using hp p2000 SAN storage with ESX 5.1

[Barry1946]

Hi

I need to use a hp p2000 SAN storage which is connected to a HP Dl580 G7 server(with Fiber Channel) as a data archive.

the hp p2000 is not recognized in ESX

the scenario is to mount this storage in open-suse which is installed on the ESX as a machine.

the fiber channel lights on the server card are blinking with the red and orange light even when I plug out the fiber cable.

the storage version is (TS240P004).

I don not know anything about this VAAI which I see on the web.

kindly please guide me through this .

[dhanarajramesh]

Dear Friend, You can present the LUN with out VAAI option.VAAI is one of the storage application programming interface (API) sets in vSphereESX/ESXI. VAAI is an API storage partner that can levera ge to enhance performance of virtual machine (VM) management operations by delegating these operations to the storage array. With hardware offload, ESX/ESXi hosts perform certain operations faster and consume less server CPU and memory resources, and also storage port and storage fabric bandwidth. VAAI includes high performance and scalable VM data path primitives. please refer this documents. http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx%2F4AA3-5025ENW.pdf

[Barry1946]

thanks a lot for answering , I need a step by step instruction to add this storage in vmware ESX 5.1.

this is the first time for me that i am working with a SAN storage.

thanks

[Josh26]

Barry1946 wrote:

Hi

I need to use a hp p2000 SAN storage which is connected to a HP Dl580 G7 server(with Fiber Channel) as a data archive.

the hp p2000 is not recognized in ESX

That will be the fault of a cable issue, zoning issue, or SAN configuration. I've deployed P2000's from ESXi 3.5 through to 5.5i and it always "just works". Can you tell us more about your configuration? How is your FC switch zoned? Does the P2000 see the ESXi server as a host? Have you presented a LUN to it?

[dhanarajramesh]

1)  Make sure you have  installed  VMware ESXi compatible HBA's' in all the ESXI host. 2)  make sure you have properly created and presented the LUN for all the hosts (In the storage configuration panel) 3) Make sure you have properly done correct ZOning on the SAN switch. Better always do Mixed zoning) 5) make sure all the physical connection are perfect. 6) login to the  vcenter- and check the storage adapter and storage HBA drivers under host configuration  in all the hosts and click rescan all . 7)  after that you may able to see the path and the devices in the details coulmn. 😎  go to storage and add storage and select disk type and choose you LUN NUmber and then next then max file size and finish.

[Barry1946]

as I said I am new to storage and I have to finish this job ,unfortunately I have no idea what is zoning in SAN and I do not know if my SAN configuration is OK or not!!!

[Barry1946]

HI Josh26,

do you mean without adding the vaai plugin to vmware vsphere 5.1 the storage can be added to the ESX?

(if yes please explain that if there is a difference between adding a storage to the ESX with or without vaai plugin)

thanks for ansewring.

[Josh26]

Barry1946 wrote:

as I said I am new to storage and I have to finish this job ,unfortunately I have no idea what is zoning in SAN and I do not know if my SAN configuration is OK or not!!!

What I'm hearing is that you should stop playing with ESXi and start looking at the SAN. If it hasn't been configured, you won't see it in VMware.

You do have a logon to the management console right?

[Barry1946]

yes I loged in to the web interface and I configured it as a vdisk 0 with 12 HDDS (sas 600GB) in a RAID 5.

I heared something about LUNs and I do not know what to do with it to use it in vmware(add storage LNU/Disk)

the vaai plugin for the Host is now installed via vsphere update manager.

I also added the FC adapter using WWPN gettting from vmware host by cli.

still the devcie is not visible in vmware vsphere 5.1

[admin]

Hi, if it's FC you also need to zone the P2000 to the ESX server and on the P2000 you need to create LUNs.

For VAAI read this one:http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA3-5025ENW

[Barry1946]

thanks alot .

can you also help me with zoning and LUN on HP p2000?

also I wanted to mention there is no SAN Switch in between the Storage and the server and the fiber channels connection is point-to-point(done by the 3rd party company)

I really appreciate it.

[Barry1946]

josh you seem to be right .

please help me with the zoning and creating LUN on HP p2000.

thanks a lot.

I also installed vaai plugin for the host by update manager in ESXi and the firmware of the SAN is T240****

thanks alot,

[Josh26]

This is really an in-depth question and I would start by suggesting you read the P2000 User's guide. If you have a specific question please let us know.

[Barry1946 · Accepted solution]

the problem is solved by taking the last step which should be the first.

checking physical connection.

thanks all