.Part 1 Architecture HP SAN Design Reference Guide 785351-001

• Switch and hop counts
Minimize the number of hops between devices that communicate regularly in the SAN.
For information about switches and hop counts, see:
◦ “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 91)
◦ “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 123)
◦ “H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 140)
• Oversubscription
For improved performance, reduce the potential for oversubscription. Ensure that the SAN
design provides an adequate number of ISLs between switches, and minimize cases where
many devices share a single-switch ISL.
For information about oversubscription, see “Recommended ISL ratios” (page 31).
• Data locality, performance, and application workloads
Provide an adequate level of performance based on application workloads. For frequent data
reference and quick response times, use local, high-capacity paths to connect servers and
storage systems. Deploy servers and storage in your SAN based on your data access
requirements.
See “SAN fabric topologies” (page 23).
• Manageability
To enhance efficiency, you can manage consolidated storage from a centralized location.
• Fabric zoning
You can use fabric zoning to control SAN access at the device or port level.
For information about zoning, see:
◦ “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 91)
◦ “C-series switches and fabric rules” (page 123)
◦ “H-series switches and fabric rules” (page 140)
• Selective Storage Presentation
To provide data access security and enable storage system use by multiple operating systems
in a single SAN, use SSP.
• SAN security
Use a combination of SAN features and sound management practices to ensure data security
throughout the SAN.
• Fibre Channel routing functionality
To increase the number of devices accessible in a SAN, use Fibre Channel routing functionality
to interconnect existing SAN fabrics, Virtual Fabrics, or VSANs.
For routing functionality information, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 23).
• Virtual Fabrics (B-series switches) and virtual SANs (C-series switches)
To create a SAN consisting of multiple logical SANs with separate fabric services, implement
logical fabrics or VSANs. Use the IFR or inter-VSAN routing feature to enable device sharing
across Virtual Fabrics or VSANs.
For information about Virtual Fabrics and VSANs, see “SAN fabric topologies” (page 23).
22 SAN design overview