Adding new ds14mk2 shelf to FAS2050

[mpait_netapp]

Hi

I'm quite new to this, so please bare with me.

We have a NA2050 connected to a Brocade 300 SAN switch. We have fibre ports Oa and Ob on each of the two controlers going into the 2 seperate switch controllers on the Brocade for resilliance.

We've just bought a DS14MK2 shelf.

Can i attach to the shelf through the Brocade switch (and if so how?), or do I have to go through the NA2050 and add it as a loop?

Thanks

Chris

[ekashpureff · Accepted solution]

Chris -

It sounds like you have your existing FC ports configured as SAN targets.

They can't be used as initiator ports to talk to the new drive shelf.

You'll need to connect the new shelf to other initiator ports.

Do you have your single PCI slot free ? You could install a FC initiator card there...

I hope this response has been helpful to you.

At your service,

Eugene E. Kashpureff
ekashp@kashpureff.org
Fastlane NetApp Instructor and Independent Consultant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenekashpureff http://www.kashpureff.org/

(P.S. I appreciate points for helpful or correct answers.)

[mpait_netapp]

Hi Eugene

How can I check to see how the existing ports are configured?

Do you know if it is possible to connect the new shelf to the Brocade SAN switch and tell the filer where to look for it?

I'm guessing the setup we need is as per the attached file?

Thanks

Chris

[ekashpureff]

You can use the 'fcadmin config' command to determine the configuration ( initiator or target ) for FC ports.

On board FC ports can also be re-configured to be initiators or targets using the 'fcadmin config' command - see the man pages.

Add on cards are factory configured to be initiators or targets.

Initiator ports could be configured through a switch, given correct zoning and the ability to do loop login on the switch, but it's not a standard config.

( not a supported configuration ). Shelves are connected through switches when deploying fabric attached Metro Cluster, but that's not what you're doing here.

I hope this response has been helpful to you.

At your service,

Eugene E. Kashpureff
ekashp@kashpureff.org
Fastlane NetApp Instructor and Independent Consultant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenekashpureff http://www.kashpureff.org/

(P.S. I appreciate points for helpful or correct answers.)

[aborzenkov]

AFAIK connecting shelves via switch is not supported, irrespectively of port mode. The only case when shelves are connected to switches is MetroCluster, which is restricted controlled environment.

It may appear to work, but I would really speak with NetApp representative regarding future support of such configuration.