Adding VA7100 in SAN env with FC60 and VA7400

[Jawed Akhtar]

Hi,
We have SAN environment having FC60 at primary site and VA7400 at backup site adn both are connected on FC switch.
Now I want to add VA7100 on one of the FC switches ine the current env.

I have formated array through serial port and
had follwoed the follwoing procedure
READY> cfg To see command option
READY> cfg -L 0 -a 10M -g 1 To setup Lun 0 in RGID 1 for VA71xx
READY> cfg -L 0 -a 10M -g 1 or cfg -L 0 -a 10M -g 2 To setup Lun 0 in RGID 1 and RGID 2 for VA74xx
READY> dsp -L To show the Lun 0
capacity: 10.0MB
number of snapshots: 0
RGID: 1
READY> dsp -c -d -f -L -s To show the VA configuration
READY> mgr -os hpux –c 1 or mgr -os hpux –c 2 Set the controller OS to hpux
READY> cfg -L 1 -a 1024M -g 1

What about Changing the Array Loop IDs. We already have VA7400 in SAN and loop ids for controller are set to default i.e left 108 and right controller card is set to 110. Do we have to change the loop id of VA7100.

The quick start guide says.

G. Changing the Array Loop IDs
NOTE: Your array comes preset with the following default fibre channel loop identifiers (IDs): 108 (controller 1) and 110 (controller 2). If the default loop IDs conflict with the loop IDs of any other devices in your configuration, you need to change the array loop IDs using the Virtual Front Panel (VFP). If they do NOT conflict with other loop IDs, you do not need to change the array loop ID settings.

1. Do I have to change array loop id of VA7100, if so what id should I give it. How could I find the uses array loop ids in my SAN env.

2. Should I connect my VA7100 to FC switchs without changing array loop id.

Thanks in advance.
Plz advise.
Jawed AK

[Vincent Fleming · Accepted solution]

It depends on your switch configuration, and (possibly) the configuration of your other arrays.

Please post back with details of how many switches you have, what brand/model, SAN topology (are you switched loop or fabric?), and what equipment is attached to each switch (if you have more than one switch).

It should be OK to leave it alone if you're switched loop, and it's the only VA on that switch... if you're fabric, then it doesn't matter - they're not used.

Post back and we'll take a closer look.

-Vince

[Nguyen Anh Tien]

On my Opinion. it is no need to change LoopID. On my system there are two VA7400 connected one SAN switch. On VA1.
Front Port At M/C1.H1:
Status:_____________________________Good
Port Instance:______________________0
Hard Address:_______________________110
Link State:_________________________Link Up
Node WWN:___________________________50060b000014e861
Port WWN:___________________________50060b00001be814
Topology:___________________________Private Loop
Data Rate:__________________________2 GBit/sec
Port ID:____________________________110
Device Host Name:___________________ipcasba
Hardware Path:______________________0/10/0/0.3.21.39.0.0.0
Device Path:________________________/dev/dsk/c24t0d0
Front Port At M/C2.H1:
Status:_____________________________Good
Port Instance:______________________0
Hard Address:_______________________108
Link State:_________________________Link Up
Node WWN:___________________________50060b000014e861
Port WWN:___________________________50060b000019789c
Topology:___________________________Private Loop
Data Rate:__________________________2 GBit/sec
Port ID:____________________________108
Device Host Name:___________________ipcasba
Hardware Path:______________________0/12/0/0.3.21.42.0.0.0
Device Path:________________________/dev/dsk/c16t0d0

ON VA2
Front Port At M/C1.H1:
Status:_____________________________Good
Port Instance:______________________0
Hard Address:_______________________110
Link State:_________________________Link Up
Node WWN:___________________________50060b000014ea2c
Port WWN:___________________________50060b00001bebd2
Topology:___________________________Private Loop
Data Rate:__________________________1 GBit/sec
Port ID:____________________________110
Device Host Name:___________________ipcasba
Hardware Path:______________________0/10/0/0.1.18.39.0.0.0
Device Path:________________________/dev/dsk/c22t0d0
Front Port At M/C2.H1:
Status:_____________________________Good
Port Instance:______________________0
Hard Address:_______________________108
Link State:_________________________Link Up
Node WWN:___________________________50060b000014ea2c
Port WWN:___________________________50060b0000197fc8
Topology:___________________________Private Loop
Data Rate:__________________________1 GBit/sec
Port ID:____________________________108
Device Host Name:___________________ipcasba
Hardware Path:______________________0/12/0/0.1.18.42.0.0.0
Device Path:________________________/dev/dsk/c20t0d0

It means that there are 2 controller have sam loopID on a switch.

[Jawed Akhtar]

Hi Fleming,
The FC switch product is A7340A. And toplogy is privat loop. The switch have on one zone having all ports.

We already have on VA7400 on a switch.
We are going to add on VA7100.
I have changed default array loop id of VA7100.

Do I have to make any change in FC siwtch port or it wil automatically detect the VA7100.

Thanks and Regd
Jawed

[Vincent Fleming]

You shouldn't have to make any changes at all to make that work. The VA7100 can be on the same loop (same loop id) or not... it doesn't matter.

Let us know how it works out.

Vince

[Jawed Akhtar]

HI Fleming,
Yes I have as precationed changed the array loop id.
Now the array have been attached on Fc switch
And system has recognized it.
disk 63 0/4/0/0.8.0.118.0.0.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP A6188A
disk 42 0/4/0/0.8.0.255.4.8.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE SEAGATE ST318304FC

Could I assign it alias name from vfp or it is to be done from hpux command prompt.

THnask
Jawed

[Vincent Fleming]

I always did that via the vfp, but I think you can do it with the CV command line.

-Vince

[krusty]

Assuming you haven't created any volume groups and there is not reason you are putting the VA in loop mode, I would change the topology from private loop to fabric. If you are in fabric mode, the loop ID's are meaningless. Typically the only reason someone would use private loop is they are direct connected to the array (no switches), or they have the old Tachyon FC HBA's (A3740A-not fabric aware).

You can change the topology with the (arm)mgr (command. Remember, this will create new device files, so if you already have create VG, you will need to vgexport. Set both controllers like this:

mgr -t 4 -c 1
(Say no to reboot)
mgr -t 4 -c 2
(Say yes to reboot)

Verify with mgr -s

Sincerely,

Curt

[Jawed Akhtar]

Thansk for your advise.
Hi fleming,
I have changed array loop id of VA7100 and attached it with FC switch.
The system has recognized it
disk 63 0/4/0/0.8.0.118.0.0.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP A6188A

Now I have used armdiscover but system has not recognized it.
1. DO I have to restart the daemons of hostagen 2. Do I need to recreate the database of armdiscover by removing old data files. Or it should recognize it.

3. Would there be any problem in accessing of VA7400 in starting and stopping of daemons.

Hi curt, The reason we have kept the VA7100 into private loop is that we have FC60, which does nopt support fabric mode, mirrored with Va7400. THe FC switches are not zoned. Now we want to add VA7100 in the setup.
1. Could we configure VA7100 in fabric mode. we are using storage card A5158A which I believe support Fabric mode.