Adding vmfs partitions to ESX servers - Process?

[savoy6]

4 ESX servers, 4 500GB luns accessible by all 4 ESX servers, 2 HBAs on each ESX server, VI3

I am adding the LUNS to the ESX server and naming them vmfs-01 - 04. After I add to the first ESX server, I proceed to the second ESX server and add the storage having to format and name each LUN. As I am proceeding to the third and fourth ESX servers, I start to lose the vmfs volumes on the first ones when refreshing, so that I have to add again. Am i doing something wrong in the process? I am going around in a circle. I am trying to identigy the LUNs by the vmhba number, but...Also they show up on the ESX server as vmfs01 (2) ect

[avarcher]

Hi

Once you have added the 4 VMFSs to one server, you should be able to select the storage controllers on the other servers and select rescan on each one, the VMFSs should appear.

To rectify you might want to delete the VMFSs from one server, rescan the rest, re-create the VMFSs, rescan the rest.

Cheers.

[savoy6]

I removed all 4 vmfs partitions from all 4 esx servers. I rescanned and added 4 vmfs partitions. Then I went to the other servers , rescanned and refreshed. 2 vmfs partitions show up on 1 server, 1 partition on 1 server and none on the final server.

In the Storage Adapters details pane, I see 4 LUNS of 500GB on all the servers, so I know they are registering, but they are not all showing up in the Storage details panel except as decribed above.

[savoy6]

The problem was that there were misconfiguration in the SAN, there may be issues at the physical FC switch. I had to check the /proc /scsi /lpfc to see that some of the HBAs were in a down status.

As far as the LUNs are concerened, I am working with my SAN administrator to;

Remove the presentation of the LUNs

Present one LUN in the same host group and LUN ID to all the ESX servers

Configure the LUN within all four ESX servers

Continue presenting each LUN one at a time until complete.