Connect AIX server on VA7410

[Ryan Ma]

I encounter problem on connecting AIX server on VA7410. Please help.

1. When I try to use the disks in AIX, it caused the Secure Manager to be disabled.
Also the size of the disk is just several MB, where I have assigned a 15 Gb LUN.

2. Is there any driver to be installed on AIX to recognise AIX San disks? The system seems consider the SAN disks as other FC SCSI disk.

3. How to handle alternative path on AIX? Also is there any driver to be installed? I know that even using IBM SAN, there is something needed to be installed in order to handle alternative path.

[Eugeny Brychkov]

VA should be setup for AIX host behavior. If you have hetero SAN then you need host behavior table (armhost), if only AIX servers then you can setup default host port behavior as AIX (mgr command from VFP or armmgr from CommandView)
Eugeny

[Vincent Fleming]

You should be using IBM HBAs, model 6227 or 6228. Follow Eugeney's suggestions on configuration and you should be OK.

As for alternate pathing, there is no version of Auto Path VA (HP's alternate pathing software for the VA) available for AIX.

But... you may be able to use Auto Path XP for AIX with the VA - most versions of Auto Path XP are compatible with VAs, but I'm not sure about the AIX version.

Good luck,

Vince

[Ryan Ma]

Hi Eugeny,

Unfortunately, I have already set host behavior table. I have typed the WW_NAME with AIX behaviour.

After it failed, I try to connect the VA to brocade switch and set that particular port to be AIX (port behaviour) as well as zoning. It still doesn't work.

In AIX, I can see a disk but I don't know what is it. At the beginning, I guess it is LUN 0 but when I add more LUNs, I still can only see that disk.

I have to set Secure Manager rules but I have tried to set default writable or even config-write.

[Eugeny Brychkov]

If VA has security enabled then newly created LUNs are receiving 'no access' permission. So after creation you should edit and download security table.
The fastest way to check if your issue is related to secure manager is simply disable VA security and see if host will see all LUNs. But be sure there're no windows hosts in the SAN - they will immediately grab disks and may write their signatures there corrupting data
Eugeny

[Ryan Ma]

Hi Eugeny,

Finally I know why it is not working although I have do all the steps correctly.
The reason is that AIX cannot recognise too large LUN number...

I try a smaller LUN number and it is done!

Does anybody know the ranage of LUN number AIX can support?

Also does anyone have experience on Auto Path XP?

[Odd Olsson]

My experience op the AutoPath XP v1 is that it runs good. We havent had any problems whith it. We are currently evaluating v4 which is the Hitachi dynamic link manager, so I cant tell you much about that. Is there an specific question you had in mind?