NPIV and LAN-Free-Backups?

[emba]

hi,

we plan to upgrade to v3.5 fairly soon. For several reasons we do not use VCB. Is my understanding of NPIV (N-Port-Virt.) correct that one can use it to map FC-tape-libs into VMs to make them directly "speak" to the library? In the SAN-Guide they only explain the usage of NPIV and RDMs...

Hope someone can enlight me

Thx!

[mreferre]

That is not the purpose of NPIV. The purpose of it is that the VMKernel will present a VM on the FC fabric as if it has its own FC WWN. In reality the vm doesn't have a virtual FC adapter (other common misunderstanding). It's just meant for the SAN admin to be able to "view" the vm as if it was a physical server with its own physical FC HBA and WWN.

Being able to "attach" a tape to the vm directly is not a common/best practice and most likely will not be in the future (based on the path this industry is moving along)

Massimo.

[mpverr]

You sure about that? I would have thought that 'pass through' HBA would be the next common step. In this case, the HBA is exposed to any given VM and thus has it's own WWN presentation, thus enabling the VM to truely be aware of the SAN (and the fiber cards). Once that is in place then you could litterally get rid of all LAN based backups and perhaps this is the route we will see VCB also head.

[mreferre]

Well no I am not "sure" about that .... in fact I should have pointed out more clearly that this is where I think the industry is heading based on my point of view.

The reasons for which I am saying that are listed in this post on my blog:

If I knew what would come next ...... well I'd be rich.....

Massimo.