H41BQS - Introduction to SAN

This course is designed for new or entry-level SAN administrators, offering an overview of general SAN technologies. It provides a comprehensive understanding of everyday administration within an HPE SAN solution, covering a broad range of technologies and concepts such as Fibre Channel (FC), iSCSI, and NVMe-oF. It discusses basics and building blocks of FC and IP-SAN, as well as the role of SAN-enabled hosts and disk targets. Other topics include SAN management, basic SAN security, and performance aspects of SAN as well as long distance connectivity overview.

Audience

This course is ideal for new or entry-level technical professionals seeking a learning path that includes conceptual knowledge of SAN technologies.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, you should have:
Basic technical understanding of concepts and terminology related to networking and storage
Basic experience in managing Windows systems

Course objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to:
Define a storage area network (SAN)
Describe SAN benefits
Discuss data access methods
Identify SAN hardware components
Describe HPE Storage Networking elements and benefits
Recall the format of a WWN
Explain Fibre Channel (FC) terminology and port types
Describe FC topologies
Identify FC addressing
List the steps for port initialization
Identify the node and port types
Describe the role of Simple Name Service
Describe concepts associated with zoning
Explain the data center bridging (DCB) standard
Describe the Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) standard
Discuss the Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) standard, types, and building blocks
Discuss host connectivity
Discuss N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) support and products based on it
Explain the function of multipathing and load balancing
Discuss the need for SAN management
Discuss technologies driving SAN management
Describe HPE SAN management today
Discuss SAN extension technologies and implementations
Explain the use and effects of buffer (BB) credits on distance and speed
Describe approaches to planning security in a SAN
Outline the core components for securing a SAN
Outline topology choices and design considerations
Describe SAN performance factors
Identify levels of high availability in SAN architecture

Detailed course outline

Module 0: Course Overview

Course topics

Module 1: SAN Introduction

What is a SAN?
HPE Storage Networking: Enables systems for critical workloads
Business continuance
High availability
Server and storage consolidation
Centralized management
Basic methods of storage connectivity
SAN considerations
DAS versus NAS versus SAN
SAN components
HPE Storage Networking: Hardware positioning
Fibre Channel and Ethernet—Decoded and positioned

Module 2: Fibre Channel

Fibre channel introduction
World Wide Name (WWN)
Nodes, ports, and links
SAN topologies
Fibre Channel port types
Fibre Channel addressing
Basic Fibre Channel services
Simple Name Service
Zoning
Fabric segmentation
Fibre Channel networking products portfolios

Module 3: iSCSI

Overview of iSCSI protocol
iSCSI maps SCSI onto a network
iSCSI stack
iSCSI initiators
iSCSI target discovery
iSCSI operations
iSCSI authentication
Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS)
iSCSI advantages and disadvantages
M-series switches

Module 4: NVMe-oF

Data center bridging (DCB)
Data Center Bridging vs other technologies
Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA)
Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
FCoE integrated with FC SAN fabric
FCoE encapsulation
Converged network adapters
Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fabrics (NVMe-oF)
What is NVME?
Why NVMe over fabrics
NVMe based storage end-to-end
NVMe over the network—Fabric transport options
Deciding between the NVMe-oF options

Module 5: Host

Host role within the SAN
Host and adapters
N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) overview
HPE Virtual Connect
Boot from SAN
Host preparation and install
Multipath concepts and load balancing

Module 6: SAN Management

SAN management categories
B-series SAN management interfaces and tools
Web tools
SANnav management software
C-Series/Cisco Data Center Network Manager
HPE GreenLake for Storage Fabric Management
Management protocols and APIs
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
REST(ful) API

Module 7: Long Distance Connectivity

Why extend the SAN?
SAN extension technologies
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) options
Fibre Channel over SONET/SDH
Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP)
IP network considerations
FCIP security and encryption
Buffer-to-buffer flow control

Module 8: SAN Security

Basic security model
Attacks and exposures
Mitigation of risk
Storage security model
Data access
Management security
B-Series fabric security access control lists
SCC
DCC
FCS
IP Filter
B-Series role-based access control (RBAC)
B-Series authentication options
Data path and management path security summary

Module 9: SAN Design

Topologies
HPE standard supported SAN topologies
Design using HPE supported SAN topologies
Single-switch fabric
Cascaded fabric
Ring fabric
Meshed fabric
Core-edge fabric
Performance
Topology data access usage
ISL oversubscription
ISL bandwidth aggregation
Hop latency
Device attachment points
Performance guidelines within the SAN
Backup performance considerations
Availability levels
Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge
HPE SAN Design Reference Guide
Infrastructure documentation

Detailed lab outline

Lab 2: Switch Exploration

Connecting to a fabric switch using Web Tools
Exploring main Web Tools sections
CLI basics
Basic switch status commands
Viewing port status
Enabling/disabling the switch
Enabling/disabling a port
Changing the switch Domain ID
Backing up system configuration settings

Lab 3: Nimble-based iSCSI Configuration

Provisioning storage
Presenting storage
Connecting to a volume
Windows preparation and mounting the volume

Lab 4: Administration and Configuration

Identifying port types
Viewing port configuration
Persistent port disabling
Configuring a port name
Denying F-port mode

Lab 5: Host Preparation and Storage Allocation

HBA management via QConverge Console CLI
Host verification in SSMC
Volume provisioning
Disk discovery

Lab 6: Fabric Zoning

Clearing the zoning configurations
Setting default zone
Configuring WWN zoning via CLI and Web Tools

Lab 8: Basic Security Administration and Configuration

Creating user accounts
Working with user privileges
Testing the effect of RBAC