Solaris Storage Configuration – EMC VMAX + POWERPATH / MPxIO + VxVM
To simplify the Storage addition operation, i just made a quick cheat sheet for your easy understanding and quick reference, since this information cannot be presented as html format i will be sharing it in image format, which you can print and use it as desk reference during your day to day operations.
In this Post i will be presenting the sequence of procedure for the configuration EMC storage ( VMAX ) in Solaris 8 and Solaris 10 with EMC power path installed. And also including the procedure to configure the Storage using Solaris Native multipathing MPxIO.
And I am open to improve this procedures with your experience and comments . Please feel free to add more information to this sheet, so that I can prepare the improved version of the Storage configuration.
11 Comments on “Solaris Storage Configuration – EMC VMAX + POWERPATH / MPxIO + VxVM”
Since mpxio is enabled by default on Solaris 10, I strongly recommend that any fresh installs immediately disable mpxio (update /kernel/drv/fp.conf prior to the first reboot in a jumpstart) if you are going to run powerpath. Otherwise, the disabling of mxpio, and install/config of powerpath should be atomic and discreet events. With mpxio enabled, in my experience, the mpxio devices are on c0, and this means internal boot devices are on c1 or c2 depending on the type of systems. When you disable mpxio, the boot controllers will move. ZFS is typically more resilient than UFS, but you can expect some issue. Once you have the boot devices “stablelized” after disabling mpxio should you attempt to install and configure powerpath.
@Ben – thanks very much for your time to add your valuable comments about the the multipathing stuff. For sure, it is good information for the readers.
Very good Doc
@Ramesh, thanks.
Thank YOu so much ………keep update on thi s. ..
Regarding the usage of MPxIO with Solaris 10 + VxVM with EMC storage I know that is not supported from Veritas.
Am I wrong?
@woody – it is not unusual to have Soalris 10 + Mpxio + VxVM + EMC. And I do setup many hosts with the configuraiton. Please free to share if you have any official incompatibility matrix.
@Ramdev
This is what I have found:
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH51507
Any suggestion or advice?
interesting one. I am using this combination for more than 2 years and above, as it was certified configuration internally. let me getback to you on this, I just need to know how my configurations different than the one mentioned in the doc. Thanks for sharing the link.
The Symantec document appears to be a way for them to play it safe and not having to deal with the vast number of storage vendors. I’ve used Mpxio on Solaris 10 systems attached to Sun 9990V (Which are actually HDS systems re-branded) for years.
Veritas always had a different kind of relationship with Sun/Oracle over the years, probably the reason for the exception.
I am having same kind of impression Brian. Thanks for the comment.