Fabric 6248 with MDS

[anis_cisco]

Hello all,

We are in stage of inter-connecting single IBM V3700 SAN box with dual FI 6248 (Redundant) via single Cisco MDS 9000 SAN Switch with single UCS 5108 chasis.

We have four blades B200 M3 in UCS 5108. Blades DO NOt have local hard drives. Our requirement is to install hyperV/Windows on IBM storage.

I have completed the physical connections from IBM to MDS & MDS to FI 6248 & FI 6248 to dual Core 6509 VSS enabled.

I dont have issues with FI 6248 & LAN part, i have doubts on FI 6248 with SAN kindly advise.

FI 6248 are in default mode (End Host). Do i need to change FI on Switching mode ?
FI Unified ports connected to MDS are configured as FC Storage, Do i need to change to FC Uplink Ports ?
How does vNIC, vSAN (how many vSAN do i require), vHBA & Service Profile works to each other ? can any one advise please ?
What steps do we need to configure in FI & MDS so that we can utilize SAN Storage for hyperV/Windows installation ?

This is my first deployment of UCS 5108, apologize to asking basic questions.
 

Regards,

[conie saga]

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[anis_cisco]

Thank you walter,

I just heared from IBM team saying that only supported connectivity between IBM V3700 and MDS or UCS is via FCoE.

As per following MDS release notes, MDS 9148 does support Fiber Channel NOT Fiber channel over Ethernet.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/storage-networking/mds-9000-nx-os-software-release-5-2/product_bulletin_c25-639744.html

My MDS switch part number is DS-C9148D-8G16P-K9.

Can you verify the same please and if there is any possibility of configuring FCoE on MDS 9148 ?

Regards,

[Walter Dey]

MDS 9148 doesn't support FCoE; only the modular MDS systems do

You have 2 choices:

1) connect directly to UCS FI (eg. 6248), which requires, that you configure FI in FC switch mode

2) if you have a pair of N5K, you could connect the V3700 to N5k, and do multihop FCoE: UCS - N5k - IBM 3700

1) is definitely easier than 2), but we have to check interop matrix (only V7000 is there)

====================================================================================

I just heared from IBM team saying that only supported connectivity between IBM V3700 and MDS or UCS is via FCoE

I think this is a plain political game: according to

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg248107.pdf and Table 1.3

FC at 8G is available.

Show them http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx/Matrix1.html Table 1-3

which shows V7000 with FC support for MDS and N5k

=====================================================================================

I checked with http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic/interoperability.wss

V7000 is Midrange and is supported with FC AND FCoE

V3700 is Entry Lever and is only supported with FCoE

=====================================================================================

Q. Does your 3700 have a 8G native FC interface ?

I would maybe go for a RPQ process.

[anis_cisco]

Changing FI to FC Switch mode, what would be the impact & what changes needs to be done ?

Is it recommended & don't have issues ?

[Walter Dey]

You have to do it for both FI, and then it means a reboot.

But after that you have to adapt the Service Profiles, create VSAN's that directly attach the storage under storage cloud and select "FC zoning enabled"

Q. Do you have any other storage for which you require the SAN (MDS).

If yes, have a look at https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12259116/storage-hybrid-topology-ucs

[anis_cisco]

No we don't have other storage.

Only one IBM V3700.

Regards,

[anis_cisco]

Yes,

3700 have 8G FC interfaces.

[anis_cisco]

They said you require FCoE only for Hyper-V & Windows but if you have VMWare then FC is fine.

I didn't understand above :) regardless of Hyper-V or Operating System SAN should recognize blades because we haven't install any OS on blades yet. How SAN is recognizing that it has Hyper-V / VMware or Windows ?

As all baldes are on default.

[Walter Dey]

Sorry, but this absolut nonsense !

If they say FC is ok for VMware, they should do it !

I would insist that this problems are solved; avoiding the major redesign doing a direct attachment with FCoE.

Where in this planet are you ? if you want call me, we can discuss +41 79 301 84 37

[anis_cisco]

I told them same :) & they said its some thing related to VIC 1240 installed in UCS Chasis.

I am in Gulf Region (Bahrain) .. I am at customer site now, sure i am going to call you as i get free from here.

Regards,

Anis

+973 3958 3729