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Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

 
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Karthik S S
Honored Contributor

MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Hi,

We received a new MSA1000 array with one single 2GB FC Port. We have not received the additional switch ports yet and expected to arrive by nest week :-( . I need to connect 2 DL580 systems to this array. Both the systems are having 2 * 2GB FC Cards. My question is, is loopback conncetions are possible with the FC Cards?? That is, Connect FC HBA-1 of DL580-1 to the FC Port of MSA1000. And connect FC HBA-2 of DL580-1 to FC HBA-1 of DL580-2. With this connection will the DL580-2 be able to see the MSA1000??

Or do we have to have the switch??

Pl. help

Thanks,
Karthik S S
For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three. - Alice Kahn
6 REPLIES 6
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Hello, Karthik.
Welcome to the wonderful world of MSA1000!

If I understand you right, you have a single MSA1000 enclosure with a single controller in it. The left slot is occupied by a blank module? On the back you have a single SFP, in other words: an I/O module, not a 3-port hub or an embedded 8-port switch.

Last time I checked the MSA1000 and Windows do support Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC_AL) if that is what you meant with 'loopback'.
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Karthik S S
Honored Contributor

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Hi Uwe,

Yeah you are right, I have a single MSA1000 enclosure with a single controller in it. The left slot is occupied by a blank module and on the back I have a single SFP ...

So can I configure FC_AL by wiring it the way I mentioned??

Thanks,
Karthik S S

For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three. - Alice Kahn
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

I have just checked your first question again and you say you have 2 fibre channel adapters in DL580-1. No, it won't work the way you describe it. The Windows system cannot act as a 'router'.

I haven't tried FC_AL on an MSA1000 myself. Do you have a 2 GBit hub or do you just like to split some cables? You should get a result if you connect the transmiter of the MSA1000 port to the receiver of DL580-1/FCA-1. Then its transmitter to the receiver of DL580-2/FCA-1. Then its transmitter to the receiver of MSA1000.

Of course, if one server is down the entire loop does not work. It is the purpose of the hub to do a port-bypass. I suggest you try it with one server first and make this running.

I'll attach a small ASCII drawing - view with a mono-spaced font.

Of course, it's some kind of a 'hack' to get it somewhat working, but you can at least try to play with it. Check the registry settings for the fibre channel adapters to make sure they are not locked for fabric protocol (it is the topology= setting).

Enjoy!
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Karthik S S
Honored Contributor

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Thank you Uwe ... I will try it and let you know ...

Hey can anyone lend me 3 FC cables .. ;-) ??

-Karthik S S
For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three. - Alice Kahn
Karthik S S
Honored Contributor

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Forgot to add that I don't have any HUB/FC switch .. so I need to split the cables and try.

Assume that one of the server is rebooted (but not powered off) and stuck somewhere before booting the OS up ... in this scenario does the FC_AL goes down?? or since the power is on the will the loop continue to function??

Thanks,
Karthik S S
For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three. - Alice Kahn
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor

Re: MSA1000 - 1 FC Port - Connect Two Hosts

Hey, Karthik - I have 3 cables. The catch is that you have to come over and collect them ;-)

Yes, the loop will go down whenever a server is rebooted, because that will cause the adapter to be reinitialized.

I would try that with a single server first - then you don't need to split any cables, yet.
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