Presenting ESX Host LUN Host Ids to the VCB Proxy Server

[sysplex]

I have a typical scenario where I have 3 ESX Servers with 3x 800GB LUNs in a separate storage group on a CX 310 SAN box. The LUN Host Ids., of these 3 LUNs are 0, 1 & 2.

I have a specific host which boots from SAN, from the same CX 310 SAN box. At this point of time I have no choice but to utilize this host as the VCB-Proxy server. As far as my knowledge goes, the LUNs of the ESX servers should be made visible to the VCB Proxy server, as they are presented to the ESX Servers.

My doubt here is, since the designated VCB-Proxy server is booting from SAN, it already has a LUN Host Id 0 for the LUN it is booting from. The LUN Host Id of the first 800GB LUN in the ESX server storage group is also Host Id 0. Now, if I try to make the LUNs from the ESX storage group visible to the VCB-Proxy server, will there not be a clash of Host Id 0 of the VCB-Proxy and the Host Id 0 from the ESX LUNs? I'm confused, I do not have a test envirinment where I could try this before I could actually go ahead with any solution.

My intention is to perform a LAN-Free Backup of the VMDKs.

Any help is this regard is highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[depping]

Yes they should be. But VCB can also uses the NAA ID instead of the LUN Host ID which means you can use different Host IDs if you want to. Don't forget to disable disk resignaturing on your VCB proxy!

Duncan

VMware Communities User Moderator

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[sysplex]

Does "you can use different Host IDs if you want to" directly mean that I can make the ESX LUNs visible to VCB Proxy with a Host Id other than the ones that originally exist on the ESX Storage Group? This would precisely clarify my doubt. Moreover will I be able to use NAA ID instead of Host Id on a "CX 3-10f" SAN box?

[depping · Accepted solution]

1) yes you can have different host LUN id's for VCB then for your ESX hosts

2) yes you can use naa identifiers, it will automatically use naa identifiers, no need to configure anything at all.

Duncan

VMware Communities User Moderator

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[sysplex]

Thanks for your kind confirmation, the reason I wanted to confirm this was, I have the VCB-Proxy Server booting to SAN from the CX 3-10f with LUN Host Id 0 and I also have to present to the VCB Proxy server a set of 3 LUNs with Host Ids 0, 1 & 2 for the ESX servers from the very same CX 3-10f , of course from a different storage group. I request you to kindly give a final opinion/update on this scenario.

[mcowger]

Just assign your 3 ESX LUNs to the VCB proxy on LUN ID 1,2,3 (rather than 0,1,2). It will be fine.

--Matt

VCP, vExpert, Unix Geek

[sysplex]

Thanks for the response.