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I am looking to install a c7000 into an existing SAN using Brocade 4GB SAN switches, two BL480c servers, connecting to an EVA4000. Can anyone advise on best practice for connecting the brocade ports into the SAN for connectivity and resillience
Ta

MArk

Hi Mark,

You will need at least one 2 port QLogic, or Emulex mezzanine card in each server.
Re SAN switches, I assume you are using the embedded c-Class Brocade switches, in which case to utilise both ports on the mezzanine cards you will need to place your switches in bays 3, and 4, 5 and 6, or 7 and 8 (Interconnect bay positions are dependant on mezzanine card positions in the server).
As regards the Server, and SAN facing ports, the switches use "Dynamic Port Selection" on a first come first served basis (you may need additional licensing to use all 24 ports, that's 16 internal, and 8 external SAN facing). If you are only deploying two server nodes, you should have enough spare ports to connect to external storage, or other infrastructure switches using ISL's.

Hope that helps.

Regards

Paul

Many thanks, We did not purchase the Power Pack option so ISL not available, have been looking at the Access Gateway option, any ideas, pros and cons? Seems far easier way of getting onto existing SAN

Hi Mark,

Think you will find that the Power Pack option allows for ISL trunking (port aggregation for increased bandwidth), so you could take a single link from each embedded switch to say infrastructure switches.
Access Gateway mode supports NPIV (Node port aggregation), and in doing so the switch functions as a pass thru device and NOT a switch (it's transparent to hosts and fabric alike). On the plus side, you can map server nodes to specific switch uplink ports incorporating failover, and the device does not consume a Domain ID.
Arguments against: does not support ISL port trunking, extended distances, or dynamic path selection, and you need at least one external FC fabric switch..........

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Paul