ESXi 5.1.0 ibm DS3400 fiber slow performance writing

[paolo0500181]

Hi all,

i have one host with ESXi 5.1.0 and DS3400 fiber with one controller.

i saw slow write performance from Esxi perfromace monitor like you can see on attachment.

I  tryed to disable some SAN parameters to one logical drive like this:

Logical Drive name:	SAN_STORAGE_05
	Logical Drive status:	Optimal
	Capacity:	905,059 GB
	Logical Drive ID:	60:0a:0b:80:00:67:e3:0d:00:00:01:8d:4b:ab:4e:1e
	Subsystem ID (SSID):	5
	Associated array:	SAN_STORAGE_0
	RAID level:	5
	Drive type:	Serial ATA (SATA)
	Enclosure loss protection:  No
	Preferred owner:	Controller in slot A
	Current owner:	Controller in slot A

	Segment size:	128 KB
	Capacity reserved for future segment size changes:  Yes
	Maximum future segment size:	2.048 KB
	Modification priority:	High

	Read cache:	Enabled
	Write cache:	Disabled
	Write cache without batteries:	Disabled
	Write cache with mirroring:	Disabled
	Flush write cache after (in seconds):  10.00
	Dynamic cache read prefetch:	Disabled
	Enable background media scan:	Enabled
	Media scan with redundancy check:	Disabled
	Pre-Read redundancy check:	Disabled

But without results.

Can you help me please?

Regards

Paolo

[rcporto]

First, tell me if this is a new setup or if an old setup, did you make any changes ? The host are direct attached to storage or to a SAN switch ?

[paolo0500181]

Hello Richardson,

thanks for answer me first.

my ex colleagues did the setup, but now they are away.

I just modify some parameter on the logical drive SAN_DATASTORE_5.

before:

Logical Drive name:	SAN_STORAGE_05
	Logical Drive status:	Optimal
	Capacity:	905,059 GB
	Logical Drive ID:	60:0a:0b:80:00:67:e3:0d:00:00:01:8d:4b:ab:4e:1e
	Subsystem ID (SSID):	5
	Associated array:	SAN_STORAGE_0
	RAID level:	5
	Drive type:	Serial ATA (SATA)
	Enclosure loss protection:  No
	Preferred owner:	Controller in slot A
	Current owner:	Controller in slot A

	Segment size:	128 KB
	Capacity reserved for future segment size changes:  Yes
	Maximum future segment size:	2.048 KB
	Modification priority:	High

	Read cache:	Enabled
	Write cache:	Enabled (currently suspended)
	Write cache without batteries:	Disabled
	Write cache with mirroring:	Enabled (currently suspended)
	Flush write cache after (in seconds):  10.00
	Dynamic cache read prefetch:	Enabled
	Enable background media scan:	Enabled
	Media scan with redundancy check:	Disabled
	Pre-Read redundancy check:	Disabled

After:

Logical Drive name:	SAN_STORAGE_05
	Logical Drive status:	Optimal
	Capacity:	905,059 GB
	Logical Drive ID:	60:0a:0b:80:00:67:e3:0d:00:00:01:8d:4b:ab:4e:1e
	Subsystem ID (SSID):	5
	Associated array:	SAN_STORAGE_0
	RAID level:	5
	Drive type:	Serial ATA (SATA)
	Enclosure loss protection:  No
	Preferred owner:	Controller in slot A
	Current owner:	Controller in slot A

	Segment size:	128 KB
	Capacity reserved for future segment size changes:  Yes
	Maximum future segment size:	2.048 KB
	Modification priority:	High

	Read cache:	Enabled
	Write cache:	Disabled
	Write cache without batteries:	Disabled
	Write cache with mirroring:	Disabled
	Flush write cache after (in seconds):  10.00
	Dynamic cache read prefetch:	Disabled
	Enable background media scan:	Enabled
	Media scan with redundancy check:	Disabled
	Pre-Read redundancy check:	Disabled

The host is attached to the fc switch.

On the storage monitor i see that the controller battery is expired.

Regards

Paolo

[paolo0500181]

Hello,

anyone can help me?

Regards

Paolo

[patrickds]

- 'controller battery expired' causes the controller to disable write back cache.

- single controller ds3400 disables write back cache by default, if cache mirroring is enabled, since there is no second controller to mirror the cache to.

solutions:

- replace the battery (or reset battery age)

- disable cache mirroring, or add a second controller (preferred)

[patrickds]

just a warning:

if your DS3400 contains any important data you wouldn't want to risk getting corrupted, your options are limited to:

- replace battery

- live with the slowness or add another controller