SecurePath and IBM SDD together

[Nigel Poulton]

Hi Can anybody tell me if Secure Path and the IBM SDD driver can co-exist on the same host (Windows host)?

They will obviously be managing separate LUNs

Thanks in advance

[Bret Graham · Accepted solution]

Yes this does work. I set this up not too long ago and it worked without a problem. I had set it up as a migration path from the ESS to the EVA. As you said, each will manage its own LUNs through the different adapter pairs.

Best regards,
Bret

[Nigel Poulton]

Thanks Bret,

Just one more question so that its clear in my mind. When you say each manages its own LUNs through separate adapter pairs - are you saying they each need their own HBAs on the host and cannot share the same HBA's?

Thanks again,

mackem

[Bret Graham]

Yes, that's exactly what I am saying. Secure Path only uses Cambex (Qlogic) adapters while SDD uses IBM (Emulex) adapters.

Not to complicate the matter, but AntemetA or MPIO could use the same adapters as SDD since they both use IBM adapters.

Bret

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

I'm not too sure if that's the case in the Windows world.
AntemetA is an AIX-only product. And SecurePath for AIX only works with Cambex adapters, that's correct. But SecurePath for Windows can use either Qlogic or Emulex adapters (but don't mix them in the same host), and I think SDD for Windows probably can, as well.

I have used different multipathing products on a single Windows host, with both products using the same HBAs, and have had no problems yet. But that was for the following combinations:

- HP SecurePath and HP MPIO
- Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager and EMC PowerPath

I don't know how SDD would react, but I would assume it would ignore disk devices it does not recognise (like disk devices from an HP-Array).

Regards,
Stephen

[Bret Graham]

Stephen,

You are absolutely correct. At the time I typed my second reply, I had AIX Secure Path in mind. Sorry for the loss of concentration. I have seen both products work on the same host as I stated earlier.

Bret

[Peter Mattei]

Well, HP (and I assume IBM as well) does not support attaching heterogeneous storage and multipathing to the very same HBAs.
There can be many issues like:
- nobody is doing the interoperability tests and thus you cannot predict what happens if you lets say update one of the drivers or the array firmware.
- most probably HP and IBM require different HBA parameters
- there are many more!

Best practice is using dedicated HBAs for each array with vendor specific settings, drivers etc.
I would also encourage you to use Windows MPIO for at least on of the arrays!

What HP and IBM arrays are we talking of??

Cheers
Peter

[Nigel Poulton]

Thanks to all for the advice.

I dont know the specifics of what arrays are being connected etc I was just asked by a colleague if it was supported.

They gone the route of separate HBAs and all seems well.

Cheers