Create a parent storage group and volumes
We used the Unisphere for PowerMax UI to configure all storage devices, storage groups, port groups, host groups, and the masking view for the SAP HANA scale-out cluster.
To create a parent storage group and volumes:
- Log in to Unisphere for PowerMax.
Figure 5. Unisphere for PowerMax
- Select Storage > Storage Groups.
Figure 6. Storage Groups page
- Click Create and enter a name for the parent storage group.
- Hover over Service Level and click the + sign to create cascaded storage groups.
Figure 7. Provision Storage page
In this example, for a 3+1 SAP HANA cluster, we needed three data volumes of 512 GB capacity each and three log volumes of 256 GB capacity each:
- Top-level group: HANA_SG
- Subgroup for all data volumes: HANA_DATA
- Subgroup for all log volumes: HANA_LOG
- Specify the number and size of the volumes to be created, and then click the down arrow at Add to Job List and select Run Now.
The new cascaded storage group is created.
- To view information about the volumes that you created, in the right pane, click the hyperlink on the number that is listed for Volumes.
Figure 8. HANA_DATA storage groups
The Volumes page is displayed.
Figure 9. Volumes page
- Select a volume and note the WWN of the volume in the right panel.
You might have to scroll to find the WWN of the volume.
- Repeat the preceding steps for all your data and log volumes.
The SAP HANA storage connector fcClient uses the WWN specified in the SAP HANA global.ini file to identify a storage LUN.
To create a host group:
- Select Hosts > Hosts > Create Host.
Figure 10. Create Host page
- Enter a hostname, and then select the HBA initiators for that host from the Available Initiators list and move them to the Initiators Host area.
- Click the down arrow next to Add to Job List and select Run Now.
The new host is created.
- Select Create > Create Host Group and select the hosts that belong to the SAP HANA cluster; and then click the right arrow to move them to the Hosts in Host Group area.
Figure 11. Create Host Group page
- Click the down arrow next to Add to Job List and select Run Now.
The new host group is created.
To create a port group:
- Select Hosts > Port Groups > Create, and enter a name, such as HANA_PG.
Figure 12. Creating a port group
- Select the ports that your initiators are logged in to by holding down the Ctrl key, and then click the down arrow next to Add to Job List and select Run Now.
- Click OK if you receive a warning message stating that the port group will have multiple ports from the same node—in this example, FA-1D:4, FA1D:6,
FA-2D:4, and FA-2D:6.
Note: For a single host, we recommend a 1:1 relationship between a host HBA and a storage front-end port. Because we created a port group for an SAP HANA scale-out cluster, we required throughput and bandwidth for multiple hosts.
To create and configure a storage group:
- Select Storage > Storage Groups > Create.
Figure 13. Storage Group page
- Enter a storage group name such as HANA_SG, and then select the storage resource pool.
- Enter or select the following information, as applicable:
- Name
- Service level
- Number of created volumes
- Volume capacity
- If applicable, select Enable Compression.
- Click the down arrow next to Add to Job List and select Run Now.
Create a masking view
A PowerMax masking view combines the storage group, port group, and host group, and enables access from the SAP HANA nodes to the storage volumes.
Follow these steps to create a masking view:
- Select Hosts > Masking View > Create Masking View.
- Enter a masking view name, such as HANA_Cluster, and select the host group, port group, and storage group that you created in the preceding steps.
Figure 14. Create Masking View page
- Click OK.
The masking view is created. The SAP HANA nodes now have access to the storage volumes.
We created an SAP HANA scale-out system with three worker nodes and one standby node (3+1). In an SAP HANA cluster with four nodes, each node must have access to every SAP HANA device. During SAP HANA startup, the SAP HANA nameserver along with the SAP HANA storage connector fcClient mounts the volumes to the correct SAP HANA node and I/O fencing.
Ensure that you correctly prepare the SAP HANA nodes and the SAP HANA global.ini file, as described in the following section, before you perform the SAP HANA installation.
Note: When using fcClient, do not automount the devices using /etc/fstab.