adding a new host to existing cluster

[vdz]

Hi All,

The existing cluster has a SAN connected. What caution should I look into before adding a new host to existing cluster? I have done research that we should disconnect HBA physically before adding, I don't know what it is to be honest.

Any help/ idea would be much appreciated.

Regards

[MauroBonder]

You need to physically disconnect the hba an installation, so you do not format the disks during the install mode Storage vSphere.

To add the new cluster in vSphere ceritifcar if you need to host this new one has access to all LUNs that also hosts old has already added to the HA / DRS to work properly.

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers. 

Mauro Bonder - Moderator

[vdz]

Thanks for your reply,

I am not quite clear of your response please excuse me. My case is that I have installed and configured a new vmware vsphere 4.0 outside the cluster, now I just wanted to know it is safe if I just use the wizard to add the new host,

Regards

[arturka]

HI

If your vCenter is at the same build level or higher what your new host is,no problem, you can connect your new host to vCenter

Do you wanna connect this host to your existing cluster ?

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[MauroBonder]

Yes, it is safe. You just need to know if that host has all the same lun presented to the servers that already exist in your cluster in which it will go.

It is also important to know the version of others and their vcenter vSphere as our friend said.

Anything check the comparability matrix

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_compatibility_matrix.pdf

[vdz]

yes I want to add this new host to my existing cluster, but I just wanted to know if is safe to do it without compromising the SAN.

Thanks a lot in advance

Regards

[arturka]

vdz wrote:

yes I want to add this new host to my existing cluster, but I just wanted to know if is safe to do it without compromising the SAN.

Thanks a lot in advance

Regards

Hi

No worries, you will not compromise your SAN by adding server to cluster

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[vdz]

Thank you guys very much,

one more thing please how can I change the name of host?

Much appreciated all your helps

Regards,

[arturka · Accepted solution]

vdz wrote:

Thank you guys very much,

one more thing please how can I change the name of host?

Much appreciated all your helps

Regards,

Hi

Once host is already in vCenter inventory, you can't change it, you have to disconnect host from vCenter, Delete from inventory and add it again using a different name,

for example, if you would specify IP during connecting wizzard it would appear in vCenter inventory under a IP address, if you wanna have it visible as a host name or FQDN name, during wizard you have to used it's hostname or FQDN name

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[vdz]

Thanks a lot again

I found another issue, when I completed adding, then i started migrate a vmware (our servers) on to this new host, it cannot access to the SAN where all .vmk and storage live.

How can I enable it? please

Thanks again

Regards

[arturka]

vdz wrote:

Thanks a lot again

I found another issue, when I completed adding, then i started migrate a vmware (our servers) on to this new host, it cannot access to the SAN where all .vmk and storage live.

How can I enable it? please

Thanks again

Regards

Well, depends what config you have,

What type of SAN do you have ? FC, iSCSI ?

Artur

[vdz]

that is what I am not certain 100%. when I looked up on one of detail datastore it says Dell iSCSI disk.

Thanks

[arturka]

Aha,

Looks like you have iSCSI storage, I can't help you too much in that case, I don't know details of you LAN topology

Bassically now you have to configure network on your new ESX host to be able to connect to iSCSI storage, you need to know iSCSI targets IP, credentials etc.

take have a look on that topic

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/323715?tstart=0

there is a link to documentation how to set up iSCSI SAN connectivity

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[vdz]

yes you are correct I can see it from storage adaptor.

it was set up by another person who left. But I will be able to find out the ip and credential. please tell me how to get the new host access to the SAN.

Thanks

[arturka]

Hi

Upload networking configuration from one of your fully operational hosts,

provide iSCSI target IP's, maybe we can try to figure out something

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[vdz]

I can work it out the target IP address from existing hosts, there is no CHAP configured.

At the moment I already disconnected and removed the new one from the cluster.

1. I cannot add SAN from initiator, I can see it the available storages but after adding target IP address and refresh, it didn't show up like existing host. as I mentioned it is out of the cluster. Does it have to be on the cluster so that it can be done?

2. I cannot use FQDN to add, but by IP address. it does not recognise the FQDN of the new host

Thank you again for your help

Regards

[vdz]

Hi All,

After long troubleshooting, we resolved those 2 issues, we can resolve the new host by name and by IP, even better can access to iSCSI SAN storage.

OK now this host is current connected to the shared storage SAN that makes me nervous to add this host to the existing cluster. Last night it was not connected virtually (but physically). Due to it is extremely critical to our business, I don't want to take any chances until I am 100% certain it is not going to jeopardize the SAN.

Should I disconnect physically HBA on the new host before adding to cluster?

Any help/suggestion would be appreciated.

Regards,

[arturka]

Hi

Should I disconnect physically HBA on the new host before adding to cluster?

Nope, you can add it to the cluster

Cheers

Artur

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Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[vdz]

Thank you again very much....I did it

Regards