VMware Cloud Community
69rodders
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-25-2008 05:53 AM

NetWare 6.5 SCSIHD.CDM tofactor parameter

Hi

I see on the latested SCSIHD.CDM driver available from Novell that a new parameter, tofactor, which is used as a multiplier for SCSI requests to lengthen the timeout value in the HACB. This is to multiply the time out by whatever the setting is.

I have not however been able to find any recommendations of how to use this, and whether it is still recommended to use the "retries" parameter.

Is anyone aware of the current recommendations.

Kind regards

Rodders

Tags (1)
0 Kudos
2 Replies
chucks0
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
‎11-30-2008 06:49 PM

I have been unable to find a combination of settings which avoids disk deactivation during some SAN failovers. I have tried RETRIES=6 and TOFACTOR=3, but neither seem to work. I just opened a service ticket with Novell on this issue and will post back when I get an answer.

Hi
I see on the latested SCSIHD.CDM driver available from Novell that a new parameter, tofactor, which is used as a multiplier for SCSI requests to lengthen the timeout value in the HACB. This is to multiply the time out by whatever the setting is.
I have not however been able to find any recommendations of how to use this, and whether it is still recommended to use the "retries" parameter.
Is anyone aware of the current recommendations. 
Kind regards
Rodders

					
				
			
			
				
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
		

		
		
	

	
	


	
				
		
			
		
			
		
			
					
			
		
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
	
	


		

	

		

			

	
		
			
					
				
		
			
		
			
					
		
		
	
				
		
			
					
				
		
			
					

	
			

				
		
			
		
			
				

					
						
	
			0
		

	Kudos

					
				

			
			
		

	
		
    	
		

			
				
					
				
				
			
		

	
    
			

		

	

	

	

    

	

	


				
		
	
	


		

	

		

			
		

			

	
		
			
					
				
		
	
	


		

	

		

			

	
		
			
					
				
		
			
					
				
		
	
	


		

			

	
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
	
	


		

	



		

	

	

	




			
		
    
            

                

            

        

	
		

		
	

	

	



	
                

                
				
            
                
                    
        

	
	

		
	

	


		
	
		

			

	 
	 
	
	

	

	

	
		

			

			
	

	

		


	

	
		

			
			

	

		

			

	
		
			
					

	
			
					chucks0
					
				
		


				
		
	
	

	
		

			
		
			
	

	
			
				
		Enthusiast
		
			
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
			
		

		
			
					
		

			Enthusiast
		

	
				
		
	
		

	
	

	
		
			
					
		

			
    

	
		
		
		‎12-03-2008
	
		
		01:27 PM
	
	

	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	

		

	
				
		
			
			
		
		
	
	


		

			

	
		
			
		
	
	


		

	

		

			
		

	

		

			

	
		

			
		
			

		


	

	
			

	
	
	 
	
	
	
				
		

			
				
					
					
				
			
		

	
			
	
	
	
	
	


		

	

	

	

	

	

	

	
			
					
				
		

	


	

		
	
		

	
	


		

	

		

			

	
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		

	
		

			
				
					
					
						
If you are running Netware 6.5 under VMware and want to adjust the disk timeout (like in Windows) so that your volumes do not deactivate during a SAN failover, here is everything you should need:
  1. Install the latest version of SCSIHD.CDM which fixes an issue which was preventing the RETRIES parameter from working (Version 3.03.10).
  2. Set the appropriate number of retries via SCSIHD RETRIES=x in the startup.ncf on the server.
    • The default disk timeout with the updated SCSIHD.CDM is approximately 73 seconds (40 seconds + 3 retries of around 11 seconds each)
    • Each additional retries will add around 10-11 seconds to the timeout.
For example, we wanted a 120 second timeout so we have SCSIHD RETRIES=8 in startup.ncf.  This gives us a timeout of around 124 seconds.
 
 

					
				
			
			
				
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
		

		
		
	

	
	


	
				
		
			
		
			
		
			
					
			
		
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
			
					
		
	
				
		
	
	


		

	

		

			

	
		
			
					
				
		
			
		
			
					
		
		
	
				
		
			
					
				
		
			
					

	
			

				
		
			
		
			
				

					
						
	
			0
		

	Kudos