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Aggregating multiple fiber ports on MDS directors
Hi All,
Going forward our new servers will have the capability of aggregating multiple fiber ports into fewer connections on the SAN switch. I am told that there is a particular setting that needs to be enable on the switch for this functionality to work, kindly let me know more details on this?
regards,
Samir
Going forward our new servers will have the capability of aggregating multiple fiber ports into fewer connections on the SAN switch. I am told that there is a particular setting that needs to be enable on the switch for this functionality to work, kindly let me know more details on this?
regards,
Samir
RRR
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August 4th, 2009 03:00
If you already have 2 x (fabric of 3 MDS9509's), you're already having some sort of a 1 core, 2 edge design, right ? 1 Of the 9509's is your core, although there's no real need of buying extra edge switches. You're freeing up ports anyway
RRR
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August 3rd, 2009 01:00
Please explain what it it you're asking.
sasamir1
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August 3rd, 2009 03:00
What we intend is reduce the number of port usage on Cisco MDS9509 like in map in many hba's to few physical ports instead of one to one?
RRR
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August 3rd, 2009 04:00
- install an edge switch next to the 9509, so the 9509 needs less ports (it does need a few ISL's)
- retire a few hosts, so ports will be freed
- virtualize hosts to VM's in VMware or Xen
- Start using blade servers and use virtual connect to reduce the number of ports used from 16 to 4 (in a 16 blade enclosure you'd only need 2 times 4 ports)
sasamir1
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August 3rd, 2009 05:00
Can you provide me further details on this edge switch configuration?
regards,
Samir
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August 3rd, 2009 06:00
Your 9509 is your core and an MDS9124 or MDS9134 (for example) are edges. You connect this MDS91xx to your 9509 with a few ISL's working as a portchannel.
Suppose you have 25 hosts you'd want to move from your 9509 to an edge, a 9124 will not do, since it only has 24 ports in total. The 9134 has 32 ports (plus 2 x 10Gb ports). Choose which type of ports you'd want to use to connect to your 9509. If you use the 2 10Gbps ports of the 9134, your 9509 needs 2 of those 10Gb ports as well. you now have 20Gbps working as a single link between both switches and your 25 (or 32 if you like) hosts share the 20Gbps portchannel link.
If you don't want to use the 10Gbps ports, you can for example use 3 or 4 regular 4Gb ports in a single portchannel (giving 12 to 16Gb total bandwidth). Suppose you have a 4 port portchannel, this leaves you with 4 ports less for your hosts on the edge switch, but it'll cost you only 4 ports on the 9509 and you can connect up to 32-4=28 hosts on your edge.
It's the performance you need from the hosts on your edge that determine how many ISL's you need in a single portchannel. Perhaps even 2 is enough, that would leave you with 30 ports for hosts. Or if you don't have that many hosts you would want to move away frmo the 9509, maybe a 9124 is enough as well.
sasamir1
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August 3rd, 2009 22:00
In our current environment we have around 400 servers attached on SAN..with 6 MDS9509 we're moving towards virtualization and thus would also like to aggregate our current fiber connection to reduce port usage.
With NPIV and NPV enabled on core and edge switch benefit us...and how would be able to migrate from current to few port usage?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
regards,
Samir