Connecting ESX to CLARiiON.

[malevy]

I have installed ESX on a new server, and attached it to my SAN.

From Navisphere admin tool, I can see the HBA on the ESX server but it is not registered. I can register manualy, and connect but continue to see an error in Navisphere.

How do I get ESX to register on the CLARiiON?

[Goodspd]

Hi,

What HBA's brand and model you're using, and server what is it ?

Regards,

Goodspeed

[malevy]

QLA2432 in a Dell Poweredge 2950

[Goodspd]

Hi,

I've sucessfully connected several servers (HP ProLiant) with Vmware to EMC storage without problems, in my case i used Boot from SAN too.

Just check if you've the HBA's BIOS up-to-date and recomemended from EMC (go to ww*.qlogic.com under downloads you've a specific link to EMC products)

You can check in your HBA BIOS (press CTRL+Q during server reboot) if you've TOPOLOGY selected to recomemended Point to Point (the default is Loop first)

I'll give you some links that can help you:

ht*p://www.emc.com/interoperability

h*tp://driverdownloads.qlogic.com/QLogicDriverDownloads_UI/OEM_Product_List.aspx?oemid=65

Hope it helps,

Goodspeed

BTW what error do you have???

[cdickerson]

You have to install the navisphere linux agent.

[malevy]

how?

[Goodspd]

I don't think you need any kind of agent installed in ESX i'm not even sure if you can install it.

- Make sure your fiber switches are properlly zoned.

- Make sure you Mask the Luns so the ESX host can access (do this by WWN).

What kink of error you're having????

Regards,

Goodspeed

[marvinms · Accepted solution]

Good,

Here are some notes I made along the way to connecting my CX3-20 to my Dell hosts. (with help from tech support).

Navisphere Installation

Copy the the files to the host via WinSCP (will go into the /home/vmadmin folder)

The script (ESX_install.sh) needs the file in the directory to be named naviagentcli.noarch.rpm, the file will usually be named with the version number in it, just rename it as above.

Be sure to get the correct version of the file that corresponds with the level of flare code the SAN is at.

Put the file in a /opt/naviagent folder on the host

Run chmod 777 "filename" (to make all files executable)

# ./ESX_install.sh naviagentcli (command to run install)

##############################################

ESX_install.sh ver 1.1

The following ports need to be enabled for the software to operate properly

port -> 6389,tcp,in,NaviCLI

port -> 6389,tcp,out,NaviCLI

port -> 6390,tcp,in,NaviCLI

port -> 6391,tcp,in,NaviCLI

port -> 6392,tcp,in,NaviCLI

port -> 443,tcp,out,NaviCLI

port -> 2163,tcp,out,NaviCLI

Do you want to enable <yes/no>? yes

Enabling ports now!

Install operation complete!

##############################################

#

Run the script file (if it does not completely run the install, it will at least open the ports.)

To run the install manually run "rpm -ivh filename"

Run "service naviagent start" to start the service after the install.

I had to bounce each host at OOCESX in order for them to Register in Navisphere on the CX3-20.

Firewall

esxcfg-firewall -o 6389,tcp,in,naviagent (Manual firewall config)

query: esxcfg-firewall -q (Should setting)

mpath

esxcfg-mpath -l (Shows active paths to storage)

# esxcfg-mpath -l

Disk vmhba2:0:0 /dev/sda (278784MB) has 1 paths and policy of Fixed

Local 12:14.0 vmhba2:0:0 On active preferred

Disk vmhba0:0:0 (0MB) has 4 paths and policy of Most Recently Used

FC 1:0.0 2100001b320a4126<->500601691020ec2c vmhba0:0:0 On active preferred

FC 1:0.0 2100001b320a4126<->500601601020ec2c vmhba0:1:0 On

FC 8:0.0 2100001b320a9326<->500601611020ec2c vmhba1:1:0 On

FC 8:0.0 2100001b320a9326<->500601681020ec2c vmhba1:0:0 On

navi service info

service naviagent start|stop|restart|status

checking startup

chkconfig --list|grep -i navi

Add the host to Navisphere

Install the naviagent software to the host before connecting the cables.

The host should automatically Register with Navisphere after the install / connection, just refresh the display in Navisphere.

The host has to be in a storage group before it will see the storage in VMWare.

Currently we are using one host per storage group and presenting each LUN to each storage group. Make sure to add (or present) each LUN in the same order for each host.

I had to re-boot the host before the host would register.

[malevy]

I need to register the HBA's manualy, then the Navisphere admin tool says there is no host agent and has it marked with an error..... Although, everything still seems to work!

[marvinms]

As I understand it, it is best to let Naviagent register the HBA, that way if cables get disconnected or plugged into different ports they will come back up.

[snantel]

I personnaly never installed navisphere agents on my ESX Servers host and I'm using a CX3-40 with multiple HBA Card on each ESX HOST.

Since 3 years now and no problems reported...

[steve31783]

I install the naviagent on all of my hosts.. mix of PE2950 and R900's with QLE2460/2462 HBA's... follow the same procedure outlined earlier in this post. Never had an issue. Generally I cable them, install the agent, and then reboot. Auto registration works fine.

[malevy]

Where do I find the Navisphere Agent download? On EMC site I see "Navisphere Server Utilities", but that does not seem to be working.

[paulmack]

I manually register my hosts with our arrays and never install the Naviagent. I've never had a problem with the host not logging back in to the array after I've manually pulled the fibres and plugged them back in when I've rebuilt a host. hosts are Dell 2950's with Qlogic HBA's connected to a CX3-80 and a CX700. If you do WWN zoning rather than port zoning plugging the fibres into a different port on the FC switch is no problem. That's what I've been told anyway! Never tried it out.

Cheers

Paul