HP Virtual Connect 3PAR Direct Attach Config Walkthrough

Version 1.2 9/24/2012

Hongjun Ma ISS Infrastructure Architect CCIE#6820 hongjun.ma@hp.com

http://hongjunma.wordpress.com

Disclaimer
This presentation is created to help customers to understand more about HP Virtual Connect product besides HP official documentations and white papers. The presentation is solely my personal view and NOT an official HP reviewed/certified Virtual Connect doc and best practice white paper. For final answers on Virtual Connect and 3PAR for features and best practice, please consult with your local HP account team and partners and check official HP documentations.

Revision History
Version
1.0 1.1 1.2

Date
9/16/2012 9/21/2012 9/24/2012 Initial version

Description

Small modifications based on feedbacks Small modifications, add disclaimer page

Virtual Connect Direct Attach to 3PAR Storage

VC FlexFabric module can directly attach 3PAR storage without SAN switches to save SAN H/W and management cost. FlexFabric module implements simplified SAN fabric services like automatic zoning and name services. You can still connect FlexFabric uplinks to SAN switch for traditional SAN fabric service. It can coexist with the new direct attach connection.
Requirements: The feature is only available for VC FlexFabric module with VC3.70 and later. It only supports HP 3PAR(V,T and F-series) storage with Inform OS 3.1.1 MU1 and later. Other storage arrays support may be planned in the future Recommended Links For Virtual Connect Direct Attach Implementation:
Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Cookbook
Virtual Connect 3.70 User Guide 3PAR VMware Implementation Guide
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3PAR vSphere 5 Best Practice

Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Connectivity Supported

Before 3.70: Option 1 After 3.70: Option 1 OR Option 2 OR Option1+Option2 Option 2: Direct Attach

Option 1: Fabric Attach

With 8:1 oversubscription

3PAR V800 supports up to 192 FC host ports. This means that 48 enclosures
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can be connected to a single 3PAR when using 4 FC uplinks per enclosure.

Direct Attach Fabric Demo Topology

Port 1/2/3 PWWN 21230002AC00159E Port 0/2/3 PWWN 20230002AC00159E 4 4

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2 Port 0/2/2 PWWN 20220002AC00159E 1 0 1 2 0 1

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2 1 2 Port 1/2/2 PWWN 21220002AC00159E

3PAR V400 NWWN 2FF70002AC00159E

Controller Node 0

Controller Node 1

X1 X2 IO Bay 1
Fabric A

X1 X2 IO Bay 2
Fabric B

d3
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d3 FCOE FCOE

vmhba1 pwwn 50060B0000C26600

Blade 3(ESXi5.0)

vmhba2 pwwn 50060B0000C26602

Quick Notes
Cabling Best Practice:

Better Cabling Following Best Practice

Each controller node should be connected to both fabrics Ports of the same pair of nodes with the same ID should be connected to the same fabric. Example : 0:2:1 and 1:2:1 on Fabric 1 0:2:2 and 1:2:2 on Fabric 2

3PAR WWN Identification

Virtual Connect Direct Attach Fabric Config

Fabric A
3PAR port1/2/3 3PAR port0/2/2

Fabric B
3PAR port1/2/2 3PAR port0/2/3
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Virtual Connect Server Profile Config

vmhba1

vmhba2

Direct Attach Fabric Connection Status

VC port pwwn, not used for zoning

To 3PAR port 0/2/2 and 1/2/3

VC port pwwn, not used for zoning

To 3PAR port 0/2/3 and 1/2/2

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Virtual Connect Fabric Name Server

To blade3 vmhba1

To 3PAR port 0/2/2 and 1/2/3

To blade3 vmhba2

To 3PAR port 0/2/3 and 1/2/2

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Direct Attach Fabric Auto-Configured Zoning

Fabric A Fabric B

vmhba1

vmhba2

3par 0/2/2

3par 0/2/3

vmhba1

vmhba2

3par 1/2/3

3par 1/2/2

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3PAR Configuration Task Flow

Create Host Config Fabricfacing Ports Create Virtual Volume
* Define Volume Size * Thin/Thick Provisioning

Export Virtual Volume to Host

* Define LUN number

Create CPG
* Common Provision Group(CPG) * Define Disk Type/RAID

The flow here is to help users new to 3PAR to get a quick start For 3PAR documentations like VMware Implentation guide and 3PAR Concepts Guide, please check 3PAR Manuals Page
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Config 3PAR FC Ports to Connect with VC Fabric

Right Click the port and choose Configure

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Config 3PAR FC Ports to Connect with VC Fabric

Change Mode to Host and Type to Point

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Config Host: Create Host

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Config Host: Define Persona

For VMware host, choose 6 instead of default 1 for Persona.

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Please see 3PAR VMware Implementation Guide and 3PAR vSphere 5 Best Practice

Some Persona recommended settings

Config Host: Define Host PWWN

If you have any existing host WWN logged in

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If you have pre-defined PWWN like VC-assigned value, you can cut/paste here. Note: Pure digits only, otherwise cant be pasted in

After cut/paste

Config CPG: Create Common Provison Group

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Config CPG: Define Disk and RAID Type

Device Type can be:

SSD
FC SAS NL(Near Line) SATA

for different storage performance tiers

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Define RAID type

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Config CPG: Verify the CPG Created

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Create Virtual Volume: Create from CPG

Right Click the CPG just created and choose Create Virtual Volume

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Create Virtual Volume: Choose Full or Thin Provision

Choose Fully/Thinly Provision Do NOT use Fully Provisioned from Physical Disk even though you can do it, its against 3PAR Best Practice

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Create Virtual Volume: Define Which CPG to Base on

If choose to use CPG, the list of CPGs available

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Export Virtual Volume to Host

Right Click the virtual volume just created and choose Export

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Export Virtual Volume to Host

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Export Virtual Volume to Host: Choose Host

Choose the host defined in the previous steps

Optionally choose which local FC port the volume can be exported. Leave none for all possible path from this host

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Export Virtual Volume to Host: Define LUN Number

Define LUN Number

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Export Virtual Volume to Host

If host has not logged in yet, youll get this warning. Click Yes to continue. VLUN will be created after host logs in

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3PAR Showhost

After host pwwn logs in, VLUN is created at the specified paths.

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3PAR Showhost
Remember to use Persona 6 for VMware hosts

Log in through VC fabric A

Host vmhba1
2 host HBA pwwn seen Logged in through 4 local FC ports Host vmhba2

Log in through VC fabric B

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3PAR Showport

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VMware HBA Status

VC-assigned PWWN

3par port 1/2/3 and 0/2/2, log in through Virtual Connect Fabric A

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VMware HBA Status

VC-assigned PWWN

3par port 1/2/2 and 0/2/3, log in through Virtual Connect Fabric B

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VMware Host Path Status

3par port 0/2/2, 0/2/3, 1/2/2 and 1/2/3, log in through VC Fabric A and B

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Multipath Load Monitoring: VMware

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Multipath Load Monitoring: VC SNMP

Virtual Connect in I/O Bay1 module name Virtual Connect in I/O Bay2 module name First Uplink

on the module

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Multipath Load Monitoring: VC Manager Port Stats

Interface TX/RX rate

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Multipath Load Monitoring---3PAR Performance Monitor

Create chart using system monitor

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Thank you

Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.