San & iSCSI HBA in same box

[Jae_Ellers]

Any reason not to do this? NetApp has told us they won't support a mix of iSCSI and FC in one ESX server. Can anyone think of a reason for this? Seems a little reactive to me.

I'd like to have a qlogic QLA-4052C and 2462 in my high end boxes to talk to the NetApp via iSCSI and the EVA8k over 4 Gb fiber.

[whynotq]

as iSCSI hardware initiator is experimentally supported maybe they are concerend about the interaction of the 2 different Qlogic drivers.

I know it might not be ideal for your environment but you might want to re-posistion it with netapp but substitute the Qlogic 2462 with an Emulex LP11002e just to see if this is thier line of resoning.

[Jae_Ellers]

According to VMware, the QLA4052C should go to production support based on the existing 3.0.1 code.

By this same logic, I couldn't use 2 different Adaptec local storage devices? Or 2 different nics?

So far I don't buy it.

I'd prefer to stick w/ Qlogics because that's all we have in all the other production systems.

[whynotq · Accepted solution]

I'd echo that, I use Qlogic when ever I can as they seem more stable. But Netapp need to explain thier refusal for your configuration, as the customer you have the power.

[acr]

Have they given a reason, next week we are putting an Qlogic 4052C and a Qlogic FC in one of our ESX 3 Boxes..

The ESX Server will be talking to a Equallogic PS300E and an IBM DS4300..

Only test and Dev though..!!

[whynotq]

Let me test it with EMC and see if e-lab navigator gives me an in-sight.

Let's try a CX300 + CX300i with the Qlogic HBA and iSCSI HW

as expected; e-lab navigator didn't like it either.

Message was edited by:

whynotq

[egarrison]

I don't know if NetApp supports it, but I am doing it. I am using the Emulex HBA that was purchased via NetApp. Then we connect ot iSCSI, but they are on seperate heads. We have a NetApp cluster environment and we stagger the HBA Storage to Head1 and iSCSI to the Partner Head. The MPIO for ISCSI does not work right on this server, so that could be the problem.

[Jae_Ellers]

VMware has said they'd support it. The boxes have now been running for a couple months with no issues.