Installing and Configuring Storage Area Networks

Course Overview

The Installing and Configuring Storage Area Networks course provides students with hands-on experience in implementing storage area networks (SANs) with the Sun StorEdge Open SAN Architecture. Students install Sun supported Fibre Channel switches, including Sun StorEdge Network FC switches, Brocade SilkWorm switches, and McData Sphereon switches. Students then configure various fabric topologies culminating in a large fabric, core/edge configuration. Students also employ techniques such as zoning to consolidate large amounts of data in a secure and highly available environment.

Audience

Students who can benefit from this course are storage integrators, architects, and administrators who are responsible for the implementation of storage area networks.

Skills Gained

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Differentiate between the different versions of Sun's SAN software
• Implement and configure a SAN environment
• Install and upgrade a SAN from a previous release to the current release
• Install, configure, and implement switches using Qlogic's SANbox Manager, Brocade's WEB TOOLS, and McDATA's SANpilot software
• Use Qlogic (Sun StorEdge Network FC switch), Brocade, and McDATA command-line interfaces for switch management
• Determine and verify correct firmware and patch levels for the SAN environment
• Use the various Sun diagnostics and utilities for verification of SAN implementation
• Create and configure zones within a SAN environment
• Understand how Sun StorEdge Traffic Manager software is used in a SAN to ensure data availability
• Create a global SAN using multiple servers, host bus adapters (HBA's), switches, and storage devices

Prerequisites

To make full use of the lab time, this course requires a thorough understanding of the fundamental concepts of storage area networks.

To successfully complete this course, students must be able to:

• Install and configure the Sun StorEdge T3 array or Sun StorEdge 6120 array
• Manage volumes with storage management software
• Explain the role of the technical components that comprise a SAN
• Differentiate between SAN topologies and identify the benefits and limitations of each
• Explain how to use zoning techniques to obtain storage management objectives

Course Outline

Module 1 - Planning Installation of a Fabric SAN

• Identify requirements and specifications from a SAN design document
• Identify considerations to make various product specifications work together
• Identify Fibre Channel methods and their zoning and addressing considerations
• Identify the steps for an effective implementation

Module 2 - Creating a SAN Environment

• Identify requirements for Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS) SAN fabric implementation
• Identify the device pathing to connect server and storage
• Identify the application and features of SAN switch management tools
• Identify SAN switch management tools and login process
• Identify the software requirements for installation
• Identify Sun diagnostic tools used for validation
• Identify the commands to validate that hardware is detected

Module 3 - Upgrading to Sun's Latest SAN Version

• Identify new features and benefits of Sun SAN releases
• Compare the SAN 3.x and SAN 4.x releases
• Identify upgrade requirements
• Upgrade the software on the Sun Server

Module 4 - Installing and Configuring SAN Switches

• Install Sun StorEdge Network FC switches, Brocade SilkWorm switches, and McDATA switches and tools
• Use the graphical user interface (GUI) to configure switches
• Use the command-line interface (CLI) to configure switches

Module 4A - Sun StorEdge Network FC Switch (Qlogic)

• Install and configure the Sun FC Network switch
• Install and use SANbox Manager switch management GUI
• Verify installation of the switch with SANbox Manager
• Describe the operation of SANbox Manager
• Verify installation of the switch through the use of the switch CLI

Module 4B - Brocade Switch (3200/3900)

• Install and configure the Brocade switch
• Configure and use the WEB TOOLS switch management GUI
• Verify installation of the switch with WEB TOOLS
• Describe the operation of WEB TOOLS
• Verify the installation of the switch through the use of the CLI

Module 4C - McDATA Switch (4500)

• Install and configure the McDATA switch
• Configure and use the SANpilot switch management GUI
• Verify installation of the switch with SANpilot
• Describe the operation of SANpilot
• Install and configure the switch through use of the CLI utility

Module 5 - Zoning and Security

• Describe SAN security with zoning and masking
• Identify different security zone types

Module 5A - Configuring Zones With a Sun Network FC Switch (Qlogic)

• Use the Sun SANbox Manager to zone a SAN
• Use the Sun SANbox Manager to monitor and report the status of the SAN and devices connected to the SAN
• Use the CLI utility of the different switches to create zones

Module 5B - Configuring Zones With Brocade Switches

• Use the Brocade SilkWorm WEB TOOLS to zone a SAN
• Use the Brocade SilkWorm WEB TOOLS to monitor and report the status of the SAN and devices connected to the SAN
• Use the CLI utility of the different switches to create zones

Module 5C - Configuring Zones With McDATA Switches

• Use the McDATA SANpilot to zone a SAN
• Use the McDATA SANpilot to monitor and report the status of the SAN and devices connected to the SAN
• Use the CLI utility of the different switches to create zones

Module 6 - Using Sun StorEdge Traffic Manager Software

• Describe the role of Sun StorEdge Traffic Manager Software in maintaining data availability and security
• Configure Sun StorEdge Traffic Manager Software to redirect SAN traffic during a failure in the SAN

Module 7 - Creating a Global SAN

• Plan and integrate a large SAN consisting of multiple hosts and storage devices using Sun Network FC switches, Brocade Silkworm switches, and McData switches