topic Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization in Operating System - HP-UX

Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Nappy_1 — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:43:46 GMT

we are going to install VM on hpu11iv2 an create 3 VM.

the server is connected to the san (an EVA) with one HBA
we have different LUN's on the EVA and we would like to allocate LUN's to each VM.

i saw in the quicspec of VM that FC HBAs and storage array controllers are not virtualized by Integrity VM
does that mean that we can't allocate LUN's to each VM?
could someone help me to understand that

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Duncan Edmonstone — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:50:15 GMT

No it means you can't allocate whole HBAs or array controllers to a VM. You *can* allocate individual LUNs to a VM with no problem at all, so your config sounds fine.

If possible I would go with a 11iv3 VM Host if you can though, as that will allow you to use HPVM v4.0. You can still have 11iv2 VM guests if you wish.

HTH

Duncan

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Russell.Wood — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:48:43 GMT

Present the LUN to the Host and then add the character DSF as a device to the Guest:

hpvmmodify -p -a disk:scsi::/dev/rdsk/c-t-d-

In the Guest, run `ioscan -fn && insf -ev'. You have raw access to the LUN.

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Torsten. — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:00:30 GMT

If you have multiple pathes to the LUN, you should not use the raw disk without any multipathing software. If your path fails, you have no longer access to the LUN. Consider to use LVM or upgrade to HPVM v4.0 (11.31 for the host).

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Russell.Wood — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:04:26 GMT

The host handles the multipathing so it's not an issue.

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Torsten. — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:06:41 GMT

"The host handles the multipathing so it's not an issue."

Why you are so sure? It's 11.23 with "raw" disks as backing storage. In this case you need additional software ...

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Russell.Wood — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:46:42 GMT

Well, if the system has SAN storage with Multiple paths then one can safely assume they'd use SecurePath (or some such) on the Host.

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Torsten. — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:24:12 GMT

How about PVLINKS, Russell?

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Russell.Wood — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:27:39 GMT

... or some such.

Re: Integrity VM: san storage virtualization

Torsten. — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:44:02 GMT

What I want to say is that you cannot assume there is any multipathing software in use, because PVLINKS is the way how (legacy) LVM is handling multiple pathes.

If you assign a raw disk to a VM without add software and this path fails - you and your VMs are lost ...