IBM DS4300 6LU/6LX and IBM pseries with AIX 5.3 1

[marecek2]

Hello,

a)
It is possible to use IBM DS4300 (6LU/6LX - single controller)in this configuration:
IBM pseries with AIX 5.3 equipped with one FC HBA and connected directly thru FC loop to one host port on DS4300 controller ??? (it means - without any failover paths)

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b)
Or it is not possible - and I need to buy upgrade kit : IBM DS4300 Model 6LU/6LX Upgrade (IBM P/N 24P8963) - then it will be model 60U/60X - with dual controller + need to buy another FC HBA and install it to my IBM pserier / or do no buy FC HBA but buy FC switch ???

Thanks / Marek

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

a) is possible but not advised!

 

[p5wizard]

If you only have one server to attach to the DS4k, then I don't see the need for a FC switch. (For redundancy, you'd even need to buy 2 FC switches...)

Two FC adapters in the pSeries, each hard wired (FC point-to-point) to one of the DS4K host ports (choose 2 host ports on different DS4k controllers!) should be fine: lowest cost solution with failover capability.


HTH,

p5wizard

 

[marecek2]

Hi p5wizard,

yea I have only one pseries I would like to connect to DS4k.
My DS4k is 6LU/6LX model with just one DAC (there are 2 host ports).
And FC HBA I have is single port.
now I'm little bit of (was all day with my wife - our son was born ;-) )

A)
So all I need is to buy second FC HBA and connect it to second host port on my current DAC ??

or

B)
I need to buy second FC HBA and upgrade kit for DS4k to have 60U/60X - with two dac's and then connect one FC HBA directly to host port on one dac and second FC HBA directly to host port on second dac ?

Best regards / Marek

 

[p5wizard]

Hi Marek,

Congratulations! I hope all is well with mother and child.

I'd go for B) to eliminate as many single points of failure as possible. 2HBAs - if one goes down, you'll have the other. 2 DACs - if one isn't available (upgrade? replacement?), you'll have a path to the LUNs via the other. 2 mini-SANs (that's where normally the SAN switches go) - your 2 mini-SANs each consist of 1 cable and two ports - should be just fine. Now just make sure you put both pSeries HBAs in separate PCI buses. Google for pseries pci adapter placement to find out what&how.

In any case I believe A) isn't even supported.


HTH,

p5wizard

 

[marecek2]

Hi p5wizard,

yea all is ok with my family - this is our first baby ;-)

Thanks for your help - so I need to tell to company for which I work as a parttime that they didn't saved any money ;-)
Because I and dealer of IBM want to use dual DS4k model before and we recommended to buy dual one.
But they want to save money and bought somewhere else this single model ;-)
Ehm maybe to buy second FC HBA and upgrade kit for 6LU/6LX will be much more expensive ;-) ;-) ;-)
But it's not my problem - they did as many faults as it was possible ....

and it is nice to have super skilled friends as you ;-)

Best regards / Marek