Help determining the right equipment for DC SAN

[ReynierPM]

Hello: I'm new to these topics like SAN design for data centers but well my boss asked me and I have to do the job because otherwise it didn't pay me ;) Well my proposed equipment is:
(1) c7000 Enclosure + 6 Blades BL460c G6 (2P, 32GB RAM)
(1) EVA4400 2C4D configured (6 HDD per Drive at least)
(1) e71 MSL TL with 2D

I'm not clear wich connectivity equipment, preferably Cisco and 3Com, should I buy to connect all the equipment and also ensure redundancy and security in the data center. In addition to this DC around 30 laboratories with 31 PC development will be connected. Can any help me with the connectivity equipment needed to achieve such environment?

[Prokopets]

Hi!
i'm not sure about c7000 if you are going to buy only 6 blades. Are you planning upgrade? Look at c3000, it's smaller (eight half-height blades), cheaper and does the same as c7000.

As for connectivity.
1) SAN. I recommend you to use a pair of Brocade SAN switches (AJ820A) plus two transceivers for each (AJ716A)
2) Tape Library - i'm not sure, what do you mean under "e71 MSL TL with 2D"? As for me, you can use MSL 2024, but the exact model should depend on your backup sizes and backup scheme. It's very good if you already have one - in this case tape library configuration will be more accurate.
3) LAN. If you prefer Cisco, you can use Catalyst 3020 for c-class enclosures (410916-B21), or HP GbE2c (438030-B21) which is cheaper.

[ReynierPM]

Ok, I use a c7000 because as far as I read it guarantee the redundancy on the enclosure system when c3000 doesn't at all.

And yes, you talk here about connectivity but all around enclosure and I don't mean that, I mean how the connectivity around the data center meaning core-edge san topology or FCoE tpology wich is better, wich are the best equipment in both cases and so on.

Cheers

[Prokopets · Accepted solution]

Hm...
> it guarantee the redundancy on the enclosure system when c3000 doesn't at all.
Can you please define more exactly, what component is not redundant in c3000? I mean, i haven't heard anything like this. (Well, technically, you can build a redundant configuration - if you want to do so).

Connectivity.
I'm sure that i'm not going to invent the wheel here. The scheme is quite standard if we are talking about Cisco LAN switches:
Server segment: as i already said, 2x3020 in blade enclosure.
Core: 2x45xx (exact model depends on your preferences i.e. optical ports)
Access: Nx29xx (es usual, model depends on your configuration, i.e. if you need GbE for users PCs), where N=number of sites, i.e. floors in building.

As for FCoE: i'm pretty sure that this technology is a) too expensive for now b) over-featured for your scheme c) too young for now. So, i won't recommend you to use it (but if you ask Cisco guys, i'm sure they'll tell you a huge amount of arguments for this technology)

If you want to have more precise configuration, i need more information about uplinks between DC and labs (optics\utp), distance between them, about traffic forecast (if it exists), users quantity in each lab.
And there's one more remark: who's going to build this network? For example, if i'm telling you my point of view (and i know, how i could install this system) it doesn't mean that it is a universal scheme; another guy, who probably will install it, may have another point of view and he can tell you something like "wtf is 4503?!! i'll do whole core on single 35xx!".

Regards,
Philipp.

[Prokopets]

My words "(Well, technically, you can build a redundant configuration - if you want to do so)." should be read as "(Well, technically, you can build a NON-redundant configuration - if you want to do so)." Sorry for misspelling.

[ReynierPM]

Good, don't believe me at all. I read in somewhere, don't remember where, that for c3000 enclosures the redundancy need to be improved and for c7000 it comes with almost all redundant (power supplies, fans, connectivity bays and so on) but as I said before don't believe to me because I'm not a expert just a guy trying to get help and learning about this world.

Connectivity:
I agree with you in c-Class connectivity options: Cisco 3020 for Blade Enclosure.

Then for Core I was thinking in a 2x65xx models but I don't know if I can have both Ethernet and FC connectivity from there and this is concern me because I need both Ethernet for connectivity with labs and class rooms and FC for EVA, Tape Libraries and the same servers inside the Data Center. Maybe I'm crazy but this is what I'm thinking until now. Also I need in some point a ASA or firewall for security and maybe this 65xx series provide me with this kind of security.

And for FCoE I just mention this because I'm learning from HP book "HP StorageWorks SAN Design Reference Guide" wich talk about this kind of topology and yes I'm afraid there is too expensive for me now. Maybe at some point of the Data Center I'll need to upgrade but for now a Core-Edge topology will be enough.

Now concerning your others questions: uplink will be FC from L3 Core to L2 Edge. Those L2 will be locate one or more for floor and serving at least 10 labs for floor and 31 PC for labs. Meaning so I will have 310 PC in every floor. And the qty of floors actually is 3. In addition to those 310 PC I will have office connectivity and it's around 150 PC at office. So the total number of PC connected to this DC it's 560 PC plus 5% (in case that some one new appears). I don't know what forecast means so I can't tell you if exists or not.

The equipment will be installed by some people working with me but not present at the moment. So I have the task to defining every needs and then they will installed all based on the DC needs.

Hope this help to understand the enviroment as well

[Prokopets]

> I need both Ethernet for connectivity with labs and class rooms and FC for EVA, Tape Libraries and the same servers inside the Data Center.

Well, a pair of Brocade switches in blade enclosure will be enough, if tape library and EVA will be in the same rack and you are not going to:
a) add more SAN equipment (storages, tape librarys, etc)
b) connect your SAN to another site
c) connect some other servers to SAN (not from blade enclosure)

As for whole scheme - look on attached file (it's little negligent, but as it illustrates my view, it's enough)

As for 65xx - i think it's surplus and 4503 in core + ASA (maybe in HA scheme) will be enough for security.

Regards,
Philipp.

[ReynierPM]

I add a pair of Brocade switches in Blade (HP B-series 8/24c BladeSystem SAN Switch). I shouldn't mix EVA and TL in the same racks because when I need a upgrade the problems come. For now I'm thinking in 3 racks (HP 10000 G2 series) one for EVA, one for TL and the other for connectivity and c7000 enclosure. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm newbie.

Maybe I'll need a DL360 or less to manage both EVA and TL and this need to be connected to both equipments.

[surplus] What's this means?

Cheers

[Marcus Schack]

If I recall correctly Command View EVA did not play well with Command View TL. Otherwise you will need two servers or run Command View TL on one of your other servers.

[Prokopets]

[surplus]~[excess] my english is not good enough, sorry :).

Racking:
c7000 needs 10U in rack
EVA4400 will take maximum 18U (with 96 disks)
MSL2024 needs 2U (if it will be 2024 off course)

So, you need maximum 30U. Now, about weight of your equipment:
EVA's weight is maximum 390kg, which means, ~21kg per unit.
c7000's weight is maximum ~200kg, which means, ~20kg per unit.
So, i recommend you to
1) put c7000 on the bottom of rack, as it will be the heaviest device on the moment of installation
2) put EVA's controller on units 27-28 and it's disk enclosure to units 25-26. Units 11-24 will be reserved for EVA upgrade and can be filled with filler panels for better airflow (don't forget to buy them with rack).
3) put MSL to units 29-30

with this scheme you'll save ~2 square meters of floor in DC. And a little money off course :).

Communication part - it's better to use separate rack for it and it's height depends on a devices quantity.

Command View: i agree with Marcus: it's better to have separate servers for TL and EVA (but in some cases you can use out-of-band mgmt module in EVA, and can have your EVA Command View in virtual machine on one of the blades - it's under discussion.).

Regards,
Philipp.