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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

Adding ISCSI storage to ESX server 3.1

Is it possible to add an ISCSI disk to a VMWare server without losing the data already on the ISCSI disk?

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15 Replies
christianZ
Champion
Champion

Basically yes by adding Extents - but can you give more details from your config, e.g. what storage are you using.

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

The NAS is a HP AIO600 storage system, this has 6 ISCSI disks created on it whch contain all the data (config files, hard disk files etc) for 6 virtual machines. I would like to attach these to a VMWare ESX 3.1 server in such a way that all the data is maintained and the virtual machines can be used. When I rescan the the storage adapters the VMWare server discovers the targets OK, but all the options I have seen for adding the storage (new storage or an extent) imply that the data will be lost.

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VirtualKenneth
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

What's your current configuration? i.e. who placed the data on the already existing iCSCI disks?

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

The data was created by another VMWare 3.1 ESX server which no longer exists, if it did then it would be easy and I would use vcbMounter.

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jjbakker
Contributor
Contributor

Doesn't it see any VMFS volumes at all? Not even a snapshot lun?

Normally ESX detects a VMFS volume by itself (Like adding an ESX host to the same iSCSI target).

Could it be that the datastore names on the available volume is the same as on the volume that you would like to attach?

Kind regards, JJBakker
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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

The LUN is visible in Configuration - Storage Adapters, but not in Configuration - Storage (SCSI, SAN and NFS)

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christianZ
Champion
Champion

Can you post here the output from fdisk -l

Have you checked the /var/log/vmkernel file for any warnings/errors with "snapshot"?

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

fdisk -l output, the disk I'm interested in is the 20.9Gb /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 20.9 GB, 20971520000 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2549 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sda1 1 2549 20474778+ fb Unknown

Disk /dev/cciss/c0d0: 73.3 GB, 73372631040 bytes

255 heads, 32 sectors/track, 17562 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 = 4177920 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/cciss/c0d0p1 * 1 25 101984 83 Linux

/dev/cciss/c0d0p2 26 1279 5116320 83 Linux

/dev/cciss/c0d0p3 1280 16900 63733680 fb Unknown

/dev/cciss/c0d0p4 16901 17562 2700960 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)

/dev/cciss/c0d0p5 16901 17036 554864 82 Linux swap

/dev/cciss/c0d0p6 17037 17537 2044064 83 Linux

/dev/cciss/c0d0p7 17538 17562 101984 fc Unknown

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christianZ
Champion
Champion

Ok the partition is there; try to do vmhba rescan and then check your /var/log/vmkernel file for warnings with "snapshot"

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

I have rescanned again but the /var/log/vmkernel file is empty:-

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Jan 6 05:01 vmkernel

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christianZ
Champion
Champion

That's quite new for me /var/log/vmkernel - empty. Many things should be logged there - I don't understand why it is empty now.

Can you post the output from

esxcfg-vmhbadevs -q

and from your /var/log directory

ls -la

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

Rebooted the VMWare server and added a 2nd ISCSI disk

vmkernel file as follows

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 0 cpu0:0)Init: 267: cpu 0: early measured tsc speed 3391499967 Hz

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 41905 cpu0:0)Cpu: 400: id1.version f68

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 63784 cpu0:0)Cpu: 437: APIC ID mask: 0xff000000

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 75718 cpu0:0)Cpu: 1153: initial APICID=0x0

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 89454 cpu0:0)Cpu: 577: Update signature 900000000, Platform ID 6000000000000

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 109786 cpu0:0)Cpu: 633: Will perform fence after locked instruction

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 119816 cpu0:0)Cpu: 90: brand 0, type 1

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 128554 cpu0:0)Cpu: 91: numCores 2, numHT 2

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 137360 cpu0:0)Cpu: 92: cache size 0x1000000, assoc. 16

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 149277 cpu0:0)Init: 276: vmkernelID not yet set.

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 354671 cpu0:0)VGA: 142: start b8000 end c0000

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 391612 cpu0:0)VGA: 153: 0x2c11000

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 403172 cpu0:0)VGA: 159: 8 screens

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 412828 cpu0:0)VGA: 817: 16 pixels high

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 6467157 cpu0:0)Keyboard: 85: keyboard explicitly disabled

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 6493235 cpu0:0)VGA: 228: 1,2

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 8877009 cpu0:0)Term: 285: 0

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 8890031 cpu0:0)VGA: 222: 3

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 10083788 cpu0:0)Term: 285: 1

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 11967082 cpu0:0)VGA: 228: 4,5

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 14349241 cpu0:0)Term: 285: 2

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 19563430 cpu0:0)VGA: 222: 6

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 20756575 cpu0:0)Term: 285: 3

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 32564299 cpu0:0)Starting vmkernel initialization:

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33033142 cpu0:0)ACPI: 298: <HP > <00000083>

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33045059 cpu0:0)MPS: 120: <HP > <PROLIANT >

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33055633 cpu0:0)Hardware: 134: SysType: 0

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33069726 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 0, APIC ID 0x00, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33082629 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 4, APIC ID 0x04, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33094750 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 12, APIC ID 0x0c, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33107126 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 8, APIC ID 0x08, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33119179 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 2, APIC ID 0x02, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33130960 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 6, APIC ID 0x06, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33142792 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 14, APIC ID 0x0e, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33155134 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 10, APIC ID 0x0a, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33167510 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 1, APIC ID 0x01, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33179886 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 5, APIC ID 0x05, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33191990 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 13, APIC ID 0x0d, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33204315 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 9, APIC ID 0x09, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33216402 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 3, APIC ID 0x03, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33228387 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 7, APIC ID 0x07, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33240406 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 15, APIC ID 0x0f, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33252986 cpu0:0)ACPI: 499: ACPI ID 11, APIC ID 0x0b, flags=0x00000001

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33265634 cpu0:0)ACPI: 599: unknown entry (type 255)

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33275817 cpu0:0)ACPI: 600: length 12

Jan 8 11:37:09 sovm vmkernel: TSC: 33285048 cpu0:0)ACPI: 599: unknown en[root@sovm log]#

Relevant part of ls -la

-rw------- 1 root root 40960 Jan 8 11:37 messages

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 30 16:01 messages.1

-rw------- 1 root root 565248 Dec 27 06:01 messages.2

-rw------- 1 root root 1733668 Dec 23 00:00 messages.3

-rw------- 1 root root 1822119 Dec 16 00:00 messages.4

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jan 8 11:37 oldconf

-rw-rr 1 root root 0 Jan 8 04:02 rpmpkgs

-rw-rr 1 root root 7502 Jan 6 04:02 rpmpkgs.1

-rw-rr 1 root root 7502 Dec 30 04:02 rpmpkgs.2

-rw-rr 1 root root 7502 Dec 22 04:02 rpmpkgs.3

-rw-rr 1 root root 7502 Dec 15 04:02 rpmpkgs.4

-rw------- 1 root root 1265 Jan 8 11:44 secure

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 30 00:01 secure.1

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 23 00:01 secure.2

-rw------- 1 root root 942 Dec 20 11:46 secure.3

-rw------- 1 root root 2073 Dec 11 21:48 secure.4

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Jan 6 00:01 spooler

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 30 00:01 spooler.1

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 23 00:01 spooler.2

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 16 00:01 spooler.3

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Dec 9 00:01 spooler.4

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Aug 29 14:50 storageMonitor

-rw------- 1 root root 4096 Jan 8 11:37 vmkernel

-rw------- 1 root root 1810432 Jan 6 04:21 vmkernel.1

-rw------- 1 root root 2195456 Dec 30 11:18 vmkernel.10

-rw------- 1 root root 1843200 Dec 30 10:12 vmkernel.11

-rw------- 1 root root 2035712 Dec 30 09:26 vmkernel.12

-rw------- 1 root root 2170880 Dec 30 08:20 vmkernel.13

-rw------- 1 root root 2072576 Dec 30 07:24 vmkernel.14

-rw------- 1 root root 1949696 Dec 30 06:18 vmkernel.15

-rw------- 1 root root 1626112 Dec 30 05:12 vmkernel.16

-rw------- 1 root root 2027520 Dec 30 04:26 vmkernel.17

-rw------- 1 root root 2072576 Dec 30 03:30 vmkernel.18

-rw------- 1 root root 1744896 Dec 30 02:24 vmkernel.19

-rw------- 1 root root 1724416 Jan 6 03:17 vmkernel.2

-rw------- 1 root root 1966080 Dec 30 01:18 vmkernel.20

-rw------- 1 root root 1425408 Dec 30 00:17 vmkernel.21

-rw------- 1 root root 1593344 Dec 27 05:20 vmkernel.22

-rw------- 1 root root 2056192 Dec 27 04:19 vmkernel.23

-rw------- 1 root root 1933312 Dec 27 03:18 vmkernel.24

-rw------- 1 root root 1495040 Dec 27 02:12 vmkernel.25

-rw------- 1 root root 1560576 Dec 27 01:16 vmkernel.26

-rw------- 1 root root 1597440 Dec 27 00:14 vmkernel.27

-rw------- 1 root root 1703936 Dec 26 23:13 vmkernel.28

-rw------- 1 root root 1495040 Dec 26 22:17 vmkernel.29

-rw------- 1 root root 1454080 Jan 6 02:17 vmkernel.3

-rw------- 1 root root 1720320 Dec 26 21:11 vmkernel.30

-rw------- 1 root root 1576960 Dec 26 20:20 vmkernel.31

-rw------- 1 root root 2383872 Dec 26 19:24 vmkernel.32

-rw------- 1 root root 3715072 Dec 26 18:35 vmkernel.33

-rw------- 1 root root 2764800 Dec 26 17:27 vmkernel.34

-rw------- 1 root root 3153920 Dec 26 16:35 vmkernel.35

-rw------- 1 root root 3272704 Dec 26 15:40 vmkernel.36

esxcfg-vmhbadevs -q produced

# ./esxcfg-vmhbadevs -q

vmhba0:0:0 /dev/cciss/c0d0

vmhba40:2:0 /dev/sda

vmhba40:2:1 /dev/sdb

#

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christianZ
Champion
Champion

OK, and now rescan the vmhba40 and check the /var/log/vmkernel again.

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MalcO
Contributor
Contributor

Done, but no change to the vmkernel file still shows a time stamp of 11:37. Will spend the rest of today (approx 3 hours) looking at this. If no success will rebuild all VMWare machines from scratch. Thanks for all the ideas

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VirtualKenneth
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

What the hell, I replyed to the e-mails to respond to the topic all day (concerning the resignature and vmkernel log) but apparently none of my replies were processed by this lame-still-being-to-slow forum :smileyangry:

Anywayz, I would retry to setup the ESX host rather then installing the VM's since I do believe the problem is on the Host now and hasn't got anything to do with the VM's on the iSCSI filer.

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