HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

Here is a a brief overview of to get the virtual connects for the HP C7000 configured
and running.
To get started, you will need to get your sys, LAN, and SAN administrators to provision
your LAN and SAN connections once in Virtual Connect. This will make it easier to add
a server as the sys admin can add the new blade into the enclosure, assign the
appropriate server profile containing your defined network connections, and go. For
the switch port connection on the Cisco side: make sure the VLANs are .1Q Native.
This line in IOS will free up the the need to have to configure any additional stuff
from this side: switchport trunk allowed vlan all. Note: the server profiles have to
match the network profiles (LACP) and note whether VCs and LOMs are meshed or
independent. The OS on the blades may determine this. Think of the blade chassis and
switch chassis matching up. To connect to your LANs and SANs using Virtual Connect
modules, you need to do the following:
With Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules, connect Ethernet ports to data center
Ethernet switches and Flexports running FC to the data center FC switches.
Set up Virtual Connect and assign connection profiles using Virtual Connect Manager
or Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager
Virtual Connect Manager provides installation wizards for the different administrators
to make the process simple and straightforward. Here are some of the key steps in
the installation process:
Identify the number of required uplinks based on network bandwidth requirements.
Configure upstream Ethernet network switch ports for Link Aggregation Control
Protocol (LACP) if needed, or verify that the ports are configured. If link
aggregation is required, you must configure the upstream switch ports that connect
to the Virtual Connect module for 802.3ad (LACP).
Determine whether factory MAC addresses and WWNs will be used or whether you
will implement Virtual Connect assigned addresses (recommendation to use
Establish the required connections to connect servers and VLANs to the core
network.
Decide on any other specific VLAN requirements.
Identify the number of Fibre Channel uplinks based on SAN bandwidth requirements.
Ensure the upstream Fibre Channel switch ports are configured for N_Port ID
Virtualization (NPIV).
Decide how each server will connect to the Fibre Channel fabrics and establish the
required connections.
A physical connection from the server to the network is complete only after you
connect the Virtual Connect module(s) to the upstream data center switches, define
Virtual Connect networks, and assign server profile(s) in Virtual Connect Manager.

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

Some initial assumptions are made for this guide to make sense. The cabling will need
to be done and have a reference in HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrator. From HP
OA, you will need to know your administrator username & password, and you will be
able to get into the Virtual Connect Manager GUI from there. Since this GUI is webbased, it should be a fairly straight forward process, filling in information regarding
passwords, IPs, and naming conventions that conform to your needs. It is simple
enough to accept HPs defaults for most settings. Here is a reference for a generic
cabling setup:

In the HP Onboard Administrator, in rack enclosure overview, make sure you see the
devices. You will need to look in Enclosure Bay IP Addressing and check the
Interconnect Bays had IP addresses defined for the bays (likely bay 1 & bay 2) for
management. See following two images for reference.

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

Once this is set up in HP Onboard Administrator, you should be able to click the Virtual
Connect Manager link in the bottom left and start the configuration process.
To configure Virtual Connect, your initial step will be to access Virtual Connect
Manager through your Web browser as noted above (see image below).

You will need to first set up your first Virtual Connect Domain. The Domain Setup
Wizard will ask for OA username & password. You will then go to Enclosure Import/
Recovery where you will select the one listed with the Status: Not Imported. The
Import Status will list the ethernet modules, fibre channel modules, and list the
number of physical servers. General Settings with allow you to provide a Virtual
Connect Domain name which is only for the Virtual Connects internal database use.
From there, you will set up or alter any Local User Accounts as you see fit and then
Finish the process (select the check box for the Network Setup Wizard).
From there you will start the Network Setup Wizard. This wizard will allow you to
assign the MAC addresses used by server blade Ethernet network adapters, configure
VLAN Tagging support, configure multiple networks speed settings, define external
network connections dedicated to a specific network, and define external network

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

connections with shared uplinks that carry multiple networks and/or an FCoE
network.
For MAC Address Settings, please use Virtual Connect assigned MAC addresses. For the
Type, used HP Pre-defined, and for Range, use one of the HP Pre-defined pools
(ideally, for 1 enclosure, use HP Pre-defined 1 and iterate so on). You will need to
confirm this setting.
For Server VLAN Tag Settings, leave the first checkbox unchecked. For VLAN Capacity,
select Expanded (for use with FlexFabric). Ignore the Multiple Networks Link Speed
Settings. Those can be altered at a later time if needed.
On the Select Network Connection Type screen, your selection is your network access
port. Because we want to carry multiple VLANs, select, Connection with uplink(s)
carrying multiple Ethernet networks and/or an FCoE network.
On the Define Shared Uplink Set Connection, for Ethernet Shared External Uplink Set,
add a name (Trunk 1 for example). For External Uplink Ports, use the defaults and for
Add Port, select Enclosure1 and map to the appropriate Bay (1-4) with the physical
port in use. You should then see the status showing two ports listed with the status
linked and showing what type of switch is connected to the ports.

Add Associated Networks (VLAN Tagged) to add multiple Associated Networks. You will
need to add the Network Name (prefix example vnet_ & suffix example _module1)
and the VLAN ID (example 10-12). The name would be something similar to
vnet_12_module1. Keep Smart Link checked and select Apply. This is pretty much

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

your trunk configuration. In Associated Networks (VLAN Tagged), you will see the list
of your VLANs by Network Name, VLAN ID, etc. For Defined Network Connections,
verify the list and select Done. Repeat this process and create another Shared Uplink
set (for trunk 2 for example) to the VCs are Active/Active. You can use the link from
the main menu on the lower left side.
The next wizard is the Fibre Channel Setup Wizard. You will need to make sure the
Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Interconnect modules are installed and the Domain is
setup (done previously in this guide). For World Wide Name settings, you will want to
select Yes, I would like to use Virtual Connect assigned WWNs. For Assigned WWNs,
you the HP Pre-defined Type and Range. For Define Fabric, select define fabric.
Define SAN Fabric, provide a Fabric Name and select the correct Uplink Ports (for
example Uplink Port X3 & Uplink Port X4). Define fabrics for load sharing, redundancy,
etc (see reference image below).

For the Server Profile Setup Wizard, you can configure Serial Number Settings, create
a server profile definition which identifies server connectivity by creating and
configuring network and storage connections, create unassigned server profiles or
assign profiles by selecting the device bays, and edit profile names. Any servers that
are to be configured using this wizard need to be powered OFF for this process.
For Serial Number Settings, you will want to use the Virtual Connect assigned serial
numbers. Then select the HP Pre-defined Type and Range desired.
For Create Server Profile Definition you will want to add a Profile Name, assign
Network Name (single or multiple networks) for Ethernet Adapter Connections (add
additional ones if needed to carry multiple networks via the pop up).

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

See the reference image below for a sample screenshot.

This image shows Server VLAN Tag to vNet Mappings. (Remember to have created the
addition Shared Uplink Set above!)

HP C7000 Quick Virtual Connect Configuration Guide

For FCoE HBA Connections, assign the associated FC SAN/FCoE Network Name and
click Next.
The next screen will allow you to assign the server profiles to specific bays. Assign the
profile to one specific bay to test operational viability. From there, you can name the
server profile and create the Server Profile. Repeat the process to create additional
Server Profiles (you can use the link on the lower left side of the Virtual Connect
Manager).