HP StorageWorks MPX200 - Simplified Cost-Effective Virtualization Deployment (October 2009)

HP StorageWorks MPX200 Benefits
In a virtual server environment, this means that each guest OS can have its own initiator without
relying on the hypervisor to secure and manage data LUNs. Storage can be allocated and
expanded based on the requirement of each guest OS or application instance. This frees the IT
Manager from the constraints of the 256 LUN limit from the following perspectives:
1. The hypervisor is no longer a bottleneck for management, growth, and data security.
2. Array connections are not consumed by the virtual machines.
With architectural support for over 1024 iSCSI initiators per MPX200, IT staff can continue
deployments of virtual machines, without changing the storage infrastructure, its management, or
security policies.
This enables powerful solutions for the storage manager. Virtual machines can be deployed
without having to over-allocate data. New data LUNs can be easily assigned any time in the
future without considering LUN limits or hypervisor intervention.
As the customers moving towards Virtual Desktop environment and implementing Vmware’s Virtual
Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to benefit out of Virtual desktop paradigm, all the implementation
options are applicable to VDI as well. The customer can choose to install either Windows servers
or Desktop Windows in all the implementation options discussed in this paper.
Conclusion
The MPX200 10-1 GbE blade allows high performance virtual machine deployment with 10GbE
iSCSI connectivity. This blade supports up to 600 iSCSI initiator connections to the EVA with
architectural support of up to 1024 iSCSI initiators. As a result, each virtual server can be
configured with its own iSCSI initiator and securely manage its own LUNs. This ensures that
management policies can be seamlessly maintained throughout the VM deployment. Configuring
iSCSI initiators on VMs also enables administrators to overcome the hypervisor limitation of 256
LUNs.
For more information
For more information about the product, see http://www.hp.com/go/mpx200
For more information about configuration, see the HP StorageWorks SAN Design Reference
Guide available at: http://www.hp.com/go/sandesignguide
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September 2009