Re: SAN Booting p-Series from EMC storage
aixdude_at_yahoo.com
Date: 06/10/05
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Date: 10 Jun 2005 06:57:54 -0700
Nicholas Buckley wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm planning the migration of a p690 ( AIX 5.1 and 5.2 LPARs ) which is
> SAN-attached to an EMC DMX 3000.
>
> Target platform will be p590 or p595
>
> At present all p690 LPARs boot from internal disks.
>
> We would like to move to SAN boot on the p59x
>
> Information from IBM and EMC confirms that SAN boot is supported in our
> particular configuration.
>
> Whilst we will be working closely with both suppliers to effect a successful
> move from internal disk to SAN boot, I was wondering it any list members
> have any experience in this area which they would care to share.
>
> e.g.
>
> Have you done something similar recently ?
>
> Relatively straightforward, as implied by the suppliers, or fraught with
> difficulty ?
>
> Any golden rules you discovered ?
>
> etc etc.
>
> Many thanks in advance - I'll be happy to relate our tale, once it's written
> !
>
> Nick Buckley
> Senior AIX System Engineer / Storage Manager
>
> ATRADIUS
> Cardiff
> UK
NO, NO, NO, I wouldn't do it. "Supported" is a marketing term. "Working
well" is another story. I have been doing AIX systems on EMC storage
(Symmetrix and Clariion) for 11 years and have done upgrades, box
migrations..etc many times.
Here are my thoughts on booting from SAN. While it might work, I doubt
it is worth the trouble. (classic risk vs reward).
When you read through all the EMC Installation guides, release notes,
README files, patch sets and all the other EMC doc required when
installing/upgrading, you will notice a ton of "special procedures",
workarounds, quircky items of all sorts surrounding booting from SAN.
Seems like there are always gotcha's.
(Just finished bringing all AIX systems to Powerpath 4.3 or 4.4)
The EMC Powerlink Knowledgebase if full of past errors booting from
SAN. If you notice, many ETA (EMC technical advisories) and alerts are
related to booting off SAN.
IMHO too many things have to be working to boot off SAN. (HBA's,fibre
cables,SAN switches...etc) I prefer my system boot, because of it's
criticality, to stay "close to home" (internal drive)
Our standard has been 4 internal drives per system. One for AIX, a
second for its mirror. The remaining two internal drives are for
alt_disk and alt_disk mirrors (maintenance/upgrades.. etc)
No IBM code on the SAN. No company data on internal drives. This has
worked very well for us. If you are looking to bring in a p595, I doubt
the cost of internal drives is much of an issue.
- Next message: Fil: "Re: AIX4.3.3, mirroring and annoying logical parition map..."
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