SCSI Adapter

[Asher_N]

I need to install a SCSI adapter in my ESX 3 system to allow a VM to run Backup Exec 10.0 to a Quantum tape library.

I'm looing at moving my AHA-2940 Ultra from my current backup server.

1) Does ESX 3 support the 2940

and

2) How do I do it? are there drivers to load in VMWare?

Be gentle, I have virtually no experience with Linux.

[admin · Accepted solution]

1/ Yep, it's on the HCL list, so it is supported.

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_io_guide.pdf

2/ ESX should load the drivers automatically I think. You then Edit Settings on the VM and add an SCSI device.

[Paul_Lalonde]

Make sure you're pairing the right SCSI adapter with your Quantum library. If the tape library uses Ultra160 or Ultra320 SCSI, you'll want a better, faster SCSI card than the 2940.

I know the 29160 is supported, but I don't know if a U320 adapter is.

Last but not least, just make sure you use the right external SCSI cable. Most modern tape libraries use LVD cables, not HVD cables like the 2940 uses.

Paul

[Asher_N]

I just put the adapter in the system.

When I go to the VM, I can't add the SCSI adapter because it thinks that there are no non-disk scsi devices available on the host.

What now???

[Asher_N]

I'm moving an existing setup from a physical server to ESX.

But thanks for the heads up. It's usually those stupid things that get you.

[whynotq]

take a look in /proc/scsi find the directory for the card and then cat the file, see if the Tape device is being seen correctly.

[Asher_N]

There is no directoruy for the file.

proc\scsi contains a file named scsi that has infor on the built-in RAID adapter and a directory called aacraid_esx30. It contains a file named 0, that has infor on the RAID adapter.

There is nothing for the 2940.

The server has been running for a while. the 2940 was just installed. Is there something I nned to tun to get ESX to recognize it?

[Asher_N]

OK. Solved. It was bad config on the 2940.

Now the bad news. I just figured out that VMs do not recognize autoloaders. I have to move the adapter back to the physical machine.

That's dumb. The VM I wanted to attach the drive to is my main file server. I also have a SQL server as VMs. Now I have to back up everything across the LAN.

VMWare has to get on with supporting more hardware. First no USB, then this. While I don't regret the move to VMWare ESX, it's been frustrating.