DMP, MPIO, MSDSM, SCSI-3 and ALUA configuration settings

Hi scogeb,

The Symantec DMP requires that the MIcrosoft Multipathing feature be installed.  This feature from Microsoft installs the frame work for MPIO and the Microsoft DSM. 

Our DMP solutions installs our developed DSMs for the arrays that we support.  The Microsoft DSM is designed genericaly to work with many different arrays and the Symantec DSMs are designed and optimized to work with specific arrays. 

Symantec's DMP does support many NetApp arrays running in ALUA mode.  Please check our HCL to ensure that your specific array is listed as supporting mode "A/A-A".  I do not know if the Microsoft DSM support ALUA mode or not.  You would need to check with Microsoft for the details on what their DSM supports.

As best practice, if the disks have data on them, then single path your environment before install or uninstalling DMP.  This will avoid data corruption that can be caused by the drives being accessible via multiple paths without a DMP software controlling the flow of I/O to the disks. 

If there is no data on the volumes, then you can have multiple paths to the storage.  However, it is suggested to format (quick or full) after installing DMP and rebooting to ensure that the filesystem is clean before putting data on the volumes.

Thank you,

Wally