Configuring a Redundant Pair of VMA SAN Gateways - Process Guide

The PCIe connections of the VMA Arrays connected to the redundant paired gateways allow the

gateway software to detect and collaborate as a High Availability redundant pair of gateways. In

order for this correct detection of redundant gateway configuration to occur, care must be made for

correct placement of PCIe pass-thru cards and connection of PCIe cables from connected VMA Arrays

to the secondary gateway. There are two requirements for correct PCIe pass-thru card and PCIe

cable connections:

1. The PCIe ports of a VMA Array must be connected to a PCIe pass-thru card in the same

numbered I/O slot in both of the connected VMA SAN Gateways. For example, if a VMA

Array is currently singly connected to the PCIe pass-thru card in I/O slot #1 of the ‘primary’

gateway, then the secondary PCIe port of the same array must be connected to a PCIe pass-

thru card in I/O slot #1 of the ‘secondary’ gateway. A second VMA Array could be

connected to a PCIe pass-thru card in I/O slot #4 of both the primary and secondary

gateways.

2. The Primary PCIe port of each array (left most port when viewing from the back of the array)

must be connected to the same gateway. For example, if two VMA Arrays are connected to

a redundant pair of gateways, the primary PCIe port on each VMA Array must be connected

to the same gateway, the ‘primary’ gateway is recommended for ease of configuring. The

secondary ports of the VMA Arrays will then be connected to the other gateway, the

‘secondary’ gateway as per recommendation.

Carefully connect the ‘secondary’ PCIe ports on VMA Arrays to the PCIe Pass-Thru cards in the

‘secondary’ gateway using the remaining VMA PCIe cables as described above. Refer to the

following configuration examples for the correct installation of PCIe pass-thru cards in the gateways

and the correct cabling of the PCIe cables from the gateway to the arrays.

Figure 7 : Supported Redundant Pair VMA SAN Gateway Configurations

Redundant VMA SAN Gateway Pair with one VMA

Array

Redundant VMA SAN Gateway Pair with two

VMA Arrays