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How to decode VML to IBM 2105 ESS-800 LUN ID/serial number for exact order of LUNs

Scenerio;

ESX host 6 only has 1 HBA or HBA #2 is never configured or plugged into the fabric for redundancy during the build.

When HBA #2 is configured LUN's may not be presented in the perticular order you desire.

If the exact order is not documented by the storage admin this is how to configure the exact order of the LUN's on the ESX host.

Step1; verify volumes by checking UUID

(Volumes do not in every case equal the number of SAN LUNs.)

# esxcfg-vmhbadevs -m

vmhba1:0:4:1 /dev/sdi1 46dfcac8-4a1c7a30-d03f-00145ebd6958

vmhba0:0:0:3 /dev/sda3 470b9baf-d16335c8-cb9f-00145ebd6bb6

vmhba1:0:0:1 /dev/sdb1 46dfca38-305f3580-ee72-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:1:1 /dev/sdc1 46dfca81-99901618-7f1b-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:2:1 /dev/sdg1 46dfca99-4676f9d8-123a-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:3:1 /dev/sdh1 46dfcaaf-432d7528-bcf0-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:5:1 /dev/sdj1 46dfcade-854e7510-fbd9-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:6:1 /dev/sdk1 46dfcaf2-7fefbb48-ed67-00145ebd6958

vmhba1:0:11:1 /dev/sde1 473de70d-509cd858-c208-00145ebd6958

Step 3;

Check the UUID to match the number of actual volumes to their logical name

(Volumes do not in every case equal the number of SAN LUNs.)

# ls -l /vmfs/volumes/

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 35 Nov 29 06:34 Blade-6-local -> 470b9baf-d16335c8-cb9f-00145ebd6bb6

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 35 Nov 29 06:34 Shared-Backup-LUN -> 46dfcaf2-7fefbb48-ed67-00145ebd6958

step 3; verify the SAN lun's you're working with

# more /proc/scsi/scsi

Attached devices:

Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00

Vendor: LSILOGIC Model: 1030 IM Rev: 1000

Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02

Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00

Vendor: IBM Model: 2105800 Rev: .135

Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03

    • Storage above is local, where MODEL on SCSI1 shows "2105800" This is the IBM ESS-800 storage LUN.

Now you can't use hparm or sparm to get the information on the drives.

ESS-800 2105 presents LUN's with a XXX-Serialnumber method. In this case it's XXX-27842

step 4;

(This will show you the number of LUNs if you have more LUN's then formatted volumes you can tell here. This is where you can see the difference between the UUID/volumes to LUN from step 1 and 2.)

# cd /vmfs/devices/disks

# ls -l

total 1035553536

-rwx------ 1 root root 73406611456 Nov 29 06:41 vmhba0:0:0:0

lrwx------ 1 root root 42 Nov 29 06:41 vmhba1:0:0:0 -> vml.01000000003231393237383432323130353830

lrwx------ 1 root root 42 Nov 29 06:41 vmhba1:0:1:0 -> vml.01000100003530353237383432323130353830

-rwx------ 1 root root 84000014336 Nov 29 06:41 vml.01000000003231393237383432323130353830

There you see the size and order of the disks. I have a 73GB local drive on vmhba0:0:0:0 and a SAN LUN at vmhba1:0:0:0.

84000014336 Nov 29 06:41 vml.01000000003231393237383432323130353830 is the ESS-800 LUN ID/Serial number.

the number has descriptive digits and 3's appended after each number. Cut it off at the first 3, and the last digit of your serial number.

decode it like this;

vml.01000000003231393237383432323130353830

vml.01000000003231393237383432

vml.0100000000323139327842

vml.010000000021927842

vml.21927842

219-27842

There's your SAN LUN number 219-27842 . Log into your ESS-800 Shark and you can match it up properly.

When your SAN LUN has letters in the serial number the VML number will have a different code in it.

for instance;

vml.01000b00003031433237383432323130353830

vml.0143-27842

01C-27842

Notes;

43 = C when C in HEX is 12. 4x3 = 12 so it's not hex. When you try and divide it the numbers don't add up right.

but if you find your LUN with an F this is it's code = 0046-27842

letter = 4 + 1 for each letter to F

A = 41

B = 42

C = 43

F = 46

Now if theres a command to actually match these up as presented on the ESS-800 in the exact order as scanned by the system I have yet to find it. I'm sure someone out there knows an easier method. After you determine your order you can add each LUN to the second adapter's ZONE and rescan after you add each one.

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tabmunch
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Did you evere get any resolution to this issue?

We're having an issue where 1 port on 1 ESX host is seeing the LUN's in a different order. All 4 of the HBA ports on the other ESX host, 2 ports on one HBA, and one port on this HBA in the same host is seeing 8 LUNs differently. For example, vmhba1, vmhba2, and vmhba3 see LUN ID 465 as vmhba1:0:11, while vmhba4 sees 465 as vmhba4:0:8. Thus, the paths aren't collapsing together.

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