FI or Nexus UP for storage

[eniola@ipconstruct.co.uk]

I am deploying a UCS C-Series with direct connect architecture using VIC 1225 cards and Nexus 5K to provide layer 3 services . 

My questions is do I use the Unified ports on the Fibre Interconnects to connect to the Fibre channel  storage Network  or do I buy a Nexus 5548UP and use unified ports on it to connect to storage . 

My thinking is why not use the FI storage ports  to save on cost and buy the 5548P Nexus without the Unified ports . Buying a 5548UP is simply paying for more Unified ports which I don't think I will need any time in the near future .

Why have Unified ports on the FI and the Nexus ports at the same time ? 

[Walter Dey]

Direct UCS storage attachment has pros and cons

Pros

cheaper

UCS team can do SAN task, not relying on SAN team (e.g. zoning)

CONs

UCS FI has to be in FC switch mode (reboot of the FI)

UCS FI FC switch functionality is not 100% identical with SAN-OS (MDS)

later migration to SAN is painful (e.g. FI reboot)

Summary

Direct attached storage is used only for lab setups, ev. SMB

Therefore I always recommend to use the N5k for storage, as it exists for Ethernet anyway.

PS.

To use unified ports (native FC, and/or FCoE) on the N5k you need a storage license.

On the UCS FI, you only need a valid port license.

There might be 2 different teams managing the N5k Ethernet resp. FC storage part, which could become a challenge

[eniola@ipconstruct.co.uk]

Thanks for the reply . I certainly missed out on the storage license for the 5k . 

I forget to mention , I will be connecting the Fibre Interconnect to a pair of  Brocade Fibre Channel switches ( Brocade 300) , so the storage is not exactly directly attached . 

Does this mean I can get away from purchasing N5K with Unified ports since I have existing Fibre channel Infrastructure I can re-use ? 

Customer wants a solution with minimal capital outlay but at the same time I want to build some flexibility as requirements have a way of changing over the long term.

[Walter Dey · Accepted solution]

Of course you can use the Brocade switches for FC (UCS FI will then be in FC end host mode = default). The N5k would be only used for Ethernet / IP (most likely in a vPC configuration).

With this you don't need FC license for the N5k, and a clear separation of FC and Ethernet management with 2 separat platforms (Brocade, N5k).

Brocade 300; please check the end of life announcements ? is this the model you use ?

http://www.brocade.com/en/backend-content/pdf-page.html?/content/dam/common/documents/content-types/end-of-life-notice/brocade-310-san-switch-eol-notice.pdf

Of course you could migrate the Brocade 300 later to the N5k.

[eniola@ipconstruct.co.uk · Accepted solution]

Yes indeed . This is the model I will be using , Its a short term arrangement until we upgrade.