topic Re: zoning best practice in HPE EVA Storage

zoning best practice

Lode — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:10:22 GMT

I am new to san zoning and I would like to know how to zone the following configuration with 2 fabrics: (see attachment)

* 1X DL360 (backup server) with dual port HBA with HP dataprotector
* 1X DL380 server with dual port HBA
* 1X MSL 4048 with 1 FC connection connected to fabric A
* 1X EVA 4400

How many zones do I need to allow access from the DL380 to the EVA4400 and to allow backup via HP dataprotector on the DL360 to the EVA4400.

I think the following, is this correct?

Zones for access from servers to storage:

ZONE_DL380_FABRIC_A: DL380_HBA1 + EVA_CTRL1_Port1 + EVA_CTRL2_Port1

ZONE_DL380_FABRIC_B: DL380_HBA2 + EVA_CTRL1_Port2 + EVA_CTRL2_Port2

ZONE_DL360_FABRIC_A: DL360_HBA1 + EVA_CTRL1_Port1 + EVA_CTRL2_Port1

ZONE_DL360_FABRIC_B: DL360_HBA2 + EVA_CTRL1_Port2 + EVA_CTRL2_Port2

Zones for backup:

BACKUPZONE1_FABRIC_A: DL360_HBA1 + MSL4048

BACKUPZONE2_FABRIC_A: EVA_CTRL1_Port1 + EVA_CTRL1_Port2 + MSL4048

any other suggestions?

Re: zoning best practice

AWilliams_1 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:54:07 GMT

Mostly OK, my only question is why do you have a zone for the tape drive and the EVA. The backup traffic will flow across the network from the DL380 to the DL360 then across the fabric to the tape drive. The tape drive does not need to see the EVA.

Re: zoning best practice

Terri Harris — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:05:14 GMT

The zoning looks good although (depending on what you are trying to do) I agree with the first posting.
Are you planning on using the MSL to backup the EVA?

Re: zoning best practice

Lode — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:28:21 GMT

Yes I am going to backup the EVA with the MSL.
That's why I thought the MSL needs to see the EVA.

Is this necessairy?

One other question about the DL380 zones.
As a best practice you should use single HBA zones.
So 1 HBA port and 1 storage port.
Do I need to create 2 zones? or can I put both storage ports in the same zone toghether with 1 HBA?

Re: zoning best practice

Lode — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:55:55 GMT

anybody can answer my questions?

* Do I need a zone with the MSL and the EVA?
* Can I put 2 EVA controller ports in the same zone toghether with 1 server HBA?

I am also wondering if the DL380 does not need to see the MSL? For example if I have a SQL server running on it and i want to backup the SQL databases to tape.
I read that DP only initiates the sql agent and that backup is taken directly from SQL server to MSL.
Is this correct?

Re: zoning best practice

Armin Kerl — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:41:47 GMT

Hi Lode,

* Do I need a zone with the MSL and the EVA?

No, there is no direct Communication between EVA and MSL.
(Unless you have a XCopy Feature on your FC_Switch what enables you to do a Serverless-Backup)
- Leave the ZONE_DL*** as the are
- In the BACKUPZONE put your Backup Server and the MSL4048 (BACKUPZONE1 is fine, BACKUPZONE2 is not needed)

* Can I put 2 EVA controller ports in the same zone toghether with 1 server HBA?

Yes

Re: zoning best practice

Uwe Zessin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:56:56 GMT

> * Can I put 2 EVA controller ports in the same zone toghether with 1 server HBA?
>
> Yes

The bugs in the EVA-4400 firmware have not been fixed, yet. If you want to reduce a potential source for system instability, implement single-initiator / single-target zones for the EVA-4400 (=one adapter port and one EVA port per zone).

Re: zoning best practice

Lode — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:16:28 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

And how about my last question for the SQL backup using the sql server agent?

Re: zoning best practice

AWilliams_1 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:49:38 GMT

SQL server backup:
The SQL agent basically scripts a SQL database dump before running the backup. It also does a backup of the transaction logs.

Backup is still across the network, so the MSL does not need to see the EVA.