VMware Cloud Community
Strug
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

ESXi Install process and FC Storage

Hi all,

It's been a while since I worked with FC based storage so forgive me if this is a silly question!

I remember back in the days of ESX 3.5 when building a host it was strongly recommended that you disconnect your HBAs as the the ESX 3.5 installer was prone to wiping your FC LUNs during the install.

Is this still the case? If I'm adding a shiny new ESX5.1 host in to an existing cluster do I need to disconnect it from the FC connected SAN during the build?

Thanks

Chris

Tags (2)
Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
nkrishnan
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

No, During the installation of ESXi, it scans all storage controller and storage/luns connected to the server. The ESXi installer provides user intervention screen to select the storage that you like to install ESXi and installation proceeds on the selected disk.

If you're using scripted install, make sure you mention the right VMHBA device in the KS file and remove the firstdisk option. So that even if the FC controller device driver loaded first by ESXi, KS file picks up the right VMHBA for installation.

--Nithin

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
4 Replies
admin
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

If you have add new ESX 5.1 no need disconnect it just assign lun for ESX 5.1 ..from Storage tab and scan the device..

Also check..this link

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-51-storage...

Yours, Phillips

Reply
0 Kudos
Gortee
Hot Shot
Hot Shot
Jump to solution

Strug,


I have done hundreds of these type of installs.  In fact I do a fresh install almost everytime a new version comes out.  I always have all my lun presented without any problems.  I also boot from SAN making it more fun.   Just make sure you don't choose the wrong lun to install ESXi because then you will loose data.  If you have a lun without VMFS on it the installer will not mark it with a star.  Just make sure everything matches and check it twices before you install.  If your worried you will make a mistake zone out the shared storage to be sure.


Thanks,

J

Joseph Griffiths http://blog.jgriffiths.org @Gortees VCDX-DCV #143
nkrishnan
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

No, During the installation of ESXi, it scans all storage controller and storage/luns connected to the server. The ESXi installer provides user intervention screen to select the storage that you like to install ESXi and installation proceeds on the selected disk.

If you're using scripted install, make sure you mention the right VMHBA device in the KS file and remove the firstdisk option. So that even if the FC controller device driver loaded first by ESXi, KS file picks up the right VMHBA for installation.

--Nithin
Reply
0 Kudos
abhilashhb
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
Jump to solution

To be safe and make sure you don't run into trouble, do the zoning for just one HBA. Once the ESXi is installed which will have native multipathing installed, you can zone the rest of the paths. So that way your ESXi will know that though there are many paths its just one LUN its writing to.

As Gortee said it has never caused a problem but issues don't occur everyday right? So to stay on the safer side do as i mentioned above Smiley Happy

Abhilash B
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhilashhb/