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Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

 
Alysson
Advisor

HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

On the HP P2000 G3 dual controlled with 8 Gb FC Ports, could 4 hosts be directed connected on each port of the storage?

 

Thanks.

 

19 REPLIES 19
Torsten.
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

IMHO in theory yes, but I prefer to have redundant paths.

Hope this helps!
Regards
Torsten.

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Alysson
Advisor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

Yes that's what I think so, but I need to be 100% sure before make this investment.

 

I know that redudant switchs it's a robust and ideal solution, however for costs reasons we need to get a entry-level storage solution with directed attached option for later be able to foward to a switched solution.

 

 

 

Torsten.
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

You have so many SPOFs then:

 

The servers HBA and each of the P2k controllers.

 

If a single item fails you cannot work.

 

You may consider to buy smaller FC switches or even use the iSCSI option of the array.


Hope this helps!
Regards
Torsten.

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Alysson
Advisor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

I know that running this way there will be a lot of  SPOFs. However, this will be a initial implementation for later add switches and get redundancy for the solution.

 

The storage with both  FC/iSCSI option costs 35% higher. My intention is get a inital storage solution that later will be possible, when there will be more budget, upgrade for a robust solution.

Alysson
Advisor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

Has anyone experienced direct connecting 4 servers?
Johan Guldmyr
Honored Contributor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

"On the HP P2000 G3 dual controlled with 8 Gb FC Ports, could 4 hosts be directed connected on each port of the storage?"

Could you define a little better? How would you connect 4 ports on each port of the storage? This would IMO require a SAN-switch. Or do you mean one host to one port on the storage? (there are two ports in each controller).

The last idea will work.
The storage ports are even in Direct Connect mode by default.

I don't remember if I've seen four DC, but I have seen a mix of DC and SAN-switch to the same P2000 G3.
Torsten.
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

This will work, but if a storage controller fails 2 servers will be disconnected.

 

Even a single 8 port switch would be a better solution for the beginning.

An alternative would be a small EVA4400 with embedded switches, but likely more expensive.


Hope this helps!
Regards
Torsten.

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Johan Guldmyr
Honored Contributor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

Yeah, it's not like an 8Gbps switch is needed for this setup, the ports on the P2000 would work fine in 4Gbps and I doubt you'd get speeds from one server going above 4Gbps anyway.
For example the 4/8 switch A7984A (looked at one page on the Internet and it was priced at 755 American $).
Alysson
Advisor

Re: HP P2000 G3 Directed Connected

Thanks guys for the information, that's what I needed to know for now.

 

But Johan, Why did you say that I'd probably not get speeds from one server going above 4Gbps?