VNX5600 - File Only, wanting to add Block. Questions.

Hi Tizodm,

There are two kinds of VNX File, one is VNX Gateway and other is VNX unified for file.

VNX5600 is an unified storage which provides block and file support, you can't add block storage for a VNX5600 File. Only VNX gateway are able to add back block storage to extend file storage space.

Pretty strange...What does Moduler Architecture mean then ? I believe it can be upgraded to use as Unified...

Thanx

Rakesh

The VNX gateways platform can sit behind up to VNX and Symmetrix systems in any combination, and it can add block storage.

The VNX unified storage offers block and file , VNX unified for file isn't able to add block.

But it can be upgraded from Block to Unified ? Is it true ? If yes, why not from File to Unified...reasons for such restrictions...?

Thanx

Rakesh

Hi rakesh,

Not all VNX block can be upgraded to unified, such as VNX5100.

That I know and understand. Those systems can't be upgraded which have only been designed for block Only. I'm talking about 5600. As it's been designed to be used Unified, what are those reasons due which we can't upgrade it from File only to Unified ?

Thnx

Rakesh

Please talk to your local EMC sales about availability of an upgrade from File to Unified.

For the disk drive question – if you can free up LUNs / RG’s that are currently used by file then you can use them for block.

Please see the VNX best practices document available on support.emc.com

No reason why they cant

You need to purchase the upgrade that includes SW and sometimes HW

Also the upgrade has to be released and the procedure has to be available – which I think in case of VNX2 it isn’t yet

Hi Rainer,

You are the expert in the community. May I ask you a question about VNX 5600?As I know, VNX5600 is an unified storage which provides NAS and SAN support. So VNX 5600 for file must directly connect to VNX5600 for block and isn't able to add other storage, is that what I am to understand? Do we have VNX 5600-File only which not connect VNX5600-block? I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

Hi Rainer,

Is there any maintenance going on. Cause I wanted to ask a question but unable to post on the community. I can write but it's not visible to me even, when I select all content through Ctrl+A, it shows me but unable to post.

Could you please tell me what are all daemons run for NFS on VNX or if I can get any document ?

Please excuse me for posting irrelevant question not related to this thread.

Thanks in Advance

Rakesh

Hi dynamox,

Could you please, if you have any....?

Thanks

Rakesh

Hi,

I am not aware of that being documented.

i am not aware of a document like that

try rpcinfo -p

It looks very simple to me. You can't have file without block. I am not sure what do you mean only file. You can't have only file since you need drives to create pools, then file systems on NAS.

Hi Shanmugas,

Thanks for your reply. So there isn't VNX 5600 for file only, is it right? Moreover, VNX5600 is an unified storage and has a block storage in the back end, so VNX  5600 for file isn't able to add another storage except VNX 5600 for block, is that what I am to understand? Thanks.