Dell SC8000 Deployment Manual page 120

Chapter 4 Connect the Front End
Virtual Port Mode with Dual-Fabric Fibre Channel
Use two fabrics with virtual port mode to prevent a FC switch failure or controller failure
from causing an outage.
In this configuration, there is one fault domain for each FC fabric. Each controller is
connected to both fabrics by two FC connections. If a single port fails, its virtual port fails
over to another port in the same fault domain. If a controller fails, the virtual ports on the
failed controller move to ports on the other controller in the same fault domain.
Prerequisites
Each controller must have two available FC front‐end ports for each FC fabric.

The requirements for virtual port mode must be met.

Steps
1 Connect each server to both FC fabrics.
2 Connect fault domain 1 (shown in orange) to fabric 1.
Controller A, slot 1, port 1 → Fabric 1

Controller A, slot 2, port 1 → Fabric 1

Controller B, slot 1, port 1 → Fabric 1

Controller B, slot 2, port 1 → Fabric 1

3 Connect fault domain 2 (shown in blue) to fabric 2.
Controller A, slot 1, port 2 → Fabric 2

Controller A, slot 2, port 2 → Fabric 2

Controller B, slot 1, port 2 → Fabric 2

Controller B, slot 2, port 2 → Fabric 2

4 Configure FC zoning to meet the legacy mode zoning requirements.
Server 1
Fabric 1
Figure 95. Dual-controller with Dual-Fabric FC in Virtual Port Mode
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1 2
1 2
Storage Center SC8000 Controller Deployment Guide
Fabric 2
Controller A
Controller B
Server 2