AIX is your problem.  EMC support for 3590s on connectrix is on Sun (with
VERY specific hardware).  The ed5000s do not support fc-al so with FC tape
devices that do not support fabric login, you're outta luck.  The REAL
question is: why are you using connectrix?  If it's because you have EMC
arrays, you'll have to wait because the drivers for EMC on AIX are way
behind for support of any kind of tape attachment.  You'll have much better
luck if you are using say a Emulex 7000 with the Emulex drivers.

If you're stuck with connectrix (as we are), don't hold your breath for
cascading brocade support (so you can attach those AL drives).  We've taken
a slightly different approach: we fibre attach legacy drives via a bridge
but make sure our TSM server does not attach to any EMC disks.  We are not
so lucky for our very large clients that have to have local TSM instances.
In that case, they are attached to EMC.  But luckily, we are hosting on
Sun.

So, in the end, I agree with Kelly - watch that first step because your net
does not exist.  Decide what you want and then test until you're blue,
realizing that tape+AIX+connectrix may not have EMC's blessing for a while
(at least with the EMC drivers).

David





"Kelly J. Lipp" <lipp AT storsol DOT com>@VM.MARIST.EDU> on 04/17/2001 10:18:35 
AM

Please respond to lipp AT storsol DOT com

Sent by:  "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>


To:   ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
cc:

Subject:  Re: 3590 and Fiber Channel Switching ??


Possible?  Yes.  Likely?  Who knows.

In the business we call this working without a net.

My experience has shown that driver and firmware versions are the biggest
gotchas.  Write down everything you try.  Keep us posted.

Kelly J. Lipp
Storage Solutions Specialists, Inc.
PO Box 51313
Colorado Springs CO 80949-1313
(719) 531-5926
Fax: (240) 539-7175
Email: lipp AT storsol DOT com or lipp AT storserver DOT com
www.storsol.com
www.storserver.com