Redbooks Paper
Entry SAN Switches: SAN16M-2
Implementation
Overview
This paper details the basic installation and configuration of an entry-level SAN with the IBM®
TotalStorage® SAN16M-2 Express Model fabric switch. In less complex SAN environments,
with fewer servers and storage arrays, single switch or dual cascaded switches offer
redundancy and performance with minimal administration and lower cost than larger
directors. For this example we use two IBM Thinkcentre machines running Windows® as host
servers. To connect to the 16M-2 switches utilized in this paper the Windows servers use
QLogic QLA2300 HBAs. Storage is supplied by an IBM TotalStorage DS400 with six 36.4 GB
disk drives.
Further information about the 16M-2 (including interoperability matrix) can be found at the
IBM storage Web site:
http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/storage/san/m_type/san16m-2/express/index.html
Before you begin
Make sure that you:
Have IP addresses ready to assign to the 16M-2 switches and the DS400 controllers.
Have Ethernet cables ready to integrate the SAN with your network switch. This is the
switch the servers are connected to and will be used in the SAN installation.
Know the servers’ host names (defined during server installation) and be ready to assign a
name to the SAN.
Have an unzip utility such as PKZIP or WinZip.
If installing the DS400 and 16M-2 switches in a rack, follow the guide Rack Installation
Instructions for the DS400 system.
Jon Tate
Cameron Hildebran
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.
ibm.com/redbooks
1
Install HBAs
This step assumes that the servers are already configured with the operating system and are
connected to the network switch according to the appropriate network settings for your
environment.
Installation of the HBAs vary by server type. However, the following steps summarize the
general process:
1. Power off the server and remove the power cable.
2. Remove the server outer cover.
3. Remove the blank cover (if present) from the PCI bus slots.
4. Press the HBA boa