Connecting VMS Server to SAN

[odwillia]

I need to either add a non-XP external disk or connect the server to a SAN and then add XP disk. Can someone offer some advise and recommendation on which step I should take?

We need to add a small amount of space. The system is OpenVMS V7.2-2.
Still learning any help is appreciated.

[Hoff · Accepted solution]

All things being equal, direct-attached storage (DAS) will be rather cheaper than FC SAN.

You'll need to identify which Alpha system(s) are involved here, given that the FC controllers are not supported across all of the boxes that can run OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-2. Alternatively, wander over to the AlphaServer support web site and see which of the FC SAN controllers are supported on the box.

And how much is that very slippery concept of a "small amount of storage" in your particular locality? Terabyte spindles are surprisingly common of late. Or from another potential view of "small", decent-sized used StorageWorks shelves (populated with small disks; 18 to 36 GB spindles) are available for little outlay on the used-equipment market.

As for FC SAN configurations, you will want to read up on the available FC SAN documentation at the HP OpenVMS web site, and you'll want take a look through the forums.

I'd not expect all that much on OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-2, either. The FC SAN driver patches and related pieces are not released for and not available for the V7.2-2 release. This release is in the very early range of FC SAN support on OpenVMS. You might end up with an OpenVMS upgrade, if you don't go the DAS route. To V7.3-2, or (better) to something approaching a current release.

If you go the SAN route, do look around for discussions of the WWIDMGR tool, too. The HP FC SAN documentation for OpenVMS will discuss this and other tools.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Or consider using NFS.

Wim

[Robert Atkinson]

Can you give us some information on exactly what hardware you are currently using.

Rob.