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cdiaz00
Contributor
Contributor
‎01-14-2009 12:16 PM

SRM with EMC MirrorView/A

I am trying to configure SRM in a working ESX environment. I have twoESX clusters and two EMC Clariion CX4-120's with MirrorView/A. So far I have:

  1. Installed SRM and the EMC Clariion adapter on both sides

  2. Set up a LUN on the primary CX-4

  3. Set up a Secondary Image LUN on the secondary CX-4

  4. Configured a Remote Mirror with those LUN's

  5. Configured a Consistency Group with that Remote Mirror

  6. Added the LUN from step 3 to the Storage Group for the ESX servers on the secondary CX-4

  7. Created a Snapshot of the step 3 LUN, makign sure to include VMWARE_SRM_SNAP in the name

  8. Added the Snapshot to thesame Storage Group from step 6

This is where I am stuck. Everything I read, at least as I understand it, points to adding the snapshot to the storage on the ESX servers. When I try to do that I get this error:

Error during the configuration of the host: Failed to update disk partition information

Any help figuring out where I am going wrong would be greatly appreciated.

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PrashantShah
Contributor
Contributor
‎01-26-2009 01:46 PM

Hi,

What is the distance between two Clariions?

If more, how are they connected, please detail.

Prashant

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Immortal
Immortal
‎02-05-2009 06:49 AM

Hi,

>> Error during the configuration of the host: Failed to update disk partition information

It is not clear where you get this error. Do you get it in VI client or in your storage management tool? Could you specify?

-Masha

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cdiaz00
Contributor
Contributor
‎02-05-2009 06:53 AM

I get the error on the VIC.

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Immortal
Immortal
‎02-05-2009 07:05 AM

Ok. Are you trying to create a datastore from the snapshot LUN in VI client? If so, you shouldn't be doing that. Replica LUN and snapshot of that replica are readonly. SRM will activate the snapshot and mount it on ESX hosts during test recovery. SRM will promote replica LUN and mount it on ESX hosts during recovery. This will be done automatically. Could you try to run Test Recovery in SRM?

-Masha

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bladeraptor
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
‎02-05-2009 11:30 AM

Hi

I am writing as an EMC employee

Can you confirm what version of CLARiiON FLare Code , which version of EMC solutions Enabler , which version of SRM and the version of the Site Recovery Adaptor you are using?

Some thoughts on the steps outlined

  1. Installed SRM and the EMC Clariion adapter on both sides - I take it that you have installed Solutions Enabler on both sides as well?

  2. Set up a LUN on the primary CX-4 - and presented this LUN to the production side ESX hosts, scanned it into the cluster, built a VMFS partition on it and located a VM Guest in that partition

  3. Set up a Secondary Image LUN on the secondary CX-4

  4. Configured a Remote Mirror with those LUN's

  5. Configured a Consistency Group with that Remote Mirror - this is not essential with the SRA version EMC_MirrorView_Site_Recovery_Adapter-1.3.0.4

  6. Added the LUN from step 3 to the Storage Group for the ESX servers on the secondary CX-4

  7. Created a Snapshot of the step 3 LUN, makign sure to include VMWARE_SRM_SNAP in the name - you need to create a snapshot on the primary side as well (using the VMWARE_SRM_SNAP as part of the snap name) and add this to the primary site ESX hosts. You do not need to build any VMFS partitions on it - but it needs to be seen by the hosts at the HBA level

  8. Added the Snapshot to the same Storage Group from step 6 - As has already been suggested on the DR side you just need to add the remote target LUN and snapshot to the remote ESX host so they are seen by the HBAs (the storage rescan stage) - you do not need to build any VMFS paritions on these volumes (this will prove difficult as these elements are read-only - till a test or failover are initiated)

I take it that all the other bits of SRM are working properly - i.e when you go into the configuiration screen on the produiction side you are able to successfully create the connection with the secondary Virtual Centre and that it is only when you come to configure the array that you encounter the error as a result of adding the snaps in at the storage level (i.e rescanning the HBA)?, or when you try and use the volume to create a vMFS partition on it?

You may want to have a look at this document written by a VMware employee providing a guide to integrating with the EMC CLARiiON

Regards

Alex Tanner

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