Bad Performance on SAS 300GB G6 HDD, HP DL370

[MartinWest]

Hello all

I have a new HP ProLiant DL370 G6 Server with 2 Drive Cage and we have really big problems.

The configuration are as follow:

Two XEON Processor

each processor has 18 GB RAM (totaly 36 GB)

1st Drive Cage are connected to the embedded Smart Array P410i Controller.

2 Drives 146 GB SAS (RAID 1) for the ESXi, 6 Drives 300 GB SAS (RAID 5) for the VM's

2nd Dive Cage are connected to a seperat Smart Array P410 Controller.

8 Drives 300 GB SAS (RAID 5) for the VM's

VMware ESXi 4.0 (newest Patch)

The Problem is:

- At the Beginning we start with the Drives in the 1st Drive Cage and the second was empty. The Server was running realy perfect.

- A few weeks later we need more capacity and we put in the 2nd Drive Cage 8 HDD 300 GB SAS G6 and build a RAID 5.

- It seems to be OK, but as we want to install two new VM's at the same time on the 2nd Drive Cage the Vsphere Client hangs and after a while

we lost the connection to the ESXi Host. A new connection was not possible. We restart the ESXi Host and we can connect.

And every time when we want to install 2 or more VM's at the same time the Vsphere Client hangs an we lose the connection to the host.

What we did (without success):

- We find out that we have two different Firmware revision on the Drive Cage. 1st Cage 1.16, 2nd Cage 1.14

So we update the Firmware on the 2nd Cage to revision 1.16 (Thanks to Google!!! You never will find it on the HP WebSite)

- After that (same Problem) we call HP Support and they replace the Smart Array P410 Controller. No success!

- We send the Diagnostic Log to HP Support and another technical Support changed the Drive Cage himself. No success

- Now we change the PCI Slot (Smart Array Controller P410) from Slot 8 to Slot 2. No success!

- After that we moves the Disk from 1st Cage to 2nd, and from 2nd to 1st. Then we changed the Boot order from P410i to P410 and reboot.

It was horrible! The Vsphere Client hangs after we start the 1st VM. Also no success!

- Now HP told me that I have to go to the unsupported console and run vm-support to build a log file. I did it. Send it to HP and waiting.

- After a few days I got a new Mail with a Link to the newest Cage Firmware 1.18. I install this release on both Cage but you don't believe NO SUCCESS!

Now I don't know what I have to do at next. And so I write my story in this Communities and hope someone has any solution.

PLEASE HELP!

Beste wishes to everybody on this Planet

Martin

[a_p_]

Martin,

do you have BBWC or FBWC (battery buffered or flash buffered write cache) for your P410(i) controllers?

Also take a look at KB1018206 - Poor virtual machine application performance on HP hardware

André

[MartinWest]

Hello André

Yes we have on both Array Controller BBWC 512MB.

I checked the BIOS and the HP Static High Performance mode is selected.

Have you some other solutions for me?

Regards

Martin

[MartinWest]

Hi all

I solved the Problem!

What I have done:

- I found a new BIOS Version on the HP Website and I upgrade the BIOS.

- I upgrade the Firmware of the Drive Cage again.

- I delete the Array on the 2nd Driver Cage an build it new.

After that it works like ever! Top performace.

That was really crazy - but now the problem are solved!

Thanks to all and I hope if everybody have the same problem, it will help you!

Kind regards

Martin