VPLEX for Data Migration purpose only

My understanding is the purpose in using VPLEX for migration is to mitigate the issue of host disruption. Data Mobility solves that by not requiring host reboots or down time, due to the virtualization of the storage/luns.

In your proposed migration, you will have to un-present the volumes from VPLEX at some point, and this most definitely will impact hosts.

Using your prescribed method would be very disruptive to the hosts (and we haven't even mentioned the zoning that has to take place, and then removed - more effort) and if you don't mind that or that is part of your plan then OK, you have your answer - encapsulation, in reverse.

Yes, i agree with you: downtime is twice and lot of zoning works, etc.

I already explained this to customer.

Thanks!

Thank you!

We have successfully migrated more than 5000+ hosts from 3par, xp 24k etc to vmax 200k, vmax 40k and vnx in last 1 year using vplex extent level mobility jobs. All down time we require is once, just to reboot the server. Nothing much to worry about, migration process is clean with less down time.

Let me see if I could prepare a doc out of it.

High level process I would assume, existing array is zoned with vplex ports. below is what you have to do in arrays.

1. Present existing Luns to vplex > encapsulate them > Create extents>devices and VVs on top. ( Don't add it to the group)

2. Present New Luns to vplex,> Encapsulate>Create Extents. Don't create devices and VVs for new Luns.

3. Create new zones for hosts to vplex. (Don't activate new zones, just keep them ready.)

4. Discover initiators on vplex and ensure host is logged in.

5. Ensure multi-pathing tools and the add-ons are configured properly. (Don't worry unless you use windows MPIO)

Migration steps

6. Bring down host.

7. Disable Original Zone, ( Source array to Host) and activate new zones to vplex

8. On vplex, add VVs to storage view, add initiators and select desired port groups to make LUns visible.

9. Power on host, Original LUNs from Source array is still the ones host would see, but its via vplex. Since there is no change in disk signature, Host should come up with disks with out any issues.

10. Apps and other services can be started. Have any of the wintel/app team member check services and disk status.

11. Once all confirmed, you may kick off a extent mobility job to the new targets in vplex. Please note, Mobility job is transparent to the host. We don't have to bring down host again.

Just one query..

@step 3and 4

3. Create new zones for hosts to vplex. (Don't activate new zones, just keep them ready.)

4. Discover initiators on vplex and ensure host is logged in.

At step 4 did you mean to add initiators manually i.e how will they be visible without activating the zones to vplex.

Adding to above, I had prepared a doc which explains step by step procedure for vplex migration i did for https://finclan.com . PM me if anyone looking for it.

Also bear in mind that, following mobility operations, 'production' data is still present on the source devices or extents (by design, VPLEX never writes meta-data to LUNs). So, you may still be concerned with security and the electronic shredding of the source data.

(Just as a side-node, DELL/EMC Education have a 3-day VPLEX Management class; this class includes lab exercises to practice encapsulation and also extent/device mobility).

Hello Subhash, Can you please share the step by step doc with me for VPLEX Migration. I have a migration to do from VMAX40 to UNITY500 using VPLEX. Will really appreciate it.

Thanks

Manish

Can you please share the documents

Hi Subash,

Could you please send me the VPLEX migration document.

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Subash,

Can you please send me the VPLEX migration document.

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Dear Subah,

Could you please send a copy of the document you have prepared to my email address as well please.

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Thanks

@SubashKrishnan​

Could you please send me step by step vplex migration document. 

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