HP Logical Server Management Best Practices

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they create the storage pool entries and enter the corresponding details into the storage pool entries (e.g., target
storage controller WWNs and LUN numbers).
This first method of entering storage details in the storage pool entry screens also works in environments where
storage requests may be made through formal request tracking systems (or even informal emails to storage
administrators) and details regarding the resultant allocated storage are later returned.
The second method (use of export/import) can be valuable in environments wishing to have a more structured means
of communicating the storage requests and resultant storage. The XML file will contain details about the storage
requests, which can be used to initiate a storage provisioning request through an existing process (e.g., script
interface, Storage Essentials operations, manual provisioning, etc.). This mechanism can also be used for bulk
creation of storage pool entries (importing a variety of pre-allocated storage volumes to be used by logical servers).
More details are provided in the following Storage pool entry export and import section.
The use of the integrated HP Storage Provisioning Manager capabilities provides the most rapid request fulfillment
(matching against a catalog entry without requiring manual intervention) and also provides controlled use of storage
operations such as adjusting the host mode (so the volume matches the logical server need) and LUN masking (to
adjust volume presentation based on initiator WWNs and perhaps to have data volumes be invisible for OS
installation and later made visible without storage administrator intervention).
Storage pool entry export and import
As noted, Matrix OE supports an alternative to manually editing storage information - use of a CLI to export a file and
import modifications. The syntax of the command was modified for the 6.3 release, and the examples in this
document use the new syntax. The lsmutil command line interface has two options (-export -spe –file
filename.xml and -import –spe –file filename.xml) to export storage pool entries (producing an XML
file of the storage requests) and import modified entries (an XML file with the additional storage information included).
The import command can also be used to create storage pool entries, provided a mechanism for bulk creation of
storage pool entries (importing a variety of pre-allocated storage volumes to be used by logical servers).
NOTE: This export/import capability is for standard SAN Storage Entries; it should NOT be used for entries backed
by volumes from the SPM storage catalog. Those storage entries are created via the Manage Storage Pool screen,
with a selection of suitable volumes from matching candidates, and have their storage details automatically
populated. This command line export and import capability is used to facilitate providing details on non-SPM storage
pool entries.
Figure 26 shows both of these uses of the new command line options. The top portion of the figure shows use of the
export and import commands to facilitate the communication between the server administrator defining the storage
pool entries and the storage administrator creating, presenting, and zoning the storage. The bottom portion of the
figure shows the creation of storage pool entries in advance of requests (enabling bulk creation of storage pool
entries without the administrator creating them individually through the graphical user interface).