Shared disk on a cluster howto?

[FADQ]

I am trying to create a 2 vm cluster which will be running SLES10.

I followed the 'cluster in a box' procedure:

1 - Created a New vm, just like if it was a standalone server.

2 - Added a disk on SCSI bus 1:0 (original disk was on 0:0)

3 - This automaticaly added a second SCSI controller on the vm

4 - Set the SCSI bus sharing to Virtual

5 - Created a second vm, same as the first one

6 - Added an existing disk on bus 1:0

7 - Set the new controller to virtual as well

8- I then started the first Vm and... crash with the following message:

VMware ESX Server cannot open the virtual disk, "/vmfs/volumes/....../ClusterNode1/ClusterNode1_1.vmdk" for clustering. Please verify that the virtual disk was created using the 'thick' option.

Cannot open the disk '/vmfs/volumes/..../....vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.

Reason: thin/TBZ disks cannot be opened in multiwriter mode..

Do I have to create these 'special' disks using the console with 'vmkfstools'?? with the 'thick' option?

I always though ESX was creating Thick disks by default.

Thank you!

[ac57846]

It's likely that the vmdk is thick but not zeroed

The Microsoft cluster setup guide at includes the discussion about creating the shared disk as thick and eagerzeroed, this is on page 22. It also tells you how to zero out an already created file.

Al.

[bobst_martin]

I have the same problem reating 2 VMs for MSCS

I'm looking for a solution too

i'll be back if I have any idea

[bobst_martin]

it seems that there are no way from the GUI.

the only working solution i've found is there : http://communities.vmware.com/thread/58188

summary : create the disk from command line using the option -d thick

[Promisekey]

When creating the Hard Disk in the UI, select the option under Disk Provisioning that states the drive will be used for clustering.

[BeJos]

Hi,

we have setup a "cluster across boxes" and successfully created a shared disk as "Virtual RDM" disk. We used the utility vmkfstools with the option -d eagerzeroedthick from the service console.

According to this description: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_mscs.pdf this procedure has even to be followed for a 'cluster in a box'

Hope this info did help,

Josi.

[AndreTheGiant]

You need disk in a format for cluster (and FT) that is called "EagerZeroed Thick".

See also:

Andre