Direct Connect EVA 4000

[Del_3]

Can someone confirm this senerio? I have to direct connect an EVA 4000 to a single HP-UX host. Steps:

1) connect FP1 and FP1 of the A and B controllers to the HP-UX host.
2) present luns with preferred paths to A or B with CV on a Windows host connected to FP2.

But I think no load balancing is possible because if an I/O traverses the non-preferred path it will head out the backend loop to the master/owning/preferred controller where it will be serviced? This will be unintended overhead for I/O Right?

Thanks in advance

[Mohanasundaram_1]

Hi Del,

The Direct connect to an EVA4000/6000/8000 is supported only on Windows hosts. So you cannot have your HP-UX host direct connect to the EVA4000.

With regards,
Mohan.

[Del_3]

Not according to my HP FSE. He says HP will support direct connect to HP-UX.

Thanks

[Mohanasundaram_1]

Hi Del,

That is an interesting piece of information from your HP contact. Is there any document supporting his claim? if so please share it with us.

I found the quickspecs for EVA4000 and am attaching it for your reference. Please check the page 3 of this document. The sixth line on this page talks about direct attach on windows system.

With regards,
Mohan.

[Mohanasundaram_1]

as usual, forgot the attachment

[Basil Vizgin · Accepted solution]

May be your HP contact confused "Direct Connect " with "Direct [Fabric] Attach"?

[Del_3]

I was reviewing streams docs and I think you are on to something. There is a line that says
"Direct Attach" in reference to a N-port attachment. I think these are differnet things.

Thanks.

[Uwe Zessin]

A node's N_Port connects to a Fibre Channel switch's F_Port running fabric protocol.
For 'direct connect' they need to run FC_AL protocol, which implies NL_Ports.

[Del_3]

I confirmed it. Bazil was right the HP FSE was confused by Direct Attach vs. Direct Connection. He said this (Direct Connection) was in the roadmap but not supported yet.

1000 points all around.

Thanks

[Del_3]

Update: HP is going to support a Direct EVA Connection to an rp4440 (HP-UX 11 v1) now. We have to get a waiver, but they say customers are doing this and full qual is imminent.