EMC Symmetrix LUN Allocation Minimum Requirements: Knowledge on Basic Symmetrix Architecture Operating systems knowledge, And a test

Symmetrix, hosts to try Symmetrix Allocation Steps Step 1: Create symmetrix devices from the free space. To create a symmetrix device, first we need to know what type of device we need to create. For example, RAID-5, RAID-1 etc Im going to write both the commands. To start with, we need to create a simple text file and add the below line to the file. filename: config1 create dev count=xx, size=17480, emulation=FBA, config=2-way-mir, disk_group=x; Command Explanation: dev count=xx (replace xx with the number of devices we need to create) emulation=FBA (FBA > Fixed Block Architecture used for Open Systems which are Solaris, HP-UC and Window$) config=2-way-mir (Configure the devices as RAID-1, one of the oldest configuration available in all symmetrix models) disk_group=x (disk groups are created to differentiate the tiers, performance and capacity. Based on the requirements, we can select the desired disk group number to create the new symmetrix devices) Once you add the above line in the text file, save it and check the syntax. To make any configuration changes in the symmetrix we need to run the below mentioned commands. Ensure that the raid1.txt file in your current working directory. symconfigure -sid xxxx -f raid1.txt preview -V symconfigure -sid xxxx -f raid1.txt prepare -V symconfigure -sid xxxx -f raid1.txt commit -V Command Explanation: symconfigure (This command used to manage major configuration changes, display capacity of symmetrix and manage dynamic (hot) spares and device reservations

-sid (Symmetrix ID, always prefix with hyphen (-) ) -f (filename, mention the file name to which well use. In this example it is raid1.txt) preview (The preview argument verifies the syntax and correctness of each individual change defined, and then terminates the session without change execution.) prepare (The prepare argument performs the preview checks and also verifies the appropriateness of the resulting configuration definition against the current state of the Symmetrix array) commit (The commit argument completes all stages and executes the changes in the specified Symmetrix array.) -V (Yes, youre right, its verbose mode) Thats it! After running the above the commands the new devices are created. It was to create symmetrix devices from the symcli right. Let us assume that the devices IDs are 001 through 00A (devices created with hexadecimal numbers) Step 2: Search for free LUN ID on the FA (Fibre Adapters) After creating the devices, we need to map the devices to the Fibre Adapters. In legacy symmetrix, it will be SCSI Adapters (SA). IF we need to do it from ECC (EMC Control Center now called as IONIX, we need to a. Right click on the device b. Go to Configure c. Select and Click SDR Device Mapping and follow the wizard. Here Ill be writing the commands to do the same. symcfg -sid xxxx list -available -address -fa xy -p n |more Command Explanation: symcfg (Discovers or displays Symmetrix configuration information) list (Lists brief or detailed information about your Symmetrix configuration.) -available -address (Requests the next available Vbus, TID, or LUN address be appended to the output list. Used with the -address option.)

-fa (Confines the action to a Fibre Adapter (FA) director number) xy (x is the director number eg. 8 and y is the processor number eg. a or b) -p n (p is the port and n is the number eg. 0 or 1) Up to DMX-4 we follow the RULE-17. So repeat the command for another FA in this e.g. 9. Step 3: Mapping a device to the FA Now, lets assume that the LUN IDs 52 onwards are free to use on both the FAs 8a and 9a. Also, the file map.txt contains the below commands. After saving the file, we have run the symconfigure commands as shown above in Step 1. The below command will map the device 0001 to the FAs 8a:0 and 9a:0 which will have the LUN IDs 52 on the FAs. map dev 0001 to dir 8a:0 target=0,lun=52; map dev 0001 to dir 9a:0 target=0,lun=52; Command Explanation: map (map a device to fa) dev (symmetrix device ID) dir 8a (FA:port no#) target (The SCSI target ID (hex value) lun (Specifies the LUN addresses to be used for each device that is to be added for the host HBA.) Step 4: LUN Masking a device to the FA The last but one step is to do the LUN masking. It performs control and monitoring operations on a device masking environment. After running the below command, provides RW accessibility to the server having 2 port HBAs for the device 0001.

symmask -sid xxxx -wwn 10000000c130880a -dir 8a -p 0 add dev 0001 symmask -sid xxxx -wwn 10000000c131084a -dir 9a -p 0 add dev 0001 Command Explanation: symmask (Sets up or modifies Symmetrix device masking functionality.) -wwn (World Wide Name of the Host Bus Adapter (HBA) zoned with the FA) add (Adds devices to the device masking record in the database with the matching WWN) Step 5: Update and refresh the Symmetrix database VCMDB (Volume Control Manager Database) Steps to perform from the HP-UX server. The below command looks pretty simple but very important command to append all changes to the VCMDB. This will ensure and update the DB which protects the changes made the symmetrix. Symmask -sid xxxx refresh refresh (updates and refreshes the VCMDB) To confirm the symmetrix allocation done properly are not we can run the symcfg command as shown above in the Step 2. The output should show the LUN ID 52 being occupied by the Symmetrix device ID 0001 ________________________________________ Steps to perform from HP-UX server Once we finish the task from the EMC end, we need to scan for the new LUN from the operating system. First well deal with HP-UX server. The following commands needs to be executed in the same order from the server to start using the new device. #ioscan -fnC disk The ioscan command displays a list of system disks with identifying information, location, and size. #insf e The insf command installs special files in the devices directory, normally /dev. If required, insf creates any subdirectories that are defined for the resulting special file. After running this command the new devices will be added to the /dev directory as special device file.

#powermt config Configure logical devices as PowerPath devices. It will search for the EMC devices and adds it as a power path devices. #powermt display dev=all Displays configured powerpath devices. If the previous command ran successfully then we should see the new device in the output list. #powermt save Save a custom PowerPath configuration. Once we see the new device in the previous command output, then we can save the power path configuation database. After the successful completion of the above steps we can use the devices. Further by using the volume managers we can add them to the existing volume group or the new volume group. To Allocate LUNs in V-Max array, following steps has to be performed 1. Create a storage groups (Containing symm devices) 2. Create a port group (one or more director /port combinations) 3. Create an intitors group (one or more host wwns) 4. Creating a masking view containg the storage groups,port groups, and inititors group. When a masking view is created,the devices are automatically masked and mapped. Creating Storage Group #symaccess create -sid xxx -name SG1 -type storage devs 01c,03c Creating Port Group #symaccess create -sid xxx -name PG1 -type port -dirport 6d:0,7e:1 Creating inititor Group #symaccess create -sid xxx -name IG1 -type inititors -file txt1 txt1 conatins wwn:21000000008b090 www:21000000008c090 Creating a masking view : #symaccess create view -name test_view -sg SG1 -pg PG1 -ig IG1

Emc Symmetrix : Volume Logix The order for getting fibre channel based hypervolume extentions (HVEs) viewable on systems, particularly SUN systems, is as follows: 1. Appropriately zone so the Host Bus Adapter (HBA) can see the EMC Fibre Adapter (FA). 2. Reboot the system so it can see the vcm database disk on the FA OR 1. SUN: 1. drvconfig -i sd; disks; devlinks (SunOS <= 5.7) 2. devfsadm -i sd (SunOS >= 5.7 (w/patches)) 2. HP: 1. ioscan -f # Note the new hw address 2. insf -e -H ${hw} 3. Execute vcmfind to ensure the system sees the Volume Logix database. 4. ID mapped informationi 1. Map HVEs to the FA if not already done. 2. symdev list -SA ${fa} to see whats mapped. 3. symdev show ${dev} to ID the lun that ${dev} is mapped as. The display should look something like: Front Director Paths (4): { --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------POWERPATH DIRECTOR PORT - PdevName Type Num Type Num Sts VBUS TID LUN Not Visible N/A 03A FA 0 RW 000 00 70 Not Visible N/A 14A FA 0 NR 000 00 70 Not Visible N/A 03B FA 0 NR 000 00 70 Not Visible N/A 14B FA 0 NR 000 00 70 }

The number youre looking for is under the column LUN. Remember, its HEX, so the lun thatll show up on the ctd is (070=112) c#t#d112 5. On SUN systems, modify the /kernel/drv/sd.conf file so the system will see the new disks. Youll need to do a reconfig reboot after modifying this file. If the system doesnt see it on a reconfig reboot, this file is probably the culprit! 6. fpath adddev -w ${hba_wwn} -f ${fa} -r ${list_of_EMC_devs} You can specify multiple EMC device ranges; just separate them by spaces, not commas 7. Reboot the system so it can see the new disks on the FA OR 1. SUN: 1. drvconfig -i sd; disks; devlinks (SunOS <= 5.7) 2. devfsadm -i sd (SunOS >= 5.7 (w/patches)) 2. HP: 1. ioscan -f # Note the new hw address 2. insf -e -H ${hw} EMC Symmetrix: VCMDB and ACLX VCMDB: Volume Control Manager Database ACLX: Access Control Logix VCM: Volume Control Manager device (where the database resides) VCM Gatekeeper: Volume Control Manager Gatekeeper (database doesnt reside on these devices) SFS Volumes: Symmetrix File System Volumes If you work with EMC Symmetrix systems, you know the importance of VCMDB. Introduced with Symmetrix 4.0 and used in every generation after that, VCMDB stands for Volume Control Manager Database). Also in the latest generation of systems the VCM device is at times also referenced as VCM Gatekeeper. VCMDB is a relatively small device that is created on the Symmetrix system that allows for hosts access to various devices on the Symmetrix. VCMDB keeps an inventory of which devices have access to which host (HBAs). Without a VCMDB in place, host systems will not be able to access the Symmetrix. The VCMDB should be backed up on regular intervals and would be helpful in a rainy day. The VCMDB device size grew along with new generations of Symmetrix systems that got introduced, primarily a means to keep a track of more supported devices (hypers / splits) on these platforms. With the introduction of Symmetrix V-Max, the VCMDB concept is now a bit changed to ACLX (Access Control Logix). Access Logix is being used on the Clariion systems for years now.

Here are a few things to consider with VCMDB On the older Symmetrix systems (4.0, 4.8, 5.0 and 5.5), the VCMDB (device) is mapped to all the channels, host In these systems the VCMDB access is typically restricted by Volume Logix or ACL (access control lists) With the Symmetrix DMX, DMX2 Systems Enginuity Code 5670, 5671 the VCM device only requires to be mapped to the Management stations Management stations include SYMCLI Server / Ionix Control Center Server / Symmetrix Management Console At all given times on the DMX, DMX2 platforms, the VCMDB would need to be mapped to at least one station to perform online SDDR changes. Alternatively this problem of not having device mapped to at least one host can also be fixed by the PSE lab Mapping VCMDB to multiple hosts, channels may make the device venerable to crashes, potential tampering, device attributes and data change You can write disable VCMDB to avoid the potential of the above With these systems, the host can communicate to the VCMDB via Syscalls

The VCM Edit Director Flag (fibrepath) needs to be enabled for management stations to see VCM device The database (device masking database) of the VCMDB resides on the SFS volumes. This feature was introduced with DMX-3 / DMX-4 (5772 version of microcode). A 6 cylinder VCM Gatekeeper device is okay to use with these versions of microcode. Starting Symmetrix V-Max systems, the concept of ACLX was introducted for Auto Provisioning etc. VCM volumes are required to be mirrored devices like SFS volumes

Various different types of VCMDB Type 0, Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 4, Type 5, Type 6 : Type 0: Symmetrix 4.0, 32 Director System, 16 cylinder device size, Volume Logix 2.x Type 1: Symmetrix 4.8, 64 Director System, 16 cylinder device size, ESN Manager 1.x Type 2: Symmetrix 5.0/5.5, 64 Director System, 16 cylinder device size, ESN Manager 2.x

Type 3: Symmetrix DMX, supports 32 fibre/ 32 iSCSI initiator records per port, 24 cylinder device in size. Enginuity 5569, Solutions Enabler 5.2, Support 8000 devices Type 4: Symmetrix DMX/DMX-2, supports 64 fibre/ 128 iSCSI initiator records per port, 48 cylinder device in size. Enginuity 5670, Solutions Enabler 5.3, Supports 8000 devices

 Type 5: Symmetrix DMX/DMX-2, supports 64 fibre / 128 iSCSI initiator records per port, 96 cylinder device in size, Enginuity 5671, Solutions Enabler 6.0, Supports 16000 devices Type 6: Symmetrix DMX-3, DMX-4, supports 256 fibre / 512 iSCSI initiator records per port, 96 cylinder device in size, Enginuity 5771, 5772 Solutions Enabler 6.0, Supports 64000 devices Notes about various Types of VCMDB Type 3 of VCMDB can be converted to Type 4 VCMDB (code upgrade from 5669 to 5670 to 5671) Solutions enabler 5.2 and Solutions Enabler 5.3 can read/write Type 3 VCMDB Solutions enabler 5.3 can read/write Type 4 VCMDB

VCMDB device is recommended to be a certain size, but it is okay to use a larger size device if no choices are available. .

Converting various types of VCMDB using SymCLI If the device cylinder size is equal with a conversion you are attempting, the following will help you convert your VCMDB from type x to type y. Backup the device symmaskdb sid <symmid> backup file backup Check the VCMDB type using symmaskdb sid <symmid> list database Convert from type 4 to type 5 Symmaskdb sid <symmid> convert vcmdb_type 5 file Covertfilename

To initialize VCMDB for the first time on a Symmetric System Within Ionix Control Center Click on the Symmetrix array you are trying to initialize the VCMDB Select Masking then VCMDB Management and then initialize Select a new backup and create a file name Create a file name with .sdm extenstion Click on Activate the VCMDB

VCMDB backups are stored at\home\ecc_inf\data\hostname\data\backup\symmserial\

Also it will be viewable within Ionix Control Center at Systems/Symmetrix/VCMDB Backups/ With SymCLI To query the VCMDB database symmaskdb sid <symmid> list database To backup and init an existing VCMDB database symmaskdb sid <symmid> init file backup

More technical deep dive coming soon on various other topicsincluding ACLX.