Solutions

Academy 2008
Virtual Connect
Chris Scarvell
Andy Len
Stu Bernstein

2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice

Technology for Better Business

Outcomes
Business Information Optimisation
Business Technology Optimisation
Adaptive Infrastructure
Current state

Future state

High-cost IT islands

IT Systems
& Services

Scalability
based on
standards
IT services
and support

Power
& Cooling

Energyefficient
computing

Low-cost pooled IT assets

Key enablers
Management

Unified
infrastructure
management
Integrated IT
and business
services
management

Security

Proactive,
built-in, endto-end data
protection

Virtualisation

Pooling and
sharing of IT
resources

Automation

Dynamic
control of IT
service
delivery

Accelerate Business Growth Decrease Cost Mitigate Risk

Agenda

Virtual Connect overview (10 minutes)

Virtual Connect new features with 1.3x
firmware
Lab Multi Enclosure Support (20 minutes)
Lab Mapped and Tunnelled VLANs (15
minutes)
Lab Private Networks (15 minutes)

Virtual Connect Myths and Objections (1

hour)
BL495c G5 and Virtual Connect FLEX10 (1
hour incl DEMO)

A Brief Review
of Virtual
Connect
Fundamentals

What is Virtual Connect?

Hardware: Ethernet and Fibre Channel
Ethernet & Fibre Channel Interconnect modules
that plug into an HP BladeSystem c-Class enclosure
Provides Server Blade connectivity to data center LANs
& SANs
Software: VCM and VCEM
Built-in management tool for single blade enclosure or
Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager for up
to 100 HP BladeSystem enclosures
Any workload (server) add, move,
or replacement within system is transparent
to LANs & SANs
Failover Automation with Virtual Connect
Enterprise Manager

HP Virtual Connect Ethernet

Module
HP 1/10Gb VC-Enet Module

MidPlane 16x 1Gb EthernetConnects to one NIC in each HH blade server

bay

1x 10GbCross-link between adjacent VC-Enet modules

Mgmt Interfaces to Onboard Administrator (Enet &
I2C)

2x 10Gb Ethernet (CX4)

Usable as data center links or
as stacking links.

Recessed
module reset
button

Port Number & Status Indicators

Indicates whether a data center link (green),
stacking link (amber), or highlighted port (blue).

8x 1Gb Ethernet
(RJ45)
Usable as data center links
or as stacking links.
Next button
(unused in initial
release firmware)

HP Virtual Connect Ethernet

Module
HP 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module

MidPlane 16x 1Gb EthernetConnects to one NIC in each HH blade server

bay

1x 10GbCross-link between adjacent VC-Enet modules

Mgmt Interfaces to Onboard Administrator (Enet &
I2C)

1x 10Gb Ethernet (CX4)*

2x 10Gb Ethernet (XFP module)*

2x 1Gb
Ethernet
(SFP modules)*
Port Number & Status Indicators
Next button
Indicates whether a data center link (green),
stacking link (amber), or highlighted port (blue).

(unused in initial
release firmware)

4x 1Gb Ethernet
(RJ45)
*Usable as data center
links
Recessed
or as
stacking links.
module reset
button

HP Virtual Connect FC Module

MidPlane

16x 4Gb FC

Connects to one HBA port in each HH blade server

bay

Mgmt Interfaces to Onboard Administrator

Module LEDs
Health and UID

Port LEDs
Link and Activity

4x 1/2/4 Gb FC (SFP)
Connects to data center Fibre
Channel switches.

Port Number & Status Indicators

Faceplate

Indicates whether a port is configured (green)

or highlighted (blue).
Note: VC-FC requires VC-Ethernet
also installed in same VC domain

Virtual Connect Manager

Virtual Connect Benefits

Quick Summary
Simplifies

networks

Simplifies

management

Reduces cables up to 94% without adding switches to

manage
Separates server management from LAN & SAN management
Systems Admin self-sufficient & frees LAN & SAN admins
from server tasks

Move

workloads, add or replace servers in

minutes, not days
Move workloads fast without impacting LANs or SANs
or the people who manage them

Virtual Connect Benefits

Detailed Summary

Virtual Connect reduces the number of cables required to

connect servers to LANs and SANs without having to increase the
number of Ethernet or Fibre Channel traditional switches to
manage.
Presents the entire c-Class enclosure to the LAN and SAN in the same way as a
server virtualization hypervisor (e.g. VMware)
Doesnt require configuring all the traditional switch-to-switch protocols (e.g.
STP)

Virtual Connect enables a clean separation between the server

infrastructure and the network and storage infrastructure.

Enables a server administrator to become self-sufficient when making adds,

moves, and changes of servers since no corresponding changes to Ethernet
switch or Fibre Channel switch configurations are required.
Reduces distractions for network and storage administrators who are no longer
repeatedly interrupted with server change requests.

Virtual Connect manages a servers internal identity and a

servers external identity to enable transparent server adds,
moves, and replacements.

Internal Identity: Server hardware replacement is transparent to the OS because

Virtual Connect virtualizes, manages, and maintains constant, the servers
internal identity, which includes the servers serial number, UUID, BIOS settings,
and FC Boot parameters.
External Identity: Server adds, moves, and replacements in the data center are
transparent to external LANs and SANs because Virtual Connect manages, and
maintains constant, the servers external identity, which includes the servers
Ethernet MAC addresses, Fiber Channel WWNs, LAN assignments (VLANs), and
SAN assignments (fabrics).

VC Architecture is
Built-In, not Bolted-On

Virtual Connect Architecture is designed into every

c-Class enclosurethoughtful engineering for
simple usage & powerful benefits
4 independent, high-performance interconnect fabrics
OnBoard Administrator management interfaces on every VC
module
Integration with BladeSystem management tools
VC modules use other internal communication & control
channels
for unprecedented power and simplicity

Competitors didnt build it into their infrastructure

architectures, so they cant bolt something on later
to
give you the same benefits.
Virtual Connect only HP

Labs

VC Simulator based, running under

VMplayer.
You should have already installed VMplayer.
Copy VC simulator directory to your laptop,
or run directly from thumbdrive.
If when you start there is an existing
domain, please delete the domain before
commencing.