What you are attempting to do is quite common, let me try to explain it further. Ill try to create a video describing this as well.
Today you have a distributed virtual volume A, which is comprised of devices B at site 1 and C at site 2. At some point the array that B is on needs to go away and you need to move B to a new array. Bring in a new array and create lun B1 that is of the same size as B and present it to vplex and claim it. You then do an extent/device mobility job from B to B1, this whole time the virtual volume A is still seen by the host. The synchronization from B to B1 is happening in the background. Any new writes to A are going to B,B1, and C.
At some point you commit the mobility job at which point now the distributed volume A is now comprised of B1 at site 1 and C at site 2.
Ok, I can see that. However, doesn't this mean that I now have two un-sync'd copies of my data, one device per site, and no virtual volume representing them to the host(s)? Syncing these together to make a new distributed volume doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, so wouldn't you instead migrate one leg of the original distributed device, and then sync it to a new LUN on the other leg using a new distributed device? If I do this I don't have a virtual volume at this point, so this would be a disruptive migration from the host point of view, right? Finally, what about in the stretch cluster scenario?
Hello Will, while its true you cannot migrate distributed Volumes you CAN migrate the devices at each site of a distributed volume. A distributed volume is made up of 2 devices/extents at each site. So its a matter of creating a device/extent on the new array, presenting it to vplex , and doing a device/extent migration.
Ok, so to continue your thinking, if you were replacing both arrays, you would then do the same with LUN C, and use a local mobility job to move to C1.
During this time the distributed volume would stay up?
Thanks for sharing vedio; I have few queries on this; after slecting the device lun in source during mobility inside the cluster; in target nothing showing; I have site-A with VNX5300 and Site-B with VNX5400; in VNX5300 created new LUN and visible in VPLEX as storage volume; I have not created device lun for newly created LUN; will it possible to migrate same VNX5300, one lun to other new lun? if yes, then why it not displayed in target;
ankur.patel
2 Intern
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286 Posts
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January 6th, 2015 08:00
What you are attempting to do is quite common, let me try to explain it further. Ill try to create a video describing this as well.
Today you have a distributed virtual volume A, which is comprised of devices B at site 1 and C at site 2. At some point the array that B is on needs to go away and you need to move B to a new array. Bring in a new array and create lun B1 that is of the same size as B and present it to vplex and claim it. You then do an extent/device mobility job from B to B1, this whole time the virtual volume A is still seen by the host. The synchronization from B to B1 is happening in the background. Any new writes to A are going to B,B1, and C.
At some point you commit the mobility job at which point now the distributed volume A is now comprised of B1 at site 1 and C at site 2.
make sense?
WillSanders
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January 6th, 2015 07:00
Ok, I can see that. However, doesn't this mean that I now have two un-sync'd copies of my data, one device per site, and no virtual volume representing them to the host(s)? Syncing these together to make a new distributed volume doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, so wouldn't you instead migrate one leg of the original distributed device, and then sync it to a new LUN on the other leg using a new distributed device? If I do this I don't have a virtual volume at this point, so this would be a disruptive migration from the host point of view, right? Finally, what about in the stretch cluster scenario?
ankur.patel
2 Intern
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286 Posts
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January 6th, 2015 07:00
Hello Will, while its true you cannot migrate distributed Volumes you CAN migrate the devices at each site of a distributed volume. A distributed volume is made up of 2 devices/extents at each site. So its a matter of creating a device/extent on the new array, presenting it to vplex , and doing a device/extent migration.
ankur.patel
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286 Posts
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January 6th, 2015 08:00
You are correct. The host is looking at the distribtued volume and has no idea of any of these movements going on.
WillSanders
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January 6th, 2015 08:00
Ok, so to continue your thinking, if you were replacing both arrays, you would then do the same with LUN C, and use a local mobility job to move to C1.
During this time the distributed volume would stay up?
WillSanders
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January 6th, 2015 08:00
Ankur,
Two questions for you then:
1. What commands would you use for the extent/device mobility?
2. Based on a pervious conversation we had, this still doesn't work to increase the size of a distributed volume, correct?
Thanks,
Will
ankur.patel
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January 6th, 2015 09:00
2) you are correct
1) In the admin guide it has a section on a one time migration that lists all the steps using the CLI, let me know if you dont have the admin guide
WillSanders
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January 6th, 2015 09:00
Thanks Ankur. I'll look it over and do some testing. I appreciate the help.
ankur.patel
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286 Posts
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July 18th, 2015 14:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVq41NzxyLA
here is a video on this
sunrise21
1 Message
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July 18th, 2015 15:00
Hello Ankur,
I am trying to claim storage from VNX ClARiiON Array. I do have a mapping
file. Is just that whenever i browse and upload the mapping file i get an
error saying the name provided for mapping file is invalid. Do you have any
suggestions.
Thanks,
On Sat, Jul 18, 2015 at 5:57 PM, ankur.patel
ThomDaleyPPI
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108 Posts
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July 20th, 2015 06:00
Do you remember what you typed to create the mapping file?
Thom
Thulasibabu
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August 4th, 2019 23:00
Hi Ankur,
Thanks for sharing vedio; I have few queries on this; after slecting the device lun in source during mobility inside the cluster; in target nothing showing; I have site-A with VNX5300 and Site-B with VNX5400; in VNX5300 created new LUN and visible in VPLEX as storage volume; I have not created device lun for newly created LUN; will it possible to migrate same VNX5300, one lun to other new lun? if yes, then why it not displayed in target;
Please help me;