What is Hitachi Data System's recommended practice for zoning?

Question

Options

• Aport-based zoning
• Bzoning is optional
• Csingle HBA zoning (one HBA per zone)
• Dsingle operation system zoning (all HBAs from one OS in a zone)

• A
  6% (2)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  87% (27)
• D
  3% (1)

Explanation

Hitachi Data Systems recommends single HBA zoning (option C) because isolating one initiator HBA per zone prevents host-to-host communication, limits the blast radius of fabric errors, and improves overall SAN security and stability. If one HBA misbehaves or sends rogue frames, only that zone is affected rather than other hosts sharing the zone.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (port-based zoning): Port-based zoning is a type of zoning (by physical port vs. WWN), not a zone membership strategy - it's orthogonal to this recommendation and doesn't define how many HBAs belong in a zone.
• B (zoning is optional): Zoning is strongly recommended in all enterprise SAN environments; skipping it leaves all devices visible to each other, creating security and stability risks.
• D (single OS zoning): Grouping all HBAs from one OS together in a zone allows HBA-to-HBA traffic within the same host, which is unnecessary and increases risk during HBA failures or misbehavior.

Memory tip: Think "1 HBA = 1 zone" - the same way you'd give each user their own key rather than one key for a whole department. Single initiator zoning = least privilege for SAN fabric.

No community discussion yet for this question.