Introduction to SAN

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

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

 

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

• None

• None recommended

• “Official course book provided to participants.”