Connecting multiple disk arrays to a server

[hpuxsa]

Our servers are connected to an EMC 8730 disk array thorugh a 3900 brocade switch and it is switched fabric. We need to connect another EMC CX400 array to the same SAN and some of the server would be connected to both the disk arrays (one hba to EMC 8730 and another one to CX400 array). Is it possible to do so? Are there any issues related to this?

[John de Villiers · Accepted solution]

Yes its possible. You Zone the HBA's of the host to the HBA's of the Disk arrays.

You could even combine the whole lot so that the host can see any drive of any EMC through any HBA. It just get a bit complicated then, but you then have redundant paths incase one HBA fails.

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
Of course it is possible for one sevver to acess several disk system on a SAN, it is actually one of the ideas with a SAN. You can acess the two arrays from different HBAs but, perhaps more common is to acess both arrays from both HBAs (for redundancy).
One "issue" is perhaps to configure zoning correct.

[Mike Naime]

I have one server that "see's" 40 storage controllers. 36 HSG's and 4 EVA's. We use this system to clone OS packs between the storage controllers, or to unload tapes to another cluster that does not have a local tape library.

[Uwe Zessin]

And the operating system happens to be called OpenVMS? ;-)

At least within the pure Compaq/HP world there are limitations that a fibre channel adapter is only allowed to see a certain number of targets, depending on the storage array, operating system type, ...

I wonder: are there similar limitations spelled out by other vendors, too?