Supported configurations for PowerPath/VE with VMware vSphere 4.x

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article describes supported configurations for EMC PowerPath/VE 5.4 in vSphere 4x.

The PowerPath/VE 5.4 can be used to manage paths from vSphere server to storage devices over a SAN.

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable

Resolution

These scenarios represent the use case scenarios for the PowerPath/VE PSA plugin in vSphere environment:

• Simple Configuration
  
  PowerPath/VE is installed on an ESX/ESXi 4.x host attached to Storage Array(s) and is managing all LUNs attached to the ESX host including the Boot from SAN LUN.
  
  
• Co-existence Configuration
  
  PowerPath/VE is installed on an ESX/ESXi 4.x host attached to Storage Array(s) and is managing some LUNs. Other LUNs are managed by vSphere 4 Native Multipathing Plugin (NMP).
  
  
• Co-existence for Boot-from-SAN Configuration
  
  PowerPath/VE is installed on an ESX/ESXi 4.x host attached to Storage Array(s) where the Boot LUN is managed by NMP. All other LUNs are managed by PowerPath/VE.
  
  
• Shared Configuration with ESX/ESXi 4.x or ESX/ESXi 3.x hosts
  
  Storage devices are shared and simultaneously managed by vSphere 4.x hosts running PowerPath/VE and vSphere 4.x or ESX/ESXi 3.x hosts running NMP.
  
  Note: This configuration is only supported as a transition configuration while upgrading your vSphere/ESX environment to vSphere 4.x running PowerPath/VE.
  
  
• Non-disruptive Install of PowerPath/VE on vSphere using Shared Storage and vMotion

Additional Information

For PowerPath/VE 5.4 and supported ESX/ESXi versions, see Install PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere by using vCenter Update Manager and UMDS (1019844).

For more detailed information, see the EMC whitepaper EMC PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere Best Practices Planning.

Note: The preceding link was correct as of December 30, 2011. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Install PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere by using vCenter Update Manager and UMDS