Adding a new SAN to an existing ESXi cluster

[JasePhilip]

We have a simple 3 host cluster (ESXi 4.1) connected via fiber to two EMC arrays.  We want to add a new Hitachi AMS2100 as a backup target.  We have connected it to the fabric, created a storage group on the Hitachi and rescanned the HBA's on the ESXi hosts.  Sadly, the new SAN does not appear.  In reading through the fiber channel SAN configuration guide, it talks about having the SAN up prior to the ESXi hosts but not about adding one to an existing cluster. A Hitachi guy told us that we have to reboot the ESXi hosts to have them see the SAN.

Prior to doing that, I wanted to ping the community and see if this was indeed the only way to get the hosts to see the SAN, or if there is another way.  Of course, the possibility exists that we've missed something else entirely so I am open for suggestions.

Thanks,

Jase

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Community - You will need to rescan from the storage adapters on each host - this cause the ESXi hosts to see the new SAN - this done during reboot as well -

The instructions are located in this doc - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_san_cfg.pdf

[a_p_]

I don't see a reason why a reboot would be necessary to detect a new storage system or a LUN. All you basically need to do to access the storage system from an ESXi host is to configure the zoning in the FC fabric (don't forget to activate the new configuration!) and present the new LUNs to the hosts. If this is done correctly the host will see the LUNs after the already mentioned rescan.

André

[JasePhilip]

Thanks for the replies weinstein5 and Andre',

That was the document I referred to in my post so I've already read through that.  We have rescanned both the storage adaptors on the hosts as well as the storage devices.  Sadly, we're not seeing the SAN.  It has been zoned with the hosts and the swtich can see it at the zone level.  Although I had to double-check the active config on the switch just to be sure.  I'm sure we're missing something on the SAN as it is new and shiney and not as straightforward as I would like it to be.

[a_p_]

How and when did you create the host objects on the Hitachi AMS2100? I'm not familiar with this storage system, however usually - if the zoning is already done - most storage systems provide a list of unassigned WWN's to pick from when you create a new host object. If this is the case for the Hitachi too, you could try to delete the host objects for the ESXi hosts again and then recreate them to see whether the ESXi host's WWNs shows up.

If this is the case and the hosts can be created with the appropriate WWN's, please double check that the storage group(s) are associated with/presented to the hosts.

André