IBM DS3500 and ALUA

[GregCPlus]

Hi All,

We have a client who has a new IBM DS3512 (1746) SAN, we're connecting via iSCSI with vSphere 5.0 U1.  The firmware on the DS3512 is 07.84.44.00.

According to this article and IBM's announcment, ESXi 5 should use the VMW_SATP_ALUA SATP with this storage device, but I have checked via esxcli and it is set as VMW_SATP_LSI.

I don't understand what is going on.  Can anybody tell me how I get this working correctly, or why it's set this way?

[GregCPlus]

Anybody?

[Rebelinux]

Did you change the host type in the san configuration?

[GregCPlus]

Thanks for replying Rebelinux.

The Host is set to host type of VMWARE in the IBM DS Storage Manager.

[GregCPlus]

I have discovered in the IBM Release Notes for the DS Storage Manager,  there is a seperate host type of VMwareTPGSALUA that must be selected.  I  will make this change, test, and update this discussion with the  results.  Thanks to Rebelinux for the prompt in the right direction.

[GregCPlus]

After changing the Host Type in the IBM DS SM from VMWARE to VMwareTPGSALUA, Restarting the ESX host & Rescanning HBAs, the issue is now resolved.

Thanks again to Rebelinux. :smileygrin:

[Markucjo]

Hello,

which multipathing policy are you using with IBM 3524, ALUA, VMWARE 5i U1 ?

thanks

Marek

[Linoxmandy]

I have an IBM DS3500 ISCSI 1GB/s with 7.84.44.00 firmware, connected to two ESX version is 4.1U3 path11 buil 988178

Do you know about compatibility of multipathing ALUA with ESX 4.1U3?

Look this link:http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=14900863&tstart=0

an ALUA-supported multipath driver is installed in the host

How can I check if my ESX host there is an ALUA-supported multipath driver?

[mcowger]

All currently supported versions of ESXi support ALUA.

[MKguy]

As mentioned, ALUA is supported on all current ESXi versions.

You can check the current runtime status of LUNs and whether they are being accessed with ALUA by checking if the VMW_SATP_ALUA SATP claimed the storage device.

You can do so via the GUI or more verbose from the ESXi shell like this:

# esxcli storage nmp device list
naa.600508b40010439a0000b000003b0000
   Device Display Name: HP Fibre Channel Disk (naa.600508b40010439a0000b000003b0000)
   Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_ALUA
   Storage Array Type Device Config: {implicit_support=on;explicit_support=on; explicit_allow=on;alua_followover=on;{TPG_id=1,TPG_state=ANO}{TPG_id=2,TPG_state=AO}}
   Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_MRU
   Path Selection Policy Device Config: Current Path=vmhba2:C0:T1:L2
   Path Selection Policy Device Custom Config:
   Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T1:L2
   Is Local SAS Device: false
   Is Boot USB Device: false

[infusednz]

Sorry for the bump, but I just found myself in the same situation.

We have this in production with 4 hosts going through a LSI sas switch. Is it possible to change this on the DS3500, reboot the hosts without adverse effects?

To confirm, I have the host operating system set to VMWARE instead of the other VMWARE one... so I have LSI showing up as the driver.