topic Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors in VMware PowerCLI Discussions

RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 02:18:43 GMT

I am writing a powershell/powercli script to automate adding RDM disks to two VM's in a two node Windows Failover Cluster for SQL.
The RDM disks are presented from a physical storage unit and using their naa.id's I can successfully add them to my first VM without issue using the New-HardDisk module like shown below (thanks lucd for earlier help):

$DataStore = "DataStore_Name_RDM"
$VM1 = Get-VM -Name "VM1"
$VM2 = Get-VM -Name "VM2"

New-HardDisk -VM $VM1 -DeviceName "/vmfs/devices/disks/$($Disk)" -Datastore $DataStore -DiskType RawPhysical | New-ScsiController -Type ParaVirtual -BusSharingMode Physical

But when it comes to adding the disk to the 2nd VM (like you would in the GUI by hitting 'existing disk' and finding the .vmdk in the datastore), I am prompted with this error:

"New-HardDisk The specified disk path is not accessible or does not exist: '[DataStore_Name_RDM] VM1/VM1.vmdk"

Here is the code I am using to map the existing disk:

$DiskPath = (Get-VM -Name $Server1 | Get-HardDisk | Select-Object -Property Filename | Where-Object {$_.Filename -Match "_RDM"})[1]

New-HardDisk -VM $VM2 -DiskPath $DiskPath.FilePath | New-ScsiController -Type ParaVirtual -BusSharingMode Physical

I can add the disk no problem via the GUI, using the 'Existing Disk' option, so the disk is accessible and does exist.

The datastore is presented to all hosts in the cluster these VM's sit on.

Any idea what might be causing this error, or any tips on how to troubleshoot it further?.

Please also let me know what other information I can provide here to help troubleshoot.

PowerCLI Version
----------------
VMware.PowerCLI 13.1.0 build 21624340
---------------
Component Versions
---------------
VMware Common PowerCLI Component 13.0 build 20797081
VMware Cis Core PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 13.0 build 20797636
VMware VimAutomation VICore Commands PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 13.0 build 20797821

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

LucD — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 06:31:54 GMT

The Select-Object cmdlet doesn't return a single String, but an object.
The DiskPath expects a String.

Try with

$DiskPath = ((Get-VM -Name $Server1 | Get-HardDisk | Where-Object {$_.Filename -Match "_RDM"}).FileName)[1]

Note: assuming that the 2nd returned String , with [1], is the correct HD might be risky.
Better is to match part of the value in the FileName

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:33:43 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

I tried it with:

$DiskPath = ((Get-VM -Name $Server1 | Get-HardDisk | Where-Object {$_.Filename -Match "_RDM"}).FileName)[1]

No luck, same error still unfortunately.

For now using [1] is ok but in my full code for the automation I have an index that increments with every loop.

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

LucD — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:12:20 GMT

Did you check what you have in $DiskPath and the type?

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:20:24 GMT

Yes I did, sorry I should have put the results.

Type

IsPublic IsSerial Name BaseType
-------- -------- ---- --------
True True String System.Object

And the output was as expected.

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

LucD — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:33:01 GMT

And how did you do the New-HardDisk?
Because that should now be

New-HardDisk -VM $VM2 -DiskPath $DiskPath | New-ScsiController -Type ParaVirtual -BusSharingMode Physical

No FilePath property

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:01:33 GMT

Yep the New-HardDisk command was exactly as you pasted, without the .FileName extension:

New-HardDisk -VM $VM2 -DiskPath $DiskPath | New-ScsiController -Type ParaVirtual -BusSharingMode Physical

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

LucD — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:06:48 GMT

Then I'm out of ideas I'm afraid.

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:13:23 GMT

Sad times :(.

I will keep looking and feedback here if I find anything!

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 05:08:07 GMT

With a bit more investigation I have found that this is nothing to do with the code. It looks to be down to some specific datastores in our vCenter as I have my script working on a different datastore, using the methods discussed here + some.

No idea what the cause is on the datastore, but we are looking further.

If you have any suggestions, please fire away!

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 02:12:11 GMT

Hi again,

So far I've now found this difference.

When running:

$ds = Get-Datastore -Name "DATASTORE_NAME" -Server "server.myserver.com" | Get-HardDisk

$ds.Filename

My files do not show in the results, but if I browse to the datastore in the GUI, the files show.
They show their 'type' is of 'File' as you can see below

However when I run that same code on the datastore that is not giving me grief, the results are returned, and the files are of type 'Virtual Disk' as shown below:

The only difference I could see between the datastores is that the working DS version is VMFS 6.81 and the NON working DS is VMFS 6.82.

I am adding the disks to each DS in the exact same way... Any thoughts on this one?

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

LucD — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:05:08 GMT

You could try to unregister/register that VM, and check if that changes the type of the files.

Do all VMs on that datastore show the VMDK as "file"?

I suggest opening an SR.

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

JieX — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 03:26:40 GMT

I normally create new scsi controller first on second node with flat disk, then get scsi name

New-HardDisk -VM $vm2 -DiskType flat -CapacityGB 1 | New-ScsiController -BusSharingMode Physical -Type ParaVirtual

$scsiname2 = ( $vm2 | Get-ScsiController).name[1]

Then, get disk naa id from node 1 and export result to csv

Get-VM $vm1 | Get-HardDisk -DiskType RawPhysical | Select @{N='VM';E={$_.Parent.Name}},Name,FileName | Export-Csv -Path .\xxx.csv -UseCulture -NoTypeInformation

Then read result from csv and add them each to node 2

Import-Csv -Path .\xxx.csv -UseCulture | ForEach-Object -Process {

$vm = Get-VM -Name $vm2

New-HardDisk -VM $vm -DiskPath $_.FileName -Controller $scsiname2

}

This should work, I use it each time to mount RDM disk. Please also make sure both servers power off.

Re: RDM Disks -> Existing Disk - Using New-HardDisk Errors

CODETL19 — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 06:18:31 GMT

Thanks for the suggestion JieX, I already have the naa.id for the disk and the issue isn't creating the SCSI controller.

Considering the code works 100% on Datastores with a version of 6.81, its got to be something related to the versioning and the file type.

We will be raising a SR soon once I get relevant access from the company I work for.