Vicom Certification Test Report

Sun Microsystems Inc.
Last Updated: August 9, 2001

Index:

• Summary

• Support Information

• Vicom Configuration

• Lessons Learned

• System Configuration

• Test Matrix Legend

• Test Matrix

Summary: (Go To Index)

This report summarizes the results of testing done for the Solaris-Ready/StorEdge certification of the Vicom Storage Virtualization Engine (SVE) by Sun Microsystems, Inc.  This testing was performed during the period June-August, 2001. Although some issues were identified, none were determined to be of a severity that resulted in failure of the overall test. Other than some issues documented with failover in high availability configurations, there were no unresolved issues occurred. As a result, Vicom SVE version 2.5 (firmware 8.01.09) has passed SolarisReady for StorEdge certification.

Support Information: (Go To Index)

• In order to receive support on any Vicom product, customers should contact Vicom directly. Sun Microsystems does not offer support, nor provide diagnostic services for Vicom products.

• Vicom Home Page: Vicom Systems

• Vicom Support Page: Vicom Customer Support

• Telephone Support: During Vicom business hours, 7:00am to 5:00pm Pacific Time, Monday-Friday, customers may call:

1-877-868-4266 or 510-743-1427.

• Email Support ( Responses to requests will be made during the following business day)

Send email to support@vicom.com.

Vicom Configuration: (Go To Index)

• Two Vicom SVE's with version 8.01.09 firmware (earlier firmware did not pass)

• Each Vicom was connected to both a FC switch, a Sun T3, and to each other.

• Upstream FC switches (between Vicom and the host) need to be configured into one zone, as Vicom provides the zoning.

Lessons Learned: (Go To Index)

• Problems were easiest to troubleshoot by building up the configuration one piece at a time.  Start with the T3 direct-attached, then add the FC switch, then add the SVE.

• A close review of available documentation, is highly recommended.

• Checking the supported configurations is advisable, as is thoroughly examination the Vicom documentation.

• Not all Vicom commands are well documented, on-line help and a brief description is available by typing help at the command prompt.

System Configuration: (Go To Index)

The Vicom Certification configuration consisted of:

• 2 E4500, 8 CPUs, 4 GB RAM

• 1 E6500, 12 CPUs, 6 GB RAM

• 1 R420, 4 CPUs, 4 GB RAM

• 2 QLogic 2200 HBAs per host, on PCI mezzanine boards for SBUS hosts

• 2 16 port Sun Fibre Channel Switches

• 2 Vicom SVEs firmware revision 8.01.09

• 2 T3's with 1 Raid 5 (8+1) each, firmware revision 1.17a

• 24 VLUNs, 9.5 GB each




Please note that the top two connectors on the SVE are for the host-side and the bottom two are for the device-side connections.  This is not labeled on the SVE itself, therefore it is easy to mis-cable the SVE.  See the following photo:

Misc. Information On Testing: (Go To Index)

The objective is to certify the operation of the Vicom SVE with Solaris/NWS products.  The primary focus was on the ability of the SVE to provide LUN virtualization, LUN zoning, and failover capability.  Data integrity was of paramount importance attendant to these abilities.  The secondary focus was to ascertain whether there is a performance degradation associated with the SVE, and to test other features of the SVE, such as mirror and composite drives.

We found that Alternate Pathing (AP) 2.3.1 was rendered completely inoperable.  However, AP is not supported in a switched environment.  Since the specified test configuration requires FC switches, AP testing and the associated results are likely to be unnecessary. 

The failover capability of Veritas VxDmp was impaired in the following way:  Failure of the interconnect between SVE's (simulated by removing the cable), caused VxDmp to failover paths properly, but replacement of the cable resulted in a complete failure of all I/O to all VLUNS.  Failure of one SVE as a whole (simulated by turning off the power) resulted in the same behavior, that is, turning the SVE back on resulted in catastrophic loss of I/O.  In the event of such failures, we advise our customers to wait for a maintenance window to replace the failed components.

LUN virtualization and zoning worked well.  Performance was comparable to direct-attached storage, and we noted that performance was not significantly affected by using vxdmp, except as noted above.

The mirror and composite drive capabilities of the SVE functioned as expected, but unfortunately, VLUNS cannot be created on top of these devices.

The performance results are not provided, however, there was a degredation of performance experienced, with all I/O and workloads tested.

Test Matrix Legend (Score): (Go To Index)

PASS(#) = Test completed without any adversities, where (#) corresponds to  notes.

FAIL(#) = Test failed, where (#) correspond to the note.  No workaround available.

N/A = Not Applicable.

ND/HC = Not Done, but High Confidence.  Although these test were not run, the results of the related tests give us high confidence that these tests, if run, would have successfully completed.

N/T = Not Tested.
 
 

Test Matrix: (Go To Index)