storage problem

[hany osama]

hi

i have (2) BL680 servers and (4) BL460 inserted in C7000 Blade Enclosure with complete redundant HP 1/10Gb Virtual Connect Ethernet Module and (1) HP 4Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Module which is connected to HP StorageWorks 8/40 SAN Switch with 24 Active port connected to HP StorageWorks 4400 Enterprise Virtual Array SAN include (12) HP EVA M6412A 300GB 10K 4Gb Fibre Channel Dual Port Hard Disk Drive

The question is how can I connect these servers with the storage through these 3 network modules?
i need the fiber cables connetions and if there is any configuration steps

thank you in advance

[The Brit]

Hi there.

First a couple of questions.

1. Your 1/10Gb VC ENet modules are (should be) installed in IC Bays 1 & 2. Which Bay is your 4Gb VC FC Module installed in ???

2. You don't mention it, but I assume that your servers have an FC HBA card installed on one of the Mezzanine slots, which Mezz slot has the HBA.

Once we have this clear, we can address the SAN configuration question.

Dave.

[hany osama]

my 4Gb VC FC Module installed in bay5 and all the Mezzanine cards in slots 2 in all servers

but i hear somthing about virtual connections using these 2 network modules but i cant go through the setup steps of it

so what shal i do ??

thank you

[The Brit]

OK.

Since I dont know how much of the configuration you have done so far, start with the wizards;

Under the "Tools" drop down menu:-

Go through

1. the "Domain Setup Wizard"
2. the "Network Setup Wizard" and
3. the "Fibre Channel Setup Wizard"
(I recommend that you allow VC to assign virtual MAC addresses and WWN to your NICs and HBA ports.)

Now, it sounds like your question relates to setting up SAN connectivity. First thing you should know is that, even though your HBA has two (2) ports, you will only be able to use one (1). This is because you only have one FC VC Module (in Bay 5). From the HBA, Port 1 will map to Bay 5, but Port 2 will map to Bay 6 (empty).
You should still be able to get connectivity however. Do the following;

1. From the "Define" dropdown menu, select "SAN Fabric".
2. Give the SAN Fabric a name (SAN_5 say)
3. Assign ports to the fabric. (these are the uplink ports on FC module, which connect to the External SAN switch using Fibre cables.) Make sure that the physical cables are connected, and that the SAN Switch has NPIV enabled on the ports being used.
4. Now Click apply.

The new "virtual" SAN should appear on the left under "SAN Fabrics". If you click on your new SAN, it should show the individual port status as "OK". The speed will depend on the Switch Port speed and it should also show the WWN of the switch under the "connected to" column.

OK, hopefully, so-far-so-good.

You now need to look at your VC profiles. If you have not created profiles yet, then go through the steps above, and let me know if you are ready to move forward.

You should also download the following User Guide

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00865618/c00865618.pdf

Dave

[hany osama]

Hi Dave
Thank you for your supporting

I go through these steps

1.the "Domain Setup Wizard"
2. the "Network Setup Wizard" and
3. the "Fibre Channel Setup Wizard"



My problem in network setup wizard

I cant allow VC to assign virtual MAC addresses and WWN to my HBA ports

And it appeared me under the connecter type â incompatableâ and â unlinkedâ but I connect it using fiber cables to the san switch and making it NPIV enabled on the ALL ports and the all ports of the switch is in one zone

I think if I connect all cables from the HP 1/10Gb Virtual Connect Ethernet 2 Modules and (1) HP 4Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Module and the storage to the san switch all the servers will see the storage and I will work fine

So what your opinion ?

tahnk you :)

[The Brit]

Hi Hany,

I was a bit confused by your comment;

" think if I connect all cables from the HP 1/10Gb Virtual Connect Ethernet 2 Modules and (1) HP 4Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Module and the storage to the san switch..."

You should not connect the VC Ethernet Modules to the SAN switch. (only the FC Ethernet Modules can be connected to the SAN switch).

If you were even able to connect your Ethernet Modules to the SAN switch, then it implies that you have the 1/10Gb-F VC ENet modules (Note the "F", its important).

This module has 2x10Gb XFP uplink ports, and 2x1Gb SFP uplink Ports, plus 4x10/100/1000Gb Copper uplink ports. Regardless of whether you use Fibre or Copper from this module, it MUST connect to a NETWORK Ethernet switch, not a SAN (FC) switch.

As far as using virtual MAC's and WWN, it is not required, but it is highly recommended.

You say that "I cant allow VC to assign virtual MAC addresses and WWN...", is this because it won't let you, or because you choose not to???

Dave.

[hany osama]

Hi Dave

My two modules are HP 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module â sorry if I confused youâ , I connected these 2 modules which have 2 sfp connectors and HP 4Gb VC-FC Module which have 4 ports sfp connectors and the storage fiber connectors to the san switch so it works fine, the storage saw the blade servers and I can create new hosts and vdisks with no problems.
But I cant do it by virtual connection tech., I cant allow VC to assign virtual MAC addresses and WWN this because it won't let me to do that it appear to me in the fiber connector type in the 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module (incompatible and unlinked).

Thank you for your help

[The Brit]

Hi Hany,

Question:: What are the two SFP ports on your 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Modules connected to???

NOTE: The 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module is NOT a FibreChannel module, and cannot be used to connect to SAN Storage, i.e. they cannot connect to a FibreChannel module or a SAN Switch. The 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module is an ETHERNET device, (even though you might use fibre to connect it), it MUST connect to an external Network Ethernet Switch.

your server blades talk to the SAN through the 4Gb VC FC Modules.

Please check that there are NO uplinks from the 1/10Gb-F VC ENet modules to the SAN switch.

Dave.

[hany osama]

Hi Dave
the two SFP ports on my 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Modules connected to the san switch (fiber) using fiber cables.
You told me the server blades talk to the SAN through the 4Gb VC FC Modules and the 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Modules are an Ethernet only so what is the usage for these 2 Ethernet modules specially the fiber connectors in the 2 ethernet modules
And what do you mean check that there are NO uplinks from the 1/10Gb-F VC ENet modules to the SAN switch

Thank you, dave

[The Brit]

Hi Hany,

First I want to apologize for "muddying up the water". I talked with one of my network/storage guys, and I had forgotten that ports on some SAN switches can be configured to talk Ethernet (IP), (back to this later).

As you know, there are two "communication" resources which a server normally needs access to,

1. It needs to talk to its storage/data. This is normally FibreChannel communication to a SAN.

2. It needs to talk to the external network, i.e. its users, and other servers. This is Ethernet communications using some protocol like TCPIP.

The 4Gb VC FC Module provides the paths from your blades, to your SAN switch and then to your SAN.

The 1/10Gb VC ENet Module provides the gateway out to your external network, and only talks ethernet.

Now, it is possible that your SAN switch can be used for ethernet traffic (it depends on the switch, check quickspecs,etc.) In order to do this, there is a significant amount of configuration to do on the SAN switch, beginning with setting the Ports on the SAN switch (which are going to run ethernet) to "FCIP". You could do a "portcfg" on your switch to see if these options are available.

I have never used this approach, so I cant help you with the configuration.

I suspect that the reason the network wizard in giving you the "incompatable" message is because the switch ports are not set to FCIP, but that is just my guess.

If you are deliberately intending to run ethernet throught these SAN switch ports then ignor my comments about "NO uplinks from the 1/10Gb-F VC..." You should however make sure that all of the configuration of the SAN switch ports is done before you run the Network Wizard.

Hope this helps.

Dave.

Dave