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MDS Modules and Where to Use Each One

conmurph
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Hi All,

I am trying to find documents or information about the MDS modules and where to use each one. I’ve done a bit of research and would like some confirmation on the following.

Older Modules:

MPS 14/2

- FCIP

- iSCSI

- 14 x FC

- 2 x GE

IPS-4 and IPS-8

- 4 or 8 x GE

- FCIP

- iSCSI

SSM

- 32 x FC

- FC-WA

- SANTap

From what I understand, the SSM modules would be used to connect the disk arrays and servers to provide FC-WA and SANTap.

You would use the IPS modules primarily for FCIP or iSCSI connections, maybe for disaster recovery between sites?

The MPS can be used for either FCIP or to connect servers and disk arrays.

Current Modules:

MSM-18/4

- 18 x FC

- 4 x GE

- FCIP

- FICON

- SANTap

- FC-WA

- SME

SSN-16

- 4 x independent service engines

- 4 x GE per engine

- FCIP

- FC-WA

- SANTap

- SME

I think these two modules replace the three previous modules.

The MSM will be used in replace of the SSM/IPS/MPS to provide FC/FCIP/GE connectivity and will also provide FC-WA and SANTap.

I think the SSN is the similar however it doesn’t provide FC ports and would therefore replace the IPS and MPS modules. It also provides 4 independent service engines which allow you to have four different features running without any performance issues between them.

Is anyone able to tell me if I have the correct use for each module please? Or if there are any other deployment scenarios that each one could be used in?

Any additional comments or info would be great.

Cheers,

Conor

1 Reply 1

Gary Ross
Level 4
Level 4

I know, from experience, that on the MSM you can only have one layer 3 service running at a time (i.e. you can

have FCIP or SANtap or SME or iSCSI or DMM).  You can have more than one turned on at a time but this isn't

supported.  I had SANtap and FCIP running on all 4 of our 18/4 modules and as the I/O load increased, stability

of the 18/4 became less and less.  In fact, I found that the 18/4 modules would reboot at random,  This was

harmful to us as I had tape replication traffic going across the FCIP links and the backup servers would loose

connectivity to the tape silo and drives at the DR site causing tapes to become stuck in the drives and in a readonly

state.  Not to mention that the SANtap service was interrupted by the reload.

Hope this helps.

Gary

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