SAN - C7000 - EVA - MSA FC Connetion Advice

[homehome16]

Hi,

We are looking at purchasing 2 x c7000 blade chassis, a P6000 EVA and a P2000 MSA. I am trying to work out the best and most cost effective way of connecting them all up. I have been looking in to PassThrough Interconnects, B-Class 8/24 SAN Switches, C7000 SAN Switches, and FlexFabric, and I can't work out the best way to connect it. What do ppl recommend? How do you connect up your storage to your c7000.

It looks like going down the passthough and external SAN switches may be most flexable and future proof.

Any advice would be good.

Thanks

Joe.

[hvhari]

Yes, pass through module & external san switches is the best method.

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi,

From a SAN-perspective the passthrough+external san switch makes it a lot easier/less complex as well as future proof.

From a server-perspective the flexfabric/virtual connect gives some really useful benefits for the c-class server administration.

[Steven Clementi]

"Yes, pass through module & external san switches is the best method."

I don't agree that it is the "best" method. It IS the easiest method for sure and probably the cheapest.

You really need to ask yourself... what do you "think" you will be adding in the future? Additional Storage? Additional Blades?

Are you getting G6 blades? or G7 blades?

It is VERY easy to configure Virtual Connect / FlexFabric modules and they add some benefits over passthrough devices.

Is this going to be in 1 site? or split sites?

Assuming you buy 16 servers per encolsure and all 16 servers need SAN access... you would need 4 Brocade 8/24 SAN Switches in order to connect everything using passthroughs.

If you use VC/FlexFabric, you only need to make up to 4 or 8 connections for the bandwitdh you desire between your storage and servers. This would require only 2 external switches for all 32 blades.

If you are getting G7's and plan on using the onboard FCoE... well then you need FlexFabric Modules. Limited options here, but it makes sense.

The best advice would be to get with your reseller and have them give you multiple configurations and quotes for those configs. You may find out that there may be very little difference in cost between the different configs.


Steven

[RJimenez]

This discussion includes a SAN switch in between the FlexFabric and the P2000.

FlexFabric <-> SAN switch <-> P2000

How about removing the SAN switch and setting up a direct connection (i.e. DAS)? Will this work? I'm not worried about limitations, but rather if the FlexFabric and P2000 will link-up. I read another posting that say a Flex-10 will not work in a DAS, but what about a FlexFabric?

FlexFabric <-> P2000?

Thanks,

Rafael

[Steven Clementi]

No.

The Flex Fabric Module is NOT a SAN Switch can not handle traffic the same way. (Last time I checked anyway)

When using VC-FC or FlexFabric Modules, you still need External SAN Switches.

[RJimenez]

Bummer... I was afraid of that :(

Thanks for your response.