iSCSI LUN not visible during ESX 3.0.1 setup?

[DLevine]

Hi all,

I apologize if this was already discussed resolved elsewhere... I just haven't found it...

I have an IBM HS20 blade server with the QLogic iSCSI HBA and an Equallogic PS series SAN.

Everything is up on the latest firmware.

I am able to successfully get into CTRL+Q and modify the QLogic card's config... it sees the SAN just fine - and when I boot the server I see that the QLogic HBA detects the SAN/ LUN and assigned drive letter C: to it.

When I boot from CD to install ESX 3.0.1 it says it is loading the qla4022 block device driver - but when it gets to the point where I select where to install ESX it only shows me local disk on an LSI controller. I have no option to select any volumes from the iSCSI HBA...

I am sure I am missing something... any suggestions?

Thanks much,

David

[christianZ]

You will install esx local. won't you?

[DLevine]

I was actually hoping to install ESX to the SAN and boot from that... Should this make a difference? I was actually getting better results (testing with IOmeter) on the SAN than I was with local disks...

Thanks!

[Paul_Lalonde]

I think there was mention of a specific firmware requirement on the Q-Logics (check the user 'woharrow' who works for EqualLogic). For some reason, firmware 1.09 rings a bell...

Paul

[woharrow]

there is a setting in the Qlogic HBA that is specific to the IBM version it is something like "boot header" or something to that effect. If it's on turn it off, if off turn it on. I can't recall exactly what the switch is called, but in the when you are in the card a Boot and looking at the boot settings you should be able to identify it.

Sorry I don't have more on this one, can't find the email with the right info.

Good luck. Wade

[christianZ]

Remember to boot from san you must "enable Bios" in hba's bios.

You will find a setup for booting in bios then - I think the IBMs hba looks similar to qlogic one.

For EQL customer this link is available too:

https://www.equallogic.com/support/download_file.aspx?id=418

[kenh123]

I'm a bit confused by your statement that you see drive letter C:? Is this when you boot a windows server from the same volume? Is this a different volume? If it is a different volume, you might check to see that the access control list for the volume is correct (i.e., it includes the IP address that you gave the QLogic HBA). In fact, in debugging problems like this it can help to change the access control record to something simple, like 192.168.1.* to make sure the entire subnet can temporarily :smileyalert: see the volume you are trying to access.

EqualLogic support is available if you are still having problems with this.

[DLevine]

Thanks for the responses everyone...

The QLogic HBA' are at the most recent bios revision... 1.09. My blade servers are at the most recent bios revision also - as is the EQL array.

I had seen the how to boot from san with the 405x hba document. It is specific to Windows, but the settings on the hba should be fairly consistent regardless of OS I think.

When I boot the blade this is what I see during post:

QLogic Corporation

QMC4052 iSCSI ROM BIOS Version 1.09a

COpyright (C) QLogic Corporation 1993-2006. All rights reserved.

www.qlogic.com

Press <CTRL-Q> for Fast!UTIL

ISP4022 Firmware Version 2.00.00.38

BIOS for Adapter 1 is disabled

Spin-up delay enabled - Press <CTRL-S> to abort delay

QLogic Adapter using ORQ number 7

\----

---

Drive Letter C: is Moved to Drive Letter 😧

Target ID 0,0 is Installed As Drive C:

\----

---

Device Device Adapter Target LUN Vendor Product Product

Number Type Number ID Number ID ID Revision

80 Disk 0 0000 0 EQLOGIC 100E-00 3.1

ROM BIOS INSTALLED

Hopefully this shows up properly in the post...

Anyway, even though it looks like I am getting access to the disk properly here, it does not show up in the ESX Server installer... only the local disk appears...

Thanks again!

[christianZ]

Maybe it is possible to disable the lsi scsi controller (when not needed)?

[artiman73]

I'm having exactly the same problem but using a CX3-40 iSCSI SAN..

Did somebody found what is the problem

tks

Artiman

[admin]

Please be sure that the QLogic HBAs you are using are from the 405X family. Currently, 3.0.1 does no support drivers for QLA406X series cards.

This might be the reason why ESX cannot see the LUNs during install.

Rest assure that Booting from iSCSI is supported (assuming supported hardware).