How to migrate data from vmax to Hitachi VSP thru Vplex

Hi,

Performance & cost prospective most of the clients preferred to have EMC Storage as it's best in the market! and most of the clients already started migrating their storage to EMC VMAX! Wondering that who is provided solution to move out from EMC.

Well...Below are the steps :-
1) Zone both the storage with the VPLEX Back-end ports

2) Remove the hosts zoning from the storage and zone hosts with the VPLEX FA ports.

3) Mask/Map the luns to the VPLEX from the storage and claim them into the VPLEX.

4) Create the same size of extent as your storage volume---

5) Create the devices from the extents

6) Create the virtual volume from the devices.

7) Create the Storage View on VPLEX and add the virtual Volume in it.

Note :- Downtime is required to perform the above tasks! Above process known as Encapsulation--Once encapsulation completed!. At any point of time you can migrate your luns from EMC to Hitachi or Hitachi to EMC( Hosts will never know as its completely background process and non-disruptive--don't required any downtime). Create the same size of luns and map them to VPLEX and perform the migration.

Hi,

As I have mentioned earlier that server is already under Vplex control. That means the encapsulation is

already done. I just want to know more detail steps which has to perform at Hitachi VSP end and later

we will use Vplex Mobility to do migration.

Thanks.

Hi!

     From VSP side you have to do the same as if VPLEX were a general host. But remember about best practices which states that there's should be no more than 4 active paths per VPLEX director.

     Create host groups of "standard (0)" host type. AFAIK there should be no special options.

     You can recalculate the size from VMAX cylynders to blocks. Here is the formula: Blocks = Cylinders * 15 * 128.

          15 = tracks per cylinder

          128 = blocks per track

     The block size on HDS Arrays and VMAX is the same for Open Systems - 512 bytes. I did the same thing for Metro config with existing VMAX to USP-V and RP replication from VMAX to NSC55. Create the LDEVs in blocks and there will be no problems with the size. AFAIK there's no difference if you use simple LDEVs or HDP.

     After creating LDEVS with the exact size in blocks add it to VSP host groups on all ports. Use the symmetric mapping configuration for all LDEVs at VPLEX BE. And don't forget to use H-LUN 0 ID. This is a strict recommendation for VPLEX NDU (as well as presenting H-LUN0 to all VPLEX Storage Views).

     Rescan the storage array at VPLEX side, claim volumes (HDS High-Ends need no claiming file) and make the extents and devices.

     Use the Data Mobility to migrate data.

     There's realy no other magic with this process.

     HINT: use SolveDesktop to generate the step-by-step procedures for a special array type. From time to time it states the strange things, but mostly all steps described in details.

     Have a good time =)

I am little confused about mapping file which is used for claiming wizard ?

Do we still need this if we are using the Vplex GUI?.

Thank you.

For symmetrix type storage(symm/dmx/vmax) no, you don't need a mapping file whether done by GUI or CLI.

For hitach storage, yes, you will need a mapping file to claim the storage-volume if done by GUI.

Otherwise, if you don't have a mapping file, you can claim them one by one using CLI.

Actually HDS high-end arrays neither need mapping file. HDS LUN UID generation algorythm is much simpler then on symmetrix. Just use "claim all storage on the supporting array" from the GUI with VSP. Sometimes it takes a minute or two for new s-vols to appear for gui claiming wizard.

Likely, the GeoSynchrony version will also matter.  (5.3 supporting VNX, 5.4 supporting XtremIO, etc)

There was a thread in VPLEX Champions where HDS VSP could not be claimed without a mapping file. (GeoSynchrony 5.2)

>Array 1 is a HDS USP-V (doesn’t need map file) and Array 2 is a HDS VSP (needs map file)

I don't think this type of information is very clear for 3rd party arrays.

I would like to see a matrix of 3rd party array support of "claiming without a mapping file" if there is such a thing.

The chronology is (according to VPLEX cli guide):

GeoSynchrony 5.4: (EMC Symmetrix/VMAX, CLARiiON/VNX, XtremIO, Hitachi AMS 1000, HDS 9970/9980 and USP VM)

GeoSynchrony 5.3: (EMC Symmetrix, HDS 9970/9980 and USP VM)

GeoSynchrony 5.2: (EMC Symmetrix, HDS 9970/9980 and USP VM)

So It could be that I'm wrong about VSP. For sorrow I did'nt have a chance to try with this array. Only USP V (practicaly uses the same firmware as USP VM).

didn't realize the CLI guide had those info : )

one thing, I think CLARiiON/VNX support was from 5.3.  (I recently did claim CX/VNX LUNs from GUI without a mapping file)

and unfortunately, this is not mentioned in the 5.3 CLI guide.

I guess that the point is in the specific 5.3 release patch level. I don't think that they did correct the guide after fixing this in the last patches.

Hi everyone. Is there a VPLEX simulator?

The following statement was from the vplex5.3-tech-diff-srg (dated Feb 2014) which probably points to the initial 5.3 release:

>It is also important to note that a mapping file is no longer required to add storage volumes to VPLEX from VNX arrays.

GA date, fyi