Does PowerPath license included when we purchase a new Storage Array ?

Hi,

I think you need a special license for Powerpath/VE for VMware even if you purchase a new array.

Depending on your VMware utilization, you don't need to use PP for load balancing on VMware. Default native "load balancing" on VMware is enough for most case.

Hello,

   If your interested in what Powerpath/VE for VMware vSphere can do, have a look at the following Best Practises whitepaper:

http://powerlink.emc.com/km/live1/en_US/Offering_Technical/White_Paper/h6340-powerpath-ve-for-vmware-vsphere-wp.pdf?mtcs=ZXZlbnRUeXBlPUttQ2xpY2tDb250ZW50RXZlbnQsZG9jdW1lbnRJZD0wOTAxNDA2NjgwNDI1NGRhLGRvY3VtZW50VHlwZT1wZGYsbmF2ZU5vZGU9MGIwMTQwNjY4MDQyNzk3MF9Hcmlk

Hope this helps you decide.

Regards,

   Nollaig

1. each array normally comes with a basic version of PowerPath - this may be different for some of the lower-end models - check with your salesperson for the exact details. This "basic" version provides array failover protection - if an SP fails, PowerPath will failover. Generally this version allows one HBA and two paths to the array (SPA and SPB) and does not proivde load balancing.

2. default "load" balancing on ESX is limited to Round Robin - not really load balancing in the way that PowerPath load balances.

glen

The advantages of PowerPath/VE over VMware vSphere native multipathing are that it provides a unified, heterogeneous, and easy-to-use multipathing solution across virtual (and physical with PowerPath Multipathing) environments, and automated optimization of server, storage, and path utilization, PowerPath/VE provides the following advantages over VMware native multipathing:

• Dynamic, predictive load-balancing policies (PowerPath/VE has eight)
  
• Proactive disconnect
  
• Bus testing (array port)
  
• Monitor HBA status/latency
  

Multipathing features available for PowerPath/VE are:

• Dynamic load-balancing: Active/active, active/passive, and ALUA load balancing
  
• Dynamic path failover and path recovery
  
• Auto-restore of paths
  
• Visibility and access to native paths
  
• Device prioritization
  
• Automated performance optimization
  
• Monitor/report I/O statistics
  
• EMC Celerra, CLARiiON, Symmetrix, and non-EMC array support
  
• Automatic path testing
  

PowerPath/VE delivers the following key benefits:

• Automation: PowerPath/VE lets your customer automate optimal server, storage, and path utilization in a dynamic virtual environment to provide predictable and consistent information access—just set it and forget it. While native multipathing products require constant monitoring and manual rebalancing, PowerPath/VE automatically re-balances the I/O to maximize performance and availability.
  
• Improved performance: PowerPath/VE increases the number of always-active initiators, resulting in increased performance with multiple data streams per host. PowerPath/VE dynamically adapts to meet the sustained I/O performance required in Symmetrix VMAX environments with clustered VMware ESX server hosts and thousands of virtual machines.
  
• Simplified management: PowerPath/VE eliminates the need to monitor and rebalance the dynamic environment. It also reduces the number of multipathing software variants to manage across heterogeneous physical and virtual environments.
  
• Standardization: With the addition of PowerPath/VE, PowerPath unifies management of major server, operating system, and virtual platforms across virtual and physical environments. Rather than deploy and support a variety of point products, PowerPath/VE allows customers to standardize on a single multipathing solution across their entire environment.
  
• Protection: PowerPath/VE lets your customer insulate the VM guest operating system and applications from path management, and automatically detects and re-routes I/O in the case of a path failure to ensure that applications stay online. Since PowerPath Multipathing capabilities are added to the VMware kernel, the virtual machine guest operating system has no knowledge of PowerPath, and therefore applications running on the guest virtual machine are shielded from potential disruption.
  

PowerPath/VE will not be bundled with Celerra or CLARiiON arrays and must be purchased separately. PowerPath Multipathing will continue to be bundled with NX4, NS-120, CX4-120, and AX4 arrays.

Initially, I think vSphere only provides "Multipathing failover" but not "Load Balancing" function.

Thanks

Dear Jen,

We are going to migrate from CX3-20 to CX4-120, does it mean that we will get a full set (i.e. not basic) PowerPath/VE that can be applied to vSphere Hosts ?

Thanks again

did you purchase PowerPath/VE ? It's not "bundled" with CX4 arrays.

You can "trade-in" your existing PP windows/linux licenses for PP/VE. Talk to your sales team and they can get you the information. In some cases it could be free.

PowerPath/VE is not included in the CX-120 PowerPath bundle. The bundle includes PowerPath MultiPath for Windows/Linux and UNIX. PowerPath/VE is a seperate product that would need to be purchased.

Don't forget that you are supposed to have Enterprise Plus licenses of VMware to use PP/VE...and the plus isn't chump change either.  But if you already have the "Plus", the extra cost for PP/VE is worth it in my opinion.

Nice - didn't catch that one.  Been in the weeds too much for the past six months to notice.

Dan

Enterprise Plus is no longer a requirement, Enterprise is sufficient

http://virtualgeek.typepad.com/virtual_geek/2010/09/emc-powerpathve-54-sp2-vsphere-enterprise.html