topic Re: Secure Path in Operating System - HP-UX

Secure Path

Isaac_4 — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 10:52:51 GMT

HI:

Some body, know how works the secure path for HPUX, o how interative with Logic Volumen Manager (LVM)? In hpux i need continue using PVlink for the alternate link o the Secure Path does the work?

Re: Secure Path

Zinky — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 11:02:33 GMT

You use SecurePath specifically for HSG and HSV100/110 (EVA3000/5000) based arrays that do not support PVlinks or Alternate-Pathing. It is your onlyway of protecting your Paths to those arrays.

With newer EVAs (4/6/8K) I heard SecurePath is already optional as PVLINKS/AP and VxVM's DMP (and MPIO on Windows/Linux) now is compatible.

HTH.

Re: Secure Path

Uwe Zessin — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 11:06:38 GMT

In the case of Secure Path for HSG and EVA3000/5000 it creates a new adapter with devices through which you access the disk space. You do not enter alternate paths like when using PVlinks.

The documentation has a nice picture which explains the device and driver layering.

Re: Secure Path

Isaac_4 — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:32:49 GMT

I have a Eva 4000

Re: Secure Path

Uwe Zessin — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:36:18 GMT

In that case you can use PVlinks or install the AutoPath component of Secure Path. AutoPath does not create a new virtual adapter.

Re: Secure Path

Pat Obrien_1 — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 15:50:31 GMT

And when you use autopath feature of secure path, you also need to use pvlinks for failover. autopath does multipathing only.

Re: Secure Path

Uwe Zessin — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 01:05:04 GMT

Excuse me, but what is that supposed to mean?

Doesn't multipathing provide for failover when one path goes down or did you mean some other 'failover'?

Re: Secure Path

Isaac_4 — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 02:03:40 GMT

thank you

Re: Secure Path

Pat Obrien_1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 12:42:42 GMT

The landscape has gotten muddy. We have EVA5K and EVAXL. the EVA5K can be active-active or default active-passive. Todays version of SecurePath 3.0F is a combination of premerger Compaq SecurePath product and HP AutoPath product. The AutoPath product is used for active-active and SecurePath for active-passive arrays. AutoPath only provides multi-pathing support without the failover capabilities of the traditional SecurePath product. hence with AutoPath you need pvlinks also.

Re: Secure Path

Zinky — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 13:27:26 GMT

Pat.. you're last post nailed it.

3.0F still has the old pre-merger SecurePath for Active-Passive arrays (works for EVA5K/3K with the HSV100/110 controllers). It also has the AutoPath product which they now call SecurePath for Active-Active arrays (ie.e HSV101/111 and newer EVA4/6/8K, VA as well as XP) -- for which you will still need to use PVLINKS as I understand it.

Multi-pathing IMHO is not the same as failover. Multi-pathing is the ability to provide multiple paths to the same LUN which can either be for load balancing or failover. That is why one still needs PVLINKS with Autopath.