HP Storage Provisioning Manager (SPM) version 2.1 User Guide

F Working with unmanaged networks
Overview
This appendix specifies the usage and format of the XML files used to describe the characteristics
of unmanaged storage area networks (SANs) to SPM. Unmanaged SANs are those with which
SPM cannot communicate. In order for a user to track connectivity within such SANs using SPM,
the characteristics of each SAN is described in an XML file accessed by SPM. XML files describing
open networks based on patterns of network addresses can be created using the SPM GUI, while
files describing zoned networks must be edited outside SPM.
SPM enables users to manage connectivity in a number of SANs. However, some users may need
to manage types of SAN with which SPM cannot communicate directly. Users can track the
connectivity in such unmanaged SANs within SPM by creating XML files describing the SANs and
placing those files in a directory which SPM examines. Because SPM cannot communicate with
unmanaged SANs, users must ensure consistency of the state of the SANs and the data about them
within SPM.
NOTE: SPM 2.1 can read and use XML files created for SPM 2.0. However, SPM 2.1 also reads
and uses XML files in a new file format different from the format used by SPM 2.0. The new file
format is described in the following sections.
Unmanaged SANs
As provided by HP, SPM can communicate with a number of SANs. SPM users can write adapters
to enable SPM to communicate with other SANs. If a user must configure connectivity within a
SAN for which HP has not provided an interface and for which no adapter is available, these
SANs can be treated as unmanaged SANs within SPM.
Unmanaged networks are networks that are not visible to SPM. SPM is made aware of an
unmanaged network through a user-created XML resource file which contains information describing
the network. Using the data in the XML resource file, SPM generates candidates and makes requests
to the user.
Because unmanaged networks are read only, SPM cannot change actual network connectivity.
SPM can make changes to simple XML files without zones. If the XML file was created using SPM,
the user can edit the network using SPM and changes to the file are saved. Changes made to an
XML resource file do not impact the underlying network. If changes are made to the underlying
network, the XML resource file must be updated to reflect the changes. It may be necessary to add
proxy WWNs to an unmanaged network. For information, see “Proxy WWNs” (page 82).
Storage admin changes requested by SPM
When a SAN-connected volume service is created for a zoned unmanaged network in SPM, SPM
may request the user to make changes to the zoning state of the actual network. These changes
are detailed in the services' outputs, and they include a suggested zone name and endpoints to
include in the zone. The actual network's management interface should be used to create a zone
with the required endpoints. Once this is done, the XML resource file representing the network
should be edited to include a zone containing those endpoints. When both of these steps have
been performed, SPM will correctly represent the state of the network.
Zone removal
Zones can be safely removed via the underlying network device manager and removed from the
XML resource file if they are no longer in use by any SPM service.
Simple unmanaged networks
Simple networks can be created and edited from within the SPM GUI without knowledge of XML
or the need to manage the location of the files that define them. SPM will place the files in the
correct directory and will manage the files on behalf of the user. To be edited in SPM, a network
must be a Fibre Channel network for which all WWNs within the network can be described using
Overview 77