VMAX 10K SE port connectivity

By adding SRDF configurations, six more supported port combinations are possible. Notice when SRDF is assigned to a Fibre Channel port, the adjacent port is not used for host connectivity. Also, when a Fibre Channel I/O Module is supporting both SRDF and host connectivity the SRDF port will typically be assigned to H0 first, then F0.

Two Front End I/O Modules are directly attached to each director. The Fibre Channel and FICON Front End I/O Modules support the interface to a host or switch connection. A Front End I/O Module supports 4 Fibre ports, each port operates at 4Gb/s and are capable of negotiating down to 2Gb/s. The GigE Front End I/O Module supports the interface to an iSCSI host or SRDF (GigE) connection to one or more Symmetrix V-Max arrays. A Front End I/O

Module supports two GigE ports, while each individual port is able to operate at 1Gb/s.

Storage Optimization for SRDF

The module for SRDF is appropriate for environments using EMC's Symmetrix Remote Data Facility

(SRDF) with DMX and V-Max storage arrays when the traffic is originated directly from GigE ports on the arrays (also known as RE ports). When in this configuration, the SRDF traffic appears on the network

immediately as TCP.

Note: Environments with SRDF traffic originated via Symmetrix fibre channel ports (RF ports) require configuration of the RiOS FCIP module, not the SRDF module.

All configuration for SRDF must be applied on the Steelhead appliance closest to the Symmetrix array that opens the SRDF TCP connection by sending the initial SYN packet. If you are unsure which array initiates the SYN in your environment, Riverbed recommends you apply module configuration to the Steelhead appliances on both ends of the WAN

Configuring the Base SRDF Module

Enable the base SRDF module by entering the following command:

protocol srdf

By default, the SRDF module is disabled. When only the base SRDF module has been enabled, all traffic on

the well-known SRDF TCP destination port 1748 is directed through the module for enhanced header

1. isolation. In most environments using SRDF only between DMX arrays or V-Max-to-DMX, no further SRDF

module configuration is required beyond enabling the base module.

If an environment used one or more non-standard TCP ports was for RE-originated SRDF traffic, the

module can be configured to handle traffic on additional ports by entering the following command:

protocol srdf ports

Where is a comma-separated list of TCP ports. Prefix this command with no to remove one or

more TCP ports from the list of those currently directed to the SRDF module.

Observing Current Base SRDF Module Settings

Show current base SRDF module settings by entering the following command:

show protocol srdf settings

This command shows whether the module is currently enabled or disabled, and on which TCP ports the

module is looking for SRDF traffic.

Observing SRDF Connections

The Current Connections report shows optimized connections with the App label for each connection

shown as SRDF, if the base SRDF module is enabled and connections are established. If the report shows a

connection's App as TCP, the module is not used and the configuration must be checked.

show connections

T Source Destination App Rdn Since

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

O 10.12.254.80 4249 10.12.254.102 1748 SRDF 82% 2010/03/09 16:35:40

O 10.12.254.80 4303 10.12.254.202 1748 SRDF 83% 2010/03/09 16:35:40

O 10.12.254.180 4250 10.12.254.102 1748 SRDF 85% 2010/03/09 16:35:40

O 10.12.254.180 4304 10.12.254.202 1748 SRDF 86% 2010/03/09 16:35:40

Configuring SRDF Module Rules

An environment that has RE-originated SRDF traffic between V-Max arrays requires additional

configuration beyond enabling the base module. Specifically, the SRDF protocol implementation used to

replicate between two V-Max arrays employs an additional Data Integrity Field (DIF Header), which further

interrupts the data stream. For Open Systems environments (such as Windows and UNIX/Linux), the DIF

Header is injected into the data stream after every 512 bytes of storage data, and for AS/400 environments

it is injected after every 520 bytes.

Note: SRDF module rules are only required for V-Max-to-V-Max traffic.

If your environment includes RE-originated SRDF traffic between V-Max arrays, the module can be

configured to look for DIF Headers by entering the following command:

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip dst-ip dif difblocksize

For example, if the only RE-originated SRDF traffic in your environment is between V-Max arrays, you can

allow for isolation of DIF Headers on all SRDF traffic by modifying the default rule as follows:

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 0.0.0.0 dst-ip 0.0.0.0 dif enable

Environments that have a mix of V-Max-to-V-Max and DMX-based SRDF traffic require additional

configuration, since Steelhead appliances need to be informed where DIF Headers are expected. This

configuration is made based on RE port IP addresses.

Assume your environment contained RE-originated SRDF traffic mostly between DMX arrays but also

some between a pair of V-Max arrays. Assume the V-Max array in the primary location had RE ports of IP

addresses 10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2 and the V-Max array in the secondary location had RE ports of IP addresses

1. 10.5.5.1 and 10.5.5.2. The pre-existing default rule tells the module not to expect DIF Headers on all REoriginated

SRDF traffic. This allows for correct handling of the main DMX-based SRDF traffic. To obtain the

desired configuration, enter the following commands to override the default behavior and perform DIF

Header isolation on the V-Max SRDF connections:

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 10.0.0.1 dst-ip 10.5.5.1 dif enable

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 10.0.0.1 dst-ip 10.5.5.2 dif enable

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 10.0.0.2 dst-ip 10.5.5.1 dif enable

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 10.0.0.2 dst-ip 10.5.5.2 dif enable

When configured, the SRDF module looks for a DIF Header after every 512 bytes of storage data, which is

typical for an Open Systems environment. If your environment uses AS/400 hosts, rules that use the difblocksize

to inform the module to look for a DIF Header after every 520 bytes of storage data. Enter the

following command to modify the default rule to look for DIF Headers on all SRDF traffic in a V-Max based,

AS/400 environment:

(config) # protocol srdf rule src-ip 0.0.0.0 dst-ip 0.0.0.0 dif enable dif-blocksize 520

Observing Current SRDF Rule Settings

To show the current SRDF module rules, connect to the Steelhead CLI and enter the following command:

show protocol srdf rules

This shows each rule currently configured, whether DIF Header isolation is enabled or disabled for that

rule, and how much storage data is expected before each DIF Header in traffic matching that rule.

Hi Ramon,

Thanks for your Feedback, but we have a situation here. The SE ports/GigE ports have been configured with IP addresses., but they do not act as an SRDF. 

Also symcfg discover command does not bring the remote array. since both GigE ports are connected to same LAN having local 1G0 port 172.24.24.1 and remote 1G0 port 172.24.24.2.

We do not have experience on setting SRDF on VMAX 10K model, and things are not getting clear.

Unfortunately we do not have a steelhead appliance, so the commands cannot be executed. 

Kindly advice is we are missing something to configure SRDF on 10K.

Hi.

Most importantly,you need  SRDF license: 

http://support.EMC.com, as directed on your License Authorization Code (LAC)

And after you need to change these ports for RE type.

Both steps already done. But remote array is not being discovered as yet.

Arsalan, 
Don't you have to configure the BIN file when you add the SRDF license?
If you do a do a symcfg list -ra all -sid XXXX 
does it show your CMAC as having remote adapters available and configured as SRDF?
Also symcfg list will show you all of the settings in the BIN file that are currently set for RDF.   Maybe one of those is not flip correctly?

Hope this helps.

hi JGroce,

yes, everything configured and up and running. We configured RE then all started to fly

Now we are in other issue. we are trying to create srdf pair from Univmax but it does not establish, so we have taken up this issue with support.

thanks all for your kind support