Redp 5734

Front cover
The Definitive Guide to IBM

Storage FlashSystem 5300
Port Configuration
Bernd Albrecht
Hartmut Lonzer
Jon Herd
Sergei Kubin
Vasfi Gucer
Redpaper
IBM Redbooks
The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

Port Configuration
October 2024
REDP-5734-00
Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page v.
First Edition (October 2024)
This edition applies to IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7.
This document was created or updated on October 16, 2024.
© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2024. All rights reserved.

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Contents
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Now you can become a published author, too! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
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Stay connected to IBM Redbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1 The IBM FlashSystem 5300 introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2.1 IBM FlashSystem 5300 hardware component overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.1 IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Ports for management and monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.1 Management ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.2 Planning for management connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.3 Expansion enclosure ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.4 Fibre Channel SAN ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.4.1 FC ports and port attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.4.2 FC ports planning and best practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.5 Ethernet SAN ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.5.1 Onboard and optional Ethernet SAN ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.5.2 Ethernet ports planning and best practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter 3. Step-by-step configuration guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3.1 Setting up initial network access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.1.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.2 Management IP addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.3 Service IP addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.4 Port configuration (FC, iSCSI and so forth). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.4.1 Portsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.4.2 Fibre channel ports (FC ports) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.4.3 Ethernet ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.4.4 Configure protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3.5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Related publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
IBM Redbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Online resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Help from IBM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. iii

iv The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration
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vi The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

Preface
IBM® FlashSystem 5300 is an all-flash storage platform designed to empower businesses of

all sizes. This compact powerhouse delivers exceptional performance and scalability, making
it ideal for consolidating and protecting critical data.
This comprehensive IBM Redpaper explores the intricacies of IBM FlashSystem® 5300 port
configuration, empowering IT professionals to optimize performance, enhance security, and
ensure seamless integration within their existing infrastructure.
The target audience of this paper is storage administrators, system administrators and
network specialists.
Authors
This paper was produced by a team of specialists from around the world.
Bernd Albrecht is a Storage Advisory Partner Technical

Specialist for DACH with over 32 years of technical sales
experience at IBM. He brings deep expertise to his role.
Previously, he spent 3 years as an OEM technical business
development manager for Lenovo storage within IBM Germany.
Based in Berlin, Bernd focuses on the IBM FlashSystem Family
and IBM SAN Volume Controller products, with experience
dating back to their launch in 2003. He is also a published
IBM Redbooks® author.
Hartmut Lonzer brings 45 years of technical and sales

expertise at IBM to his role as a Storage Advisory Partner
Technical Specialist for DACH. Previously, he served as an
OEM Alliance Manager for Lenovo at IBM Germany. Based at
the company's headquarters in Ehningen, his focus lies on the
IBM FlashSystem Family and IBM SAN Volume Controller
products, with experience dating back to their introduction.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. vii

Jon Herd is an IBM Senior Executive Advocate working for the
TLS EMEA Remote Technical Support and Client Care team
based in IBM Germany. He covers the United Kingdom, Ireland
and beyond, advising customers on a portfolio of IBM storage
products, including FlashSystem products. He also works as a
senior advisor to the TLS EMEA RTS/CC management on new
products, strategy and new technologies that might affect the
TLS business. Jon has been with IBM for more than 45 years,
and has held various technical roles, including Europe, Middle
East, and Africa (EMEA) level 2 support on mainframe servers
and technical education development. He has written many
IBM Redbooks on the FlashSystem products and is an
IBM Redbooks Platinum level author. He holds IBM
certifications in Product Services profession at a thought leader
L3 level, and is a Technical Specialist at an experienced L1
level. He also is a certified Chartered Member of the British
Computer Society (MBCS - CITP), a Certified Member of the
Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET), and a
Certified Technical Specialist of the Open Group (TOG).
Sergei Kubin is a Senior Storage Support Engineer working in

GBM Qatar. He holds an Electronics Engineer degree from
Ural Federal University in Russia and has more than 15 years
of experience in IT. In GBM, he provides support and guidance
for customers using IBM and multi-vendor storage solutions.
His expertise includes file and block storage, and storage area
networks.
Vasfi Gucer leads projects for the IBM Redbooks team,

leveraging his 20+ years of experience in systems
management, networking, and software. A prolific writer and
global IBM instructor, his focus has shifted to storage and cloud
computing in the past eight years. Vasfi holds multiple
certifications, including IBM Certified Senior IT Specialist, PMP,
ITIL V2 Manager, and ITIL V3 Expert.
Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this project:
Elias Luna
IBM USA
Lucy Harris, Evelyn Perez, Chris Bulmer

IBM UK
Vineet Sharma
IBM Dubai
viii The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration
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Preface ix
x The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration
1
Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 stands out for its ability to deliver exceptional performance
and scalability. This IBM Redpaper publication describes the IBM Storage FlashSystem
(IBM FlashSystem) 5300 solution, which is a next-generation IBM FlashSystem control
enclosure, and the new enhancements in the port configuration.
This chapter has the following sections:

򐂰 “The IBM FlashSystem 5300 introduction” on page 2
򐂰 “Placing your IBM Storage FlashSystem family storage system in your infrastructure” on
page 2
򐂰 “IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure overview” on page 4
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. 1

1.1 The IBM FlashSystem 5300 introduction
This IBM Redpaper publication describes the IBM Storage FlashSystem (IBM FlashSystem)
5300 solution, which is a next-generation IBM FlashSystem control enclosure, and the new
enhancements in the port configuration.
The IBM FlashSystem 5300 is an NVMe end-to-end platform that is targeted at the entry and
midrange market and delivers the full capabilities of IBM FlashCore® technology.
The IBM FlashSystem 5300 also provides a rich set of software-defined storage (SDS)
features that are delivered by IBM Storage Virtualize, including the following features:
򐂰 Data reduction and deduplication
򐂰 Dynamic tiering
򐂰 Thin provisioning
򐂰 Snapshots
򐂰 Cloning
򐂰 Replication
򐂰 Data copy services
򐂰 Transparent Cloud Tiering
򐂰 IBM HyperSwap® including 3-site replication for high availability (HA)
򐂰 Policy-based replication and policy-based HA (policy-based HA)
򐂰 Ransomware Threat Detection
Scale-out and scale-up configurations further enhance capacity and throughput for better
availability.
The IBM FlashSystem 5300 is a high-performance storage solution that is based on a

revolutionary 1U form factor. It consists of up to 12 NVMe Flash Devices in a 1U storage
enclosure drawer with full redundant canister components and no single point of failure.
1. Placing your IBM Storage FlashSystem family storage system in your infrastructure
This section describes the possible use cases and where to place the IBM FlashSystem 5300
(or another system in the IBM FlashSystem family) in the client infrastructure. This solution
addresses requirements and can be used to optimize and simplify an IT storage
infrastructure.
Figure 1-1 on page 3 shows the current IBM FlashSystem and IBM SAN Volume Controller
family.
2 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

Figure 1-1 IBM Storage FlashSystem and IBM SAN Volume Controller family
Note: IBM Storage Virtualize for Public Cloud is not currently supported on IBM Storage
Virtualize V8.7. This functionality is planned for a future release.
The IBM FlashSystem 5300 can be used as a production data repository and a component of
a DR solution because a primary system can send data in an efficient way into the hybrid
multicloud infrastructure.
In particular, the IBM FlashSystem 5300 can meet the following customer requirements:
򐂰 First tier repository for production data.
򐂰 Primary or target system for data replication or disaster recovery.
򐂰 Provide HA services using policy-based HA.
򐂰 Use Storage Virtualize capabilities to manage and virtualize older IBM or non-IBM storage
and extend advanced Storage Virtualize functions (for example, data reduction) to the
external capacity presented by the old storage.
Old storage systems can be decommissioned, or their usage can be extended as an
added pool of resources to the IBM FlashSystem 5300.
򐂰 Storage Virtualize in the IBM FlashSystem 5300 can provide the intelligent data migration
tool from an outer storage to replace it or distribute application workload on more systems.
򐂰 The IBM FlashSystem 5300 can use Transparent Cloud Tiering to move data into the
cloud:
– Use IBM Storage Virtualize for Public Cloud on Amazon AWS or other providers.
– Use the Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver for Red Hat OpenShift Container
Platform, which enables Cloud Pak foundation.
򐂰 IBM software-defined storage (SDS) capabilities:
Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 3

– Storage Scale support because the IBM FlashSystem 5300 can be used as a
repository for several tiers in initial microprogram load (IML) processing.
– IBM Storage Protect as a cache or data repository.
– Copy Data Management.
Figure 2 shows an IBM FlashSystem 5300 as the main provider of advanced data services for
on-premises and in a hybrid multicloud system.
Figure 2 IBM FlashSystem 5300 as the main provider of advanced data services
The client can expect the modern and advanced data services that are provided by a storage
system to cover several scopes concurrently. The IBM FlashSystem products, which include
the IBM FlashSystem 5300, all share this main characteristic.
Because all IBM FlashSystem products share the functions and software layer, it can be
easier to select the suitable system that can match performance, capacity, and functional
requirements.
Note: IBM FlashSystem 5300 provides proven 99.9999% availability, with an optional
100% guarantee when using IBM HyperSwap.
1.2 IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure overview

The IBM FlashSystem 5300 system control enclosure manages your storage system,
communicates with the host, and manages interfaces. In addition, it can house up to 12
NVMe-capable flash drives. These drives can be industry standard NVMe types or the
exclusive IBM FlashCore Module (FCM) NVMe type and up to 12 optional Storage Class
Memory (SCM) drives.

Figure 3 shows the IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure front and rear view. In the front
view, you can see the bezel removed and the 12 NVMe drive slots in two rows of six drives.
Figure 3 IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure showing the front and rear view
1.2.1 IBM FlashSystem 5300 hardware component overview

The IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure is a 1U rack-mounted NVMe flash memory
enclosure that is based on IBM flash technology. It provides the primary management
interface (GUI) and the host interface configuration. The IBM FlashSystem 5300 control
enclosures support FC Protocol (FCP and FC-NVMe), iSCSI, NVMe over RDMA, and NVMe
over TCP protocol interfaces. For iSCSI, the RoCE and iWARP protocols are supported.
Figure 4 shows the front view of the IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure with the bezel
removed. Also shown are six NVMe drives that are installed in upper slots 1–6 and six fillers
in lower slots 7–12.
Figure 4 IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure front view with bezel removed and drive slot locations
The IBM FlashSystem 5300 provides the following NVMe technologies:

򐂰 Supports unique world class IBM FCMs with inline compression.
򐂰 Supports industry-standard NVMe drives.
򐂰 Option for SCM type drives.
򐂰 NVMe-oF on FC.
򐂰 NVMe over RDMA or NVMe over TCP protocol.
򐂰 IBM FlashSystem 5300 system is offered as one model:
– 4662 model 7H2: IBM FlashSystem 5300 NVMe control enclosure.
Figure 5 shows a top view of the IBM FlashSystem 5300 enclosure. Highlighted are the
various components of the control enclosure and the two canisters.
Figure 5 Top view of the IBM FlashSystem 5300 enclosure
򐂰 Control enclosure:
– Two canisters that are placed side by side.
– 12 NVMe drive slots.
– Six enclosure fan assemblies.
򐂰 Each canister contains the following components and quantities:
– CPU (1)
– DIMM Slots (4)
– Battery (1)
– Canister Fans (3)
– Power Supply PSU (1)
– PCIe adapters (0–2)
– PCIe riser cards (2)
– PCIe adapter blanking plates (0-2)
Note: The number of PCIe adapters is configurable at product ordering time and can be
added or removed by a sales MES. MES (Miscellaneous Equipment Specification) refers to
any server hardware modification, including adding, improving, removing, or a combination
of these actions. The server's serial number remains unchanged.

Figure 6 shows the rear view of the IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure. You can see
the two canisters side by side, the interface cards, power supply units, and the various USB
and Ethernet ports. All components are concurrently maintainable, except for the passive
midplanes. All external connections are from the rear of the system.
Figure 6 Rear view of IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure
Figure 7 shows a more detailed view of the rear of a canister.
Figure 7 IBM FlashSystem 5300 canister rear view
In Figure 7, you can see the RJ45 and USB ports in the canister. Also shown are the two new,
on board, planer SFP ports on the left-hand side of the canister. These ports can be used for
both external storage virtualization and host attachment, The PCIe adapter slots are shown
with blanking plates in place to ensure and maintain the correct air flow for cooling through
the canister. The IBM FlashSystem 5300 will allow 2 x PCIe adapters per canister, 4 x
adapters per IBM FlashSystem 5300 enclosure.
For information on adapter support, see IBM FlashSystem 5300 Node Canister Overview.

2
Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage

FlashSystem 5300 ports
The IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 offers a robust set of ports that provide critical
connections for data transfer, management, and system health. Understanding these ports
and their functionalities is essential for configuring and maintaining optimal performance of
your FlashSystem storage solution. This chapter delves into the various types of ports
available on the FlashSystem 5300, explaining their purposes, functionalities, and
configuration considerations.

򐂰 “IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports overview” on page 10
򐂰 “Ports for management and monitoring” on page 11
򐂰 “Expansion enclosure ports” on page 13
򐂰 “Fibre Channel SAN ports” on page 13
򐂰 “Ethernet SAN ports” on page 16

2.1 IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports overview
By understanding the distinct functionalities and configuration considerations of your
FlashSystem 5300 ports, you can optimize your storage solution for peak performance and
ensure the continued accessibility and security of your critical data.
Figure 2-1 shows the node canister ports.
Figure 2-1 FlashSystem 5300 node canister ports
Important: Unlike previous offerings, the IBM FlashSystem 5300 assigns logical port
numbers differently from physical port numbers. The management port is always port 1.
This means physical port 1 becomes logical port 2, and physical port 2 becomes logical
port 3.
A fixed set of ports is available on each node canister. Those ports are always present:
򐂰 1x RJ45 dedicated management port.
򐂰 1x RJ45 dedicated technician port.
򐂰 1x USB Type A port for attaching encryption key media and service tasks.
򐂰 2x Ethernet SFP ports for host I/O, clustering and replication over Ethernet SAN.
Each canister has two slots for Host Interface Cards (HIC). Both nodes in the control
enclosure must have the same set of cards installed. The following HIC cards can be added
to each node canister to expand its connectivity:
򐂰 2-port 12Gb SAS card for expansion enclosure attachment (one card per node only).
򐂰 2-port 64Gb Fibre Channel card for host I/O, clustering and replication.
򐂰 4-port 32Gb Fibre Channel card for host I/O, clustering and replication.
򐂰 4-port 10Gb Ethernet card for host I/O, clustering and replication.
Note: The list above is valid at the moment of writing this publication and can be extended
in future.
HIC cards can be installed into any of two node slots, with the exception of a SAS adapter
which is supported in slot 2 only. Manufacturing starts populating slots with slot #1.
Adapter types can be mixed within a single node.

Both nodes in a control enclosure must have the same HIC card configuration, which means
that they must have identical cards in a same slot.
Possible adapter configurations are shown in Figure 2-2.
Node1 Node2
Slot 1 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 2
Empty (onboard Ethernet only) Empty (onboard Ethernet only) Empty (onboard Ethernet only) Empty (onboard Ethernet only)
Empty (onboard Ethernet only) SASAdapter Empty (onboard Ethernet only) SASAdapter
10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE Empty 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE Empty
32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC Empty 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC Empty
64GB FC 64GB FC Empty 64GB FC 64GB FC Empty
10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE SASAdapter 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE SASAdapter
32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC SASAdapter 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC SASAdapter
64GB FC 64GB FC SASAdapter 64GB FC 64GB FC SASAdapter
10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE
32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC
64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC
64GB FC 64GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 64GB FC 64GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC
10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 64GB FC 64GB FC 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 64GB FC 64GB FC
10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 10GbE 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC 32GB FC
Figure 2-2 Possible adapter cards combinations
2.2 Ports for management and monitoring

System management interfaces, such as CLI and GUI, can be accessed through various
methods.
2.2.1 Management ports

We first discuss the management ports.
Technician port
There is a technician port on each FlashSystem 5300 node canister. The technician port is an
RJ45 1Gb Ethernet port, which can auto-negotiate down to 100Mbps and 10Mbps. It can be
visually identified by blue stripes on both sides of the connector, and by a black gear symbol
on the node’s faceplate. See Figure 2-1 on page 10.
The technician port is used for initial system setup and recovery tasks, such as resetting the
superuser password. It requires a direct connection to a workstation (no LAN) and provides
access to a dedicated management interface.
Important: The technician port should be disconnected during normal operation. It is

solely for management purposes and does not provide data access.
The port is set up to assign an IP address to the workstation that is attached to it with DHCP.
IP address on the interface is 192.168.0.1 and it cannot be changed.
For more information, see Initializing the system with the technician port and Using
technician port for node access.
Important: Restricting physical access to the storage system is essential for safeguarding
the technician port due to its elevated management privileges.
Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports 11

USB port
A single type A USB port is found on each node. It serves two purposes:
򐂰 To be used as an emergency management interface. A very limited set of commands can
be executed on the node by putting the command to satask.txt file on a USB pen drive
and plugging that pen drive to the node’s USB port. Tasks that can be performed with USB
management interface are:
– Check node hardware status.
– Set or change the node’s service IP address.
– Reset the superuser password.
For more information, see USB flash drive interface.
򐂰 To attach USB flash drives with the master encryption key for the system. USB flash drives
are one of the supported methods of storing encryption keys. The node reads the master
encryption key from the USB drive during the boot process. After this initial read, the USB
drive is not accessed until the next system startup. For more information, see Encryption
with USB flash drives.
Tip: If required, USB ports can be disabled to comply with organizational security policies.
Primary management port

The dedicated management port is an RJ45 1Gb Ethernet port, which can auto-negotiate
down to 100 Mbps and 10 Mbps. It is a primary interface for all system management and
monitoring tasks. No host I/O access is possible on this port, ensuring physical separation of
management and data networks.
The dedicated management port is identified by #3 on the FlashSystem 5300 node faceplate.
Important: On FlashSystem 5200 and most of the other platforms, the dedicated or
shared primary management port is usually port #1. On FlashSystem 5300, hardware port
number assignment is different, and the port has physical #3, while logically it is still
recognized as port id 1.
The node's service IP address is accessible through the primary management port. If a node
becomes the Configuration node within a cluster, the system's management IP address (or
Cluster IP address) is also assigned to this port.
On a new system, only the default service IP is available on the dedicated management port.
The default address is 192.168.70.121 on node 1 (in the left chassis slot) and 192.168.70.122
on node 2, in the right slot of the chassis.
The system management IP address is assigned during initial cluster setup and can be
modified as needed.
Beyond providing access to the system's GUI, CLI, and REST API, the primary management
port facilitates outbound communication for services like DNS and Call Home.
Optional secondary management port

The secondary management IP (or cluster IP #2) can be configured on the system's first host
I/O port (physical port #1), which is assigned logical ID #2 within the Storage Virtualize
configuration. Refer to Table 2-2 on page 17 for relationship between physical and logical port
numbers.

2.2.2 Planning for management connections
Each system node requires at least one Ethernet connection for management and
monitoring. A unique service IP address is necessary for each node, while a single cluster
management IP (supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 concurrently) is shared across the cluster.
The cluster management IP must be unique from all service IPs. While it can reside on the
same subnet as the service IPs, it is not required to do so.
An optional secondary management IP can be configured as a failover option. It is only

activated if the primary management port becomes unavailable. Outbound connections will
always originate from the primary management IP when active.
Depending on the set of features that are in use, set up management network firewall to pass
the following traffic to and from the system:
򐂰 Management - from administrators hosts to the system’s CLI (SSH) and GUI/REST API
(HTTPS) interfaces.
򐂰 Monitoring - to Storage Insights data collector host (if standalone collector is used).
򐂰 Network services - from the system to NTP and DNS servers.
򐂰 Remote user authentication - from the system to LDAP server.
򐂰 Event notifications - from the system to SMTP, SNMP and syslog servers.
򐂰 Replication management - control plane of replication, traffic between management ports
of Storage Virtualize systems in replication partnership.
򐂰 IP Quorum - to and from hosts running IP Quorum application.
In addition to that, some features require outside connectivity:

򐂰 Transparent Cloud Tiering - to cloud provider endpoint.
򐂰 Multi-Factor Authentication and Single Sign-On - to authentication service provider (can
work through proxy).
򐂰 Call Home and Remote Assist - to IBM Support Center (can work through proxy).
For more information, see Planning management connections.
2.3 Expansion enclosure ports

Expansion enclosures require the system to be equipped with SAS HIC. Only a single SAS
card can be installed into each node, and it is supported only in card slot 2.
SAS card has four ports, but only ports 1 and 3 can be used for expansion attachment.
SAS card supports only expansion enclosure attachment. SAS host attachment is not
supported.
For more information, see Connecting expansion enclosures to control enclosure.
2.4 Fibre Channel SAN ports

Up to eight 32Gb Fibre Channel (FC) SAN ports can be installed into each FlashSystem 5300
node by using one or two 4-port Host Interface Cards. All FC ports support FCP-SCSI and
FC-NVMe.

The system can be configured without any Fibre Channel (FC) ports, operating solely as an
Ethernet-attached device.
2.4.1 FC ports and port attachment

Two types of optional FC Host Interface Cards are available:
򐂰 4-port 32Gbps FC HIC
򐂰 2-port 64Gbps FC HIC
Cards can be installed in either node slot, allowing for flexibility in card type selection within a
node. However, both nodes must have identical card configurations.
A card can be ordered with 32Gbps or 64Gbps LC SFPs. An SFP is capable of

auto-negotiating up to two steps down, which means that minimum supported attachment
speeds are 8Gbps or 16Gpbs respectively.
FC ports can be used for:

򐂰 Host I/O with FCP-SCSI and FC-NVMe.
򐂰 Clustering (communication between control enclosures of a single system).
򐂰 Replication (communication between different Storage Virtualize systems).
Ports can be attached to SAN switches, and also support direct attachment to hosts and
another Storage Virtualize system for clustering or replication.
When using direct attachment between two control enclosures, consider the examples shown
in Figure 2-3. Each node requires connectivity to both nodes in the opposing control
enclosure. In clustering configurations, such as HyperSwap, it is required to have redundant
connections - four links per node. In replication-based configurations, such as policy-based
high availability, one connection to each remote node is sufficient. However, two are
recommended for maximum throughput and performance.
Minimal required direct-attached connectivity for Recommended direct-attached connectivity for policy-
policy-based HA based HA. Required direct-attached connectivity for
HyperSwap
Figure 2-3 Direct attached configurations for replication and clustering
FlashSystem 5300 exclusively operates in NPIV mode, allowing each physical FC port to
utilize multiple WWPNs for SAN fabric registration. This mode is mandatory and cannot be
altered.
In NPIV mode, virtual ports (WWPNs) can be migrated between equivalent physical ports on
different nodes within the same I/O group. However, maintaining consistent SAN fabric
connectivity is crucial. All equivalent physical ports in an I/O group must be connected to the
same SAN fabric.

For example, ports #1 and #3 of both nodes can be connected to Fabric A, and ports #2 and
#4 to Fabric B. For more information, see Zoning requirements for N_Port ID virtualization.
Every physical port of FlashSystem 5300 registers in the SAN switch three WWPNs:
򐂰 Physical WWPN: allows external storage virtualization, replication, clustering traffic.
򐂰 FCP-SCSI host WWPN: allows host I/O with FCP-SCSI.
򐂰 FC-NVMe host WWPN: allows host I/O with FC-NVMe.
During an NPIV failover, host WWPNs migrate to the partner node while the physical WWPN
remains static. This allows up to five WWPN logins per physical FC port.
WWPN is assigned according to adapter and port location. Figure 2-4 shows the WWPN
numbering scheme.
PCI slot Adapter Physical WWPN NPIV WWPN for NPIV WWPN for
port FCP-SCSI hosts FC-NVMe hosts
1 1 500507681211xxxx 500507681215xxxx 500507681219xxxx
1 2 500507681212xxxx 500507681216xxxx 50050768121axxxx
1 3 500507681213xxxx 500507681217xxxx 50050768121bxxxx
1 4 500507681214xxxx 500507681218xxxx 50050768121cxxxx
2 1 500507681221xxxx 500507681225xxxx 500507681229xxxx
2 2 500507681222xxxx 500507681226xxxx 50050768122axxxx
2 3 500507681223xxxx 500507681227xxxx 50050768122bxxxx
2 4 500507681224xxxx 500507681228xxxx 50050768122cxxxx
Figure 2-4 Adapter port number to WWPN relationship
2.4.2 FC ports planning and best practices

Consider the information below when planning FC SAN configuration.
򐂰 In HyperSwap or policy-based high availability configurations, use FC portsets or SAN
zoning to dedicate ports for node-to-node traffic or replication.
All FC ports of the Storage Virtualize system can serve any type of traffic (node to host,
node to external storage, node to another node), and all types can flow simultaneously.
However, for performance reasons, in configurations involving HyperSwap or
policy-based replication, it is recommended to dedicate a group of ports to be used
exclusively for this purpose and keep host I/O on the other ports.
HyperSwap communication relies on inter-node (intra-cluster) links. Unlike replication, port
sets cannot be dedicated for this traffic, and SAN zoning often proves insufficient for
isolation. So, FC port mask, the localfcportmask defines the ports that are used for
inter-node communication within a storage system, must be applied on the system to limit
the system from using any ports except dedicated for inter-node. This will optimize
inter-node communication and prevent congestion.
Replication traffic demands dedicated inter-cluster links for optimal performance. To
achieve this, port sets can be configured to exclusively handle replication data.
򐂰 To optimize performance and prevent potential bottlenecks, it's recommended to utilize all
available FC ports, even if initial bandwidth calculations suggest fewer are sufficient.
Distributing the workload across multiple ports enhances overall system performance and
accommodates potential burst I/O.
It is important to use FC SAN zoning or FC portsets to limit a number of host paths down
to a recommended number, which is 4 (with 8 paths maximum allowed).

򐂰 Use advanced zoning techniques, such as Brocade Peer Zoning or Cisco Smart Zones,
when designing host access zones. Peer zoning combines the benefits of single-initiator
zoning with the benefits of a minimal administrative overhead. An example of a peer zone
is:
– Virtual WWPNs (FCP-SCSI or FC-NVMe) of a pair of equivalent ports (ports with the
same location) of both nodes of a FlashSystem 5300 IO group, as principal members.
– WWPNs of all the hosts that need to be attached, as non-principal members.
As non-principal members cannot communicate directly with each other, host HBAs are
isolated and can only interact with principal members.
Note that for back-end storage virtualization, replication and clustering, traditional zones
must be used.
򐂰 Exclude FC-NVMe virtual WWPNs from all zones unless the NVMe protocol is actively
utilized.
2.5 Ethernet SAN ports

Each FlashSystem 5300 node has two onboard Ethernet ports for data transfers. Up to eight
Ethernet ports per node can be added with two optional Host Interface Cards.
There is a significant difference in attachment and use options between onboard and optional
ports.
2.5.1 Onboard and optional Ethernet SAN ports

Both 25 GbE onboard ports and 10 GbE optional ports are shipped without optics. Supported
fiber and copper connection options are summarized in Table 2-1.
Table 2-1 Ethernet port media options

Card SFP Module Cable
On-Board 10/25GbE 10GbE/25GbE SFP28 OM3 LC

Feature code ACHP
None 25G DAC (up to 3m)
On-Board 10/25GbE 1GbE/10GbE SFP+ OM3 LC

and 4-port 10GbE Feature code ACHQ
1GbE/10GbE RJ45 Cat5/Cat6 UTP

Feature code ACJ2
None 10G DAC / AOC
Both onboard 25GbE and optional 10GbE ports support host access with SCSI and NVMe
protocols for host attachment and IP replication, however optional 10GbE ports are
RDMA-capable, while 25GbE are not. This results in a wider list of possible use options for
10GbE ports.
򐂰 For onboard 10/25GbE ports, the following protocols and applications are supported:
– Host I/O with iSCSI
– Host I/O with NVMe/TCP

– Long-distance replication over IP link for policy-based replication (IP replication over
TCP)
򐂰 For ports in an optional 4-port 10GbE card, in addition to the protocols supported for
25GbE, feature that require RDMA are available:
– Node-to-Node communication with RDMA (Ethernet clustering or iSER clustering).
– Short-distance partnerships using RDMA for synchronous links (High Speed
Replication or IP replication with iWARP RDMA).
2.5.2 Ethernet ports planning and best practices

Consider the following when planning and implementing Ethernet SAN:
򐂰 Equip the system with 4-port 10GbE cards if you plan to build a HyperSwap cluster or
policy-based HA system using Ethernet inter-site links. 10GbE card supports RDMA and
is the only available solution to achieve that without using Fibre Channel cards. For more
information, see Short distance partnerships using RDMA.
Note: HyperSwap configuration requires an approved SCORE request. IBM

recommends policy-based HA.
򐂰 For optimal performance and reliability, dedicate separate ports for IP-based clustering or
replication traffic. Avoid combining host access and replication on the same port. This can
be achieved using Network Portsets.
򐂰 If in HyperSwap configuration it is not possible to dedicate inter-site links for intra-cluster
traffic, configure Priority Flow Control (QoS) to make sure that system traffic is prioritized
over other traffic types.
򐂰 For host access, it is recommended to separate host to storage (iSCSI or NVMe/TCP)
traffic from other types of traffic in your LAN. This can be achieved by building a separate
physical network, or using dedicated storage access ports on a host side, separating
networks with VLANs and using QoS to prioritize storage traffic.
򐂰 Use recommendations given in the iSCSI performance analysis tuning article:
– Utilize all available storage ports.
– Verify that your network supports Jumbo frames end-to-end, and enable them by
setting MTU to 9000 on ports designated for host access.
– Disable delayed TCP ACK on the hosts.
򐂰 When working with the FlashSystem 5300, carefully distinguish between logical and
physical port numbers. These are distinct identifiers within the system. Table 2-2 shows
relationship between onboard ports physical and logical numbers.
Table 2-2 Physical and logical ports

Physical port number 1 2 3
(left to right)
Logical port number 2 3 1
Port designation Host IO Host IO Dedicated (primary)

IP Replication IP Replication management
Secondary
management

3
Chapter 3. Step-by-step configuration guide

In this chapter provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on configuring different types of
FlashSystem 5300 ports:

򐂰 “Setting up initial network access” on page 20
򐂰 “Management IP addresses” on page 21
򐂰 “Service IP addresses” on page 24
򐂰 “Port configuration (FC, iSCSI and so forth)” on page 25
򐂰 “Troubleshooting” on page 40

3.1 Setting up initial network access
Before you begin, review the Planning worksheets.
Initial setup of an FS5300 is done on the T-port. These are 1Gb RJ45 ports.
3.1.1 Procedure
Perform the following steps:
1. Ensure the system is powered on.
2. Configure an Ethernet port on the personal computer to enable Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP) configuration of its IP address and DNS settings. If you do
not have DHCP, you must manually configure the personal computer. Specify the static
IPv4 address 192.168.0.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.0.1, and DNS
192.168.0.1.
3. Locate the technician port on each node canister, as shown in Figure 3-1.
Figure 3-1 Where to find the technician port
4. Disconnect the personal computer from all networks. Connect an Ethernet cable between
the port of the personal computer that is configured in step 2 and the technician port in the
left canister (1) that is shown in Figure 3-1.
5. Once the personal computer is connected through Ethernet, open a supported web
browser and navigate to https://install. If your network does not use DHCP for
automatic IP assignment, use the static IP address 192.168.0.1 instead.
6. The browser is automatically directed to the initialization tool.
7. To set up the system's management IP address, follow the on-screen prompts provided by
the initialization wizard.
8. Once the initialization process is complete, disconnect the cable between the personal
computer and the technician port. You can then continue with the initial system setup as
outlined in see Completing the initial system setup (customer task).
Alternatively, you can configure the system using the service address on the management
port. The default IP addresses are 192.168.70.121 for the first node and 192.168.70.122 for
the second node in an enclosure. This method offers two options:
򐂰 Command Line: Use SSH with the command satask mkcluster (for advanced users).
򐂰 GUI: Use the graphical user interface for a more user-friendly approach.

3.2 Management IP addresses
During system initialization, a single management IP address is assigned to be used through
all the management ports of the cluster. This IP serves as the central point for managing the
entire cluster, regardless of which node is currently designated as the configuration node. For
proper functionality, ensure all management ports are connected to your network.
Note: The system will always use the management IP on the lowest numbered port for
outbound communication, for example, Cloud Call Home, e-mail notifications, DNS lookup.
Management IPs are included by default in the newly defined System Management portset
(ID 72) for managing the system. See Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-2 Management portset after initialization
You can see that one port is currently defined (Figure 3-3). You can view details about this
port or check for additional defined ports.
Figure 3-3 Management portset after initialization - Details
Chapter 3. Step-by-step configuration guide 21

Figure 3-4 shows the portset mappings.
Figure 3-4 Management portset after initialization - Portset mappings
Another new feature is the VLAN support. This functionality enables the creation of Virtual
Local Area Networks (VLANs) within your existing network infrastructure. VLANs provide a
method for segmenting your network into logical sub-divisions, thereby enhancing both
security and network performance. VLAN configurations can be added and modified at your
convenience to best suit your evolving network management needs. See Figure 1-5.
Figure 3-5 Modify management IP address
Starting with IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7.0, system administrators now have the option
to configure a second management IP address for increased redundancy and manageability.
Additionally, management IP addresses are no longer restricted to ports 1 and 2. This
expanded flexibility allows for a more customized and efficient network configuration.

Only two management IPs can be configured, but you can now use any Ethernet port for the
two allowed management IPs.
The system-defined default management port set restricts the number of configurable system
IP addresses to two.
Figure 1-6 shows how to add a second management port.
Figure 3-6 Add management IP -1
Figure 1-7 shows how to select a port number for the second management IP.
Figure 3-7 Add management IP - select port

Other related improvements in IBM Storage Virtualize V 8.7:
Increased data IP flexibility: You can now configure up to 4 routable data IP addresses
per port, per node. This provides more flexibility for network configuration and traffic
management.
Faster failover: The configuration node failover time has been reduced by 10%. This
means the system recovers from a failure of the config node more quickly, minimizing
downtime.
Unified CLI commands: Common Command-Line Interface (CLI) commands (mkip, rmip,
lsip) are now available for both data and management IP addresses. This simplifies
managing IP addresses by providing a consistent interface for both types.
New command for system management IPs: There is a new command named chip for
managing system and management IP addresses. For more information, see chip.
For more information, see Release Note for systems built with IBM Storage Virtualize.
Enabling DNS resolution is also recommended. This allows the system to translate
hostnames into IP addresses, simplifying network operations and improving overall usability.
3.3 Service IP addresses

On each node, port id 1 is assigned a default service IP. The first node in an enclosure is
assigned 192.168.70.121 and the second node in an enclosure is assigned 192.168.70.122.
This service IP address is always assigned to port 1, even if you change the management IP
address to a different port. You need to change these default service IPs to addresses that
are readily accessible on your network. This is necessary for remote management and
service tasks using the Service Assistant Interface.
The service IP address allows access to the Service Assistant Interface, accessible through a
web browser or SSH client. This interface provides functionalities for maintenance and
service tasks on the system.
Important: While the service IPs are used to access the Service Assistant Interface, their
importance goes beyond that. These IPs are also crucial for various system functions such
as:
򐂰 Key server access: Communication with a key server for security purposes.
򐂰 IP quorum: Establishing a quorum for cluster management and data consistency.
򐂰 Remote support assistance: Enabling remote technicians to access the system for
troubleshooting or maintenance.
Therefore, it is vital to configure the service IPs with addresses that are readily accessible
on your network.

3.4 Port configuration (FC, iSCSI and so forth)
In this part we discuss the configuration of ports for host attachment, remote copy and
clustering.
3.4.1 Portsets
Portsets are collections of logical port addresses grouped based on specific traffic types. This
allows for efficient management and isolation of different network traffic flows.
Note: Fibre Channel (FC) port masking does not affect traffic between hosts and storage
devices. It applies only to communication between nodes within a system and replication
traffic between systems. FC port masking is deprecated after Storage Virtualize Version
8.5.
The system offers pre-defined Fibre Channel and Ethernet portsets for specific traffic types:
host attachment, system management, remote copy, and back-end storage virtualization. For
more information, see Portsets documentation.
For more information, see Planning for more than four fabric ports per node canister.
Note: A host definition is configured to access storage devices through a single Fibre
Channel portset.
Figure 3-8 shows how to create or modify portsets.
Figure 3-8 Portsets
For a high volume of similar devices, consider creating dedicated portsets (Figure 3-9 on
page 26). This allows for granular grouping based on functionalities (for example, cluster and
server groups) to optimize network traffic flow and simplify management.

Figure 3-9 Create a portset
Choose a portset type: Fibre Channel or Ethernet. See Figure 3-10.
Figure 3-10 Select a portset type
Host attachment portsets you can specifying an ownership group (optional). This group
defines user access and simplifies management for specific sets of hosts.
3.4.2 Fibre channel ports (FC ports)

FC ports are only available if you order FC adapter cards and the necessary SFP+
transceiver modules for those cards.
For more information, see Fibre channel connectivity.
SAN fabrics with long-distance fiber connections

FC ports require separately purchased FC adapter cards and compatible SFP+ transceiver
modules for connection to the storage network. The maximum distance these connections
can reach depends on the type of FC cable you use. See Figure 3-11 on page 27 for the
maximum distances achievable over FC connections using Short Wavelength (SW) SFP+
transceiver modules to determine suitable cabling for your desired configuration.

Formfactor FC Speed OM2 OM3 OM4/OM5
(50µm) (50µm) (50µm)(b)
SFP+ (LC) 2 Gbps 300m 500m
SFP+ (LC) 4 Gbps 150m 380m 400m
SFP+ (LC) 8 Gbps 50m 150m 150m
SFP+ (LC) 10 Gbps 82m 300m 550m
SFP+ (LC) 16 Gbps 35m 100m 125m
QSFP(MTP) 16 Gbps N/A 66m 100m
QSFP(MTP) 32 Gbps N/A 70m 100m
Figure 3-11 Maximum distances achievable over FC connections using Short Wavelength (SW) SFP+
transceiver modules
For longer distances, Long Wavelength (LW) SFP+ transceivers with mono mode cable are
required. However, the maximum achievable speeds are limited by the cable type, distance,
and the FC adapter's 40 Buffer Credits. Here is a summary of the limitations:
򐂰 8 Gb: Up to 10km
򐂰 16 Gb: Up to 5km
򐂰 32 Gb: Up to 2.5km
Tip: Due to the use of small block sizes in cluster-to-cluster communication, it is

recommended to limit the actual distance to around one-third of the maximum values
mentioned above. This helps to ensure optimal performance.
FC switches are recommended for distances exceeding these limitations.
Determining FC card and speeds

The System Hardware - Overview allows you to identify the specific FC cards installed in your
system. See Figure 3-12.
Figure 3-12 System Hardware - Overview - 32 Gbit/s FC card

This system allows you to view information about your connected C) ports, including their
speed (for example, 32 Gbit/s or 64 Gbit/s) and port numbers.
A 4-port 32 Gbit/s FC adapter card provides four FC connections, each capable of

transferring data at 32 gigabits per second. See Figure 3-12 on page 27.
The system also provides a 2-port 64 Gbit/s FC adapter card for higher bandwidth needs.
See Figure 3-13.
Important: While a 64 Gbit/s FC adapter card option exists with four physical ports, only
two of those ports are usable.
Figure 3-13 System Hardware - Overview - 64Gbit/s FC card
Selecting a dedicated single port displays information about its number and speed. See
Figure 1-14.
Figure 3-14 Identify a single FC port
Usage of FC ports
On the System Hardware - Overview view you will find only the physical WWPN used for
cluster communication, remote mirroring and external virtualization. You can find the FC port
WWPN details by selecting Settings → Fibre Channel Ports. See Figure 3-15 on page 29.

Physical versus logical WWPN: A physical WWPN identifies the entire Fibre Channel
(FC) adapter card. Logical port WWPNs identify specific functions within the card. These
logical WWPNs can be taken over by another FC card on another node in case of a node
failure.
Figure 3-15 Fibre Channel ports
On IBM FlashSystem storage units with IBM Storage Virtualize 8.7, NPIV is always on by
default.
N-Port ID Virtualization:
The system supports N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) technology for Fibre Channel (FC)
connections. NPIV is an industry standard that allows a single physical FC adapter to act
as multiple virtual ports. Each virtual port can have its own unique World Wide Port Name
(WWPN) and World Wide Node Name (WWNN) to register with the Storage Area Network
(SAN) fabric.
NPIV benefits include:

򐂰 Improved host behavior during node restarts by delaying virtual port activation until I/O
is needed.
򐂰 Masking path failures caused by offline nodes from host multipathing drivers.
򐂰 Efficient use of physical FC ports by allowing separate WWPNs for host I/O and
clustering on the same port.
For successful NPIV configuration, see N-Port ID Virtualization for proper cabling and
zoning procedures.
In some cases, FC fabric management or zoning scripts might require a different WWPN
format for copy-and-paste operations. See Figure 3-16 on page 30.

Figure 3-16 FC ports change WWPN view
To determine the correct WWPN for use, refer to Table 3-1.
Table 3-1 WWPN usage

Host IO permitted Virtualized Protocol type Usage
Yes Yes SCSI FC SCSI Host connect
Yes Yes NVMe NVMe/FC Host

connect
No No SCSI Cluster
communication,
remote mirroring,
external virtualization
It is important to zone the correct WWPNs. Hosts cannot access storage through physical,
non-virtualized WWPNs. When using virtualized WWPNs, the selection determines whether
the host can access via FC SCSI or NVMe/FC, allowing control over the access protocol.
For direct FC connections, there is no selection for access protocols. To confirm direct
operating system access through FC, you can check the IBM System Storage Interoperation
Center (SSIC).
Important: Direct FC connections (without NPIV virtualization) do not support NVMe/FC,

only FC SCSI connections are available.
Each host or external storage system does a full fabric login as part of the FC communication
process. The FS5300 maintains the information of each device, which is registered and
accessing FS5300 nodes, similar to the name space of a fiber switch.
You can check the FC SCSI host connections under Settings → Fibre Channel
Connectivity. See Figure 3-17 on page 31.

Figure 3-17 Fibre Channel Connectivity
You can also check the state of the connection. Only FC SCSI connections will be shown.
You can check for active NVMe connections within your system management interface by
navigating to Settings → NVMe Connectivity. See Figure 3-18.
Figure 3-18 NVMe FC Connectivity
It is possible to filter by hosts and nodes in the listings and also to export this listings to CSV
files.
Modify FC ports
The system allows you to change the FC port being used. See Figure 3-19 on page 32.

Figure 3-19 Modify FC port actions
You can manage FC port assignments. This allows you to add or remove FC ports from
portsets for better zoning control.
For advanced configurations, you can also change how hosts access an FC port. This might
involve using NPIV to assign different virtual WWPNs or modifying security settings. See
Figure 3-20.
Figure 3-20 FC Modify port connection
򐂰 Any: Selected Port can be used for any type of traffic like local cluster communication,
remote replication or host communication (using NPIV WWPN for host).
򐂰 Local: Selected Port can be used for only local cluster communication or host
communication (using NPIV WWPN for host).
򐂰 Remote: Selected Port can be used for only remote replication or host communication
(using NPIV WWPN for host).
򐂰 None: Selected Port cannot be used for cluster communication or remote replication. Host
communication is always allowed in any type (using NPIV WWPN for host).

Note: Host communication is always allowed irrespective of any type selected but only
using NPIV WWPN of the port.
3.4.3 Ethernet ports

The Ethernet ports menu is used for configuring network connectivity. This includes assigning
ports for host attachment, storage replication, and iSCSI back-end storage virtualization. See
Figure 3-21.
Figure 3-21 Ethernet ports
lsportethernet command displays information about the Ethernet ports on a system. The
output of the command includes details about each Ethernet port, such as:
򐂰 Status: Whether the port is up, down, or experiencing any errors.
򐂰 Speed: The connection speed of the port (for example, 1Gbps, 10 Gbps).
򐂰 Connected: Indicates if there is a physical cable connection established on the port.
򐂰 Possible usage: This might provide clues about how the port is being used, such as
"Host Attachment," "iSCSI," or "Replication. See Figure 3-28 on page 36.
If you plan to change the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size of a port, it is only possible
if no IP address is configured on that port and its reference port. As shown in Figure 3-22 on
page 34, both ports 2 need to be free of IP addresses in this scenario.
Restriction: NVMe/TCP and clustering are only supported with an MTU size of 1500
bytes.
To change the MTU size of a port, you can either:

򐂰 Select the desired port and then go to Actions → Modify Maximum Transmission Unit.
򐂰 Right-click on the port and choose Modify Maximum Transmission Unit from the context
menu.
See Figure 3-22 on page 34.

Figure 3-22 Modify MTU size
To configure an IP address on a port, select the port and go to Actions → Manage IP

addresses or use the right mouse button.
On the next screen, select Add IP address. See Figure 3-23.
Figure 3-23 Add IP address
On the next screen, you can assign an IP address to the selected port. Click Add IP Address
to open a configuration window. Here, you can specify the IP address, subnet mask, and
other relevant settings. Additionally, you might have the option to add the port to a specific
portset for further management. See Figure 3-24 on page 35.

Figure 3-24 Add IP Address menu
Select a portset. In this scenario we use Portset0, the default predefined Portset for Ethernet
host attach.
Once the configuration is complete, the assigned IP address will be displayed for the port.
You can refer to Figure 3-25 for illustration.
Figure 3-25 Assigned IP address is displayed
You can configure a port with up to four routable IP addresses. However, it is important to use
separate VLANs for each IP address to avoid network conflicts.
To manage existing IP addresses on a port, click the overflow menu (three dots) located to
the right of the IP address entry. This menu allows you to modify, duplicate, or delete the IP
address configuration. Refer to Figure 3-26 on page 36 for illustration.

Figure 3-26 Multiple IP addresses
To check your configuration using CLI use the lsip command. See Figure 3-27.
Figure 3-27 lsip command
You can use the mkip command to add additional IP addresses. With the chip command you
can modify IP addresses and with the rmip command remove IP addresses.
More details are available by the lsportip command.
The lsportethernet command can be used to display information about Ethernet ports on
your system. See Figure 3-28.
Figure 3-28 lsportethernet
The lsportethernet command can show you whether Data Center Bridging (DCBX) is
supported on a port. DCBX can contribute to achieving lossless Ethernet, which is important
for some applications.
The current configuration displays only "TCP" as the RDMA type on internal ports. This
suggests that other RDMA types like iWARP (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) might not be
supported with the existing hardware.
If you plan on using clustering or remote copy functionality that relies on RDMA, you will likely
need to add a 4-port 10Gb/s Ethernet card that supports iWARP.
For more information, see Ethernet connectivity.

Limiting access to ports
Sometimes, ports can be used for multiple purposes. For example, in Figure 3-27 on page 36,
port 3 is being used with portset 1 for remote mirroring.
In such scenarios, you might want to restrict direct host access to these ports for security
reasons. You can achieve this through the Ethernet ports menu. Select the desired port and
go to Actions → Modify Host Attachment Support. Alternatively, right-click on the port and
choose Modify Host Attachment Support from the context menu. See Figure 3-29.
Figure 3-29 Modify Host Attachment Support
In your current IO group configuration, any changes made to port X will be applied to all
nodes within the group. View the current configuration details for these ports within the
Ethernet Ports menu. See Figure 3-30.
Figure 3-30 Ethernet ports with no host access to port 3
Modifying storage ports and remote copy settings follow a similar approach. Use the same
method to access configuration options, including those specific to remote copy functionality.

3.4.4 Configure protocols
In this section we discuss how to configure protocols.
Configure host access protocol

Define IP addresses and VLANs for network connectivity. Specify the communication protocol
used by the host to interact with the storage system in the host definition. See Figure 3-31.
Figure 3-31 Add host
If you have defined multiple host portsets, select the intended portset for a host during
configuration using the Advanced option. See Figure 3-32.
Figure 3-32 Define NVMe/TCP host with advanced options
To show and verify iSCSI connections, navigate to Settings → Network → Ethernet

Connectivity menu. NVMe connections will not be seen there.
For NVMe connections like NVMe/TCP, use the Settings → Network → NVMe Connectivity
menu.

Configure protocol for Remote Copy
The protocol used for Remote Copy is defined during the partnership definition process. See
Figure 3-33.
Figure 3-33 Create a partnership
When configuring remote copy protocols over IP, you have two main options:
򐂰 TCP: This is a widely supported protocol that works with any standard Ethernet network.
However, it may not offer the highest performance for remote copy operations.
򐂰 RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access): This protocol can provide significantly faster
data transfer speeds for remote copy compared to TCP.
Note: Remote copy with RDMA will require an Ethernet adapter with RDMA capability and
a maximum Round Trip Time (RTT) <=1ms.
Remote copy with RDMA you will also need a corresponding Portset to define. See
Figure 3-34.
Figure 3-34 Create portset for Remote Copy with RDMA

Clustering by using Ethernet connections
Note: Clustering will require an Ethernet adapter with RDMA capability.
Information for Configuring clustering by using Ethernet connections you will find in the
"Configuring clustering by using Ethernet connections" in IBM Redbooks Unleash the Power
of Flash: Getting Started with IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7 on IBM Storage
FlashSystem and IBM SAN Volume Controller, SG24-8561.
3.5 Troubleshooting
For troubleshooting port configurations, see Troubleshooting.
Also, refer to the “Troubleshooting chapter” in IBM Redbooks Unleash the Power of Flash:
Getting Started with IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7 on IBM Storage FlashSystem and
IBM SAN Volume Controller, SG24-8561.
For problem resolution, see Resolving a problem.

Related publications
The publications listed in this section are considered particularly suitable for a more detailed
discussion of the topics covered in this paper.
IBM Redbooks
The following IBM Redbooks publications provide additional information about the topic in this
document. Note that some publications referenced in this list might be available in softcopy
only.
򐂰 Unleash the Power of Flash: Getting Started with IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7 on
IBM Storage FlashSystem and IBM SAN Volume Controller, SG24-8561
򐂰 Ensuring Business Continuity: A Practical Guide to Policy-Based Replication and
Policy-Based HA for IBM Storage Virtualize Systems, SG24-8569
You can search for, view, download or order these documents and other Redbooks,
Redpapers, Web Docs, draft and additional materials, at the following website:
ibm.com/redbooks
Online resources
These websites are also relevant as further information sources:
򐂰 IBM Storage FlashSystem
򐂰 IBM SAN Volume Controller information
򐂰 IBM System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC)
Help from IBM

IBM Support and downloads
ibm.com/support
IBM Global Services

ibm.com/services

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Printed in U.S.A.
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Front cover

The Definitive Guide to IBM

The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

First Edition (October 2024)

This edition applies to IBM Storage Virtualize Version 8.7.

This document was created or updated on October 16, 2024.

© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2024. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chapter 3. Step-by-step configuration guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. iii

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION “AS IS”

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. v

The following terms are trademarks of other companies:

ITIL is a Registered Trade Mark of AXELOS Limited.

vi The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

IBM® FlashSystem 5300 is an all-flash storage platform designed to empower businesses of

Bernd Albrecht is a Storage Advisory Partner Technical

Hartmut Lonzer brings 45 years of technical and sales

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. vii

Sergei Kubin is a Senior Storage Support Engineer working in

Vasfi Gucer leads projects for the IBM Redbooks team,

Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this project:

Lucy Harris, Evelyn Perez, Chris Bulmer

Stay connected to IBM Redbooks

Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

This chapter has the following sections:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. 1

The IBM FlashSystem 5300 is a high-performance storage solution that is based on a

2 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 3

1.2 IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure overview

4 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

1.2.1 IBM FlashSystem 5300 hardware component overview

The IBM FlashSystem 5300 provides the following NVMe technologies:

Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 5

Figure 5 Top view of the IBM FlashSystem 5300 enclosure

6 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

Figure 6 Rear view of IBM FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure

Figure 7 shows a more detailed view of the rear of a canister.

Figure 7 IBM FlashSystem 5300 canister rear view

Chapter 1. IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 7

Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage

This chapter has the following sections:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2024. 9

Figure 2-1 shows the node canister ports.

Figure 2-1 FlashSystem 5300 node canister ports

10 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

Possible adapter configurations are shown in Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2 Possible adapter cards combinations

2.2 Ports for management and monitoring

2.2.1 Management ports

Important: The technician port should be disconnected during normal operation. It is

Chapter 2. Understanding IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 ports 11

Primary management port

Optional secondary management port

12 The Definitive Guide to IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Port Configuration

An optional secondary management IP can be configured as a failover option. It is only

In addition to that, some features require outside connectivity: