Full MPIO and preferred Path / mode in command view

[PB75]

thanks for your information

The server can see the EVA over all FC Ports. I tried several different configurations (disabling one FC Port, etc.) The result is always the same: if load balancing is activated and ALB enabled, the server uses all available links for transmitting data. It does not only communicate with the Vdisk-owning Controller.

I have no more ideas at the moment.

[IBaltay]

Hi,
you could try the
a) linux HBA driver static load balancing feature and at the same time
b) set preferred path staticaly on the EVA even in Active/Active firmware

The method of host HBA LVM manual balancing and at the same the EVA controllers static alternating the controller a and b (master)(like with HP-UX PVlinks), should give you almost as good performance as the ALB...

[IBaltay]

The only time not optimized and "not hiting the master controller" is the time in case of the failure of the primary LVM link, because the alternative link automatically goes to the other controller which is proxy.
But as soon as the first is repaired it should automaticaly failback to it...

[PB75]

is the "Linux hba driver static load balancing feature" also available on windows?

I have only Windows Server 2003 in use. If I set MPIO to "set load balance none", the Server communicates only with one EVA FC-Port and the other ports are listed with status "available".

[IBaltay]

the above mention idea is the manual host hba and eva front ports balancing method via e.g. the HP-UX pvlinks (LVM). Unfortunately Windows does not have LVM :-(. But nevertheless, the Windows MPIO ALB goes to both EVA controllers even though only one controller is the master controller. Internally if the load on the proxy controller reaches the 51% it automaticaly becomes the master controller.
In here:
http://www.asac.as/web/upload/ponencias/HP-EVA.pdf
the page 13 shows the numer of host ports/mirror ports/device porst (controller to disks). From this you can see that the newer EVAs has twice as mirror ports and that EVA5000 has quite powerfull back-end (8 device ports/4 loop switches like the EVA 8x00)

[Carlos ROjas_3]

Thanks,
Very good solution.

[Oxiel Contreras]

Thank you.

Good documentation, and solved several doubts.