.HP LeftHand P4000 Virtual SAN Appliance in an HP BladeSystem environment solution guide (AT459-96002, April 2009)

5 Best practices
Replication
HP recommends that the Network RAID level be a minimum of two to ensure high availability of your
data.
Volumes and snapshots
The management group contains 1,001 to 1,500 volumes and snapshots. The Configuration Summary
displays orange when there are between 1,001 and 1,500 volumes and snapshots. When more than
1,500 volumes and snapshots appear a warning triggers by turning that line red. As soon as the total
number reduces below the boundary, the summary bar returns to the previous indicator, either orange
or green.
iSCSI sessions
The optimum number of iSCSI sessions connected to volumes in a management group ranges up to
4,000. If the management group contains 4,001 to 5,000 iSCSI sessions, the Configuration display
for that line turns orange. iSCSI sessions trigger a warning by turning that line red. As soon as the
total number of iSCSI sessions reduces below the boundary, the summary bar returns to the previous
indicator, either orange or green.
Storage nodes in the Management Group
The optimum number of storage nodes in a management group ranges up to 20. If the management
group contains 21 to 30 storage nodes, the Configuration Summary displays orange for that line of
the management group. Over 30 storage nodes triggers a warning by turning that line red. As soon
as the total number of storage nodes reduces below the boundary, the summary bar returns to the
previous indicator, either orange or green.
Storage nodes in the cluster
The optimum number of storage nodes in a cluster ranges up to 10. If the cluster contains 11 to 16
storage nodes, the Configuration Summary displays orange for that line of the management group.
Over 16 storage nodes in a cluster triggers a warning by turning that line red. As soon as the total
number of storage nodes reduces below the boundary, the summary bar returns to the previous
indicator, either orange or green. HP recommends that a minimum of three (3) VSAs be installed. This
configuration will not require a Failover Manager VM. If two (2) VSAs are installed, a third VM for
the Failover Manager will be required. The Failover Manager should be installed on an ESX Server
that does not have a VSA installed on it.
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