VMware

This Question is Possibly Answered

1 "correct" answer available (10 pts) 2 "helpful" answers available (6 pts)
1 2 Previous Next 27 Replies Last post: Apr 6, 2009 12:21 AM by Ghazzer  

Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX? posted: Jun 19, 2008 8:41 AM

Click to view CharlieBlank's profile Novice
CharlieBlank
11 posts since
Dec 20, 2004

Hi,

I've just seen that Areca finally is working on releasing drivers for their storage cards - ftp://ftp.areca.com.tw/RaidCards/AP_Drivers/VMware/ESX_3.5/Beta/

Did anybody of you already try these drivers? What's your experience about stability and performance?

Thanks, Karlheinz

Tags: esx3.5, storage, areca, sata

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

1. Aug 13, 2008 10:54 AM in response to: CharlieBlank
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008
I am trying to load them right now, but am getting errors on ESX setup. I have a feeling that the drivers were compiled for a different version of the kernel than what is shipped in Update 2 of ESX. I'm trying to find a work around.

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

2. Aug 13, 2008 11:12 PM in response to: D-OveRMinD
Click to view CharlieBlank's profile Novice
CharlieBlank
11 posts since
Dec 20, 2004

Hi,

I was having good results in the meantime with using the Areca drivers with ESX 3.5 Update 1. Good performance. I was unable to go for a stability check for days -- but 48 hours - no problems.

As the kernel changed for the ESX 3.5 Update 2 - I didn't expect the drivers to work with that. So same findings as you have....

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

3. Aug 25, 2008 4:43 AM in response to: CharlieBlank
Click to view _usr_local_dick's profile Novice
_usr_local_di…
26 posts since
Jan 4, 2007
I just tried installing 3.5U2 (latest timebomb-less build) onto a Supermicro box with an Areca ARC-1110 (PCI-X).

The Areca CD boots fine, but the ESX CD gives me lots of errors (Anaconda related).


3.5U*1* does work fine.


Once that is running, I cannot upgrade to 3.5U2 either. I get similar errors. I have typed the exact error:

Traceback (most recnet call last):
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/gui.py", line 805, in nextClicked
self.dispatch.gotoNext()
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/dispatch.py", line 159, in gotoNext
self.moveStep()
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/dispatch.py", line 227 in moveStep
rc = apply(func, self.bindArgs(arg))
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/upgrade.py", line 49, in findRootParts
id.rootParts = findExistingRoots(intf, id, chroot)
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/upgrade.py", line 78, in findExistingRoots
upgradeany = upgradeany)
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/partedUtils.py", line 631, in findExistingRootPartitions
elif (part.fs_type and
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/fsset.py", line 80, in getUsableLinuxFs
default = fileSystemTypeGetDefault()
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/fsset.py", line 60, in fileSystemTypeGetDefault
raise ValueError, "You have neither ext3 or ext2 support in your kernel!"
ValueError: You have neither ext3 or ext2 support in your kernel!

Strangely enough, after switching to another console at this stage, I do see the Areca disk with fdisk....

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

4. Aug 25, 2008 7:36 AM in response to: _usr_local_di…
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008

That's the exact same errors I was getting....it looks like the VMware kernel changed in Update2.

The Areca drivers were compiled for the older kernel, and ESX thinks it doesn't have support for the file system.

I am working on trying to compile the latest Areca drivers for the new ESX kernel, but it's been a bear so far.

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

5. Sep 1, 2008 10:15 PM in response to: D-OveRMinD
Click to view vanaxe's profile Lurker
vanaxe
1 posts since
Aug 31, 2008
I have the same issue with Update2 - Has any one tried ESXi with Areca ?

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

6. Sep 2, 2008 8:04 PM in response to: vanaxe
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008
So far as I have found, there is no easy way to inject the Areca drivers
into ESXi. The installer disk is looking for the full blown ESX
installer. I think I am gonna give Areca a call directly....all it
takes is a kernel update.

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

7. Sep 2, 2008 10:39 PM in response to: vanaxe
Click to view Dave.Mishchenko's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
Dave.Mishchen…
9,179 posts since
Nov 15, 2005
You could follow the process I have here to try it with ESXi - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/customize_oem_tgz.php. From the VMware3.5_RPM.zip file on their site, you can extract the driver acrmsr.o and then modify the process I have to add that to oem.tgz as well. To add the driver you would need to insert the steps

3a 3) mkdir -p oem/mod

and then copy the acrmsr.o file to that folder. You would then add additonal steps to copy what steps 13 - 18 do.

If you just have this controller in the host, it would be easiest to boot ESXi from a USB flash drive and then modify oem.tgz on it. Or if you have a recognized IDE controller, you could intall to that. Steps for both those options can also be found on www.vm-help.com

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

8. Sep 5, 2008 8:15 AM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008
Alright, check it out guys. Areca just updated their FTP site a couple of days ago:

ftp://ftp.areca.com.tw/RaidCards/AP_Drivers/VMware/

There are now ESX 3.5 and 3i installation disks. However, their Notice says that they have only tested it to work with the vanilla versions, not any of the updates. I would be willing to bet that up to Update 1 should work since there was no major kernel change until Update 2. I will be testing this today.

Looks like it's just a matter of time guys!

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

9. Sep 5, 2008 8:25 AM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008
Also of note,

Notes

2.1 This is the instruction for the installation of Areca RAID volume(s) as
(an) external storage(s) on VMware ESX Server 3i Installable platform.
2.2 Installing ESX Server 3i Installable onto an Areca volume
is unsupported due to lack of ESXi async driver
support during installation.
2.3 This is an unsupported trick by VMware and Areca Technology Corp.,
because officially VMware does not recommend customers this kind of
installation for ESX Server 3i Installable.
For future ESXi 4.0, VMware is providing a mechanism that would allow
async drivers to be loaded onto the ESXi platform.
2.4 The whole series of Areca ARC11XX/ARC12XX/ARC13XX/ARC16XX SATA/SAS RAID
controllers are all applicable to ESX Server 3i Installable.
2.5 Please check if your platform is listed on VMware ESXi 3.5 HCL.
Please refer to http://www.vmware.com/.

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

10. Oct 9, 2008 5:51 AM in response to: CharlieBlank
Click to view tibyke's profile Novice
tibyke
6 posts since
Feb 28, 2007

i finally got esxi 3.5u2 working with areca 1120 pci-x on a tyan server.

wheny having tried installing with the iso image from areca ftp site, i got the same results and errors you mentioned above.

theny i tried something totally different:

1. exract VMware-VMvisor-big-3.5.0_Update_2-110271.i386.dd from the installation image

2. restore it to an usb stick: cat VMware-VMvisor-big-3.5.0_Update_2-110271.i386.dd

3. copy over oem.tgz to the appropriate location

4. boot the stick and see everything is fine, all the areca arrays are there and accessible

5. boot slax again, and copy over the usb stick to the areca array: cat /dev/sda > /dev/sdb

6. remove usb stick, boot areca array

7. boot screen: SHIFT + o to get the boot options, and add nousbboot shell

8. if it boots up, its fine :)

9. return to slax, and mount sda5, edit boot.cfg in /bootbank, and add the above two options to kernelopt

10. reboot and ejoy :)

t

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

11. Nov 6, 2008 3:11 AM in response to: tibyke
Click to view helmishariff's profile Lurker
helmishariff
1 posts since
Nov 6, 2008
I have successfully boot from usb. So, how to install to hard disk?

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

12. Jan 31, 2009 1:31 PM in response to: helmishariff
Click to view Jirkaehm's profile Novice
Jirkaehm
6 posts since
Jan 31, 2009
Hi I sucesfully installed vmware ESXi update 3 to raid5 volume on areca, everything seems to be working.
But I'm having some small problem, is there any way to monitor RAID5 volume?
There is nothing in health status.

Thank you for any help

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

13. Jan 31, 2009 10:08 PM in response to: Jirkaehm
Click to view D-OveRMinD's profile Novice
D-OveRMinD
10 posts since
Jul 27, 2008
Did you actually install ESXi to the areca RAID itself, or did you inject drivers after the fact to use it as a VM storage volume? Did ESXi recognize the array when you booted from the install disk?

Re: Anybody having experience with Areca Beta Drivers for ESX?

14. Feb 1, 2009 3:16 AM in response to: D-OveRMinD
Click to view Jirkaehm's profile Novice
Jirkaehm
6 posts since
Jan 31, 2009
I actually installed ESXi to RAID on areca.

I modified installation cd and installation image to be able to do that.
Using this manual: http://www.grid.org/blog/cameron/updating-vmware-esxi-disk-dump-file
1 2 Previous Next Go to original post

Actions

VMware Beta Programs

Want to be Considered for Future Beta Programs?

Learn More

VMware Developer

Download SDKs, APIs, videos,
training, and more in the Developer community.

Learn More

Developer
Sample Code

Increase your developer productivity with VMware API sample code.

Learn More

VMworld
Sessions & Labs

Online access to the latest VMworld Sessions & Labs and online services.

Learn more

Purchase PSO Credits Online

Purchase credits to redeem training and consulting services online.

Buy Now

Community Hardware Software

View reported configurations or report your own.

Learn More

Only VMware ... Delivers Nexus 1000V

Ensure consistent, policy-based network capabilities to virtual machines across your data center.

Learn More

Communities