How to connect an HP StorageWorks 8000 EVA via Fibre to a Windows Server machine for direct storage?

windows-server-2008 storage fibre-channel drive hp-storageworks

Solution 1

You 100% will need an FC HBA, the appropriate drivers for that HBA, some form of MPIO software such as MS's MPIO code (plus the EVA DSM) or Veritas Storage Foundation and you WILL need Command View EVA in order to configure the EVA.

Once setup you'll need to us CV to create at least one disk group, set the ports to loop/direct mode (as you'll be using them in direct connect mode without FC switches), define your server as a host, create vdisks and present them to you host. Then in your OS you do a rescan, loom for the LUNs then partition and format them.

You can't connect them in any other way, the shelves are FC only and they need a controller to manage them. Oh and the shelves are perfectly capable of acting as one,

Solution 2

You shouldn't need drivers, just cabling. Though, each shelf is going to be an independent disk array. Configured RAID, create a LUN, assign to the WW name of the server's HBA, the disk should appear in windows, initialize it and put it to use.

Ideally these should all be connected through a pair of fiber channel switches, and your server should always have either two ports or two separate HBAs for path redundancy to the storage.

gw0

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

gw0 almost 2 years

I need to pass the same Bitmap to a bunch of Objects which are later put into an ArrayList.

The Bitmap is 1024x512 pixels big and I'm always passing the same Bitmap Object to about ~1000 Objects.

I need to do this because every Object does something with the Bitmap later in the code.

Is this safe to do memory-wise?
- growse over 12 years
  
  Re: your last point - using the RAID logic within Windows is not hardware RAID because calculations are done within Windows itself. It is software RAID. Hardware RAID would be the RAID logic done on specially optimized silicon within the disk controller itself. This is normally faster, but you're more tied into a specific hardware vendor.
- Eric S. about 9 years
  
  How many times will you call new Bitmap?
- JimmyB about 9 years
  
  And make sure to remove the objects from the list when they're no longer needed. "Forgetting" to remove obsolete objects stored in collections is a common way to produce memory leaks in Java.
- gw0 about 9 years
  
  @HannoBinder is calling .remove(xyz) enough? Or should I invoke the garbage collector?
- gw0 about 9 years
  
  @EricS. What do you mean by "call new Bitmap"? Only one Bitmap is created (using BitmapFactory.decodeFile) and this Bitmap is passed to the Objects
- JimmyB about 9 years
  
  Yes, removing object references from the collection is enough. The GC will then take care of releasing the memory when necessary.
Scott Szretter almost 13 years

Do you happen to know if I need to use a specific HBA for the DL380 and these units, or are FC HBA's generic?
SpacemanSpiff almost 13 years

Generic should be fine, I usually used qlogic, its been a while since i've done FC. Just be sure which riser cards and slots your DL380 has and make sure the cards match up. You will probably end up needing two cards for your service since you have two SANs technically. In a controller failure you can move the cable to the other controller, otherwise you will need a FC switch.
Scott Szretter almost 13 years

Do I have to do anything to configure them before I attach them to the windows server? For example, they have what look like management ports, but after further research, the RS232 port says "HP use only", LCD port says "not used", and I believe the CAB port is when you connect multiple units together. This would imply I need to do all the configuration from the windows machine after connecting it?
SpacemanSpiff almost 13 years

There is probably an ethernet management port, or you can use the RS-232 serial connection to configure them. I can't write you a step-by-step guide here I'm giving you fairly generic answers. There is probably a management software available from HP used to administer the box.
Scott Szretter almost 13 years

Unfortunately no ethernet port, only the ports in the cards, but those say + RS232 Connector Only: For use HP staff. + LCD Connector Only: Not used. + Only CAB Connector: Used to EAB (RJ45). Is the address bus connector with the controller.
Chopper3 almost 13 years

@Spiff, sorry dude, love your work but you're way off on this one sorry; it can act as one SAN but two HBAs does make sense to deal with hardware failure, there's no Ethernet at all, you manage it via a privileged channel over FC using Command View, sorry, it's just my 'bag', we have dozens of EVAs.
SpacemanSpiff almost 13 years

@Chopper - I gave very generic answers to prompt him to do his own research.
Chopper3 almost 13 years

Ok, good call, wasn't have a go at you
Chopper3 over 12 years

No, one is enough I should imagine - have you got all your HBA drivers installed and if so when you go into their tools can you see the controller/s (LUN 0 usually) listed?
Scott Szretter over 12 years

I also added another LC-LC cable from the other controller on the unit to the card and no difference. In the "SANSurfer" utility from Q-Logic, it sees the two ports on the controller and shows a map from the computer to all 14 drives. Windows disk manager also sees the drives. However, still, when I launch HP CV, it says it can not find a SAN.