VSeries in front of EVA Cabling Query

[robbuxton]

Hi All,

We have a NetApp V3140 that is to server storage from an HP EVA 8000.

Looking at the fabric layout the NetApp docs for how the EVA is connected to the fabric conflict with the HP best practises and install docs.

The HP EVA8000 has two ports per controller that go to the fabric, labelled as FP1 and FP2.

In the NetApp docs FP1 for each controller goes to a separate fabric switch, as does FP2.

In the HP Docs FP1 for each controller goes to the same fabric switch and FP2 goes to the second fabric switch.

Does anyone have a set of diagrams that shows how there V-Series is linked to the fabric as well as their HP EVA?

The main reason for the question is that the netApp is showing an orange light and cabling has been suggested as an issue.

I don't really want to recable the HP EVA to fabric as that's where the bulk of my storage is and it would then conflict with the HP best practise.

cheers,

Rob.

[rkaramchedu1]

My suggestion for EVA-Switch connections would be to put all odd FPs on one fabric and all the evens on the other. FP1 & FP3 to switch1 and FP2 & FP4 to switch2. I don't have any diagrams to share with you, I must admit.

HTH

[robbuxton]

Thanks. We use FP3 and FP4 in for data replication. So they're not involved here.

Although we could use two of them if required for some kind of separation as seems to be in the NetApp docs.

[rkaramchedu1]

The Array LUN groups should have separate paths to the V-Series via separate fabrics. For two host ports per controller, following the EVA traditional practices and connecting FP1 of both controllers to switch1 and FP2 to switch2, then the array LUN group would not have EVA controller redundancy..

From an EVA standpoint, the (traditional) odd and even connections also look to spread their connections across the switches..I am no EVA expert, but I am wondering if below works (and supported). This *may* meet both the NetApp and EVA requirements.

SW1 - C1-FP1 -- C2-FP1 - SW2

SW2 - C1-FP2 -- C2-FP2 - SW1

[robbuxton]

Not sure if HP will support that. Plus I'm reluctant to start re-cabling my HP EVA to meet the NetApp requirements.

I'll try and look at the reference sites we were given to see if I can find any detail of how their cabling is mapped.

[dandillharsch]

We are font-ending an EMC SAN with a VSeries but same idea I would guess with your EVA.  Here's a picture of what our cabling looks like.  Fairly standard I would think if you need to be redundant at all levels of the fiber fabric.