SAN Installation Problems

[icegoalie]

Good Day!

I am currently trying to implement our first VMware server, and am getting a fatal error immediately after hitting 'enter' to install the product. The hardware is a HP - BL460C BLade server and an EVA 6000 SAN. The blade have QLogic HBA cards, and we are tring to boot from SAN. The Commandworks EVA setup is identical to successful deployments of Windows Server 2003, with the virtual disk set for 'vmware' rather than Windows.

The image I am using is direct from HP, but the eval version of ESX 3.5 from the Web fails at the same point. It is my personal belief that the system is not seeing the storage, but am not sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Rick Dunbar

Oregon State Public Health Laboratory

[kjb007]

Do you have local storage on the server? I ask, because if you do not, the installation would not continue to the point of running the wizard.

With qlogic, you can get into the fast util during boot up of the server, and verify that you do indeed see the storage, at least from the hardware side.

Once that is confirmed, you should verify from the SAN side, that the disks are writable. It appears to me that for some reason, your LUNs are not write-able. Perhaps they are not the LUNs you think. Alternatively, make sure you only have 1 path active, and only zone in the boot LUN.

-KjB

[atbnet]

Rick does the Qlogic bios utility allow you to see the LUNs before booting?

Also I believe you have to set a default LUN in the BIOS that would be used "as-if" it were local storage for ESX boot from SAN.

Also check the fibre switches can see the HBAs and double check your zoning.

Andy, VMware Certified Professional (VCP),

If you found this information useful please award points using the buttons at the top of the page accordingly.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

You need to confirm your qlogic devices are setup to properly boot from SAN and that the zoning and presentation of not only the boot but a VMFS volume is available. Often you need two volumes presented when you are trying to boot from SAN. But the main thing is to properly configure the firmware to allow this.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll

Top Virtualization Security Links: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Top_Virtualization_Security_Links

[icegoalie]

I have local storage on the server, but it is only 33GB, and I currently have the array controller for the local drives disabled.

With qlogic, you can get into the fast util during boot up of the server, and verify that you do indeed see the storage, at least from the hardware side. Storage can be seen, just as if I was booting into Windows.

Once that is confirmed, you should verify from the SAN side, that the disks are writable. It appears to me that for some reason, your LUNs are not write-able. Perhaps they are not the LUNs you think. Alternatively, make sure you only have 1 path active, and only zone in the boot LUN. Disks are writable, with only 1 QLogic card enabled. I am assuiming zoning is correct based upon the past experience that if the zoning is off, I cannot see the LUN from the QLogic BIOS.

[icegoalie]

Yes, the BIOS can see the LUN, and is set as the only accessible storage. Switches can see the HBA, and zoning appears to be correct.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

All qlogic cards need to be properly configured so failover works.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll

Top Virtualization Security Links: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Top_Virtualization_Security_Links

[kjb007]

Have you checked to see if LUN security is "protecting" you here?

-KjB

[icegoalie]

What LUN security? How would I check that? I do not see a setting either in CommandView or the card BIOS.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

LUN Security is presentation and zoning within your fabric switches....

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll

Top Virtualization Security Links: http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Top_Virtualization_Security_Links

[mike_laspina]

Hi,

Have you tried setting up a Windows 2003 server on the configuration to isolate out Vmware and hardware settings?

[kjb007]

Are you using virtual connect? We had an issue with an array using virtual connect assigned WWNN for the fiber HBA's. The array would deny access to the LUN we were trying to use to boot from san. It was their version of LUN security, as opposed to the LUN masking and presentation, which is why I brought it up. As pointed out, it should behave similarly to a windows install. So try and see if windows will install on that LUN on that blade, using the same settings.

-KjB