Deployment Guide

7. Storage controller 2
Next steps
Install or enable MPIO on the host servers.
NOTE: After the Storage Center configuration is complete, run the host access wizard to configure host server access
and apply MPIO best practices.
For the latest best practices, see the Dell Storage Center Best Practices document on
the Dell TechCenter site (http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/storage/).
Two Fibre Channel Fabrics with Dual 8 Gb 4-Port Storage Controllers
Use two Fibre Channel (FC) fabrics to prevent an unavailable port, switch, or storage controller from causing a loss of connectivity
between host servers and a
storage system with dual 8 Gb 4-port storage controllers.
About this task
This configuration includes two fault domains, two FC fabrics, and two FC switches. The storage controllers connect to each FC
switch using two FC connections.
• If a physical port becomes unavailable, the virtual port moves to another physical port in the same fault domain on the same
storage controller.
• If an FC switch becomes unavailable, the storage system is accessed from the switch in the other fault domain.
• If a storage controller becomes unavailable, the virtual ports on the offline storage controller move to the physical ports on the
other storage controller.
Steps
1. Connect each server to both FC fabrics.
2. Connect fault domain 1 (shown in orange) to fabric 1.
• Storage controller 1: port 1 to FC switch 1
• Storage controller 1: port 3 to FC switch 1
• Storage controller 2: port 1 to FC switch 1
• Storage controller 2: port 3 to FC switch 1
3. Connect fault domain 2 (shown in blue) to fabric 2.
• Storage controller 1: port 2 to FC switch 2
• Storage controller 1: port 4 to FC switch 2
• Storage controller 2: port 2 to FC switch 2
• Storage controller 2: port 4 to FC switch 2
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Connect the Front-End Cabling