Installing advanced path failover
To successfully install advanced path failover, complete the following:
Procedure
1.
Prepare the SAN. See
on page 18.
2.
Prepare the library. See
on page 19.
3.
Preparing the SAN
To prepare the SAN, review the following:
Procedure
on page 18.
2. Configure redundant connections
3. Review the SAN design guidelines
on page 18.
4.
Verify that the switch prerequisites are met. See
Preparing the switches and hosts for failover
page 16.
Minimize host access
Advanced path failover is supported for a maximum of 32 hosts connected to each tape drive or tape
library. Each host should have two to four ports for a total of 64 to 128 connections to each tape drive or
tape library.
Connecting more than 32 hosts may cause performance degradation if extra hosts are attempting to
access the drives or library while another host is using the device.
Use switch zoning or Secure Manager to configure the SAN or library so that only hosts that need to
access the devices are able to connect.
Configure redundant connections
Each tape drive in the library has two ports. For best results the drives should be connected to two
different SANs, with all of the first ports connected to one SAN and all of the second ports connected to
another SAN. The total number of SAN switch ports required for connecting the library is twice the
number of tape drives installed in the library.
If both ports for a tape drive are connected to the same switch, fault tolerance is reduced as a single
switch failure will cause loss of connectivity. If only one switch is available, that switch must be zoned to
create two logical SANs.
Review the SAN design guidelines
The general SAN design guidelines for tape are documented at:
18
Installing advanced path failover
