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Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

 
PranavTyagi
Occasional Advisor

FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Hi Community,

 

I am configuring HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-port Module, for which i have the following connectivity.

 

connectivity :- EMC 7600 to SAN Brocade switches to Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-port Module ( connectivity is through Fiber Channel)

 

But after configuration of profile and installation of OS (RHEL 6.5), SAN fabric (FC1,FC2) port are not coming "Logged In" under Server ports and consequently i am not able to connect to storage.

 

But when i configure the FCoE interfaces (https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Storage_Administration_Guide/fcoe-config.html) , SAN fabric ports are coming as "Logged In". I am confused in this process, as i am not using Fiber Channel Over Ethernet (FcoE), then why it is required to configure?  Sharing the snapshot of server port "logged  in " state of SAN Fabric when i have configured FCoE at OS end.

 

Thanks

Pranav

12 REPLIES 12
Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Have you installed an FC Mezz card in the server, or does it just have the FlexFabric module? The FlexFabric module is an Ethernet device and supports FCoE among others.

 

You can do FCoE from the server to the VC module, then FC out to your SAN

 

 

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PranavTyagi
Occasional Advisor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Thanks Jimmy, our server (BL460 Gen9) just have the FlexFabric module (with HP FlexFabric 10Gb 2-port 536FLB Adapter).

 

As far i understand from your reply i.e. i can configure fcoe interface at server to the VC module and then able to use FC connectivity with the storage.  I tried this way, it was working but then, there is a problem regarding storage i.e. fcoe LUNs are not coming at boot time , due to which veritas cluster-SFCFSHA  unable to start by itself, i have to manually rescan the disks (vxdisk scandisks).

 

this configuration, add one more question to my current scenario

 

i. why should i configure fcoe while i am using Fiber Channel only?

ii. if this is the only way then how to bring fcoe disks during system boot?

 

Thanks

Pranav

 

 

 

Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity


@PranavTyagi wrote:

 

i. why should i configure fcoe while i am using Fiber Channel only?

ii. if this is the only way then how to bring fcoe disks during system boot? 


Because you don't have a Fibre Channel card in the server. You have a FlexFabric Ethernet card

It has been too long since I have setup FC or FCoE to answer

 

 

You might look at the HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric Cookbook

 

 

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c02616817

 

No support by private messages. Please ask the forum! 
PranavTyagi
Occasional Advisor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Thanks Jimmy, for clearing my doubt.

 

I have configured FCoE in RHEL 1.6 with the reference of https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Storage_Administration_Guide/fcoe-config.html/

 

LUNs are visible to OS as well but after performing veritas installation and rebooting the system, LUNs are not coming under veritas automatically.  Every time i have to manually scan the disk (vxdisk scandisks).

 

Any thought about it? i am doubting this is happening because fcoe unable to bring LUNs at boot time.

 

 

Thanks

Pranav

 

 

Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Hopefully someone else will speak up. I haven't done any FC or FCoE configurations in some time so I'm not going to be able to provide more help 

 

 

No support by private messages. Please ask the forum! 
Bart_Heungens
Honored Contributor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

I have a setup like this running but with VMware, not Linux...

 

My VMware host sees a Emulex FCoE adapter that has a Fibre Channel Connection (including WWN's provided by Virtual Connect). My 3PAR SAN outside the Virtual Connect modules sees also only WWN host ports, no FCoE whatsoever...

 

I have no experience with Linux and also not an free blade to test...

 

 

Kr,

Bart

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raf2
Frequent Advisor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

Just throwing out some thoughts.. Is your Brocade setup with NPIV enabled? What version of VC are you on?

PranavTyagi
Occasional Advisor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

yes, NPIV is enabled at switch. I am using VC version 4.40.

 

I have checked in boot logs that VxVM services are running befor fcoe, i am suspecting this is the reason of disks not coming under veritas control. I have tried to change the priority of these services from Linux chkconfig utility, but still VxVM is running before fcoe. 

 

Working on it, will update..

 

Thanks

PranavTyagi
Occasional Advisor

Re: FlexFabric VC configuration: why is Fcoe configuration needed with Fiber Channel connectivity

After increasing the boot priority of fcoe, lldpad, hostagent services (higher priority from vxvm-boot) and putting a 120sec wait period in fcoe startup script, fcoe lun starts coming inside veritas volume manager, without any manually intervention.