NPIV vs SAN client

[Michal_Mikulik1]

Hello,

I was asked by a potential customer about SAN client support in NPIV environment.

I see there is probably no sense for this question on a Media Server side, where FC ports should be dedicated to Fibre Transport and operating in target mode.

On a client side, we could have - for example - AIX LPARs running with virtual FC ports, with NPIV on physical port. I did not find any explicit statement about SAN Client/NPIV, but I see it should be supported - there is no special requirement for FC HBAs on a client side, and http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH162738 states that "All NetBackup components supported on physical media servers are supported on IBM AIX Virtual Machines ".

So when there is a physical port dedicated for FT, and virtual ports in VMs are associated with it, then SAN client shoud work from VMs inside.

Does anybody have some comments, or implementation experience with this?

regards

Michal

[sdo]

My understanding is that NPIV allows multiple WWPN to appear from a device to a SAN switch port, or allows a WWPN to float from device port to device port - i.e what appears to be a move from SAN switch port to SAN switch port As long as you zone to the required WWPN then you should be ok. NPIV had been around for some years now. I think you'll be unlucky if you find a connectivity scenario which has a problem with it. Personally, I've ever had a problem with NPIV in a mixed environment of HDS USP, HDS VSP, NetApp, EMC EDL, Quantum i6000 IOB storage to Brocade switches to Cisco UCS fabric extenders/blades, HP servers, Sun servers, and NetBackup appliances. But having said all that... I've not tried SAN FT client with servers utilising NPIV.

[Michal_Mikulik1 · Accepted solution]

There is a response from PM, so NPIV is not supported with SAN Cl:

You cannot use SAN Client when the physical FC card is logically splitted, the FC card unique WWPN and WWNN is now overwritten internally with newly generated IDs. There you do not have bandwidth control and things become a challenge.

Michal

[sdo]

Thanks for the update.  Just wondering if support gave you a tech note that covers this?

[Michal_Mikulik1]

Hello,

no (it was discussed not support, but with Product Mgmt).

Yes I thing there should be a KB.

Rgds

M.