Solution brief
SAN-intelligence for 3PAR StoreServ all-flash HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR StoreServ Storage FC Standards based Target and 3PAR Federated-driven peer zoning With HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage, peer zones can be automatically orchestrated by the array itself or in a 3PAR Federation allowing you to avoid tedious zone pre-confirmation requirements typically required for host provisioning. This significantly reduces the time needed to configure your SAN and shields your SAN from human error. Target or Federated-driven peer zoning (TDPZ) on the array utilizes existing HPE 3PAR StoreServ CLI commands or 3PAR SSMC and the established T-11 FC Standards with minor extensions to trigger peer zoning. Specifically, users just need to add host and target port association via a single CLI command or a click of the mouse in 3PAR SSMC, and the rest of the zoning is performed automatically and is error-free. All the communications between the HPE 3PAR StoreServ ports and HPE StoreFabric switches are completely automated and transparent to the user. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has filed 16 patents on this unique technology. Users can also read these target-created zones and display them using another existing HPE 3PAR CLI command with minor extensions or 3PAR SSMC. This gives you the ability to read and display zones right from inside the HPE 3PAR CLI or 3PAR SSMC without needing to inspect your switches or engage with any other management tool. To learn more about zoning automation, refer to the HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR StoreServ Storage technical white paper.
HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR StoreServ Storage offers a smart, simplified solution for flash storage deployments that alleviates complex, tedious configuration and administration associated with Fibre Channel (FC) storage area networks (SANs). Changing the SAN game All-flash HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage is known for its affordability, lightning-fast performance, and enterprise-class resilience. As flash continues on its trajectory of becoming the new standard in storage media, all-flash storage arrays are able to satisfy all of the requirements placed on enterprise‑class storage. These include streamlined management and orchestration, intelligent tiering and capacity efficiency, and flash‑integrated data protection and replication capabilities. HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR StoreServ Storage is a technology embedded in HPE 3PAR flash arrays that radically simplifies and de‑risks SAN zoning and management. It takes advantage of the intelligence built into HPE StoreFabric SAN networking components, including FC host bus adapters (HBAs) and switches (figure 1).
Array intelligence that goes beyond the array HPE Smart SAN is one example of how HPE is working to provide customers with a flash-optimized data center infrastructure experience that goes beyond the
boundaries of what other all-flash arrays can do. By building SAN intelligence into HPE StoreFabric networking components and HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage arrays, we are helping customers to get the most out of their flash deployments through a comprehensive approach to integrating and simplifying data center infrastructure. HPE StoreFabric leads in collaboration by offering QLogic and Broadcom Gen 5 or Gen 6 FC HBAs integrated with Brocade’s FC Gen 5 or Gen 6 fabric. This enhances capabilities that provide Target driven SAN‑aware intelligence simplifying the SAN zoning experience of storage administrators through automatic HPE 3PAR host provisioning. As storage environments become larger and more complex, it becomes harder to manage fabrics. HPE Smart SAN technology provides your HPE 3PAR StoreServ array with full insight into the fabric in which it resides in order to automate end-to-end SAN zoning and FC diagnostics, thereby simplifying provisioning, management, and troubleshooting.
Solution brief
E2E aggregate discovery Functionality embedded in all three components
Data collection
Thin Smart SAN management enablement through HPE 3PAR CLI and or 3PAR SSMC
Auto-configuration (zoning, security)
FC
Smart SAN—enabled hosts
FC
Smart SAN—enabled fabric
Smart SAN—enabled array
Figure 1. HPE Smart SAN architecture overview HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR leverages the intelligence gathered from fabric components including: • HPE StoreFabric B-series 16Gb and 32Gb FC switches and directors • Select HPE FlexFabric 5900 Converged Switch Series • HPE StoreFabric 16Gb and 32Gb FC HBAs All-flash HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage is the only flash solution to embed SAN intelligence into the array in order to simplify SAN deployment, improve SAN uptime, and increase SAN resiliency through greater predictability.
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Redefining SANs With typical SAN deployments, storage administrators are faced with many challenges, including the management of multiple protocols, switches, HBAs, and SAN configuration tools—many of which come from multiple vendors. All of these moving parts can lead to complexity, tedious and repetitive manual tasks, and multiple variables to track in keeping the SAN administrated, healthy, and available. When the SAN isn’t well managed and healthy, flash performance suffers and even the network availability, along with resiliency drops—putting your entire business at risk. HPE Smart SAN technology targets these issues with SAN management automation that simplifies SAN deployments, reduces the opportunity for human error, and facilitates the resilience of your SAN. HPE Smart SAN achieves this by essentially redefining the SAN, moving away from hardware-defined storage networking to a software-defined storage networking approach. This approach takes advantage of software‑based intelligence that gathers data from the SAN elements and centralizes SAN orchestration and automation from the storage array.
In doing so, HPE Smart SAN technology helps avert human error, increase uptime, and make SAN configuration and health management virtually effortless. This is particularly beneficial to experienced IT generalists in smaller environments where SAN management can place a disproportionate burden on limited staff and resources. This capability is similarly valuable to seasoned storage administrator in large enterprises, where SAN simplification and automation streamline management and troubleshooting while reducing the risk of tedious and error‑prone manual human operations such as SAN zoning.
Get smart today HPE Smart SAN for 3PAR StoreServ is a protocol-agnostic framework and is well suited for HPE 3PAR customers who want more control and simplification of their SAN from the perspective of their storage array. The customers want to simplify flash storage deployments in the fabric while reducing human errors and increasing SAN predictability.
Learn more at
hpe.com/storage/smartsan
© Copyright 2016–2017 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for Hewlett Packard Enterprise products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Hewlett Packard Enterprise shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. 4AA6-8342ENW, February 2017, Rev. 2