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  • 1.  EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 05:35 PM

    We are on 5.1 but will be upgrading to 5.5 in the next couple months.

    I've been doing some reading on the VNX 5500 and and it supports VAAI.

    Also PSP RR is supported.  Can anyone tell me what the supported host hardware configuration is needed for RoundRobin on fiber connection?  Is it dual HBAs or a dual port HBA on the ESXi host?

    Any other performance or features we should be taking advantage of on our VNX and vSphere 5.x?

    Our storage team is completely seperate from my VMware team.



  • 2.  Re: EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 06:01 PM

    Round-Robin has been supported for a long time, if the ESXi host's initiators are registered with Initiator Type: CLARiiON Open and Initiator Mode: 4 on the VNX (either by default, or configured by the storage admins). If this is the case SATP on the ESXi hosts will show up as "VMW_SATP_ALUA_CX" and you can change the PSP to Round-Robin.

    André



  • 3.  Re: EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 06:06 PM

    I see this listed...

    VMW_SATP_ALUA_CX     VMW_PSP_FIXED  Supports EMC CX that use the ALUA protocol                                                                                                                                                              

    VMW_SATP_ALUA        VMW_PSP_MRU    Supports non-specific arrays that use the AL                                                                                                                                                             UA protocol

    VMW_SATP_INV         VMW_PSP_FIXED  Supports EMC Invista                                                                                                                                                                                    

    VMW_SATP_CX          VMW_PSP_MRU    Supports EMC CX that do not use the ALUA pro                                                                                                                                                             tocol

    VMW_SATP_MSA         VMW_PSP_MRU    Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AP  VMW_PSP_MRU    Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_SVC         VMW_PSP_FIXED  Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_EQL         VMW_PSP_FIXED  Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_EVA         VMW_PSP_FIXED  Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_SYMM        VMW_PSP_FIXED  Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_LSI         VMW_PSP_MRU    Placeholder (plugin not loaded)                                                                                                                                                                         

    VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA  VMW_PSP_FIXED  Supports non-specific active/active arrays                                                                                                                                                              

    VMW_SATP_LOCAL       VMW_PSP_FIXED  Supports direct attached devices

    But I'm not sure which is the old LUNs or the new VNX LUNs.  The VNX LUNs are only presented we haven't added them as a VMFS LUN yet.                                   



  • 4.  Re: EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 06:14 PM

    What exactly do you consider "old" and/or "new" LUNs?

    Please take a look at VMware Compatibility Guide: Storage/SAN Search which will show the supported path policies as well as the supported VAAI features when you click the "View" link.

    André



  • 5.  Re: EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 06:19 PM

    Sorry my bad...

    So we have a Clariion CX4-240 currently connected with LUNs.

    Our new SAN is a VNX 5500.



  • 6.  Re: EMC VNX Storage and ESXi 5.x Features?

    Posted Sep 09, 2014 06:25 PM

    According to VMware Compatibility Guide: Storage/SAN Search the CX4-240 also supports RR with Flare 30. Anyway, always double-check with the vendor documentation prior to changing the PSP to avoid possible issues.

    André