Question 1 - D-XTR-DY-A-24 discussion

When integrating an XtremIO cluster into a VPLEX environment, the first activity that must be performed is to create a minimum of two Initiator groups. This is a best practice reinforced in the integration process to ensure optimal performance and manageability. The steps are as follows:

Identify VPLEX Backend Ports: Determine the backend ports on the VPLEX that will be connected to the XtremIO storage system.

Create Initiator Groups: In the XtremIO system, create two Initiator groups. Place VPLEX backend ports FC00 and FC01 for each director into one initiator group, and ports FC02 and FC03 into a second initiator group1.

Assign Initiator Groups: Assign the created initiator groups to the VPLEX backend ports, ensuring that each group is associated with the correct set of ports.

Verify Configuration: Confirm that the initiator groups are correctly configured and recognized by both the VPLEX and XtremIO systems.

Proceed with Integration: Once the initiator groups are established, continue with the remaining integration steps, such as zoning and volume mapping.

Creating two initiator groups allows for a larger number of volumes to be provisioned to VPLEX, up to 4096, and ensures that VIAS (VPLEX Integration and Automation Services) can operate efficiently by placing newly provisioned volumes into the initiator group with the fewest number of volumes1.