HP VCEM deployment

[KristofVanweert]

Hello,

I've been in contact with VCM, installing it on enclosures without any prior configuration, using the profiles to manage the blades within the enclosure, ...

The company I now work for does not yet have VCEM, but the project will start up next week with an extensive study on how the high-level design. Basically we want to be able to use all the VCEM benefits such as managing profiles pools with multiple enclosures, as so forth.

We have several sites throughout Europe with sites ranging from 5 to 30 C7000 enclosures.
Unfortunately I don't find much information on how to design an environment of this size. What are Best Practises? Are there any sample scenario's? What needs to be kept in mind?

Thanks in advance for all info.

[Adrian Clint]

Kristof

Have a look in this community, there are some HP experts there. Vincent Berger is "the man" if he is on there.
HP Virtual Connect Interest Group
https://h30340.leveragesoftware.com/default.aspx

Basically if blade enclosures share storage then its best to put them in the same group.

All enclosures in the same group must share identical "networks" and storage fabrics, and I think they need the same uplinks and SUS. And same for MAP/TAG Vlans.

You can "import" an enclosure into a group and the config gets copied down. But if you are trying to join an existing enclosure with running servers to a group you need to make sure the config is exactly the same before you can import it.

VCEM relies on SIM running, if SIM is not running you cant move profiles (without using HP secret commands). Therefore SIM and the SIM database become important points of failure.
So ensure SIM is ok and I'd recommend to move the SIM database from SQL Express to full SQL and get it backed up daily (if not more often)

As long as you follow the above.... VCEM is just like having a single interface to all your VC interfaces.

Have you also thought of using the new enclosure stacking feature in the new firmware?