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MatthewCEvans
Contributor
Contributor

SRM Error "Error: Failed to recover datastore:" with EqualLogic SAN and CHAP

We are using the latest versions of VMware, SRM, and the EqualLogic SRA and EqualLogic firmware.

VMware ESX is using the VMware iSCSI Software Adapter with CHAP Authentication configured and CHAP authentication configured on each EqualLogic LUN.

When doing the first SRM test recovery it would get to the following step and throw and error:

5. Recover Normal Priority Virtual Machines Error: Failed to recover datastore:

If you remove CHAP authentication from VMware ESX (requires host reboot) and from the EqualLogic volumes, SRM testing completes successfully.

I've followed up with Dell / EqualLogic support about this and they apparently have a bug report already filed about this issue and it might be fixed in a later release of the EqualLogic SRA, but until then we will use the iSCSI initiator name to restrict access to our volumes.

Matthew Evans

Kraft & Kennedy, Inc.

360 Lexington Ave.

New York, NY 10017

Direct: 212.692.5608

email: evans@kraftkennedy.com

Matthew Evans Kraft & Kennedy, Inc. 360 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10017 Direct: 212.692.5608 email: evans@kraftkennedy.com
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3 Replies
Michelle_Laveri
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

We had a similar issue with Lefthand Networks iSCSI, basically their SRA didn't have any CHAP support - it was in the rel notes. So not a bug as such but erm, and oversight...

This might have changed in LHN, but I've not had time to look at the new SAN IQ8 yet. Its on my list to do so within the next coupla of weeks...

I know this really has nothing to do with your situation - but I think it is "interesting" that the two main stream iSCSI providers have "issues" with iSCSI CHAP... mmmm....

Regards

Mike

Regards
Michelle Laverick
@m_laverick
http://www.michellelaverick.com
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BernieBakerEMC
Contributor
Contributor

Mike,

Good Afternoon! I hope all is well...

I am curious. Have you runinto this same error on EMC Unified Storage? I have two NS120s with the same problem. Interestingly enough CHAP is not configured anywhere in the environment.

houghts?

thanks,

bernie

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goingvirtualnz
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Bernie.

I've seen this error "Failed to recover datastore" a couple of times. The interesting part is the failure occurs while trying to perform the virtual machine tasks apposed to "Prepare Storage" tasks.

I cant say for sure the problem your seeing is the same, but each time I've seen it , the root cause was the Celerra was unable to snapshot one of the Protected Luns and to my disappointment SRM failed to warn or error even when looking at the SRM logs it clearly knew one of the protected luns were missing, I opened a case with VMware about this and the support person was not all that interested and unfortunately the case never went anywhere.

Here is a link to my blog which covers this.

Have a quick look at at the logs on the celerra to see if you have a similar error which should help to determine if its an issue with snapping the lun.

2009-03-31 02:36:04: NBS: 3: BlkSrvConfigID::SnapCreate failed for /fs41_T2_LUN1_CK2000x220xxxx_0000/fs41_T2_LUN1_CK200082200976_0000, NBS_EDSTLUN

Let me know how you get on.

Brian

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