AssuredSAN 4004 Series Setup Guide 57
3 Connecting hosts
Host system requirements
Hosts connected to an AssuredSAN 4004 Series controller enclosure must meet the following requirements:
• Depending on your system configuration, host operating systems may require that multipathing is
supported.
If fault tolerance is required, then multipathing software may be required. Host-based multipath
software should be used in any configuration where two logical paths between the host and any
storage volume may exist at the same time. This would include most configurations where there are
multiple connections to the host or multiple connections between a switch and the storage.
• Use native Microsoft MPIO DSM support with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012.
Use either the Server Manager or the command-line interface (mpclaim CLI tool) to perform the
installation.
See the following web sites for information about using native Microsoft MPIO DSM:
https://support.microsoft.com
https://technet.microsoft.com (search the site for “multipath I/O overview”)
Cabling considerations
Common cabling configurations address hosts, controller enclosures, drive enclosures, and switches. Host
interface ports on 4004 Series controller enclosures can connect to respective hosts via direct-attach or
switch-attach. Cabling systems to enable use of the optional AssuredRemote™ feature—to replicate
volumes—is yet another important cabling consideration. See Connecting two storage systems to replicate
volumes on page 68. The 4824/4834/4844/4854 models can be licensed to support replication;
whereas the 4524/4534/4544/4554 models do not support the feature.
TIP: Table 5 on page 41 aligns product model numbers with 2U and 4U chassis form factors.
Connecting the enclosure to hosts
A host identifies an external port to which the storage system is attached. The external port may be a port
in an I/O adapter (such as an FC HBA) in a server. Cable connections vary depending on configuration.
This section describes host interface protocols supported by 4004 Series controller enclosures, while
showing a few common cabling configurations.
NOTE: 4004 Series controllers use Unified LUN Presentation (ULP): a controller feature enabling a host to
access mapped volumes through any controller host port.
ULP can show all LUNs through all host ports on both controllers, and the interconnect information is
managed by the controller firmware. ULP appears to the host as an active-active storage system, allowing
the host to select any available path to access the LUN, regardless of disk group ownership.
TIP: See “Using the Configuration Wizard” in the Storage Management Guide to initially configure the
system or change system configuration settings (such as Configuring host ports).
CNC technology
AssuredSAN 4824/4834/4844/4854 models use Converged Network Controller technology, allowing
you to select the desired host interface protocol(s) from the available FC or iSCSI host interface protocols
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