09-04-2016 10:25 AM - edited 03-01-2019 12:52 PM
Hi Experts,
Please help me to understand VSAN deployment between FI and Nexus 5K over Traditional FC.
Should i use 2 different VSAN between FI and N5K or one VSAN on both side would be fine.
if there is any reference doc please send me link.
i would appreciate your responses.
Thanks
k
09-08-2016 01:21 AM
Hi
I assume you have 2 N5k ?
In any case, one would create a dual fabric: FI-A and N5k-A resp. FI-B and N5k-B;
In each fabric you create at least one VSAN, which should be different in fabric A and B.
Zoning is done per fabric and vsan
https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/11912046/configure-nexus-5548-native-fc
09-13-2016 09:22 AM
09-13-2016 10:01 AM
Hi Kshitij
Sorry for not being clear.
In the FC world, we talk about 2 separate / isolated fabrics.
This means: you create a VSAN eg. 10 on FI-A and N5k-A ; and another VSAN eg. 20 on FI-B and N5k-B.
Your server (service profile) has 2 vhba's, one in Fabric A (VSAN 10) the other one in Fabric B (VSAN 20).
Your storage is also dual homed to Fabric A (VSAN 10) resp. Fabric B (VSAN 20).
Zoning is done per VSAN !
09-13-2016 11:10 AM
Thanks a Lot for wonderful Explanation,but my query is why i need 2 VSAN if everything can work well if i use only 1 vsan within infrastructure.
is this a best practice to use 2 vsan or there are some benefits to use 2 vsan like fail over,load-balancing.
what i can not achieve if i use only 1 vsan.
09-13-2016 11:30 AM
Hi
This FC dual fabric is best practise / recommendation since 20+ years; it's done by IBM, EMC, HP, NetApp,....
see eg. slide 28 or 55 in
http://www.alcatron.net/Cisco%20Live%202013%20Melbourne/Cisco%20Live%20Content/Data%20Centre%20And%20Virtualisation/BRKCOM-2002%20%20UCS%20Supported%20Storage%20Architectures%20and%20Best%20Practices%20with%20Storage.pdf
If you have eg only one vsan, and someone plugs a cable between a FC port connecting the 2 N5k, you merge the 2 separate fabrics, which could end in a disaster.
If however, the ports are in 2 different VSAN's, fabric merge will not happen.
And please don't use VSAN id = 1 ; it's Special, cannot be deleted; all interfaces are basically in VSAN 1.
09-14-2016 08:14 AM
Thanks a Lot walter for your Time and sharing this doc.
Really a good technical presentation.
After reading this doc,now its clear -
1. I should use 2 vsan
2. i should also use san port-channel.
but i have 2 query-
1. should i use manually pin group on FI FC uplinks.
2. should i enable full zonset distribution when we have 2 different vsan on fabric.
Thanks
kshitij
09-14-2016 10:26 AM
1. I should use 2 vsan
Yes, minimum is one vsan per fabric ! you could have more, e.g. for separating Windows and Linux servers
2. i should also use san port-channel.
yes ! your FI should be configured as FC end host (default setting). and then on your N5k, you have to enable
1. should i use manually pin group on FI FC uplinks.
No, this is usually not done. automating pinning is the default !
2. should i enable full zonset distribution when we have 2 different vsan on fabric.
I assume, your FC fabric consists only of one switch (N5k), therefore it doesn't matter !
Please be aware, that there is FC NO link between the 2 N5k's
09-19-2016 11:06 AM
Thanks a Lot walter.
After reading your pointers and google search,i found out some learning,below is the summary -
1. i should use 2 vsan as best practice.
2. I should use device alias for zoning-
Query- As per the nexus doc we can create device alias in 2 manner,first as direct memeber of zone second create a device alias under fc-alias and add fc alias as member of zone.
Please suggest which one is good.
3. I should use F-port channel between UCS and nexus 5K
- As per the doc i should use seperate vsan on each FI and N5k and active mode on F-port channel.
on FI A side and nexus A side,i will enable vsan 100 on F port channel and on FI B side and nexus B side,i will enable vsan 200 on F port channel.
but reffering to below link,person has created 2 vsan on each Nexus and manually enabling vsan on each uplink.
https://virtuallymikebrown.com/2013/05/23/cisco-nexus-fibre-channel-configuration-template/
it is still confusing,how will it work.
please suggest.should i follow him.
09-19-2016 01:11 PM
2. I should use device alias for zoning-
yes ! there is also a fc-alias which works differently ! see e.g.
http://blog.scottlowe.org/2010/12/08/using-device-aliases-on-a-cisco-mds/
http://etctc.net/cisco/san/2015/08/26/Cisco-fcalias-or-device-alias/
http://lejyphilip.blogspot.ch/2012/08/dfference-between-fcalias-device-alias.html
https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/10425736/what-difference-between-fcalias-device-alias
3. I should use F-port channel between UCS and nexus 5K
yes !
on FI A side and nexus A side,i will enable vsan 100 on F port channel and on FI B side and nexus B side,i will enable vsan 200 on F port channel.
yes ! correct !
The reference https://virtuallymikebrown.com/2013/05/23/cisco-nexus-fibre-channel-conf... is totally misleading resp. wrong !
It shows a ISL link between the 2 MDS, trunking the 2 VSAN's of fabric A resp B. This would merge the 2 fabrics into one !
If you read the text carefully
.......So in short, this ISL is not needed. I’ll be removing it the next chance I get.......
09-20-2016 04:56 AM
Thanks Walter.
what is the use case of ISL.where should i use it.
As i know this is also use in ethernet to configure a trunk port to pass different vlans,but how it is related in san switch,where we can active only one vsan per switch.
confused.....
09-20-2016 06:19 AM
Hi Kshitij
In case of N5k
no FC ISL between switches ! this is the guarantee for a dual fabric !
yes Ethernet ISL/trunk between switches , vPC is the recommendation here !
Walter.
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