VM - Virtual Disk [disk name] does not support HotAdd Mode

[virtualhelp]

Hello,

I am currently trying to make a Backup with Networker to a virtual server that has a monitoring tool as a function (OVA with IDE disk, Suse Linux Enterprise 12). However, when performing the Backup, it indicates that it does not support HotADD mode, since the VM has an IDE disk.

I proceed to change the disk to iSCSI, but when starting the VM, it does not detect the operating system, even at the BIOS level, I configure it so that it can boot through the controller, but I do not have positive results.

The tool has been an OVA, which already comes with virtual hardware preconfigured at the time of deployment. Is it advisable to change the virtual hardware in an OVA? I mean the type of disk, type of controller?

Please review the following KB, where it states that I should change the drive type to scsi mode, since IDE is not supported. But when changing the drive to scsi, the OS doesn't boot.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000056629/nvp-vproxy

[s_wieland]

Hi,

I don't think it's a good idea to change the controller from IDE to SCSI for an appliance, because normally there are reasons, why the creator of this OVA has configured it this way. And I'm not sure if you're in an unsupported configuration with the vendor of the appliance like in case of performance issues.

But you can try it on your own risk. For me it looks like an driver issue or an issue with the boot loader.

Can you tell me what appliance it is?

What type of SCSI controller have you selected for the disk you've changed? I would start with LSI Logic Parallel.

[virtualhelp]

Hello s_wieland

The appliance is the Dell SCG, the monitoring tool is working without problems right now.

the problem we have is that we can not support it by the type of IDE disk.

In the images you can see the virtual hardware of the OVA.

[degvm]

for doublecheck: you are not running on a snapshot ? This will prefend adding additional disks

[s_wieland]

Hi,

I installed the appliance in my test environment and was able to migrate it to SCSI.

But it was hard work, because initrd isn't loading the driver, in grub the IDE disk is set static for /boot and the swap disk has to be adjusted, too.

Some of the work has to be done before changing to SCSI, because without the driver, the appliance will always boot to the recovery mode.

I'm not sure, how much expierence you have with linux / SLES, but maybe you have a colleague, that can do this for you? All the tasks have to be down inside the VM, changing from IDE to SCSI (I used the paravirtualized) is only the smallest part. And as I already mentioned in my first reply this isn't supported and can cause problems in case of an update. So I would recommend to discuss this with Dell Support and ask them for a change in there way to create the OVA.

[LCLORD]

After Updating Networker from 19.4.0.2 to 19.8 and deploying the new vProxy I ran into the same issue for the SCG appliance.

According to the technician and the Integration Handbook (p.41) you can activate NBD fallback for the vProxy via the WUI.

+++

Setting Fallback to NBD for IDE disks to Yes. It checks whether the VM has an IDE disk. If IDE disk is present then the
backup fallback to NBD mode when only HotAdd sessions are available in the vProxy.

+++

Worked for me....