Specifications

www.ibm.com/support/techdocs 35

Summary of Best Practices for Storage Area Networks

Name:

__XYZ123_1__

Size:

__200GB__

ioGroup:

__2__

mDisk Group:

__DS8300_300_1__

Mode: __Striped__

11.___ Map the new vDisk to the Host

12.___ If this is the last ticket of the evening, obtain a config dump

and attach it to this ticket under

<ticket_number>_<cluster_name>_new.zip If this is not the last

ticket, record the ticket where this information may be found here:

__ __

13.___ Map the new volume(s) to the Host

14.___ Update the Host information spreadsheet using the above

information, and the following supplemental data:

Ticket: __ABC456__ Project: __Foo__

15. ___ Also update the entry in the inventory database for the

remaining free space in the extent pool and mDisk Group.

16. ___ Call the Server Administrator in the ticket header and

request storage discovery. Ask them to obtain a path count to the

new disk(s). If it is not 4, perform necessary troubleshooting as

to why there are an incorrect number of paths.

17. ___ Request that the storage admin confirm R/W connectivity to

the paths.

18. Make notes on anything unusual in the implementation here: ____

***** END RECORD *****

Note how the variables necessary to implement the change are not separated out from

the checklist. This makes it more likely that the checklist will be used as the change is

implemented, instead of just checked off in one fell swoop at the end of the change.

Also note how that was not very detailed (sometimes referred to as a cookbook

approach). It does not say “click here and select option X”. It contains a basic list of the

steps necessary and provides exactly the information required to execute the change;

no more, no less.

The change record assumes that the administrator is familiar with the products, and

knows where to locate the necessary documentation files that will require updating. If

the change went badly and did not work, the information in this ticket and in the files

attached to it would be invaluable information in determining what went wrong. If the

administrator originally assigned to the change was sick on the big day, it would be

trivial for another administrator to carry out the implementation.

There are varying practices in the industry as to when to schedule changes to an

environment which range from once per quarter to an as-needed, almost daily, basis.