Zoning for multiple arrays

[simon.geary]

Hi,

I am setting up an MDS switch with several hosts and two separate storage arrays. All hosts need to be zoned to both the storage arrays. What is the recommended way to zone this?

1. Stick with single initiator zoning and have one zone per host containing all the target ports from both arrays
   
2. Create two zones for each host with the target ports from the two arrays split into different zones but the same initiator port in each zone
   
3. Something else entirely?
   

Thanks

[Vincent Jamart · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon,

Please refer to following document: "Zone Member Configuration Guidelines":

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/sw/4_1/configuration/guides/cli_4_1/zone.html#wp1967293

For a zone with N members, N*(N-1) access permissions (TCAM's) need to be enabled.

The best practice is to avoid configuring large number of targets and or or large numbers of initiators in a single zone.

Such configuration wastes switch resources by provisioning and managing many communicating pairs (initiator-to-initiator or target-to-target) which will never actually communicate with each other.

The following guidelines must be considered when creating zone members:

-Configuring only one initiator and one target for a zone provides most efficient use of

the switch resources.

-Configuring the same initiator to multiple targets is accepted.

-Configuring multiple initiators to multiple targets is not recommended.

In my opinion, I'll create one zone for one initiator and N ports on the first storage array, and a second zone for the same initiator and N ports on the second storage array: option 2 from your questions.

Best Regards,

Vincent

[simon.geary]

Thanks a lot for the answer