HP MSA 2012 FC

[ahmettufanguven]

Hi,

I read this document for MSA 2012 FC deployment for VMware ESX 3.5

I'm confused this read "While it is possible to directly connect servers to the MSA2012fc, VMware only supports switch-connected storage for VMware ESX.

To maintain a supported configuration, we must use Fibre Channel switches" (page 24)

I install same system for Vmware ESX 3.5 HA Cluster (two nodes) use IBM DS 3400 FC without SAN Switches. Without any problems..

I know VMware Support Direct Access for MSA 2012 fc and DS3400. ( Is this false ? )

Anyone install MSA 2012 FC without SAN switches for Vmware ESX 3.5 two node HA Cluster. (Please look at attachment)

Thanks for your comments.

Regards,

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Forums - I think the key word in that warning *is supports *meaning it probably will work but it is not a configuration supported by VMware - I say this because with ESX 2 this was supported -

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful

[Texiwill]

Hello,

While it will work, VMware itself does not support Point to Point topologies, nor does it support Arbitrated loop (which generally will not work). So you are looking at some form of switching fabric. Yet, point to point will most likely work but be unsupportable by HP and VMware.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll

Top Virtualization Security Links: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Top_Virtualization_Security_Links

[BUGCHK]

Direct connect does use FC_AL (Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop) protocol. As VMware does support direct connect with a number of storage arrays (no cluster support, though!), I think we can assume that 'Arbitrated loop' will work in those situations. If I understand the new table format correctly //sigh, I want

the old format back// the MSA2012fc is not supported (=no comitted help if there are problems) with direct connect.

I would not run without switches, but accept that is OK for small environments where cost is more important.

[svlad]

I've the same concerns. I want to deploy a 2 node VMWare ESX cluster (for VMotion, HA etc). I have 2 supported servers, with supported HBAs(2 ports each server) and 1 supported FC storage (Hitachi) with 2 dual-controllers, 2 port each. So I could build a no single point of failure storage system. I don't know if it will work.

All I found officialy was that HP white paper sayng it could work but it's not officialy supported.

I 've found also something in a SAN design guide for ESX about SAN boot which is not possible for direct FC attached storage (without envolving FC switches).

I'm really confused. If everything in the solution is on Wmware's HCLs why is not officialy supported ? I;m affraid to go on with the project without de FC switches. They are very expensive and I don;t have the budget

[BUGCHK]

> If everything in the solution is on Wmware's HCLs why is not officialy supported ?

Even if the hardware is on the HCL it does not mean that all possible configuration settings are supported by the vendors. Those are terribly complex beasts - no company can test all possible ways and deliver cheap & in time.