msa1000

[Michael Denney]

Anyone here have experience with MSA1000 Array with hpux clients? I am looking for information on how high availability works with dual controllers in the MSA1000.

As I understand the documentation for the MSA1000, the controllers are active-passive. If the controllers in the MSA1000 are active-passive instead of active-active we will only get one link in hpux. (i.e., no alternate link for each device)

I am use to working with high availability fiber arrays. The usual configuration is dual (or more) controllers on the array attached to 2 San switches. Each Hpux host has dual Hba. Each Hpux host has one hba attached to one san switch, the other hba attached to the other switch. The topology is 2 seperate fiber fabrics providing visibility to the same Luns to the hpux hosts. With this common high availability topology, each hpux host has 2+ alternate links to each lun.

Not finding any clear documentation from HP on this. From reading all the docs for the MSA1000, appears Hp added support for Hpux as an after thought. MSA1000 appears to be mainly targeted at Windows/Linux.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards,
Michael

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

Hi,

the specs are saying

"The MSA1000 for HP-UX supports single controller configurations only"

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11033_na/11033_na.HTML

So there is no active/passive - it's in fact an active only config.

IMHO the MSA1000 is not the best array for use with hp-ux.

[spex]

Michael,

This topic is still fresh in my memory, as I've been specing out various MSA1000 and MSA1500 configurations (along with a new HP Integrity).

Currently, MSA1000 firmware only supports active/passive controller configuration. MSA1500 firmware, which differs from MSA1000 firmware in that adds support for SATA drives, does support active/active. I've been told that an updated release of MSA1000 firmware which supports active/active will be out by end of year.

Interestingly, the MSA1500 QuickSpecs contain information on the MSA1000 that the MSA1000 QuickSpecs do not:

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11945_div/11945_div.html

Scroll down to "Family Comparison". Note that there are some errors in the QuickSpecs document, so watch out.

PCS

[Michael Denney]

Thanks folks, your comments have been insightfull. Looks like we need to wait a few more months for the active/active firmware to be released.