EVA5000+8000 and Solaris 8 multipathing

[Tristan Zondag]

We're using some Sun boxes with 3 EVA5k arrays on 3.028 fw. They are running solaris 8 with FCA2257p hbas and Securepath for multipathing.

Now we want to use EVA8k arrays together with EVA5k ones on these sun boxes, business decision..

I've researched whitepapers and forums and as I understand it, we have only the following options:

- Migrate EVA5k to 4.x a/a fw
- At the same time, migrate solaris 8 boxes to Veritas DMP

OR

- Migrate EVA5k to 4.x a/a fw
- Replace FCA2257p hbas with Sun ones, so Sun MPxIO can work for both EVA5k and 8k
- Migrate Securepath to MPxIO

Is this correct?
Is there an easier migration path? Eg. run Securepath together with DMP, or DMP with both EVA5k a/p and EVA8k.
Any experiences / tips are welcome.

[SAKET_5 · Accepted solution]

Tristan,

I concur with your options - been there before!

Depending on the details of your plan (which I don't have) - if you want to stick to EVA5K for your existing storage on the Sun boxes and just present new Vdisks from EVA8K, you could just install a dual port (or two single port) Sun supplied FCAs with Sun loaded firmware on it and then just configure MPxIO so to end up with the following:
- Sun supplied FCA with Sun supplied firmware with its independent SAN switch connectivity - MPxIO configured on the host end to manage the EVA8K Vdisks AND
- your existing setup of HP Supplied FC2257P (Qlogic FCA with HP supplied firmware) with its independent SAN Switch connectivity - Secure Path configured on the host end to the manage the EVA5K Vdisks.

All the best.

[Tristan Zondag]

The plan is to present additional luns from EVA8K devices and keep using the old luns from EVA5K devices.

Adding an HBA might be an option, it at least makes migration easier and we could even keep using Securepath (for now). However the cost associated is steep - we're talking 4x Sun box which means 4x or 8x additional HBA.

The cheaper option would be to migrate to A/A and away from Securepath - but will we be able to keep using the FCA2257s? I've confirmed that these will NOT work with Sun MPxIO. The Veritas DMP documentation does not list EVA5K as a supported array either, will EVA5K on A/A work?

If the latter is not possible, we will just have to invest in Sun HBAs and ditch the FCA2257s later.

[Tristan Zondag]

TY for confirming that this is the only way to go.