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February 18th, 2016 05:00
EMC VNX Connectivity & Tools
Dear all
Today I did update a VNX 5300 in a midrange environment. I already did quite a lot of updates in ESXi environments but today there have been Windows and Linux systems as well. So i spent quite a long time analysing the connectivity of all those systems in the SAN (2x Brocade Fabrics).
After all I was sure that everything is going to be OK while the update is taking place and luckily everything went well. But I found different kinds of host implementations...
- Some of them are using ESXi built in Agents and Path Policies
- Some of them did not use MPIO so i did install Windows MPIO and EMC Host Agent, Server Utility and Power Path Admin
- Some of them did not have multiple HBAs
After all I was quite confused about software, agents and path policies and now I would like to ask you.....
- What does the (Windows) Agent really do and what not?
- Are there overlaps with Navisphere Server Utility?
- Can i use Navisphere Server Utility without the Agent?
- Why is there an Unmanaged in Status Tab even when there is an ESXi oder Windows Agent?
- What is the benefit of Powerpath?
- Is there some kind of Server Utility within ESXi as well? Covered by VMware Software?
- Is there powerpath for ESXi as well? Benefits? I Like the fact that even if you dont have a license i can check IOPS and paths with PowerPath Admin. Is there something similar for ESXi?
- Drawbacks if you dont use Utlity?
- Drawbacks if you dont use Agent
- Drawbacks if you don't use anything of those?
- What kind of software is within ESXi? Why is there no Agent information with ESXi host but status normal???
- MPIO for Windows sufficient?
- What does
- Manually registered mean?
- Remote agent confiugraiton not supported mean?
- Is there an automatically registred as well? Where is this coming from? Do I need to install the Agent first? Because for systems which have "Manually registered" the status did not change after installing Agent and Utility.
- How many links are active and used within VMware Round Robin and ALUA???
- Where is the prefered path policy coming from? What are the dependencies to use for example Round Robin with ALUA (4)? Recommendation for VMware? For Windows?
- How many links are active and used within Windows MPIO?
- How many links are active and used with Powerpath when licensed? When unlicensed??? Because i can see with the PowerPath Admimn that there are 4 Links but 2 are unlicensed? Do i need to uninstall PowerPath and let Windows MPIO the job do?
Well I know it is quite a bunch of questions but it was very interesting to deep dive into this today and i hope you can answer some of those qurstions to me.
Cheers and thank you
dynamox
9 Legend
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20.4K Posts
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February 21st, 2016 19:00
a lot of your questions will be answered in the host connectivity guides
https://support.emc.com/search/?text=host%20connectivity%20guide
RAHMAN_ARIFUR
16 Posts
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February 22nd, 2016 21:00
According to Dynamox for host connectivity please go through the doc which dynamox mention.
> For powerpath :It is a software for load balancing .While connect any host with storage you must should have at least two path. If one path is broken then other path will take care.so host will never connectivity from storage.here mention for multi pal
path you should used multiple hba and different I/O slot from storage side.
Some times few path may show unlic .in that time you don't need to uninstall powerpath . just follow the powerpath polices.check powerpath doc for set polices.for cx and vnx set polices co. hope u understand.
yes, for Esxi host powerpath is avaliable.
For host agent :If you install windows /solaris/linux/aix agent in that host then storage can communicate with host.if agent are install properly from storage side( "U" ) unmanaged Status will be there at storage.drawback
is with out installing agent it may show unmanaged.
R you using Navisphere or Unisphere for manage VNX ?i think for vnx you should install unisphere to manage the storage.
some times you may have to manually register the host please check from san switch configuration .
I hope i could clear your little doubt .
Dani_
15 Posts
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February 24th, 2016 03:00
Hi Duker,
Your questions: MPIO for Windows sufficient
I'm personally not a big fan of native Windows MPIO. Windows MPIO uses only 1 active path. So there is no load balancing. This could cause unreliable performance in a highly consolidated environment. Let’s say you have a 2 X 8GB FC uplink to your VNX5300 and 8 Windows hosts connected. And they are all using 1 of the 8Gb uplink paths. Then you would have the link doing nothing. Your need MPIO software which can load balance based on link load. PowerPath would be your best choice if money is not the issue here.
Regards,
Daniel
dynamox
9 Legend
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20.4K Posts
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February 24th, 2016 07:00
Daniel,
why do you think that native MPIO does not provide any load-balancing ? Is it as intelligent as PowerPath ? No ..but it does provide load-balancing capabilities. We ran a few good size SQL database and native MPIO has been performing well for us (VNX, VMAX2)
MPIO Policies
Dani_
15 Posts
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February 24th, 2016 10:00
Hi Dynamox,
You're totally right. I had it mixed up with the following:
"In addition to the support for load balancing provided by MPIO, the hardware used must support the ability to use multiple paths at the same time, rather than just fault tolerance."
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee619734(v=ws.10).aspx
Windows MPIO does support different Load balancing policy's.
brettesinclair
2 Intern
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715 Posts
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February 25th, 2016 01:00
Yep, I have a number of Windows boxes and find MPIO perfectly ok.
kelleg
4 Operator
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4.5K Posts
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February 26th, 2016 08:00
Of the questions you listed, do you still have questions that have not been answer yet?
glen