VMware hosts require few mandatory FA bits setting before SAN storage to be provision. Apart from FA bits a series of procedure require from installing HBAs, HBA Firmware and drivers, zoning, mapping, masking devices, to configure kernel files and devices.
Let’s assume we have already identified Symmetrix FA port for VMware host and completed zoning on switch. It is better to have separate FA pair for VMware host. (You can connect VMware host to 2 pair FA if you have enough FA resources available and going to deploy critical application which require more performance).
You can identify the FA port available on Symmetrix:
symcfg list –connections.
Verify port flag settings-
symcfg list –fa
( FA-Number and Port where your host connected/zoned)
The following FA bits/flag require being set/Enable:
i) Common Serial Number (C)
ii) VCM State (VCM) --- (ACLX for V-MAX)
iii) SCSI 3 (SC3)
iv) SPC 2
v) Unique World Wide Name (UWWN)
vi) Auto-negotiation (EAN)
vii) Point to Point (P)
Note :- FA bit/flag requirement may vary depending on Symmetrix, but most of times you require to enable above bit for VMware host.
Create a command file for setting FA port flags, call it faflags.cmd with the below entry:
# For C-Bit
set port FA:Port Common_Serial_Number=enable;
set port FA:Port Common_Serial_Number=enable;
# For VCM-Bit
set port FA:Port VCM_State=enable;
set port FA:Port VCM_State=enable;
# For SC3-Bit
set port FA:Port scsi_3=enable;
set port FA:Port scsi_3=enable;
# For SP-2-Bit
set port FA:Port SPC2_Protocol_Version=enable;
set port FA:Port SPC2_Protocol_Version=enable;
# For UWWN-Bit
set port FA:Port Unique_WWN=enable;
set port FA:Port Unique_WWN=enable;
# For EAN-Bit
set port FA:Port Auto_Negotiate=enable;
set port FA:Port Auto_Negotiate=enable;
# For PTOP-Bit
set port FA:Port Init_Point_to_Point=enable;
set port FA:Port Init_Point_to_Point=enable;
Once you prepare command file, you can commit the file:
symconfigure –sid
Verify port flag settings once again, required FA flags should have be enabled by now-
symcfg list –fa
You are ready to provision SAN storage for VMware host now…
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