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Rami_Nasser1's avatar
Rami_Nasser1
Level 6
13 years ago
Solved

zoning Architecture

Hi All ,

Could any body provide me with the zoning Architecture between the datasores LUN's and the VMware Backup host HBA?  Any official article or document will be good.

- Linux Vmware backup host ( appliance)

-for windows it is clear but for linux machine not!!

what is main concept of this Architecture.

I know that zoning is type of direct SAN connection (path) between the LUN's and the backup host wher the data store should be visible to the VMware backup host .From the appliance I can see the wwn of the datastores but the path is not shown.Is it mandatory the path should be shown too beside seeing the device?

7.5
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
NetBackup Appliance
  • RLeon's avatar
    RLeon
    12 years ago

    Having zoned the Appliance and the SAN storage device together does not necessarily mean the specific LUNs you required are presented. It just means the Appliance has a path(s) to the SAN storage device, as shown in your screenshots.

    Can you verify by looking at the EVA / 3PAR configuration interfaces that it really has presented the VMware Datastore LUNs - via the already established zoning paths - to the Nbu Appliance? I think HP calls this "exporting" LUNs to a host, or something. Please post the screenshots of the EVA / 3PAR config interface that shows this, if possible.

    The reason why I'm asking is because your SAN people told you that it was a "security risk to give you such access". So they might have done the zoning for you (begrudgingly), but not the LUN presenting/exporting.

     

     

    The vmdk snapshots you wish to backup via SAN Transport must exist in the Datastore LUNs that the Appliance has SAN visibility to.

     

     

    could you give more details about this and how it related to zoning with the appliance?

    For one, if ESX hosts are running their VMs off NFS connections to the storage (I.e., NFS Datastores), then SAN Transport backup is not possible.

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Correct. Manual only says:

     

    The backup host must have access to the datastores of the virtual machines.
    and:
    Figure 1-2 shows a NetBackup for VMware environment on a SAN. The backup
    host accesses the VMware datastore directly over the SAN.
    and
    To use the SAN transport type, set up the datastore on Fibre
    Channel or iSCSI. In this configuration, the VMware backup host must be
    able to access the datastore over the SAN.
    Note: The NetBackup appliance does not support iSCSI.
    plus
    ■ Ensure that the hardware and the SAN are configured properly. The VMware
    datastore where the target virtual machine files exist must be accessible to
    the VMware backup host.
    Note:ASANconnection between the backup host and the datastore is optional
    if you use the NBD transfer type or NBDSSL transfer type.
    ■ VMware has specific hardware and configuration requirements. VMware SAN
    requirements can be found in the appropriate VMware SAN Configuration
    guide.
     
    My logic says to me that zoned datastores should be visible at OS level, i.e. /dev/sd entries for the luns.
     

     NetBackup never mounts the VMDKs anywhere. It is reading at the raw disk read performance while enabling granular recovery using a time tested mapping technology known as Veritas Mapping Services (VxMS).

    and here: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/nuts-and-bolts-netbackup-vmware-netbackup-5220-and-sles-based-backup-hosts#comment-7970251 

     No special configuration is required in most cases. All that you do is to add the FC adapters World Wide Names to SAN such that it can see the datastore LUNs. Use your favorite device scanning tool (or just do cat /dev/scsi/scsi) to make sure that your SLES media server can see datastore LUNs. 

      You may need to adjust max_scsi_luns if you have large number of datastore LUNs. I believe (don't quote me on this) the default number of maximum scsi LUNs for SLES is now 512. This is enough in many cases. 

  • Rami_Nasser1's avatar
    Rami_Nasser1
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Thanksssssssss alot for your efforts

    please find attached snapshots. could you see any thing wrong in the zoning here!!

    are the path should be visible?

     

    Regards,

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Sorry, I don't have access to our demo unit right now to compare.... 

    Screen shot is also difficult to read (please rather copy text in future).

  • Yasuhisa_Ishika's avatar
    Yasuhisa_Ishika
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    What type of storage are you using as datastore? 3PAR is listed, but it isn't datastore storage, right?

    If port WWN is present, it is possible that LUNs is not present to appliance at storage side. Please check if datastore LUNs are mapped to this port WWN and if acccess from appliance's port WWN is allowed.

  • Rami_Nasser1's avatar
    Rami_Nasser1
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    - storage type :3PAR and EVA from HP

    you are right .It is shown as device for this I'm fighting with the customer about this but the path is not shown or mapped .As I mentioned  before when I'm running command lsscsi it showing that no path (see snapshot attached)

    -SAN team confirmed that there are no previliges for zoning.

     check if datastore LUNs are mapped to this port WWN and if acccess from appliance's port WWN is allowed.

    do you mean  to run cat /dev/scsi/scsi as mentioned in Marriane post or there other command showing the mapped path.

    the conclusion is that the device is visible to the appliance but the path not mapped to be able to access the VMKD files and read the data inside the LUN's !!!!

     

  • Yasuhisa_Ishika's avatar
    Yasuhisa_Ishika
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    What I suggested in previous post is that the storage used for datastore does not provide any LUNs to the appliance. Modern storage system has its own ACL and mapping mechanism, and it can control which port in SAN can accesss which LUNs in backing store.

    I'm not sure 3PAR and EVA have such functionality, but it is worth to check. It is better to ask storage admin or HP engineer to check and review LUN configuration.

  • Andrew_Madsen's avatar
    Andrew_Madsen
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    You do have masking and mapping inside the 3PAR as well as the EVA, However I have yet to see the zones here. Can your SAN administrator send you the zone information this device is a member of?

  • Rami_Nasser1's avatar
    Rami_Nasser1
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    What I suggested in previous post is that the storage used for datastore does not provide any LUNs to the appliance

    Ok , but do you have any idea how  the LUN's should be appear inside the appliance?

    Here is the issue that I could not see any LUN's ,only device!! 

    Modern storage system has its own ACL and mapping mechanism, and it can control which port in SAN can accesss which LUNs in backing store.

    I believe that SAN team should know this mechanism not me .I provided them all documents reletaed to our backup requirment,but they still not understanding what needed.

    I explained them many times the same thing that all datastores (LUN's should be visible to the VMware backup host and this host should be able to enter the LUN's and can read and get the snapshot from there.if there are any read /write permission .it should be given . the path between the storage and appliance should exist and visible.

    Regards,

  • Yasuhisa_Ishika's avatar
    Yasuhisa_Ishika
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Ok , but do you have any idea how  the LUN's should be appear inside the appliance?

    Sorry, I have no NetBackup Appliance in my lab so I can not confirm that.
    But, by device naming, Applicance is based on Linux(SUSE?). LUN should be visible as /dev/sgX if zoning is correctly done AND LUNs are serviced to Appliance's port as soon as LUNs are present in SAN. Or please reboot appliance if possible. LUNs must be  recognized after reboot if LUNs are present on Appliance.

    Well, storage ports are visible from Appliance, so zoning have been already done correclty. But it is still possible that storages does not serve any LUNs to Appliance. It depends on storage configuration. If storage administrators want to allow minimam access to datastore LUNs when initial setup of storages for VMware datastore, they might configure storage ACL or LUN mappings so as to only ESX hosts can access datastore LUNs.

    Is SAN team responsible for both SAN switch and 3PAR/EVA configuration, or only for SAN switch? Please ask who is responsible for 3PAR/EVA configuration in this site to check which posts(WWN) can access datastore LUNs.