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Is it supported to connect Linux hosts to two arrays - HP AND VNX - at the same time?
Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if I can do the following:
I have a few production linux 5.10 servers connected to the HP EVA 6400 array. They are connected via FC, via two fabrics. Linux is configured to use native MPIO. I was wondering if I can connect these hosts via the same fabrics to the VNX2, and also install PowerPath for Linux to manage the connections to the VNX. Is this supported? Am I going to run into issues by using two different instances of MPIO software that will be managing multiple paths to different arrays on the same physical connections (server HBAs)?
Appreciate your input.
brettesinclair
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January 27th, 2015 20:00
Powerpath does have some support for 3rd party arrays, including HP. However I don't believe EVA 6400 is included.
https://elabnavigator.emc.com/eln/search?EVA
..and yes, you will run into issues having Powerpath and dm-mpio running on the same server.
you are using dm-mpio currently ? (or hp mpdm)
victory_is_mine
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January 28th, 2015 07:00
The GRABS reports 'device-mapper-multipath', I guess it is DMMPIO, right?
1 Attachment
device mapper multipath.JPG.jpg
dynamox
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January 28th, 2015 07:00
it is, does not play nice with PowerPath on the same box. Is this a migration effort or you are going to run like this for a while ?
victory_is_mine
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January 28th, 2015 08:00
it is a migration effort. the idea is/was to connect the Linux hosts to both arrays via the same fabrics and HBAs. As I mentioned in the beginning currently they are connected to HP EVA via two fabrics, and that is where all the data is. I was not sure if I could connect the VNX to the same switch and zone the Linux hosts to the VNX, using the same HBAs that are currently zoned to the HP, not sure if this is supported. I found this in the PP admin guide for Linux:
"Note: PowerPath is not compatible with the native Linux device mapper (DM-MPIO). EMC
recommends that you blacklist all non-local devices on a host on which PowerPath will be
installed.
PowerPath cannot co-manage devices with third-party path management software.
When PowerPath coexists with other multipathing software, the HBAs must be dedicated
to either PowerPath or the third-party software; HBAs cannot be used for both packages."
Looks like I cannot use the PP and DMMPIO at the same time. Question is how do I connect the Linux hosts to both arrays just for the data migration? Can I use the same host HBAs to connect to both arrays just for the data migration, and use DMMPIO for VNX paths? Then once the migration is complete, the DMMPIO and HP array will be removed and PP will be installed to manage the paths to VNX - is that going to be a good approach?
dynamox
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January 29th, 2015 06:00
i have had 3 vendors connected through the same HBA (EMC/Hitach/STK). If you call support for an issue they might give you hard time about it but since yours is a migration effor to an EMC storage array ..they will be hard pressed to blame it on the HBA connecting to different storage vendors.
Question is, how are you planning on migrating the data from HP to VNX ? rsync ?