integrating eva volumes on hpux

[Otto Folprecht]

OK, I have an eva 5000 and a unix box 7410. I know how to create vdisks in the eva but after creating the disks how do I know what are my eva disks in ioscan -fnC disk. What is the procedure to mount eva disks/volumes on a unnix platform. I think that is the question that I am asking. THX Otto

[Karthik S S]

Hi Otto,

You need to install Securepath on hp-ux hosts in order for you to see the EVA vdisk in ioscan output. Securepath is multi path software that manages alternate links in hp-ux.

http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/sanworks/secure-path/index.html

-Karthik S S

[Otto Folprecht]

No we do not have securepath as that is not required to have access to the eva, we still can see the eva as the FC is attached to backplain of the rp7410. If i do a ioscan i do see the domain were the disks reside, and i dont care which path I use as both paths can be treated as primary or secondary, my question im trying to focus on the procedure on creating the disk and resenting the volume to the community. THX Otto

[Karthik S S]

Otto,

It is true that you need not have Securepath to access EVA Vdisks. But in that case you should have only one FC HBA connected to the EVA and must configure proper zoning in teh switch such that the hosts see the Vdisk through only one path. If you have not already done please have a look at this whitepaper,

http://whitepapers.zdnet.co.uk/0,39025945,60043254p-39000571q,00.htm

If neither securepath is installed nor zoning is configured then you will still be able to see the EVA vdisks in the ioscan output as hardware paths but will not be able to see the device files associated to them (/dev/dsk/cxtxdx) and hence you will not be able to configure VGs/LVs.

-Karthik S S

[Karthik S S]

If zoning is properly configured then in the ioscan output (ioscan -fnC disk) the EVA vdisks will be listed something like this,

disk 15 255/255/0/0.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HSV100 HP
/dev/dsk/c26t0d0 /dev/rdsk/c26t0d0


Now you can use LVM commands to create VGs and LVOLs.

-Karthik S S

[Mark Grant]

Karthik has got this pretty much wrapped up. I just wanted another voice in here to confirm that if you want any kind of flexibility here, you really should have securepath.

[Stefan Farrelly · Accepted solution]

You dont have to have SecurePath. Just zone in the EVA, present your disks to either one or >1 fibre card (if you want alternate links) then pvcreate -f, vgcreate, vgextend, lvcreate just as normal.

Agreed, its nice to use SecurePath, but you dont have to install it.

[Tom Koithan]

Given a single HP-UX server with two HBAs connected to an EVA5000 via a pair of McData switches, is SecurePath required?

This is with 64-bit HP-UX 11.0 with the standard LVM.

Will we get path failover without SecurePath? Will we get load balancing without SecurePath?

Thanks!
.../Ed