EVA3000 or EVA5000

[gppc1457]

I realize that the HP EVA3000 and EVA5000 hasn't been a supported platform since ESX3.0, but I’ve been using an EVA 3000 with ESX3.5 and haven’t seen any issues. I’ve also done some preliminary testing with ESX4.0 and things seem OK there too.

Upgrading our SAN is out of the question for the time being and we would like to run ESX4.0.

Our SAN's VCS (firmware) is at the level of Active-Passive (for controller failover).

Does vSphere use FC storage differently than 3.5?

Are there any issues with an Active-Passive FC deployment? (problems when path failover does occur?)

Is anyone running ESX4.0 on a HP EVA 3000 or EVA 5000?

I really want Storage vMotion, as long as my data is safe.

Thanks

[ephillipsme]

Storage VMotion was available in esx 3.5 It was cli only but if you are looking for a gui take a look here http://lostcreations.com/viplugins

~E

[gppc1457]

I forgot about that.

Thanks

[STLTI]

HI,

I am reading through the "Fibre Channel SAN Configuration Guide" for the ESX4.0. I still have not connected the HBAs to our EVA5000 and I would like to know how should I configure the host types (if I have to use other than VMware).

Thanks

[dconvery]

Choose VMware for the host type

Dave Convery

VMware vExpert 2009

Careful. We don't want to learn from this.

Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

[Paul11]

I'm using 2 EVA5000 with Vsphere without any problems. You must set the host-Type to custom and give it the value: 000000002200282E.

You can find this in on page 68.

You can do a FW-Update to Version 4100, than it becomes a HSV111, which is supported as you can see with the following command:

esxcli nmp satp listrules -s VMW_SATP_ALUA

# esxcli nmp satp listrules -s VMW_SATP_ALUA

Name Vendor Model Driver Transport Options Claim Options Description

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV101 tpgs_on EVA 3000 GL with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV111 tpgs_on EVA 5000 GL with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV200 tpgs_on EVA 4000/6000 XL with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV210 tpgs_on EVA 8000/8100 XL with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV300 tpgs_on EVA 4100/4400 with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV400 tpgs_on EVA 6400 with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV450 tpgs_on EVA 8400 with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA NETAPP tpgs_on NetApp with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HP ^MSA2* tpgs_on HP MSA A/A with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HP MSA 3G SAS Cntlr tpgs_on HP MSA A/A with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSVX700 tpgs_on active/passive HP StorageWorks SVSP with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA HSVX740 tpgs_on active/active HP StorageWorks SVSP with ALUA

VMW_SATP_ALUA Intel Multi-Flex tpgs_on Intel Promise

With FW-Version 4100 you will get the host-type VMware (which is missing in V3110), but the update is not necessary. Don't believe what marketing is saying on supporting old EVA's.

[gppc1457]

So it sounds like you are running vSphere (ESX4) on an EVA with VCS v3.x (firmware), correct?

(that was inferred by you saying you manually set your host type to 000000002200282E)

One question, you were mentioning VMW_SATP_ALUA. In my test install my EVA3000 was detected as a VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AP with a MRU path selection.

MRU would be correct for VCS v3.x (at least going by previous ESX versions)

Did you do any manual PSA configuration?

Thanks, it's reassuring to hear someone is useing an EVA3000/5000 with vSphere.

[Paul11]

I was using 2 EVA5000 with FW V3.100 for about a year now (I was a beta tester for Vsphere), but I have made the FW-Update to V4.100 2 weeks ago. I was using Round Robin since ESX 3.5 without any problems on these EVA5000. It wasn't supportet in this Version of ESX, but it makes absolutly no problems for many month. In Vsphere Round Robin is now supportet, but you must set it on every ESX-host, because the Round Robin setting is saved on the host and not in the VM. (Otherwise the setting get lost, if you move the VM to another ESX-host). So there were also no problems with Round Robin on the EVA5000, with Vsphere. MRU is absolulty no problem in both Versions of ESX (3.5 and Vsphere).

If you are using LUN's with disabled Mirror Cache on the EVA5000 (maybe for backup-devices) the write performance get worse with the FW-Update to V4.100, because you can't disable Mirror Cache on an Active-Active System. So if you don't need Active/Active, the FW V3.100 was very good in my opinion and i would not change it.

Much Fun with your EVA's, Paul.

[STLTI]

Hi,

Yes indeed, we plan to run vSphere (ESX4.0) on an EVA5000 (last

available FW release, but not 4xxx).

As far as we have proceeded, all elements perform as expected. However,

if neither HP nor Vmware are going to support this scenario we might

think it twice before we go for it.

We are not using any third-party storage multipathing, just the ESX.

Thank you very much for your help.

[xlpnycm]

Hi Paul, Let me make you one question, please:

Have You tested EVA 5000 controller failover (From CommandView) with F/W VCS4 (Active/Active) without problems with your LUNs on vSphere 4?

I ask this because We are planning to upgrade EVA 5000 F/W to VCS4.

Your comments wirll be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

Xavier

[Paul11]

Hi Xavier,

for any unknown reason, I havn't read your question until now. So I'm very sorry for the late response.

In the meantime I have made a downgrade of the EVA 5000 FW back to V3.110, because the Write-Performance for mirrored LUN's was to bad for my application. (Using the EVA5000 only for Backups now, without mirror cache, so i don't have the limitation of the mirror port bandwidth).

I have never tested a controller Failover with FW Version 4, but I don't believe that there are any problems with it.

(But I think this answer will be to late for you anyway).

Paul