Cisco iSCSI Products Cisco iSCSI Products Introduction

Cisco iSCSI Products Cisco iSCSI Products Introduction
This lesson describes the features and capabilities of Cisco iSCSI products. Importance Cisco offers multiple products to support IP storage using the iSCSI protocol. You need to know the different configurations and capabilities supported by each product so that you can select the appropriate products when designing a customer’s SAN environment.

Objective Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to describe the features and capabilities of Cisco iSCSI products. Performance Objective Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to describe the features and capabilities of Cisco iSCSI products. Enabling Objectives List the key features of the SN 5400 Family of storage routers Identify suitable environments for the SN storage router Describe the internal architecture of the SN storage router Describe the operating modes supported by the SN storage router Describe the high-availability configurations supported by SN storage router List the key features of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module Describe the steps required to configure host-to-storage mapping on the IPS-8 Describe the high-availability configurations supported by the IPS-8 List the host iSCSI drivers supported for the SN5428 and IPS-8

Outline Overview of SN 5400 Storage Routers
Applications for the SN SN Architecture Operating Modes HA Clustering Overview of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module Configuring Host-to-Storage Mapping High-Availability Configurations IPS-8 iSCSI Driver Support Prerequisites Curriculum Unit 2, Modules 1 and 2 Module 3, Lesson 1

Overview of SN 5400 Storage Routers
FC-iSCSI gateway One 1Gb/s FC N_Port One GbE Port Legacy product SN Storage Router: Workgroup FC switch with iSCSI router Eight 1–2Gb/s FC Fx/E_Ports Two GbE ports Overview of SN 5400 Storage Routers Objective List the key features of the SN 5400 Family of storage routers Introduction This section describes the features and capabilities of the Cisco SN 5400 Family of storage routers. Facts The Cisco SN 5400 Family of Storage Routers allow sharing FC block-level storage resources to be shared over IP networks: The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router is a Fibre Channel-to-iSCSI gateway. It has one 1Gb/s FC N_Port and one GbE port. The SN 5420 uses fixed short-wave multimode transceivers. The SN 5420 is a legacy product. The Cisco SN Storage Router combines an FC workgroup switch with an FC-to-iSCSI router. The SN has eight 1–2Gb/s FC ports (capable of F_Port, FL_Port, and E_Port operation) and two GbE ports, and uses LC-type SFPs. The SN supports FC Name Server functions, FC Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) functions, and FC zoning.

Overview of SN 5400 Storage Routers (cont.)
All models: High-availability (HA) clustering VLANs, ACLs, LUN mapping Automatic device discovery Multiple application deployment modes Remote boot iSCSI authentication using AAA authentication methods URL addressing (scsi://oraclelog1) SN additional features: Support for FCIP Support for FC zones SSL authentication Both the SN 5420 and the SN provide the following features: High-availability cluster mode for fault-tolerance Security through IP ACLs, VLANs, and LUN mapping Automatic storage device discovery, simplifying mapping of servers to storage devices Multiple application deployment modes include iSCSI-host-based access control and FC-storage-based access control (all models), and transparent SAN-to-SAN interconnect (SN5420 only) Support for PxE-enabled remote boot, allowing iSCSI hosts to boot from SAN-attached iSCSI or FC storage. Support for iSCSI authentication using AAA authentication methods URL addressing—storage devices can be addressed as URLs (scsi://databasedisk) The SN provides the following additional features: Support for Fibre Channel Internet Protocol (FCIP) in addition to iSCSI. All ports must run either iSCSI or FCIP. Support for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) authentication for administrative access Support for FC fabric zoning. iSCSI-attached hosts can participate in FC zones along with FC-attached storage, and the router supports merging zones with attached FC switches. The SN extends the capabilities of the original SN 5428 router by incorporating the latest software architecture, RFC support for iSCSI, FCIP, and other bug fixes and enhancements. The SN supports all of the features in release of the SN 5428.

Overview of SN 5400 Storage Routers (cont.)
On the CCO website: Interoperability matrix Data sheets Reference guides White papers An interoperability matrix for the SN 5400 family is available on the Cisco Connection Online (CCO) website at Also available at this site are the following resources: Data Sheets: Cisco SN 5428 Storage Router Data Sheet Reference Guides: Cisco Network Boot Interoperability Matrix SN 5428 Fibre Channel Switch Interoperability Instructions White Papers: Workgroup Storage Solutions Using Cisco SN 5428

Applications for the SN 5428-2
What environments best suit the SN ? Existing FC SANs or no FC infrastructure Low FC port availability Underutilized FC storage Midrange servers Non-mission-critical applications: File servers Print servers Message servers Web servers Primarily a departmental solution IP iSCSI FC Applications for the SN Objective Identify suitable environments for the SN storage router Introduction This section describes suitable environments for the SN storage routers. Facts Identifying the environments best suited for the SN is important to avoid improper implementation. Certain characteristics to look for include the following: The SN ’s eight FC E_Port interfaces mean that the SN can be used as a workgroup FC switch, and does not require an existing FC SAN. Environments with few FC ports available for additional HBA connections can benefit from using the SN to connect iSCSI hosts to back-end FC storage. SAN-attached storage that is underutilized due to the expense of connecting additional hosts to the SAN can be made available to iSCSI hosts. The target market for the SN is primarily enterprises with mid-range servers and applications. The best applications for iSCSI are those not considered mission-critical, which includes file/print services, /messaging, and possibly web services. The SN is primarily a departmental solution.

SN Architecture Fans SCSI Routing Engine Auto-sensing 115/230 VAC Power Supply fci1 fci2 FC Switch Control Plane and Management SN Architecture Objective Describe the internal architecture of the SN storage router Introduction This section describes the internal architecture of the SN storage router. Facts The SN provides SCSI and IP routing services between iSCSI servers and FC storage resources. The SN consists of the following main components: Data path control - controls access between servers and storage resources. HA control - maintains communication with another SN system to provide High Availability functions. Management - provides the capability to monitor SN operation, and configure and upgrade router software. The SN has 128MB of RAM expandable to 1GB. It also includes a 32MB Flash file-system for storing code. The FC interfaces are based on a QLogic chipset, and use standard duplex 62.5µ multimode fiber optic cables with 850nm LEDs. The storage router contains two internal Fibre Channel interfaces to allow access between the GE ports and the Fibre Channel ports, FC 1 through FC 8. These two internal Fibre Channel interfaces are named fci1 and fci2. As Fibre Channel initiators, these interfaces are assigned World Wide Port Numbers (WWPN); therefore, fci1 is also referred to as initiator WWPN1 and fci2 is also referred to as initiator WWPN2. There are no hardware installation tasks for these interfaces; however, it is important to be aware of this internal architecture and the WWPNs for some software configuration tasks that required these port WWPNs (i.e. zoning). mgmt 10/100 HA 10/100 ge1 ge2 fc1 fc2 fc3 fc4 fc5 fc6 fc7 fc8 Console Two internal FC ports route data between GE and FC ports: fci1 and fci2 are referred to as initiators WWPN1 and WWPN2 Initiator WWPNs are used for zone merging

SN 5428-2 Architecture (cont.)
iSCSI host iSCSI Server FC Switch Targets Application ACLs Zones File System ge1 ge2 fci1 fci2 SCSI Tape SCSI Disk SCSI Port Driver Facts The following describes the sequence of events in communication between the iSCSI host driver and the SN The iSCSI driver is installed as a SCSI adapter driver (known as a miniport driver on Windows systems), and accepts SCSI commands just as a SCSI or Fibre Channel driver would. From the perspective of the host, the driver appears to be a SCSI driver. No hardware-specific drivers are required. The driver is configured with the host name or IP address of the SN iSCSI Server. On initialization, the iSCSI driver creates a connection to the SN If required, it presents its credentials during a login process. It then sends a “Query Targets” command to the iSCSI Server to find out which devices it is allowed to access. The iSCSI driver presents the accessible storage devices to file systems, databases, and applications, via the normal SCSI drivers. The iSCSI driver packages SCSI commands using the host’s TCP/IP stack and sends them to the SN When SN iSCSI Server receives iSCSI requests, it checks access control lists (ACLs) to ensure that the sending host is allowed to access the device, and performs LUN mapping if necessary. The iSCSI Server then forwards the command to the device. The iSCSI Server receives status and/or data from the device, and forwards it back to the host iSCSI driver. The iSCSI driver presents SCSI status and data back to the database, file system, or application via normal SCSI drivers. SCSI Adapter Driver iSCSI Driver TCP/IP NIC Driver IP SCSI hba NIC Local SCSI disk Disk storage Tape storage

SN 5428-2 Architecture (cont.)
File-level access iSCSI Ethernet Header IP TCP CRC DATA Block-level access Ethernet Header IP TCP DATA CRC SCSI iSCSI Facts The preceding diagram illustrates the movement of data from FC storage, through an SN , to an iSCSI-enabled host, and to a network client. Note that iSCSI does not retain the FC headers—the FC headers are stripped off as each frame passes through the router. Therefore, iSCSI cannot be used for certain applications, such as EMC’s SRDF data replication solution, that rely on data in the FC header. This is why the SN5428 does not support a transparent SAN interconnect mode, which was formerly supported by the SN5420; although iSCSI can be used as a FC SAN-to-FC SAN interconnection protocol, some applications do not work, and FCIP is generally considered the preferable solution for SAN-to-SAN bridging. FC Header DATA CRC SCSI

Operating Modes SCSI Routing Transparent SCSI Routing IP IP
FC iSCSI IP iSCSI IP Storage access managed by VLANs and ACLs FC IP IP ACL Transparent SCSI Routing Operating Modes Objective Describe the operating modes supported by the SN storage router Introduction This section describes the two basic operating modes supported by SN storage router. Facts Cisco SN storage router support the following operating modes: SCSI Routing: Storage access is managed by VLANs and ACLs. Transparent SCSI Routing: Storage access managed by the storage array, using WWPNs and LUN masking. The SN5420 router supports another mode called iSCSI SAN Interconnect, which transparently bridges two remote FC SANs. SAN Interconnect mode is provided only by the SN5420. Cisco does not support iSCSI SAN Interconnect mode in the SN548-2 because FCIP is the preferable solution for transparently bridging FC SANs across an IP network. Storage access managed by storage array using WWPNs and LUN masking iSCSI IP iSCSI IP FC IP WWPN LUN mask

Operating Modes SCSI Routing
A scsirouter instance: An application running on the SN that routes SCSI commands between FC storage devices and iSCSI clients Maps logical iSCSI targets to physical FC devices Controls access to targets with ACLs and VLANs Supports up to 32 hosts and 100 targets FC IP iSCSI ACL Facts A scsirouter instance is an application running on the SN that routes SCSI commands between FC storage devices and iSCSI clients. Each scsirouter instance: Maps one or more physical FC devices to logical iSCSI targets Controls access to targets with ACLs and, optionally, VLANs Supports up to 32 hosts and 100 targets

Operating Modes SCSI Routing (cont.)
Each SN is configured with one or more scsirouter instances Each scsirouter instance defines one or more iSCSI targets Each iSCSI target maps to one or more physical FC LUNs There is a maximum of 100 active targets per storage router scsi1, scsi2, scsi#… The preceding diagram shows the logical entities that participate in a scsirouter instance: Each SN is configured with one or more scsirouter instances. Each scsirouter instance defines one or more logical iSCSI targets. Each iSCSI target appears as a virtual SCSI target to the hosts. Each logical iSCSI target maps to one or more physical FC LUNs. There is a maximum 100 active targets per storage router. ACL HBA1 HBA2 LUN0 LUN4 LUN5

VLAN access provides IP hosts with access to storage devices according to the VLAN to which each host belongs Uses the IEEE 802.1Q standard for VLAN encapsulation Can be configured with using VTP or without using VTP Not available for Transparent SCSI Routing and iSCSI SAN Interconnect deployments VLAN access on the SN provides IP hosts with access to storage devices according to the VLAN to which each host belongs. SN routers use the IEEE 802.1Q standard for VLAN encapsulation. VLANs can be configured with or without the VLAN Trunk Protocol (VTP). VTP is a proprietary Cisco protocol used to propagate VLAN information in a switched network. Note that SCSI Routing is the only operating mode that supports VLANs. The other two operating modes (Transparent SCSI Routing and iSCSI SAN Interconnect) do not support VLANs.

VLAN100 Storage devices accessible by VLAN 100 through SR100 iSCSI iSCSI Cisco SN configured with scsirouter instances SR100 and SR200 FC IP 802.1Q trunk The preceding diagram shows a VLAN configuration on the SN : The SN is configured with two scsirouter instances (SR100 and SR200). Each scsirouter instance maps to a VLAN on the IP network. Note that VLANs can overlap. For example, if VLAN200 also needed access to targets in VLAN100 it could be configured to do so. iSCSI IP iSCSI IP Storage devices accessible by VLAN 200 through SR200 VLAN200

Operating Modes Transparent SCSI Routing
Transparent SCSI Routing mode provides IP hosts with direct access to an intelligent FC storage array: Automatically creates iSCSI targets and maps them to physical storage devices in the FC storage array Each IP host appears to the array as a FC host with a WWPN The storage array manages access to LUNs Facts Transparent SCSI Routing provides IP hosts with access to an intelligent storage array (such as a RAID array) as if the storage array were directly attached to the hosts: The router automatically creates iSCSI targets and maps them to physical storage devices in the storage array. Each IP host is presented to the intelligent storage array as a Fibre Channel host with a WWPN. The storage array is responsible for managing access to storage resources. The storage array must therefore support access control features, such as LUN masking and LUN mapping. The storage array is either connected directly to the SN Fibre Channel interface or to an attached FC fabric. FC WWPN IP iSCSI LUN mask

Operating Modes Transparent SCSI Routing (cont.)
FC One iSCSI target/LUN is automatically created for each FC target/LUN advertised by the FC array Target names use the iSCSI EUI format LUN 0 LUN 3 LUN 1 LUN 2 In Transparent SCSI Routing mode, one iSCSI target/LUN is automatically created for each target/LUN that is advertised by the FC storage array. The iSCSI target name is created automatically using the extended unique identifier (EUI) format, which adds the prefix “eui” with each WWPN that is advertised by the storage array. Storage array WWPN a799b5 Storage Array WWPN LUN a799b a799b a799b a799b iSCSI Target Name iSCSI LUN eui a799b5 lun 0 eui a799b5 lun 1 eui a799b5 lun 2 eui a799b5 lun 3

Ethernet connection for HA Ethernet connections for management
HA Clustering HA clustering mode allows two SN routers to back each other up in case of failure The routers continually monitor for failure conditions and exchange configuration data: Cluster name VTP information SCSI Routing Access Lists VLANs Ethernet connection for HA Ethernet connections for management HA Clustering Objective Describe the high-availability configurations supported by SN storage router Introduction This section describes the high-availability configurations supported by SN storage router. Facts High-availability clustering mode allows two SN routers to back up each other up in case of failure. The two routers continually monitor for failure conditions and exchange configuration data: Cluster name VTP information SCSI Routing Access Lists VLANs In a clustered configuration, each router should run at no more than half of the maximum load, so that one router can support the full load if the other router fails. FC IP IP

HA Clustering (cont.) SN in Transparent SCSI Routing mode cannot be clustered: High-availability is controlled by the storage array Only one scsirouter can be configured per SN SN routers that are operating in Transparent SCSI Routing mode cannot be configured for clustering. In Transparent SCSI Routing mode, access to targets and high-availability are controlled by the FC storage array. In this mode, only one scsirouter can be configured per SN FC IP IP

Overview of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module
MDS 9000 IP Services Module (IPS-8): Eight 1Gb/s ports (LC-type SFPs) Supports iSCSI and FCIP concurrently Supports TCP performance enhancements, VRRP, and VLANs Overview of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module Objective List the key features of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module Introduction This section describes the features and capabilities of the IP Services Module for the MDS 9000 Family of fabric switches. Facts The MDS 9000 IP Services Module (IPS-8) provides eight 1Gb/s IP ports and supports full routing capabilities with FC ports in the same MDS chassis. Port are designed to use LC-type SFP transceivers. The IPS-8 supports iSCSI and FCIP. iSCSI and FCIP can be used concurrently on the same port, providing a great deal of deployment flexibility. The IPS-8 also supports the following standards for increased performance, availability, and security: TCP performance enhancements (RFC 1323) VRRP (RFC 2338) VLANs (IEEE 802.1Q) IP Services Module MDS9509 MDS9506

Overview of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module (cont.)
Supports iSCSI hosts attached to FC targets: Transparent mapping between iSCSI and FC iSCSI-to-FC VSAN and zone mapping Recommended solution for enterprise iSCSI deployment: Highest scalability Support for widest range of high-availability configurations High performance The Cisco MDS 9000 Family IP Storage Services Module (IPS-8) is the recommended solution for enterprise iSCSI deployment because it provides the highest degree of scalability, supports the widest range of high-availability configurations, and offers the highest performance of all Cisco iSCSI solutions. The IPS-8 provides transparent mapping of SCSI input/output operations between iSCSI and Fibre Channel domains. When IP-attached servers are added to a Cisco MDS 9000 Family storage network, they are presented to the Fibre Channel storage devices as native Fibre Channel hosts. Conversely, Fibre Channel storage devices are presented as iSCSI targets to the iSCSI hosts. This transparent access preserves correct operation of storage tools, such as zoning managers, which require visibility of all hosts. Hosts have access to consistent SAN services independent of the transport they use to attach to the SAN. As iSCSI hosts are added to the SAN, they are added to the appropriate VSAN, Fibre Channel Name Server, Zone Server, and Cisco MDS 9000 Family management infrastructure. FC iSCSI IP IPS-8

Overview of the MDS 9000 IP Services Module (cont.)
SN Enterprise solution Departmental solution 8 GbE ports 2 GbE ports Each of 8 GbE ports provides 1Gb/s line rate Aggregated bandwidth of ~150MB/s All ports support iSCSI and FCIP concurrently Does not support iSCSI and FCIP concurrently Supports WWN and hard zoning, as well as ACLs Supports WWN zoning and ACLs Manage with MDS CLI and Cisco Fabric Manager Manage with separate CLI and GUI Higher cost Less expensive solution The IPS-8 is the recommended solution for enterprise deployments. It costs more to deploy an IPS-8 than an SN , but the IPS-8 provides a more robust feature set for enterprise environments: The IPS-8 provides 8 GbE ports, each of which supports 1Gb/s line-rate bandwidth. The SN has 2GbE ports, and supports a total aggregated bandwidth of about 150MB/s. The IPS-8 supports iSCSI and FCIP concurrently on the same port. The SN currently does not support iSCSi and FCIP concurrently, although support for concurrent operation may be introduced at a later time. The IPS-8 supports security with both WWN zoning and hard zoning, as well as ACLs. The SN supports WWN zoning only and ACLs. The IPS-8 is managed with the MDS CLI and Cisco Fabric Manager, providing a single management console for the entire fabric. The SN is managed with separate CLI and GUI interfaces. Overall, the IPS-8 is the more scalable IP storage solution.

Configuring Host-to-Storage Mapping
iSCSI Host A FC Target X iSCSI Proxy iSCSI target for FCP MDS 9000 IPS-8 Proxy FC initiator for iSCSI FC iqn.host-2 IP IP FC fabric pWWN – P1 Configuring Host-to-Storage Mapping Objective Describe the steps required to configure host-to-storage mapping on the IPS-8 Introduction This section explains how host-to-storage mapping is configured on the IPS-8. Facts The IPS-8 IP Storage Services Module provides transparent access between iSCSI hosts attached to ports on the IPS-8 module and FC storage attached to FC ports. The IPS-8 module creates a proxy iSCSI target for each FC storage target, and it creates a proxy FC initiator for each iSCSI host. iSCSI pWWN – P2 iqn.host-1

Configuring Host-to-Storage Mapping (cont.)
iSCSI view of the SAN iSCSI FC iqn.host-2 IP iqn.com.cisco.mds.2-1.gw.p1 Network Portal The preceding diagram illustrates the view of the SAN fabric from the perspective of the iSCSI hosts. The IPS-8 module presents the hosts with a proxy iSCSI image of the FC storage targets. To the iSCSI hosts, the FC storage targets appear as iSCSI targets with iSCSI addresses and iSCSI node names. iSCSI iqn.com.cisco.mds.2-1.gw.p2 Within the MDS switch iqn.host-1

Two ways to map FC targets to virtual iSCSI targets: Switch creates a virtual iSCSI target node name for each FC target port (pWWN): iqn.<domain-name-of-switch>.<switch-name>. <slot#>-<port#>.gw.<pwwn-of-FC-target-port> Administrator configures static mapping of FC WWPN to user-defined iSCSI target names The IPS-8 provides two ways map a proxy iSCSI image to an FC target: The IPS-8 dynamically creates a virtual iSCSI target node name for each FC target port (pWWN), using the format iqn.<domain-name-of-switch>.<switch-name>.slot#-port#.gw.<pwwn-of-FC-target-port>. The administrator configures static mapping of target device WWPNs to user-defined iSCSI target names.

FC view of the SAN FC FC pWWN – P4 iqn.host-2 FC fabric pWWN – P1 FC The preceding diagram illustrates the view of the SAN fabric from the perspective of the FC target devices. The IPS-8 module presents the FC targets with a proxy FC image of the iSCSI initiators. To the FC targets, the iSCSI initiators appear as FC HBAs with WWNs. pWWN – P5 iqn.host-1 pWWN – P2 Within the MDS switch

Two ways to map iSCSI hosts to virtual FC hosts: Configure static WWN for each IP host (based on iSCSI name or IP address): When the IP host creates an iSCSI session, the switch creates a virtual N_Port using the statically bound WWN Virtual N_Port behaves as standard FC HBA Configure dynamically allocated or static WWNs: WWNs are dynamically allocated from MDS’s WWN address pool when session is initiated WWNs are returned to pool when all sessions for IP host have terminated When IP host reconnects a new WWN might be allocated The IPS-8 provides two ways to map a proxy FC image to an iSCSI host. You can configure either dynamically allocated WWNs or statically assigned WWNs: Static mapping should be used if an iSCSI host should always have the same pWWN or nWWN each time it connects to a Fibre Channel target. The administrator can define a static WWN for each IP host based the host’s iSCSI name or IP address. When the IP host creates an iSCSI session, the switch creates a virtual N_Port using the statically bound WWN. The virtual N_Port behaves as a standard FC HBA in the SAN. Dynamically assigned WWNs are allocated from the MDS switch WWN address pool when the IP host creates an iSCSI session, and are returned to the pool when all sessions for that IP host have terminated. The potential problem with dynamically assigned WWNs is that a new WWN might be allocated to a given IP host each time that host reconnects. Some applications, such as storage management applications, might expect a hard-coded FC WWN. Zoning of iSCSI hosts requires static WWNs. The use of access control (LUN mapping) on the FC target also requires static WWNs.

FC zoning for iSCSI hosts: Add iSCSI initiator name or IP address to zone (not compatible with non-MDS switches) Add pWWN assigned to the iSCSI initiator to zone (requires static virtual WWNs) FC target device LUN mapping/masking: Use pWWN assigned to iSCSI hosts—just like FC HBAs Also requires static virtual WWNs Facts The IPS-8 module supports FC zoning for iSCSI hosts. iSCSI hosts can be assigned to zones based on either: The iSCSI initiator name or IP address. This option might be the most convenient option from a management perspective, but it is not compatible with non-MDS switches. The “virtual pWWN” assigned to that iSCSI host. This option requires that the pWWN is statically assigned to the host. LUN mapping and LUN masking of iSCSI hosts can be configured on FC target devices. From the target’s perspective, the iSCSI host appears to be a standard FC HBA, and LUN mapping and LUN masking configurations can therefore be applied using the pWWN that was assigned to the iSCSI host. Like zoning iSCSI hosts based on pWWNs, this option requires statically assigned virtual pWWNs.

During configuration: iSCSI host name is registered in symbolic node name field of FCNS During iSCSI target discovery: Host queries switch to discover targets; IPS-8 retrieves target information from the FCNS FCNS provides only targets that can be accessed by the virtual host N_port During session creation: IPS-8 queries FCNS for the FCID of the target pWWN iSCSI does not support RSCN, so FCNS provides the FCID only if the host still has access to the target When the proxy FC host is configured for a given iSCSI host, the host’s iSCSI node name is registered in the symbolic node name field of the Fibre Channel Name Server (FCNS) database. During iSCSI target discovery, the iSCSI host queries the switch to discover all targets; the IPS-8 retrieves target information from the FCNS. The FCNS provides a list that includes the pWWNs of only those targets that are zoned with the iSCSI virtual N_Port. This process is very similar to the process that occurs when an FC HBA queries the FCNS to perform device discovery, except in this case the IPS-8 functions as a virtual N_Port proxy for the iSCSI host. During session creation, the IPS-8 again queries the FCNS, this time to obtain the FCID of the target pWWN. At this point, the zone configuration might have changed since iSCSI target discovery. FC hosts are automatically notified of zone changes through the FC Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) process, but iSCSI hosts do not support the RSCN protocol. Therefore, the FCNS must enforce zoning during session creation. When the IPS-8 attempts to obtain the FCID of the target, the FCNS provides the FCID only if the host is still zoned to permit access to the target.

VSANs on the IPS-8: On FC port adapters, ports are assigned to VSANs On the IPS-8, iSCSI initiators are assigned to VSANs using the iSCSI name of the initiator iSCSI initiators can be assigned to multiple VSANs Facts The IPS-8 supports VSANs, but VSANs work differently on IP ports than on FC ports. On FC port adapters, ports are assigned to VSANs; each port can belong to only one VSAN. On the IPS-8, ports are not assigned to VSANs. Instead, the iSCSI initiators are assigned to VSANs using the iSCSI name of the initiator. Unlike FC ports, iSCSI initiators can be assigned to multiple VSANs. This allows, for example, an iSCSI initiator to belong to an “active” and a “standby” VSAN. VSAN 14 Active_Fabric FC iSCSI VSAN 15 Standby_Fabric

High-Availability Configurations
Multiple IP interfaces: Manual failover No aggregation iSCSI FC iqn.host-2 IP FC fabric pWWN – P1 Facts High-Availability Configurations Objective Describe the high-availability configurations supported by the IPS-8 Introduction This section describes the high-availability configurations supported by the IPS-8. The IPS-8 module supports the following high-availability configurations: Multiple IP interfaces on the MDS switch Ethernet PortChannels VRRP Host-based multipathing The preceding diagram illustrates a configuration that uses multiple IP interfaces from an MDS switch to the IP network. iSCSI pWWN – P2 iqn.host-1

High-Availability Configurations (cont.)
Multiple IP interfaces (Host View) iSCSI FC iqn.com.cisco.mds.5-8.gw.p1 iqn.host-2 IP iqn.com.cisco.mds.5-8.gw.p2 The preceding diagram shows the multiple-interface configuration from the hosts’ perspective. Note that each host sees two instances of each storage target. The virtual iSCSI node name that is assigned to each target contains the slot number and port number of the IPS-8 port to which the IP interface is connected, so each target is assigned two iSCSI proxy images with two different iSCSI node names. In the configuration shown here, one IP link is connected to Port 8 of an IPS-8 module in Slot 5, and the other IP link is connected to Port 1 of an IPS-8 module in Slot 2. Multiple IP interfaces can be configured on the same IPS-8 module or on different IPS-8 modules in the same switch. This configuration is not recommended due to the possibility that a host could attempt to access the same device using both interfaces. If this configuration is implemented, care must be taken to ensure that hosts do not attempt access the same device on both interfaces. In addition, this configuration does not support automatic failover, bandwidth aggregation, or load-balancing. FC iSCSI iqn.com.cisco.mds.2-1.gw.p1 iqn.host-1 iqn.com.cisco.mds.2-1.gw.p2

Ethernet PortChannels: Transparent failover No aggregation Odd/even pairs on the same IPS-8 iSCSI FC iqn.host-2 IP 2/1 FC fabric pWWN – P1 2/2 Facts The preceding diagram illustrates a configuration in which Ethernet PortChannels are used to aggregate two IP links to the same IPS-8 module. Ethernet PortChannels offer Ethernet-level redundancy. This provides redundancy and automatic failover between the links in the Ethernet PortChannel. However, Ethernet PortChannels do not support bandwidth aggregation or load-balancing. iSCSI is not aware of Ethernet PortChannels. On the IPS-8, Ethernet PortChannels can aggregate only two physical interfaces, and those interfaces must be odd/even pairs that are adjacent to each other on a given IPS-8 module, such as 2/1 and 2/2, or 2/3 and 2/4. Ethernet PortChannels cannot be configured with two links on separate modules. Because of this restriction, Ethernet PortChannels do not provide protection from a failed module. Ethernet PortChannel iSCSI pWWN – P2 iqn.host-1

VRRP: Transparent failover Flexible configuration iSCSI FC FC fabric iqn.host-2 IP pWWN – P1 Facts The preceding diagram illustrates a configuration in which Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) is used to provide two redundant IP links to two redundant fabrics. VRRP defines a standard mechanism that enables a pair of redundant routers to negotiate ownership of a virtual IP address. One device is elected to be active and the other to be standby. VRRP Virtual IP FC fabric iSCSI pWWN – P2 iqn.host-1

VRRP (Host View) Virtual IP iSCSI FC Virtual IP iqn.com.cisco.mds.vr-1.gw.p1 iqn.host-2 IP iqn.com.cisco.mds.vr-1.gw.p2 The preceding diagram shows the VRRP configuration from the hosts’ perspective. The host sees only one “copy” of each target device. If a link fails, the VRRP virtual IP address is transparently failed over to the other link. This configuration provides transparent failover capability, but does not support bandwidth aggregation or load-balancing. VRRP is recommended over multiple IP interfaces because VRRP provides transparent failover. VRRP is also recommended over Ethernet PortChannels because VRRP offers more flexibility and higher availability. The links in a VRRP pair can be connected either to the same IPS-8 module, to different IPS-8 modules on the same switch, or to two separate switches in redundant fabrics. The latter approach is the recommended approach for high-availability configurations. iqn.com.cisco.mds.vr-1.gw.p1 iqn.com.cisco.mds.vr-1.gw.p2 FC Virtual IP iSCSI iqn.host-1

Host-based multipathing: Cisco iSCSI driver 3rd-party driver iSCSI FC iqn.host-2 IP FC fabric pWWN – P1 The preceding diagram illustrates a simple host-based multipathing configuration in which the host is configured with multiple NICs or iSCSI HBAs. In this configuration, failover is performed by the iSCSI driver or multipathing software. The driver can use multiple links simultaneously to support multiple iSCSI sessions. The 3.2 versions of the Cisco iSCSI drivers now support a target portal failover feature, allowing multipathing that is managed by the iSCSI driver. Third-party multipathing software, such as VERITAS Dynamic Multipathing (DMP), can also be used in conjunction with the Cisco iSCSI driver to provide multipathing support. iSCSI pWWN – P2 iqn.host-1

Cisco iSCSI Driver Support
Cisco drivers for: AIX 4.3 Windows 2000 and XP Linux 2.2, 2.4 Solaris 2.6, 7, 8 HPUX 10.2, 11.0 Third-party drivers: Adaptec Emulex Intel Qlogic Windows 2003/.Net Alacritech (with Cisco or Microsoft driver) Cisco iSCSI Driver Support Objective List the host iSCSI drivers supported for the SN5428 and IPS-8 Introduction This section lists the host iSCSI drivers that are currently available for Cisco iSCSI solutions. Facts Cisco has developed iSCSI host driver software for use with the SN5428 and IPS-8. Cisco has released drivers for the following operating systems: AIX 4.3 HP-UX 10.2, 11.0 Linux 2.2, 2.4 Solaris 2.6, 7, 8 Windows 2000/XP The following third-party iSCSI drivers are also supported: Adaptec Emulex Intel Qlogic Microsoft drivers for Windows 2003 and.Net. Alacritech’s TOE is supported with either the Cisco or Microsoft driver.

Lesson Review Identify the labeled parts of the SN architecture. b a ge1 ge2 g Console mgmt 10/100 HA f d e c b a ge1 ge2 g Console mgmt 10/100 HA f d e c Auto-sensing 115/230 VAC Power Supply Fans ge1 ge2 fc7 fc8 fc6 fc5 fc4 fc3 fc2 fc1 Console mgmt 10/100 HA FC Switch SCSI Routing Engine fci1 fci2 Control Plane and Management Practice Identify the labeled parts of the SN Architecture. _____________________________________

Lesson Review (cont.) What environments best suit the SN 5428-2?
Why is the MDS 9000 IP Services Module recommended solution for an enterprise iSCSI deployment? What are the high-availability configurations supported by the IPS-8? What tasks must be performed to add an iSCSI host to the SAN and allow that host to access FC storage targets? What environments best suit the SN ? Why is the MDS 9000 IP Services Module recommended solution for an enterprise iSCSI deployment? What are the high-availability configurations supported by the IPS-8? What tasks must be performed to add an iSCSI host to the SAN and allow that host to access FC storage targets?

Summary The Cisco 5400 product line includes:
SN 5420 storage router (legacy product) SN : a combination switch and router The SN supports both iSCSI and FCIP The SN is best suited to mid-range servers running non-mission-critical applications The SN router has two operating modes: SCSI routing, managed by VLANs and ACLs Transparent SCSI routing, managed by WWPNs and LUN masking In HA clustering mode, two SN routers monitor and back up one another Summary: Cisco iSCSI Products In this lesson you learned about the features and capabilities of Cisco iSCSI products, including operating modes, configurations, and high-availability options for the SN5400 product line and the MDS 9000 IPS-8 module.

Summary (cont.) The MDS 9000 IPS-8 module supports both iSCSI and FCIP
The IPS-8 provides transparent mapping between iSCSI hosts and FC arrays, including VSANs and zone mapping. The IPS-8 creates a proxy iSCSI target for each FC target, and a proxy FC initiator for each iSCSI host The IPS-8 supports four HA configurations: Host-based multipathing Multiple IP interfaces VRRP Ethernet PortChannel

Summary (cont.) Driver support for the SN5428 and IPS-8 includes:
Cisco drivers for 5 leading operating systems Third-party drivers from leading HBA/TOE manufacturers

Cisco iSCSI Products Cisco iSCSI Products Introduction

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