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Considerations for FC configurations

You should be aware of several things when setting up your FC configuration.

  • You can set up your FC configuration with HA pairs using a single fabric or multifabric.

  • You should configure two FC data LIFs per node.

    This creates redundancy and protects against loss of data access.

  • You should configure one management LIF for every storage virtual machine (SVM) supporting SAN.

  • Multiple hosts, using different operating systems, such as Windows or Linux, can access the storage solution at the same time.

    Hosts require that a supported multipathing solution be installed and configured. Supported operating systems and multipathing solutions can be verified on the Lenovo Storage Interoperation Center (LSIC).

  • ONTAP supports dual, or multiple node solutions that are connected to multiple physically independent storage fabrics; a minimum of two are recommended for SAN solutions.

    This provides redundancy at the fabric and storage system layers. Redundancy is particularly important because these layers typically support many hosts.

  • The use of heterogeneous FC switch fabrics is not supported, except in the case of embedded blade switches.

    Specific exceptions are listed on the Lenovo Storage Interoperation Center (LSIC).

  • Cascade, partial mesh, full mesh, core-edge, and director fabrics are all industry-standard methods of connecting FC switches to a fabric, and all are supported.

    A fabric can consist of one or multiple switches, and the storage controllers can be connected to multiple switches.

  • Ways to configure FC & FC-NVMe SAN hosts with HA pairs
    You can configure FC and FC-NVMe SAN hosts to connect to HA pairs through one or more fabrics. You cannot directly attach FC or FC-NVMe SAN hosts to HA pairs without using a switch.
  • FC switch configuration best practices
    For best performance, you should consider certain best practices when configuring your FC switch.
  • Supported number of FC hop counts
    The maximum supported FC hop count between a host and storage system depends on the switch supplier and storage system support for FC configurations.
  • Managing systems with FC adapters
    Commands are available to manage onboard FC adapters and FC adapter cards. These commands can be used to configure the adapter mode, display adapter information, and change the speed.
  • FC target port supported speeds
    FC target ports can be configured to run at different speeds. You should set the target port speed to match the speed of the device to which it connects. All target ports used by a given host should be set to the same speed. FC target ports can be used for FC-NVMe configurations in the exact same way they are used for FC configurations.
  • FC Target port configuration recommendations
    For best performance and highest availability, you should use the recommended FC target port configuration.