

•
3PAR StoreServ 7450 Storage
This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“3PAR StoreServ storage” (page 241)

•

“3PAR data migration” (page 243)

•

“3PAR storage management” (page 247)

3PAR StoreServ storage
Before implementation, contact an HP storage representative for information about support for
specific configurations, including the following elements:
•

Storage system firmware

•

HBA firmware and driver versions

•

Multipath software

Heterogeneous SAN support
HP 3PAR storage supports shared access with any combination of operating systems listed in
Table 125 (page 241).
Table 125 3PAR heterogeneous SAN support
Storage systems

3PAR OS software
(minimum)

7450

3.1.2 (MU2)

Apple Mac OS X4, 5, 6

7200/7400

3.1.2

HP Integrity Virtual Machines

10400/10800

3.1.1

F200/F400
T400/T800

2.3.1

Switches1

Operating systems2

HP-UX
Citrix Xen
B-series

IBM AIX

C-series

Microsoft Hyper-V

H-series

Microsoft Windows

HP FlexFabric 5900CP3

Oracle VM Server
Red Hat Linux
Oracle Solaris
SUSE Linux
VMware ESX

1

2

3
4

For Fibre Channel switch model and firmware support, see the HP 3PAR OS Configuration Sets available on SPOCK at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
For the supported operating system versions, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159). Not all operating systems
listed are supported on all switch series or models.
HP FlexFabric 5900CP is not supported with 3PAR T400/T800 storage systems.
Apple Mac OS X is supported only with 10400/10800, 7200/7400, and 7450 storage systems, running a minimum
3PAR OS version of 3.1.3.

3PAR StoreServ storage

241

5

Apple Mac OS X is supported only with B-series and C-series switches.

6

Apple Mac OS X is currently not supported with 3PAR OS version 3.2.1.

Configuration rules
Table 126 (page 242) describes HP 3PAR StoreServ Storage system SAN configuration rules.
NOTE: For information about 3PAR StoreServ FCoE target support, see the HP SPOCK 3PAR
FCoE configuration sets on the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must
sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 126 3PAR storage rules
Rulenumber

Description

1

3PAR storage is supported in all Fibre Channel SAN fabric topology configurations described
in this guide.

2

3PAR storage can be configured in a SAN using the Fibre Channel switch models listed in
the HP 3PAR configuration sets available on SPOCK at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
For information about shared access and heterogeneous platform zoning requirements,
see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence” (page 200).

3

For information about shared access and heterogeneous platform zoning requirements,
see “Heterogeneous SAN storage system coexistence” (page 200).

4

A single server’s HBAs and multipath software for 3PAR storage systems are supported for
common access to other storage systems families as long as the HBAs are from the same
vendor, see “Zoning” (page 246). This applies to Windows 2003, Windows 2008 (incl.
R2), Windows 2012, ESX 4.x and 5.x, HPUX 11 v2 and later, Solaris 10 and later, AIX
5.3 and later, and Linux (RHEL 5.6 and later, RHEL 6.1 and later , SLES 10 SP4, SLES 11
SP1 and later). 3PAR OS version must be 3.1.1 or later.1

5

3PAR storage systems are supported in configurations with a combination of fabric attached
and direct connect servers (direct connect uses no Fibre Channel switch). This is subject to
the system maximum for host connections.
• MAC OS and OpenVMS do not support Direct Connect.
• Direct Connect to BladeSystem Servers is not supported.
• HP-UX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows are supported for direct connect.
Not all Operating Systems and HBAs support a Direct Connect configuration.
To determine if your OS and HBA combination supports Direct Connect to a 3PAR storage
system, see the HP SPOCK 3PAR Connectivity configuration sets on the SPOCK website at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
After logging in into the SPOCK website:
1. On the left navigation panel, click View by Array link under SAN Compatibility.
The Select Disk Array window opens.
2. Click Add to Selection next to 3PAR.
A list of 3PAR storage systems will be displayed.
3. Select 3PAR Connectivity in the Filter Results by Configset Types: drop-down menu at
the top of the list.
4. Select your 3PAR storage system and server operating system combination from the list.
A new window opens.
5. Expand the HBA list by clicking the + sign.
6. Now expand the specific HBA in the list. The various driver versions will be displayed
along with the driver version that supports Direct Connect.
You can scroll the screen to the right to view all the columns in the table.

6

242 3PAR StoreServ storage rules

Overlapping storage port zones are supported if multiple operating systems share an array
port. For more information, see the 3PAR operating systems implementation guides.

Table 126 3PAR storage rules (continued)
Rulenumber

1

Description

7

Use storage system LUN presentation to enable/disable LUN access to specific hosts. For
more information, see the 3PAR operating systems implementation guides.

8

All host table entries must have the operating system type parameter set (based on the
operating system accessing the assigned LUNs). For more information, see the 3PAR
operating systems implementation guides.

9

Servers that share access to the same storage LUN require special application software
(such as cluster software) to preserve data integrity.

10

Remote Copy and Peer Motion configuration rules still apply and require 1–to-1 zoning.

11

The "Persistent Port" feature (introduced in 3PAR OS 3.1.2) requires the active target port
and partner port be connected to the same fabric. For more information, see the HP 3PAR
Command Line Interface Reference Guide or the HP 3PAR StoreServ Persistent Ports
Technical white paper document available at http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/
GetPDF.aspx/4AA4-4545ENW.pdf.

For Windows Server 2012, OS 3.1.1 (MU2) or later is required.

For information about configuring 3PAR storage using the 3PAR OS Management Console, see
the HP 3PAR OS Management Console User's Guide.

Configuration parameters
For information about 3PAR configuration parameters, including maximum server connectivity, see
the 3PAR OS configuration sets on the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
For configuration settings for the InServ ports, see the HP 3PAR implementation guide for each of
the supported operating systems.

Virtual Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR Storage
HP supports Virtual Connect Direct-attach Fibre Channel for 3PAR storage using the Virtual Connect
FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-port Module. This provides connectivity between HP c-Class BladeSystems
and 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems without a Fibre Channel switch or fabric, see “HP Virtual
Connect for the c-Class BladeSystem server environment” (page 161).
Direct-attach is supported with the following 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems:
•

3PAR F200/F400

•

3PAR T400/T800

•

3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800

•

3PAR StoreServ 7000 7200/7400

•

3PAR StoreServ 7450

3PAR data migration
The 3PAR family of storage systems is supported for data migration using the following products:
•

HP 3PAR Peer Motion—Migrates block data between two HP 3PAR StoreServ systems without
the use of an external appliance or host-based mirroring.

•

HP Online Import for EVA Storage—Migrates storage volumes from HP EVA storage systems
to HP 3PAR StoreServ storage systems online and non-disruptively.

•

HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage—Migrates storage volumes from EMC storage systems
to HP 3PAR StoreServ storage systems. Orchestration is available using a simple, scriptable

3PAR data migration 243

command interface tool called HP 3PAR Online Import Utility for EMC Storage, which supports
offline and minimally disruptive types of data migration.
•

HP MPX200 Multifunction Router—Provides online and offline block level data migration from
HP or third party storage systems to 3PAR destination storage systems.

HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage
HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage manages the migration of data from a source EMC
storage system to a destination HP 3PAR StoreServ storage system. Using HP 3PAR Online Import
for EMC Storage, you can migrate EMC virtual disks and host configuration information to a
destination HP 3PAR StoreServ storage system.
HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage coordinates the movement of data from the source while
servicing I/O requests from the hosts. During data migration, host I/O is serviced from the
destination HP 3PAR StoreServ storage system. The host and virtual disk presentation implemented
on the EMC is maintained on the destination HP 3PAR StoreServ storage system.
Table 127 (page 244) describes the operating system support and supported source and destination
storage systems when using HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage. All arrays listed are supported
for offline and minimally disruptive types of data migration, except where noted. For more
information about using HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage, see the HP 3PAR Online Import
for EMC Storage Data Migration Guide in the HP storage information library at http://
www.hp.com/go/storage/docs.
For the latest HP 3PAR Online Import for EMC Storage data migration support information, including
storage systems, operating systems, drivers, and version support, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Table 127 HP 3PAR Online Import Utility for EMC Storage host support matrix
Host O/S

Server type

Fibre Channel HBA

Source array

Windows 2008 R2

EMC CX4-120

Windows 2012

EMC CX4-240
HP ProLiant:Intel/AMD
x86/x64

RHEL 6 U3, U4, U5

HP BladeSystem
c-Class

EMC CX4-480

3PAR 7200

EMC CX4-960

3PAR 7400

EMC VNX5100

3PAR 7450

HP
EMC

Destination array

EMC VNX5300

3PAR 10400

EMC VNX5500

3PAR 10800

EMC VNX5700
EMC VNX7500

MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes data migration
usage and support.
•

For information about FCoE, see “FCoE SAN fabrics” (page 25).

•

For information about iSCSI configurations, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for
P6000/EVA storage” (page 323), “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”

244 3PAR StoreServ storage rules

(page 332), and “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page
329).
•
For information about FCIP, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275).
A license is required to enable the data migration feature in the MPX200. All licenses are
chassis-based, enabling data migration to be configured in both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis
configuration. The following licenses are available for data migration:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 1TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 1 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 5TB Full Chassis Data Migration License—Includes the license to
migrate 5 TB of data using an MPX200 chassis.

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis 1 Array Data Migration License—Includes the license
to migrate data from or to a single array using an MPX200 chassis.
NOTE: The MPX200 data migration has a unique fan-in/fan-out licensing model. Using this
particular license, you can migrate data from multiple arrays to a single array or from a single
array to multiple arrays. This license cannot be used when performing an iSCSI to iSCSI data
migration. For iSCSI to iSCSI data migration, you must use 1TB or 5TB capacity licenses.

Table 128 (page 245) describes the supported source and destination storage systems when using
the MPX200 data migration feature. All arrays listed are supported for offline and online data
migration, except where noted. Table 129 (page 246) describes the operating system support for
online data migration. For information about configuring the MPX200 for data migration, see the
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router Data Migration Solution Guide.
Table 128 3PAR data migration source-destination storage systems
Source storage systems

3PAR destination storage systems

• All HP MSA (Fibre Channel) and EVA models
• P9500/XP24000/20000, XP12000/10000
• SVSP
• 3PAR S-Class
Third-party array models:
• Dell EqualLogic family (iSCSI), Compellent Series 30
and 40 Controllers
• EMC CLARiiON AX series, CX Series, Symmetrix DMX
Series, Symmetrix VMAX SE (offline only), VNX5500
(offline only), VNX5300
• Fujitsu ETERNUS DX400, DX440 S2 (offline only),
DX8400

3PAR StoreServ 10400/10800; 3PAR StoreServ 7450;
3PAR StoreServ 7200/7400; 3PAR F-Class, T-Class

• Hitachi Data Systems V series (offline only), AMS
Family, WMS, DF-500, USP (offline only), VSP families
(offline only), TagmaStore Network StorageController
model NSC55
• IBM DS3000 series, DS4000 series (offline only),
DS5000 series, SVC, DS6000 series (offline only),
DS8000 series, XIV Storage System family (offline only),
nlStorwize V7000 Unified disk system (offline only)
• NEC D-Series SAN Storage arrays (offline only)
• NetApp FAS270, FAS250, FAS2000 Series, FAS3100
Series, FAS6000 Series (Fibre Channel and iSCSI)
• Xiotech Emprise 5000, Mag3D 4000

3PAR data migration 245

Table 129 Online data migration operating system support
MPX200 online data migration support1

Online data migration destination storage system and
firmware (minimum)
• P2000 G3 FC (TS251P002-04)
• P4000 (9.0)
• P6350/P6550 (11001000)
• P6500/P6300 (10001000)
• EVA8100/6100/4100 (6.220)
• EVA8400/6400/4400 (09522000, 09534000)
See “P6000/EVA data migration” (page 218).

• Citrix XenServer 6.0
• HP-UX 11iv3, 11iv2, Clusters (Service Guard)
• IBM AIX 6.1, 5.32
• Microsoft Windows 2012 R2, 2008 R2, and 2003;
Failover Clustering and MSCS

• P9500 (70-00-50-00)
• XP24000/20000 (60-06-10-00)
• XP12000/10000 (50-09-83-00)
See “P9000/XP data migration” (page 231).

• Red Hat 6, 5 U4 , 4 U8, U7, U6, U3, Clusters (RH 6)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• SUSE 11, 10 SP3, SP1, Clusters (SUSE 11 U1)

• 3PAR StoreServ 7400, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• Oracle Solaris 10, Clusters 3.3

• 3PAR StoreServ 7450, 3.1.3 (MU1)

• VMware ESXi 5.1, 5.0, 4.1, 4.0, 3.5, Clusters

• 3PAR StoreServ 7200c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7400c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7440c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 7450c, 3.2.1
• 3PAR StoreServ 10400, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR StoreServ 10800, 3.1.3 (MU1)
• 3PAR F-Class, T-Class, 2.3.1 (MU2)
See “3PAR data migration” (page 243).

1

For operating system updates, the minimum supported version is specified.

2

IBM AIX 5.3 not supported with 3PAR OS 3.1.2 or later.

For the latest data migration storage system, operating system, and version support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3PAR data migration considerations
MPX200 connectivity to 3PAR storage as a data migration destination array is obtained through
a Fibre Channel switch configured in the same fabric as the MPX200 Fibre Channel ports. When
the data migration is complete, server connectivity to the 3PAR storage system must be configured
based on current 3PAR support for operating systems, HBAs, and multipath software. For more
information, see the 3PAR operating systems implementation guides.

Zoning
These zoning rules apply to a heterogeneous SAN with 3PAR storage:
•

Zoning by HBA is the HP recommended zoning method for 3PAR storage, see “Configuration
rules” (page 242).

•

Zoning is required for all operating systems that access 3PAR storage, see “Heterogeneous
server rules” (page 159).

•

3PAR storage systems can be in multiple operating system zones.

246 3PAR StoreServ storage rules

Tape storage
The following rules apply to tape storage support in a SAN with 3PAR storage:
•

Overlapping zones are supported with disk and tape.

•

Separate or common HBAs for disk and tape connections are supported.

•

For a VLS, multiple heterogeneous initiators and multiple ports of the VLS device are supported
in the same fabric zone.

•

HP recommends using a separate tape-to-HBA connection for servers when backups require
more than four DLT8000 tape drives or two Ultrium (LTO) tape drives.

For more information about tape storage support, contact your HP representative.

3PAR SAN boot support
For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access to SPOCK.

3PAR storage management
For information about 3PAR storage management, see the HP 3PAR OS Management Console
User's Guide.

Tape storage 247

17 Enterprise Backup Solution
One of the most significant benefits of a SAN is the ability to share the SAN infrastructure for both
disk and tape. With a SAN backup solution, you get all the benefits of the SAN, such as,
consolidated storage, centralized management, and increased performance. Additionally,
implementing a SAN backup solution lays the foundation for advanced data protection features
such as serverless backup and backup to disk. The HP solution is the HP Enterprise Backup Solution
(EBS).
The first step in deploying an EBS is to design the backup SAN configuration. Consult the HP Tape
Tools and the EBS compatibility matrices, which are available at http://h18000.www1.hp.com/
products/storageworks/tapecompatibility.html.
The second step is to configure your EBS using the HP Enterprise Backup Solution Design Guide,
available at http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ebs/?
jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.
It describes the supported EBS hardware configurations and how to configure shared tape library
backup in a heterogeneous SAN environment.
The third step is to install and configure your backup application. You can find rules and
recommendations for the backup applications in the application guide.
For more information about EBS, see http://www.hp.com/go/ebs.

248 Enterprise Backup Solution

Part IV SAN extension and bridging
SAN extension and bridging are presented in these chapters:
•

“SAN extension” (page 250)

•

“iSCSI storage” (page 309)

18 SAN extension
SAN extension enables you to implement disaster-tolerant storage solutions over long distances
and multiple sites.
This chapter describes the following topics:
•

“SAN extension overview” (page 250)

•

“Fibre Channel long-distance technology” (page 252)

•

“Multi-protocol long-distance technology” (page 259)

•

“HP multi-protocol long-distance products” (page 265)

•

“HP storage replication products” (page 288)

•

“Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308)

SAN extension overview
A SAN extension is an extended ISL connection between switches, typically linking two sites. An
extended ISL is considered to be:
•

•

Any distance greater than:

◦

50 m for 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel

◦

150 m for 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel

◦

300 m for 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel

◦

500 m for 1 Gb/s Fibre Channel

Any distance between a pair of WDM, FCIP, or FC-SONET products

NOTE: Fibre Channel distances listed here assume the use of type OM2 fiber optic cable. For
the supported distances for each Fibre Channel speed and interconnect type, see “SAN fabric
connectivity rules” (page 146).
You can implement a SAN extension with any Fibre Channel topology. Figure 80 (page 250) shows
three SAN extension examples.
Figure 80 SAN extension examples
1

Long-wave SFP or GBIC
connection

2

WDM
connection

3

IP or
SONET
Local

Remote
25141a

250 SAN extension

This section describes:
•

“SAN extension technology” (page 251)

•

“SAN-iSCSI bridging technology” (page 252)

SAN extension technology
HP supports the following SAN extension technologies:
•

•

“Fibre Channel long-distance technology” (page 252), including:

◦

“Fiber optic transceivers” (page 252)

◦

“Wavelength division multiplexing” (page 254)

◦

“Extended fabric settings for Fibre Channel switches” (page 257)

“Multi-protocol long-distance technology” (page 259), including:

◦

“Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol” (page 259)

◦

“Fibre Channel over SONET” (page 263)

◦

“Fibre Channel over ATM” (page 265)

Table 130 (page 251) lists the SAN extension technologies and the corresponding HP SAN extension
products.
Table 130 SAN extension technologies and HP SAN extension products
SAN extension technology

HP product

Fibre Channel using long-wave transceivers B-series, C-series, and H-series switches, see “Long-wave transceiver distances”
(page 253)
(10 km–35 km)
WDM
(greater than 35 km to 100–500 km)

• C-series switches with the HP CWDM solution
• B-series and C-series switches with certified third-party products, see “Certified
third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308)
• B-series 1606 SAN Extension Switch, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch, 400 Multi-protocol Router (400 MP Router), Multi-protocol Router Blade
(MP Router Blade), or the MP Extension Blade (FX8-24) with B-series switches

FCIP
(greater than 10 km to 20,000 km)

• C-series HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 9-Slot
Supervisor 2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2
Director Switch, MDS 9506, 9509, 9513, and 9222i switches using the IPS-4,
IPS-8, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, or 18/4 Multiservice Module
• B-series, C-series, and H-series switches with the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router
with FCIP
• B-series, C-series, and H-series switches with the HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110)
• Certified third-party productsSee “Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET
products” (page 308)

FC-SONET

See “Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308)

FC-ATM

See “Fibre Channel over ATM” (page 265)

SAN extension overview

251

SAN-iSCSI bridging technology
SAN-iSCSI bridging connects Fibre Channel networks and IP networks. HP supports the following
iSCSI to Fibre Channel bridging devices:
•

B-series iSCSI Director Blade in the SAN Director 4/256

•

C-series HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor
2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch, MDS 9506,
9509, 9513, and 9222i embedded IP ports

•

C-series IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8)

•

C-series MDS 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module

•

C-series MDS 18/4 Multiservice Module

•

EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option

•

EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option

•

MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI

For information about bridging with iSCSI, see “iSCSI storage” (page 309).

Fibre Channel long-distance technology
This section describes the following Fibre Channel long-distance methodology and hardware for
a SAN extension:
•

“Fiber optic transceivers” (page 252)

•

“Wavelength division multiplexing” (page 254)

•

“Extended fabric settings for Fibre Channel switches” (page 257)

Fiber optic transceivers
Fibre Channel switches use one of the following types of fiber optic transceivers. The transceivers
can be short wave or long wave. Use long-wave transceivers for SAN extension.
•

The 16 Gb/s, 10 Gb/s, and 8 Gb/s transceivers are known as SFP+s. The 4 Gb/s, and 2
Gb/s transceivers are known as SFPs. All use LC style connectors (Figure 81).
Figure 81 LC SFP transceiver

25142a

•

The 1 Gb/s transceivers can be LC SFPs (Figure 81) or GBICs, which use SC style connectors
(Figure 82).

252 SAN extension

Figure 82 SC GBIC transceiver

25143a

Table 131 (page 253) lists supported long-wave transceiver distances and maximum supported
distances under ideal operating conditions. Some long-wave optical transceivers can transmit up
to a distance of 100 km.
Table 131 Long-wave transceiver distances
Interconnect speed

Transceiver

Distance/rate

16 Gb/s 10 km SFP+

10 km ISL at 16 Gb/s (B-series)

16 Gb/s 25 km SFP+

25 km ISL at 16 Gb/s (B-series)

10 Gb/s 10 km SFP+

10 km ISL at 10 Gb/s (C-series)

16 Gb/s
10 Gb/s

10 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (H-series with additional buffer credits
allocated)1
10 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (B-series and C-series)
8 Gb/s 10 km SFP+
8 Gb/s

3.3 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (H-series, base switch)
6.6 km ISL at 4 Gb/s (H-series, base switch)
10 km ISL at 2 Gb/s (H-series, base switch)

8 Gb/s 25 km SFP+
4 Gb/s 10 km SFP

4 Gb/s

4 Gb/s 4 km SFP

25 km ISL at 8 Gb/s (B-series)
10 km ISL at 4 Gb/s
(B-series, C-series)
4 km ISL at 4 Gb/s
(C-series)

4 Gb/s 30 km SFP
(extended-reach)

30 km ISL at 4 Gb/s

2 Gb/s 35 km SFP
(extended-reach)

35 km ISL at 2 Gb/s

(B-series 8 Gb/s switches only)

(B-series)

2 Gb/s
2 Gb/s 10 km SFP

10 km ISL at 2 Gb/s
(B-series, C-series)

1 Gb/s 10 km GBIC

10 km ISL at 1 Gb/s (B-series)

1 Gb/s 10 km SFP

10 km ISL at 1 Gb/s (C-series)

1 Gb/s 35 km SFP

35 km ISL at 1 Gb/s (C-series )

1 Gb/s 100 km GBIC

100 km ISL at 1 Gb/s (B-series)

1 Gb/s

1

You can use EFMS to allocate more buffer credits to ports of an H-series switch to achieve increased distance up to the limit of the
SFP capability.

Fibre Channel long-distance technology 253

For detailed information about distance rules for long-wave transceivers, see:
•

“Fibre Channel distance rules for 16 Gb/s and 8 Gb/s switch models (B-series, C-series, and
H-series)” (page 151)

•

“Fibre Channel distance rules for 4 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)”
(page 152)

•

“Fibre Channel distance rules for 2 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)”
(page 153)

•

“Fibre Channel distance rules for 1 Gb/s switch models (B-series and C-series switches)”
(page 153)

NOTE: To ensure adequate link performance, see “Extended fabric settings for Fibre Channel
switches” (page 257).

Wavelength division multiplexing
This section describes the following:
•

“WDM overview” (page 254)

•

“WDM network implementation” (page 254)

•

“WDM system architectures” (page 255)

•

“WDM system characteristics” (page 255)

•

“HP coarse wave division multiplexing” (page 256)

•

“Third-party WDM products” (page 256)

WDM overview
WDM devices extend the distance between two Fibre Channel switches. The devices are transparent
to the switches and do not count as an additional hop.
To accommodate WDM devices, you must have enough Fibre Channel BB_credits to maintain
line-speed performance. WDM supports Fibre Channel speeds of 4 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, and 1 Gb/s.
When planning SAN extension, BB_credits are an important consideration in WDM network
configurations. Typical WDM implementations for storage replication include a primary and
secondary path. You must have enough BB_credits to cover the distances for both the primary path
and secondary path so that performance is not affected if the primary path fails.

WDM network implementation
WDM-based networks provide a lower-cost way to respond quickly to increased bandwidth
demands and protocol changes. The quick response occurs because each wavelength is a new,
full-bandwidth communications link. In many areas of the world, it is less expensive to deploy
WDM devices on existing fiber than it is to install new fiber.
After implementing WDM, service providers can establish a “grow as you go” infrastructure.
Service providers can expand capacity in any portion of their networks. Carriers can address
areas of congestion resulting from high-capacity demands.
WDM enables you to partition and maintain dedicated wavelengths for different customers. For
example, service providers can lease wavelengths (instead of an entire fiber) to their high-use
business customers.

254 SAN extension

WDM system architectures
The WDM system architectures are as follows:
•

Passive (optical transmission protocol)

•

Active signal amplification

•

Active protocol handling

Most WDM products use one of these architectures or combine attributes of each.
Table 132 (page 255) summarizes the WDM system architectures.
Table 132 WDM system architectures
System architecture1

Description
• Transparent to transmission protocol and data-rate independent

Passive (optical transmission protocol)

• Establishes open interfaces that provide flexibility to use Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH,
ATM, Frame Relay, and other protocols over the same fiber
• Passes the optical signal without any form of signal conditioning such as amplification
or attenuation
• Includes line amplifiers and attenuators that connect to other devices through fiber
optic links

Active signal amplification

• Boosts the signals that are transmitted to and received from peripheral network devices
• Using hardware and/or software control loops, monitors power levels to ensure that
the operation does not exceed the hardware's power budgets
• Offers protocol-specific capabilities for Fibre Channel, enabling digital TDM and
optical multiplexing to support multiple channels on each wavelength
• Provides network monitoring, digital retiming (to reduce timing jitter), link integrity
monitoring, and distance buffering

Active protocol handling

• May require additional and potentially costly transmission hardware when deployed
in meshed networks
Note: HP Continuous Access products using HP FC Data Replication Protocol require
in-order delivery of data replication Fibre Channel frames. Architectures, products, or
protocols that do not guarantee in-order delivery are not supported.

1

Active protocol handling and passive protocol handling require different switch port settings, see “Port protocol setting based on
the extension architecture” (page 258).

WDM system characteristics
To help carriers realize the full potential of WDM, HP-supported WDM systems have the following
characteristics:
•

Use the full capacity of the existing dark fiber

•

Offer component reliability, 24x7 availability, and expandability

•

Provide optical signal amplification and attenuation to increase the transmitted/received
signal-to-noise ratio

•

Provide signal conditioning (that is, the retiming and reshaping of the optical data-carrying
signal) for optimization of the bit error rate

•

Offer channel add/drop capability (the ability to change the number of data channels by
adding or dropping optical wavelengths on any network node)

•

Allow compensation of power levels to facilitate adding or dropping channels

•

Provide upgradable channel capacity and/or bit rate

Fibre Channel long-distance technology 255

•

Allow interoperability through standards-compliant interfaces such as Fibre Channel, SONET,
and ATM

•

Convert wavelengths at each interface channel before multiplexing with other channels for
transmission

HP coarse wave division multiplexing
HP offers CWDM, which is similar to DWDM but is less expensive, less expandable (maximum of
eight channels), and covers a shorter distance (up to a maximum of 100 km using the 1 Gb/s or
2 Gb/s CWDM SFP transceivers, and a maximum of 40 km using the 4 Gb/s CWDM SFP
transceivers).
CWDM allows up to eight 1 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, or 4 Gb/s channels (or wavelengths) to share a single
fiber pair. Each channel uses a different color or wavelength CWDM SFP transceiver. The channels
are networked using a variety of wavelength-specific multiplexers/demultiplexers or OADMs that
support ring or point-to-point topologies.
The 4 Gb/s CWDM solution includes the following components:
•

A 2-slot chassis for CWDM multiplexer modules

•

Two 4-channel OADMs

•

One 8-channel multiplexer/demultiplexer

•

CWDM SFP transceivers (1470, 1490, 1510, 1530, 1550, 1570, 1590, 1610 nm)

The 1 Gb/s or 2 Gb/s CWDM solution includes the following components:
•

A 2-slot chassis for OADM CWDM multiplexer modules, which have the following components:

◦

Eight 1-channel OADMs

◦

Two 4-channel OADMs

◦

One 8-channel multiplexer/demultiplexer

•
CWDM SFP transceivers (1470, 1490, 1510, 1530, 1550, 1570, 1590, 1610 nm)
A typical CWDM SFP transceiver installation includes:
•

Two multiplexers/demultiplexers or two OADMs

•

Up to eight matched pairs of CWDM SFP transceivers of the same frequency

•

Up to eight single-mode fiber optic cables

•

One long-distance, single-mode fiber optic cable

For more information, see the C-series Coarse Wave Division Multiplexer product documentation
at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/cwdm/index.html.
NOTE:

The HP CWDM multiplexer solution is not supported on B-series or H-series switches.

For more information about B-series and C-series supported WDM devices, see “Certified third-party
WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308).

Third-party WDM products
HP supports third-party WDM products that have been tested successfully with a wide range of HP
products, see “Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308).
Figure 83 (page 257) and Figure 84 (page 257) show basic WDM SAN configuration options for
typical HP Continuous Access storage systems. For specific configuration options, see the HP P6000
Continuous Access and HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access product documentation.

256 SAN extension

Figure 83 Basic WDM configuration using one long-distance fiber optic link
Fabric 1
Local

Fabric 1
Remote

WDM
connection
Fabric 2
Local

Fabric 2
Remote
25144a

The configuration in Figure 83 (page 257) is low cost, but has no long-distance link redundancy.
Figure 84 Fully redundant WDM configuration using two long-distance fiber optic links
Fabric A1
Local

WDM
connection

Fabric A1
Remote

Fabric B1
Local

WDM
connection

Fabric B1
Remote
25145b

The configuration in Figure 84 (page 257) is high cost, but is fully redundant.
HP supports the following third-party WDM products and configurations:
•

CWDM and DWDM systems supported by the switch vendors.

•

WDM devices that are configurable to a data rate of 1 Gb/s, 2 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, 8 Gb/s, or
10 Gb/s

•

Up to 500 km at 1 Gb/s, over a WDM link (switch model dependent). On certain Fibre
Channel switches, there may be reduced performance at this distance, see “Storage product
interface, switches, and transport distance rules” (page 151).

•

Performance levels depend on the number of buffers available in the switch and the amount
of application data.

For information about HP-certified third-party WDM products, see “Certified third-party WDM,
iFCP, and SONET products” (page 308).

Extended fabric settings for Fibre Channel switches
When extending fabrics with Fibre Channel long-distance transceivers or WDM, it is important to
maintain the performance of ISL connections. For information about the B-series Extended Fabrics
license, see “Features” (page 95).

B-series switch settings
An Extended Fabrics license is required for B-series switches when extending a fabric beyond 10
km.
For B-series extended fabric switch settings, see the HP StorageWorks Fabric OS Administrator's
Guide, available at http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?
contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=179111&taskId=101&
prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=1143936.
NOTE: The HP C-series CWDM solution is not supported on B-series switches. For B-series
supported WDM devices, see “Certified third-party WDM products” (page 308).
Fibre Channel long-distance technology 257

Table 133 (page 258) describes the appropriate port protocol setting based on the WDM system
architecture.
Table 133 Port protocol setting based on the extension architecture
WDM system architecture

B-series port protocol setting

Active protocol handling (Table 132 (page 255))

portCfgISLMode slot/port, 1

Passive protocol handling

portCfgISLMode slot/port, 0

NOTE: The portCfgISLMode and portCfgLongDistance L0.5, L1, or L2 mode cannot be
enabled at the same time; otherwise, fabric segmentation occurs.
The portCfgISLMode and portCfgLongDistance mode LE, LD, or LS can be enabled at the
same time.

B-series trunking and WDM
Consider the following when using B-series trunking with WDM:
•

Trunking with WDM is supported only at 2 Gb/s or 4 Gb/s (1 Gb/s is not supported).

•

Trunking de-skew timers can accommodate a maximum difference of 400 m (de-skew value
of 200) between the shortest and longest ISLs in a trunk.

•

Trunking distance rules are listed in the HP StorageWorks Fabric OS Administrator Guide.

•

Trunking is not supported with ports configured for portCfgMode slot/port, 1 (R_RDY mode).

C-series switch settings
Table 134 (page 258) lists the C-series switch extended fabric settings for maintaining performance
with extended fabric links.
Table 134 C-series switch extended fabric settings
Extended fabric item

Setting

Supported switch models

C-series switches support up to 4095 BB_credits. For more information, see “C-series
switches that support iSCSI” (page 347).

Maximum number of hops

7

Maximum segment distance

For more information about distance rules for long-wave transceivers, see Table 68 (page
152), Table 69 (page 153), and Table 70 (page 153) in “SAN fabric connectivity and
switch interoperability rules” (page 146).

Consider the following when using C-series switches with extended fabric links:
•

The 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Modules can allocate up to 3,500 BB_credits to an individual
port.

•

The MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric and 18/4 Multiservice Modules can allocate up to 4,095
BB_credits to an individual port.

•

4 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s Fibre Channel Switching Modules can allocate up to 4,095 BB_credits
to an individual port.

•

Each port on the 16-port line card supports 255 BB_credits. These credits are available on a
per-port basis through a single link or a link combined with a port channel.

•

Using a port channel, bundles up to sixteen 2 Gb/s links to form a single 32 Gb/s link.

•

Using a port channel, bundles up to sixteen 4 Gb/s links to form a single 64 Gb/s link.

•

Using a port channel, bundles up to sixteen 10 Gb/s links to form a single 160 Gb/s link.

•

All port channel links must be the same speed.

258 SAN extension

H-series switch settings
The H-series switches have a fixed BB-credit setting. When using supported long-wave SFP, the
following distances are supported:
•

3.3 km at 8 Gb/s

•

6.6 km at 4 Gb/s

•

10 km at 2 Gb/s

However, you can use EFMS to allocate more buffer credits to ports of an H-series switch to achieve
increased distance up to the limit of the SFP capability, allowing 10 km at 8 Gb/s, 4Gb/s, or 2
Gb/s to be supported.

Multi-protocol long-distance technology
This section describes the following storage replication technologies, which enable data transfer
between SAN networks:
•

“Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol” (page 259)

•

“Fibre Channel over SONET” (page 263)

•

“Fibre Channel over ATM” (page 265)

Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol
FCIP connects Fibre Channel fabrics over IP-based networks to form a unified SAN in a single
fabric. FCIP relies on IP-based network services to provide connectivity between fabrics over LANs,
MANs, or WANs.
This section describes the following topics:
•

“FCIP mechanisms” (page 259)

•

“FCIP link configurations” (page 259)

•

“FCIP network considerations” (page 260)

•

“FCIP bandwidth considerations” (page 261)

•

“FCIP gateways” (page 262)

•

“Third-party QoS and data encryption FCIP products” (page 263)

FCIP mechanisms
FCIP gateways encapsulate Fibre Channel frames into IP packets and transmit them through a
tunnel in an existing IP network infrastructure. The IP tunnel is a dedicated link that transmits the
Fibre Channel data stream over the IP network. On the receiving end, the FCIP gateway extracts
the original Fibre Channel frames from the received IP packets and then retransmits them to the
destination Fibre Channel node. The gateways also handle IP-level error recovery.
NOTE: You must use the same gateway model (or model family in the case of MPX200 to mpx110)
at both ends to ensure interoperability.
To connect to FCIP gateways, B-series switches connect through an E_Port, while C-series switches
use plug-in modules. Figure 85 (page 260), Figure 86 (page 260), and Figure 87 (page 260) show
IP link configurations.

FCIP link configurations
Using FCIP, you can configure the SAN ISL through a single link, dual links, or shared links.
FCIP single-link configuration
The simplest FCIP configuration comprises one link (Figure 85).
Multi-protocol long-distance technology 259

Figure 85 FCIP single-link configuration
Fabric 1
Local

IP

Fabric 1
Remote
25146a

FCIP dual-link configuration
A dual-link configuration provides redundancy (Figure 86). If one link fails, the other link temporarily
handles all data replication. For enhanced fault tolerance, you can use two IP providers.
Figure 86 FCIP dual-link configuration
Fabric A1
Local

IP

Fabric A1
Remote

Fabric B1
Local

IP

Fabric B1
Remote
25147b

In a dual-link configuration, HP recommends that you limit the maximum sustained I/O load to
40% of the maximum available bandwidth for each link. This allows for instantaneous bursts of
I/O activity and minimizes the effect of a link failure on performance.
FCIP shared-link configuration
A shared-link configuration uses only one IP network (Figure 87).
Figure 87 FCIP shared-link configuration
Fabric A1
Local

Fabric A1
Remote

IP
Fabric B1
Local

Fabric B1
Remote
25148b

NOTE: Do not use the shared-link configuration if you require high availability because it does
not provide redundancy between fabrics. It can also decrease performance because the total
bandwidth available for storage is shared by the two fabrics.

FCIP network considerations
Implementing FCIP with your existing network depends on the expected storage replication
application load and existing network traffic. The key consideration is whether you have enough
unused or available bandwidth from your network to support the current network load, accommodate
future growth, and handle replication load demands.
Table 135 (page 261) lists considerations for determining whether to use an existing network.

260 SAN extension

Table 135 FCIP network consideration
Configuration type
Mirrored FCIP SAN

Data migration

Use existing network?

Factors

No

For peak performance, HP recommends using a
separate network. A dedicated network is the
benchmark for mirrored FCIP SAN systems.

Yes

Because data migration is usually a one-time event
for upgrade or maintenance purposes, you can use
your existing network. However, network
performance can be significantly degraded during
data migration.

FCIP gateways support Ethernet connections of 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, and 1 Gb/s. Select the
network connection that matches the amount of data to be transferred and the time allowed for
that transfer.

FCIP bandwidth considerations
When sites are located many miles apart, there can be unacceptable delays in the completion of
an I/O transaction. Increasing the available bandwidth may not solve this problem.
Recommendations for managing bandwidth with FCIP
In an enterprise-level SAN with multiple copy sets, merges, or full copies, normalization time can
be extensive. Use the following guidelines to decrease the normalization time in an HP P6000
Continuous Access environment with the EVA family of storage arrays:
•

Set up and normalize all copy sets at the same location with direct Fibre Channel connections,
and then move the remote hardware to the remote site for normal operations. New copy sets
will then normalize at the slower link speeds.

•

Increase link bandwidth while normalization is taking place.

•

Determine which data must be immediately available after a disaster, and save that data to
a copy set. This applies to EVA storage arrays. Back up all other data using backup methods
that can run at off-peak times.

•

Most IP networks do not manage bandwidth to each connection. As traffic increases due to
other demands on the network, you can use bandwidth from the replication application. Use
the following techniques to minimize impact on performance:

•

◦

Create VPNs with QoS through your local routers for the replication circuit.

◦

Create separate physical networks for EVA storage arrays.

◦

Guarantee the bandwidth using a third-party router and/or QoS vendor.

Distance affects the amount of data that can be transmitted across a link. Consider these
site-planning best practices:

◦

Use the shortest possible distance between remote sites.

◦

Always use the least possible number of copy sets. If possible, combine virtual disks that
have the same failover requirements because it is best to have one copy set per application
instance.

◦

Copy only data that is more expensive to re-create than to copy.

◦

Add copy sets that will not impact normal data traffic.

◦

Consider adding controller pairs to use available bandwidth effectively.

For additional recommendations, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide.
Multi-protocol long-distance technology

261

Determining the required bandwidth
You can determine the required bandwidth for any application. This example explains how to
measure the amount of new or changed data:
1. Collect the peak read and write workloads for a given period of time. For Windows operating
systems, use a tool such as PERFMON to capture the current performance requirements while
HP P6000 Continuous Access is not running. Similar tools exist for other operating systems.

2.

•

At each sample interval, capture reads per second (I/Os per second), read throughput
per second (Mb/s), writes per second (I/Os per second), and write throughput per second
(Mb/s).

•

If possible, collect read and write latency data.

•

Perform the collection by application, capturing the data for each logical unit (device)
used by that application.

Create a graph of each data set that shows where the peaks occur during the day.
•

Determine whether the daily average change rate is level or bursty.

•

Consider how these numbers will increase over the next 12 to 18 months.
The results of this scaling process become your design goal.

•

3.

Determine the values for RPO and RTO:

◦

RPO measures how much data is lost due to a problem at the source site. By definition,
an RPO of zero (no data can be lost) requires synchronous replication, regardless
of which data replication product you use.

◦

RTO indicates when to start using the recovery site. This measurement includes data
about application failover and restart.

◦

For asynchronous HP P6000 Continuous Access, the RPO design space is near zero.

◦

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Asynchronous supports an RPO from near zero
to many hours.

◦

HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access all synchronous
replication with an RTO equal to zero.

After the data has been collected:
•

If the RPO is near zero, use the peak write rate and throughput to estimate the bandwidth
you need. For some real-time applications (such as Microsoft Exchange), increase the
bandwidth between 2 to 10 times this initial estimate due to wait time for link access.

•

If the RPO is greater than zero, then average the change rate over the RPO interval and
use this value as an estimate of the inter-site bandwidth. You might need to increase or
decrease this bandwidth, depending on the environment and the amount of time needed
to complete the last write of the day before starting the next day's work.
NOTE: Because it is difficult to predict data compression before you begin, these
calculations do not account for the impact of compression. If you determine that you can
compress all data at a constant rate, then use that ratio to reduce the effective throughput
required from the link.

FCIP gateways
Table 136 (page 263) lists the HP FCIP gateways and supported switches.

262 SAN extension

Table 136 HP FCIP gateways
Gateway

Supported switches

“B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade”
(page 282)
B-series switches

“B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade” (page 285)
“HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch” (page 280)
“C-series MDS 9222i, IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Modules, 18/4
Multiservice Modules” (page 287)

C-series switches

“HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110)” (page 266)

B-series, C-series, and H-series switches

“MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275)

B-series, C-series, and H-series switches

Third-party QoS and data encryption FCIP products
Third-party vendors provide two classes of FCIP solutions that complement hardware: QoS devices
and IP data encryption devices. Detailed information about these products is available at the vendor
websites.
FCIP QoS products
You may need additional hardware to improve the QoS for an existing IP network. This hardware
lets you use the existing network with an FCIP gateway. Table 137 (page 263) lists QoS hardware
you can use with FCIP gateways.
Table 137 FCIP QoS products
Vendor name/website

Device

Purpose

Allot Communications, Inc.
http://www.allot.com

NetEnforcer

Packeteer, Inc.
http://www.packeteer.com

PacketShaper 6500

Application traffic and
bandwidth management
system

Riverstone Networks, Inc.
http://www.packeteer.com

RS 3000, RS 8000

MPLS GbE routers

Support

HP P6000 Continuous Access

WAN accelerator products
WAN accelerator products are not supported for use with HP Continuous Access products.

Fibre Channel over SONET
You can connect local SANs with a SONET to create an extended SAN.
An FC-SONET gateway resides at the end of an inter-site link. Each FC-SONET gateway
encapsulates Fibre Channel frames into SONET packets before transmitting the frames over the
network. Upon receiving the packets, another FC-SONET gateway extracts the original Fibre
Channel frames from the SONET packets and retransmits them to the destination Fibre Channel
node.
The FC-SONET gateway also handles SONET-level error recovery.
This section describes the following topics:
•

“FC-SONET IP link configurations” (page 264)

•

“FC-SONET network considerations” (page 264)

•

“Third-party SONET gateways” (page 264)

Multi-protocol long-distance technology 263

FC-SONET IP link configurations
Using FC-SONET, you can configure the SANs through a single link, dual links, or shared ISL links.
FC-SONET dual-link configuration
A dual-link configuration is the benchmark for disaster protection (Figure 88 (page 264)). If one link
fails, the other link temporarily handles all data replication. For enhanced fault tolerance, you use
two IP providers, accessing the data center through two links.
Figure 88 FC-SONET dual-link configuration
FC-SONET
Remote

FC-SONET
Local
SONET

25150a

In a dual-link configuration, HP recommends that you limit the maximum sustained I/O load to
40% of the maximum available bandwidth for each link. This allows for instantaneous bursts of
I/O activity and minimizes the effect of a link failure on performance.
FC-SONET shared-link configuration
A shared-link configuration uses only one ISL between fabrics (Figure 89 (page 264)).
Figure 89 FC-SONET shared-link configuration
FC-SONET
Remote

FC-SONET
Local
SONET

25151a

NOTE: Do not use the shared-link configuration if you require high availability because it does
not provide redundancy between fabrics. It can also decrease performance because the total
bandwidth available for storage is shared by the two fabrics.

FC-SONET network considerations
Implementing FC-SONET with your existing network depends on the expected storage replication
application load and existing network traffic. The key consideration is whether you have enough
unused or available bandwidth from your network to support the current network load, accommodate
future growth, and handle replication load demands.
HP supports the use of SONET with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, see “ATM and SONET/SDH”
(page 301).

Third-party SONET gateways
For a list of HP-certified third-party SONET gateways, see “Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and
SONET products” (page 308).

264 SAN extension

Fibre Channel over ATM
Direct FC-to-ATM conversion is supported by the Fibre Channel standards. However, currently, no
vendors sell direct FC-to-ATM gateways. If you have an ATM-based network, consider using
FC-to-GbE IP gateways, with an ATM blade residing on the Ethernet switch or IP router to convert
the GbE to ATM.
For detailed information about distance rules for Fibre Channel over ATM, see “ATM extension
Fibre Channel distance rules” (page 154).

HP multi-protocol long-distance products
This section describes the following HP SAN extension products:
•

“HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110)” (page 266)

•

“MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275)

•

“B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade” (page 282)

•

“B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade” (page 285)

•

“HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch” (page 280)

•

“C-series MDS 9222i, IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Modules, 18/4 Multiservice
Modules” (page 287)

HP SAN extension products summary and usage
HP provides a full line of SAN extension products designed to satisfy a range of disaster recovery
solutions and requirements. Table 138 (page 265) describes the product features and usage for all
HP supported FCIP SAN extension products. For more information, see “Fibre Channel over Internet
Protocol” (page 259), “SAN extension best practices for HP P6000 Continuous Access” (page 289),
and the Disaster Recovery Solutions: FCIP Gateway Performance Comparison whitepaper at http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/sanwhitepapers.html.
Table 138 Features and usage for HP supported FCIP SAN extension products
FCIP gateway Supported
product
fabrics

Inter-fabric
connectivity

Supported DR
software

Data compression
method/use

Recommended IP
bandwidths
(WAN)
Network requirements

E_Port
(fabric merge)
HP IP
Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

B-series

EX_Port

C-series

(LSAN fabric
isolation)1

H-series

(VSAN fabric
isolation)2

HP P6000
Continuous
Access

E_Port

HP P9000 (XP)
Continuous
Access3

B-series

EX_Port

C-series

(LSAN fabric
isolation)1

H-series

(Use when RTT is ≥
50 ms; or if
guaranteed WAN
bandwidth is ≤ 45
Mb/s)

E_Port

(fabric merge)
MPX200
Multifunction
Router with
FCIP
(MPX200)

Software

E_Port
(VSAN fabric
isolation)2

Low: T3/DS3 (45
Mb/s)
to
Medium: OC-3
(155 Mb/s)

See Table 139 (page
266).

Low: T3/DS3 (45
Mb/s)
to
4

Software

Medium: OC-3
(155 Mb/s)
to

See Table 140 (page
276).

High: OC-6 (322
Mb/s), OC-12
(622 Mb/s) up to
1 Gb/s4

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 265

Table 138 Features and usage for HP supported FCIP SAN extension products (continued)
FCIP gateway Supported
product
fabrics
B-series 1606
Extension
SAN Switch
DC Dir Switch
MP Extension
Blade
HP
StoreFabric
SN4000B
SAN
Extension
Switch
B-series 400
MP Router
MP Router
Blade

Inter-fabric
connectivity

Supported DR
software

Data compression
method/use

Recommended IP
bandwidths
(WAN)
Network requirements

VEX_Port
B-series

Low: T3/DS3 (45
Mb/s)

VE_Port (EX for
LSAN fabric
isolation)

B-series

See Table 142 (page
283).

Hardware

(LSAN fabric
isolation)

to

Hardware

Medium: OC-3
(155 Mb/s)

See Table 141 (page
280)

to
High: OC-6 (322
See Table 143 (page
Mb/s), OC-12
285).
(622 Mb/s) up to
1 Gb/s

VEX_Port
B-series

Hardware

(LSAN fabric
isolation)

See .
C-series MDS
9222i, IPS-4,
IPS-8, 14/2,
18/4

Software (IPS-4,
IPS-8)

E_Port
C-series

(VSAN-IVR fabric
isolation)

Hardware (all
others)

See Table 144 (page
287).

1

LSAN fabric isolation is available when used with B-series switches with Integrated Routing or B-series routers with FCR.

2

VSAN fabric isolation is available when used with C-series switches with inter-VSAN routing.

3

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access is not supported by H-series switches.

4

For compression usage recommendations, see the IP performance tuning section in the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router User Guide.

HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110)
The HP IP Distance Gateway (mpx110) provides Fibre Channel SAN extension over an IP network.
Used in conjunction with the EVA or XP family of storage systems and Continuous Access software,
the mpx110 enables long-distance remote replication for disaster tolerance.
Table 139 (page 266) lists the features and requirements for the IP Distance Gateway.
Table 139 IP Distance Gateway (mpx110) features and requirements
Feature
Fibre Channel switches for FCIP

Requirements
B-series switches—See “B-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 94) and “B-series
Fibre Channel switches and routers” (page 95).
TCP/IP IPv4, Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, 1,000 Mb/s

IP network protocols

266 SAN extension

Requires dedicated IP bandwidth. See Table 148 (page 291), and
Table 151 (page 293).

Table 139 IP Distance Gateway (mpx110) features and requirements (continued)
Feature

Requirements
• P6000 Continuous Access
• P9000 (XP) Continuous Access

Storage systems

• 3PAR Remote Copy
FCIP-supported operating systems

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/
software/conaccesseva/index.html.

Documentation

For information about using the HP IP Distance Gateway, see http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/networking/index.html.

IP Distance Gateway configuration examples
The IP Distance Gateway supports the configurations shown in Figure 90 (page 267) through
Figure 100 (page 273).
Figure 90 (page 267) shows a basic FCIP configuration with a local mpx110 and a remote mpx110
connected through an IP WAN using one or two long-distance links.
Figure 90 IP Distance Gateway basic FCIP configuration with one or two long-distance links

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

Fabric A1

GbE

HP

GbE

HP
Storage
Works
mpx100

mpx110

Fabric B2

Remote
FC servers

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC2

FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

GE2
!

Local
storage system

Fabric A2

FC1

FC1

Fabric B1

GbE

GbE

mpx110

!

Remote
storage system
25255c

Figure 91 (page 268) shows a high-availability configuration using pairs of mpx110s at the local
site and remote site for path redundancy.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 267

Figure 91 IP Distance Gateway high-availability configuration with one or two long-distance links

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

GbE

Local
FC servers

Fabric
A1

HP

GbE

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Fabric
A2

Storage
Works
mpx100

Remote
FC servers

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110
Fabric
B1

HP

GbE

GbE

mpx110

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Fabric
B2

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

Local
storage system

mpx110

Remote
storage system
25256d

Figure 92 (page 268) shows a high-availability configuration that includes a redundant IP network.
Figure 92 IP Distance Gateway high-availability configuration with a redundant IP network

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

GbE

Local FC
servers

GbE

Fabric A1

Fabric A2
HP

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Storage
Works
mpx100

Remote
FC servers

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

Fabric B1

Fabric B2
HP

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

GbE

Local
storage system

LAN

GbE

WAN
FCIP

LAN

Remote
storage system
25257c

Figure 93 (page 269) shows single-path connectivity for the servers and storage. This is the lowest-cost
implementation with no redundancy.

268 SAN extension

Figure 93 IP Distance Gateway basic FCIP configuration with single-path connectivity

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local FC
servers

GbE

Remote
FC servers

GbE

Fabric A1

Fabric A2
HP

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

Local
storage system

Remote
storage system
25263c

Figure 94 (page 269) shows a configuration using the IP Distance Gateway and B-series switches
with Integrated Routing. This provides fabric isolation between the local and remote fabrics, allowing
device access without merging the fabrics. This can be implemented in all supported IP Distance
Gateway configurations using B-series Fibre Channel switches with Integrated Routing or B-series
routers configured for Fibre Channel routing.
Figure 94 IP Distance Gateway FCIP with B-series Integrated Routing

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local FC
servers

GbE

Fabric A1

EX

HP

GbE

E

Storage

Works
mpx100

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC1
FC2
MGMT

FC2

IOIOI

GE1

!

Fabric A2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

Remote
FC servers

GE2
!

mpx110

Local
storage system

mpx110

Remote
storage system
26626a

Figure 95 (page 270) shows a configuration using the mpx110 with FCIP and C-series switches
with IVR. This provides fabric isolation between the local and remote fabrics, allowing device
access without merging the fabrics. This can be implemented in all supported mpx110 FCIP
configurations using C-series Fibre Channel switches with IVR.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 269

Figure 95 IP Distance Gateway FCIP with C-series IVR
WAN

LAN

LAN

FCIP

Local FC
servers

GbE

VSAN A1

E

HP

GbE

E

Storage

Works
mpx100

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

VSAN A2

Remote
FC servers

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

Local
storage system

Remote
storage system
26637a

Figure 96 (page 270) is similar to Figure 91 (page 268), but offers a higher level of redundancy
using additional Fibre Channel and LAN connections.
Figure 96 Highly redundant pairs of gateways, two long distance links

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

GbE

Fabric
A1

HP

GbE

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Fabric
A2

Storage
Works
mpx100

Remote
FC servers

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GbE

!

mpx110
Fabric
B1

HP

GE2
!

GbE

mpx110

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Fabric
B2

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

FC2

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2
!

GE2
!

Local
storage system

mpx110

mpx110

Remote
storage system
26539b

Figure 97 (page 271) is similar to Figure 92 (page 268), but offers a higher level of redundancy
using additional Fibre Channel and LAN connections.

270 SAN extension

Figure 97 Highly redundant pairs of gateways, fully redundant long-distance links

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

GbE

Local FC
servers

GbE

Fabric A1

Fabric A2
HP

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Storage
Works
mpx100

Remote
FC servers

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

Fabric B1

Fabric B2
HP

Storage
Works
mpx100

HP

FC1

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
FC2

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

GE2

GE2

!

!

mpx110

mpx110

GbE

Local
storage system

LAN

GbE

WAN

Remote
storage system

LAN

FCIP

26540b

HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configurations
This section describes HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configurations:
•

Figure 98 (page 272)

•

Figure 99 (page 272)

•

Figure 100 (page 273)

•

Figure 101 (page 274)

The first three configurations (Figure 98 through Figure 100) provide a fan-in or fan-out relationship
between sites. The fourth configuration (Figure 101) provides for a peer-to-peer relationship between
all sites.
Figure 98 shows connectivity for three sites using four mpx110 gateways, which implements the
minimum-level and lowest-cost connectivity for a 3-site configuration. Figure 99 shows additional
connectivity and redundancy using six mpx110 gateways. Figure 100 shows the highest level of
3-site connectivity using eight mpx110 gateways.
The following configuration rules apply to Figure 98 through Figure 100 (fan-in/fan-out):
•

For Site 1, Site 2 or Site 3 can function as the remote site.

•

For Site 2 or Site 3, Site 1 can function as the remote site.

•

Replication between Site 2 and Site 3 is not supported.

Figure 101 (page 274) is similar to Figure 99 (page 272), with additional connectivity to allow for
replication between Site 2 and Site 3.
The following configuration rules apply to Figure 101 (page 274) (peer-to-peer):
•

For Site 1, Site 2 or Site 3 can function as the remote site.

•

For Site 2, Site 1 or Site 3 can function as the remote site.

•

For Site 3, Site 1 or Site 2 can function as the remote site.

Figure 98 (page 272) shows long-distance link redundancy between all three sites.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products

271

Figure 98 HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configuration with four mpx110 gateways
LAN

Fabric A2

LAN
HP

Fabric B2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
A2/B2
Site 2

GE2
!

Fabric A1

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

Fabric B1

HP

mpx110
A1

WAN

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B1

HP

Fabric A3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
A3/B3

GE2

LAN

!

Site 1

LAN

Fabric B3

Site 3
26546a

Figure 99 (page 272) shows the same long-distance link redundancy as Figure 98 (page 272), with
the addition of redundant mpx110 gateways at Sites 2 and 3.
Figure 99 HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configuration with six mpx110 gateways
LAN

HP

Fabric A2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

LAN

HP

mpx110
A2
Fabric B2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
B2

GE2
!

Fabric A1

HP

LAN

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

Fabric B1

HP

mpx110
A1

Site 2

WAN

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B1

LAN

LAN

Site 1

HP

Fabric A3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

HP

mpx110
A3
Fabric B3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B3

LAN

Site 3
26547a

272 SAN extension

Figure 100 (page 273) shows the highest level of redundancy, with a dedicated mpx110 pair for
all long-distance links to all three sites.
Figure 100 HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configuration with eight gateways
LAN
LAN
HP

Fabric A2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
A2

GE2
!

Fabric A1

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
A1-1
HP

Fabric B2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
B2

GE2
!

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
A1-2

LAN

LAN

Site 2

WAN

LAN

LAN
HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B1-1
HP

Fabric B1

Fabric A3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

HP

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

LAN

mpx110
B1-2
HP

mpx110
A3
Fabric B3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

Site 1

mpx110
B3

LAN

Site 3
26548a

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 273

Figure 101 (page 274) shows long-distance link redundancy and full connectivity between all three
sites.
Figure 101 HP P6000 Continuous Access 3-site configuration with six mpx110 gateways, full
peer-to-peer connectivity
LAN

HP

Fabric A2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

LAN

HP

mpx110
A2
Fabric B2

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1

mpx110
B2

GE2
!

Fabric A1

HP

LAN

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

Fabric B1

HP

mpx110
A1

Site 2

WAN

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B1

LAN

LAN

Site 1

HP

Fabric A3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

HP

mpx110
A3
Fabric B3

Storage

Works
mpx100

FC1
FC2
MGMT

IOIOI

GE1
GE2

!

mpx110
B3

LAN

Site 3
26582a

Configuration rules
This section describes the configuration rules for using the mpx110 gateways for FCIP.
General configuration rules
Review the following general configuration rules:

274

•

All mpx110 configurations require a minimum of two mpx110 gateways, one local and one
remote, connected through an IP network. These can be two mpx110s or one MPX200 with
an FCIP license and one mpx110, one local and one remote, connected through an IP network.
HP does not support FCIP connectivity between other gateway models.

•

The mpx110 gateway is supported using FCIP extension with HP P6000 Continuous Access,
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, and 3PAR Remote Copy. See “EVA storage system rules”
(page 275) and “HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access” (page 295).

•

Enable compression for IP fabrics with an RTT greater than or equal to 50 ms or a guaranteed
WAN bandwidth of less than or equal to 45 Mb/s. For performance-tuning information based
on the link speed and delay, see the HP StorageWorks IP Distance Gateway User Guide.

SAN extension

For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Operating system and multipath support
The mpx110 gateway is supported using FCIP with all operating systems and multipath software
supported by HP for HP P6000 Continuous Access, HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, and 3PAR
Remote Copy. See Table 139 (page 266) and Table 140 (page 276).
EVA storage system rules
The EVA storage system rules follow:
•

The mpx110 gateway configured for FCIP is supported for use with HP P6000 Continuous
Access P6350/P6550 EVA using a minimum of XCS 11x, P6300/P6500 EVA using a
minimum of XCS 10x, EVA4100/ 6100/6400/8100/8400 using a minimum of XCS 6 or
09x.x, and EVA4400 using a minimum of XCS 09x.

•

The mpx110 gateway is supported for use in all HP P6000 Continuous Access configurations,
including the standard two-fabric, five-fabric, and six-fabric configurations. For more
information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access documentation.

•

FCIP is supported for HP P6000 Continuous Access DR group LUNs and non-DR LUNs.

•

Supports the minimum IP bandwidth/maximum DR groups. See Table 150 (page 293) through
Table 153 (page 295).

XP storage system rules
The XP storage system rules follow:
•

The mpx110 gateway configured for FCIP is supported for use with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access Synchronous, Asynchronous, and Journal. For the latest support updates, see the HP
storage website:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure/index.html

•

Supported XP models are XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000, using a minimum of 60x
and 50x firmware levels respectively. Contact your HP-authorized representative for supported
firmware versions.

•

The mpx110 gateway is supported for use in all HP-supported HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access FCIP configurations. For more information, see the HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
documentation.

•

Requires a minimum IP bandwidth of 16 Mb/s per path.

•

For additional requirements, see “HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP gateway support”
(page 305).

XP storage system software
The mpx110 gateway is supported with XP storage software applications, such as HP P9000 (XP)
Continuous Access, Command View XP, HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Journal, Business Copy
XP, and XP Array Manager.
Fibre Channel switch and firmware support
See Table 139 (page 266).

MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP
The HP MPX200 Multifunction Router provides Fibre Channel SAN extension over an IP network.
Used in conjunction with the EVA and XP family of storage systems and Continuous Access software,
the MPX200 enables long-distance remote replication for disaster tolerance.
HP multi-protocol long-distance products 275

The MPX200 FCIP feature can be configured as a standalone function or for use simultaneously
with iSCSI. A license is required to enable the FCIP feature. All licenses are half-chassis based,
enabling FCIP to be configured on one or both bays (slots) in a dual-blade chassis configuration.
The following licenses are available for FCIP:
•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Half Chassis FCIP License—Includes the license to enable FCIP
functionality in one of two bays (slots) in an MPX200 Chassis

•

HP Storage Works MPX200 Full Chassis FCIP License—Includes the license to enable FCIP
functionality for both bays (slots) in an MPX200 Chassis.

IMPORTANT: If you install a single blade and a half-chassis license initially, and then install a
second blade, a second half-chassis license is required.
Table 140 (page 276) lists the features and requirements for the MPX200 Multifunction Router using
FCIP.
Table 140 MPX200 Multifunction Router using FCIP features and requirements
Feature
Fibre Channel switches for FCIP

Requirements
B-series switches—See “B-series Fibre Channel switches” (page 94) and “B-series
Fibre Channel switches and routers” (page 95).
TCP/IP IPv4, Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, 1,000 Mb/s

IP network protocols

Requires dedicated IP bandwidth. See Table 148 (page 291) and
Table 151 (page 293).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access

Storage systems

• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
• HP 3PAR Remote Copy
All operating systems supported for HP P6000 Continuous Access and HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.

FCIP-supported operating systems

Documentation

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/
software/conaccesseva/index.html.
For information about using the MPX200 Multifunction Router, see http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/networking/index.html.

MPX200 Multifunction Router FCIP configuration examples
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, data migration, and FCIP. The base functionality
is iSCSI, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data migration or FCIP
for standalone or concurrent operation. All FCIP configurations shown are supported with FCIP
only or with simultaneous FCIP and iSCSI operations. For information about iSCSI configurations,
see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage” (page 323). For information
about data migration, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with data migration” (page 218).
NOTE: The MPX200 does not support simultaneous FCIP and data migration operation on the
same blade (see Table 179 (page 327)).
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports the FCIP configurations shown in Figure 102 (page
277), Figure 105 (page 278), and Figure 106 (page 279), in addition to all configurations shown for
the IP Distance Gateway, see “IP Distance Gateway configuration examples” (page 267).
Figure 106 (page 279) shows an FCIP configuration using an MPX200 at the local site and an IP
Distance Gateway at the remote site.
Figure 102 (page 277) shows a basic FCIP configuration with a local single-blade MPX200 chassis
and a remote single-blade MPX200 chassis connected through an IP WAN using one or two
long-distance links.
276 SAN extension

Figure 102 MPX200 basic FCIP configuration with one or two long-distance links
LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

Fabric A1

GbE

GbE

GbE

HP
HP

Fabric A2

GbE

Remote
FC servers

Storage
Works
MPX200

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE4
GE4
GE3

MGMT

GE3

MGMT

IOIOI

IOIOI

MPX200
MPX200

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

FC1

FC2
FC2

GE1
GE1
GE2
GE2

MPX200

MPX200

Fabric B1

Fabric B2

Local
storage system

Remote
storage system
26609b

Figure 103 (page 277) shows a configuration using the MPX200 with FCIP and B-series switches
with Integrated Routing. This provides fabric isolation between the local and remote fabrics, allowing
device access without merging the fabrics. This can be implemented in all supported MPX200 FCIP
configurations using B-series Fibre Channel switches with Integrated Routing or B-series routers
configured for Fibre Channel routing.
Figure 103 MPX200 FCIP with B-series Integrated Routing
LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

GbE

Fabric A1

GbE

GbE

GbE

Remote
FC servers

E

EX
HP
HP

Fabric A2

Storage
Works
MPX200

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE4
GE4
GE3

MGMT

GE3

MGMT

IOIOI

IOIOI

MPX200
MPX200

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

FC1

FC2
FC2

GE1
GE1
GE2
GE2

Fabric B1

Local
storage system

EX

MPX200

MPX200

E

Fabric B2

Remote
storage system
26625a

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 277

Figure 104 (page 278) shows a configuration using the MPX200 with FCIP and C-series switches
with IVR. This provides fabric isolation between the local and remote fabrics, allowing device
access without merging the fabrics. This can be implemented in all supported MPX200 FCIP
configurations using C-series Fibre Channel switches with IVR.
Figure 104 MPX200 FCIP with C-series IVR
WAN

LAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

GbE

VSAN A1

GbE

GbE

GbE

Remote
FC servers

E

E
HP
HP

VSAN A2

Storage
Works
MPX200

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE4
GE4
MGMT

GE3

MGMT

GE3

IOIOI

IOIOI

MPX200
MPX200

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

FC1

FC2
FC2

GE1
GE1
GE2
GE2

VSAN B1

MPX200

E

MPX200

E

Local
storage system

VSAN B2

Remote
storage system
26638a

Figure 105 (page 278) shows a high-availability configuration using a dual-blade MPX200 chassis
at the local site and the remote site for hardware and path redundancy.
Figure 105 MPX200 high-availability configuration with one or two long-distance links

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

GbE

GbE

Fabric
A2

Fabric
A1
HP

HP

Storage
Works
MPX200

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE4

GE4
GE3

MGMT

GE3

MGMT

IOIOI

IOIOI
MPX200

MPX200

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

FC2

FC2

HP

HP

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE1

Storage
Works
MPX200

GE1

GE2

GE2
GE4

GE4
GE3

MGMT

IOIOI
MPX200

MPX200

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

Local
storage system

GE3

MGMT

IOIOI

Fabric
B1

Remote
FC servers

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE1
GE2

MPX200

GE2

MPX200

Fabric
B2

Remote
storage system
26610b

Figure 106 (page 279) shows a basic FCIP configuration with a local single-blade MPX200 chassis
and a remote IP Distance Gateway (mpx100).

278 SAN extension

Figure 106 Local MPX200 basic FCIP configuration with remote IP Distance Gateway (mpx100)

LAN

WAN

LAN

FCIP

Local
FC servers

Fabric A1

GbE

HP

GbE

GbE

Fabric A2

mpx110

Fabric B2

GbE

Remote
FC servers

Storage
Works
MPX200

HP

GE4
GE3

MGMT

Storage
Works
mpx100

FC1
IOIOI
MPX200

FC2

1 GbE
Multifuncti
Blade
on Router

MGMT

FC1

IOIOI

GE1
GE2
FC2

!

GE1
GE2

Fabric B1

MPX200

Local
storage system

Remote
storage system
26611b

FCIP Configuration rules
The section describes the FCIP configuration rules for using the MPX200 for FCIP.
General FCIP configuration rules
Observe the following general configuration rules:
•

All MPX200 FCIP configurations require a minimum of two gateways. These can be two
MPX200s or one MPX200 and one IP Distance Gateway (mpx110), one local and one remote,
connected through an IP network. HP does not support FCIP connectivity between other gateway
models.

•

FCIP is supported on GbE ports only (GE1 and GE2).

•

The MPX200 is supported using FCIP extension with HP P6000 Continuous Access, HP P9000
(XP) Continuous Access, and 3PAR Remote Copy. See “EVA storage system rules” (page 275)
and “XP storage system rules” (page 275).

•

For performance-tuning information based on the link speed and delay, see the HP
StorageWorks Multifunction Router User Guide.

For current storage system support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Operating system and multipath support
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports FCIP with all operating systems and multipath software
supported by HP for HP P6000 Continuous Access, HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, and 3PAR
Remote Copy. See Table 139 (page 266) and Table 140 (page 276).
Storage system rules
Observe the following storage system rules:
•

The MPX200 Multifunction Router configured for FCIP is supported for use with HP P6000
Continuous Access and P6350/P6550 EVA using a minimum of XCS 11x, P6300/P6500
EVA using a minimum of XCS 10x, EVA4100/6100/6400/8100/8400 using a minimum
of XCS 6 or 09x.x, and EVA4400 using a minimum of XCS 09x.
For 3PAR, the MPX200 is supported for use with HP 3PAR Remote Copy for 3PAR StoreServ
10000 V-Class, 3PAR StoreServ 7000, 3PAR F-Class, and T-Class.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 279

For XP, the MPX200 is supported for use with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access for
XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000.
•

The MPX200 Multifunction Router is supported for use in all supported HP P6000 Continuous
Access SAN configurations, including the standard two-fabric, five-fabric, and six-fabric
configurations. For more information, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access documentation.

•

FCIP is supported for HP P6000 Continuous Access DR group LUNs and non-DR LUNs.

•

The minimum IP bandwidth required for HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access is 16 Mb/s per
path.

•

Supports the minimum IP bandwidth/maximum EVA DR groups. See Table 150 (page 293)
through Table 153 (page 295).

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch
The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch offers FCIP, Fibre Channel routing, and Fibre
Channel switching. You can use all of these functions on the same HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch simultaneously.
A HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch can have:
•

Up to 2 40-GbE IP ports for FCIP, see “SAN extension” (page 250)

•

Up to 16 1-GbE/10-GbE IP ports for FCIP, see “SAN extension” (page 250)

•

Up to 24 EX_Ports for Fibre Channel routing services, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24)

•

Up to 24 F_Ports for Fibre Channel switching.

For the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch you can configure a Fibre Channel port
as an F_Port, E_Port, D_Port (Diagnosis), M_Port (Mirror), U_Port (self discovery), and configure a
GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP).
NOTE:

VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot connect to the same edge fabric.

VEX_Ports are not supported with the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch.
Using FCIP and Fibre Channel routing, you can connect to local and remote fabrics without fully
merging them. This prevents unauthorized access to all devices on the local and remote fabrics.

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch features and requirements
Table 141 (page 280) lists the features and requirements for the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch.
Table 141 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch features and requirements
Feature

Requirements
The HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch are supported with the B-series
switches listed in “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Fibre Channel switches for FCIP

These products are also supported for use as Fibre Channel switches. This provides
both Fibre Channel switch connectivity for hosts and storage systems and FCIP
connectivity for SAN extension.
TCP/IP IPv4, IPv6 Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, and 1,000 Mb/s

IP network protocols

280 SAN extension

All HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch FCIP implementations must have
dedicated IP bandwidth configured as a committed bandwidth, or using the Adaptive
Rate Limiting feature. HP does not support the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switch configurations with FCIP tunnels configured with nondedicated bandwidth. For
more information about configuring and monitoring FCIP extension services, see Brocade
Fabric OS 7.3.x Administrator's Guide.

Table 141 HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch features and requirements (continued)
Feature

Requirements
For more information on dedicated IP bandwidth requirements, see Table 148 (page
291) and Table 151 (page 293).
Notes:
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access storage systems require a minimum of 16 Mb/s
IP bandwidth.
• FCIP is supported with IPsec data encryption (license required). This requires a
minimum of firmware 7.3.0c.
• FCIP is supported with FCIP FastWrite acceleration.
• The connection to the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch FCIP port
must be GbE compatible (10-GbE for the 10-GbE ports).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access (requires a minimum of firmware 7.3.0c)
• HP 3PAR Remote Copy
For operating system support, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).
FCIP FastWrite is supported with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and is not supported
with HP P6000 Continuous Access.
Supported routing modes:

Storage systems

• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (aptpolicy
= 1) or exchange-based routing (aptpolicy = 3), see Table 165 (page 305).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (all XCS versions)
or exchange-based routing (XCS 11200000 or later).
FCIP-supported operating systems

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/
conaccesseva/index.html.

Documentation

For information about the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, see the
SAN Infrastructure website http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure/
index.html.

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch configuration examples
When connecting fabrics through IP, the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch serves
as an FCIP gateway with Fibre Channel routing. HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switches
that communicate over FCIP links can be installed in multiple pairs for high availability (Figure 107)
or as a single pair (Figure 108).
Figure 107 NSPOF configuration with HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switches providing
Fibre Channel routing and FCIP
SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

IP A

FCIP with FC routing
SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
Fabric B1

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
IP B

FCIP with FC routing

Fabric B2
26583c

HP multi-protocol long-distance products

281

Figure 108 Fibre Channel routing and FCIP using two HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension
Switches
Fabric A1

SN4000B
SAN Extension
Switch

IP A

SN4000B
SAN Extension
Switch

Fabric A2

IP B

Fabric B1

Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing

26584b

HP supports FCIP configurations in which the HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch
serves as an FCIP gateway and a Fibre Channel switch. Servers and storage systems that support
Continuous Access with FCIP can be directly connected to the Fibre Channel ports on the HP
StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch (Figure 109).
Figure 109 NSPOF configuration with HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switches providing
FCIP with direct connect devices
SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
VEX

Fabric A1

IP A

VE
Fabric A2

FCIP with FC routing

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch

SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
VEX

IP B

Fabric B1

VE
Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing

26585c

B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade
The B-series 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade offer FCIP SAN
extension, Fibre Channel routing, and Fibre Channel switching. You can use all of these functions
on the same 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade simultaneously.
A 1606 Extension SAN Switch can have:
•

Up to 6 GbE IP ports for FCIP, see “SAN extension” (page 250)

•

Up to 16 F_Ports for FC switching.

•
Up to 16 EX_Ports for Fibre Channel routing services, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24)
A DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade can have:
•

Up to 10 1-GbE IP ports for FCIP, see “SAN extension” (page 250)

•

Up to 2 10-GbE IP ports for FCIP, see “SAN extension” (page 250)

•

Up to 12 EX_Ports for Fibre Channel routing services, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 24)

•
Up to 12 F_Ports for Fibre Channel switching.
For the 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, you can configure
a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing), and configure
a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP) or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel routing).

282 SAN extension

NOTE:

VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot connect to the same edge fabric.

VEX_Ports are not supported with the DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.
Using FCIP and Fibre Channel routing, you can connect to local and remote fabrics without fully
merging them. This prevents unauthorized access to all devices on the local and remote fabrics.

1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade features and requirements
Table 142 (page 283) lists the features and requirements for the 1606 Extension SAN Switch and
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.
Table 142 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade features and requirements
Feature

Requirements
The 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade are supported
with the B-series switches listed in “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Fibre Channel switches for FCIP

These products are also supported for use as Fibre Channel switches. This provides
both Fibre Channel switch connectivity for hosts and storage systems and FCIP
connectivity for SAN extension.
TCP/IP IPv4, Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, and 1,000 Mb/s
All 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade FCIP
implementations must have dedicated IP bandwidth configured as a committed
bandwidth, or using the Adaptive Rate Limiting feature. HP does not support the 1606
Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade configurations with FCIP
tunnels configured with nondedicated bandwidth. For more information about configuring
and monitoring FCIP extension services, see HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 6.x
Administrator's Guide.

IP network protocols

For more information on dedicated IP bandwidth requirements, see Table 148 (page
291) and Table 151 (page 293).
Notes:
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access storage systems require a minimum of 16 Mb/s
IP bandwidth.
• FCIP is supported with IPsec data encryption (license required). This requires a
minimum of firmware 6.3.0.
• FCIP is supported with FCIP FastWrite acceleration.
• The connection to the 1606 Extension SAN Switch or DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blade FCIP port must be GbE compatible (10-GbE for the 10-GbE ports).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access (requires a minimum of firmware 6.3.0a)
• HP 3PAR Remote Copy
For operating system support, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).

Storage systems

FCIP FastWrite is supported with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and is not supported
with HP P6000 Continuous Access.
Supported routing modes:
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (aptpolicy
= 1) or exchange-based routing (aptpolicy = 3), see Table 165 (page 305).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (all XCS versions)
or exchange-based routing (XCS 09534000 or later).

FCIP-supported operating systems

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/
conaccesseva/index.html.

Documentation

For information about the 1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blade, see the SAN Infrastructure website http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
saninfrastructure/index.html.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 283

1606 Extension SAN Switch configuration examples
When connecting fabrics through IP, the 1606 Extension SAN Switch serves as an FCIP gateway
with Fibre Channel routing. 1606 Extension SAN Switches that communicate over FCIP links can
be installed in multiple pairs for high availability (Figure 110) or as a single pair (Figure 111).
Figure 110 NSPOF configuration with 1606 Extension SAN Switches providing Fibre Channel
routing and FCIP
1606 Extension
SAN Switch

1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

IP A

FCIP with FC routing
1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B1

1606 Extension
SAN Switch
Fabric B2

IP B

FCIP with FC routing
26583b

Figure 111 Fibre Channel routing and FCIP using two 1606 Extension SAN Switches
Fabric A1

1606 Extension
SAN Switch

IP A

1606 Extension
SAN Switch

Fabric A2

IP B

Fabric B1

Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing

26584a

HP supports FCIP configurations in which the 1606 Extension SAN Switch serves as an FCIP
gateway and a Fibre Channel switch. Servers and storage systems that support Continuous Access
with FCIP can be directly connected to the Fibre Channel ports on the 1606 Extension SAN Switch
(Figure 112).
Figure 112 NSPOF configuration with 1606 Extension SAN Switches providing Fibre Channel
routing and FCIP with direct connect devices
1606 Extension
SAN Switch

1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VEX

Fabric A1

IP A

VE
Fabric A2

FCIP with FC routing

1606 Extension
SAN Switch

1606 Extension
SAN Switch
VEX

Fabric B1

IP B

VE
Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing
26585b

284 SAN extension

B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade
The B-series 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade offer FCIP SAN extension, Fibre Channel routing,
and Fibre Channel switching. You can use all three of these functions on the same 400 MP Router
or MP Router Blade simultaneously. A 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade can have:
•

Up to 2 GbE IP ports for FCIP. For more information, see “SAN extension” (page 250).

•

Up to 16 EX_Ports for Fibre Channel routing services. For more information, see “SAN fabric
topologies” (page 24).

•

Up to 16 F_Ports for Fibre Channel switching.

For the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade, you can configure a Fibre Channel port as an F_Port,
FL_Port, E_Port, or EX_Port (Fibre Channel routing), and configure a GbE port as a VE_Port (FCIP)
or VEX_Port (FCIP with Fibre Channel routing).
NOTE:

VEX_Ports and EX_Ports cannot connect to the same edge fabric.

Using FCIP and Fibre Channel routing, you can connect to local and remote fabrics without fully
merging them. This prevents unauthorized access to all devices on the local and remote fabrics.

400 MP Router and MP Router Blade features and requirements
Table 143 (page 285) lists the features and requirements for the 400 MP Router and MP Router
Blade.
Table 143 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade features and requirements
Feature

Requirements
The 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade are supported with the B-series switches
listed in “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Fibre Channel switches for FCIP

These products are also supported for use as Fibre Channel switches. This provides
both Fibre Channel switch connectivity for hosts and storage systems and FCIP
connectivity for SAN extension.
TCP/IP IPv4, Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, and 1,000 Mb/s
All 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade FCIP implementations must have dedicated
IP bandwidth. HP does not support 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade configurations
with FCIP tunnels configured with nondedicated bandwidth. For more information,
see “Configuring and monitoring FCIP extension services” in the HP StorageWorks
Fabric OS 6.x Administrator Guide.
For more information on dedicated IP bandwidth requirements, see Table 148 (page
291) and Table 151 (page 293).
Notes:

IP network protocols

• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access storage systems require a minimum of 16 Mb/s
IP bandwidth.
FCIP is supported with IPsec data encryption (license required) or FCIP FastWrite
acceleration. This requires a minimum of firmware 5.2.0a. For firmware version
6.3.x, version 6.3.0c (or later) is required for FCIP FastWrite.
• IPsec and FCIP FastWrite are mutually exclusive and cannot be configured
simultaneously.
• The connection to the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade FCIP port must be GbE
compatible.

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 285

Table 143 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade features and requirements (continued)
Feature

Requirements
• HP P6000 Continuous Access
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
• HP 3PAR Remote Copy
For operating system support, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).
FCIP FastWrite is supported with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access and is not
supported with HP P6000 Continuous Access.
Supported routing modes:

Storage systems

• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (aptpolicy
= 1) or exchange-based routing (aptpolicy = 3), see Table 165 (page 305).
• HP P6000 Continuous Access—Supported with port-based routing (all XCS versions)
or exchange-based routing (XCS 09534000 or later).
FCIP-supported operating systems

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/
conaccesseva/index.html.

Documentation

For information about the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade, see the SAN
Infrastructure website http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/
conaccesseva/index.html.

400 MP Router and MP Router Blade configuration examples
When connecting fabrics through IP, the 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade serve as FCIP gateways
with Fibre Channel routing. Routers that communicate over FCIP links can be installed in multiple
pairs for high availability (Figure 113) or as a single pair (Figure 114).
NOTE: Single-pair configurations require 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade firmware 6.1.0a
(or later).
Figure 113 NSPOF configuration with 400 MP Routers providing Fibre Channel routing and FCIP
400 MPR
Fabric A1

400 MPR
Fabric A2

IP A

FCIP with FC routing

400 MPR
Fabric B1

400 MPR
Fabric B2

IP B

FCIP with FC routing

25270b

Figure 114 Fibre Channel routing and FCIP using two 400 MP Routers
Fabric A1

Fabric A2

400 MPR

IP A

400 MPR

IP B

Fabric B1

FCIP with FC routing

Fabric B2
26469b

286 SAN extension

HP supports FCIP configurations in which the 400 MP Router or MP Router Blade serves as an FCIP
gateway and a Fibre Channel switch. Servers and storage systems that support Continuous Access
with FCIP can be directly connected to the Fibre Channel ports on the 400 MP Router or MP Router
Blade (Figure 115).
Figure 115 NSPOF configuration with 400 MP Routers providing Fibre Channel routing and FCIP
with direct connect devices

400 MPR

400 MPR
VEX

Fabric A1

IP A

VE
Fabric A2

FCIP with FC routing

400 MPR

400 MPR
VEX

Fabric B1

IP B

VE
Fabric B2

FCIP with FC routing

25282c

For use-case configuration examples, see the 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade use-case white
papers at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/sanwhitepapers.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.

C-series MDS 9222i, IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Modules, 18/4
Multiservice Modules
The C-series MDS 9222i, IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8), 14/2 Multiprotocol Services
Modules, and 18/4 Multiservice Modules provide MDS FCIP and iSCSI functionality.
The IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4 modules integrate seamlessly into the C-series MDS 9000
switches and support the full range of features, including VSANs, security, and traffic management.
You can use the C-series modules in the C-series SN8000C, 9500 and 9200 series switches. The
IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4 modules have four, eight, two, and four 1 Gb/s Ethernet ports,
respectively.
Table 144 (page 287) lists the features and requirements for the C-series modules.
Table 144 C-series MDS module features and requirements
Feature

Requirements
C-series MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric
HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch

HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch
Fibre Channel switch hardware support
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch
for iSCSI and FCIP with the IP services
modules
C-series MDS 9513 Multilayer Director switch
C-series MDS 9506 Multilayer Director switch
C-series MDS 9509 Multilayer Director switch
IP network protocols

TCP/IP IPv6, Ethernet 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, and 1,000 Mb/s
Requires dedicated IP bandwidth, see Table 148 (page 291) and Table 151 (page 293).

HP multi-protocol long-distance products 287

Table 144 C-series MDS module features and requirements (continued)
Feature

Requirements
• HP P6000 Continuous Access
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
• HP 3PAR Remote Copy
Contact an HP storage representative for EVA and XP supported models.

Storage systems

For specific operating system support, see “Heterogeneous server rules” (page 159).
Supported load balance settings:
• HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access—Supported with load balance setting
src-dst-id or src-dst-ox-id on all C-series Fibre Channel switches.
• HP P6000 Continuous Access—Supported with load balance setting src-dst-id
or src-dst-ox-id (XCS 09534000 or later) on all C-series Fibre Channel switches.

FCIP-supported operating systems

For HP P6000 Continuous Access, see the HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array
Compatibility Reference at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storage/software/
conaccesseva/index.html.

Documentation

For information about the C-series MDS modules, see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/
products/hw/ps4159/ps4358/products_data_sheet09186a00800c465b.html.

HP storage replication products
HP provides the following storage replication products:
•

HP P6000 Continuous Access with the P63xx/P65xx EVA or
EVA4100/4400/6100/6400/8100/8400

•

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access with the XP family of storage systems

•

OpenVMS host-based volume shadowing

The following products are qualified by HP as Fibre Channel routers, network gateways, or iSCSI
bridges with the EVA storage system:
•

1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, HP StoreFabric SN4000B
SAN Extension Switch, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade, are qualified as FCIP gateways
and Fibre Channel routers. The 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension
Blade, HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 400 MP Router, and MP Router
Blade are also qualified as Fibre Channel switches.

•

C-series IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8), 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, and
MDS 9222i switches are qualified as an FCIP gateway and an iSCSI bridge. MDS 9222i
switches are also qualified as Fibre Channel switches.

•

MPX200 Multifunction Router is qualified as an FCIP gateway.

•

HP IP Distance Gateway is qualified as an FCIP gateway.

The following sections describe network requirements for replication products with qualified
gateways:
•

“SAN extension best practices for HP P6000 Continuous Access” (page 289)

•

“ HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS 09x” (page 289)

•

“HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 6.x” (page 291)

•

“HP P6000 Continuous Access with VCS 4.x” (page 293)

•

“HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access” (page 295)

•

“OpenVMS host-based volume shadowing” (page 307)

288 SAN extension

SAN extension best practices for HP P6000 Continuous Access
HP recommends you consider the following best practices when implementing SAN extension using
FCIP with HP P6000 Continuous Access:
•

Separate host traffic from replication traffic in environments that employ FCIP gateways. This
decouples the host I/O from throughput on the inter-site link. This can be achieved in the
following ways:

◦

Use separate switches and separate fabrics for host and replication I/O (preferred
solution).

◦

Replication zones can be set up through fabric zoning. Using standard fabric zoning,
the host traffic is separated from the replication traffic.

•

For high availability and no single point of failure, the best practice is to deploy a 6-fabric
solution, where there are two inter-site links. This solution uses separate switches for the
replication and host fabrics. At least one of the EVAs must be an EVA8x00. Two fabrics that
are dedicated to replication and four fabrics are dedicated to host I/O traffic.

•

If only a single ISL is available, then a 5-fabric configuration can be used. This solution requires
using separate switches for the host and replication fabrics. Only one fabric would be dedicated
to replication traffic.

•

Use a 2-fabric (dual fabric) configuration only if the host traffic cannot be separated from the
replication traffic. This is recommended only when the customer business requirements permit
it. Take care when designing a 2-fabric configuration over FCIP links, as host port blocking
can occur.

For information on the different fabric configurations or on the HP SCSI Fibre Channel protocol
option, see the HP P6000 Continuous Access Implementation Guide.

HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS 09x
This section describes the HP P6000 Continuous Access with P6350/P6550 EVA XCS 11x,
P6300/P6500 EVA XCS 10x, and EVA4400/6400/8400 10x or XCS 09x data replication
specifications and the supported minimum and maximum transmission rates for qualified switch
and gateway pairs. Table 145 (page 289) lists the network requirements for long-distance gateways
when using XCS 11x, XCS 10x, and XCS 09x.
Table 145 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS
09x
Specification

Description
• Must be dedicated to the HP P6000 Continuous Access storage replication function.

IP bandwidth1

• The minimum IP bandwidth required for HP P6000 Continuous Access with
P63xx/P65xx EVA, EVA4400/6400/8400, and EVA4400 (embedded switch)
with FCIP is 2 Mb/s per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths when using one IP link.
• There is no support for dynamic pacing of the gateway.
For the maximum number of DR groups, see Table 114 (page 221).

Maximum number of DR
groups

For minimum supported bandwidth and resulting maximum number of DR groups based
on the average packet-loss ratio and one-way inter-site latencies, see Table 146 (page
290) and Table 147 (page 291).

MTU of the IP network

1,500 bytes

Maximum latency1

100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip

Average packet-loss ratio2

Low-loss network: 0.0012% average over 24 hours

HP storage replication products 289

Table 145 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with XCS 11x, XCS 10x, or XCS
09x (continued)
Specification

Description
High-loss network: 0.2% average over 24 hours; must not exceed 0.5% for more than
5 minutes in a two-hour window

Latency jitter3

Must not exceed 10 ms over 24 hours

1

Pre-existing restriction

2

A high packet-loss ratio indicates the need to retransmit data across the inter-site link. Each retransmission delays
transmissions queued behind the current packet, thus increasing the time to complete pending transactions. Unless noted
otherwise, gateways listed in Table 146 (page 290) and Table 147 (page 291) are supported in both low-loss and high-loss
networks.
Latency jitter is the difference between the minimum and maximum values, and indicates how stable or predictable the
network delay. The greater the jitter, the greater the variance in the delay, which lowers the performance predictability.

3

NOTE: Applications typically require more than the minimum bandwidth to meet throughput
requirements. To increase the maximum number of DR groups, you must increase the minimum
available IP bandwidth. For example, if the maximum number of DR groups required is 10, increase
the minimum available bandwidth to 10 Mb/s; for 15 DR groups, increase it to 15 Mb/s; and for
128 DR groups, increase it to 128 Mb/s.
Table 146 (page 290) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
XCS 09x with B-series switches.
Table 146 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and B-series switches with XCS 11x, XCS
10x, or XCS 09x
Minimum IP bandwidth1and maximum DR groups2

Gateway pair
HP IP Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

Minimum supported
firmware version

DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade
B-series 400 MP
Router

Single or shared IP link maximum latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction
Router
B-series 1606
Extension SAN
Switch

Dual IP link maximum latency

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for
1 to 5 DR groups

Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5
DR groups

See Table 22 (page
95).

See Table 23 (page
95).

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

Table 147 (page 291) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
XCS 9.x with C-series switches.

290 SAN extension

Table 147 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and C-series switches with XCS11x, XCS
10x, or XCS 09x
Minimum IP bandwidth1and maximum DR groups2

Gateway pair

Minimum supported
firmware version

HP IP Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction
Router

Dual IP link maximum latency

Single or shared IP link maximum latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5
1 to 5 DR groups
DR groups

C-series IPS-8,
18/4, MDS 9222i

.

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

HP P6000 Continuous Access with XCS 6.x
This section describes the HP P6000 Continuous Access XCS 6.x data replication specifications
and the supported minimum and maximum transmission rates for qualified switch and gateway
pairs. Table 148 (page 291) lists the network requirements for long-distance gateways that work
with EVA XCS 6.x.
Table 148 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with XCS 6.x
Specification

Description
• Must be dedicated to the HP P6000 Continuous Access storage replication
function.

IP bandwidth1

• The minimum IP bandwidth required for HP P6000 Continuous Access with
FCIP is 2 Mb/s per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths when using one IP link.
• There is no support for dynamic pacing of the gateway.
For the maximum number of DR groups, see Table 114 (page 221).

Maximum number of DR groups

for minimum supported bandwidth and resulting maximum number of DR
groups based on the average packet-loss ratio and one-way inter-site latencies,
see Table 149 (page 292) and Table 150 (page 293).

MTU of the IP network

1,500 bytes

Maximum latency1

100 ms IP network delay one-way or 200 ms round-trip
Low-loss network: 0.0012% average over 24 hours

Average packet-loss ratio2

High-loss network: 0.2% average over 24 hours; must not exceed 0.5% for
more than 5 minutes in a two-hour window

Latency jitter3

Must not exceed 10 ms over 24 hours

1

Pre-existing restriction

2

A high packet-loss ratio indicates the need to retransmit data across the inter-site link. Each retransmission delays
transmissions queued behind the current packet, thus increasing the time to complete pending transactions. Unless noted

HP storage replication products

291

3

otherwise, gateways listed in Table 149 (page 292) and Table 150 (page 293) are supported in both low-loss and high-loss
networks.
Latency jitter is the difference between the minimum and maximum values, and indicates how stable or predictable the
network delay. The greater the jitter, the greater the variance in the delay, which lowers the performance predictability.

NOTE: Applications typically require more than the minimum bandwidth to meet throughput
requirements. To increase the maximum number of DR groups, you must increase the minimum
available IP bandwidth. For example, if the maximum number of DR groups required is 10, increase
the minimum available bandwidth to 10 Mb/s; for 15 DR groups, increase to 15 Mb/s; and for
128 DR groups, increase the minimum available bandwidth to 128 Mb/s.
Table 149 (page 292) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
XCS 6.x with B-series switches.
Table 149 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and B-series switches with XCS 6.x
Minimum IP bandwidth1and maximum DR groups2
Minimum supported
Gateway pair firmware version
HP IP
Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

Dual IP link maximum latency

Single or shared IP link maximum latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction
Router
B–series
1606
Extension
SAN Switch

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group
DC Dir Switch
Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1
MP Extension
See Table 22 (page to 5 DR groups
Blade
95).
HP
StoreFabric
SN4000B
SAN
Extension
Switch
B-series 400
MP Router,
MP Router
Blade

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group
Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5 DR
groups

See Table 23 (page
95).

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

Table 150 (page 293) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
XCS 6.x with C-series switches.

292 SAN extension

Table 150 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and C-series switches with XCS 6.x
Minimum IP bandwidth1and maximum DR groups2
Minimum supported
Gateway pair firmware version
HP IP
Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

Dual IP link maximum latency

Single or shared IP link maximum latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction
Router
C-series IPS-8,
14/2, 18/4,

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1
to 5 DR groups

Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5 DR
groups

.

MDS 9222i
Legacy IP gateways

C-series IPS-4

.

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1
to 5 DR groups

Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5 DR
groups

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

HP P6000 Continuous Access with VCS 4.x
This section describes the VCS 4.x data replication specifications and the supported minimum and
maximum transmission rates for qualified switch and gateway pairs.
Table 151 (page 293) lists the network requirements for long-distance IP gateways that work with
EVA VCS 4.x.
Table 151 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with VCS 4.x
Specification

Description
• Must be dedicated to the HP P6000 Continuous Access storage replication
function.

IP bandwidth1

• The minimum IP bandwidth required for HP P6000 Continuous Access with
FCIP is 2 Mb/s per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths when using one IP link.
• There is no support for dynamic pacing of the gateway.
For the maximum number of DR groups, see Table 114 (page 221).

Maximum number of DR groups

For minimum supported bandwidth and resulting maximum number of DR
groups based on the average packet-loss ratio and one-way inter-site latencies,
see Table 152 (page 294) and Table 153 (page 295).

MTU of the IP network

1,500 bytes

Maximum latency1

100 ms one-way or 200 ms round-trip
Low-loss network: 0.0012% average over 24 hours

Average packet-loss ratio2

High-loss network: 0.2% average over 24 hours; must not exceed 0.5% for
more than 5 minutes in a two-hour window

Latency jitter3

Must not exceed 10 ms over 24 hours
HP storage replication products 293

1

Pre-existing restriction

2

A high packet-loss ratio indicates the need to retransmit data across the inter-site link. Each retransmission delays
transmissions queued behind the current packet, thus increasing the time to complete pending transactions. Unless noted
otherwise, gateways listed in Table 152 (page 294) and Table 153 (page 295) are supported in both low-loss and high-loss
networks.
Latency jitter is the difference between the minimum and maximum values, and indicates how stable or predictable the
network delay. The greater the jitter, the greater the variance in the delay, which lowers the performance predictability.

3

NOTE: Applications typically require more than the minimum bandwidth to meet throughput
requirements. To increase the maximum number of DR groups, you must increase the minimum
available IP bandwidth. For example, if the maximum number of DR groups required is 10, increase
the minimum available bandwidth to 10 Mb/s; for 15 DR groups, increase to 15 Mb/s; and for
128 DR groups, increase the minimum available bandwidth to 128 Mb/s.
Table 152 (page 294) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
VCS 4.x with B-series switches.
Table 152 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and B-series switches with VCS 4.x
Minimum IP bandwidth1and maximum DR groups2

Gateway pair
HP IP Distance
Gateway (mpx110)

Minimum
supported
firmware
version

Dual IP link maximum latency

Single or shared IP link maximum
latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction Router
B-series 1606
Extension SAN
Switch
DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade
HP StoreFabric
SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch
B-series 400 MP
Router,
MP Router Blade

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group
See
Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1 to 5 DR
Table 22 (page
groups
95).

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group
Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for
1 to 5 DR groups

See
Table 23 (page
95).

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

Table 153 (page 295) describes the network bandwidth requirements and IP gateway support for
VCS 4.x with C-series switches.

294 SAN extension

Table 153 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways and C-series switches with VCS 4.x
Minimum IP bandwidth1 and maximum DR groups2

Gateway pair
HP IP Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)

Minimum
supported
firmware version

Dual IP link maximum latency

Single or shared IP link maximum latency

0 to 100 ms one-way

0 to 100 ms one-way

See note.3

MPX200
Multifunction
Router
C-series IPS-8,
14/2, 18/4,

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1 to 5
DR groups

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1 to 5
DR groups

.

MDS 9222i
Legacy IP gateways

C-series IPS-4

.

At least 2 Mb/s for 1 DR group

At least 4 Mb/s for 1 DR group

Recommended: At least 5 Mb/s for 1 to 5
DR groups

Recommended: At least 10 Mb/s for 1 to 5
DR groups

1

HP P6000 Continuous Access requires a minimum of 2 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path, or 4 Mb/s for two paths.

2

Assumes single-member DR groups (1 virtual disk). For the maximum number of DR groups supported based on maximum IP
bandwidth, see Table 114 (page 221).
For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

3

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access is supported on all XP storage systems. It supports three data
replication modes: Synchronous, Asynchronous, and Journal. Table 154 (page 295) describes the
XP storage systems, replication modes, and required firmware versions.
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Synchronous supports two fence levels: data and never (status
fence level is not supported).
•

Data—Prevents host writes in the event of a replication link failure

•

Never—Allows host writes to continue after a replication link failure

Table 154 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access replication modes1
Storage system
P95004
XP24000
XP20000
XP12000
XP10000

Synchronous

Asynchronous2

Journal3

Recommended
firmware versions

Minimum firmware
versions

•

—

•

V01

V01+1

•

•

•

60.06.05.00/00

60.01.68.00/00

•

•

•

50.09.86.00/005

50.05.46.00/005

1

Legend: • = supported; — = not supported

2

XP24000/20000/12000/10000: 32K pairs

3

XP24000 with RAID Manager 1.20.05 (or later), XP12000/10000 with RAID Manager 1.17.04 (or later), P9500 with RAID
Manager 1.24.16 (or later)
64K pairs

4
5

Replication between XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000 requires firmware 50.09.37.00/02 (or later).

HP storage replication products 295

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access is supported using the Fibre Channel protocol or ESCON
protocol. Current P9500 and XP storage systems support replication using Fibre Channel. Legacy
XP storage systems use either Fibre Channel or ESCON. Data replication between different storage
systems is supported only if they use the same protocol.
Table 155 (page 296) describes the supported protocol and storage system source-target
combinations.
Table 155 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access protocols and source-target replication pairing1
Storage system
P9500
XP24000
XP20000
XP12000
XP10000
1

Protocol

P9500

XP24000XP20000

XP12000XP10000

Fibre Channel

•

•

•

Fibre Channel

•

•

•

Fibre Channel

•

•

•

Legend: • = supported; — = not supported

When performing replication between two storage systems, the following restrictions apply:
•

Legacy storage systems have limitations on the control-unit range, port numbers, and LUNs.

•

Support for “host group” is limited by storage system functionality. This also affects the internal
addressing of devices allocated to host ports and the configuration of RAID Manager.

•

The emulation mode and the device (volume) size must be the same on both storage systems.

•

There are firmware requirements for replication between different P9500 and XP storage
systems. For firmware versions, see Table 154 (page 295).

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Synchronous
Table 156 (page 296) describes the network requirements and configuration rules when using HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Synchronous replication.
Table 156 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Synchronous replication rules
Rule
number
1

Description
Synchronous replication is supported on P9500, XP24000/20000, and XP12000/10000 storage
systems. The maximum distance or latency supported for synchronous replication is 200 km when using
dark fiber, or less than 5 ms using other extension methods. Distances greater than 200 km or latencies
greater than 5 ms require HP approval before implementation. Contact HP product support if using greater
distances or latencies.
Note: You must ensure that host-based applications utilizing replicated storage are able to tolerate the
total of the following latencies:
• Local I/O servicing (local site storage system)
• Continuous Access Synchronous replication
• Remote I/O servicing (remote site storage system)

2

A minimum of 16 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path is required.

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Asynchronous
Table 157 (page 297) describes the network requirements and configuration rules when using HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Asynchronous replication.

296 SAN extension

Table 157 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Asynchronous replication rules
Rule
number
1

Description
Asynchronous replication is supported on XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000 storage systems. The
maximum latency supported for Asynchronous replication is 300 ms one-way or 600 ms round-trip.
Note: P9500 storage systems do not support Continuous Access Asynchronous replication.

2

A minimum of 16 Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path is required.

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Journal
Table 158 (page 297) describes the network requirements and configuration rules when using HP
P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Journal replication.
Table 158 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Journal replication rules
Rule
number

Description

1

Journal replication is supported on and P9500 with V01, XP24000/20000 and XP12000/XP10000
storage systems only. The maximum distance supported is 300 ms one-way or 600 ms round-trip.

2

Initiator port and RCU-target port configurations and a control-unit-free definition are required on both
storage systems, see Figure 116 (page 298).

3

Open-V emulation is supported for data volumes (P-vol and S-vol) and journal pools only.

4

Journal replication does not support LUSE devices for P-vol, S-vol, or journal pools for firmware versions
earlier than 50.09.07.00/00.

5

P-vol and S-vol must have the same size Open-V volumes.

6

P-jnls and S-jnls must have at least 1 LDEV and can have up to 16 Open-V LDEVs, see Figure 117 (page
298).

7

HP recommends that the P-jnls and S-jnls in a journal group be the same size and have the same number
and type of LDEVs.

8

An XP 3DC configuration requires minimum firmware versions for XP24000/20000 and XP12000/10000:
• Two topologies are supported; cascaded (1:1:1) and multi-target (1:2), see Figure 118 (page 298).
XP12000/10000 firmware earlier than 50.08.05.00/00 did not support creating Business Copy from
the devices used for both Synchronous and Journal replication in a 3DC configuration. Firmware version
50.08.05.00/00 (or later) allows creation of Business Copy from these devices, but does not allow a
fast-restore operation for a Business Copy device.

9

A P-vol can support a maximum of two remote copies (one Continuous Access Journal copy and one
Continuous Access Synchronous copy).

10

Requires a minimum guaranteed network bandwidth link that matches the average host writes of all MCU
journals being serviced.
Journal capacity must be capable of buffering data until off-peak times.
• For 256 Mb/s or higher, set the line speed to 256.
• For 100 to 256 Mb/s, set the line speed to 100.
• For 10 to 100 Mb/s, set the line speed to 10.
Note: A minimum of 16Mb/s of IP bandwidth per path is required.

HP storage replication products 297

Figure 116 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Journal configuration

Journal group
Consistency group

P-jnl

P-vol

S-jnl

RCU

I

I

RCU

Primary site

S-vol

Secondary site
25321a

Figure 117 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access P-jnl and S-jnl groups
Journal
group
P-vol

9GB

6GB

6GB
8GB

12GB

Consistency
group ID

S-vol

25322a

Figure 118 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access 3DC configuration
Multi Target (1:2)

Cascaded (1:1:1)

P-vol

S/P-vol
P-jnl

S-vol
S-jnl

Direction of data flow

S-vol

P/P-vol
P-jnl

S-vol
S-jnl

Direction of data flow
25339a

HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access configuration support
This section describes the products and maximum distances supported for the following HP P9000
(XP) Continuous Access configuration types:
•

Direct storage-to-storage

•

Fibre Channel switches

•

ESCON directors and repeaters

•

WDM

•

ATM and SONET/SDH

•

FCIP and routing extension

Direct storage-to-storage
Figure 119 (page 299) shows an HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access direct storage-to-storage
configurations for Fibre Channel and ESCON. Table 159 (page 299) describes the maximum
supported distances.

298 SAN extension

Figure 119 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access direct storage-to-storage configurations for Fibre
Channel and ESCON
Fibre
Channel
direct
connect

ESCON
direct
connect

RCU

I

I

RCU

RCP

LCP

LCP

RCP

Remote

Local

25324a

Table 159 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access direct storage-to-storage distances
Configuration

Maximum distance
150 m at 4 Gb/s

Fibre Channel (Fibre CHIP)
Port parameters for direct connect:
• Fabric = Off, Connection = FC-AL

300 m at 2 Gb/s
500 m at 1 Gb/s
Long-wave SFPs: 10 km at 4 Gb/s

ESCON

3 km

Fibre Channel switches
Figure 120 (page 299) shows an HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Fibre Channel configuration.
Table 160 (page 300) describes the maximum supported distances.
Figure 120 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access single-switch and multi-switch Fibre Channel
configurations

RCU

I

I

RCU

RCU

I

I

RCU

Local

Remote
25327a

HP storage replication products 299

Table 160 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access Fibre Channel distances
Configuration

Maximum distance

Single-switch or multi-switchSee Figure 120 (page 299).
Note: For Fibre Channel switch model support, contact
an HP storage representative.
For B-series switches and routers:
• Supports port-based routing (aptpolicy = 1) and
exchange-based routing (aptpolicy = 3), see also
Table 165 (page 305).
Port parameters for switch/fabric connect:

See Table 64 (page 150), Table 65 (page 150), and
Table 68 (page 152).
Note: For WDM distances, see Table 162 (page 301).

• Fabric = On, Connection = Point to Point
(recommended setting)
• Fabric = On, Connection = FC-AL
Note: For all switch configurations, HP P9000 (XP)
Continuous Access ports and host ports must be in
separate zones.

ESCON directors and repeaters
Figure 121 (page 300) and Figure 122 (page 300) show HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON
director and repeater configurations. Table 161 (page 300) describes the maximum supported
distances.
Figure 121 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON director configuration

RCP

MME
SME

LCP

MME

LCP

MME

RCP

SME

MME

Local

Remote

ESCON director
25325a

Figure 122 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON repeater configuration

RCP

MME
SME

LCP

SME

SME

MME

LCP

MME

RCP

SME

MME

Local

Remote

ESCON repeater/director
25326a

Table 161 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON director and repeater distances
Configuration

Maximum distance

IBM 9032/9033 director

3 km for short-wave, multi-mode ESCON (MME)

IBM 9036 repeater

20 km for long-wave, single-mode ESCON (SME)

Nbase Xyplex
Note: Supported only in a director-to-director
configuration.
300 SAN extension

43 km for director/repeater combination
Note: The ESCON protocol is not converted in this process.

Table 161 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON director and repeater distances (continued)
Configuration

Maximum distance

WDM
Figure 123 (page 301) shows HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access WDM (CWDM and DWDM)
configurations. Table 162 (page 301) describes the maximum supported distances and equipment.
Figure 123 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access WDM configurations
WDM
RCU

I

I

RCU

RCP
LCP

MME

MME

WDM

MME

MME

Local

LCP
RCP

Remote
25328a

Table 162 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access WDM distances and equipment
Configuration

Maximum distance and equipment
For supported distances, see Table 64 (page 150), Table 65 (page 150), and Table 68 (page
152).

Fibre Channel

Note: For Synchronous replication, distance impacts performance. HP recommends a maximum
distance of 200 km when using dark fiber.
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access is supported with all WDM products supported by the
switch vendors, see “Certified third-party WDM products” (page 308).
50 km

ESCON

Nortel Optera Metro 5200/5100
Movaz RAYexpress

ATM and SONET/SDH
Figure 124 (page 302) shows HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ATM and SONET/SDH
configurations. Table 163 (page 302) describes the supported products.

HP storage replication products 301

Figure 124 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ATM and SONET/SDH configurations
ATM or
SONET/SDH
RCU

MME

I

MME

OC-3
(155 Mbps)

ATM or
SONET/SDH
MME

I

MME

RCU

Fibre Channel over ATM
ATM or
SONET/SDH

ATM or
SONET/SDH
RCP

MME

LCP

MME

OC-3 (155 Mbps)

Local

MME

LCP

MME

RCP

Remote

ESCON over ATM

25329a

Figure 125 (page 302) shows HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access SONET/SDH FC direct and switch
configurations.
Figure 125 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access SONET/SDH FC direct and switch configurations
FC-SONET
RCU

N_Port

I

N_Port

FC-SONET

OC12
(620 Mbps)

N_Port

I

N_Port

RCU

FC-SONET N_Port Connection

FC-SONET
RCU

E_Port

E_Port

I

E_Port

E_Port

OC12
(620 Mbps)

FC-SONET
E_Port

E_Port

I

E_Port

E_Port

RCU

Switch FC-SONET Connection

Local

Remote
25337b

Table 163 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ATM and SONET/SDH products1
XP storage
system

Configuration
ESCON (ATM)

XP24000
XP20000

Supported bandwidths and products
OC-3—Brocade-CNT Ultranet Storage Director (USD) firmware 2.7 or 3.2.1
OC-3—Brocade-CNT-Inrange 9801 SNS firmware 2.3 (Build 27) or 2.4 (Build 13)

ESCON (ATM)

XP12000
XP10000

Brocade-CNT-Inrange 9811H FW ACP-3; 3.1.1702
Requirements:
• Buffer size = 64 credits/port
• 1 x ATM OC-3 (155 Mb/s) port

302 SAN extension

Table 163 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ATM and SONET/SDH products (continued)
Configuration

XP storage
system

Supported bandwidths and products
• Interoperability mode = 1
• E_D_TOV = 5,000
Note: This converter has been discontinued. There is limited support for existing installations.
OC-3—Brocade-CNT (Inrange) 9801H or L, 2.3 (Build 28) or 2.4 (Build 13)
Requirements:
• Buffer size = 64 credits/port

Fibre Channel

XP12000

• 1 x ATM OC-3 (155 Mb/s) port

XP10000

• Interoperability mode = 1
• E_D_TOV = 5,000
Note: This converter has been discontinued. There is limited support for existing installations.
Cisco FCMR-4 (800-22030-03) for FC over SONET/SDH
Requirements:

Fibre Channel

For a list of
• Firmware 57-5391-03, hardware revision 03
supported
storage systems, • FC/FICON (1 Gb/s or 2 Gb/s) over SONET/SDH (OC-3,OC-12, OC-48, or OC-192)
contact your HP
• 255 buffer credits (ingress) and 1,200 buffer credits (egress)
representative.
• ML-Series, CE-Series, G-Series, or E-Series
Ciena CN 2000 for FC over SONET/SDH or DWDM, see Figure 125 (page 302).
Requirements:
XP24000

Fibre Channel

XP20000
XP12000

• Firmware 5.1.0, 5.0.1
• SONET/SDH OC-3
• Port parameters:

◦

For direct connect, Fabric = Off, Connection = FC-AL

◦

For switch/fabric connect (B-series switches), Fabric = On, Connection = Point to Point
Distances

• Distance is unlimited using converters and Asynchronous replication.
• Converter and Synchronous replication have practical distance limitations.
• Supported distance for an ATM connection depends on network latency delays, packet loss, and application performance
requirements.
1

Cisco FCMR-4 only

FCIP and routing extension
This section describes the HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access data replication IP specifications and
the supported minimum and maximum transmission rates for qualified switch and IP gateway pairs.
Figure 126 (page 304) and Figure 127 (page 304) show HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP
and iFCP configurations.

HP storage replication products 303

Figure 126 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP configuration
FCIP
RCU

IP LAN/WAN

FCIP
I

I

RCU

FCIP
25330a

Figure 127 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP and iFCP configurations
FCIP

FCIP
RCU

F/L

I

F/L

IP LAN/WAN

F/L

I

F/L

RCU

F/L

LCP

F/L

RCP

FCIP direct
iFCP

iFCP
RCP

MME

LCP

MME

IP LAN/WAN

ESCON IP direct

Local

Remote
25331a

Table 164 (page 304) lists the network requirements for long-distance IP gateways that are supported
with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.
Table 164 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access
Specification

Requirement
• Must be dedicated to the HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access storage
replication function.
• The minimum IP bandwidth required for HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access
is 16 Mb/s per path.

Bandwidth1

• When configuring multiple long-distance links, ensure all links provide equal
bandwidth and latency for maximum sustained aggregate performance. If
any single link has reduced performance or increased latency, all links will
be reduced to the lowest performing link, significantly lowering the aggregate
performance.
• There is no support for dynamic pacing of the gateway.
1,500 bytes: HP StorageWorks IP Distance Gateway (mpx100)
2,348 bytes: B-series 400 MP Router, MP Router Blade
3,000 bytes: C-series MDS 9222i, IPS-8, IPS-4, 14/2

MTU of the IP network

Note: These MTU settings are the recommended maximum values when using
the respective FCIP products. You must ensure that the connected network
components support the same values for end-to-end connectivity at the stated
rates.

Maximum latency1

See Table 156 (page 296), Table 157 (page 297), and Table 158 (page 297).

Average packet-loss ratio2

Low-loss network: 0.0012% average over 24 hours

304 SAN extension

Table 164 Network requirements for long-distance IP gateways with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous
Access (continued)
Specification

Requirement
High-loss network: 0.2% average over 24 hours; must not exceed 0.5% for
more than 5 minutes in a two-hour window

Latency jitter3

Must not exceed 10 ms over 24 hours

1

Pre-existing restriction

2

A high packet-loss ratio indicates the need to retransmit data across the ISL. Each retransmission delays transmissions
queued behind the current packet, thus increasing the time to complete pending transactions. Unless noted otherwise,
gateways listed in Table 165 (page 305) are supported in both low-loss and high-loss networks.
Latency jitter is the difference between the minimum and maximum values, and indicates how stable or predictable the
network delay is. The greater the jitter, the greater the variance in the delay, which lowers the performance predictability.

3

NOTE: Applications typically require more than the minimum bandwidth to meet throughput
requirements. For more information on link sizing, see the HP StorageWorks XP Continuous Access
User Guide.
Table 165 (page 305), Table 166 (page 307), and Table 167 (page 307) list the IP gateways supported
for use with HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access.
Table 165 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP gateway support
Product and
minimum
supported
firmware version

XP storage
system

P9500
HP IP Distance
Gateway
(mpx110)1

• TCP window size = 5 or 6

XP20000

• Average packet-loss ratio maximum = 0.1%

XP12000

P9500

B-series1606
Extension SAN
Switch
DC Dir Switch MP
Extension Blade
For firmware
versions, see

Requires a B-series or C-series switch between the XP storage systems and the gateways
with the following settings and packet-loss criteria:

XP24000

XP10000

HP MPX200
Multifunction
Router with FCIP1

Notes

XP24000
XP20000
XP12000

Enable compression for IP fabrics with a RTT greater than or equal to 50 ms or guaranteed
WAN bandwidth of less than or equal to 45 Mb/s. For performance tuning information
based on the link speed and delay, see the HP StorageWorks IP Distance Gateway User
Guide.
Requires a B-series or C-series switch between the XP storage systems and the gateways
with the following settings and packet-loss criteria:
• TCP window size = 5 or 6
• Average packet-loss ratio maximum = 0.1%

XP10000

For compression usage recommendations, see the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router User
Guide at http://www.hp.com/go/mpx200.

P9500

• Can be used as a switch and FCIP gateway with XP storage systems directly connected

XP24000

• Can be used for Fibre Channel to Fibre Channel routing

XP20000

• Requires iodSET (in-order delivery)

XP12000

• Supports the following routing settings:
Port-based routing:

HP storage replication products 305

Table 165 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access FCIP gateway support (continued)
Product and
minimum
supported
firmware version

Table 22 (page
95).

XP storage
system

XP10000

Notes

◦

aptpolicy = 1

◦

aptpolicy –ap = 0 (port/asic load sharing)

◦

dlsReset (no dynamic load sharing)

Exchange-based routing:

◦

aptpolicy = 3

◦

aptpolicy –ap = 0 (port/asic load sharing)

◦

dlsSet (dynamic load sharing)

For additional requirements, see Table 142 (page 283) and Table 160 (page 300).
• Can be used as a switch and FCIP gateway with XP storage systems directly connected
• Can be used for Fibre Channel to Fibre Channel routing
• Maximum transmission rate from 16 Mb/s to 1 Gb/s
• Requires iodSET (in-order delivery)
• Supports the following routing settings:
Port-based routing:
B-series 400 MP
Router and MP
Router Blade
For firmware
versions, see
Table 23 (page
95).

P9500
XP24000
XP20000
XP12000
XP10000

◦

aptpolicy = 1

◦

aptpolicy –ap = 0 (port/asic load sharing)

◦

dlsReset (no dynamic load sharing)

Exchange-based routing:

◦

aptpolicy = 3

◦

aptpolicy –ap = 0 (port/asic load sharing)

◦

dlsSet (dynamic load sharing)

For additional requirements, see Table 143 (page 285) and Table 160 (page 300).
C-series
SN8000C, 9500
and 9200 series
switches with IPS-8,
IPS-4, 14/2, 18/4,
and MDS 9222i
For firmware
versions, see
Table 39 (page
123).

306 SAN extension

P9500
XP24000
XP20000
XP12000
XP10000

• Can be used as a switch and FCIP gateway with XP storage systems directly connected
• Distributed services TOV (D_S_TOV) = 5,000
• Error detect TOV (E_D_TOV) = 2,000
• Resource allocation TOV (R_A_TOV) = 10,000
• DataFieldSize = 2,112
• BB_credit from 16 (default) to 255, 14/2 and BB_credit maximum = 3,500

1

For current support, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

Table 166 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access iFCP gateway support
Product and minimum
supported firmware
version

XP storage system

Brocade-CNT Edge
3000
Firmware: 3.1.1.3,
3.1.2, 3.1.4, 3.1.5

Notes

XP24000

• Supported switches: B-series 2/128, 2/64, 2/32, 2/16, 2800, and
2400

XP20000

• Can be used in FCIP direct configuration

XP12000

• Data compression possible

XP10000

• No remote switch license required
• Maximum transmission rate from 16 Mb/s to 1 Gb/s

XP12000

Nishan IPS3300

Contact an HP storage representative.

XP10000
XP12000

Nishan IPS4300

Contact an HP storage representative.

XP10000

Table 167 HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON IP gateway support
Product and minimum supported firmware
version

Configuration
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access ESCON over
IP

Minimum IP bandwidth per
path

CNT Ultranet Storage Director (USD) ESCON
Firmware: 2.6.2-0 or 3.1

100 Mb/s

OpenVMS host-based volume shadowing
HP supports the following HP and third-party devices and features for OpenVMS host-based volume
shadowing:
•

B-series1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade

•

HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch

•

400 MP Router, MP Router Blade

•

B-series FC and FCIP Fastwrite

•

Cisco PA-FC-1G

•

C-series MDS IP Storage Services Module (IPS-4, IPS-8)

•

Cisco MDS 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module (including the MDS 9216i Fabric Channel
switch and gateway)

•

Cisco MDS 18/4 Multiservice Module (including the MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch
and gateway)

•

C-series Write Acceleration

HP storage replication products 307

Certified third-party WDM, iFCP, and SONET products
This section describes the following topics:
•

“Certified third-party WDM products” (page 308)

Certified third-party WDM products
HP supports HP P6000 Continuous Access, HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, 3PAR Remote Copy,
and SVSP Synchronous Mirrors (RAID1) on all WDM products, including DWDM and CWDM,
certified by the Fibre Channel switch vendors for the equivalent HP switch models.
NOTE:

SVSP Continuous Access is only supported using native Fibre Channel connectivity.

•

B-series switch products—All Brocade WDM-certified products, listed by Brocade switch or
router model number, are supported. Contact an HP storage representative for the equivalent
HP switch models. See the Brocade Data Center Ready Compatibility Matrix at http://
www.brocade.com/data-center-best-practices/resource-center/index.page (select Matrices
under All Available Resources).

•

C-series switch products—All Cisco WDM-certified products, listed by Cisco switch model
number, are supported. Cisco model numbers and HP model numbers are equivalent.

NOTE: HP CWDM support is based on the switch vendors' support for CWDM SFPs only. For
information about HP-supported standard (non-CWDM) SFPs, see the HP switch model QuickSpecs
or the Fibre Channel switch Streams on the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock.
You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
For more information about WDM technology and product support, see “Wavelength division
multiplexing” (page 254) and “WDM system architectures” (page 255).

308 SAN extension

19 iSCSI storage
This chapter describes iSCSI storage in an HP SAN environment:
•

“iSCSI overview” (page 309)

•

“iSCSI concepts” (page 309)

•

“iSCSI storage network requirements” (page 313)

•

“HP Native iSCSI products” (page 313)

•

“HP iSCSI bridge products” (page 322)

iSCSI overview
iSCSI is a storage transport protocol. The IETF developed iSCSI to encapsulate the SCSI protocol
over an IP network. iSCSI has many of the same mechanisms as the Parallel SCSI and Fibre Channel
protocols.
iSCSI facilitates creating SANs that include IP technology. iSCSI establishes and manages
connections between IP-based hosts and storage systems. Many Fibre Channel switches and routers,
as well as NAS systems, provide iSCSI support.
This section describes the following topics:
•

“iSCSI and Fibre Channel” (page 309)

•

“iSCSI bridge to Fibre Channel” (page 322)

iSCSI provides access to storage systems and SANs over standard Ethernet-based TCP/IP networks
that can be dedicated to storage or in some cases, shared with traditional Ethernet applications.
NOTE: Existing TCP/IP networks might not support iSCSI storage. HP recommends using a
dedicated Gigabit Ethernet network between iSCSI initiators and targets. This ensures adequate
data security and performance. As an alternative, use IPsec to secure the connection on a public
network with decreased performance. See the specific HP product requirements to determine if a
dedicated IP network for storage is required.

iSCSI and Fibre Channel
There are many factors to consider in choosing iSCSI or Fibre Channel, including:
•

Lower deployment costs for iSCSI compared to Fibre Channel

•

Widespread knowledge of IP technology for iSCSI

•

Less expensive IP components

•

iSCSI support for many server models

•

Open architecture design with iSCSI

•

iSCSI performance well matched to small and mid-range storage applications

iSCSI concepts
This section describes key iSCSI concepts:
•

“Initiator and target devices” (page 310)

•

“iSCSI naming” (page 310)

•

“Discovery mechanisms” (page 310)

•

“Sessions and logins” (page 311)

•

“Security” (page 312)
iSCSI overview 309

•

“Software and hardware iSCSI initiators” (page 312)

•

“Bridging and routing” (page 322)

•

“iSCSI boot” (page 312)

Initiator and target devices
An iSCSI router manages access between iSCSI targets and iSCSI initiators as follows:
•

iSCSI target (logical target)—An end-node device that is typically a storage system, storage
router, or bridge. A storage system with iSCSI support is called native iSCSI storage.

•

iSCSI initiator (IP host)—A system that starts the exchange of information with an iSCSI target.
IP hosts access the iSCSI target storage systems as if they were directly attached.

iSCSI naming
iSCSI nodes are uniquely named devices (initiators or targets). The nodes have an IP address, TCP
port, and iSCSI name. The iSCSI name can be up to 255 characters in length. Figure 128 (page
310) shows an iSCSI node definition in the context of an IP network.
Figure 128 iSCSI node definition

IP Network = Network Entity
iSCSI Node (IP device with IP address)
iSCSI Name (up to 255 characters, using either EQN or EUI naming scheme)
Network Portal (IP address and TCP port number)
iSCSI Device (host or storage device)

iSCSI Node
iSCSI Node

25161a

The iSCSI name is independent of the network portal and provides a unique and consistent identity
for an iSCSI node. Although moving a device to another network segment changes its network
portal, the iSCSI name is unchanged and allows the device to be rediscovered.
An iSCSI name is independent of supporting hardware. You can assign an iSCSI name to a device
driver on a host, even if the device driver accesses the network through multiple NICs. A storage
device with multiple connections to the network is also identified by its iSCSI name.
iSCSI naming provides permanent and unique identities for iSCSI nodes. The two naming schemes
are as follows:
•

IQN

•

EUI

An iSCSI node address consists of the IP address, TCP port number, and IQN or EUI. iSCSI nodes
acquire IP addresses with standard IP services.

Discovery mechanisms
This section describes the mechanisms you can use for discovery requests.

310

iSCSI storage

Service Location Protocol
Clients (initiators) discover services (targets) using SLP, a client-server protocol. SLP for iSCSI uses
three components:
•

An iSCSI initiator has an SLP UA that serves as a client.

•

iSCSI targets have an SLP SA that acts as an SLP server.

•

A DA interprets multicast service requests from the server.

Initiators use three techniques for discovering targets:
•

Unicast discovery service requests to the DA.

•

Multicast discovery service requests to SAs.

•

Unicast discovery service requests directly to an SA.

Static configuration
With static configuration, an administrator manually sets the target addresses for the initiators. The
statically configured addresses for the targets persist across initiator reboots. HP recommends static
configuration for the smallest iSCSI SANs.

SendTargets command
With the SendTargets command, administrators configure the address of each target portal,
setting up a range of target addresses for discovery. In a discovery session, an initiator sends the
SendTarget command to discover all of the accessible target node names. HP recommends
SendTargets for small iSCSI SANs.

Internet Storage Name Service
The iSNS is a client-server discovery protocol. It provides naming and resource discovery services
for storage systems on the IP network. The iSNS is modeled on both IP and Fibre Channel. iSNS
components include:
•

iSNS server—A directory server with optional security features.

•

iSCSI initiators with iSNS client capabilities—The initiator iSNS client registers the initiator with
the iSNS server and queries for a list of targets.

•

iSCSI targets with iSNS client capabilities—The target iSNS client registers the target with the
iSNS server.

Sessions and logins
A session is a data exchange between an initiator and target. At the beginning of a session,
information about the session is exchanged; later, application data is exchanged.
A session is enabled through an iSCSI login process:
1. The initiator establishes a TCP/IP connection.
2. The initiator starts the iSCSI login phase.
3. The initiator and target negotiate variable parameters.
4. Optional—The target verifies allowable connectivity with a security phase.
5. At the completion of the iSCSI login phase:
•

Success means the target sends a login accept to the initiator; the session continues.

•

Failure means the login is rejected; the TCP/IP connection is closed.

iSCSI concepts

311

During iSCSI login, the initiator and target negotiate the lowest mutually acceptable value for each
parameter. Negotiable parameters include:
•

Type of security protocol, if any

•

Maximum size of the data payload

•

Support for unsolicited data

•

Time-out values

During iSCSI login, the initiator and target also exchange nonnegotiable values such as names
and aliases.
During an iSCSI session, unique session IDs are created for the initiator and target:
1. An initiator creates a unique ID by combining its iSCSI name with an ISID.
2. During login, the initiator sends the ISID to the target.
3. The target creates a unique ID by combining its iSCSI name with a TSID. The target sends the
TSID to the initiator.
When login is complete, the iSCSI session enters the full-feature phase with normal iSCSI
transactions.

Security
Because iSCSI must accommodate untrusted IP environments, the specification for the iSCSI protocol
defines multiple security methods:
•

Encryption solutions that reside below the iSCSI protocol, such as IPsec, require no special
negotiation between iSCSI end devices and are transparent to the upper layers.

•

The iSCSI protocol has several encryption solutions including:

◦

Kerberos

◦

Public/private key exchanges

Security solutions can include an iSNS server that acts as a repository for public keys.
Text fields mediate the negotiation for the type of security supported by the end devices. If the
negotiation is successful, the devices format their communications to follow the negotiated security
routine.

Software and hardware iSCSI initiators
An IP host can access an iSCSI environment using one of the following initiators:
•

Software iSCSI initiator—The iSCSI code runs on the host and allows an Ethernet NIC to handle
iSCSI traffic. Software iSCSI offers low cost with a performance penalty and CPU overhead.
Software iSCSI initiators are available from many vendors.

•

TOE NIC—Shifts processing of the communications protocol stack (TCP/IP) from the server
processor to the NIC, lowering CPU overhead and use.

•

Hardware iSCSI initiator (iSCSI HBA)—A high-performance HBA integrates both TCP/IP and
iSCSI functions. Although integration adds cost to the HBA, it also provides high-speed iSCSI
transport and minimal CPU overhead. The HBA transfers SCSI commands and data
encapsulated by iSCSI directly to the host.

iSCSI boot
iSCSI allows initiators (IP hosts) to boot from an iSCSI target. An iSCSI HBA typically has boot
capabilities that must be enabled in its firmware.

312

iSCSI storage

iSCSI storage network requirements
HP recommends:
•

Dedicated IP network for iSCSI storage (can be required for some iSCSI products)

•

Minimum GbE network bandwidth

•

Multipathing driver when implementing high availability

See the iSCSI product sections for additional requirements:
•

“HP StoreVirtual Storage” (page 319)

•

“MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage” (page 323)

•

“EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option ” (page 334)

•

“C-series iSCSI” (page 345)

HP Native iSCSI products
This section describes HP native iSCSI storage system products. These products provide an iSCSI
interface within the storage system hardware.

3PAR StoreServ10000 and 7000
•

“3PAR StoreServ 10000 iSCSI overview” (page 313)

•

“3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 10 GbE iSCSI support” (page 313)

3PAR StoreServ 10000 iSCSI overview
The 3PAR StoreServ 10000 V-Class storage system is available with different SAN or host interface
options as described in Table 168 (page 313).
Table 168 3PAR StoreServ 10000 host ports
Model

Total host ports1

8 Gb/s FC

10 GbE iSCSI

10400

96

0 to 96

0 to 16

10800

192

0 to 192

0 to 32

1

Fibre Channel and 10 GbE iSCSI host ports are mixable on the same 3PAR V-Class storage system.

This section describes 3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 10 GbE iSCSI support. For
information about 3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 Fibre Channel support, see “3PAR
StoreServ storage rules” (page 241).

3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 10 GbE iSCSI support
The 3PAR StoreServ 10000 and StoreServ 7000 10 GbE iSCSI interface option provides 10 GbE
iSCSI support (iSCSI module).
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 169 (page 313) provides the operating system and multipath software support.
Table 169 10 GbE iSCSI operating system and multipath software support
Operating system
Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
2003

Multipath software
3PAR MPIO (Windows 2003)

Clusters
MSCS (Windows 2003)

iSCSI storage network requirements

313

Table 169 10 GbE iSCSI operating system and multipath software support (continued)
Operating system

Multipath software

Clusters

Microsoft MPIO DSM (Windows
2008)

Failover Cluster (Windows 2008)

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux, Citrix
XenServer

Device Mapper

Red Hat native cluster suite

Solaris

Solaris MPxIO

Native Solaris cluster

VMware

VMware MPxIO

Native ESX/ESXi cluster solution

Citrix XenServer native cluster suite

All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operation System type parameter set (Host Persona) and
the required host settings described in the corresponding 3PAR Implementation Guide.
For more information, refer to the specific host operating system 3PAR StoreServ 10000 V-Class
and StoreServ 7000 Implementation Guide. These guides are located at http://www.hp.com/go/
bsc (select Manuals→Storage Software→HP 3PAR OS Software).
NOTE: A multipathing driver is required to perform online firmware upgrades on 3PAR StoreServ
10000 V-Class and StoreServ 7000 storage systems.

3PAR F-Class, T-Class
•

“3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI overview” (page 314)

•

“3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI support” (page 314)

3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI overview
The 3PAR F-Class and T-Class storage systems are available with different SAN or host interface
options as described in Table 170 (page 314)
Table 170 3PAR F-Class, T-Class host ports
Total host ports1

4 Gb/s FC

1 GbE iSCSI

F200

12

0 to 12

0 to 8

F400

24

0 to 24

0 to 16

T400

64

0 to 64

0 to 16

T800

128

0 to 128

0 to 32

Model

1

Fibre Channel and iSCSI host ports are mixable on same 3PAR storage system.

This section describes 3PAR iSCSI support. For information about 3PAR Fibre Channel support,
see “3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 241).

3PAR F-Class, T-Class iSCSI support
The 3PAR F-Class and T-Class iSCSI interface option provides 1 GbE iSCSI support (iSCSI module).
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 171 (page 315) provides the operating system and multipath software support.

314

iSCSI storage

Table 171 iSCSI operating system and multipath software support
Operating system

Multipath software

Clusters

Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
2003

3PAR MPIO (Windows 2003)

MSCS (Windows 2003)

Microsoft MPIO DSM (Windows
2008)

Failover Cluster (Windows 2008)

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux, Citrix
XenServer

Device Mapper

Red Hat native cluster suite

Solaris

Solaris MPxIO

Native Solaris cluster

VMware

VMware MPxIO

Native ESX/ESXi cluster solution

Citrix XenServer native cluster suite

All hosts must have the appropriate Host Operation System type parameter set (Host Persona) and
the required host settings described in the corresponding 3PAR Implementation Guide.
For more information, refer to the specific host operating system 3PAR Implementation Guide.
These guides are located at http://www.hp.com/go/bsc (select Manuals→Storage Software→HP
3PAR OS Software).
NOTE: A multipathing driver is required to perform online firmware upgrades on 3PAR storage
systems.

P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA
•

“P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA overview” (page 315)

•

“P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA iSCSI support” (page 315)

P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA overview
The HP P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA storage systems are available with different SAN or
host interface options:
•

Fibre Channel interface only, four 8 Gb/s front end ports per controller

•

Fibre Channel and iSCSI, two 8 Gb/s and four 1 GbE front end ports per controller

•

Fibre Channel and iSCSI/FCoE, two 8 Gb/s and two 10-GbE front end ports per controller

This section describes iSCSI support. For information about P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA
Fibre Channel support, see “P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 213). For information about
P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA FCoE support, see “Fibre Channel over Ethernet” (page 64).

P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA iSCSI support
The HP P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550 EVA iSCSI interface options provide 1 GbE iSCSI support
(iSCSI module) or 10-GbE iSCSI support (iSCSI/FCoE module).
iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE module
The iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE modules are configured in a dual-controller configuration in the HP P6000
(see Figure 42 (page 77)). Dual-controller configurations provide for high availability with failover
between iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE modules. All configurations are supported as redundant pairs only.
iSCSI connected servers can be configured for access to one or both controllers.
Operating system and multipath software support
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the HP SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 172 (page 316) provides the operating system and multipath software support.
HP Native iSCSI products

315

Table 172 iSCSI/FCoE operating system and multipath software support
Operating system

Multipath software

Clusters

Apple Mac OS X (1GbE iSCSI only)

None

None

Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
2003

MPIO with HP DSMMPIO with
Microsoft DSM (with CN1000E only)

Failover Clustering, MSCS Hyper-V (1
GbE iSCSI only)

Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux

Device Mapper

None

Solaris (1 GbE iSCSI only)

Solaris MPxIO

None

VMware

VMware MPxIO

None

For more information, see the iSCSI or iSCSI/FCoE configuration rules and guidelines chapter in
the HP P6300/P6500 Enterprise Virtual Array User Guide.

HP StorageWorks MSA family of iSCSI SAN arrays
This section describes the following topics:
•

“HP MSA 2040 SAN overview” (page 316)

•

“HP MSA 1040 iSCSI overview” (page 316)

•

“MSA2000i G2 and MSA2000i overview” (page 317)

•

“MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations” (page 317)

HP MSA 2040 SAN overview
The HP MSA 2040 SAN storage system is a high-performance storage array designed for entry-level
HP customers desiring 8 and/or 16Gb Fibre Channel, 1 and/or 10GbE iSCSI connectivity with
4 host ports per controller. This next generation MSA 2040 storage array provides an excellent
value for customers needing performance balanced with price to support initiatives such as
consolidation and virtualization.
The MSA 2040 SAN controller allows customers to create their own combo controller by mixing
FC and iSCSI SFPs. See the QuickSpecs for valid configurations. Options include 1Gb RJ-45 SFP+,
10Gb optical transceiver SFP+, and Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cables. For host OS and HBA
connectivity requirements, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You
must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

HP MSA 1040 iSCSI overview
The HP MSA 1040 storage is designed for entry level market needs, and features 1GbE and
10GbE iSCSI at previously unattainable entry price points. The new array allows users to take
advantage of the latest storage technologies in simple and efficient ways by providing a good
balance between performance and budget resulting in a highly favorable $/GB return on their
investment.
The HP MSA 1040 1GbE controllers include 1GbE RJ-45 SFP+ for host connectivity. The HP MSA
1040 10GbE controllers include 10GbE optical transceivers for host connectivity. DAC cables are
supported only with the HP MSA 1040 10GbE controllers. For host OS and HBA connectivity
requirements, see the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up
for an HP Passport to enable access.

316

iSCSI storage

MSA2000i G2 and MSA2000i overview
The HP StorageWorks Modular Smart Array 2000i G2 (MSA2300i G2) and the HP StorageWorks
Modular Smart Array 2000i (MSA2000i) are controller shelves with an iSCSI interface that serves
as an iSCSI target. Key features include:
•

Single or dual controller

•

Two 1-GbE ports per controller

•

Multiple RAID levels (0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, and 50)

•

MSA2000 drive enclosures (MSA70 supported with MSA2000i G2)

•

Path failover capability

For more information, see the HP StorageWorks 2312i Modular Smart Array User Guide.

P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI, P2000 G3 10Gb iSCSI, P2000 G3 iSCSI overview
The HP MSA P2000 G3 family of iSCSI products are controller shelves with a network interface
to serve as an iSCSI target. The three different controller types give exceptional flexibility for a
wide range of customer installations.
Table 173 (page 317) describes the P2000 G3 family controller types.
Table 173 P2000 G3 controller types
Controller

FW version

Redundancy

Interface

Expansion
1

P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI

Two 1-GbE iSCSI

P2000 G3 10-GbE
iSCSI

P2000 LFF drive
enclosure

Two 10-GbE SFP+2

D2700 SFF disk
enclosure

TS251P0xx

Single or dual
controller

P2000 G3 iSCSI

Four 1-GbE iSCSI

MSA2000 LFF drive
enclosure
MSA70 SFF drive
enclosure

1

Controller also includes two 8Gb Fibre Channel ports described in “MSA storage system rules” (page 203).

2

SFP+ optical transceivers or SFP+ direct attached cables must be purchased separately.

MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations
Table 174 (page 317) describes the maximum configurations for the MSA iSCSI storage family.
Table 174 MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations
Model

MSA 2040 SAN

HP MSA 1040 1GbE iSCSI
HP MSA 1040 10GbE
iSCSI

P2000 FC/iSCSI
P2000 G3 10-GbE iSCSI
P2000 G3 iSCSI

Array chassis
MSA 2040 SFF
MSA 2040 LFF

Expansion1

Expansion maximum

MSA 2040 LFF disk enclosure 8 total enclosures
D2700 SFF disk enclosure

96 LFF drives

P2000 LFF drive enclosure

199 SFF drives

MSA 2040 LFF disk enclosure 4 total enclosures
Preconfigured dual
controller SFF or LFF

D2700 SFF disk enclosure

48 LFF drives

P2000 LFF drive enclosure

99 SFF drives

P2000 3.5-in drive bay
(LFF)

P2000 LFF drive enclosure

8 total enclosures or 149
drives

P2000 2.5-in drive bay
(SFF)

D2700 SFF disk enclosure

MSA2000 LFF drive enclosure 96 LFF drives
2012 3.5-in drive bay (LFF, MSA70 SFF drive enclosure
149 SFF drives
upgrade only)

HP Native iSCSI products

317

Table 174 MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations (continued)
Model

Expansion1

Array chassis

Expansion maximum

2024 2.5-in drive bay
(SFF, upgrade only)
MSA2000i G2

2012 3.5-in drive bay (LFF)

MSA2000 LFF drive enclosure

5 total enclosures or 99 drives
60 LFF drives

MSA2300i

2024 2.5-in drive bay
(SFF)

MSA2012i

Preconfigured single or
4 total enclosures
dual controller 3.5-in drive MSA2000 LFF drive enclosure
48 LFF drives
bay (LFF)

1

MSA70 SFF drive enclosure

99 drives

Confirm cabling requirements and limitation in the Cable Configuration Guide at http://www.hp.com/go/msa

Server support
The MSA2000i G2 and MSA2000i support the following HP ProLiant servers:
•

HP ProLiant DL, ML

•

HP ProLiant c-Class BladeSystem

NOTE:

BL20p G1 servers are not supported.

Operating system support
Table 175 (page 318) lists the supported operating systems for the MSA iSCSI storage family.
Table 175 MSA iSCSI storage family operating system support
Storage system

Operating systems
Microsoft Windows

MSA 2040 SAN

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESXi
Microsoft Windows

HP MSA 1040 1GbE iSCSI

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

HP MSA 1040 10GbE iSCSI

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESXi

P2000 G3 FC/iSCSI
P2000 G3 10GbE iSCSI
P2000 G3 iSCSI

Microsoft Windows
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX
Microsoft Windows
Red Hat Enterprise Linux

MSA2000i G2

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

MSA2300i

VMware ESX
Oracle Solaris
Citrix XenServer
Microsoft Windows

MSA2000i

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESX

318

iSCSI storage

Path failover software
The MSA iSCSI storage family supports the following:
•

Microsoft MPIO basic failover software for Windows operating systems

•

Device Mapper for path failover with Linux operating systems

•

VMware embedded multipath

Management software support
The MSA iSCSI storage family supports target-based management interfaces, including Telnet (CLI),
FTP, and a web-based interface. The web-based interface is supported with Microsoft Internet
Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Maximum configurations
Table 176 (page 319) lists the maximum configurations for the MSA iSCSI storage family.
Table 176 MSA iSCSI storage family maximum configurations
Storage systems

Operating systems

Drives

Hosts

LUNs

Microsoft Windows
MSA 2040 SAN

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

64

512

512

Up to 64 TB,
64 standard
depending on
(maximum 512
vdisk
snapshots)
configuration

VMware ESXi
HP MSA 1040
1GbE iSCSI

Microsoft Windows
Red Hat Enterprise Linux

48 3.5-in LFF

HP MSA 1040
10GbE iSCSI

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

99 2.5-in SFF

P2000 G3
FC/iSCSI

Microsoft Windows

P2000 G3
10GbE iSCSI

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

64

VMware ESXi

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

149 SFF
96 LFF

64

Snapshots and
volume copies1

Up to 64 TB,
64 standard
depending on
(maximum 512
vdisk
snapshots)
configuration

96 3.5-in LFF
199 2.5-in
SFF

LUN size

512

64 TB

VMware ESX

Up to 64
snapshots
Additional
license to 512

Microsoft Windows
MSA2000i G2

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

MSA2324i G2

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

MSA2312i G2

VMware ESX

99 SFF
60 LFF

64

512

16 TB

Up to 256
snapshots
Up to 256
volume copies

Oracle Solaris
Microsoft Windows
MSA2000i

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

48

16

VMware ESX
1

Snapshots and volume copies require additional licenses.

2

A single controller supports 128 LUNs. Two controllers are required for 256 LUNs.

2562

16 TB

Up to 64
snapshots
Up to 128
volume copies

HP StoreVirtual Storage
This section describes the following topics:
•

“ HP StoreVirtual Storage overview” (page 320)

•

“ HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage support” (page 320)

HP Native iSCSI products

319

In this section, HP StoreVirtual Storage refers to HP StoreVirtual Storage, HP LeftHand Storage, HP
P4000 G2, and HP LeftHand P4000 products, as well as HP StoreVirtual VSA, HP P4000 VSA,
and HP LeftHand VSA products.

HP StoreVirtual Storage overview
IMPORTANT: HP StoreVirtual Storage is the new name for HP LeftHand Storage, and HP P4000
SAN solutions. LeftHand Operating System (LeftHand OS) is the new name for SAN/iQ. These
name changes will be incorporated into documentation, solution materials and product components
over the next two LeftHand OS releases.
HP StoreVirtual Storage is composed of multiple storage nodes consolidated into single or multiple
pools of storage. All available capacity and performance is aggregated and available to every
volume in the cluster. With multiple iSCSI network interfaces across the cluster, a virtual IP address
across these interfaces presents the volumes as targets to iSCSI initiators.
Key features include:
•

A cluster of pooled storage supporting up to 16 storage nodes. For larger configurations,
contact an HP storage representative.

•

Two 1GbE ports per storage node (or optional upgrade to SPF+ 10GbE dual ports per storage
node).

•

Multiple layers of high availability:

•

◦

Multiple RAID levels within the storage node (RAID5, 6, and 10)

◦

Multiple Network RAID levels across the storage nodes on a per volume basis
(NetworkRAID 0, 10, 10+1, 10+2, 5, 6)

Path failover capability:

◦

Within the storage node, iSCSI interface bonding (active/passive, ALB, 802.3ad LACP).

◦

Within the cluster, Network RAID configured volumes support another path to another
storage node.

•

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage comes with an all-inclusive enterprise feature set which includes:
storage clustering, Network RAID, application integrated snapshots, Remote Copy, and thin
provisioning.

•

Multi-site cluster support—HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage can be deployed in clusters that are
stretched across multiple racks, data rooms or data centers. These installations require:

◦

A stretched 1 GbE or 10 GbE Ethernet network

NOTE: 50 MB/s (400 Mb/s) of bandwidth per storage node pair needs to be allocated
on the 1 GbE network between the locations. 200 MB/s (1,600 Mb/s) of bandwidth per
storage node pair needs to be allocated on the 10 GbE network between the locations.
Network latency among storage nodes cannot exceed 1 ms.
For more information, including links to manuals, see www.hp.com/go/P4000Support, and http://
www8.hp.com/us/en/products/disk-storage/product-detail.html?oid=4118659#!tab=features.

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage support
For the latest information on version support, see the HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage Compatibility
Matrix at www.hp.com/go/P4000Compatibility or the SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/
storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access to SPOCK.

320 iSCSI storage

Multi-pathing software
HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage supports the following:
•

HP StoreVirtual DSM for MPIO

•

Microsoft DSM and Windows built-in MPIO support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and
higher

•

VMware native MPIO (Round-robin is preferred policy)

•

Device Mapper MPIO for Red Hat Enterprise Linux

•

Citrix/Linux/Unix bonding of network interfaces performed at the networking layer

•

For more information, see the following documents:

◦

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage Application Aware Snapshot Manager Deployment Guide,
at www.hp.com/go/P4000Support (in the Manuals section)

◦

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage with VMware vSphere: Design considerations and best
practices, at h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA3-6918ENW

Management software support
HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage supports target-based management interfaces, including the HP
StoreVirtual Centralized Management Console for Windows and Linux(CMC), Command Line
Interface for Windows (CLIQ), and on-node command line interface (SSH to storage node using
port 16022).
For more information, see the following documents, available at www.hp.com/go/P4000Support
(see Manuals section):
•

HP StoreVirtual Command-Line Interface User Manual

•

HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage User Guide

Maximum configurations
HP StoreVirtual Centralized Management Console shows a Configuration Summary which reports
information about storage items, including color-coded status regarding recommended limits based
on performance and scalability.
•

When a configuration category is nearing the maximum recommended limit, the navigation
window displays the category information as orange.

•

When a configuration category reaches the maximum recommended limit, the navigation
window displays the category information as red.

•

When the number in that category is reduced, the color changes immediately to reflect the
new state.

For example, if you have numerous schedules for a large number of volumes that are creating and
deleting snapshots. When the number of snapshots approaches the maximum recommended
number, the summary bar changes from green to orange. After enough snapshots are deleted from
the schedule, the summary bar returns to green.
Best practices

The optimal and recommended number of storage items in a management group depends on the
network environment, configuration of the management groups and clusters, applications accessing
the volumes, and purpose of using snapshots. The following sections contain guidelines that can
help you manage HP StoreVirtual to obtain the best and safest performance and scalability for
your circumstances. These guidelines are in line with tested limits for common configurations and
uses. Exceeding these guidelines does not necessarily cause any problems. However, storage
performance can be less than optimal or in some failover and recovery situations, can cause issues
with volume availability.
HP Native iSCSI products

321

Table 177 (page 322) describes the recommended maximum configurations.
Table 177 Configuration recommendations
Storage item

Best practice

Caution

Not recommended

Status indicator

Green

Orange

Red

1 to 1,000

1,001 to 1,500

1,501+

1 to 4,000

4,001 to 5,000

5,001+

Nodes per group

1 to 20

21 to 32

33+

Nodes per cluster

1 to 10

11 to 15

16+

Volumes +
Snapshots +
SmartClones
iSCSI sessions per group

LUN size

The maximum LUN size for a fully provisioned volume depends on the storage node size, local
RAID configuration, and network RAID configuration settings for the volume. Thinly-provisioned
volumes can physically grow only up to the maximum fully-provisioned LUN equivalent in the cluster.

HP iSCSI bridge products
Bridging and routing
iSCSI routers and bridges are gateway devices that connect storage protocols such as Fibre Channel
or SCSI to IP networks. iSCSI routers and bridges enable block-level access across networks. Routing
data requests from an IP network device to a Fibre Channel device involves these steps:
1. An iSCSI host makes a storage data request.
2. The request is switched (or routed) through the IP network with the destination IP address of
an iSCSI bridge or router.
3. The bridge or router converts the iSCSI request into its Fibre Channel equivalent.
4. The converted request is sent to the Fibre Channel target storage device.
The bridge or router performs the reverse conversion as the Fibre Channel target responds to the
iSCSI host. Conversion is transparent to both host and target since the iSCSI bridge or router
mediates the exchange at wire speed.

iSCSI bridge to Fibre Channel
Many iSCSI bridges are compatible with HP-supported Fibre Channel switches. This bridging
technology routes Fibre Channel storage to all servers in an IP fabric.
IP hosts use iSCSI to access Fibre Channel storage systems. The storage systems appear as
direct-attached storage to the hosts.
Key benefits of bridging include:
•

Consolidating Fibre Channel storage to both Fibre Channel and IP hosts

•

Extending Fibre Channel distance limitations through access to IP networks

The HP-supported iSCSI to Fibre Channel bridge products are as follows:
•

B-series iSCSI Director Blade

•

C-series IP Storage Services Modules

•

C-series 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module

•

C-series 18/4 Multiprotocol Module

•

MPX200 Multifunction Router iSCSI

322 iSCSI storage

•

EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option

•

EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option

MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage
The P6000/EVA family of FC storage systems supports integrated iSCSI connectivity using the
MPX200 Multifunction Router. The MPX200 hardware is integrated with up to four P6000/EVA,
3PAR (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage” (page 329)), or
XP 24000/20000 storage systems (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332)), and HP P6000 Command View to deliver multiprotocol capabilities. This provides
iSCSI and FC attached servers access to block storage through an FC and Ethernet IP network
simultaneously. The MPX200 is available from HP factory-integrated with a P6000/EVA storage
system or as a field upgrade to an existing P6000/EVA storage system. With this product, iSCSI
connectivity to the P6000/EVA is provided for servers through a standard 1-GbE or 10-GbE NIC.
The MPX200 chassis contains one or two router blades, two PCMs, and a midplane. There are
two types of router blades: a 4-port 1-GbE blade and a 2-port 10-GbE/2-port 1-GbE blade. Both
blade options include two 8-Gb/s FC ports. MPX200 dual-blade configurations provide for high
availability with failover between the blades.

MPX200 simultaneous operation
The MPX200 Multifunction Router supports iSCSI, FCoE, data migration, and FCIP. The base
functionality is iSCSI/FCoE, with the option to add one other license-enabled function—either data
migration or FCIP for standalone or concurrent operation. This section describes iSCSI usage and
support. For information about using the MPX200 FCoE feature, see “Fibre Channel over Ethernet”
(page 64). For information about using the MPX200 data migration feature, see “MPX200
Multifunction Router with data migration” (page 218). For information about using the MPX200
FCIP feature, see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with FCIP” (page 275). For information about
configuring the MPX200 for multiple functions concurrently, see the HP MPX200 Multifunction
Router User Guide.

MPX200 configuration options
A P6000/EVA storage system can be configured for simultaneous connectivity to iSCSI and FC
attached hosts. Support for iSCSI to a P6000/EVA storage system is provided through the MPX200
and an existing FC switch fabric port (fabric-attached) or direct-connect to an EVA controller port.
Figure 129 (page 323) shows an MPX200-EVA single-blade fabric-attached configuration. This is
the lowest-cost configuration and is used when high availability for iSCSI hosts is not required.
Figure 129 MPX200-EVA single-blade fabric-attached configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

P6000/EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

A
B

iSCSI

GE1

NIC

P6000
Command View

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26534a

HP iSCSI bridge products 323

Figure 130 (page 324) shows an MPX200-EVA dual-blade fabric-attached configuration. This
configuration provides high availability with failover between blades.
Figure 130 MPX200-EVA dual-blade fabric-attached configuration

MPX200 blade 1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC2

FC1

MPX200 blade 2

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

GE1

FC2

GE2

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC1

GE1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

P6000/EVA storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

NIC

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

P6000
Command View

A
B

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26550a

Figure 131 (page 324) shows a multi-EVA configuration with connectivity for up to four EVA storage
systems from a single MPX200 blade.
Figure 131 MPX200 single-blade multi-EVA configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

iSCSI
NIC

P6000 Command View

P6000/EVA storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
A
Fibre Channel
fabric 1

B

Fibre Channel
fabric 2

A
B
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
26551a

Figure 132 (page 325) shows a multi-EVA configuration with connectivity for up to four EVA storage
systems from dual MPX200 blades. This configuration provides high availability with failover
between blades.

324 iSCSI storage

Figure 132 MPX200 dual-blade multi-EVA configuration

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

MPX200 blade 1
GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC2

FC1

HP StorageWorks
MPX200

GE1

FC2

MPX200 blade 2

MGMT

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

GE4

IOIOI

MGMT

GE2

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

GE3

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC1

FC2

FC1

GE1

GE1

FC2

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

GE2

GE1

iSCSI
NIC

P6000 Command View

P6000/EVA storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
A
B

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

Fibre Channel
fabric 2

A
B
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
26552a

Figure 133 (page 325), Figure 134 (page 326), and Figure 135 (page 326) illustrate EVA direct
connect configurations.
Figure 133 MPX200 dual-blade direct connect to one EVA configuration

MPX200 blade 1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC1

HP StorageWorks
MPX200

GE1

FC2

MPX200 blade 2

MGMT

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE2

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

P6000/EVA storage system

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
26639a

HP iSCSI bridge products 325

Figure 134 MPX200 single-blade direct connect to one EVA configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

GE4

IOIOI

MGMT

GE3

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC1

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

P6000/EVA
storage system

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

A
B
26640a

Figure 135 MPX200 dual-blade direct connect to two EVA configuration

MPX200 blade 1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC2

FC1

HP StorageWorks
MPX200

GE1

FC2

MPX200 blade 2

MGMT

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

GE2

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC1

GE1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE1

FC2

GE2

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

FP1

iSCSI

GE1

P6000/EVA
storage system

FP2

A

FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

NIC

A

B

B
FP1

FP2

26641a

MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums
The MPX200 chassis can be configured with one or two blades. Dual-blade configurations provide
for high availability with failover between blades. All dual-blade configurations are supported as
redundant pairs only. iSCSI-connected servers can be configured for access to one or both blades.
NOTE: In the event of a failover between blades, servers with single-blade connectivity to a failed
blade will no longer have connectivity to the MPX200.
Table 178 (page 326) lists the supported maximums for the MPX200.
Table 178 Supported MPX200 maximums
Maximum per MPX200 solution1

Description
Hardware
P6000/EVA and/or XP24000/20000 storage systems (see
“MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332))

4 total (any combination)

MPX200

1 chassis with up to 2 blades

MPX200 iSCSI port connections

See the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router User Guide
at http://hp.com/go/mpx200.
Configuration parameter

Total number of iSCSI initiators

326 iSCSI storage

300 per chassis for 1-GbE (1 or 2 blades)
600 per chassis for 10-GbE (1 or 2 blades)

Table 178 Supported MPX200 maximums (continued)
Maximum per MPX200 solution1

Description
Total number of iSCSI LUNs

4,096 per chassis, 1,024 per EVA or XP

iSCSI connections, 1-GbE

1,024 per blade, 2,048 per chassis

iSCSI connections, 10-GbE

2,048 per blade, 4,096 per chassis

1

For mixed blade type chassis configurations that include one 1-GbE blade and one 10-GbE blade, the maximum values
for a 1-GbE blade prevail.

MPX200 blade configurations
The MPX200 supports the following functions: iSCSI-FCoE, FCIP, Data Migration. For simultaneous
operation, you can configure the MPX200 chassis with a single blade or dual blades to run up to
two functions per blade in the combinations shown in Table 179 (page 327).
Table 179 MPX200 blade configurations
Single blade chassis (blade1/empty)

Dual-blade chassis (blade1/blade2)

iSCSI-FCoE/empty

iSCSI-FCoE/iSCSI-FCoE

iSCSI-FCoE-FCIP/empty

iSCSI-FCoE-FCIP/iSCSI-FCoE-FCIP

iSCSI-FCoE-DMS/empty

iSCSI-FCoE-DMS/iSCSI-FCoE-DMS

FCIP/empty

FCIP/FCIP
DMS/DMS

DMS/empty

iSCSI-FCoE-DMS/iSCSI-FCoE-FCIP
iSCSI-FCoE-FCIP/iSCSI-FCoE-DMS

•

Simultaneous iSCSI and FCoE are considered one function. FCoE is only supported with
10-GbE models.

•

When configuring for blade redundancy, you must configure both blades. To add a redundant
blade, you must un-present/re-present existing LUN presentations to gain access through the
second blade.

•

Dual-blade iSCSI-FCoE configurations are always configured for high availability.

•

Dual-blade FCIP configurations can be configured for separate operation or high availability.

•

A license is required for FCIP, half-chassis or full chassis.

•

A license is required for data migration, 1TB, 5TB, or 1 Array. FCIP is not required for remote
data migration.

NOTE:

For more information on data migration, see Data Migration Services User's Guide.

P6000/EVA storage system rules and guidelines
The MPX200 is supported with the following P6000/EVA storage systems:
•

EVA4400/4400 with embedded switch

•

EVA4100/6100/8100

•

EVA6400/8400

•

P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550

HP iSCSI bridge products 327

All MPX200 configurations must follow these P6000/EVA connectivity rules:
•

When using the MPX200 for iSCSI, MPX200 FC connections can be direct connect to a
P6000/EVA controller host port or fabric connect through an FC switch.

•

Each P6000/EVA storage system can connect to a maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two
blades).

•

Each P6000/EVA controller host port can connect to a maximum of two MPX200 FC ports.

•

A maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two blades) can be zoned with up to four P6000/EVA
storage systems.

•

A P6000/EVA storage system can present LUNs to iSCSI initiators and FC hosts concurrently.

Table 180 (page 328) describes the maximum number of servers, initiators, and LUNs supported
for combined iSCSI and Fibre Channel connectivity to a P6000/EVA.
Table 180 Supported P6000/EVA/MPX200 maximums
P6000/EVA with Fibre
Channel only
Maximum number of
servers

256

Maximum number of
initiators

1,024

Maximum number of LUNs1
4,096 total per MPX200
chassis
1

1,023 EVA4x00
/6000/6100
/8000/8100

P6000/EVA with Fibre
Channel and 1-GbE iSCSI

P6000/EVA with Fibre Channel
and 10-GbE iSCSI

552 with 1 EVA

852 with 1 EVA

1,320 with 4 EVAs

1,608 with 4 EVAs

1,308 with 1 EVA

1,608 with 1 EVA

4,332 with 4 EVAs

4,632 with 4 EVAs

1,023 EVA4x00/6000/6100/8000/8100

2,047
EVA6400/8400

2,047 EVA6400/8400

For more information, see “Configuration parameters” (page 216).

HP P6000 Command View and MPX200 management rules and guidelines
The HP P6000 Command View implementation for the MPX200 supports management of up to
four EVA storage systems concurrently. This implementation provides the equivalent functionality
for both iSCSI and FC connected servers. All MPX200 management functions are integrated in HP
P6000 Command View. For more information, see the HP MPX200 Multifunction Router User
Guide at http://www.hp.com/support/manuals. From the website, under storage, click Storage
Networking, and then under Routers Gateways/Multiplexers, click HP MPX200 Multifunction
Router.
Observe the following MPX200 HP P6000 Command View rules and guidelines:
•

Command View EVA 9.1.1 (or later) for server-based or array-based management.

•

A maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two blades) can be discovered by an EVA storage
system.

•

HP P6000 Command View manages the MPX200 out of band (IP) through the MPX200
management IP port. The HP P6000 Command View application server must be on the same
IP network as the MPX200 management IP port.

•

The MPX200 iSCSI initiator or iSCSI LUN masking information does not reside in the HP
P6000 Command View database. All iSCSI initiator and LUN presentation information resides
in the MPX200.

•

The default iSCSI initiator EVA host mode setting is Microsoft Windows. The iSCSI initiator
for Apple Mac OS X, Linux, Oracle Solaris, VMware, and Windows 2008 host mode setting
is configured with HP P6000 Command View.

328 iSCSI storage

NOTE: Communication between HP P6000 Command View and the MPX200 is not secured by
the communication protocol. If this unsecured communication is a concern, HP recommends a
confined or secured IP network within a data center.

P6000/EVA storage system software
For FCIP, the MPX200 is supported with HP P6000 Continuous Access, Business Copy, SSSU, or
Replication Solutions Manager.

Fibre Channel switch and fabric support
The MPX200 is supported with HP B-series, C-series, and H-series switch models For the latest
information on FC switch model and firmware support, see the SPOCK website at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.

Operating system and multipath software support
This section describes the MPX200 iSCSI operating system, multipath, and cluster support.
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 181 (page 329) lists operating system and multipath software support.
Table 181 MPX200-EVA operating system, multipath software, and cluster support
Operating system
Apple Mac OS X
Microsoft Windows
Server 2012, 2008,
2003, Hyper-V

Multipath software

Clusters

None

None

MPIO with HP DSM
MPIO with Microsoft DSM

Oracle VM Server

MSCS1

P6000/EVA storage system

EVA4400/4400 with embedded switch
EVA4100/6100/8100

Native DM

None

EVA6400/8400

Linux Red Hat, SUSE

Device Mapper

None

P6300/P6350/P6500/P6550

Oracle Solaris

Solaris MPxIO

None

VMware MPxIO

None

VMware
1

MSCS is supported with Microsoft DSM only.

MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ Storage
The 3PAR StoreServ family of FC storage systems supports integrated iSCSI connectivity using the
MPX200 Multifunction Router. The MPX200 hardware is integrated with up to four 3PAR StoreServ,
P6000 EVA (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage” (page 323),
or XP24000/20000 storage systems (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage”
(page 332)) to deliver multiprotocol capabilities. This provides iSCSI and FC attached servers access
to block storage through FC and Ethernet IP network simultaneously. The MPX200 is available from
HP as an option for a new 3PAR purchase or as a field upgrade to existing 3PAR StoreServ 10000
V-Class; 3PAR StoreServ 7000,3PAR F-Class, or T-Class storage systems. With this product, iSCSI
connectivity to the 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems is provided for servers through a standard
1-GbE or 10-GbE NIC.

MPX200 configuration options
A 3PAR storage system can be configured for simultaneous connectivity to iSCSI and FC attached
hosts. Support for iSCSI to a 3PAR storage system is provided through the MPX200 and an existing
FC switch fabric port (fabric-attached).

HP iSCSI bridge products 329

Figure 136 (page 330) shows an MPX200-3PAR single-blade fabric-attached configuration. This is
the lowest-cost configuration and is used when high availability for iSCSI hosts is not required.
Figure 136 MPX200-3PAR single-blade fabric-attached configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

GE4

IOIOI

MGMT

GE3

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC1

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

3PAR storage system
Fibre Channel
fabric 1

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26664a

Figure 137 (page 330) shows an MPX200-3PAR dual-blade fabric-attached configuration. This
configuration provides high availability with failover between blades.
Figure 137 MPX200-3PAR dual-blade fabric-attached configuration

MPX200 blade 1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

FC1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

GE1

FC2

GE2

GE1

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200 blade 2
MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

3PAR storage system

NIC

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26665a

Figure 138 (page 331) shows a multi-3PAR configuration with connectivity for up to four 3PAR
storage systems from a single MPX200 blade.

330 iSCSI storage

Figure 138 MPX200-3PAR multi-3PAR fabric-attached configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

iSCSI
NIC

3PAR storage system

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
Fibre Channel
fabric 1

26666a

MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums
The MPX200 chassis can be configured with one or two blades. Dual-blade configurations provide
for high availability with failover between blades. All dual-blade configurations are supported as
redundant pairs only. iSCSI-connected servers can be configured for access to one or both blades.
NOTE: In the event of a failover between blades, servers with single-blade connectivity to a failed
blade will no longer have connectivity to the MPX200.
For information about 3PAR FC host connectivity, see the 3PAR documentation.

3PAR storage system rules and guidelines
The MPX200 is supported with the following 3PAR storage systems:
•

3PAR StoreServ 10000 V-Class

•

3PAR StoreServ 7000

•
3PAR F-Class, T-Class
All MPX200 configurations must follow these connectivity rules:
•

When using the MPX200 for iSCSI, MPX200 FC connections can be fabric-attached through
an FC switch or direct-connect to a 3PAR FC port.

•

Multiple MPX200 chassis can be connected to a single 3PAR array. However, HP recommends
that array FC ports are not shared between different chassis.

•

HP recommends a maximum of eight 3PAR array ports be connected to a single MPX200
chassis.

•

A maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two blades) can be zoned with up to four 3PAR storage
systems.

•

3PAR, XP and P6000 EVA storage systems can connect to the same MPX200. The total
allowable number of storage systems is four per MPX200 chassis.

•

A 3PAR storage system can present LUNs to iSCSI initiators and FC hosts concurrently. 3PAR
does not support presenting the same LUN to both iSCSI and FC initiators at the same time.

Table 182 (page 332) lists operating system and multipath software support.
HP iSCSI bridge products

331

Table 182 MPX200-3PAR StoreServ operating system and multipath support
Operating system

Multipath software

Citrix Xen

3PAR storage system

Native MPxIO

Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2008,
2003

3PAR MPIO (Windows 2003)
Microsoft MPIO DSM (Windows
2012, 2008)

Oracle VM Server

Native Device Mapper

Linux Red Hat, SUSE

Device Mapper

Oracle Solaris

Solaris MPxIO

3PAR StoreServ 10000 V-Class;
3PAR StoreServ 7000; 3PAR
F-Class, T-Class

MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for XP storage
The XP24000/20000 family of FC storage systems supports integrated iSCSI connectivity using
the MPX200 Multifunction Router. The MPX200 hardware is integrated with up to four XP,
P6000/EVA (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for P6000/EVA storage” (page 323)),
or 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems (see “MPX200 Multifunction Router with iSCSI for 3PAR StoreServ
Storage” (page 329)) to deliver multiprotocol capabilities. This provides iSCSI and FC attached
servers access to block storage through FC and Ethernet IP network simultaneously. The MPX200
is available from HP as an option for a new XP24000/20000 purchase or as a field upgrade to
an existing XP24000/20000 storage systems. With this product, iSCSI connectivity to the XP is
provided for servers through a standard 1-GbE or 10-GbE NIC.

MPX200 configuration options
An XP storage system can be configured for simultaneous connectivity to iSCSI and FC attached
hosts. Support for iSCSI to an XP storage system is provided through the MPX200 and an existing
FC switch fabric port (fabric-attached).
Figure 139 (page 332) shows an MPX200-XP single-blade fabric-attached configuration. This is the
lowest-cost configuration and is used when high availability for iSCSI hosts is not required.
Figure 139 MPX200-XP single-blade fabric-attached configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

XP24000/20000 storage system

NIC

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26654a

Figure 140 (page 333) shows an MPX200-XP dual-blade fabric-attached configuration. This
configuration provides high availability with failover between blades.

332 iSCSI storage

Figure 140 MPX200-XP dual-blade fabric-attached configuration

MPX200 blade 1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200 blade 2
GE1

FC2

GE2

iSCSI

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

XP24000/20000 storage system

NIC

Fibre Channel
fabric 1

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
26655a

Figure 141 (page 333) shows a multi-XP configuration with connectivity for up to four XP storage
systems from a single MPX200 blade.
Figure 141 MPX200-XP multi-XP fabric-attached configuration
IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MPX200

MGMT
HP StorageWorks
MPX200

MGMT

GE4

IOIOI

GE3

FC1

1 GbE Blade
MPX200 Multifunction Router

FC2

FC1

GE1

FC2

GE2

GE1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

iSCSI
NIC

XP24000/20000 storage systems

Fibre Channel
fabric 2
Fibre Channel
fabric 1

26656a

MPX200 iSCSI rules and supported maximums
The MPX200 chassis can be configured with one or two blades. Dual-blade configurations provide
for high availability with failover between blades. All dual-blade configurations are supported as
redundant pairs only. iSCSI-connected servers can be configured for access to one or both blades.
NOTE: In the event of a failover between blades, servers with single-blade connectivity to a failed
blade will no longer have connectivity to the MPX200.
Table 178 (page 326) lists the supported iSCSI connectivity maximums for the MPX200. For
information about XP24000/20000 FC host connectivity, see the XP24000/20000 documentation.

XP storage system rules and guidelines
The MPX200 is supported with the following XP storage systems:
HP iSCSI bridge products 333

•

XP24000

•
XP20000
All MPX200 configurations must follow these connectivity rules:
•

When using the MPX200 for iSCSI, MPX200 FC connections must be fabric-attached through
an FC switch

•

Each XP storage system can connect to a maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two blades)

•

A maximum of one MPX200 chassis (two blades) can be zoned with up to four XP storage
systems

•

XP and EVA storage systems can connect to the same MPX200, the total allowable number
of storage systems is four per MPX200 chassis

•

An XP storage system can present LUNs to iSCSI initiators and FC hosts concurrently

Operating system and multipath software support
This section describes the MPX200 iSCSI operating system and multipath support.
For the latest information on operating system and multipath software support, see the SPOCK
website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.
Table 183 (page 334) lists operating system and multipath software support.
Table 183 MPX200-XP operating system and multipath support
Operating system
Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2008,
2003

Multipath software
MPIO with Microsoft DSM

XP storage system
XP24000/20000

EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option
The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option allows iSCSI connectivity support for the EVA family of storage
systems. The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option uses HP P6000 Command View management software
and the following hardware:
•

mpx100 for all EVA models

•

mpx100b for EVA4400 and EVA4400 (embedded switch)

The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option uses a standard GbE NIC for iSCSI connectivity to servers.
You can purchase this option either included with an EVA or as a field upgrade to your existing
EVA.
NOTE: The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option (mpx100) is supported with EVA4100/4400/4400
(embedded switch)/6100/6400/8100/8400 storage systems. The EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity
Option (mpx100b) is supported with EVA4400 and EVA4400 with the embedded switch storage
systems.
For additional product information, including product documentation, see http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/evaiscsiconnect/index.html?
jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.
An EVA storage system can connect simultaneously to iSCSI and Fibre Channel attached hosts.
iSCSI support is provided through a dedicated EVA host port for direct connect (see
Figure 142 (page 335), Figure 143 (page 335), and Figure 145 (page 336)); or shared with Fibre
Channel through an existing fabric host port for fabric attachment (see Figure 146 (page 337)).
The EVA4400 with the ABM module can be configured with direct connections as shown in
Figure 144 (page 336) as an iSCSI-only solution.

334 iSCSI storage

Figure 142 Direct connect iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP1B

mpx100
HP StorageWorks
mpx100

FP1A

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MGMT
MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

D1

EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 1

A
B

iSCSI
NIC

P6000
Command View

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 2
25162c

NOTE:

Direct connect mode requires a dedicated host port on each HSV controller.

Figure 143 EVA4400 direct connect iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1
D2
D3
D4

FP1B
FP1B
FP1A
FP1A

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

mpx100/100b 1

mpx100/100b 2

MGMT

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE1

!

GE2

FC1

GE2

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1 GE2

D2
D1
D4
D3

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

iSCSI
NIC

EVA4400
Storage System
P6000
Command View

A

B
26381d

HP iSCSI bridge products 335

Figure 144 EVA4400 direct connect iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode ABM configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP2A
FP2B
FP2A

D2

FP2B
FP1A
FP1B
FP1A
FP1B

D3
D4

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

mpx100/100b 1

mpx100/100b 2

MGMT

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

GE1

!

GE2

GE1

FC2

FC1

GE2

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1 GE2

D2
D1
D4
D3

iSCSI
IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

EVA4400
with ABM running P6000 Command View

A

B
26657a

Figure 145 EVA8100 mpx100 and Windows host direct connect configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP2A
FP2B
FP2A

D2
D3
D4

FP2B
FP1A
FP1B
FP1A
FP1B

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

mpx100 1

mpx100 2

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE1

!

GE2

FC1

GE2

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1 GE2

D2
D1
D4
D3

EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

A

FPn

B

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

iSCSI
NIC

P6000
Command View

FPn
FP1

FP2

25163b

336 iSCSI storage

Figure 146 Fabric iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP2A
IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

FP2B

mpx100

FP1A

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

FP1B

MGMT
MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

GE1

FC2

GE2

GE1

D1

EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 1

A
B

iSCSI
NIC

P6000
Command View

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 2
25164c

Hardware support
This section describes the hardware devices supported by the EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity
Options.
mpx100/100b data transport
The EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI options support both direct connect and Fibre Channel fabric
connectivity through the mpx100/100b to the EVA storage system.
Table 184 (page 337) describes the connectivity attachment mode based on the EVA storage system
model.
Table 184 EVA storage system connectivity attachment modes
EVA storage system

Storage software version

iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode1
mpx100b direct connect (Figure 142 (page
335))

EVA4400
mpx100b fabric through a Fibre Channel
switch (Figure 146 (page 337))
EVA4400 Embedded Switch
Module, 8 Gb Brocade

EVA41006100/64008100/8400

For the latest information on storage
software version support, see the product
release notes or SPOCK at http://
www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must
sign up for an HP Passport to enable
access.

mpx100b fabric through the embedded
Fibre Channel switch
mpx100 direct connect (Figure 142 (page
335))
mpx100 and Windows host direct connect
only (all controller host ports direct connect)
(Figure 145 (page 336))
mpx100 fabric through a Fibre Channel
switch (Figure 146 (page 337))

HP iSCSI bridge products 337

1

A Fibre Channel switch is not required for mpx100 and Windows host direct connect only or HP P6000 Command View
iSCSI deployment. For more information, see Figure 142 (page 335), Figure 143 (page 335), and Figure 145 (page 336).

Fibre Channel switches
The EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Options are supported with most B-series and C-series
switches. For Fibre Channel switch support, see:
•

“B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92)

•

“C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119)

NOTE: Not all switch models are supported with the EVA iSCSI Connectivity Options. Contact
an HP storage representative for the latest information about switch model support.
Storage systems
The mpx100 supports EVA4100/4400/4400 (embedded switch)/6100/6400/8100/8400
storage systems. The mpx100b supports the EVA4400 storage system only.

Software support
This section describes the software supported by the EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option.
Management software
The required minimum versions of HP P6000 Command View/Command View EVA management
software are as follows:
•

HP P6000 Command View 10.1 for P6350/P6550 EVA

•

Command View 9.4 for P6300/P9500 EVA

•

Command View 9.0.1 (or later) is required for EVA6400/8400

•

Command View 8.1 (or later) is required for array-based management

•

Command View 8.0.1 (or later) is required for EVA4400 (embedded switch) storage systems

•

Command View 8.0x (or later) is required for the mpx100/100b running firmware version
2.4x (or later)

•

The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Options support Command View EVA iSCSI connectivity (Fibre
Channel switch not required)

See Figure 147 (page 338) and Figure 148 (page 339).
NOTE:

HP Storage mpx Manager is required for mpx100/100b management.

Figure 147 P6000 Command View iSCSI connectivity configuration 1
Discovery
IP address

Presented
iSCSI targets

D1

FP1B
FP1A

mpx100/100b
HP StorageWorks
mpx100

IP network
management
(WAN/LAN)

MGMT
MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1

D1

IP network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

iSCSI initiator &
P6000
Command
View server

EVA
storage system
26484c

338 iSCSI storage

Figure 148 P6000 Command View iSCSI connectivity configuration 2
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP2A
FP2B
FP2A

D2
D3
D4

FP2B
FP1A
FP1B
FP1A
FP1B

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

mpx100/100b 1

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

mpx100/100b 2

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE1

GE2

!

GE2

FC1

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1 GE2

D2
D1
D4
D3

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

NIC

iSCSI initiator &
P6000
Command
View server

EVA
storage system
26485c

Multipath software
The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option supports iSCSI multipath connectivity on HP OpenVMS, Microsoft
Windows with MPIO, Linux with Device Mapper, and Oracle Solaris and VMware ESX with MPxIO.
iSCSI multipath connectivity is supported on EVA4100/4400/4400 (embedded
switch)/6100/6400/8100/8400.
The EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option supports iSCSI multipath connectivity on Microsoft
Windows with MPIO, Linux with Device Mapper, and Oracle Solaris and VMware ESX with MPxIO.
iSCSI multipath connectivity is supported on EVA4400 using XCS 09000000 (minimum) or
EVA4400 (embedded switch) using XCS 09003000 (minimum).
NOTE: For the latest information on version support, see the product release notes or SPOCK at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
Figure 149 (page 340) illustrates the high-availability, multipath direct connect iSCSI-Fibre Channel
attachment mode configuration with Windows MPIO.

HP iSCSI bridge products 339

Figure 149 Multipath direct connect iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP1A

D2

FP1B

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

mpx100/100b 1*

mpx100/100b 2

MGMT

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

GE1

!

GE2

GE1

FC2

FC1

GE2

FC1

FC2

FC2

GE2

GE1

GE1 GE2

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

D1
D2

EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 1

A
B

iSCSI
NIC

P6000
Command
View

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 2

*mpx100b supported on EVA4400 only

25165d

Figure 150 (page 340) illustrates the high-availability multipath fabric iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment
mode configuration.
Figure 150 Multipath fabric iSCSI-Fibre Channel attachment mode configuration
Discovery
IP Address

Presented
iSCSI Targets

D1

FP1A
FP1B

D2

FP2B
FP2A

mpx100/100b 1*

mpx100/100b 2

MGMT

MGMT

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

HP StorageWorks
mpx100

MGMT

IOIOI

MGMT

IOIOI

!

!

FC1

FC1

FC2

GE1

FC2

IP Network
management
(WAN/LAN)

GE2

FC1

FC1

GE1

FC2

FC2

GE1

GE2

GE1

D1
D2

EVA
storage system
FP1

FP2

FP1

FP2

IP Network
iSCSI data
(LAN/VLAN)

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 1

A
B

*mpx100b supported on EVA4400 only

iSCSI
NIC

P6000
Command
View

Existing
Fibre Channel
HA fabric 2
25166d

HP P6000 Continuous Access
An EVA LUN that has been presented to an iSCSI initiator is supported with current EVA storage
software applications such as HP P6000 Continuous Access, Business Copy, SSSU, and Replication
Solutions Manager. See the EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option User Guide at http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/evaiscsiconnect/index.html?
jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.

340 iSCSI storage

Operating systems and network interface cards
The EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI options support the following operating systems, unless noted
otherwise:
•

Apple Mac OS X

•

Linux—Red Hat

•

Linux—SUSE

•

Microsoft Windows 2008 Enterprise/Standard Editions; 2008 Server Core; 2003
Enterprise/Standard Editions

•

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Workstation

•

HP OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 (IA64) (EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option (mpx100) only)

•

Oracle Solaris (SPARC and x86) (EVA4100/4400/4400 embedded
switch/6100/6400/8100/8400 only)

•

VMware ESX with the following guest operating systems: Windows 2003, Red Hat, and SUSE

NOTE: For the latest information on version support, see the product release notes or SPOCK at
http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP Passport to enable access.
The EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI options are compatible with all HP-supported GbE NICs for HP
OpenVMS (mpx100 only), Microsoft Windows, Linux, and VMware and all standard GbE NICs
supported by Apple and Oracle.
NIC Teaming
NIC Teaming is supported in single-path or multipath configurations (team failover only).
iSCSI initiators
The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option supports the ATTO Apple Mac OS X iSCSI Initiator, HP
OpenVMS native iSCSI Initiator, Microsoft Windows iSCSI Initiator, Solaris Initiator, VMware
Initiator, and for Red Hat and SUSE, the bundled iSCSI driver. Contact an HP storage representative
for the latest information on iSCSI initiator version support.

iSCSI boot
iSCSI boot is supported for the following operating systems and network interface cards:
•

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2

•

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 AS, Update 7, Update 6, Update 5, and Update 4

•

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP4, SP3

•
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, 10 SP2, SP1
QLogic QLA4052C, QLE4062C, QMH4062C iSCSI HBA is supported on the following operating
systems:
•

Microsoft Windows Server 2008, 2003 SP2

•

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, Update 2, Update 1

•

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 AS, Update 7, Update 6, Update 5

•

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, 10 SP2, SP1

•

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP4, SP3

EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Options supported maximums
Table 185 (page 342) lists the maximums supported by the EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity
Options using the mpx100/100b bridge.
HP iSCSI bridge products 341

Table 185 Supported EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option maximums
Description

Maximum per EVA or EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Option

Hardware
EVA storage system

1

mpx100/100b

2

Configuration
mpx100—150 (single-path or multipath)
mpx100b (EVA4400 only)—16, 48 (license upgrade 1), 150
(license upgrade 2) (single-path or multipath)

Total number of iSCSI initiators

Note: The mpx100/100b can serve both single-path and
multipath LUNs concurrently.
Total number of iSCSI LUNs

150

Total number of iSCSI targets per initiator

8

General rules for the EVA and EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity Options
NOTE: The EVA iSCSI Connectivity Option (mpx100) is supported with EVA4100/4400/4400
(embedded switch)/6100/6400/8100/8400 storage systems. The EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity
Option (mpx100b) is supported with EVA4400 and EVA4400 (embedded switch) storage systems.
Use the following general rules when implementing the EVA or EVA4400 iSCSI Connectivity
Option:
•

Each EVA storage system can have a maximum of two mpx100 or two mpx100b bridges.

•

Each EVA controller host port can connect to a maximum of two mpx100/100b Fibre Channel
ports.

•

Both mpx100/100b Fibre Channel ports can only connect to one EVA storage system.

•

Each mpx100/100b Fibre Channel port can only connect to one EVA port.

•

Each iSCSI initiator can have a maximum of eight mpx100/100b iSCSI targets.

Table 186 (page 342) describes the maximum number of servers, initiators, and LUNs supported
for combined iSCSI and Fibre Channel connectivity to an EVA configured with an mpx100 or
100b.
Table 186 Supported EVA/mpx100/100b maximums
EVA with Fibre Channel only

EVA with Fibre Channel and 1GbE
iSCSI (mpx100)

EVA4400 with Fibre Channel and 1GbE
iSCSI (mpx100b)

Maximum
number of
servers

256

405 with 1 EVA

271, 303, 405 with 1 EVA1

Maximum
number of
initiators

1,024

1,170 with 1 EVA

1,036, 1,068, 1,170 with 1 EVA1

150 iSCSI

150 iSCSI

1,023 EVA4x00/6100/8100

1,023 EVA4x00/6100/8100

2,047 EVA6400/8400

2,047 EVA6400/8400

Maximum
number of
LUNs2

1,023 EVA4x00/6100/8100
2047 EVA6400/8400

1

The mpx100b supports 16 (base), 48 (license upgrade 1), and 150 (license upgrade 2) iSCSI initiators.

2

For more information, see “Configuration parameters” (page 216).

342 iSCSI storage

B-series iSCSI Director Blade
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade (FC4-16IP) is a gateway device between Fibre Channel targets
and iSCSI initiators. This allows iSCSI initiators in an IP SAN to access Fibre Channel storage in
a Fibre Channel SAN.
This section describes the following topics:
•

“Blade overview” (page 343)

•

“Hardware support” (page 343)

•

“Software support” (page 344)

•

“Scalability rules” (page 344)

For the latest B-series documentation, see http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
saninfrastructure.html.

Blade overview
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade provides IP hosts access to Fibre Channel storage devices. The
IP host sends SCSI commands encapsulated in iSCSI PDUs to a blade port over TCP/IP. The PDUs
are routed from the IP network to the Fibre Channel network and then forwarded to the target.
Figure 151 (page 343) shows a sample configuration in which a B-series iSCSI Director Blade
bridges an IP network and Fibre Channel network.
Figure 151 Fibre Channel and IP configuration with the B-series iSCSI Director Blade
Fibre
Channel

IP link

Host 1

Host 2

B-series
iSCSI
Director
Blade

ISL

IP
network

Fibre
Channel
B-series
fabric

Fibre
Channel

25320b

The incoming iSCSI initiators on an iSCSI port are mapped as a single iSCSI virtual initiator. The
virtual initiator is presented to Fibre Channel targets as an N_Port Fibre Channel initiator device
with a WWN.
By default, the blade uses basic LUN mapping to map Fibre Channel targets to iSCSI virtual targets.
This creates one iSCSI virtual target per Fibre Channel target and allows 1-to-1 mapping. The iSCSI
initiators are then allowed to access the iSCSI virtual targets.

Hardware support
This section describes the devices compatible with the B-series iSCSI Director Blade.
HP iSCSI bridge products 343

Storage systems
The following storage system is supported with the B-series iSCSI Director Blade. Contact an HP
storage representative for specific support information.
•

XP10000/12000

NOTE: HP supports direct connection of storage systems to the Fibre Channel ports on the B-series
iSCSI Director Blade, not to the IP ports.
Fibre Channel switches
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade is supported on the B-series SAN Director 4/256, with a maximum
of four blades per chassis. For more information, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).

Software support
This section describes the operating systems and software supported with the B-series iSCSI Director
Blade.
Operating systems and network interface controllers
The following operating systems are supported with the B-series iSCSI Director Blade and iSCSI.
Each operating system's HP-supported NICs are also supported.
•

Windows 2003 SP1/R2 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition

•

Windows 2003 64-bit

•

Red Hat Linux 4 (32-bit and 64-bit)

•

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 (32-bit and 64-bit)

NOTE:
SUSE.

The QLogic iSCSI HBA (QLA 4052c) is supported on Windows 2003, Red Hat, and

Network Teaming
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade supports Network Teaming for Linux.
B-series management applications
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade management applications are as follows:
•

B-series Fabric Manager

•

CLI

iSCSI initiators
The B-series iSCSI Director Blade supports the following iSCSI initiators:
•

Microsoft Windows iSCSI Initiator

•

Bundled Red Hat iSCSI Initiator

•

Bundled SUSE iSCSI Initiator

Contact an HP storage representative for specific support information.

Scalability rules
Table 187 (page 345) provides the B-series iSCSI Director Blade scalability rules.

344 iSCSI storage

Table 187 B-series iSCSI Director Blade scalability rules
Rule
iSCSI sessions per port 64

Maximum
64

iSCSI ports per FC4–16IP blade

8

iSCSI blades per switch

4

iSCSI sessions per FC4–16IP blade

512

iSCSI sessions per switch

1,024

TCP connections per switch

1,024

TCP connections per iSCSI session

2

iSCSI sessions per fabric

4,096

TCP connections per fabric

4,096

iSCSI targets per fabric

4,096

CHAP entries per fabric

4,096

LUNs per iSCSI target

256

Members per discovery domain

64

Discovery domains per discovery domain set
Discovery domain sets

4,096
4

C-series iSCSI
The C-series IP Storage Services Modules, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice
Module, and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch provide iSCSI capabilities. These devices
allow IP hosts to access Fibre Channel storage using iSCSI.
The IP Storage Services Modules, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice Module,
and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch provide transparent iSCSI routing by default. IP hosts
using iSCSI can access targets on the Fibre Channel network.
This section describes the following topics:
•

“Modules overview” (page 345)

•

“Hardware support” (page 346)

•

“Software support” (page 347)

•

“Configuration rules” (page 348)

For the latest C-series documentation, see http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/
saninfrastructure.html.

Modules overview
The C-series IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8), 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4
Multiservice Module, and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch provide IP hosts access to Fibre
Channel storage systems. The IP host sends SCSI commands encapsulated in iSCSI PDUs to a
module port over a TCP/IP connection. These commands are routed from the IP network to the
Fibre Channel network and then forwarded to the target.
Figure 152 (page 346) shows a sample configuration where an IP module bridges an IP network
and a Fibre Channel network.

HP iSCSI bridge products 345

Figure 152 C-series Fibre Channel and IP configuration with the IP module
Fibre
Channel

IP link

Host 1

Host 2

ISL

C-series
Fibre Channel
with
IPS module
IP
network

Fibre
Channel
C-series
fabric

Fibre
Channel

25167c

In addition to presenting Fibre Channel targets to iSCSI hosts, the modules also present each iSCSI
host as a Fibre Channel host (in transparent mode). The iSCSI host appears as an HBA to the Fibre
Channel storage device. The storage device responds to each IP host as if a Fibre Channel host
were connected to the Fibre Channel network.

Hardware support
This section describes the devices compatible with the C-series IP Storage Services Modules, 14/2
Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice Module, and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric
switch.
Storage systems
This section lists the storage array iSCSI support for the C-series modules. Storage arrays and array
options like Continuous Access do not have the same iSCSI support across all operating systems.
Contact an HP storage representative for specific support information.
The following storage systems are supported with iSCSI:
•

EVA4100/6100/8100

•

XP10000/12000

•

XP20000/24000

NOTE: HP supports direct connection of storage arrays to the Fibre Channel ports on the 14/2
Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice Module, and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric.
HP does not support direct connection of storage arrays to the IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4,
IPS-8) or to the IP ports on the 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice Module,
or MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric.
Fibre Channel switches
The C-series IP Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8), 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, and
18/4 Multiservice Module support the HP C-series switches listed in “C-series switches and fabric
rules” (page 119).
Table 188 (page 347) describes the C-series switches that support iSCSI.
346 iSCSI storage

Table 188 C-series switches that support iSCSI
Switch

Maximum number of Fibre
Channel ports

Supported IP modules

MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric

66

IPS-8, 18/4

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A
Director Switch

192

IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4

336

IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4

528

IPS-4, IPS-8, 14/2, and 18/4

MDS 9506
HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A
Director Switch
MDS 9509
HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A
Fabric 2 Director Switch
MDS 9513

Software support
This section describes the operating systems and related software compatible with the C-series IP
Storage Services Modules (IPS-4, IPS-8), 14/2 Multiprotocol Service Module, 18/4 Multiservice
Module, and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch.
Operating systems and network interface controllers
The following operating systems are supported with C-series modules and iSCSI. Each operating
system's HP-supported NICs are also supported with iSCSI.
•

Windows 2000 Server, Advanced Server

•

Windows 2003 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition

•

Windows 2003 64-bit

•

Windows 2003 x64

•

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS, ES, WS

•

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

•

IBM AIX

•

Oracle Solaris

•

VMware ESX

HP Network Teaming
Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 support HP Network Teaming.
C-series management applications
C-series management applications are as follows:
•

Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)

•

Cisco Fabric Manager

•

Cisco Device Manager

•

CLI

HP iSCSI bridge products 347

iSCSI initiators
C-series modules support these iSCSI software initiators:
•

Microsoft Windows iSCSI Initiator

•

Red Hat iSCSI bundled Initiator

•

Red Hat SourceForge iSCSI Initiator

•

SUSE iSCSI bundled Initiator

•

SUSE SourceForge iSCSI Initiator

•

IBM AIX native iSCSI Initiator

•

Oracle Solaris native iSCSI Initiator

•

VMware native iSCSI Initiator

Configuration rules
This section describes the iSCSI limits and rules when using the IP Storage Services Modules, 14/2
Multiprotocol Services Modules, and 18/4 Multiservice Modules in the following:
•

HP SN8000C 6-Slot Supervisor 2A Director Switch, HP SN8000C 9-Slot Supervisor 2A
Director Switch, HP SN8000C 13-Slot Supervisor 2A Fabric 2 Director Switch, MDS 9506,
MDS 9509, and MDS 9513 Director switches

•

MDS 9222i Fabric switch

•

Embedded 18/4 Multiservice Module in the MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch

Multipathing is supported only in a Windows environment using the Microsoft MPIO iSCSI driver.
HP Secure Path is not supported with iSCSI initiators. Contact an HP storage representative for
specific iSCSI support information.
Without multipathing capabilities, the iSCSI initiator can only access one path of the storage
controller, which disables controller failover protection.
The IP Storage Services Modules, 14/2 Multiprotocol Services Module, 18/4 Multiservice Module,
and MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric switch are supported on fabrics constructed with C-series
switches. See “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 119) for the latest C-series fabric rules.
Table 189 (page 348) describes C-series module iSCSI limits.
Table 189 C-series iSCSI limits
C-series iSCSI limits

Maximum

Number of initiator/target pairs per port

500

Number of active LUNs per initiator/target pair

256

Number of initiator/target pair/LUN combinations per GbE port

1,200

The following examples show maximum configurations for initiator/target pairs:
•

500 iSCSI initiators, each connecting to one target (storage controller port)

•

100 iSCSI initiators, each connecting to five targets

•

50 iSCSI initiators, each connecting to eight targets and 100 iSCSI initiators, each connecting
to one target

The maximum of 500 TCP connections (initiator/target pairs) with 256 LUNs per connection yields
128,000 possible LUNs. Simultaneous access to 128,000 LUNs via a single 100 Mb Ethernet
port may provide reduced performance.
The total bandwidth required for an Ethernet port for iSCSI storage should be based on the sum
of the individual requirements for each connection.
348 iSCSI storage

HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack
This section describes the following topics:
•

“Overview” (page 349)

•

“HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack support” (page 349)

•

“HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI license upgrade options” (page 350)

•

“Designing a Microsoft Exchange solution with iSCSI Feature Pack” (page 351)

•

“Sample iSCSI NAS Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 configuration” (page 352)

Overview
HP ProLiant Storage Servers can be configured as iSCSI targets using the HP ProLiant Storage
Server iSCSI Feature Pack.
The HP iSCSI storage server solution facilitates centralized management, backup, and scalability
by integrating services for:
•

Files

•

Printing

•

Email

•

Databases

Existing Ethernet infrastructure provides low-cost storage consolidation.
The HP iSCSI Feature Pack (T3669A only) includes the HP ProLiant Application Storage Manager,
which provides storage management for HP NAS servers hosting Microsoft Exchange 2003 storage
groups. It reduces the time and training required to set up and monitor email stores.
The HP iSCSI storage server is ideal for businesses that want to consolidate storage and that use
applications such as Microsoft Exchange.
For more information, see http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/storageservers.html.

HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack support
This section describes support for the HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack.
Hardware support
The following storage servers support the HP iSCSI Feature Pack:
•

HP ProLiant DL100 Storage Server

•

HP ProLiant ML110 Storage Server

•

HP ProLiant ML350 G4 Storage Server

•

HP ProLiant ML370 G4 Storage Server

•

HP ProLiant DL380 G4 Storage Server (Base, External SCSI, and External SATA models, SAN
Storage model Gateway Edition only)

•

HP StorageWorks NAS 500s

•

HP StorageWorks NAS 1200s

•

HP StorageWorks NAS 1500s

•

HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s

•

HP StorageWorks NAS 4000s (Gateway Edition only)

HP iSCSI bridge products 349

Application support
The following host applications support the HP iSCSI Feature Pack:
•

Microsoft Exchange Server 2000

•

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

•

Microsoft SQL Server 2000

•

Microsoft SQL Server 2003

•

Oracle Database 9i and 10g

Management software support
Your can perform management functions with the HP Storage Server GUI.
iSCSI Initiator support rules
HP iSCSI Feature Pack support rules follow:
•

The Microsoft iSCSI Initiator (32-bit version) is supported.

•

Up to 50 simultaneous initiators are supported.

•

Initiators running Microsoft XP Home Edition or Microsoft XP Professional Edition have not
been qualified.

•

Hardware initiators may work but are not currently supported.

NOTE: Linux and HP-UX initiators have not been fully qualified with this solution. Hardware
initiators are not currently supported.

HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI license upgrade options
The HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack has three licensed options:
•

“Snapshot” (page 350)

•

“Clustering” (page 351)

•

“Direct Backup” (page 351)

Snapshot
The Snapshot option is an upgrade license for HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack. The
Snapshot option:
•

Works with Microsoft iSCSI initiators only.

•

Prevents accidental deletions, file corruption, and virus attacks.

•

Pauses application hosts running Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server, or Oracle Database to
ensure data integrity.

•

Allows delta snapshots using Microsoft VSS interface, and performs automatic delta snapshots
of application hosts to reduce potential data loss.

•

Offers several application-specific licensed agent options:

◦

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe

◦

Microsoft Exchange

◦

Microsoft SQL

◦

Oracle Database (for a single Microsoft iSCSI initiator)

350 iSCSI storage

Clustering
Clustering is an upgrade license for the HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack (Gateway
Edition only). The clustering option:
•

Activates two-node iSCSI target capability using MSCS

•

Eliminates a single point of failure with a dual network connection to the IP network and a
dual I/O channel to each storage device

Direct Backup
The Direct Backup option is an upgrade license for HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack.
The Direct Backup option:
•

Works with Microsoft iSCSI initiators only

•

Facilitates centralized, zero-impact backup

•

Allows administrators to use their preferred backup software for centralized backup and
recovery of application data directly from the iSCSI storage server

Designing a Microsoft Exchange solution with iSCSI Feature Pack
A Microsoft Exchange solution requires that you configure the network, host, and storage systems
for iSCSI NAS. The HP ProLiant Storage Server iSCSI Feature Pack provides iSCSI functionality on
a Windows Storage Server (NAS device). Exchange Server 2003 also requires an iSCSI initiator.
Network design
Existing IP networks may not be suitable for iSCSI storage support. Evaluate traffic on these networks
to determine if there is adequate capacity to meet storage requirements.
HP recommends a dedicated GbE network for accessing the Windows iSCSI NAS Storage Server.
This provides adequate performance and data security. You can also use IPsec to secure the
connection on a public, unsecured network, with decreased performance.
The distance between the Exchange server and the iSCSI NAS Storage Server may affect
performance. You must check the maximum supported distances of the network devices. The
maximum distance varies based on the cable type and specifications.
Hardware selection
The Windows Server Catalog is available at http://www.windowsservercatalog.com/.
It lists iSCSI hardware components that are qualified under the Designed for Windows Logo
program, Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2000.
Exchange storage design
Important criteria for Exchange storage design include:
•

Isolation of Exchange transaction logs from databases

•

Selection of optimum RAID level for performance and fault tolerance

•

Write-back caching for hardware RAID controller performance

Separate volumes for logs and databases

HP recommends separate volumes for Exchange transaction logs and databases, to ensure data
protection and efficiency. Transaction log access is mostly sequential writes does database access
is random read/write.
The Exchange server internal storage can hold the Exchange transaction logs while the HP Storage
Server with the HP iSCSI Feature Pack holds the Exchange databases.
The Exchange server internal storage and the iSCSI NAS Storage Server have comparable
transaction log performance. If the transaction logs are stored on the Exchange server, you must
HP iSCSI bridge products

351

recover them manually if the server fails. Regaining access to the log drives requires installing the
logs on a backup Exchange server.
NOTE: Store transaction logs on a RAID 1 mirror pair array volume, or, for additional disk space,
on four or more disks on a RAID 1+0 (striped mirror).
RAID level

For database volumes, the choice of RAID protection on the disk arrays is a trade-off between
maximum storage and performance. For the same number of disk spindles, RAID 5 provides data
protection and maximum storage, and RAID 1+0 provides the best performance but with less
storage.
Six spindles in a RAID 1+0 array provide greater performance than six spindles in a RAID 5 array
for a given number of Exchange mailboxes. RAID 1+0 is preferred for the database volume. Using
six 36 GB drives in a RAID 1+0 array provides ample storage and performance for 1,000 100
MB mailboxes.
Designing storage arrays with the large disk drives (146 GB or larger) requires caution. Although
a few large disks can provide the required amount of database storage, the reduced spindle count
will decrease I/O performance.
Write-back caching

Write-back caching increases performance for transaction logs on the server array and for databases
on the storage array. On array controllers with battery-backed write cache (such as the Smart
Array 5i Plus and later) the write-cache percentage should be set to 100%.
Recommendations

HP recommends that you:
•

Place the Exchange log files and database files on separate RAID 1+0 RAID sets.

•

Place the Exchange log files on Exchange server disks.

•

Use hardware RAID controllers with write-back caching.

Supported load with Exchange
The performance required by the average email user determines the storage design. The average
load is multiplied by the number of users to find the storage requirement. Conversely, the capabilities
of an existing system can determine the maximum number of users.
To calculate the average I/O per user in an Exchange environment, the PERFMON object's
disk-transfers-per-second value is divided by the number of active connections. The storage capacity
calculated from the average I/O needs an additional safety factor to maintain performance during
peak periods.
In practice, the maximum number of users is less than the calculated value when:
•

Users increase the size of their mailboxes.

•

Services such as antivirus scanners or content indexers are added to the Exchange server.

A medium-sized user profile provides a 60 MB mailbox, and a large profile provides a 100 MB
mailbox. Larger mailboxes affect both storage sizing and performance, and are disproportionately
more difficult for Exchange to manage.

Sample iSCSI NAS Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 configuration
This section summarizes results from an HP-tested iSCSI NAS configuration. .

352 iSCSI storage

HP ProLiant DL380 G4 Storage Server configuration
With up to six internal drives and fault-tolerant options for fans and power supplies, an HP ProLiant
DL380 server acts as a high-capacity Exchange server. Other HP ProLiant servers can support 900
to 2,000 Exchange mailboxes.
When configuring the server and storage, ensure that you have:
•

Sufficient RAM (1 GB) on the server.

•

Enough disks for the Exchange database volume, especially if you use RAID 5 RAIDsets or
ADG. A larger number of disks improves database volume performance.

The Exchange server internal RAID storage holds the transaction logs. HP recommends storing the
transaction logs on a RAID array accelerated with a write-back cache, with battery backup. The
transaction logs can be stored on an iSCSI NAS RAID array.
For the sample configuration, the server includes a Smart Array 5i RAID controller option kit since
the write cache for this controller can be set at 100%, increasing performance.
RAID 1+0 is preferred for the database volume on the storage server. In the sample iSCSI NAS
storage configuration:
•

The DL380 G4 Storage Server uses a Smart Array 6402 and Smart Array 6404 controller to
access the disks for its RAID array.

•

56 disks are available for RAID configurations. These disks sit in four rack-mountable HP
StorageWorks Modular Smart Array 30 (MSA30) disk enclosures with 14 drives each.

•

A 40-disk RAID 1+0 configuration consists of an array of 10 disks in each of the four
enclosures.

The Exchange server accesses its database on the iSCSI NAS RAID 1+0 volume.

HP iSCSI bridge products 353

Part V Storage security, best practices, and support
information
The following chapters describe storage security and SAN best practices:
•

“Storage security” (page 355)

•

“Best practices” (page 369)

•

“Support and other resources” (page 391)

20 Storage security
This chapter describes storage security best practices. It describes the following topics:
•

“Storage security threats” (page 355)

•

“Storage security compliance” (page 356)

•

“Security technologies” (page 356)

•

“HP security strategy” (page 358)

•

“Storage security best practices” (page 360)

•

“Assessing security risks” (page 360)

•

“HP storage security solutions” (page 361)

Storage security threats
Securing SAN environments has become an increasingly important aspect of data security. IT
organizations face many security threats and must comply with numerous industry and government
regulations. In the past, IT organizations accepted that authentication issues were handled by the
network architecture; they were not responsible for SAN security.
The NSA IATF defines five security attack classes that you should consider when defining your
solution (Table 190).
Table 190 Security attack classes
Attack class

Description
Attacks that can disclose information to an attacker.
Passive attacks include:
• Analyzing traffic

Passive

• Monitoring unprotected communications
• Decrypting weakly encrypted traffic
• Capturing authentication information (passwords)
An example of a passive attack is the disclosure of information such as credit card numbers and
passwords.
Attacks that can disclose information, deny service, or modify data.
Active attacks include:
• Attempting to circumvent or break protection features
• Introducing malicious code

Active

• Stealing or modifying information
• Attacking a network backbone
• Exploiting in-transit information
• Penetrating an enclave
• Attacking when a remote user attempts to connect to an enclave

Close-in

Attacks by an unauthorized user who is in close physical proximity to networks, systems, or facilities.
The user may attempt to gather or modify information, or deny authorized users access to information.
Unauthorized attacks by an authorized user can be malicious or nonmalicious.
Malicious attackers can:

Insider

• Eavesdrop
• Steal or damage data

Storage security threats 355

Table 190 Security attack classes (continued)
Attack class

Description
• Use data for fraudulent purposes
• Deny authorized users access
Nonmalicious attacks can result from:
• Carelessness
• Lack of knowledge
• Circumventing security for nonmalicious purposes to perform tasks
Attacks due to modifications to hardware or software made at the factory or during distribution.
Distribution attacks can insert malicious code in a product, which can allow future unauthorized
access to the system.

Distribution

Storage security compliance
Compliance ensures that a storage system meets specific criteria established by law or regulation.
Retention of electronic records is mandated by statutory and regulatory law.
Data security regulations are enacted by international governments and U.S. federal and state
governments. All storage systems must comply with local regulations. Table 191 (page 356) lists
some of the U.S. and international security regulations.
Table 191 U.S. and international security regulations
U.S. federal and state regulations
• Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) of 1999
• Securities and Exchange Commission Act (SEC) rules
17a-3 and 17a-4
• Department of Energy (DOE) 10 CFR 600.153
Retention and access requirements for records
• California Data Security Act (SB 1386/AB 1950)

International regulations
• European Union Data Protection Directive of 1995
• Canada: Personal Information Protection and Electronic
Documents Act (PIPEDA)
• Australia: Privacy Act 1988
• Japan: Personal Information Protection Act
• UK: Data Protection Act 1998

• New York Regulation 173 Standards for safeguarding • New Zealand: Privacy Act 1993
customer information

Security technologies
This section describes security technologies for IP SAN, Fibre Channel SAN, and encryption.

IP SAN security technologies
IP SAN technologies includes NAS, iSCSI, and FCIP. IP SAN security is achieved through the
following:
•

CHAP

•

IPsec

CHAP
CHAP uses a three-way handshake to ensure validity of remote clients. It is more secure than the
PAP. A summary of the CHAP process follows:
1. When the server is first connected, it sends a challenge message to the peer.
2. The peer responds by sending a value generated by a one-way hash function.
3. The server compares this value to its own generated value.
4. If the values match, the connection is allowed to continue; if they do not match, the connection
is terminated.
356 Storage security

5.

To ensure the validity of the peer, the server sends challenge messages at random intervals
and changes the CHAP identifiers frequently.

IPsec
IPsec uses an open-standards framework to protect data transmission over IP networks. It uses
cryptographic security services.
IPsec supports:
•

Network-level peer authentication

•

Data-origin authentication

•

Data integrity

•

Data encryption

•

Replay protection

Microsoft bases its IPsec implementation on the standards developed by the IETF IPsec working
group.

Fibre Channel SAN security technologies
Fibre Channel SAN security is achieved through the FC-SP.

FC-SP
FC-SP protects in-transit data—It does not protect data stored on the Fibre Channel network. FC-SP
is a project of the Technical Committee T11, within the International Committee for Information
Technology Standards, which is responsible for developing Fibre Channel interfaces (see http://
www.t11.org).
FC-SP uses:
•

Authentication of Fibre Channel devices (device-to-device authentication)

•

Cryptographically secure key exchange

•

Cryptographically secure communication between Fibre Channel devices

Encryption security technologies
Encryption security is achieved through the DES, AES, and key management.

Data Encryption Standard
DES is a block cipher designed for use in symmetric cryptography, which encrypts data in 64-bit
blocks and uses a key length of 56 bits. It uses a 64-bit key, but every eighth bit is ignored. These
extra bits can be used for other purposes, such as a parity check to ensure that the key is error
free.
The DES cipher consists of the following process:
1. Performing an initial permutation
2. Breaking the block into right and left halves (32 bits each, followed by 16 key-dependent
rounds on each half)
3. Rejoining of the halves
4. Performing the final permutation (reverse of the initial permutation)
Two common DES cipher modes are as follows:
•

ECB—Each block of the message is encrypted independently.

•

CBC—Each plaintext block uses an Exclusive–OR operation with the previous cipher text block
before encryption.

Security technologies 357

Advanced Encryption Standard
AES is a block cipher designed for use in symmetric cryptography, which encrypts data in 128-bit
blocks. AES can use a key size of 128, 192, or 256 bits. The number of rounds varies by the key
length (for example, 10, 12, or 14 rounds for key sizes 128, 192, or 256, respectively). The
processing in each round is more efficient than DES and is better suited to high-speed parallel
operations. A subkey step using an XOR operation, followed by a MixColumns step, occurs before
the rounds are performed.
AES has equivalent modes to the ECB and CBC modes for DES. AES also has a counter mode in
which a sequence number uses an Exclusive-XOR operation with the plaintext before processing;
the sequence number is incremented for use with the next block.

Key management
Successful key management is the most important yet most difficult aspect of a cryptographic system
because it often requires coordination between departments and users, and the establishment and
enforcement of strict system policies. You must ensure the generation, storage, exchange, verification,
replacement, and destruction of keys.

Organizational security policies
Organizational security policies are high-level statements that define the data protection
requirements, which are driven by business needs. Auditing and reporting policies are added to
the security policies, and the business policies are then mapped to the security policies.

HP security strategy
This section describes the HP Secure Advantage, the HP security strategy.

HP Secure Advantage
HP Secure Advantage allows you to combine HP security products. The Secure Advantage portfolio
ensures secure automation, optimization, and acceleration of your infrastructure with proper
validation to reduce risk and improve business outcomes. HP provides solutions in information
security, identity management, key management, and compliance to ensure your enterprise security.
Secure Advantage builds on these existing security technologies to create manageable methods
for you to leverage encryption and key management. This allows you to protect your resources
and validate compliance with government and industry regulations.
Security is an important aspect of the HP Adaptive Infrastructure, which provides the platform for
the next-generation data center. Secure Advantage integrates with Adaptive Infrastructure enablers,
such as IT systems and services, power and cooling, virtualization, and automation.
The Secure Advantage portfolio considers three aspects to ensure storage security:
•

Resource protection

•

Data protection

•

Security validation

Resource protection
Resource protection is important to your security strategy. Using trusted platforms, you improve
availability and provide protection for networks, software, and database management systems.
Access control in a trusted and hardened infrastructure minimizes disruptions due to security
breaches.
Access control
Access control prevents unauthorized use of network resources and unauthorized disclosure or
modification of data (for example, preventing users from logging in to local workstations or limiting
358 Storage security

the use of dial-in modems). Access control is a set of controls: confidentiality, integrity, availability,
and limiting access to network resources. These depend on the successful prevention of unauthorized
access to services or information.
Important elements of access control include:
•

Identification—Identifies an entity (user, process, or role associated with multiple users)

•

Authorization—Determines the access rights of an entity (with a level of assurance)

•

Authentication—Authenticates a user or process

•

Enforcement—Applies access-control decisions, which provides protection

Data protection
Data protection is important for all data states: at-rest, in-transit, and in-use. Use encryption and
identity management in conjunction with other proactive techniques, such as security event
management and information management.
Data protection consists of the following:
•

Confidentiality

•

Data integrity

•

Data availability

•

Nonrepudiation

Confidentiality
Confidentiality prevents disclosure of all data, regardless of its state (at-rest, in-transit, or in-use).
Confidentiality needs vary depending on the amount and type of data, transit and storage locations,
and sensitivity of the end-user identity.
Important elements of confidentiality include:
•

Data encryption—Invokes mechanisms that act in response to characteristics of the data, not
in response to a threat.

•

Data separation—Provides separate paths for data or processing. The level of security for
data separation depends on the trust level associated with the system. Data separation ensures
confidentiality by preventing data from reaching unauthorized users.

•

Traffic separation—Adds meaningless random information and hides network-layer addresses.
Traffic separation ensures confidentiality by making it difficult to determine data characteristics,
such as frequency and traffic-flow destinations.

Data integrity
Data integrity prevents unauthorized modification or destruction of data and ensures nonrepudiation
and authenticity. Recording all changes to data enables the detection and notification of
unauthorized modifications.
Data integrity has two types of data:
•

Single-unit data—Applied to a single piece of data

•

Data stream—Applied to all PDUs

Data availability
Data availability ensures reliable access to data and information services for authorized users in
the SAN. You must protect your data from attacks, unauthorized use, and routine failures.

HP security strategy 359

Nonrepudiation
Nonrepudiation ensures that all parties in a transaction are authenticated and verifies that they
participated in the transaction. Storage technologies are tied closely with data and are often the
last line of defense against attacks.

Security validation
Security validation establishes a secure audit trail across your organization. The audit trail serves
as proof of compliance for internal and external audits with real-time alerts. Validation is
accomplished using encryption, key management, and identity management, which creates an
integrated compliance solution across the organization.
To ensure compliance, every process you use must be repeatable, have demonstrated control points
(with documented responsible personnel), and include a tamper-proof audit tracking system.

Storage security best practices
To simplify storage security, the SNIA SSIF has developed the following security elements:
•

Storage system security—Secures embedded operating systems and applications. Integrates
with IT and security infrastructure, such as external authentication services, centralized logging,
and firewalls.

•

SRM—Securely provisions, monitors, tunes, reallocates, and controls storage resources to
ensure storage and retrieval of data.

•

Data in-flight—Protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data as it is transferred
across the SAN, LAN, or WAN. This may also include traffic management.

•

Data at-rest—Protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data stored on servers,
storage arrays, NAS appliances, tape libraries, and other media. The measures required
depend on the type of risk you are managing.

•

Compliance validation—Proof of compliance is required by government and industry
regulations. You must establish control points that ensure repeatable processes, assignment
of responsibilities, and role separation. You must be able to prove that policies are being
enforced for internal and external audits.

Assessing security risks
This section describes best practices for assessing and addressing security risks.

Managing organizational risks
Managing organizational risks involves the following actions:
•

Protecting IT resources

•

Protecting data in all states (at-rest, in-transit, or in-use)

•

Providing validation to internal and external auditors

The HP Secure Advantage solution addresses these security issues using a suite of integrated
products. Integration of encryption and key management technologies with identity management
in a hardened infrastructure ensures that the correct data is delivered to the intended users. Secure
Advantage provides the best layered end-to-end security approach with identity management at
the network, system, service, and application layers. It ensures a robust and proactive security
framework.

Data security implementations
Data security implementations are categorized as follows:

360 Storage security

•

Storage network—Consists of switches, appliances, and cables. Switches and appliances
come with support to protect themselves. The storage network components support key
management, encryption services, and authentication of server and storage arrays.

•

Servers—Consists of hardware, operating systems, interface cards (NICs and HBAs), and
applications (also known as hosts). Each component comes with support for protecting itself.
The interfaces cards support authentication and secure tunnel.

•

Storage arrays—Consists of groups of disks or tapes that use a management application,
which protects the resources through authentication. Storage arrays will support native
encryption in the future.

HP storage security solutions
This section describes HP storage security solutions for the following products:
•

“C-series Storage Media Encryption” (page 361)

•

“C-series SAN-OS security” (page 362)

•

“C-series IP SAN security” (page 363)

•

“B-series Encryption Switch and Encryption FC Blade security” (page 363)

•

“B-series Fabric OS security” (page 364)

•

“Key management” (page 367)

C-series Storage Media Encryption
SME is a standards-based encryption solution for heterogeneous and virtual tape libraries. SME
is managed with the Cisco Fabric Manager web client and a command-line interface, which
supports unified SAN management and security provisioning. SME is a comprehensive
network-integrated encryption service with key management that works transparently with new and
existing SANs. This solution has advantages over competitive solutions, such as:
•

Supports nondisruptive installation and provisioning. You do not need to rewire or reconfigure
your SAN.

•

Encryption engines are integrated on the MDS 9000 18/4-port Multiservice Module
(MSM-18/4) and the MDS 9222i Multiservice Fabric Switch. You do not need to purchase
and manage additional switch ports, cables, and applications.

•

All VSAN traffic can be encrypted. This enables automated load balancing through network
traffic management across multiple SANs.

•

No additional software is required for key and user management or provisioning. SME is
integrated with the Cisco Fabric Manager, which reduces operating expenses.

Features
Management features of the Cisco Fabric Manager are as follows:
•

Transparent fabric service

•

Encryption

•

Security roles

•

Key management

•

Clustering

•

Fibre Channel redirect

•

Host-based discovery for provisioning tapes

HP storage security solutions

361

Hardware requirements
SME requires a minimum of one MDS 9222i switch or one MSM-18/4 module in each cluster.
The SME engines on the switch or module provide transparent encryption and compression to hosts
and storage devices. A smart card reader is required to take advantage of all of the standard and
advanced security levels.

Software requirements
Table 192 (page 362) lists the software requirements for switches and modules in the SME cluster.
Table 192 SME software requirements
Component
Fabric Manager web client

Software version
Fabric Manager 3.2(3) (or later)

MDS switches attached to tape devices
MDS 9222i switches and switches that include the
MSM-18/4 module

SAN-OS 3.2(3) (or later)

C-series SAN-OS security
This section describes the C-series SAN-OS security features.

Simple Network Management Protocol
SNMP is an application-layer protocol that facilitates the exchange of management information
between network devices. C-series switches support the following SNMP versions:
•

SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c—Use a community-string match for user authentication.

•

SNMP v3—Provides secure access to devices by using the following:

◦

Message integrity—Ensures that a packet has not been tampered with while in transit

◦

Authentication—Confirms that the message comes from a valid source

◦

Encryption—Scrambles the packet contents, which prevents unauthorized viewing

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
RADIUS is a distributed client-server protocol that protects networks against unauthorized access.
RADIUS clients run on C-series switches and send authentication requests to a central RADIUS
server, which contains all user authentication and network service information.

Terminal Access Controller Access Control System
TACACS+ is a client-server protocol that uses TCP for transport. All C-series switches provide
centralized authentication using TACACS+, which provides:
•

Independent, modular AAA facilities

•

Reliable transfers by using TCP to send data between the AAA client and server

•

Encryption of all data between the switch and AAA server, which ensures data confidentiality
(RADIUS encrypts passwords only)

FC-SP and Diffie-Hellman CHAP
FC-SP provides switch-to-switch and host-to-switch authentication, which provides security challenges
for large SAN fabrics. DHCHAP provide authentication between C-series switches and other
devices.

362 Storage security

Port security
C-series port security features prevent unauthorized access to a switch port by:
•

Rejecting login requests from unauthorized Fibre Channel devices or switches

•

Reporting all intrusion attempts to the SAN administrator through system messages

•

Using the CFS infrastructure for configuration, distribution, and restricting it to CFS-enabled
switches

Fabric binding
C-series switches in a fabric binding configuration ensure that ISLs are enabled between authorized
switches only. This feature prevents unauthorized switches from disrupting traffic or joining the
fabric. The EFMD protocol compares the list of authorized switches on each switch in the fabric.

C-series IP SAN security
This section describes the C-series IP SAN security features.

IPsec
C-series IPsec features ensure secure transmissions at the network layer. IPsec protects and
authenticates IP packets between participating devices (peers) over unprotected networks. IPsec
provides the following security services:
•

Data confidentiality—Packets are encrypted by the sending device before transmitting them
over the network.

•

Data integrity—Packets are authenticated by the receiving device to ensure that data has not
been altered during transmission.

•

Data-origin authentication—The packet source can be authenticated by the receiving device.

•

Anti-replay protection—Replayed packets can be detected and rejected by the IPsec receiver.

CHAP authentication
C-series IP modules support CHAP, which uses a three-way handshake to ensure that validity of
remote clients. C-series CHAP requires that you configure a password. which the switch presents
to the iSCSI initiator. This password is used to calculate a CHAP response to a CHAP challenge
sent to the IP port by the initiator.

B-series Encryption Switch and Encryption FC Blade security
This section describes the security features for the B-series Encryption Switch and Encryption FC
Blade. For switch models and fabric rules, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 92).
The B-series Encryption Switch is a high-performance, 32-port autosensing 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel
switch with data encryption/decryption and data compression capabilities. The switch is a
network-based solution that secures data-at-rest for tape and disk array LUNs using IEEE standard
AES 256-bit algorithms. Encryption and decryption engines provide in-line encryption services with
up to 96 Gb/s throughput for disk I/O (mix of ciphertext and cleartext traffic).
For more information about the B-series Encryption Switch, including deployment scenarios, see
the Fabric OS Encryption Administrator's Guide, available at http://h18006.www1.hp.com/
storage/saninfrastructure/switches/encrypt_sanswitch.html.

Features
•

High-performance, scalable fabric-based encryption to enforce data confidentiality and privacy
requirements

•

Unparalleled encryption processing at up to 96 Gb/s to support heterogeneous enterprise
data centers
HP storage security solutions 363

•

Integration with HP Secure Key Manager, providing secure and automated key sharing between
multiple sites to ensure transparent access to encrypted data

•

Industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption algorithms for disk arrays on a single security platform
for SAN environments

•

Frame Redirection technology that enables easy, nonintrusive deployment of fabric-based
security services

•

Plug-in encryption services available to all heterogeneous servers, including virtual machines,
in data center fabrics

•

Scalable performance with on-demand encryption processing power to meet regulatory
mandates for protecting data

Hardware requirements
You can use either the Encryption SAN Switch or the Encryption FC Blade for data encryption as
part of the B-series Encryption Switch security platform.

Supported security components
B-series Encryption Switch security platform supports the following software components:
•

Encryption

•

Frame filtering

•

Advanced Zoning

•

WebTools

•
Enhanced Group Management
The B-series Encryption Switch security platform supports the following optional software components:
•

Encryption SAN Switch Power Pack+ Software Bundle (optional)

•

Adaptive Networking

•

Fabric Watch

•

Advanced Performance Monitor

•

Extended Fabrics

•

ISL Trunking

•

Integrated Routing

•

Data Center Fabric Manager Enterprise

B-series Fabric OS security
This section describes the B-series Fabric OS security features for resource protection, data protection,
and security validation.

Resource protection
This section describes the B-series Fabric OS resource protection features.
User management
Fabric OS provides two options for authenticating users:
•

Remote RADIUS services—Users are managed by a remote RADIUS server. All switches in the
fabric can be configured to authenticate against this centralized database.

•

Local user database—Users are managed by a local database, which is synchronized manually
using the distribute command. This command pushes a copy of the switch's database to
all other Fabric OS 5.3.0 (or later) switches in the fabric.

364 Storage security

Fabric OS uses RBAC to determine which commands are supported for each user.
Secure Shell
Fabric OS supports SSH encrypted sessions to ensure security. SSH encrypts all messages, including
client transmission of passwords during login. SSH includes a daemon (sshd), which runs on the
switch and supports many encryption algorithms, such as Blowfish-CBC and AES.
Commands that require a secure login channel must be issued from an original SSH session. Nested
SSH sessions will reject commands that require a secure channel.
NOTE:

Fabric OS 4.1.0 (or later) supports SSH V2.0 (ssh2).

To ensure a secure network, avoid using Telnet or any other unprotected applications to communicate
with switches.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol over SSL
B-series WebTools support the use of HTTPS.
The SSL protocol provides secure access to a fabric through web-based management tools like
B-series WebTools. Switches configured for SSL grant access to the management tools through
HTTPS links. SSL uses PKI encryption to protect data. PKI is based on digital certificates obtained
from an Internet CA, which acts as the trusted agent. These certificates are based on the switch IP
address or fully qualified domain names.
NOTE: If you change the switch IP address or domain name after activating its digital certificate,
you may need to obtain and install a new certificate.
Browser and Java support
Fabric OS 4.4.0 (or later) supports the following browsers for SSL connections:
•

Internet Explorer (Microsoft Windows)

•

Mozilla (Oracle Solaris and Red Hat Linux)

NOTE:

In countries that allow the use of 128-bit encryption, use the current version of the browser.

Upgrade to the Java 1.5.0_06 plug-in on the management station.
SNMP
B-series switches have an SNMP agent and MIB, which allow the administrator to program tools
to set up switch variables and enterprise-level management processes. The SNMP ACL allows the
administrator to restrict SNMP get and set operations to particular hosts and IP addresses, which
provides enhanced security for the SAN.
NOTE:

B-series switches support SNMP v3 and SNMP v1.

Secure Copy
SCP uses SSH to securely transfer files between systems. The administrator can set the Fabric OS
configure command to use SCP for uploads and downloads.
NOTE: FTP is not a secure protocol. File contents are in clear text during transfer, including remote
login information. This limitation affects the following commands: saveCore, configUpload,
configDownload, and firmwareDownload.

HP storage security solutions 365

IPFilter policy
The B-series IPFilter policy applies a set of rules to IP management interfaces as a packet filtering
firewall. The firewall permits or denies traffic through the IP management interfaces according to
policy rules.
Consider the following when setting IPFilter policies:
•

Fabric OS supports multiple IPFilter policies, which can be defined at the same time. Each
policy is identified by name and has an associated IPFilter type (IPv4 or IPv6). Do not mix
IPFilter and IP address types. You can have up to six IPFilter policies defined, but only one
IPFilter policy for each IPFilter type can be activated on the management IP interface.

•

Audit messages are generated for changes to the IPFilter policies.

•

The IPFilter policy rules are examined one by one in a list until the end of the list is reached.

•

To ensure optimal performance, the most important rules should be listed first.

Data protection
This section describes features for data protection with B-series Fabric OS.
Fibre Channel ACLs
B-series Fabric OS uses ACLs to restrict access to data resources based on defined policies.
Fabric OS provides the following policies:
•

FCS policy—Determines which switches can change fabric configurations

•

DCC policies—Determines which Fibre Channel device ports can connect to which switch ports

•

SCC policy—Determines which switches can join with another switch

•

IPFilter policy—Filters traffic based on IP addresses

Each supported policy is identified by name; only one policy of each type can exist (except for
DCC policies).
Table 193 (page 366) describes the methods for identifying policy numbers.
Table 193 Methods for identifying policy numbers
Policy

Device port WWN

Switch port WWN

Domain ID

Switch name

FCS_POLICY

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

DCC_POLICY_nnn

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

SCC_POLICY

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Authentication policy
By default, Fabric OS uses DHCHAP or FCAP for switch authentication. These protocols use shared
secrets and digital certificates, based on switch WWN and PKI technology. Authentication
automatically defaults to FCAP if both switches are configured for FCAP.
Consider the following when configuring authentication with Fabric OS:
•

Fabric OS 5.3.0 (or later) is required for DHCHAP.

•

DHCHAP requires the definition of a pair of shared secrets, known as a secret key pair. Each
switch can share a secret key pair with any other switch or host in the fabric.

•

PKI certificates must be installed on both switches to use FCAP.

•

DHCHAP and FCAP are not compatible with SLAP, which is the only protocol supported in
Fabric OS 3.1 and 4.2.

•

Fabric OS 5.3.0 switch-to-switch authentication is backward compatible with 3.2, 4.2, 4.4,
5.0, 5.1, and 5.2.

366 Storage security

•

In the default configuration, FCAP authentication is tried first, then DHCHAP authentication.
Each switch can be configured to negotiate one or both types.

•

The Authentication policy is designed to accommodate mixed fabric environments that include
switches running Fabric OS 5.3.0 (and earlier).

•

When the Authorization policy is activated, you cannot implement a B-series Secure Fabric
OS environment.

E_Port Authentication
The E_Port Authentication policy allows you to configure DHCHAP authentication on the switch.
By default, the policy is set to PASSIVE.
Device Authentication policy
The Device Authentication policy is specific to HBAs. Fabric-wide distribution of the Device
Authentication policy is not supported because:
•

You must set the HBA and switch shared secrets manually.

•

Most HBAs do not support the defined DH groups used in DHCHAP.

NOTE:
login.

By default, the switches are set to OFF, causing the security bit to be cleared during fabric

Zones
For detailed information about B-series switch zoning, see “Zoning guidelines for B-series Fibre
Channel switches” (page 116).
B-series IPsec
B-series IPsec uses cryptographic security to ensure private, secure communications over IP networks.
Consider the following when using IPsec with B-series switches:
•

IPsec is disabled by default when creating FCIP tunnels.

•

IPsec provides greater security with tunneling on the B-series HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN
Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 400 MP
Router, or MP Router Blade. IPsec does not require that you configure security for each
application that uses TCP/IP. When configuring IPsec, you must ensure that a compatible HP
StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 1606 Extension SAN Switch, DC Dir Switch
MP Extension Blade, 400 MP Router, or MP Router Blade with the same version of FOS is at
each end of the FCIP tunnel. For compatible B-Series FCIP gateways, see Table 136 (page
263)

•

IPsec supports FCIP tunnels with or without IP compression, FCIP fastwrite, or tape pipelining.

B-series iSCSI Blade
B-series iSCSI Blade supports CHAP authentication for iSCSI initiator authentication.

Security validation
B-series Fabric OS supports a logging mechanism that captures and tracks events that are vital to
security validation.

Key management
HP StorageWorks Secure Key Manager for HP LT04 tape libraries is part of the Secure Advantage
solution.
Secure Key Manager features include:

HP storage security solutions 367

•

•

•

Centralized encryption key management for HP LT04 tape libraries

◦

Automatic policy-based key generation and management supporting key and cartridge
granularity

◦

ISV transparent key archival and retrieval for multiple libraries

◦

Extensible to emerging open standards

Strong auditable security for encryption keys to ensure compliance

◦

Hardened server appliance

◦

Secure identity-based access, administration, and logging

◦

Designed for FIPS 140-2 validation

Reliable lifetime key archival, which ensures key availability, even in the event of a site disaster

◦

Automatic multiple-site clustering, key encryption, and failover

◦

Comprehensive backup and restore functions for keys

◦

Redundant device components and active alerts

Secure Key Manager validation process
The HP CLW enhances the Secure Key Manager validation process.
The CLW features include:
•

High-performance appliance with the following modules: Log Manager, Analysis Manager,
and Real-time Alert Manager

•

High-speed collection and analysis of log data, which automates compliance reporting for
industry and government standards

Integration of key management with partners
Secure Key Manager can be integrated with third-party and partner products (such as the C-series
SME) to provide a standard enterprise data security solution.

368 Storage security

21 Best practices
This chapter describes HP best practices for SAN design and implementation. It describes the
following topics:
•

“SAN planning” (page 369)

•

“Design specification” (page 369)

•

“SAN topology” (page 370)

•

“SAN configuration ” (page 371)

•

“Storage-based LUN masking” (page 372)

•

“Zoning” (page 373)

•

“FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions” (page 376)

•

“SAN scaling” (page 387)

•

“SAN fabric merging” (page 388)

For SAN design assistance, see the HP Storage Services website http://www8.hp.com/us/en/
services/services-detail.html?compURI=tcm:245-808667&pageTitle=Storage-Technology-Services.

SAN planning
Allocate adequate time to plan your SAN prior to implementation. Design a SAN that fulfills current
and future requirements for capacity and connectivity.
During the planning phase, consider these design factors and recommendations:
•

Deployment strategy
Consider initially implementing entry-level SANs that can be interconnected to increase
capacity. Entry-level SANs are relatively easy to implement. Enterprise SANs offer economy
of scale; however, they are more complex and can take longer to implement.

•

Topology design
Choose an initial design that can accommodate expansion without transitioning to a different
topology.

•

Experience level
If you have limited experience implementing a SAN, start with an entry-level SAN. As you
gain experience, deploy mid-range or enterprise-level SANs.

•

SAN management strategy
Specify the policies, identification schemes, and tools to manage your SAN.

•

Technological advances
Anticipate the gradual availability of Fibre Channel switches that have more ports and faster
interconnect speeds.

Design specification
During the planning process, create a specification that describes your decisions and design.
Review and evaluate the design, compare alternatives, make adjustments, and communicate plans
before implementation.

SAN planning 369

A complete design specification includes the following elements:
•

Topology map—Shows the logical SAN topology and fabric interconnect scheme; describes
a strategy to accommodate expansion and technological advances

•

Configuration layout—Shows the physical layout of components; use for troubleshooting and
to verify the correct connectivity

•

Storage map—Defines the storage system configuration and settings, such as host LUN
allocation and RAID levels

•

Zoning map—Defines the communication access settings for devices and user ports in the
SAN

SAN topology
This section describes SAN features for enterprise-level SANs:
•

“Multi-fabric SANs” (page 370)

•

“Failover protection” (page 370)

•

“Data access patterns” (page 371)

•

“ISL ratio” (page 371)

•

“Incremental SAN expansion” (page 371)

Multi-fabric SANs
HP recommends using two or more separate fabrics for enterprise-level SANs. Multiple fabrics
protect against potential failure points, such as hardware, software, or operator error. The failure
of one fabric does not affect other fabrics in the SAN.

SAN and fabric monitoring
For all single and multiple fabric configurations, HP recommends that you utilize intelligent fabric
monitoring tools such as HP Intelligent Infrastructure Analyzer Software (IIAS),“SAN infrastructure
monitoring” (page 390), B-series Fabric Watch and C-series RMON (see the user documentation
for your switch). These products provide detailed monitoring of individual Fibre Channel ports,
notifications, and in some cases, automated isolation of inoperative devices. This can help you to
identify abnormal conditions and avoid operational degradation. This degradation can adversely
affect operation, but does not necessarily result in a failover event.
NOTE: These tools are effective in detecting and avoiding most abnormal conditions. Failing or
marginal hardware can cause rare conditions which are not detected. In order to minimize these
rare conditions, HP recommends that you implement proper cable management practices and
end-to-end SAN monitoring.

Failover protection
Use failover technology in SAN configurations that have two or more fabrics. Each server has two
or more HBAs. If the communication path from one HBA to the storage system fails, the I/O traffic
is rerouted through the other HBA.
To minimize the risk of uneven workloads, configure the separate fabrics for similar size and
topology. You can also use failover protection in SANs with only one fabric to protect against
HBA, path, and storage controller failures. For more information, see “Data availability” (page 40).

370 Best practices

Data access patterns
Review your data access needs before making a topology choice. The optimum SAN configuration
depends on I/O traffic requirements and data access patterns:
•

Local (one-to-one)—Data access between a local server and a storage system connected to
the same switch

•

Centralized (many-to-one)—Data access between multiple, dispersed servers and one centrally
located storage system

•

Distributed (many-to-many)—Data access between multiple, dispersed servers and storage
systems

For recommended topologies based in the primary data access type, see “Data access performance
by SAN fabric topology” (page 35).

ISL ratio
Determine the ISL ratio for switch-to-switch connectivity based on the workload of servers and
storage systems. In some cases, you can assess the I/O requirements of your applications and
servers by using application sizing tools. After deployment, use current system measurements to
determine the actual workload, and modify your implementation if the initial design does not meet
your requirements. For more information, see “Recommended ISL ratios” (page 33).

Incremental SAN expansion
Plan for expansion when the initial design is a subset of a future, larger design. For example, if
you are using a core-edge topology in the initial design, allocate spare ports on the core switches
to support addition of edge switches.
To expand the SAN, you can make incremental changes rather than reconfiguring the entire SAN.
Changes to the core switches are isolated from the edge switches, which minimizes the effect of
changes required to support core growth. Changes to the server connection to an edge switch are
isolated from the core, which minimizes the effect of server-related changes. If you are using two
or more fabrics, you can temporarily route server I/O traffic to one fabric while the other fabric
is being modified.

SAN configuration
After completing the planning phase, you can configure your SAN. During the configuration phase,
record details about the physical configuration.
To facilitate maintenance, observe the following practices:
•

Record keeping
Record the cable connections on the configuration layout diagram. Record the WWN and
location of each node and device.

•

HBA labels
Affix a label on each HBA that clearly identifies the WWN. HP storage systems are prelabeled
with this information. Affix another label in plain view if necessary.

•

Cable labels
Label both ends of each cable with a cable number or color-coding scheme. This allows you
to quickly identify each cable. Securely affix a label to each end of the cable to identify
connection points, such as TO and FROM.

•

Switch ports
Use port plugs to protect unused switch ports; never leave ports exposed.

SAN configuration

371

•

Cable dressing
Use care when routing fiber optic cable and ensure that cables conform to the minimum bend
radius requirements, see “Rules for fiber optic cable connections ” (page 147). Use hook-and-loop
(such as Velcro brand) tie wraps to group and support the cables.
CAUTION:

•

Plastic tie wraps can damage the internal fiber core if over-tightened.

Cable symmetry
When connecting cables, use similar slot and port numbers. For example, connect HBA 1 to
SAN fabric 1, HBA 2 to SAN fabric 2, and so on.

Consider the following when configuring your SAN:
•

“Fibre Channel switch configuration” (page 372)

•

“Server setup” (page 372)

•

“Storage system configuration” (page 372)

Fibre Channel switch configuration
HP Fibre Channel switches are preconfigured with compatible parameter settings. You must configure
each switch with a unique domain ID.

Server setup
When setting up servers:
•

For each platform or operating system type, use only HP-supported drivers and configuration
settings.

•

Ensure that the servers have the supported operating system versions and all required updates.

•

Use an alphanumeric naming scheme for multiple servers of the same type, such as WIN01
and WIN02 for Windows servers.

Storage system configuration
When configuring storage systems:
•

Use the storage map created in the planning phase to configure each storage system.

•

Verify server-to-storage connectivity, and access one server at a time.

•

When defining storagesets, disable all access first, and then enable the desired access.

•

Define storage system connection names that are consistent with zoning alias names. Use
consistent names for storage port and controller connections. Use a naming scheme that
represents the physical connectivity.

Storage-based LUN masking
Use storage-based LUN masking to allow or prevent access to storage system LUNs from one or
more servers.
•

For HP EVA storage systems, use SSP.

•

For HP XP storage systems, use LUN Configuration and Security Manager XP.

During SCSI initialization, the server queries the storage port for a list of available LUNs and their
properties. The storage system compares the WWN of the requesting HBA to the defined zone
list and returns the LUNs assigned to the WWN. Any other LUNs on that storage port are not
available to the server.

372 Best practices

Zoning
This section describes configuration recommendations for:
•

“Zoning enforcement” (page 373)

•

“Zoning guidelines” (page 373)

•

“EBS zoning” (page 375)

•

“Zone naming” (page 375)

Zoning enforcement
To protect against unauthorized access, Fibre Channel switches provide three types of zoning
enforcement (listed here in order of enforcement):
•

Access authorization
Access authorization provides frame-level access control in hardware and verifies the SID-DID
combination of each frame. The frame is delivered to the destination only if specified as a
valid combination in the zone definition. This method offers a high level of security and is
classified as hard zoning because it requires hardware resources at the ASIC level.

•

Discovery authentication
Discovery authentication occurs during access to the NS directory. The fabric presents only a
partial list of authorized devices from the NS directory. This method may be enforced by
software or hardware, depending on the switch model. When enforced by software, this
method is susceptible to security threats from unauthorized devices that violate Fibre Channel
protocols.

•

Soft-plus zoning by login authentication
In addition to discovery authentication, some switches enforce authentication at the Fibre
Channel protocol login frame level. For example, if a host sends a PLOGI frame to a device
that is not a member of its zone, the frame is dropped. Login authentication provides more
protection than discovery authentication but is not as secure as access authorization.

The zone configuration and the switch model determine the type of zoning enforcement you can
implement in your SAN fabric. For information about the relationship of zone configuration with
zoning enforcement, see the following tables:
•

Table 36 (page 116) (B-series)

•

Table 50 (page 133) (C-series)

•

Table 58 (page 144) (H-series)

Some system restrictions affect the movement of devices within the fabric, regardless of zoning
type. For example, some operating systems, such as HP-UX, create device file names based on the
24-bit fabric address and do not allow moving the device to a different port. A change in the
address causes the device to be treated as a different device.

Zoning guidelines
Use one of the following zoning methods:
•

Operating system (minimum level required)

•

HBA

•

HBA port

•

NPIV port

•

3PAR persistent ports

Zoning 373

•

Application

•

Port allocation

Zoning by operating system
Zoning by operating system is the minimal required zoning method. This method allows multiple
HBAs with the same operating system to be grouped with the accessed storage ports. Zoning by
operating system prevents the interaction of HBAs with incompatible operating systems.
This method limits the number of zones in a fabric. A large zone can be divided into multiple zones
within the operating system type. Zoning by operating system type limits disruptions and the number
of fabric change notifications.
Certain situations require zoning by HBA, for example, configuring server access to multiple storage
types. For additional zoning requirements, see:
•

“Zoning limits and enforcement” (page 116) (B-series)

•

“Zoning limits and enforcement” (page 133) (C-series)

•

“Zoning limits and enforcement” (page 144) (H-series)

•

“Common server access, different storage system types” (page 201)

Zoning by HBA
For zoning by HBA, each zone has only one HBA (initiator); each of the target devices is added
to the zone. Typically, a zone is created for the HBA and the disk storage ports are added. If the
HBA also accesses tape devices, HP recommends that a second zone be created for the HBA and
associated tape devices. For zoning requirements with different HBA models on the same server,
see “Common server, different HBAs” (page 201).
This zoning philosophy is the preferred method for both standalone and clustered systems; zoning
by single HBA requires the creation of numerous zones; each containing only a few members.
Zone changes affect a small number of devices, minimizing the effect of an incorrect zone change.

Zoning by HBA port
Zoning by HBA port applies when you are utilizing dual-ported HBAs. From a zoning perspective,
you can view each port as if it were a separate HBA. As such, you would use the same criteria as
described above in the Zoning by HBA section. In this case however, each HBA port should be
thought of as a separate HBA.

Zoning by NPIV port
With NPIV, one physical link is shared by multiple virtual ports and each is assigned a different
WWPN. Similar to zoning by HBA port, from a zoning perspective, each virtual port should be
viewed as if it were a separate HBA.

Zoning with 3PAR persistent ports
HP 3PAR Persistent Ports technology allows for a completely non-disruptive software upgrade
environment (from the host pathing point of view) where host-based multipathing software will not
be involved in the software upgrade process. Additionally, HP 3PAR Persistent Ports technology
renders an array node failure transparent to hosts using the array, avoiding the need for the
multipathing software of the host to maintain host connectivity for node failure recovery. For
information about zoning when using this feature, see the "HP 3PAR Persistent Ports technical
whitepaper (4AA4-4545ENW), available on the HP storage website: http://
h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure/index.html. The whitepaper has a separate
section on "Best practice and zoning and multipathing considerations".

374

Best practices

Zoning by application
Zoning by application configures multiple, sometimes incompatible, operating systems into the
same zones. This method allows the potential for disruptions among servers, such as a web server
disrupting a data warehouse server. A zone with a large number of members is susceptible to
more administrative errors, such as distribution of RSCNs to a larger group than necessary.

Zoning by port allocation
Avoid zoning by port allocation unless you have strictly enforced processes for port and device
allocation in the fabric.
There is no consequence for the change of WWN when a storage port, server HBA, or tape drive
is replaced. If the new device connects to the original port, it continues to have the same access
rights. You can preassociate switch ports with storage ports, and therefore control the
server-to-storage ratio. This technique prevents overloading of a storage port by allowing you to
limit the number of servers that are allowed access.

EBS zoning
For EBS zoning recommendations, see the HP Enterprise Backup Solution Design Guide, available
at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ebs/documentation.html.

Zone naming
When naming zones:
•

Configure and test small zones that are a subset of the larger SAN.

•

Use meaningful names for zones and zone member aliases.

•

Use a consistent naming scheme for all components.

•

Before making zoning changes, save the current configuration.

•

If possible, do not make zoning changes when a switch in the fabric is temporarily unavailable.

Naming by identifier type
Define zone member names by using one of the following naming conventions:
•

Domain ID and port number
Use the switch domain ID and port number to identify zone members. The zone definition
remains intact when an HBA or controller is replaced by another with a different WWN.
However, when a device is moved to a different port in the fabric, it is no longer a member
of the zone.

•

WWN
Use the device WWN to uniquely identify zone members. The zone definition remains intact
when the device is moved to a different port or switch in the fabric. However, if an HBA is
replaced by another with a different WWN, you must update the zone definition.

•

WWN with domain ID and port number
Use the switch domain ID, port number, and WWN to identify zone members.

Case sensitivity of fabric identifiers
To define an alias naming scheme, consider the case sensitivity of fabric identifiers:
•

Case sensitive—Switch alias names

•
Not case sensitive—Device connection names
Case sensitivity example
Zoning 375

RING_1 and Ring_1 are distinct switch identifiers.

Server naming
Servers are identified by the WWN of the HBA. For server aliases, use the operating system name
and the HBA number. For example, for server WIN01 with one HBA, define the alias as
WIN01_HBA01; for the second HBA, define the alias as WIN01_HBA02.

Storage system naming
Fibre Channel storage systems have a unique WWN for each controller port. When implementing
multiple fabrics, different ports are configured in each fabric.
Observe the following best practices:
•

Assign a unique number to each storage port.
For example, ports in fabric 1 have aliases S1_A1 and S1_A2.

•

Use a consistent alias naming convention for ports and HBAs throughout the configuration.
For example, configure HBA 1, S1_A1 and S1_B2 in fabric 1; configure HBA 2, S1_A2 and
S1_B1 in fabric 2.

•

Define host connection names for the HBA WWNs similar to the alias names in the fabric.
For example, define alias WIN01_HBA1 for Windows server 1 and HBA 1.

Alias convention example
A storage system connected to two fabrics has the following aliases:
•

•

First fabric:

◦

S1_A1

◦

S1_B2

Second fabric:

◦

S1_A2

◦

S1_B1

Ports A1 and B2 are cabled to the first fabric. Ports A2 and B1 are cabled to the second fabric.

FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions
FCoE CN switches have dual capabilities in that they serve as both an Ethernet switch and an FC
switch. You must perform a setup procedure to achieve the desired function.
IMPORTANT: The procedures in this section are intended as a quick-start guide to configuring
the FCoE ports on an FCoE CN switch to access the FC ports on the FCoE CN switch and other
attached FC switches. It is intended for users who are familiar with FCoE switches and their
associated configuration commands.

HP 5820 FCoE Converged Network Switch quick setup
This procedure is intended for users who are familiar with HP A-series switches. Use this procedure
to enable servers with CNAs attached to the HP 5820 FCoE Converged Network Switch to access
devices from an attached B-series, C-series, or H-series FC fabric.
IMPORTANT: If you are not familiar with HP A-series switches, refer to the 5820 product
documentation for detailed instructions on setting up the switch.

376 Best practices

1.

Create 3 VLANs (for LAN, SAN, and SAN discovery traffic).
 system-view
[switchname] vlan 1001
[switchname-vlan1001] description ToLAN
[switchname-vlan1001] quit
[switchname] vlan 4001
[switchname-vlan4001] description ToSAN
[switchname-vlan4001] quit
[switchname] vlan 3001
[switchname-vlan3001] description FIPVLAN
[switchname-vlan3001] protocol-vlan 0 mode ethernetii etype 8914
[switchname-vlan3001] quit
[switchname]

2.

Configure DCBX.
[switchname] acl number 4000 name DCBX
[switchname-acl-ethernetframe-4000-DCBX] rule 0 permit type 8906 ffff
[switchname-acl-ethernetframe-4000-DCBX] rule 5 permit type 8914 ffff
[switchname-acl-ethernetframe-4000-DCBX] quit
[switchname] traffic classifier DCBX operator or
[switchname-classifier-DCBX] if-match acl 4000
[switchname-classifier-DCBX] quit
[switchname] traffic behavior DCBX
[switchname-behavior-DCBX] remark dot1p 3
[switchname-behavior-DCBX] quit
[switchname] qos policy DCBX
[switchname-qospolicy-DCBX] classifier DCBX behavior DCBX mode dcbx
[switchname-qospolicy-DCBX] quit

3.

Configure ETS.
[switchname] qos map-table dot1p-lp
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] import
[switchname-maptbl-dot1p-lp] quit

4.

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

export
export
export
export
export
export
export
export

0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0

Configure Interfaces (3 types).
•

Server CNA Interfaces
[switchname] interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1]

port link-type hybrid
port hybrid vlan 4001 tagged
port hybrid vlan 1001 3001 untagged
port hybrid pvid vlan 1001
undo port hybrid vlan 1
port hybrid protocol-vlan vlan 3001 0
qos apply policy DCBX outbound
lldp tlv-enable dot1-tlv dcbx
priority-flow-control auto
priority-flow-control no-drop dot1p 3
qos trust dot1p
qos wrr 7 group sp
qos wrr 6 group sp
qos wrr 5 group sp
qos wrr 4 group sp
qos wrr 3 group sp
qos wrr 2 group sp
qos wrr 1 group byte-count 15
qos wrr 0 group byte-count 15
broadcast-suppression 1
multicast-suppression 1

FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions 377

[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] unicast-suppression 1
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] quit

•

Network (No SAN Access) Interfaces
[switchname] interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/14]

•

link-type trunk
trunk permit vlan 1001
trunk pvid vlan 1001
port trunk permit vlan 1

Internal 5820X FCoE module Interfaces (1/1/1-1/1/4 and/or 1/2/1-1/2/4)
[switchname] interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]
[switchname-interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/1]

5.

port
port
port
undo
quit

port link-type hybrid
port hybrid vlan 4001 tagged
port hybrid vlan 3001 untagged
port hybrid pvid vlan 3001
undo port hybrid vlan 1
stp disable
lldp tlv-enable dot1-tlv dcbx
priority-flow-control auto
priority-flow-control no-drop dot1p 3
qos trust dot1p
quit

Save changes and exit system-view.
[switchname]save
[switchname]quit


6.

Configure 5820 FCoE module.
a. Connect to FCoE module from 5820 CLI.
oap connect slot 1 system subslot1

At the Login prompt, type the initial default user account, admin. At the Password prompt,
type the initial default password, password.
H3C #>admin start
H3C (admin) #>config edit

b.

Create VLAN to match 5820 ToSAN VLAN.
H3C (admin-config) #> vlan 4001 create
H3C (admin-config) #> vlan 4001 add port 4-7

c.

Add ToSAN VLAN to default FCF.
H3C (admin-config) #> fcf list

Verify default FCF and VLAN are FCF: 0EFC00 VLAN: 1002.
H3C (admin-config) #> fcf 0EFC00 remove vlan 1002
H3C (admin-config) #> fcf 0EFC00 add vlan 4001

d.

Save and activate changes.
H3C (admin-config) #>config save
H3C (admin) #>config activate
H3C (admin) #>admin stop

e.

Optionally configure FCoE module IP address for management access.
H3C #> admin start
H3C #>set setup system

(and follow prompts)
f.

Return back to 5820 prompt.
H3C #> quit

Press CTRL+K to return to 5820 prompt.


378 Best practices

2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch and DC SAN Director Switch 10/24 FCoE
Blade quick setup
This procedure is intended for users who are familiar with Brocade FC switches and have experience
merging B-series FC switches into an existing FC fabric. Use this procedure to enable servers with
CNAs attached to the 2408 FCoE Converged Network Switch or the DC SAN Director Switch
10/24 FCoE Blade to access devices on the attached B-series FC fabric.
IMPORTANT: If you are not familiar with Brocade FC switches or you do not have experience
merging B-series FC switches into an existing FC fabric, use the detailed instructions found in the
switch user guide to set up your switch.
1.

Configure LLDP for FCoE (common to all CEE ports).
switch:admin> cmsh
switch# enable
switch# config terminal
switch(config)# protocol lldp
switch(conf-lldp)# advertise dcbx-fcoe-app-tlv
switch(conf-lldp)# advertise dcbx-fcoe-logical-link-tlv
switch(conf-lldp)# exit

2.

Create a CEE map to carry LAN traffic (60%) and SAN traffic (40%) (common to all CEE
ports).
switch(config)# cee-map default
switch(conf-ceemap)# priority-group-table 1 weight 40 pfc
switch(conf-ceemap)# priority-group-table 2 weight 60
switch(conf-ceemap)# priority-table 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2
switch(conf-ceemap)# exit

3.

Create an FCoE VLAN for traffic to and from the FC fabric (required for FCoE).
switch(config)# vlan classifier rule 1 proto fcoe encap ethv2
switch(config)# vlan classifier rule 2 proto fip encap ethv2
switch(config)# vlan classifier group 1 add rule 1
switch(config)# vlan classifier group 1 add rule 2
switch(config)# interface vlan 5
(Can be any VLAN number other than 1)
switch(conf-if-vl-5)# fcf forward
switch(conf-if-vl-5)# exit

4.

Configure interfaces (required for each port being configured).
switch(config)# interface
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#
switch(config-if-te-0/0)#

tengigabitethernet 0/0
Change Port ID
switchport
1
switchport mode converged
switchport converged allowed vlan add 51
FCoE Required (Step 3 VLAN)
vlan classifier activate group 1 vlan 51
1
cee default
exit

1

This command allows the port to access the FCoE VLAN. You can omit this command for
non-FCoE ports; however, both FCoE and non-FCoE ports might require a similar command
for access to other VLANs.
5.
6.

Repeat Step 4 for each interface you are configuring.
Perform a port shutdown/no shutdown operation (required for each port for the configuration
change to be enabled).
switch(config)# interface tengigabitethernet 0/0
switch(config-if-te-0/0)# shutdown
switch(config-if-te-0/0)# no shutdown
switch(config-if-te-0/0)# exit

7.
8.

Change Port ID

Repeat Step 6 for each interface you are configuring.
Save the running configuration to boot flash.
FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions 379

switch(config)# exit
switch# copy running-config startup-config
Overwrite the startup config file (y/n): y
Building configuration...
switch#

9.

Verify that the CEE port link status and VLAN status are correct.
switch# show ip interface brief
Interface
IP-Address
=========
==========
TenGigabitEthernet 0/0
unassigned

Status
======
up

switch#show vlan brief
VLAN

Name

Ports
(u)-Untagged, (t)-Tagged
======= ================ ======= ===============================
1
default
ACTIVE Te 0/0(u)…
5
VLAN0005
ACTIVE Te 0/0(u)…
switch# exit
switch:admin>

380 Best practices

State

Protocol
========
up

10. Verify the status of the FC and FCoE virtual FC ports.
BR8000-01:admin> switchshow
switchName:
BR8000-1
switchType:
76.7
switchState:
Online
switchMode:
Native
switchRole:
Subordinate
switchDomain:
4
switchId:
fffc04
switchWwn:
10:00:00:05:1e:76:77:80
zoning:
ON (Brocade_East)
switchBeacon:
OFF
FC Router:
OFF
FC Router BB Fabric ID: 1
Index Port Address Media Speed State
Proto
==============================================
0
0
040000
id
N4
Online
FC E-Port 10:00:00:05:1e:36:2a:70
1
1
040100
id
N4
Online
FC E-Port 10:00:00:05:1e:36:2a:70
2
2
040200
id
N4
Online
FC E-Port 10:00:00:05:1e:36:2a:70
3
3
040300
id
N4
Online
FC E-Port 10:00:00:05:1e:36:2a:70
4
4
040400
id
N8
No_Light
FC
5
5
040500
id
N8
No_Light
FC
6
6
040600
id
N8
No_Light
FC
7
7
040700
id
N8
No_Light
FC
8
8
040800
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
9
9
040900
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
10 10
040a00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
11 11
040b00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
12 12
040c00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
13 13
040d00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
14 14
040e00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
15 15
040f00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
16 16
041000
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
17 17
041100
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
18 18
041200
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
19 19
041300
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
20 20
041400
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
21 21
041500
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 1 VN-Port(s)
22 22
041600
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
23 23
041700
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
24 24
041800
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
25 25
041900
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
26 26
041a00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
27 27
041b00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
28 28
041c00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
29 29
041d00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
30 30
041e00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)
31 31
041f00
-10G
Online
FCoE VF-Port 0 VN-Port(s)

"BR48-02"
"BR48-02"
"BR48-02"
"BR48-02" (upstream)

NOTE: Ports 8 through 31 are the virtual FC ports. To display the FCoE virtual FC devices
connected to those ports, enter the following command.
BR8000-01:admin> fcoe --loginshow
================================================================================
Port
Te port
Device WWN
Device MAC
Session MAC
================================================================================
8
Te 0/0
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c9:13 00:00:c9:93:c9:13 0e:fc:00:04:08:01
9
Te 0/1
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c9:2b 00:00:c9:93:c9:2b 0e:fc:00:04:09:01
11
Te 0/3
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c8:b3 00:00:c9:93:c8:b3 0e:fc:00:04:0b:01
12
Te 0/4
10:00:00:00:c9:93:ca:8b 00:00:c9:93:ca:8b 0e:fc:00:04:0c:01
13
Te 0/5
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c9:bf 00:00:c9:93:c9:bf 0e:fc:00:04:0d:01
14
Te 0/6
10:00:00:00:c9:93:ca:e3 00:00:c9:93:ca:e3 0e:fc:00:04:0e:01
15
Te 0/7
10:00:00:00:c9:93:ca:eb 00:00:c9:93:ca:eb 0e:fc:00:04:0f:01
16
Te 0/8
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c9:1b 00:00:c9:93:c9:1b 0e:fc:00:04:10:01
20
Te 0/12
10:00:00:00:c9:93:ca:93 00:00:c9:93:ca:93 0e:fc:00:04:14:01
21
Te 0/13
10:00:00:00:c9:93:c8:43 00:00:c9:93:c8:43 0e:fc:00:04:15:01
BR8000-1:admin>

HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network Switch and Cisco
5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switch quick setup
This procedure is intended for users who are familiar with Cisco MDS FC switches and have
experience merging C-series MDS FC switches into an existing MDS FC fabric. Use this procedure
to enable servers with CNAs attached to the HP C-series Nexus 5010/5020 Converged Network
Switch and Cisco 5548UP/5596UP Converged Network Switch to access devices on the attached
C-series FC fabric.

FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions 381

IMPORTANT: If you are not familiar with Cisco FC switches or you do not have experience
merging C-series FC switches into an existing FC fabric, use the detailed instructions found in the
switch user guide to set up your switch.
HP recommends that you use the VFC port assignments listed in Table 194 (page 382).
Table 194 Recommended VFC port assignments
Model

Slot

HP C-series
Nexus 5010
Converged
Network
Switch

1 (Standard)

HP C-series
Nexus 5020
Converged
Network
Switch

1 (Standard)

Number of FCoE ports
(maximum)

VFC port assignments
(recommended)

20

VFC ports 1 through 20

6

VFC ports 41 through 46

40

VFC ports 1 through 40

2 (Optional expansion module
slot1)

6

VFC ports 41 through 46

3 (Optional expansion module
slot1)

6

VFC ports 47 through 52

Cisco Nexus
5548UP
Converged
Network
Switch

1 (Standard)

32

VFC ports 1 through 32

2 (Optional expansion module
slot1)

16

VFC ports 33 through 48

Cisco Nexus
5596UP
Converged
Network
Switch

1 (Standard)

48

VFC ports 1 through 48

2 (Optional expansion module
slots1)

16

VFC ports 49 through 64

3 (Optional expansion module
slots1)

16

VFC ports 65 through 80

4 (Optional expansion module
slots1)

16

VFC ports 81 through 96

1

2 (Optional expansion module
slot1)

Optional expansion module slots can contain either 10-GbE ports or FC ports.

In the following examples, FCoE is enabled on a C-series Nexus 5010 Converged Network Switch,
VLAN 200 is created, and the Ethernet ports are bound to a virtual SAN (VSAN 2) from an 8-port
FC expansion module. The commands are the same for the HP C-series Nexus 5020 Switch and
the Cisco Nexus 5548UP and Nexus 5596UP Switches.
To establish CNA connectivity and enable login to the HP C-series Nexus 5000 Converged Network
Switch, configure the IEEE DCB ports as follows:

382 Best practices

1.

Enable FCoE (disabled by default).
NOTE:

The C-series Nexus 5000 Converged Network Switch will require a reload (reboot).

Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# feature fcoe
Nexus5010(config)# feature npiv
Nexus5010(config)# 2009 Apr 1 12:05:06 Nexus5010 %$ VDC-1 %$ %PLATFORM-2FC_LICENSE_DESIRED: FCoE/FC feature will be enabled after the configuration
is saved followed by a reboot
Nexus5010(config)# exit
Nexus5010# copy running-config startup-config
[########################################] 100%
Packaging and storing to flash: \
Packaging and storing to flash: |
Packaging and storing to flash: /

NOTE: Depending on the NX-OS version, a reload may be required when enabling features.
When you execute the feature command, a message appears to indicate if a reload is
required.
2.

Reload the system if you are directed to do so. Otherwise, proceed to Step 3.
Nexus5010# reload
WARNING: This command will reboot the system
Do you want to continue? (y/n) [n] y
The system is going down for reboot NOW!

3.

Create a new VLAN for FCoE.
By default, all ports are in VLAN 1, however, you must use a different VLAN for FCoE. In the
following example, VLAN 200 is created with access to Ethernet ports 1/1 to 1/20, and VFC
ports 1–20 are also created.
NOTE: In the last section of this example, 1/1-20 indicates that the commands that follow
apply to multiple ports (in this case, ports 1/1 through 1/20). All 20 ports are set for
switchport mode trunk, and switchport trunk allowed is set for VLANs 1 and
200.
Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# vlan 200
Nexus5010(config-vlan)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# exit
Nexus5010# show vlan brief
VLAN Name Status Ports
---- -------------------------------- ------- ------------------------1
default active
Eth1/1, Eth1/2, Eth1/3,
Eth1/4, Eth1/5, Eth1/6,
Eth1/7, Eth1/8, Eth1/9,
Eth1/10, Eth1/11, Eth1/12,
Eth1/13, Eth1/14, Eth1/15,
Eth1/16, Eth1/17, Eth1/18,
Eth1/19, Eth1/20
200 VLAN0200 active
Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# interface ethernet 1/1-20
Nexus5010(config-if-range)# switchport mode trunk
Nexus5010(config-if-range)# switchport trunk allowed vlan 1, 2001
Nexus5010(config-if-range)# interface vfc 1-20
Nexus5010(config-if-range)# exit

FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions 383

1

This command allows the port to access the FCoE VLAN (VLAN 200 in this example). For
non-FCoE ports, you can omit the FCoE VLAN from this command; however, both FCoE and
non-FCoE ports might require access to other VLANs.
4.

Create a new VSAN that includes the FC and VFC ports.
By default, all ports are in VSAN 1. HP recommends that you use a different VSAN for SAN
connectivity. In this example, VSAN 2 is created and includes FC ports 2/1 through 2/8 and
VFC ports 1 through 20.
NOTE:

VFC ports must be FCoE ports. FC ports cannot be VFC ports.

Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# vsan database
Nexus5010(config-vsan-db)# vsan 2
Nexus5010(config-vsan-db)# vsan 2 interface fc2/1-8
Nexus5010(config-vsan-db)# vsan 2 interface vfc 1-20
Nexus5010(config-vsan-db)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# exit
Nexus5010# show vsan membership
vsan 1 interfaces:
vsan 2 interfaces:
fc2/1
fc2/2
fc2/3
vfc1
vfc2
vfc3
vfc9
vfc10
vfc11
vfc17
vfc18
vfc19

fc2/4
vfc4
vfc12
vfc20

fc2/5
vfc5
vfc13

fc2/6
vfc6
vfc14

fc2/7
vfc7
vfc15

fc2/8
vfc8
vfc16

vsan 4094(isolated_vsan) interfaces:

5.

Associate the VLAN with the VSAN.
In this example, VLAN 200 is associated with VSAN 2.
Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# vlan 200
Nexus5010(config-vlan)# fcoe vsan 2
Nexus5010(config-vlan)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# exit
Nexus5010# show vlan fcoe
VLAN
-------200

6.

VSAN
-------2

Status
-------Operational

Bind each VFC port to a unique Ethernet port by issuing the following commands on each
port:
interface vfc n
bind interface ethernet slot/port
exit

NOTE:

Depending on your switch, up to 52 VFC ports may be available.

In Example 1 “Creating and binding consecutive VFC ports”, VFC ports 1 through 8 are
created and are bound to Ethernet ports 1/1 through 1/8, respectively. Example 2 “Creating
and binding nonconsecutive VFC ports” shows a more complex configuration in which the
VFC ports are not sequential.

384 Best practices

Example 1 Creating and binding consecutive VFC ports
Nexus5010# configure terminal
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 1
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 2
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 3
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 4
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 5
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 6
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 7
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 8
Nexus5010(config-if)# bind interface
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# interface vfc 1-8
Nexus5010(config-if)# no shutdown
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit

ethernet 1/1

ethernet 1/2

ethernet 1/3

ethernet 1/4

ethernet 1/5

ethernet 1/6

ethernet 1/7

ethernet 1/8

IMPORTANT: Example 2 “Creating and binding nonconsecutive VFC ports” is provided for
reference only. It shows an alternate method of performing this step.
In Example 2 “Creating and binding nonconsecutive VFC ports”, VFC ports 1 through 6, 10,
and 20 through 25 are created, and each VFC port is bound to an Ethernet port. Because
the VFC ports are not sequential, multiple interface vfc commands are required.

FCoE switch configuration quick-setup instructions 385

Example 2 Creating and binding nonconsecutive VFC ports
Nexus5020# configure terminal
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 1
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 2
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 3
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 4
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 5
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 6
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 10
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 20
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 21
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 22
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 23
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 24
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 25
Nexus5020(config-if)# bind interface ethernet
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 1-6
Nexus5020(config-if)# no shutdown
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 10
Nexus5020(config-if)# no shutdown
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit
Nexus5020(config)# interface vfc 20-25
Nexus5020(config-if)# no shutdown
Nexus5020(config-if)# exit

7.

1/1

1/2

1/3

1/4

1/5

1/6

1/10

1/20

1/21

1/22

1/23

1/24

1/25

Enable the FC ports.
In this example, FC ports 2/1 through 2/8 are enabled.
Nexus5010(config)# interface fc 2/1-8
Nexus5010(config-if)# no shutdown
Nexus5010(config-if)# exit
Nexus5010(config)# exit

8.

Copy the running configuration to the startup configuration location.

386 Best practices

Nexus5010# copy running-config startup-config
[########################################] 100%

9.

Copy the running configuration to a backup location.
Nexus5010# copy running-config ftp://10.10.20.1/backup.txt

10. Verify the configuration.
Nexus5010# show interface brief
Nexus5010# show running-config

SAN scaling
When you expand a topology, avoid making changes that disrupt the original design goals. If
data access requirements have changed, consider migrating to a topology that meets the current
needs.
A high-availability SAN design accommodates a nondisruptive expansion, see “SAN fabric
topologies” (page 24).
CAUTION: HP highly recommends that you stop all I/O activity and back up all data before
adding switches to the fabric.
To expand a SAN:
•

Use switches with a higher port count.

•

Increase the number of switches.
To add switches to an existing fabric, ensure that the new configuration conforms to fabric
rules. See the following fabric rules sections:

◦

“Fabric rules” (page 139), for H-series switches

◦

“Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 102), for B-series switches

◦

“Fibre Channel switch fabric rules” (page 130), for C-series switches

•

Add another fabric as a high-availability NSPOF solution.

•

Implement Fibre Channel routing, see “Fibre Channel routing” (page 45).

•

Deploy multiple independent SANs.

•

Migrate to a different SAN topology, see “Topology migration” (page 43).

When adding new switches, avoid fabric segmentation. For more information, see “Fabric
segmentation errors” (page 389).

Cascaded fabric expansion
Expand a cascaded fabric by connecting a new switch to an available port on an existing switch.
If no ports are available, remove devices from an existing switch, connect the new switch to those
ports, and then reconnect the devices to the new switch.

Meshed fabric expansion
Expand a meshed fabric by connecting a new switch to available ports on an existing switch. If
no ports are available, remove devices from an existing switch, connect the new switch to those
ports, and then reconnect the devices to the new switch. Ensure that multiple paths (ISLs) connect
the new switch to the meshed fabric.
SAN scaling 387

Ring fabric expansion
Expand a ring fabric by adding a switch to the ring.
Add new switches cascaded off the ring, up to the maximum number of switches supported in a
single fabric. When expanding outside the ring, ensure that communicating devices are connected
by no more than seven hops.

Core-edge fabric expansion
Expand a core-edge SAN fabric by adding edge switches. Connect edge switches to available
ports on the backbone switches.
If the current SAN contains only one core switch, add another. Connect edge switches to ports on
the new core switch.

SAN fabric merging
You can merge independent fabrics into a single, larger fabric. Merging enables you to:
•

Provide more resources to independent SAN fabrics.

•

Share the resources in two or more fabrics.

•

Make information in one SAN available to servers in another SAN.

•

Connect geographically dispersed fabrics into a single SAN.

During initial login, the discovery process determines whether the fabrics are compatible. If not,
segmentation occurs and they continue to operate as separate fabrics, see “Fabric segmentation
errors” (page 389).
When fabrics merge, the zone configuration databases are updated to include the zone
configurations of each fabric. If a nonzoned fabric merges with a zoned fabric, all zoning
information is proliferated to the nonzoned fabric switches. A zone configuration that is enabled
at the time of the merge is also enabled on the nonzoned fabric switches. Devices in the nonzoned
fabric are not accessible until you add them to the current configuration.
NOTE: When enabling a new configuration, HP strongly recommends that the fabric be quiesced.
Zone membership should not be changed for devices that are actively performing I/O in a fabric.
After the new zoning is enabled, an RSCN is sent to all nodes that have been registered to receive
the RSCN.
The following sections provide information to help you successfully merge SAN fabrics:
•

“Fabric segmentation errors” (page 389)

•

“Switch configuration parameters” (page 389)

•

“Independent fabric merge” (page 389)

•

“High-availability redundant fabric merge” (page 389)

388 Best practices

Fabric segmentation errors
The following errors can cause fabric segmentation:
•

Zone type mismatch
The name of a zone object in one fabric is identical to the name of a different type of zone
object in the other fabric. For example, an object name on fabric A must not be an alias or
configuration name in fabric B; otherwise, the fabrics cannot merge.

•

Zone content mismatch
The definition of a zone object in one fabric is different from its definition in the other fabric.
If an alias, zone, or configuration name is the same on both fabric A and B, but the content
or definition of the objects is different, the fabrics cannot merge.

•

Zone configuration mismatch
Zoning is enabled for both fabrics, but the zone configurations are different. The fabrics cannot
merge until the zone configuration is disabled for one of the fabrics.

•

Duplicate IDs
Each switch in a fabric must have a unique domain ID; each switch in multiple fabrics of the
SAN must also have a unique ID. For example, if fabric A has five switches with domain IDs
1 through 5, and fabric B has five switches with the same domain IDs, these two fabrics cannot
merge until each switch in both fabrics has a unique domain ID.
For port-level zoning, changing the domain IDs can disrupt device access. Port-level zones
are based on the domain ID and port number.

Switch configuration parameters
Mismatched switch parameters can cause a SAN merger to fail. The configuration settings for all
switches in the fabric must match, with the exception of the following parameters:
•

Switch name

•

IP address

•

Domain ID

Independent fabric merge
Merge fabrics by disabling the effective configuration on one fabric and then connecting both
fabrics. After you connect the fabrics, devices in the second fabric are not accessible until you add
them to the effective configuration.
CAUTION:
servers.

When you disable the effective configuration, the fabric becomes accessible to all

To merge two fabrics without disabling the effective configuration for entire fabrics, disable at least
one switch in each fabric or use an additional switch. Use the disabled switch to merge the fabrics
and create the new configuration.

High-availability redundant fabric merge
With redundant fabrics, you can merge a fabric by taking it offline and redirecting I/O to the
other fabric. Current I/O operations are not affected; however, during the merge, the hosts operate
in degraded mode without redundant data path protection. With proper planning, you can minimize
downtime. After completing and verifying the fabric merge, bring the first fabric online by restoring
the I/O paths. After you restore the I/O paths on the first fabric, you can repeat the merge process
for the second fabric.
Merging high-availability fabrics example
SAN fabric merging 389

In the following procedure, the SAN consists of fabric A and a redundant fabric B. Each of these
fabrics is merged with a SAN consisting of fabrics C and D.
1. Identify and resolve any issues that can cause fabric segmentation.
2. Verify that each fabric provides a redundant path to all attached devices.
3. Verify that paths are open to each device that must remain online during the merge.
4. Select fabrics for merging, for example, fabric A with fabric C.
5. Close all active paths on the fabric selected for merging and prepare devices for downtime.
For example, use multipathing software to redirect I/O by performing a failover to the alternate
path.
6. Verify that the fabric selected for merging has no I/O activity.
7. Connect the selected fabrics (fabric A and fabric C).
8. Verify that the newly merged fabric contains all switches and that the zoning has merged
correctly.
9. Restore I/O operations on the new fabric from the multipathing software console.
10. Verify that paths are open and restored for each device.
11. Ensure that all paths and I/O operations have been restored.

SAN infrastructure monitoring
HP recommends use of the HP Intelligent Infrastructure Analyzer Software (IIAS) to monitor and
diagnose the physical layer of SANs in real-time, with an emphasis on the SFP transceivers utilized
in Fibre Channel switches. The solution is highly beneficial for enterprise SANs, where SAN
management can be cumbersome and tedious. IIAS is intended for customers who utilize HP storage
hardware in their SAN.
HP IIAS uses industry-standard protocols (such as SNMP, SMI-S, Telnet) to monitor the physical
layer (SFP transceivers) of a SAN. It diagnoses changes/events in SFP states and characteristics,
and presents SAN topology, inventory, and diagnostic information to the user in real-time. HP IIAS
enables you to:
•

Discover and collect data for B-Series and H-Series switches in a SAN

•

Periodically monitor a SAN at configured intervals using an active profile

•

Monitor or diagnose degrading or failing SFPs in an active profile

•

Generate current and historical reports

•

Notify the user of any change in the topology or SAN component state

•

Provide a SAN hardware summary in terms of component inventory

For additional information about IIAS, see the IIAS website at http://www.hp.com/go/iias

390 Best practices

22 Support and other resources
Contacting HP
HP technical support
For worldwide technical support information, see the HP support website:
http://www.hp.com/support
Before contacting HP, collect the following information:
•

Product model names and numbers

•

Technical support registration number (if applicable)

•

Product serial numbers

•

Error messages

•

Operating system type and revision level

•

Detailed questions

Subscription service
HP recommends that you register your product at the Subscriber's choice for business website:
http://www.hp.com/go/e-updates
After registering, you will receive email notification of product enhancements, new driver versions,
firmware updates, and other product resources.

New and changed information in this edition
Changes to the February 2015 version of this guide include:
•

Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 5, and Chapter 18 - Added the HP StoreFabric SN4000B
SAN Extension Switch.

•

Chapter 6 - Added Cisco Smart Zoning.

•

Chapter 9 - Added channel insertion loss for 25km SPF.

•

Chapter 11 – Updated MSA software and data migration tables.

•

Chapter 13 – Updated EVA software and data migration tables.

•

Chapter 14 – Updated data migration tables.

•

Chapter 15 – Added 3PAR direct connect support information and updated data migration
tables.

•

Chapter 25 - Added HP Complete Chapter and Brocade VDX switch.

•

Throughout - Removed the C-series 9216, 9216A, and 9216i as these products are EOSL.

•

Throughout - Removed B-series MP Router as this product is EOSL.

Contacting HP

391

Related information
Table 195 Related documentation
Topic

Information source
For the latest information on B-series, C-series, and H-series switches and firmware
versions, see the SAN Infrastructure website:

Switches

http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure.html
HP StorageWorks Fabric Interoperability: Merging Fabrics Based on C-series and
B-series Fibre Channel Switches Application Notes
Fabric interoperability

See this document on the SAN Infrastructure website:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure.html
EBS documents, including the EBS compatibility matrix, are available on the HP
StorageWorks Enterprise Backup Solution website:
http://www.hp.com/go/ebs

EBS

The EBS compatibility matrix is available on the Tape Compatibility and Tools website:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/tapecompatibility.html
For the latest information on storage arrays, see the Disk Storage Systems website:

Storage arrays

http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/arraysystems.html

Typographic conventions
Table 196 Document conventions
Convention

Uses

Blue text: Table 196 (page 392)

Cross-reference links

Blue, underlined text: http://www.hp.com

Website addresses

Blue, underlined, bold text: CVfeedback@hp.com

Email addresses
• Keys that are pressed
• Text typed into a GUI element, such as a box

Bold text

• GUI elements that are clicked or selected, such as menu and
list items, buttons, tabs, and check boxes

Italic text

Text emphasis
• File and directory names

Monospace text

• System output
• Code
• Commands, their arguments, and argument values

Monospace, italic text

• Code variables
• Command variables

Monospace, bold text

Emphasized monospace text

...

Indication that the example continues.

WARNING!
CAUTION:

Indicates that failure to follow directions could result in bodily harm or death.
Indicates that failure to follow directions could result in damage to equipment or data.

392 Support and other resources

IMPORTANT:
NOTE:
TIP:

Provides clarifying information or specific instructions.

Provides additional information.
Provides helpful hints and shortcuts.

Customer self repair
HP CSR programs allow you to repair your HP product. If a CSR part needs replacing, HP ships
the part directly to you so that you can install it at your convenience. Some parts do not qualify
for CSR. Your HP-authorized service provider will determine whether a repair can be accomplished
by CSR.
For more information about CSR, contact your local service provider. For North America, see the
CSR website:
http://www.hp.com/go/selfrepair
This product has no customer-replaceable components.

Customer self repair 393

23 Documentation feedback
HP is committed to providing documentation that meets your needs. To help us improve the
documentation, send any errors, suggestions, or comments to Documentation Feedback
(docsfeedback@hp.com). Include the document title and part number, version number, or the URL
when submitting your feedback.

394 Documentation feedback

Part VI HP Complete Program
This chapter describes the HP Complete Program and the products that are available under this program.
•

“HP Complete Program ” (page 396)

24 HP Complete Program
The HP Complete Program is a flexible, tiered approach for HP customers and partners. It utilizes
HP’s vast interoperability and product expertise to offer solutions and products beyond HP's
traditional standard offerings. It provides the following benefits to HP customers and partners:
•

Customer Choice
Provides more product and solution choices to meet a wide-range of customer requirements.

•

Trusted Interoperability from HP StoreLab
Provides HP proven configurations for products offered through the program.

•

Trusted Partnership with HP

◦

When you work with an HP Partner, you benefit from high-quality planning, deployment,
maintenance and support, backed by HP’s world-class products and solutions.

◦

HP Partners carry certifications across HP’s product portfolio, while many also hold specific
product and solution specializations.

Working with HP Partners and the HP Complete Program products allows you to better manage
costs, increase productivity, and reduce complexity while being assured interoperability and support
of your entire solution.
For more information about the HP Complete Program, go to http://www.hp.com/go/complete

HP Complete Products
This section describes the products that are available under the HP Complete program.
NOTE: HP is continually adding new products to the HP Complete program. For the latest
information on HP Complete supported products, go to http://www.hp.com/go/complete

Brocade VDX Switch
The Brocade VDX 6740 Switch is offered through the HP Complete Program. This switch offers 48
10 GbE SFP+ ports and four 40 GbE QSFP+ ports. Each 40 GbE port can be broken out into four
independent 10 GbE SFP+ ports, providing an additional 16 10 GbE SFP+ ports. In addition, the
switch features low power consumption, consuming 2 watts per 10 GbE port. It is available in the
following models:
•

Brocade VDX 6740-24-F with Port Side Exhaust Airflow
48 10 GbE SFP+ ports and four 40 GbE QSFP+ ports (24 active 10GbE ports, 1U form factor)

•

Brocade VDX 6740-24-F with Non Port Side Exhaust Airflow
48 10 GbE SFP+ ports and four 40 GbE QSFP+ ports (24 active 10GbE ports, 1U form factor)

Before implementing the Switch, contact an HP storage representative for information on support
for specific configurations.

Features
The Brocade VDX 6740 Switch includes the following features:
•

Supports Data Center Bridging (DCB), which enables the reliable exchange of storage traffic
over the LAN network.

•

The 40 GbE SFP+ ports offer the flexibility to expand and interconnect the network infrastructure
intelligently and efficiently while reducing bottlenecks.

396 HP Complete Program

•

Improves capacity by allowing datacenter administrators to create an 80 GbE trunk by utilizing
two 40 GbE ports, or a 160 GbE trunk with 16 10 GbE ports.

•

Delivers high performance and reduces network congestion with 10 GbE ports, low latency,
and 24 MB deep buffers.

•

Delivers very low latency through wire-speed ports with 850 ns any-port-to-any port latency.

•

A choice of front-to-back or back-to-front airflow, these switches are ideal for ToR deployments
connecting servers, storage, and other switches, as well as for providing compatibility for
either hot aisle or cold aisle data center designs.

•

Two redundant, hot swappable power supplies with integrated cooling fans.

For more information about the Brocade VDX 6740 Switch, see the VDX QuickSpecs available at
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/switches/index.html?facet=Fixed-port#!view=column&
page=1.
You can find the compatibility information in the B-Series FCoE Switch Connectivity Stream located
on the HP SPOCK website at http://www.hp.com/storage/spock. You must sign up for an HP
Passport to enable access. After logging in, click Switches under Other Hardware in the last
navigation panel of the window to access the Fibre Channel Switch Streams. Click on the B-Series
FCoE Switch Connectivity Stream to open the document.

HP Complete Products 397

Glossary
This glossary defines acronyms and terms used in this guide and is not a comprehensive
glossary of computer terms.
Symbols
3DC

Three Data Center. A storage configuration that uses XP storage systems.

3PO

Third-party option.

A
AAA

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. A security protocol.

ABM

Array-based management.

access
authorization

A fabric security method that provides frame-level access control in hardware and verifies the
SID-DID combination of each frame. Also known as hard zoning.

ACL

Access control list. A data protection feature used to restrict access to data resources based on
defined policies.

ACU

Array Configuration Utility. A utility used to control LUN access.

ADG

Advanced Data Guarding.

AES

Advanced Encryption Standard. An encryption security technology.

AG

Access Gateway. A software-enabled feature that allows B-series Blade switches to function as
port aggregators.

arbitrated loop

See FC-AL.

ARL

Adaptive Rate Limiting.

ASIC

Application-specific integrated circuit.

ATM

Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A communications networking technology for LANs and WANs
that carries information in fixed-size cells of 53 bytes (5 protocol bytes and 48 data bytes).

B
B-series

Fibre Channel switches manufactured for HP by Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

BB_credits

Buffer-to-buffer credits.

BCN

Backward Congestion Notification.

BE

Back-side path. A path between the Data Path Module and the physical storage (for example,
an HP EVA).
Storage on the back-end array (SVSP).

BFS

Boot from SAN.

C
C-series

Fibre Channel switches manufactured for HP by Cisco Systems, Inc.

CA

Certificate authority.

cascaded switch

The destination director attached to the control unit.

CBC

Cipher-block chaining. A data encryption cipher mode.

CEE

Converged Enhanced Ethernet.

CFS

Cisco Fabric Services. A C-series port security feature.

CHAP

Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol. An IP SAN security technology.

CLIM

Cluster I/O module. A hardware component of the HP NonStop server.

CN

Converged Network.

398 Glossary

CNA

Converged Network Adapter.

controller pair

Two connected controller modules that control a disk array.

CWDM

Coarse wavelength division multiplexing. The technique of placing more than one optical signal
on a single optical cable simultaneously.
See also WDM.

D
DA

Directory agent. An iSCSI software component.

DAS

Direct-attached storage.

DCB

Data Center Bridging (Cisco).

DCBX

Data Center Bridging Exchange Protocol.

DCC

Device Connection Control. A data access policy that determines to which switch ports a Fibre
Channel device can connect.

DCE

Data Center Ethernet.

DES

Data Encryption Standard. A block cipher designed for use in symmetric cryptography, which
encrypts data in 64-bit blocks and uses a key length of 56 bits.

DHCHAP

Diffie-Hellman Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol. An IP SAN security technology.

director fabric

A SAN fabric that uses HP Director model switches.

discovery
authentication

A security method where the fabric presents only a partial list of authorized devices. Also known
as soft zoning.

DLS

Dynamic load sharing.

DMP

Dynamic Multipathing software.

DPM

Data Path Module. A SAN-based device, separate from the core Fibre Channel switching
infrastructure, that provides storage virtualization services across heterogeneous hosts, storage,
and SAN fabrics.

DSM

Device Specific Module.

DWDM

Dense wavelength division multiplexing. The technique of placing several optical signals on a
single optical cable simultaneously.
See also WDM.

E
EBS

Enterprise Backup Solution. HP SAN backup software.

ECB

Electronic code book. An encryption cipher mode.

EE

Encryption Engine. A feature of the B-series Encryption Switch.

EFMD

Exchange Fabric Membership Data. A protocol used in C-series fabric binding configurations.

EFMS

HP StorageWorks Enterprise Fabric Management Suite. Advanced switch management software
for H-series switches.

enterprise

Any large organization where information technology is essential for continuing operations.

EoR

End of Row (switch).

EOSL

End Of Support Life.

ESCON

Enterprise Systems Connection.

ESS

Enterprise Storage System.

EUI

Extended Unique Identifier.

EVA

HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array. A high-performance, high-capacity, and high-availability
storage solution for the high-end enterprise class marketplace. Each EVA storage system consists
of a pair of HSV virtualizing storage controllers and the disk drives they manage.

EVA4x00/6x00/8x00

EVA4100/4400/6100/6400/8100/8400

399

F
fabric

A network of one or more Fibre Channel switches that transmit data between any two N_Ports
on any of the switches.

failover

An automatic method for transferring operations from a failed system to a secondary, identical
system.

Fat tree topology

A SAN topology where at least 50% of edge ports are dedicated as ISLs.

FC

Fibre Channel. A comprehensive set of standards for concurrent communication among servers,
storage systems, and peripheral devices.

FC-AL

Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop. A serial, full-duplex, data transfer architecture for high-performance
storage systems.

FC-SONET

Fibre Channel Synchronous Optical Network. A gateway that resides at the end of an inter-site
link and encapsulates Fibre Channel frames into SONET packets before transmitting the frames
over the network.

FC-SP

Fibre Channel Security Protocol. A security protocol that protects in-transit data.

FC-to-ATM

Fibre Channel to Asynchronous Transfer Mode.

FC-to-IP

Fibre Channel to Internet Protocol.

FCC

Fibre Channel Congestion Control. A feature that allows C-series switches to intelligently regulate
traffic across ISLs and ensure that each initiator-target pair of devices has the required bandwidth
for data transfer.

FCDM

Fibre Channel Disk Module.

FCF

Fibre Channel forwarder.

FCFW

Fibre Channel FastWrite.

FCID

Fibre Channel ID.

FCIP

Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol.

FCoE

Fibre Channel over Ethernet Protocol.

FCS

1. Fibre Channel switch. 2. Fabric Configuration Server, a data access policy that determines
which switches can change fabric configurations.

FCSA

Fibre Channel ServerNet Adapter. The HP NonStop version of Fibre Channel HBAs, used to
connect to XP disk arrays.

FDISC

Fabric discovery.

FE

FE front-side path. A path between the host (host bus adapter) and the DPM.
Front-end host visible (SVSP).

FEC

Forward Error Correction.

FF

Full-featured.

Fibre Channel

A serial data transport infrastructure and protocol used to implement SANs, see also http://
www.fibrechannel.org/ and http://www.t11.org/.

FIP

FCoE Initialization Protocol.

FLOGI

Fabric login.

FOS

Fabric Operating System.

FPMA

Fabric Provided MAC Addressing.

FRU

Field-replaceable unit.

G
Gb/s

Gigabits per second.

GbE

Gigabit Ethernet. An Ethernet standard for transmitting data at 1 Gb/s.

GBIC

Gigabit interface converter. A hardware module that connects fiber optic cables to a device and
converts electrical signals to optical signals.

GLM

Gigabit link module. A 1 Gb/s fiber optic transceiver.

400 Glossary

GPS

General-purpose server.

H
H-series

Fibre Channel switches manufactured for HP by QLogic.

HA

High availability. The relative ability of a system to operate continuously, regardless of the type
of failure.

HACMP/ES

High Availability Cluster Multiprocessing/Enhanced Scalability.

HBA

Host bus adapter. A hardware device that connects the host server to the fabric.

heterogeneous

A mixed environment that incorporates different operating systems, protocols, architectures, and
equipment from different vendors or product families.

high availability

See HA.

HLDM

Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager.

hop

An interswitch link between a pair of Fibre Channel switches.

host bus adapter

See HBA.

HP Network
Advisor

Host-based application that centralizes fabric management.

HP P6000
Continuous Access

An HP storage product consisting of two or more EVA storage arrays performing disk-to-disk
replication, and a management user interface that facilitates configuring, monitoring, and
maintaining replication on the storage systems.

HP P9000 (XP)
Continuous Access

An HP storage product consisting of two or more XP disk arrays performing disk-to-disk replication,
and a management user interface that facilitates configuring, monitoring, and maintaining
replication of the storage systems.

HTTPS

Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer.

I
ICL

Inter-chassis link. A feature that provides dedicated high-bandwidth links between two DC SAN
Backbone Director chassis.

IEEE DCB

Data Center Bridging. A Cisco unified fabric product with proprietary features.

iFCP

Internet Fibre Channel Protocol.

IFL

Inter-fabric link. A pair of switches that provide redundant paths between fabrics.

IFR

Inter-fabric routing. A feature used to enable device sharing across Virtual Fabrics or VSANs.

IFZ

Inter-fabric zone. A component in inter-fabric routing that contains exactly three WWN members:
the local device, the remote device, and the TR_Port attached to the remote fabric.

IIAS

Intelligent Infrastructure Analyzer Software.

iLO

Integrated Lights Out. An HP ProLiant Storage Server connectivity feature.

in-band
communication

Communication through the same communications channel as the operational data.

INCITS

International Committee for Information Technology Standards.

interswitch link

See ISL.

IOA

IO Accelerator.

IOAME

I/O adapter module enclosure.

IOS

Internetwork Operating System (Cisco).

IPS

C-series Internet Protocol Storage Services Module.

IPsec

Internet Protocol Security. A method of data encryption.

IQN

iSCSI Qualified Name.

iSCSI

Internet Small Computer System Interface. A standard protocol that uses SCSI commands to
transfer data over IP networks.

ISID

Initiator session ID.
401

ISL

Interswitch link. A connection from an E-port on one switch to an E-port on another switch.

iSNS

Internet Storage Name Service. An iSCSI client-server discovery protocol.

IVR

Inter-VSAN routing. A C-series topology that provides selective Fibre Channel routing connectivity
between devices in different VSANs.

L
LAG

Link aggregation group.

LC

Lucent connector. An industry-standard connector for fiber optic cable connections.

LDEV

Logical device.

LFF

Large form factor. Used to describe a type of drive cage.

LLDP

Link Layer Discovery Protocol.

LR

Long Reach.

LSAN

Logical SAN. An interconnected network of independent fabrics for B-series switches.

LTO

Linear Tape-Open.

LUN

Logical unit number. An identification scheme for storage disks.

LUSE

Logical unit size expansion.

M
MAN

Metropolitan area network. A communications network that covers a geographic area such as
a town, city, or suburb.

MCU

Master control unit.

MIB

Management Information Base (B-series).

MME

Multimedia encryption.

MP Router

Multi-protocol Router (the B-series 400 MP Router or the MP Router Blade).

MPIO

Multipath I/O (Microsoft software).

MSA

Modular Smart Array. An HP storage system.

MSCS

Microsoft Cluster Server software.

MSM

C-series Multiservice Module.

MTU

Maximum transmission unit.

N
NAT

Network address translation.

NDCLA

Nondisruptive code load and activation. A high-availability switch feature.

NIC

Network interface card.

NPIV

N_Port ID Virtualization. An industry-standard protocol.

NPV

N_Port Virtualization.

NSPOF

No single point of failure. A configuration where failure of a single component does not cause
failure of the entire system.

O
OADM

Optical add-drop multiplexer.

OC

Optical Carrier. A range of digital signals used on a SONET network.

OCP

Operator control panel. A panel on the EVA controller that you use to manage the EVA.

out-of-band
communication

Communication through a different communications channel than that used by operational data.

oversubscription

When transmissions from one or more devices exceed the capacity of an ISL or port.

402 Glossary

P
PAP

Password Authentication Protocol. A security protocol.

PCM

Power and control modules.

PDC

Processor-Dependent Code.

PDU

Protocol data unit.

PFC

Priority flow control.

PIC

Plug-in card. A hardware component of the HP NonStop server.

PKI

Public key infrastructure. A data encryption technology.

platform

A combination of supported hardware components and operating system on a server from a
specific vendor.

pWWN

Port World Wide Name. Synonymous with WWPN.

Q
QoS

Quality of service. A traffic management feature.

R
RADIUS

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service. A client-server protocol that protects networks against
unauthorized access.

RBAC

Role-based acess control. A Fabric OS feature used to determine which commands are supported
for each user.

RCS

Remote copy set.

RCU

Remote control unit.

RHEL

Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

RMON

Remote Monitoring. Cisco fabric monitoring software.

RPO

Recovery point objective. A disaster recovery concept that defines what an organization considers
as an acceptable loss in terms of time.

RSPAN

Remote Switched Port Analyzer.

RTO

Recovery time objective. A disaster recovery determination of when the recovery site is to be
used.

RTT

Round-trip time.

RU

Rack unit.

RVU

Release version updates.

S
SA

Service Agent. An iSCSI software component.

SAN

Storage area network. An intelligent infrastructure that connects heterogeneous servers with
shared, heterogeneous storage systems.

SAN-OS

SAN Operating System (Cisco).

SAS

Serial Attached SCSI. A bus technology used to transfer storage data.

SATA

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. A bus technology for storage devices.

SC

Subscriber connector.

SCC

Switch Connection Control. A data access policy that determines to which switches a switch can
join.

SCM

HP SAN Connection Manager. Comprehensive management software for H-series switches.

SCP

Secure Copy. A B-series feature used to securely transfer files between systems.

SFF

Small form factor. Used to describe a type of drive cage.

SFP

Small form-factor pluggable transceiver.
403

SFP+

Small form-factor pluggable, plus transceiver.

SFTP

Secured File Transfer Protocol. A C-series security feature.

SID

Source ID.

Skinny tree
topology

A SAN topology where less than 50% of the edge ports are dedicated as ISLs.

SKU

Stock-keeping unit.

SLES

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

SMA

HP StorageWorks Storage Management Appliance.

SMB

Small and medium business. Any organization that uses onsite computer systems.

SME

Storage Media Encryption (C-series). A standards-based encryption solution for heterogeneous
and virtual tape libraries.

SNIA

Storage Networking Industry Association.

SNS

Simple Name Service. A fabric service that provides a mapping between device names and their
addresses in a fabric.

SONET

Synchronous Optical Network. A network used to create an extended SAN by connecting local
SANs.

SP

Service pack. A collection of software updates.

SPAN

Switched Port Analyzer. A troubleshooting tool.

SPARC

Scalable Processor Architecture. An instruction-set architecture typically used with Oracle systems.

SPOCK

Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge. An HP website as the primary portal to obtain detailed
information about supported HP storage product configurations. An HP Passport account is
required for access.

SPOF

Single point of failure.

SR

Short Reach.

SRM

Storage resource management.

SSH

Secure Shell. A security encryption protocol.

SSIF

Storage Security Industry Forum.

SSL

Secure Socket Layer. A security protocol that provides access to a fabric through web-based
management tools.

SSM

Storage Services Module (C-series).

SSP

Selective Storage Presentation. A feature used to restrict access to a Fibre Channel LUN.

ST

Straight-tip connector.

SVSP

SAN Virtualization Services Platform.

SWCC

StorageWorks Command Console.

T
TACACS+

Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus. A client-server protocol.

TDM

Time-division multiplexing.

TOE

TCP Offload Engine.

topology

The physical structure of interconnected components that form a network.

ToR

Top of Rack (switch).

TR

Transparent router. A routed fabric feature that provides inter-fabric routing, allowing controlled
and limited access between devices on an H-series switch (local) fabric and devices on a remote
fabric of other vendor switches.

TSID

Target session ID.

404 Glossary

U
UA

User Agent. An iSCSI software component.

unified fabric

IEEE DCB enabled network (Cisco).

V
VAR

Value-added reseller.

VC-Enet

Virtual Connect Ethernet. A hardware component of HP Virtual Connect.

VC-FC

Virtual Connect Fibre Channel. An optional Fibre Channel interconnect module for HP BladeSystem
c-Class servers.

VCS

Virtual Controller Software. The software that runs in the HSV controller-based Enterprise Virtual
Array GL model storage systems.

VFC

Virtual Fibre Channel.

VIO

Versatile I/O.

VLAN

Virtual logical area network.

VLS

Virtual Library System.

VM

Virtual machine.

VOQ

Virtual output queuing. A C-series feature used for nonblocking architecture.

VOS

Virtual operating system.

VPN

Virtual private network.

VSAN

Virtual storage area network. A logical SAN partition that can be configured and managed
independently.

VSM

Virtualization Services Manager. Performs functions such as management and configuration of
the SVSP as well as data copy features (migration, clone and async replication).

VSS

Volume Shadow Copy Service. Microsoft software used to make snapshots.

W
WDM

Wavelength division multiplexing. The technique of placing multiple optical signals on a single
optical cable simultaneously.
See also CWDM and DWDM.

WWN

World Wide Name. A unique identifier assigned to a Fibre Channel device.

WWPN

World Wide Port Name. Synonymous with pWWN.

X
XCS

Xcelerated Controller Software. The software that runs in the HSV controller-based Enterprise
Virtual Array XL model storage systems.

XISL

A special Brocade ISL that can carry traffic for multiple Logical Fabrics while maintaining traffic
separation for each Logical Fabric.

Z
zone

A collection of devices or user ports that communicate with each other through a fabric. Any two
devices or user ports that are not members of at least one common zone cannot communicate
through the fabric.

405

Index
Symbols
3PAR see 3PAR
configuration rules, 242
data migration, 243
heterogeneous SAN support, 241
storage management server integration, 247
storage rules, 241
zoning, 246
3PAR persistent ports, zoning method, 374
3PAR storage systems
tape storage system support, 247

A
access authorization, hard zoning enforcement, 373
Access Gateway mode
B-series switches, 95
c-Class BladeSystem, 164
configuration example, 164
considerations, 165
encryption, 97
failover and failback policies, 165
guidelines, 166
active protocol handling, 255
active signal amplification, 255
Adaptive Networking with QoS
B-series switches, 97
adaptive rate limiting
B-series switches, 96
addresses, importing and exporting, 46
advanced encryption standard, 357
Advanced Performance Monitor
B-series switches, 96
Advanced WebTools
B-series switches, 96
advanced zoning
B-series switches, 96
AES, 357
applications, zoning method, 375
array management
SVSP, 234
ATM extension Fibre Channel distance rules, 153

B
B-series
1606 Extension SAN Switch, 282
400 MP Router, 285
HP StoreFabric SN4000B SAN Extension Switch, 280
iSCSI Director Blade, 343
scalability rules, 344
B-series features
Administrative Domains, 37
IFR, 38
Virtual Fabrics, 37
Virtual Fabrics with IFR, 38
B-series switches
406 Index

database size, 105
Director, 93
domain ID, 105
edge, 93
extended fabric settings, 257
fabric groups, 50
Fabric Manager versions, 94, 95
fabric rules, 103
features, 95
firmware update, 93
firmware versions, 94, 95
ISL maximums, 106
LSANs, 50
maximum topology, 35
merging, 50
Meta SAN, 37
models, 93
overview, 92
routing, 51
SAN extension, 251
usage, 100
zoning enforcement, 116
zoning guidelines, 116
backup
SAN, 248
SAN based, 21
bandwidth
considerations, 261
determining requirements, 262
benefits
cascaded fabric, 27
core-edge fabric, 34
meshed fabric, 29
Meta SAN, 38
ring fabric, 31
SAN fabric, 25
single-switch fabric, 26
VSAN, 39
best practices
SAN, 369
storage security, 360
booting
3PAR storage systems, 247
EVA storage systems, 222
P9000/XP, 230
buffer-to-buffer credits, extended, 252
Business Copy
SVSP support, 235

C
c-Class BladeSystem
Brocade 4 Gb SAN Switch, 116
Brocade Access Gateway, 164
C-series, 123
FlexAttach, 169
supported blade servers, 161

Virtual Connect, 163
c-Class BladeSystem server environment
supported switches, 161
C-series features
IVR, 38
VSANS with IVR, 38
C-series Fibre Channel and FCoE switches
overview, 119
C-series switches
capabilities, 119
dividing, 50
extended fabric settings, 258
fabric rules, 131
features, 127
iSCSI, 345
ISL maximums, 132
maximum topology, 36
MDS 9216i, IPS-4 IP Storage Services modules, IPS-8,
and 14/2 services modules, 287
models, 122
routing, 52
SAN extension, 251
switching module support matrix, 123, 124
usage, 128
VSAN, 49
VSAN configuration, 133
zoning enforcement, 133
cables
dressing, 372
high-availability options for P6000, 223
labeling, 371
record keeping, 371
tie wraps cautions, 372
cascaded fabric
benefits, 27
expansion, 387
migrating from, 43
overview, 26
case sensitivity, fabric identifiers, 375
certified
FCIP vendor products, 308
CHAP, 356
Cisco converged network switch, 86
Citrix Xen
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
coarse wave division multiplexing see CWDM
components
interconnect rules, 146
SAN, 18
confidentiality
data encryption, 359
data separation, 359
traffic separation, 359
configuration rules
3PAR Storage, 242
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switches, 130
ESX, 199

EVA, 214
HP OpenVMS, 187
HP Tru64 UNIX, 188
HP-UX, 185
IBM AIX, 191
Linux, 193
Mac OS X, 189
Microsoft Windows, 195
Oracle Solaris, 197
P6000, 214
P9000/XP storage systems, 228
routing, 55
storage management server, 223
Xen, 200
configuration, SAN best practices, 371
configurations
data migration, 261
mirrored FCIP SAN, 261
shared link, 260, 264
unsupported, 60
congestion, SAN, 21, 156
connections, record keeping, 371
connectivity
increasing, 43
ports, 21
Continuous Access
SVSP support, 235
conventions
document, 392
text symbols, 392
converged network, 25, 64
Converged network switches
C-series, 86
features, 88
high-availability feature comparison, 88
C-series expansion modules, 86
Cisco, 86
core switch, 20
core-edge fabric
benefits, 34
expansion, 388
H-series switches, 135
numeric representation, 33
overview, 31
recommended ISL ratios, 33
routing connection, 55
tree topologies, 32
types, 32
uses, 31
custom SAN design, HP recommendations, 20
customer self repair, 393
CWDM, 256

D
data access types, 34
data access, in SAN fabric topologies, 34
data availability
design considerations, 42
factors affecting, 40
407

level 1, 40
level 2, 40
level 3, 41
level 4, 41
NSPOF, 41
SAN, 40
security, 359
data encryption standard, 357
data integrity, 359
data migration, 261
3PAR, 243
HP P9000, 231
data protection
HP SVSP, 234
data provisioning
HP SVSP, 234
data replication
HP SVSP, 234
database size, B-series switches, 105
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade, 282
DES, 357
design considerations
congestion, 21
data availability, 42
geographic layout, 21
interoperability, 21
migration, 21, 43
oversubscription, 21
performance workload, 21
scalability, 21
design rules
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switches, 130
designs, SAN, 20
device port interfaces, 146
director switch, 20
B-series, 93
disaster tolerance, SAN, 22
discovery authentication, soft zoning enforcement, 373
discovery mechanisms, 310
document
conventions, 392
documentation
providing feedback on, 394
related, 392
domain ID
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 105
configuration settings, 389
zone member identifier, 375

E
EBS
SAN infrastructure, 248
zoning, 375
edge switch, 20
B-series, 93
B-series port usage, 101
EFMS
features, 138
408 Index

encryption
security technologies, 357
Enterprise Backup Solution see EBS
Ethernet
Fibre Channel over, 64
EVA storage systems
HP P6000 Continuous Access support, 289, 291
HP P6000 Continuous Accesssupport, 293
iSCSI Connectivity Option, 334
maximum configurations, 216
rules, 213
tape storage, 222
with mpx110 rules, 275
with MPX200 rules, 279
zoning, 222
Expansion modules
for C-series CN switches, 88
extended fabric
B-series switches, 96
settings, 257
extended links, buffer-to-buffer credits, 252

F
fabric
B-series Fibre Channel switch rules, 102
C-series rules, 130
definition, 19
design rules, 146
groups, 50
H-series switches, 139
heterogeneous interoperable, 155
interoperable, 155
isolated, 46
merging redundant, 389
performance, 156
redundancy, 53
routing, 53
size limits, 47
topology types, 24
fabric partitioning
B-series, 50
C-series, 50
fabric rules
FCoE switch, 89
fabric services
limits, 47
separate, 46
fabric watch
B-series switches, 96
fat tree, 32
FC-SONET gateway, 263
FC-SP, 357
FC-to-ATM, 265
FC4-16IP see B-series iSCSI Director Blade
FCIP
B-series switches, 97
managing bandwidth, 261
protocol, 259
routing, 60

third-party QoS products, 263
FCIP extension, Fibre Channel distance rules, 154
FCoE
described, 64
end-to-end solution, 64
fabric-edge solution, 64
HP products, 65
HP solutions, 64
technology, 65
FCoE SAN fabrics, 25
FCoE switches
C-series, 86
high-availability feature comparison, 88
C-series expansion modules, 86
C-series fabric rules, 89
C-series features, 88
FCoE technology, 25, 39
fiber optic cables
interconnect rules, 146
loss budgets, 148
fiber optic transceiver, 252
Fibre Channel
distance rules, 152
iSCSI comparison, 309
long-distance technologies, 252
over Internet protocol, 259
routing, 45
routing distance rules, 155
routing implementations, 48
routing techniques, 48
routing, B-series switches, 97
technology overview, 18
Fibre Channel over Ethernet see FCoE
Fibre Channel SAN security technologies, 357
Fibre Channel switch models
C-series, 122
Fibre Channel switches
function, 20
interface, 146
firmware updates
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 93
firmware versions
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 94, 95
Fabric Manager, 94, 95
H-series switches, 137
FlexAttach, 169

G
GBIC, 252
geographic layout, SAN fabric topologies, 21

H
H-series
maximum topology, 36
port topology, 36
H-series switches
extended fabric settings, 259
fabric routing, 51
fabric rules, 139, 140

features, 137
firmware update, 136
firmware version, 137
high-availability features, 138
ISL maximums, 141
models, 136
overview, 135
TR feature, 59
usage, 139
with TR, 39
zoning enforcement, 144
zoning limits, 144
hard zoning enforcement, 373
HBA NPIV, 171
connectivity guidelines, 171
considerations, 171
HBA port, zoning method, 374
HBAs
common, 201
dual channel configuration, 225
labeling, 371
zoning method, 374
help
obtaining, 391
heterogeneous SAN
3PAR, 241
fabric design configuration rules, 146
integration with HP P6000 Continuous Access, 220
MSA20000fc support, 160
platforms and operating systems, 21
server configuration rules, 159
high availability
and merging redundant fabrics, 389
C-series VSAN, 133
data availability types, 41
EVA, 223
MP Router configurations, 57
routed SAN, 53
high-availability features
B-series switches, 99
hops
count for 400 MP Router and MP Router Blade, 115
limits per fabric, 27
minimizing counts, 22
host-based volume shadowing, OpenVMS, 188, 307
host-based zoning, 373
HP
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 95
BladeSystem c3000 enclosure, 170
C-series Fibre Channel switches, 128
SAN Virtualization Services Platform, 234
standard SAN designs, 20
technical support, 391
HP IP Distance Gateway, 266
HP MPX200 Multifunction Router see MPX200
HP OpenVMS
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
configuration rules, 187
409

host-based volume shadowing, 188, 307
multipathing coexistence support, 187
SAN rules, 186
supported storage systems, 186
HP P6000 Command View
MPX200 support, 328
HP P6000 Continuous Access
SAN extension best practices, 289
SAN integration, 220
support, 289, 291, 293
HP P9000
data migration, 231
HP P9000 (XP) Continuous Access, 295
asynchronous replication rules, 297
configuration support, 298
direct storage-to-storage distances, 299
ESCON director and repeater distances, 301
ESCON IP gateway support, 307
FCIP gateway support, 306
Fibre Channel distances, 300
iFCP gateway support, 307
journal replication rules, 297
synchronous replication rules, 296
WDM distances, 301
HP ProLiant Storage Sever, iSCSI feature pack, 349
HP Secure Advantage, 358
HP StoreVirtual Storage
rules, 210
HP SVSP, 234
HP SVSP Business Copy, 235
HP SVSP Continuous Access, 235
HP SVSP thin provisioning, 235
HP SVSP Volume Manager, 235
HP Tru64 UNIX
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
configuration rules, 188
multipathing coexistence support, 188
SAN rules, 188
supported storage systems, 188
HP Virtualization Services Manager, 235
HP Virtualization Services Manager Command Line
Interface, 235
HP-UX
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
configuration rules, 185
multipathing coexistence support, 186
SAN rules, 184
supported storage systems, 184

I
IBM AIX
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
configuration rules, 191
multipathing coexistence support, 192
SAN rules, 190
supported storage systems, 190
ICL
410

Index

DC/DC04 SAN Directors, 97
IDs, duplicate, 389
integrated iSCSI connectivity, 323
inter-fabric zone, 52
Internet Storage Name Service, 311
interoperability, design considerations, 21
IP address, configuration settings, 389
IP SAN security technologies, 356
IPsec, 357
iSCSI
bridge, 322
bridging to Fibre Channel, 322
clustering, 351
comparison with Fibre Channel, 309
concepts, 309
configuration rules, 348
connectivity, 323
discovery, 311
distance rules for bridging Fibre Channel, 154
enabled storage, 322
initiators, 310, 312
license upgrades, 350
Microsoft Exchange solution, 351
names, 310
native products, 313
overview, 309
routing, 322
security, 312
sessions and logins, 311
storage, 309
target, 310
iSCSI Connectivity Option
EVA and EVA4400, 334
hardware support, 337
iSCSI boot, 341
rules, 342
software support, 338
supported maximums, 341
supported NICs, 341
supported operating systems, 341
iSCSI feature pack
HP ProLiant Storage Server, 349
ISL
B-series Fibre Channel switch maximum, 106
C-series maximum, 132
H-series switch maximum, 141
ratios for core-edge fabric, 33
SAN extension, 250
iSNS, 311
IVR
basic configuration, 49
overview, 38

K
key management, 358

L
labels
cable, 371

HBA, 371
latency
SAN, 156
level 4 high availability, EVA, 223
Linux
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
configuration rules, 193
H-series Fibre Channel Switch fabric rules, 140
multipathing coexistence support, 194
Red Hat supported storage systems, 192
SAN rules, 192
SUSE supported storage systems, 192
login authentication, soft-plus zoning enforcement, 373
LSAN, 37, 50, 51
LUN masking, storage-based, 372

M
M-series switches
EOSL, 145
Mac OS X
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102, 130
configuration rules, 189
supported storage systems, 189
maximum configurations
EVA storage systems, 216
maximum sustained I/O load, 260, 264
maximums
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric, 131
for SAN fabric topologies, 35
iSCSI Connectivity Option, 341
McDATA switches
SAN extension, 251
McDATA/M-series switches
overview, 145
mergers
connecting independent fabrics, 389
fabric, 388
high-availability redundant fabrics, 389
meshed fabric
benefits, 29
expansion, 387
migrating from, 44
overview, 28
Meta SAN, 50
B-series switches, 37
benefits, 38
fabric topologies, 37
overview, 37
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, iSCSI, 351
Microsoft Windows
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 103
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
configuration rules, 195
H-series Fibre Channel Switch fabric rules, 140
multipathing coexistence support, 196
SAN rules, 194
supported storage systems, 194
migration

cascaded fabric, 43
cascaded to core-edge fabric, 43
cascaded to meshed fabric, 43
cascaded to ring fabric, 43
meshed fabric, 44
meshed to core-edge fabric, 44
meshed to ring fabric, 44
nondisruptive, 43
ring fabric, 44
ring to core-edge fabric, 44
ring to meshed fabric, 44
topology, 43
mirrored FCIP SAN, 261
mismatches
switch parameters, 389
zone configuration, 389
model names
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 93
C-series Fibre Channel switches, 121
FCoE switches, 86
H-series switches, 136
model numbers
C-series switches, 122
H-series switches, 136
modified HP standard SAN designs, 20
Modular Smart Array see MSA
MP Router
basic configuration, 49
firmware version, 94
high-availability configuration, 57
overview, 92
unsupported configurations, 60
use case configurations, 60
MP Router Blade, 285
mpx110, 266
mpx110 gateway
configuration rules, 274
MPX200, 323
configuration options, 323
configuration rules for FCIP, 279
hardware support, 326
iSCSI rules, 326
management rules, 328
multipath software, 329
switch support, 329
using iSCSI, 323
with FCIP, 275
with HP P6000 Command View, 328
with P6000/EVA, 327
MSA2000i and MSA2000i G2, 317
multi-protocol long-distance technology, 259
multipath software
MPX200, 329
multipathing coexistence support
HP OpenVMS, 187
HP Tru64 UNIX, 188
HP-UX, 186
IBM AIX, 192
Linux, 194
411

Microsoft Windows, 196
Oracle Solaris, 198

SAN design, 16
SAN extension, 250

N

P

N_Port Virtualization mode, 166
N_Port_ID_Virtualization
HBA NPIV, 171
network considerations, 260
nonrepudiation, 359
NonStop S-series servers support, 172
normalization, 261
NPIV
B-series switches, 96
NPIV port, zoning method, 374
NPV mode, 166
configuration example, 167
connectivity guidelines, 168
considerations, 168
failover policy, 167
with FlexAttach, 169
NSPOF data protection, 41
NSPOF, EVA, 223
NX-OS, 87

P2000 G3, 317
P6000 storage
configuration rules, 214
heterogeneous SAN support, 214
implementation support, 213
rules, 213
storage management server integration, 222
P6000 storage systems
H-series switches, 139
P6000/EVA connectivity
with MPX200, 327
P9000 storage systems
Continuous Access support, 295
P9000/XP storage systems
configuration rules, 227, 228
heterogeneous SAN support, 227
implementation support, 227
LUN Configuration and Security Manager, 231
tape storage system support, 229
zoning, 229
passive systems, 255
performance
guidelines, 157
maintaining beyond 5/10 km, 252
recommendations, 156
PID parameter bit, B-series switches, 115
ports
covering, 371
zoning method, 375

O
operating system
zoning methods, 374
operating system rules
B-series fabric, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric, 130
H-series switches, 139
heterogeneous, 160
HP-UX, 184
IBM AIX, 190
iSCSI Connectivity Option, 341
Linux, 192
Mac OS X, 189
Microsoft Windows, 194
OpenVMS, 186
Oracle Solaris, 196
Tru64 UNIX, 188
VMware ESX, 198
operating system support
FCoE C-series switches, 89
optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs), 256
Oracle Solaris
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 103
configuration rules, 197
multipathing coexistence support, 198
SAN rules, 196
supported storage systems, 196
oversubscription, design considerations, 22
overview
B-series switches, 92
C-series Fibre Channel and FCoE switches, 119
Fibre Channel routing, 45
H-series switches, 135
HP SVSP, 234
McDATA/M-series switches, 145
412

Index

Q
Quality of Service, 261
QuickLoop, interconnect, 146

R
recommendations
SAN best practices, 369
SAN designs, 20
record keeping, connections, 371
Red Hat Linux
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
redundancy, routing, 53
redundant active components
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 99
redundant control processor
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 99
regulations
security, 356
related documentation, 392
ring fabric
benefits, 31
expansion, 388
migrating from, 44
uses, 29
ring fabric SAN

overview, 29
routed fabric topologies, 36
routed SAN fabric, 25
router
connecting core-edge fabrics, 55
connecting fabrics through IP network, 56
routing
comparing B-series, C-series, and H-series, 51
configurations, 55
features, 45
Fibre Channel implementations, 48
Fibre Channel integration FCIP, 60
methods, 51
overview, 45
SAN island consolidation, 60
SAN scaling, 60
summary, 60
table, 46
tape backup consolidation, 62
techniques, 46, 48
technology, 45
rules
B-series fabric, 102
B-series Fibre Channel fabric, 103
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric, 130
H-series switches, 140
interconnect, 146
iSCSI Connectivity Option, 342
performance, 157
switch, 20

S
SAN
B-series addressing mode, 115
bridging, 252
components, 18
configuration practices, 371
congestion, 156
data availability, 40
design approaches, 20
design specification, 369
dual interoperable, 155
expanding an existing topology, 387
extending, 250
heterogeneous interoperable, 155
high bandwidth, 157
high-availability dual redundant routed, 53
implementation practices, 369
implementations, 17
infrastructure, 19
interoperable, 155
latency, 156
manageability, 22
merging fabrics, 388
mixed storage types, 200
overview, 18
P9000/XP fabric boot support, 230
planning, 369
recommended practices, 369

scaling, 19
scaling and routing, 47
security, 22
solutions, 16
SSP, 22
standard designs, 20
storage management server rules, 223
topology design approaches, 24
XP shared fabric, 229
SAN design
configuration rules, 146
interconnect rules, 146
migration, 43
overview, 16
scalability, 43
SAN extension
best practices for HP P6000 Continuous Access, 289
overview, 250
products, 265
types, 251
SAN fabric
design benefits, 25
routed, 25
topologies, 24
zoning, 22
SAN fabric topologies
cascaded fabric SAN, 26
congestion, 22
core-edge, 31
data access, 34
design considerations, 21
disaster tolerance, 22
geographic layout, 21
interoperability, 21
layout, 21
maximums, 35
meshed fabric, 28
migration, 21
oversubscription, 21
performance workload, 22
ring fabric, 29
scalability, 21
single-switch, 25
SAN Virtualization Services Platform, 234
satellite switch
support, 30
scalability
migration, 43
scaling
nondisruptive methods, 387
routing, 48
switch, 47
security
AES, 357
attack classes, 355
best practices, 355
CHAP, 356
compliance, 356
confidentiality, 359
413

data availability, 359
data integrity, 359
data protection, 359
DES, 357
encryption technologies, 357
FC-SP, 357
Fibre Channel technologies, 357
HP Secure Advantage, 358
international state regulations, 356
IP SAN technologies, 356
IPsec, 357
iSCSI, 312
key management, 358
nonrepudiation, 359
organizational policies, 358
resource protection, 358
technologies, 356
types of threats, 355
U.S. federal and state regulations, 356
validation, 360
Selective Storage Presentation, 22
servers
common access, 201
common HBA, 201
heterogeneous rules, 159
naming, 376
NonStop S-series support, 172
setup practices, 372
zoning rules, 202
Service Location Protocol, 311
SFP, 252
shared link configuration, 260, 264
single-switch fabric
benefits, 26
overview, 25
skinny tree, 32
small form factor pluggable see SFP
soft zoning, discovery authentication, 373
soft-plus zoning, login authentication, 373
Solaris
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
SONET, 263
SSP
usage, 22
storage
P6000 configuration rules, 213
storage capacity, calculating, 21
storage management server integration, 222, 247
storage pools, 234
storage product interface rules, 151
storage replication products, 288
storage security, 355
types of threats, 355
storage system
3PAR, 241
storage systems
alias naming practices, 376
coexistence, 200
configuration practices, 372
414

Index

ESX support, 198
EVA configuration rules, 213
HP OpenVMS support, 186
HP StoreVirtual Storage rules, 210
HP Tru64 UNIX support, 188
HP-UX support, 184
IBM AIX support, 190
Mac OS X support, 189
Microsoft Windows support, 194
MSA configuration rules, 203
Oracle Solaris support, 196
P9000/XP configuration rules, 227
RA4000 configuration rules, 203
SVSP support, 237
zoning by operating system, 373
Subscriber's choice, HP, 391
SUSE SLES Linux
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
SVSP
Business Copy, 235
Continuous Access, 235
description, 234
features, 234
hardware requirements, 235
software, 235
storage pools, 234
storage rules, 237
thin provisioning, 234, 235
Volume Manager, 235
switch models
B-series, 93
C-series FCoE expansion modules, 86
FCoE CN, 86
for cascaded fabric, 27
for core-edge fabric, 34
for meshed fabric, 29
for Meta SAN, 37
for ring fabric, 31
for single-switch fabric, 26
for VSAN, 38
H-series switches, 136
H-series switches with TR, 39
MPX200 support, 329
switch name, configuration settings, 389
switch settings
B-series default, 102
H-series switches, 139
switches
mismatched parameters, 389
port covers, 371
third-party, 155
symbols in text, 392
Synchronous Optical Network, 263

T
tape backup, routing consolidation, 62
tape storage systems
3PAR, 247
EVA, 222

H-series Fibre Channel Switch fabric rules, 140
P9500/XP, 229
technical support
HP, 391
text symbols, 392
ties, cable, 372
time division multiplexing, 255
top talkers
B-series switches, 97
topologies
fabric types, 24
SAN design approaches, 24
SAN fabric, 24
TR_Port, 51
configuring, 59
traffic isolation zones
B-series switches, 97
transceiver
fiber optic, 252
GBIC, 252
transparent router, 39
transport distance rules, 151
trunking
B-series switches, 96

V
VA storage systems
B-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 102
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
Virtual Connect
configuration example, 163
guidelines and rules, 163
overview, 163
VC-FC, 163
virtual disk, 234
virtual fabrics
architecture, 50
B-series switches, 97
enabling B-series, 37
independence, 46
virtual private networks, 261
Virtualization Services Manager see VSM
VMware ESX
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130
SAN rules, 198
supported storage systems, 198
VSAN, 50, 52
benefits, 39
high-availability C-series fabric, 133
independence, 46
overview, 38
VSM, 234

system characteristics, 255
websites
customer self repair, 393
HP Subscriber's choice for business, 391
WWN
exporting, 46
zone member identifier, 375

X
Xen
configuration rules, 200
XP storage system
with mpx110 rules, 275
XP storage systems
C-series Fibre Channel switch fabric rules, 130

Z
zone members
identifier types, 375
zoning
3PAR, 246
B-series Fibre Channel switch guidelines, 116
B-series Fibre Channel switch limits, 116
C-series limits, 133
configuration mismatches, 389
enforcement, 373
EVA storage systems, 222
fabric, 22
H-series switches limits, 144
host based, 373
P9000/XP storage systems, 229
zoning enforcement
B-series Fibre Channel switches, 116
C-series Fibre Channel switches, 133
H-series switches, 144
zoning method
3PAR persistent ports, 374
HBA port, 374
NPIV port, 374
zoning methods
application, 375
HBA, 374
operating system, 374
port allocation, 375

W
wavelength division multiplexing see WDM
WDM
coarse wave division multiplexing, 256
network implementation, 254
system architectures, 255
415



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Creator Tool                    : Unknown
Metadata Date                   : 2015:02:13 14:48:27+05:30
Document ID                     : uuid:2f2bde6d-86b6-40ea-9c4f-dab11f719b9f
Instance ID                     : uuid:89edb160-dee4-42af-9be6-1bdcbd2872f7
Page Mode                       : UseOutlines
Page Count                      : 415
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