Dell PowerVault MD3200 - Manual (Page 13)

Hardware Installation 13
Redundant and Non-Redundant Configurations
Non-redundant configurations are configurations that provide only a single
data path from a host to the storage array. This type of configuration is only
recommended for non-critical data storage. Path failure from a failed or
removed cable, a failed HBA, or a failed or removed RAID controller module
results in loss of host access to storage on the storage array.
Redundancy is established by installing separate data paths between the host
and the storage array, in which each path is set to one of the two RAID
controller modules installed in the storage array. Redundancy protects the
host from losing access to data in the event of path failure, because both
RAID controller modules can access all the disks in the storage array.
Single Controller Configurations
Figure 2-1 through Figure 2-3 show two and four hosts, each connected to
only one RAID controller module. The hosts can share storage space but
without redundant paths, if one path were to fail, the server on that path
would be disconnected from the storage array.
Figure 2-1. Two Hosts Connected to a Single Controller
Server 1 Server 2
Storage array
Corporate, public,
or private network
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