Re: Bus Sharing issue in VM - ESX 3.5

gothicreader · ‎10-03-2008

Hi,

I'm hoping that you can help me with an issue that we're having. We're in the process of installing Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows, which provides clustering of your application. In this case, we're going to cluster our Exchange stand a lone environment.

I'm trying to share the SCSI Controller 0 and 1,in the properties of each of the virtual machines - after the fact. Therefore, my exchange server is already built, LUNS created, etc. .

When I select Virtual in the SCSI BUS Sharing, and after confirming my selection I get an error "Invalid configuration for device 0", or device 1 for the second SCSI controller.

Is there any work around for this, or did I miss an window of opportunity when I should have done the sharing prior to installing the OS?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Rubeck · ‎10-03-2008

Hi..

Have you looked at this: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_mscs.pdf ? (ESX3.5 U2)

/Rubeck

gothicreader · ‎10-03-2008

Hi,

Yes, I found the document that someone else posted.

However, I'm having problems in running the command, per the document on page 22.

The document gives you two options to zero out the disk (existing virtual disk);

Service

Console

vmkfstools -w

/vmfs/volumes//.vmdk

Remote

CLI

vmkfstools.pl --server --username

--password -w

/vmfs/volumes//.vmdk

I'm assuming the Remote CLI is where I would use SSH to log into the server.

I have to run the vmkfstools command from the /usr/sbin directory since it's isn't in the absolute path and it's unrecognizable if I run where the actual .vmdk file resides.

"vmkfstools w --writezeros /vmfs/volumes/UUID/virtualmachine folder/file.vmdk"

Since I'm on the ESX server, I didn't user the --server --username

I get an error that the system cannot find the file specified.

it's doesn't recognize vmkfstools.pl - thus the reason why i used the vmkfstools.

Would you have any suggestions, please???

I'll keep reading in the meantime and thank you for your prompt response.

Judy

gothicreader · ‎10-03-2008

This is incorrect, I definitely would be logging in via SSH! -->After reading the doc, I have to download the remote cli utility from vmware, which needs windows power shell......

I'm hoping this is what is causing the problem.

J

Texiwill · ‎10-04-2008

HEllo,

If you are using the RCLI (which is NOT the service console) then use the RCLI commands. However if you are logged into the service console via SSH, use the Service Console commands.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill

gothicreader · ‎10-07-2008

Well, I finally created the disk using the "vmkfstools -c -d eagerzeroedthick -a lsilogic

/vmfs/volumes/mydir/<mydisk>.vmdk".

When I assigned the disk to a new SCSI virtual node, and in this case, 2, I still get an error "invalid configuration for device 0" when I try to share the new SCSI controller. The system drive is using SCSI 0:0. And from what I read in the document you can not have shared disks on the same SCSI controller.

I'm assuming the "invalid configuration for device 0" is the SCSI Controller 0:0.

I'm at my wits end with this one.

BTW, I had originally installed the OS and application on each virtual machine, then removed the hard disks assigned to each of the virtual machines, except the system drive - thus creating it with the above command. I don't want to have to blow away the system drives since I have exchange 2003 installed on these boxes. We're trying to cluster these servers using Veritas Clustering solution.

Thank you in advance for any insight you might be able to provide.

Judy

Texiwill · ‎10-08-2008

Hello,

You really need to follow the steps outlined in http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/vi3_35_25_u1_mscs.pdf very very carefully when creating the virtual hardware. Pay close attention to the examples as there are items in there not in the text.

You need to add another scsi controller if your system disk SCSI Id is 0:0 make the shared one 1:0 or something like that. Then you should be able to setup sharing appropriately.

If it was me I would reread the document and then start from scratch following each text/example extremely carefully. You may note that there are requirements for placement of the clustered disks as well as the boot volumes you did not realize before.