Dell PowerStore 3000T EMC PowerStore Host Configuration Guide - Page 38

Dynamic Tracking, Fibre Channel Adapter Device Driver Maximum I/O Size

Page 38 highlights

When the FC adapter driver detects a link event, such as a lost link between a storage device and a switch, it waits for the fabric to stabilize (approximately 15 s). If the device is not on the fabric, the FC adapter driver fails all new I/Os or future retries of the failed I/Os, until the device rejoins the fabric. The fscsi device attribute fc_err_recov controls Fast I/O Failure (default value is delayed_fail). It is recommended to enable Fast I/O Failure for FC adapters that are connected to PowerStore storage. To enable Fast I/O Failure for all fscsi devices, set the fc_err_recov attribute to fast_fail, as shown in the following example: NOTE: In the example, the fscsi device instance is fscsi0. chdev -l fscsi0 -a fc_err_recov=fast_fail -P Run the following command to verify that the setting was enabled in the ODM: lsattr -El fscsi0 NOTE: The -P flag only modifies the setting in the ODM and requires a system reboot for the changes to apply. Fast fail logic is applied when the switch sends a Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) to the adapter driver, indicating a link event with a remote storage device port. Fast I/O Failure is useful when multipathing software is used. Setting the fc_err_recov attribute to fast_fail can decrease I/O failure due to link loss between the storage device and switch, by supporting faster failover to alternate paths. Dynamic Tracking This topic describes the dynamic tracking logic for FC devices and details the setting recommendations. Dynamic tracking logic is applied when the adapter driver receives an indication from the switch that a link event with a remote storage device port has occurred. If dynamic tracking of FC devices is enabled, the FC adapter driver detects when the Fibre Channel N_Port ID of a device changes. The FC adapter driver then reroutes the traffic that is destined for that device to the new address, while the devices are still online. Events that can cause an N_Port ID to change include: • Moving a cable that connects a switch to a storage device from one switch port to another. • Connecting two separate switches using an Inter-Switch Link (ISL). • Rebooting a switch. The fscsi device attribute dyntrk controls dynamic tracking of FC devices (default value is no for non-NPIV configurations). It is recommended to enable dynamic tracking for PowerStore volumes. To enable dynamic tracking for FC devices, change all fscsi device attributes to dyntrk=yes, as shown in the following example: NOTE: In the example, the fscsi device instance is fscsi0. chdev -l fscsi0 -a dyntrk=yes -P Run the following command to verify that the setting was enabled in the ODM: lsattr -El fscsi0 NOTE: The -P flag only modifies the setting in the ODM and requires a system reboot for the changes to apply. Fibre Channel Adapter Device Driver Maximum I/O Size Set the max_xfer_size attribute for optimal AIX host operation over FC with PowerStore. Prerequisites The max_xfer_size FC HBA adapter device driver attribute for the fscsi device controls the maximum I/O size that the adapter device driver can handle. This attribute also controls a memory area the adapter uses for data transfers. For optimal AIX host operation over FC with PowerStore, perform the following steps: Steps 1. Run the following command on all FC adapters that are connected to PowerStore: 38 Host Configuration for AIX

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40

When the FC adapter driver detects a link event, such as a lost link between a storage device and a switch, it waits for the fabric to
stabilize (approximately 15 s). If the device is not on the fabric, the FC adapter driver fails all new I/Os or future retries of the failed I/Os,
until the device rejoins the fabric. The fscsi device attribute
fc_err_recov
controls Fast I/O Failure (default value is
delayed_fail
).
It is recommended to enable Fast I/O Failure for FC adapters that are connected to PowerStore storage.
To enable Fast I/O Failure for all fscsi devices, set the
fc_err_recov
attribute to
fast_fail
, as shown in the following example:
NOTE:
In the example, the fscsi device instance is fscsi0.
chdev -l fscsi0 -a fc_err_recov=fast_fail -P
Run the following command to verify that the setting was enabled in the ODM:
lsattr -El fscsi0
NOTE:
The
-P
flag only modifies the setting in the ODM and requires a system reboot for the changes to apply.
Fast fail logic is applied when the switch sends a Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) to the adapter driver, indicating a link
event with a remote storage device port.
Fast I/O Failure is useful when multipathing software is used. Setting the
fc_err_recov
attribute to
fast_fail
can decrease I/O
failure due to link loss between the storage device and switch, by supporting faster failover to alternate paths.
Dynamic Tracking
This topic describes the dynamic tracking logic for FC devices and details the setting recommendations.
Dynamic tracking logic is applied when the adapter driver receives an indication from the switch that a link event with a remote storage
device port has occurred.
If dynamic tracking of FC devices is enabled, the FC adapter driver detects when the Fibre Channel N_Port ID of a device changes. The
FC adapter driver then reroutes the traffic that is destined for that device to the new address, while the devices are still online.
Events that can cause an N_Port ID to change include:
Moving a cable that connects a switch to a storage device from one switch port to another.
Connecting two separate switches using an Inter-Switch Link (ISL).
Rebooting a switch.
The fscsi device attribute
dyntrk
controls dynamic tracking of FC devices (default value is no for non-NPIV configurations).
It is recommended to enable dynamic tracking for PowerStore volumes.
To enable dynamic tracking for FC devices, change all fscsi device attributes to
dyntrk=yes
, as shown in the following example:
NOTE:
In the example, the fscsi device instance is fscsi0.
chdev -l fscsi0 -a dyntrk=yes -P
Run the following command to verify that the setting was enabled in the ODM:
lsattr -El fscsi0
NOTE:
The
-P
flag only modifies the setting in the ODM and requires a system reboot for the changes to apply.
Fibre Channel Adapter Device Driver Maximum I/O Size
Set the
max_xfer_size
attribute for optimal AIX host operation over FC with PowerStore.
Prerequisites
The
max_xfer_size
FC HBA adapter device driver attribute for the fscsi device controls the maximum I/O size that the adapter device
driver can handle. This attribute also controls a memory area the adapter uses for data transfers.
For optimal AIX host operation over FC with PowerStore, perform the following steps:
Steps
1.
Run the following command on all FC adapters that are connected to PowerStore:
38
Host Configuration for AIX