Communicator e3000 MPE/iX Release 7.5 (Software Release C.75.00) (30216-90336)

Chapter 4

Fibre Channel Device and Adapter Support on HP e 3000 Systems

HP SureStore Virtual Array 7100 on the HP e3000

By Walter McCullough Commercial Systems Division

Product Brief

The HP SureStore Virtual Array 7100 is HP’s newest mid-range fibre channel disk storage system that is the

replacement for the 12H AutoRAID. The VA7100 holds from 4 to 15 disk drives. The array has scalable

capacities from 72 GB to 270 GB (211 GB usable) with all 18-GB disk drives and from 144 GB to 540 GB (428

GB usable) with all 36-GB disk drives and from 292 GB to 1.1 TB with 73-GB disk drives. Capacities and

spindle speeds can also be mixed.

For added reliability and redundancy the array should be ordered in a dual controller configuration. Each

controller has two DIMM slots available to hold NVRAM. The NVRAM is used for read/write caching and for

storing array memory maps.

The VA7100 can operate in either RAID 1+0 mode or AutoRAID mode, which eliminates the requirement for

the system administrator to understand and configure RAID levels. AutoRAID dynamically adapts to the

system’s workload, optimizing performance and cost. Users will find configuration significantly easier than

other array products, since RAID levels don’t need to be configured or managed. The VA7100 supports one

redundancy group, and all drives belong to that group. Using Virtual Storage Array (VSA) technology, when

configured in AutoRAID mode the array controller automatically selects RAID 1+0 (disk striping and

mirroring) or RAID 5DP (RAID 5 Double Parity) depending on the usage patterns of the data. RAID 5DP

provides superior data redundancy by protecting against the simultaneous failure of two member disks by

using independent error correction schemes.

Site, Software and Hardware Requirements

Device installation and support is to be provided by HP. For detailed information on the support and

configuration of the Virtual Array 7100, field support personnel should consult the updated versions of the

following documents:

• HP SureStore Virtual Array 7100 Disk Array Quick Start Guide

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/disk_arrays/midrange/va7100/infolibrary/index.html

. Then click on technical support

• HP SureStore Command View SDM http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/disk_arrays/modular/

NOTE The Command View SDM software is currently required on an NT PC or HP-UX workstation.

VA7100 Configuration Requirements

• Firmware version HP13.

• Port behavior set to HPUX.

• Port Topology should be set to Private Loop.

• Use controller 1 as the primary access port.

• Rebuild Priority should be set to Low.

• Logical Unit Number (LUN) (0) must be configured for Command View SDM to work properly.