Configuring IBM Storwize and IBM FlashSystem external storage systems

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By default, IBM® Storwize® and IBM FlashSystem systems are configured as storage layer devices to the FlashSystem 7300 replication layer.

Partnerships among the replication and storage layer systems are limited by these rules:
  • Storage layer systems can be used as external storage only by replication layer systems.
  • Replication layer systems can participate in Metro Mirror or Global Mirror partnerships only with other replication layer systems.
  • Storage layer systems can participate in Metro Mirror or Global Mirror partnerships only with other storage layer systems.

Tasks to configure the storage layer system

To configure a system as a storage layer, follow these general tasks:
  1. On the storage layer system, first define a host object and add all worldwide port names (WWPNs) from the FlashSystem 7300 system to it.
  2. On the storage layer system, create host mappings between each volume that you want to manage by using FlashSystem 7300 and the host object that you created.
The volumes that are presented by the storage layer system appear in the FlashSystem 7300 managed disk (MDisk) view. The storage layer system appears in the FlashSystem 7300 view with a vendor ID of IBM.

Quorum disks on storage layer storage systems

The storage layer systems support quorum disks. Clustered systems that have a storage level system can choose MDisks that are presented by a storage level system as quorum disks.

Advanced functions for storage layer systems

Replication layer systems can use storage that is presented by the storage layer system, but Metro Mirror and Global Mirror cannot interoperate between the two systems. Replication layer systems can participate in Metro Mirror and Global Mirror partnerships only with other replication layer systems. Storage layer systems can participate in Metro Mirror and Global Mirror partnerships only with other storage layers.

For more information, see Metro Mirror and Global Mirror partnerships information.

Volumes that are defined on a storage layer system can be used by the replication layer system as a source or target for advanced copy functions. Advanced copy functions include FlashCopy®, Metro Mirror, and Global Mirror. IBM Storwize and IBM FlashSystem advanced copy functions are not supported for volumes that are used as MDisks.

Sharing the storage layer system between a host and the system

An IBM Storwize or IBM FlashSystem storage system can present some volumes to the FlashSystem 7300 system and other volumes to hosts on the SAN. However, an individual volume cannot be presented to both the FlashSystem 7300 system and a host simultaneously.

SAN zoning for storage layer systems

If many storage layer systems are managed by a single FlashSystem 7300 system, be aware of the published limit for maximum IBM Storwize or IBM FlashSystem storage systems per fabric. If the limit is exceeded by as little as a single storage system, divide the storage layer systems into multiple zones. Replication layer IBM Storwize or IBM FlashSystem systems count toward the maximum number of FlashSystem 7300 nodes that might be present within a single SAN zone. For more information, see the following website:

http://www.ibm.com/support