UNCLASSIFIED Hi Mike, It sounds like your MPIO is not working correctly for the array that you have. I suspect that when you activate your zone, the primary path is chosen and backups fly, and when you re-enable the other zone, backups chose the redundant path, and go slow.
I've seen this before (not with backups, but with normal access). I forgot to install multipathing software on a unix box, and so normal traffic would go down the redundant path. As this path was not the active path, this resulted in really slow access. As a proof of concept, try disabling a HBA, and see if you get the same result. I would double check the compatibility of the MPIO software against your array, and against the Qlogic switches. It's rare, but perhaps the qlogic switches are not supported. You may also be able to select which path is the active path in the MPIO software. Greg. From: tech-boun...@lists.lopsa.org [mailto:tech-boun...@lists.lopsa.org] On Behalf Of Michael Ryder Sent: Tuesday, 4 February 2014 5:01 AM To: LOPSA Technical Discussions Subject: [lopsa-tech] Fibre-Channel Performance issue Hello LOPSA I very rarely push a request for assistance out to a list like this, generally subscribing to the self-help model of reading and testing, but I'm at my wit's end. I have four fibre-channel switches arranged in two separate fabrics. All four are HP Storageworks 8/20q (AQ233A) which are apparently really Qlogic SB3800-08A-11. I have zoning set to default to Deny-all, and single-initiator zoning in place. Everything on there is running at 4Gb, and we're not pushing the limits of the performance capabilities of the switches nor the fabric. Each pair of switches in a fabric is connected by a single ISL. Performance is lacking, and I know this because my backups, which ran on another set of Brocade-based HP switches, could push almost 800Mbps (basically the limit of the NIC). But now on these QLogics, I can only get, on average ~350Mbps. UNLESS... I force a zone change. For my backup proxy servers (Windows 2003 and 2008), I have it's HBA included in two separate, single-initiator zones (as part of troubleshooting) to each of the array-controller's ports. If I disable one of the zones (either one), and then a moment later, toggle them, so that current zone is disabled in favor of the zone to the other controller's port zone... the speed jumps up to my maximum of ~805Mbps for the rest of the backup job. Same controller. Same array. Swapping zones to favor the OTHER port. And then after the backup job completes, performance for the very next backup job is "reset" back to ~350Mbps. I am boggled. It is starting to feel like I have an issue with the backup proxy server, and that for some reason it's MPIO is on the fritz, but I don't see errors... the latest firmware and drivers are up-to-date, including MPIO drivers from HP and Microsoft. The only real change was going from the Brocades to the Qlogics, all the rest of the infrastructure is the same. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this problem? Did I leave out something important? Let me know! I expect I have, as I'm trying to hastily type this out as I watch the mounting snow and try to leave the office. Mike Ryder IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence and is subject to the jurisdiction of section 70 of the Crimes Act 1914. If you have received this email in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email.
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