P2000 G3 Swap storage controllers with no downtime?

[JD86]

We ordered a P2000 G3 with dual iSCSI controllers and are thinking of converting to fiber for the extra bandwidth since we are steadily growing.

We currently use it for shared storage on our ESXi clusters so I'm wondering on a good way to convert to fiber with very little or no downtime. I know it can operate on just one controller but how will the P2000 react with one iSCSI controller and one fiber controller?

If it reacts fine I'm also wondering how ESXi might react to seeing the same LUN presented through the iSCSI path and presented through the fiber path.

Just looking for a good way to make this happen without having to buy another P2000 and migrate to it. If you have any ideas please let me know!

[Torsten.]

>> but how will the P2000 react with one iSCSI controller and one fiber controller?

IMHO this is the problem. It's an unsupported configuration using different controller s with different settings and firmware. I guess it could work if you shutdown the system and replace both controllers at the same time. Make sure to have a good backup! You probably need to do the LUN presentation, but everything else could work.

I don't think somebody has tested this so far.

[JD86]

What about instead of just a fiber controller how about the controller with fiber and iSCSI? That is most likely what we would replace it with.

See replacing the controllers would lose the RAID configuration information and settings wouldn't it? Are they not housed on the controllers?

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

You can have the P2000 in single controller configuration.

It would be fatal if you loose all configuration and data in case of a controller failure.

In such case the new controller will pick up the configuration from the disks.