Best Way To Connect 6120 FICs And B250/200M2s To 2 SANs

[sevensixtwo187]

We have x2 6120 FICs  connected currently to an EMC CX4 via x4 FC links in the expansion module of each FIC. We have x2 FC links in each FIC left over.  We have a new VNX SAN and in order  to migrate our vSphere infrastructure from the old SAN to the new SAN, I  need some advice on the best manner in which to have the B250 M2s and  B200 M2s with their M81KRs be able to 'see' & communicate with both SANs in order to accomplish the migration.  I have seen some discussion on adding HBA's and 'pinning' them to the appropriate FC links & I have also seen some discussion about using VSANs.  The last time we did this, we just daisy chained the new SAN via the old but we were keeping the same SAN switches.  In our current scenario, we will need to hook the FIC's to the new SAN switches regardless.  Any thoughts or help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Walter Dey]

The following procedure has been done many times with success

- don't use pinning, it's a management nightmare

- use separate physical links and VSAN's to connect the new SAN

- create additional vhba in the service profile, and move them to the new VSAN

This allows you to migrate, read from the old storage, and write to the new one (e.g. with storage vmotion)

[sevensixtwo187]

I was wondering if this might not be accomplished by using VSANs but wasn't positive.  So it is just as simple as you have outlined?

[Walter Dey]

Indeed, it's simple, and btw. even works, if the SAN fabrics are Brocade, which doesn't support VSAN's; VSAN's are used UCS internally for routing the traffic, and on exiting fabric interconnect to the Brocade, the VSAN tag is removed.

[sevensixtwo187]

The fabrics are indeed Brocade but that sounds like that is a non issue. Excellent.  I will proceed with that and reply about that results.

Thank you.