SMI-S and roles

stephen2615 · ‎10-05-2008

Greetings,

I am using an app based on APPIQ that uses SMI-S and found that the user I had to use needed a network admin role for priviliges to do what it needed to do. I originally tried network operator but it completely ignored that user as it could not even get enough information to populate its data. Same for SNMP.

Would anyone care to share any (hopefully success) stories on SMI-S? Also be warned that SAN-OS 3.3 and above uses SMI-S 1.2.0 which will probably mean an (in my case, a major) upgrade for your SMI-S software. What happened with backward compability? Whats NX-OS 4.1 going to be like?

Give me SNMP any day.

Stephen

drolemc · ‎10-10-2008

The Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) uses an object-oriented model based on CIM to define a set of objects and services that can manage elements of a SAN. By using a standardized architecture, SMI-S helps management application developers create common and extensible applications that work across multiple SAN vendor products.

SMI-S provides a set of standard management objects collected in a profile. Several profiles are defined in SMI-S that cover common SAN elements, including switches, fabrics, and zoning. These standardized profiles insure interoperability across products within the SAN. SMI-S also defines an automated discovery process, using SLPv2. SMI-S uses CIM defined by the DMTF as part of the WBEM

Cisco NX-OS Software is designed for data center switches to create a strategic platform with superior reliability, performance, scalability, and features.

In addition to providing all the essential features that the market expects of a storage area network (SAN) switch, Cisco NX-OS Software provides many unique features that help the Cisco MDS 9000 family deliver low total cost of ownership (TCO) and a quick return on investment (ROI).

For Further information click this link.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/storage/san_switches/mds9000/sw/san-os/smi-s/developer/guide/overview.html

stephen2615 · ‎10-10-2008

I admire the glossy response but it does nothing to offer any assistance. I know the app I use is relatively rare and there are not many decent apps that actually make use of SMI-S features. All the vendors who offer SMI-S probably only do it because it is a standard that had to be had. I have a diverse number of SAN related products and so far, I am not satisified with any SMI-S solution. Cimserver probably does a good job of providing information but I would not use my app to do any zoning as it does not really understand VSAN's.

Its like the standard for FCoE that is not a standard yet but is being sold. I have yet to see T11.org actually say anything concrete but thats not going to stop me from buying it.

Stephen