Replacing an FC IO Module with a new iSCSI Module

Hi ,

Welcome to EMC Forum..

May I know if this FC IO module is used for Host connectivity at the moment…?

Regards,

Suman Pinnamaneni

Hi Suman,

Thanks for the reply.

Currently there are no hosts connected to this system. Thanks for the info - I will attempt to replace the IO modules tomorrow.

I'll post the results

Actually we can replace FC IO module with the iSCSI IO module., But VNX has maximum iSCSI IO module limitation per SP/array .., If you have not crossed the limit , you can remove the FC IO module and insert iSCSI IO module, Please refer below mentioned document page 69.

http://www.emc.com/collateral/hardware/white-papers/h8217-introduction-vnx-wp.pdf

To replace IO module, please refer below mentioned link to generate a document for the same , select “Replace VNX Hardware”

https://mydocs.emc.com/VNX/requestMyDoc.jsp

Regards,

Suman Pinnamaneni

You are welcome.., Looking for the update….

My bad,

Here is  the content :

For CX4 and VNX storage processors there is a concept of "persisting" a port for UltraFlex IO Modules.  What this means is that the software has identified the hardware as installed and added it to the permanent system configuration. Once that has happened the ports can not be removed except in two specific circumstances:

1. Replacing an IO module with another of the same interface, port count, and speed  (e.g. 2 Port 1GbE iSCSI) 
2. Upgrading an IO module with another of the same interface, port count and different speed (e.g. 2 Port 1GbE iSCSI -> 2 Port 10GbE iSCSI)

When a CX4 or VNX ships from manufacturing, all IO Modules inserted into the storage processors has already been persisted.  There is a procedure in the EMC Knowledgebase (emc269715) that details the steps required to swap IO Modules prior to deploying the system, but it is time consuming, complicated, and requires re-imaging and re-installing the Operating Environment. Before swapping any IO modules please read the procedure and make an assessment as to how you would like to proceed.  You can not just swap IO modules from one type to another and turn it on - that will cause problems.  This is the case whether you desire to swap IO Modules with or without the MirrorView ports; all IO Modules are affected.

To sum it up, you should engage EMC Support to assist you.

That link is to EMC intranet

Unfortunately its not that easy..especially if ports have been persisted.

Please refer to http://one.emc.com/clearspace/message/281934#281934

I actually just found the procedure to replace an existing IO module......and it aint pretty

This line is particularly interesting:

# /tftpboot/bin/navicli -h 10.241.216.240 ioportconfig -remove

CAUTION: Both SPs will reboot and all customer data and array configuration WILL BE DESTROYED

This is from article emc270609

sylvain,

does it only apply to modules on the block side ? If i wanted to replace or add new modules to datamovers, that's should  not require datamovers to be re-imaged ?

Hi sylvain

Thanks for the great response - indeed the ports have already been persisted so I didn't think it was going to be straight forward . I've logged an SR to get EMC support on the case - I'll post how it goes.

After reading emc269715 I cant believe how complex it is to re-image the system! Hopefully EMC support will have a workaround.

Cheers

On the DM it can be done

Adding in an unused slot is never a problem, changing type might require some config edits

Is this still true on the VNX Gen2 platform, like a VNX 5200 for example?

I have a customer who needs 1GB iSCSI modules. They have 2 x FC modules per SP right now and they want to replace one of them per SP with the iSCSI 1GB I/O modules.

The unit is already in production.

Thank you.

Unfortunately you cannot change slics from a FC module which is installed to iSCSI unless you do a destructive install

Yes it's pretty much the same with VNX2

There are a few Slic upgrades that are possible but that's typically within the same protocol

Are you sure this is true with the Gen 2 VNX?

It is an all new OS, not just new hardware.

Seems like something they would have addressed, then again there may be a good engineering reason for it to work this way.

Thanks