Re: NPIV support in NetApp software products

rdenyer001 · ‎2011-05-04

Is there a single web site or document that lists what NetApp software is "compatible" with NPIV?

Have seen some comments that indicate that SDW is not.

It would also then follow that any Snap Manager product that relies on SDW is not going to work with NPIV ?

Regards,

Richard

aborzenkov · ‎2011-05-04

I think you need to give more details. Are you asking about NPIV support in ESX servers?

rdenyer001 · ‎2011-05-05

Not sure it does need any further clarification

(NPIV) is a Fibre Channel technology now supported by a number of x86 virtualization vendors e.g.VMware, Microsoft, Citrix.

Yes most people are using VMware but there are those that choose to use other technologies.

In fact the question that start off this question came from a customer who is using Citrix Xen Server.

Regards,

Richard

aborzenkov · ‎2011-05-05

If the question is about FC technology, why should it not be supported? For NetApp it is just another initiator WWPN to map; NetApp is not even aware about NPIV used somewhere on access path.

In fact I have several configurations which use leaf switches in access gateway mode which effectively means NPIV on core switches.

rdenyer001 · ‎2011-05-06

the question is not about FC technology its about how you're able to use it, particularly in virtual environments.

There are several other posts in this forum wihch relate to this question - e.g. Can Snap Drive be used in an ESX environment with NPIV.

Some where in this forum there is an answer that says its not.

Therefore you would need to be aware of that fact if you had planned to use NPIV in ESX.

I, along with others have not found a definitive answer to this question.

All my original post was asking was if there was somewhere where this question could be answered.

Regards,

Richard

watan · ‎2011-05-23

Hi Richard,

Unfortunately SDW does not support NPIV and its not on the roadmap for the next release.