HP MSA Array and Shelves

[umanikhat]

Hi Everyone,

Full disclosure: I am a newbie when it comes to enterprise storage and have a real basic question. I recently accepted a job as a sysadmin. Prior to my coming on board funding was allocated for additional storage.

We currently have 4 HP MSA P2000 arrays in a RAID 5. We are looking to implement additional storage. Our vendor recommended an HP D2700 with 25 drives. The drives are 1.2TB 12K SAS drives and would increase the storage to 30GB RAW.

My Question: We already have a fibre channel SAN so how will the new drives connect to our existing infrastructure? The storage vendor indicated that the drive shelf detailed above will connect to the head of the array via SAS So my questions are:

1. Is what the vendor is telling me correct?

2. Where does the fibre channel come in to play IF the shelf connects via the SAS cable?

3. How do I verify that I can connect the disk shelf to the array? I assume I need to verify there are enough questions.

4. What is the difference between the array and disk shelf?

5. Is there anything else I need to think about in terms of interoperability?

As I said....I'm really new to the realm of enterprise storage. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated! Any resources you might know of that I can use to educate myself would also be a great help!

[Cali]

1. Is what the vendor is telling me correctly?
   Yes, D2700 is the extension Shelf for P2000 Storage.

2. Where does the fiber channel come into play IF the shelf connects via the SAS cable?
   Nowhere

3. How do I verify that I can connect the disk shelf to the array? I assume I need to verify there are enough questions.
   The P2000 (Head) has a fixed SAS Connector for the Shelfs on both Controllers, see the bottom document.

4. What is the difference between the array and disk shelf?
   The P2000 (Head) has two Controllers inside, the D2700 Disk Shelf has no "Intelligence", it's just a JBOD.

5. Is there anything else I need to think about in terms of interoperability?
   The whole system is since 4 Years End of Life.
   Here is the Cabling: Document - HP P2000 G3 MSA Array Systems - Cabling | HPE Support

Cali

[SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1]

@umanikhat 

Please find the answers,

1. Is what the vendor is telling me correct?Ans: Yes vendor is correct

2. Where does the fibre channel come in to play IF the shelf connects via the SAS cable?

           Ans: Your existing P2000 MSA having host ports or frontend ports which are actually FC ports and these ports connects to Hosts or servers HBA where you present your MSA or Storage Volumes. P2000 MSA having one base enclosure called as Controller enclosure where two controllers and drives exists. These controllers having FC ports to connect to Hosts or servers and SAS ports or expansion ports to connect to backend or expansion enclosure or drive shelf. In this case your expansion enclosure is D2700. D2700 contains IO modules where SAS ports also there which connects to P2000 controller backend SAS ports. In order to do this connectivity between Controller enclosure SAS ports and expansion enclosure or drive enclosure SAS ports we need SAS cables. Please refer below user guide and search with keyword "D2700" to get more details (page no 28),

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-c02006876

        3. How do I verify that I can connect the disk shelf to the array? I assume I need to verify there are enough questions.

           Ans: You should always check product quickspec to find the compatibility or HPE SPOCK,

https://www.hpe.com/psnow/doc/c04168365.pdf?jumpid=in_lit-psnow-getpdf

        4.What is the difference between the array and disk shelf?

Ans: Array means entire Storage. When your Storage running out of space or you want to increase your Storage but your base enclosure not having any slot left to insert any new disk drive that time you need to extend your storage. So to achieve that add another drive shelf with base enclosure. In this case drive shelf is D2700 and array is P2000

        5.Is there anything else I need to think about in terms of interoperability?

Ans: I would suggest to go through SMU guide, Product quick spec, Best practice whitepapers.

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

I am an HPE employee

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