HP StoreVirtual VSA Networking on vSphere??

[Tom Lyczko]

I've read various websites about installing the SV VSA but I can't recall any of them mentioning how to configure the ESXi host's vSwitch for the VSA.

Is this done like with a SAN -- e.g. an MSA??

I'm assuming the VSA needs its own VLAN on the switch like the MSA does.

The attachment shows how we have an MSA set up on a vSphere host, would the VSA be set up the same way??
I'm completely new to this and hope someone(s) would be willing to offer advice.

We will set up two VSAs on two ESXi hosts, each with disk drives in RAID 5 with a global spare, then set up NR 10 to make them redundant.

Thank you, Tom

[a_o]

I'm not sure what question you're asking per-se.

But I'm guessing that since MSA's are not hosted on ESX hosts, you're asking about how to setup networking for hosting StoreVirtual VSA on ESXi.

There's a best practice document from HP that documents this.

Guide

However, I followed this guide when setting up an ESXi testbed.

http://vmfocus.com/2012/09/27/part-1-how-to-install-configure-hp-storevirtual-vsa-on-vsphere-5-1/

http://vmfocus.com/2012/10/01/part-2-how-to-install-configure-hp-storevirtual-vsa-on-vsphere-5-1/

[Tom Lyczko]

When I said MSA, I meant MSA SAN. MSA SANs do connect and function with vSphere hosts, and our MSA SAN is configured as shown in the diagram.

I want to know if the VSA is configured with a vSwitch in the ESXi host in the same way the MSA SAN is connected to its own vSwitch...or if it should be done differently etc.

I looked at the guide which isn't very specific about networking, and I've read the vmfocus which does not fit our situation very well -- quite different storage / network configuration etc. -- I RE-read it, it appears that I do set it up quite similarly?? each server's storage/VSA gets IP addressed and added to the vSwitch?? Not very obvious/clear what to do since he's writing about a quite different storage setup...

Perhaps more people will reply, I hope...

Thank you, Tom

[a_o]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the virtual hosts on ESXi are inititators connecting to the MSA as a target.

While the networking will be similar from that end, the considerations for hosting a VSA on ESXi are different.

Your screenshot really tells me nothing about the way you should setup your VSA networking.

For instance, Its' recommended that VSA's have  two vNICs, both connected to the same vSwitch for load balancing and or redundancy.

In your setup, I see multiple vSwitches,  but it seems that your hosts are on vSwitch2.
You could connect your VSA to vSwitch2, and put them on their own VLAN.

Or, you could create another dedicated vSwitch for the StoreVirtual SAN and connect your hosts to that vSwitch.

Also, personally,  I would put the FOMs on the same vSwitch as the VSA.

Lastly, it could be said that a management 'network' is not needed for StoreVirtual - i.e connectivity for CMC.

You need the host running the CMC to be able to connect to the internet (updates, etc) and also to the SAN network.  This can be done a few different ways - i.e multi homing.

[Tom Lyczko]

I put up the diagram because:

1) this is the main vSphere networking I know about, it is my main frame of reference...

2) I am a visual learner...I often learn better when I can see an example that I can connect to my own experience

It seems like you're saying I don't need a separate vSwitch for the VSA?? like I have for the MSA SAN

I can put the VSA (in its own VLAN) AND the production VMs all on one vSwitch (like in vSwitch 2) and have one other vSwitch for vSphere management and vKernel (vMotion) like in vSwitch 0???

I would not need 6 pNICs?? I could use 2 pNICs for for vSphere management and vKernel (vMotion) like in vSwitch 0?? and 2 pNICs for another vSwitch containing the VSAs (in their own VLAN) and the producton VMs (with their own VLANs)??

"Or, you could create another dedicated vSwitch for the StoreVirtual SAN and connect your hosts to that vSwitch."

I want to know if I can do this:

vSwitch 0: vSphere management and vKernel (vMotion)

vSwitch 1: StoreVirtual VSAs (VMs) -- what I want to know is how I set up the vNICs -- do it like I did with the physical MSA SAN in my diagram or just two vNICs and not 4 vNICs??

Note: I don't recall now which vSwitch actually does the vMotions.

vSwitch 2: all the other VMs in their VLANs...

If anyone can provide a diagram of what they have that would be helpful...

Thank you, Tom

[a_o]

Is this a lab/testbed that you're setting up?

If not (i.e you already have an iSCSI network),  I don't think you need to re-configure your network for just to introduce StoreVirtual into it.

The MSAs in your setup, are they connected via iSCSI or FC?

Simply put, it's best to put iSCSI data on it's own network - i.e. a phyisical subnet or a VLAN.

Additionally, it's best to have multiple paths to your VSA for redundancy and higher performance.

WRT to pNICs, as VSAs exist "virtually", you only need to setup vNICs for it. The vNICs then map to the pNICs in your vSwitch.

In your configuration, it seems that the pertinent vSwitch is "vSwitch1".  I did not know what was on "vSwitch1", as you did not volunteer this information.

Seems that all you need to do is setup your VSAs to be on "vSwitch1".  Map each pair of vNICs per VSA to  "vmnic2" and "vmnic3" repectively.

I don't see any VLANs on that vSwitch, so your initiator hosts should connect to the VSAs the same way they're connecting to the iSCSI MSAs.

[Tom Lyczko]

This will be a production cluster, no physical SAN etc., just the VSA and internal disks within each of the two servers, the disk drives will be in hardware RAID 5 in each server with 1 global spare per server, then the VSAs will combine them with NR 10 (equivalent to RAID 1).

vSwitch1 in the diagram is for the physical P2000 G3 MSA iSCSI SAN itself, it does not need any VLANs because it's only for SAN traffic...someone else helped me with it many millennia ago...

I think I am on the right track by doing the VSAs in a manner similar to the way I did the physcal SAN...

I must wait and see since I don't have enough resources to do a test/lab thing.

NFS will be set up first so we have *something" for storage before the VSAs get installed.

Fortunately it is a 'greenfield' installation and we will have a consultant working with us but I want to learn and understand as much as I can...

I will re-read your comments many more times and hopefully I will get the hang of it :) :)

Thank you, Tom

[Server-Support]

After importing the VSA appliance to the ESXi 5.5u1 can we actually upgrade the hardware level / version ?

or should we leave it as it is ?

[Tom Lyczko]

That is a very good question -- usually one doesn't mess around with pre-fab appliances' hardware levels though.

Hopefully someone soon posts an answer...maybe repost your question as a new thread??

Thank you, Tom

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@albertwt wrote:

After importing the VSA appliance to the ESXi 5.5u1 can we actually upgrade the hardware level / version ?

or should we leave it as it is ?

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[HPstorageTom]

Leave the HW level as it is - you should treat the StoreVirtual VSAs like appliances.

[Server-Support]

Cool, many thanks for the clarification people. !