Terrible performance on vm guests using HP SmartArray 200i on ML150 and ESXi 4U1

[clopmz]

Hi all,

I have a seriuos problem with a HP ML150 G5 server with a HP SmartArray 200i and with an ESXi 4U1 installed. All vm guests installed under this server are really slowly, slowly ... and I think the problem is with hp smartarray 200i.

For example: I have tried to copy two files (680 MB each other) over a gigabyte lan from my personal laptop to one guest installed on this ESXi server Speed is terrible: 3.2MB/s. I have change several kernel params under this guest without luck. After that, I have moved all hard disks (except disk where ESXi is installed) to another HP ML115 G5 and I do same operation and speed is between30MB/s and 40MB/s, good for me. If I put these disks connected directlly to SATA controller on this ML150 G5, results are similar like in ML115.

Is HP smartarray 200i really supported under esxi 4U1?? Do I need to change some param on smartarray?? SmartArray Firmware version is 1.72

Many thanks for your help.

[clopmz]

oops sorry, I forgot to give this information: this smartarray 200i have 128MB BMWC installed.

Mnay thanks.

[DSTAVERT]

Make sure that write caching is enabled. You will need to run the smartstart CD / ACU to enable it.

[J1mbo]

As above, need write caching enabled (i.e. in write-back mode) at the controller level (not the physical drives!).

Please award points to any useful answer.

[clopmz]

Ummm .. I have inserted smartstart CD that comes with this server and It says "SmartStart does not support deployment for this server" .... I don't understand. I am downloading version 8.30 from hp's website, but this system doesn't appears on server's list .... Another time, I don't understand ...

But, is it possible to modify some kernel param or check this param form esxi command line?? Can I modify it from esxi command line??

Thanks.

[NCSteve]

On my DL160 I had to use the HP Array Configuration Utility disk. I remember reading to set the Read/Write ration to 50/50. This helped my performance on my guest machines.

-Steve

[DSTAVERT]

The smartstart CD has the array configuration utility. HP does have the ACU as a separate CD.