Zones Storage units

A storage area network (SAN) can be arranged with various areas called zones. The SAN administrator can divide the SAN into two distinct zones, a host zone and a disk zone. These zones enable the SAN Volume Controllers to access the RAID controllers and the host systems to access the SAN Volume Controllers. All SAN Volume Controller connections must be in both zones.

Host zone

The host zone is that portion of the SAN that consists of the hosts and a SAN Volume Controller. Hosts can detect and directly address the SAN Volume Controller. However, hosts cannot detect and directly address the disk controller systems that are connected to the SAN Volume Controller.

Disk zone

The disk zone is that portion of the SAN that consists of the SAN Volume Controller, the disk controller systems, and the devices attached to the disk controller systems. The SAN Volume Controller can detect and directly address the logical units (LUs) presented by the disk controllers. The SAN Volume Controller also controls all the physical storage in the disk zone.

(C) Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2004