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Emc Powerpath Multipathing: Best Practices With Emc Arrays: Brad Bowlin Tom Murdock Emc Corporation

The document provides an overview and agenda for a session on best practices for using EMC PowerPath multipathing software with EMC storage arrays. The objectives are to provide insights into how PowerPath works from an engineering perspective and tips for both experienced and new PowerPath administrators. The agenda covers topics like PowerPath configuration and installation, optimizing for databases, maintenance and supportability tips, and a demonstration of using PowerPath features for database I/O.

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86 views23 pages

Emc Powerpath Multipathing: Best Practices With Emc Arrays: Brad Bowlin Tom Murdock Emc Corporation

The document provides an overview and agenda for a session on best practices for using EMC PowerPath multipathing software with EMC storage arrays. The objectives are to provide insights into how PowerPath works from an engineering perspective and tips for both experienced and new PowerPath administrators. The agenda covers topics like PowerPath configuration and installation, optimizing for databases, maintenance and supportability tips, and a demonstration of using PowerPath features for database I/O.

Uploaded by

StorageAdm
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EMC PowerPath Multipathing: Best Practices with EMC Arrays

Brad Bowlin Tom Murdock EMC Corporation

Session Objectives
Provide you with an insider view of PowerPath
Focus on leveraging key attributes of EMC arrays
Providing additional PowerPath optimization for key scenarios

Discuss typical customer issues and recommendations Bring you insight into what is happening under PowerPath covers

Provide useful tips for both experienced as well as newer PowerPath administrators
Highlight more advanced & obscure scenarios, features, and optimizations Also cover selected more basic scenarios that frequently cause issues

We will not be discussing: PowerPath support for third-party arrays

PowerPath Best Practices for EMC Arrays Get the View from PowerPath Engineering Perspective!

Agenda
PowerPath Configuration & Installation Optimizing for Use with Databases Maintenance & Supportability Tips Demo - Using PowerPath features for Database I/O Q&A Follow-on Sessions

EMC PowerPath Overview


PowerPath Features:
Automatic path failover and recovery Dynamic load balancing of I/O Priority-based management Online configuration and management

Automatic, Nondisruptive, Optimized

PowerPath Benefits:
Optimized performance and high availability; no application disruption Consistent and improved service levels Tune application bandwidth through user priorities; based on business requirements Improved manageabilitysaves time, reduces maintenance cost

PowerPath Delivers:

PowerPath Configuration Tips


CLARiiON
For High Availability:
Each HBA port zoned to see at least one port on each SP

For Higher Performance:


Each HBA port zoned to see two or more ports on each SP

CLARiiON Configurations
0 1
A2 HB

CLARiiON

SP A

Good Configurations
CLARiiON

A1 HB

0 1

SP B

Bad Configuration
0 1
A2 HB A1 HB

SP A

0 1

SP B

CLARiiON

0 1
A2 HB A1 HB

SP A

0 1

SP B

PowerPath Configuration Tips


Symmetrix
High Availability Each HBA connected to ports on multiple Symmetrix directors Windows only
Verify setup for optimal volume alignment for Symmetrix caching
Default Windows volume alignment is nonoptimal for use with Symmetrix cache

Recommendation: See EMC White Paper Microsoft Windows File-System Alignment for how to set up new Windows volumes

PowerPath Configuration Tips


Invista
PowerPath treats Invista array as Active/Active
For all types of storage arrays behind the switches

Only set up single path from each host HBA port to a given switch
Only need single path from each host HBA port to given switch
More paths to switch do not increase performance, just overhead

For more host to switch bandwidth add:


More HBAs connected to more VTs *and/or* More switches (up to 4 supported)

Invista Configurations
1 SW ta is Inv
A2 HB A1 HB

2 SW sta i Inv

A4 HB A3 HB A2 HB A1 HB

1 SW ta is Inv

ista Inv

2 SW

ns ptio o idth dw ban e Mor


A2 HB A1 HB

1 SW ta is Inv

ista Inv

2 SW

3 SW sta i Inv

ista Inv

4 SW

iSCSI Configuration Considerations


PowerPath iSCSI platforms
Windows PowerPath iSCSI 1.1, PowerPath 4.3.1+/4.6+ Linux PowerPath 4.4.0+ Solaris & HP-UX PowerPath 5.1+

EMC iSCSI arrays


CLARiiON: dedicated iSCSI (AX150i, CX300i,..) or combo (CX3-20c & 40c) Symmetrix: w/iSCSI director

PowerPath w/iSCSI software initiators


Multiple NICs appear like a single HBA FibreChannel port
Different paths require different iSCSI target port on array

iSCSI has longer failover times due to TCP/IP timeout Best practices
Set up an isolated network for iSCSI network traffic only Windows only: Solution EMC150702 to set up TCP/IP param. for iSCSI NICs

PowerPath Windows PowerPath Classic or MPIO-Based


PowerPath for PowerPath for Windows Windows

Feature Comparison Matrix


EMC Array Support * CLARiiON Symmetrix Consistency Group Support Invista Operating Systems Windows 2000 Server with SP4 Windows Server 2003 32-bit Windows Server 2003 ia64 Windows Server 2003 x64 PowerPath Upgrade Support

4.5.x

5.0.0
Added Added

TIME

MPIO

1.1

res eatu ic F lass C ath erP Pow

3.0.6

4.1.0

4.3.x

4.4.0

4.4.1

4.5.x 4.6.x 5.0.0

3.0.5

s ture Fea IO MP ath erP Pow


MPIO MPIO

PowerPath 3.0.5/3.0.6 PowerPath 4.1.1 and later PowerPath iSCSI 1.1 Connectivity Support * Fibre Channel iSCSI HBA Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator Multipath Framework EMC PowerPath EMC PowerPath using MPIO Enhanced Feature Functionality Migration Enabler New Microsoft Digital Certification Fibre Channel Storage Systems iSCSI Storage Systems ** * Refer to the Release Notes and EMCs Support Matrix for specific model information and connectivity requirements. PowerPath for Windows 4.5.0 is not currently supported by Microsoft for ** iSCSI implementations, although it is supported by EMC for EMC iSCSI storage systems.

Installation and Licensing Tips


Load PowerPath license before first use of PowerPath
When possible is OS and installation dependent
Allows automatic loading of default optimized load balancing policy PowerPath installs on some OS platforms load PowerPath immediately

Without license loaded - PowerPath sets all paths to Basic Failover


Even after license loaded Will need to be explicitly reset to desired policy
Symmetrix Example: powermt set policy=so class=symm powermt save

Optimizing for Use with Databases


Follow general database best practices and separate log, index, and data on separate LUNs
Separate log will also ensure log writes do not interfere with any other database I/O, particularly important for SRDF/S

Burst writes can saturate array front-end ports and impact reads handled by the same ports
PowerPath write throttling feature to balance writes and reads

See demonstration at end of presentation

Host and SAN Maintenance Tips


Planned maintenance Use Disable Adapter & Array port to minimize I/O disruption
Allows you to take paths offline that use an adapter or port *before* removing them for maintenance See Whats New in PowerPath Multipathing presentation for details

EMC array Non-Disruptive Upgrade (NDU) considerations


PowerPath supports array software NDU for all EMC arrays
Symmetrix Utilizes HBA driver timeouts to ride through director reboots CLARiiON Trespasses LUNs as needed between SPs as each SP reboots during upgrade process
New PowerPath proactive trespass on NDU detection feature

Invista Directs I/O down paths to one Invista switch while other switch is being rebooted

Configuration Checking and Verification


Coexistence with native or other multipathing software
MPIO-based (Windows)
Device-Specific Modules (DSMs) from different vendors manage different sets of devices Watch out for MPIO Framework version requirement mismatches

VxVM See PowerPath Best Practices with VxVM presentation

CLARiiON HAVT (High Availability Verification Tool)


Includes verifying PowerPath High Availability (HA) setup Also automatically checks for proper iSCSI NIC card TCP/IP parameters

Upgrading - Stay Up on the Latest Greatest!


Check for & plan upgrades to latest PowerPath versions
Get new features and latest bug fixes

Monitor the ESM http://www.emc.com/interoperability


Stay up on the latest OS versions and patches And latest HBA driver versions

Avoid getting cornered


Forced into mandatory upgrade solutions from having multiple outdated components when one needs to be upgraded

Demonstration
Leverage PowerPath features to optimize for database applications
How to use PowerPath Write Throttling feature to ensure burst writes minimize impact on reads for the same device

Wrap Up
We provided you with a variety of PowerPath tips for optimizing it for use in different configurations, technologies, and applications We demonstrated how PowerPath features could be leveraged to optimize simulated database I/O scenarios

PowerPath sells its 500,000th license!


For Today,
8+ Year History 5 x 5 Support Priority-Based Management Online Configuration and Management

and Tomorrow.
Going Above and Beyond Multipathing

PowerPath Provides
Industry-Leading Technology and Exceptional Value!!

Congratulations to PowerPath!

QUESTIONS?

Other EMC Worlds Sessions of Interest


Topic RecoverPoint
Overview lecture Leveraging Intelligent Fabrics lecture VMware Disaster Recovery lecture Demonstrating Operational Recovery Hands-on Lab
05/21: 3pm to 4pm 05/23: 5:15pm to 6:15pm 05/22: 4:45pm to 5:45pm 05/21: 4:30pm to 5:30pm 05/21: 9am to 10am, 05/22: 10am to 11am 05/22: 1:45pm to 2:45pm 05/24: 11am to 12pm 05/24: 2pm to 3pm 05/23: 8:30am to 9:30am 05/22: 3:15pm to 4:15pm 05/23: 10am to 11am 05/24: 8am to 9am

Schedule

Schedule

RecoverPoint Directions in CDP

05/23: 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Invista
Demonstrating Invista and RecoverPoint Introduction to Storage Virtualization Hands-on Lab
05/22: 8:30am to 9:30am 05/21: 9am to 10am 05/21: 3pm to 5pm 05/22: 1:45pm to 3:45pm 05/24: 11am to 12pm 05/23: 10am to 11am 05/23: 3:45pm to 5:45pm 05/24: 8am to 10am 05/24: 12:30pm to 2:30pm

Invista round-table discussion

05/22: 12:30pm to 1:30 pm

PowerPath
Whats new Best Practices with EMC Storage Best Practices with VxVM Demonstrating PowerPath Migration Enabler PowerPath round-table discussion
05/21: 3pm to 4pm 05/22: 10am to 11am 05/22: 3:15pm to 4:15pm 05/22: 1:45pm to 2:45pm 05/23: 2:30pm to 3:30pm 05/23: 11:30am to 12:30pm 05/23: 10am to 11am 05/24: 8am to 9am 05/24: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

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