Resignature iSCSI VMFS volumes

[mattkr]

We are trying to have ESX 4i automatically resignature a snapshot of a parent volume from an iSCSI SAN. vSphere recognizes that it is a snapshot and asks if we want to resignature the volume. It then attempts to resignature the volume and gives us an error stating "cannot change the host configuration". We then tried to do the same command via RCLI

vicfg-volume.pl --server esxhost --username root --password pwd --resignature 4a1fc77e-12ce7b62-aa93-02215e0a16c3

and we get the same error "cannot change the host configuration".

Anyone run into this? It works fine for us on ESX3.5i U5.

Thanks!

[lamw]

esxcfg-volume/vicfg-volume is only available as of vSphere, this would have not been available or functional for ESXi 3.5 and I imagine you meant to say either ESXi 3.5 U1,U2, U3 or U4 ( there is no U5 ).

Are you using the free version of ESXi 4.0? If so, you'll need at least the Foundation license to be able to perform any write operations using the vCLI

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[mattkr]

Hello,

We are running the eval version on a 30day trial license. Shouldn't that work?

My mistake on 3.5i, we are runnung U4. We set the LVM.EnableResignature flag to 1 for it to work on 3.5i, but my understanding is that this is no longer needed in vSphere. We are still unable to get ESX4i it to work either via the vSphere client or from vCLI.

-matt

[lamw]

Yes, if you're running the eval of vSphere ESX(i) 4.0, then it should work. Also take a look at Duncan's page on this at: http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/03/13/vmfs-recognized-as-a-snapshot-what-to-do-exploringthe-next-v... Unfortunately I've not played with the command in detail but wanted to make sure you were referencing the correct version and that you had the appropriate permissions.

You're correct, with vSphere, this advanced flag is no longer available and you'll be mounting a snapshot volume using esxcfg-volume/vicfg-volume. Are you running the vCLI 4.0 on Windows/Linux or vMA 4.0?

Do you get any output when running:

vicfg-volume --server <server> --username <username> -l 

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[mattkr]

I'm running vCLI from the vSphere vCenter box on Windows 2003 x86. This is the output of both the list command and the resig command....

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vicfg-volume.pl --server servername --username root --password pwd -l

VMFS3 UUID/label: 4a1fc77e-12ce7b62-aa93-02215e0a16c3/XP_Parent

Can mount: No (duplicate extents found)

Can resignature: No (duplicate extents found)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000006c:1 range: 0 - 40703 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000006e:1 range: 0 - 40703 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000006a:1 range: 0 - 40703 (MB)

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vicfg-volume.pl --server servername --username root --password pwd --resignature 4a1fc77e-12ce7b62-aa93-02215e0a16c3

Resignaturing volume 4a1fc77e-12ce7b62-aa93-02215e0a16c3

resignature failed: Cannot change the host configuration.

____

I am able to make changes to other configurations via cmd line without any error. For example the followiung command works as expected....

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vicfg-advcfg.pl --server servername --username root --password pws --set 0 Misc.LogToFile

Value of LogToFile is 0

-matt

[mattkr]

FYI, this is a bug in vSphere.

If you present multiple snapshots/smart clones of a parent to vSphere it fails to resignature the snapshot volumes. If you only present s a single snapshot of the parent to vSphere at a time it will be able to resignature the snapshot. It works in ESX 3.5 U4 because the resignature process is handled completly differently. We are working with VMware support to aquire a fix to the vSphere resignaturing process.

This fails: (presenting multiple snapshots)

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vicfg-volume.pl -l --server server --username root -password password

VMFS3 UUID/label: 4a269d1c-e3c34564-a4b5-02215e0a12eb/40Test

Can mount: No (duplicate extents found)

Can resignature: No (duplicate extents found)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee9700000000000000099:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000009b:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000009d:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee970000000000000009f:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee97000000000000000a1:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

This works: (Present only one snapshot)

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vicfg-volume.pl -l --server server --username root*Enter password:

VMFS3 UUID/label: 4a269d1c-e3c34564-a4b5-02215e0a12eb/40Test

Can mount: No (the original volume is still online)

Can resignature: Yes

Extent name: naa.6000eb3a7f0ee9700000000000000099:1 range: 0 - 4863 (MB)

[kirpi]

hi

do you have a bug number and maybe a fix/workaround for this issue?

Thanks

Lutfi

[mattkr]

Hello,

If you speak with VMware support you can reference our case number for a "workaround" 1360733051.

-matt

[jeffpurcell]

Thanks for posting this issue.

I just stumbled across this myself and your post probably saved me some time.

Do you have any update that you can provide on the work around or release when this may be corrected?

Thanks.

[mattkr]

Hello,

The workaround is to logon to the service console or use "unsupported" on ESXi and run.

esxcfg-advcfg --set 1 /LVM/EnableResignature

-matt

[kumars17]

Hi,

I am also hitting the same issu if multiple snapshot is presented to the esx for the same vmfs volume. If I present snapshots one by one and keep resignaturing them before presenting the next it works fine.

Are you aware if this issue got resolved in any of the latest vSphere Releases?

Is the issue on the ESX Side or VC/SDK Side?

Thanks

Sunil

[bhwong7]

Use your VI Client and login directly to your ESX host to add the VMFS volumes instead of thru vCenter. Check this out:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101598...