.Part 1 Architecture HP SAN Design Reference Guide 785351-001

multiple interswitch cable segments. Fibre Channel routing interconnects independent SAN
islands (fabrics) or VSANs to form a single, geographically distributed SAN.
For information about supported distances, see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 91).
• Data availability
A resilient SAN environment minimizes vulnerability to fabric or device failures and maximizes
performance. A mixture of availability levels can be implemented in the same SAN, depending
on the level of protection required for specific applications or data.
For information about availability levels, see “Data availability” (page 38).
• Connectivity
Provide enough ports to connect servers, storage systems, and fabric components. To create
a high-capacity SAN, you can connect multiple fabrics or VSANs using routing.
For information about the connections available in a SAN fabric topology, see “SAN fabric
topologies” (page 23).
• Storage capacity
Calculate the total storage capacity requirement and determine the type and number of storage
systems needed for current and future requirements.
For storage systems information, see:
◦ “MSA storage system rules” (page 211)
◦ “P6000/EVA storage system rules” (page 221)
◦ “P9000/XP storage system rules” (page 235)
◦ “SVSP storage system rules” (page 242)
◦ “3PAR StoreServ storage rules” (page 249)
• Heterogeneous platforms and operating systems
Customize your SAN for specific hardware platforms and operating systems. In a heterogeneous
environment, component interoperability depends on the capabilities and limitations of each
platform.
For information about configuring systems in a heterogeneous environment, see “Heterogeneous
server rules” (page 165).
• Scalability and migration
Choose a design that can be expanded incrementally over time as storage and connectivity
needs increase. Migration paths for each of the topologies provide flexibility to expand a
SAN. Fibre Channel routing accommodates expansion with minimal disruption to the network,
especially where growth requirements are not known.
For information about scaling and migrating, see “Best practices” (page 383).
• Backup and restore
Provide adequate connectivity and bandwidth to maximize the performance of SAN-based
backup.
For information about centralized backup, see “Enterprise Backup Solution” (page 255).
• Disaster tolerance
Consider remote data replication requirements to ensure protection against site failures and
recovery of critical data.
For information about disaster tolerance and failover protection, see “SAN extension”
(page 257).
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