HP P410i -> SSD -> Host Cache

[matthiasDonner]

Hallo zusammen,

Wir haben hier folgende Konfiguration:

1x HP DL380 G7 mit einem HP P410i Controller

2x HP SSD (SAS/6G/200GB)

Installiert ist ESXi 5.1.0 799733

Wenn ich die beiden SSD's im Server habe, aber diese nicht über den P410i als logical device eingerichtet habe, erkennt der ESXi diese gar nicht (weder als Speicherplatz, noch als SSD fürs Host Caching)

Wenn ich die beiden SSD's im Server habe, diese über den P410i als jeweils eigenständige Logical Volumes eingerichtet habe, erkennt der ESXi zwar den Speicher, aber nicht als SSD, daher nicht für Host Caching geeignet.

Soweit ich es sehen kann ist das P410i in der HCL von VMware für die genutzte ESXi Version. Wir nutzen Original HP-SSD (keine Third Party SSD) - von daher bin ich verwundert.

Fragen:

Sollte der ESXi die SSD's direkt erkenne können?

Sollter der ESXi die SSD's, welche als logical volumes angebunden sind als SSD erkennen können?

Vielen Dank vorab für eure Hilfe!

LG,

Matthias

[john23]

Can you translate in English...

[matthiasDonner]

Hey John,

i can try to do it

I had a server (HP DL380 Gen7) with two attached HP SSD's - they're connected to a HP P410i Controller. The installed OS is a ESXi 5.1.0 799733. The issue is that the SSD's are not reconized by ESXi when they're not added as logical volume by the controller, but with the setup of logical volume they're displayed as normal drives instead of SSD's - so i cannot use them as Host Cache. As far as i know all the used parts are on the VMware HCL, so, i would prevent of "hacking" anything on ESXi side only to get them "to feel as it would be a SSD" .... i would have a clean setup, with SSD's that can be used for host caching.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated!

kind regards,

Matthias

[john23]

Have you tried this KB:

VMware KB: Enabling the SSD option on SSD based disks/LUNs that are not detected as SSD by default

-A

[matthiasDonner]

Hey john,

Thanks for this suggestion, this is what i exactly would NOT do - as i have only HCL-Parts, i cannot accept that i have to do hacks to get them running.

BR,

Matthias

[MKguy]

First of all, you have to create the logical volumes in the P410i controller or it won't present the drives to the OS on top.

The P410i is a bit old and I'm not sure it supports presenting SSD-capabilities to the OS in the first place. Make sure the controller runs with up to date firmware first.

You may also want to upgrade the controller's hpsa driver just in case:

http://vibsdepot.hp.com/hpq/sep2013/esxi-51-devicedrivers/hpsa-500-5.0.0-1189498.zip

If it still doesn't detect the drives as SSD, manually set the is_ssd parameter on the devices:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2013188

This is not really a hack, it's a fully supported configuration by VMware.

[admin · Accepted solution]

It doesnt mean that you are doing something wrong but,

[1] ESXi does not recognize certain devices as SSDs when their vendors do not support automatic SSD detection.
[2] Also, some non-SATA SAS SSDs may not be detected as local. When disks are not recognized as local SSDs, they are excluded from the list of available SSDs.

So eventhough your HW is in HCL there is nothing wrong in trying out the steps mentioned in the KB.

~dGeorgey