topic Re: MSA 2012i Multipath in MSA Storage

MSA 2012i Multipath

Scott Vandeslunt — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:01:41 GMT

I'm installing a dual-controller MSA 2012i in a fault-tolerant configuration, or I'm trying anyway...

OS: Win2003 R2 SP2
iSCSI Host (Initiator) = Microsoft iSCSI Initiator v2.07
NIC1 = NC360T
NIC2 = NC373i

Versions on MSA:------------------------
Controller A Versions
---------------------
Storage Controller CPU Type : Celeron 566MHz
Storage Controller Firmware : J210R10
Storage Controller Memory : F300R21
Storage Controller Loader : 15.010
Management Controller Firmware: W421R07
Management Controller Loader : 12.013
Expander Controller Firmware : 2042
CPLD Revision : 27
Hardware Revision : LCA 55
Host Interface Module : 50
Host Interface Module Model : 2

Controller B Versions
---------------------
Storage Controller CPU Type : Celeron 566MHz
Storage Controller Firmware : J210R10
Storage Controller Memory : F300R21
Storage Controller Loader : 15.010
Management Controller Firmware: W421R07
Management Controller Loader : 12.013
Expander Controller Firmware : 2042
CPLD Revision : 27
Hardware Revision : LCA 55
Host Interface Module : 50
Host Interface Module Model : 2

------------------------------

Configuration: Controller A port 1 and Controller B port 1 plug into Switch A (HP 2824). (CA2 and CB2 plug into SWB which is also an HP 2824). Each switch is then connected to one of the NICs in the server. (Like the diagram in the HP StorageWorks 2012i User guide, Page 42)

The Problem:
When I try to configure the Initiator for Multipath it gives me an error about "Too Many Connections".

Another problem: If I pull out Controller A, Controller B won't take control of the vDisk(s) currently assigned to Controller A, even though "show redundancy-mode" returns this:
System Redundancy
-----------------
Redundancy Mode : Active-Active
Redundancy Status : Redundant Operation
Controller A Status : Operational
Controller A Serial Number: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Controller B Status : Operational
Controller B Serial Number: xxxxxxxxxxxx

Any ideas? Need more info? let me know.

Thanks,

Scott

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

James Muell — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:39:36 GMT

Scott, I am not using ISCSI, but in the FC world you would not be plugging the 2 MSA controllers into the same switch. If you are trying to configure redundant pathing, then I would think it would be CAp1 to sw1 and CBp1 to sw2. An interesting problem. i think i will lookup the Guide. We are not using this new MSA yet, or until the next product rev.

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Stephan Lenhard — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:12:13 GMT

Hello Scott,

did you get any solution for your problem now ? We have the same problem. Ther is an DL380G5 with an 2-Port ISCSI Card. These 2 Ports are configured with 2 IP Adresses in different Subnets. Then we have a MSA2000 with 2 MSA2012i Controllers configured Port 0 of each Controller with a Ip Adress in the Range of the ISCSI Card on the DL380 Server.
If i start now the Microsoft ISCSI Initiatior, i only can connect to the Controller A in the MSA2000. The Second Controller B shows a Connect but if you click on details there is no Volume connected. So i can click the multipath Option in the Initiator but i have no failover. These Causes an Copy abort if i draw the connect to controller A. If I replace the connect the copy goes on. But Controller B has no function.

If there is any Tip, Hint or anything like that please let me know.

Thanks

Stephan

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Jeroen H_1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:59:35 GMT

Scott,

Do you have the J210R10 firmware available? I'm having problems with the new firmware J210P03 and can not find it anywhere. I would appreciate it if you could send it to me.

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

jeff nussle — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:08:08 GMT

I just read your post. We too have been struggling a bit with the MSA2012i dual-controller, because the manual does a poor job explaining how fault-tolerance works. I had to call HP three times before I got to someone who actually knew how dual-controllers worked. Essentially you only wire your iSCSI initiator to the controller that owns the LUN you are mapping to -- ignore the other controller. When the controller you have mapped to goes offline for whatever reason, the 'other' controller will assume its IP Addresses and its role (albeit pretty slow -- we see it take 35-45 seconds). When the original controller comes back online, the IP addresses and LUN management are transferred back.

I have yet to get the iSCSI Initiator to do multipathing. More experimentation, no doubt will find what we are doing wrong.

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Mandar Mirashi — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:02:50 GMT

Scott - was just curious how you made out on this? We're in the same boat with the MSA 2012i except we have two Cisco 3750 network switches (instead of the HP switches) and an additional Windows 2003 32-bit box we want to cluster with the first one using MCS.

Any experiences/docs would be helpful. Thanks

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Ashraf Khalifah — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:59:02 GMT

anyone find solutiton for this issue?
i have the same case?
so plz if you fine solution, share it with me?

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Cracker_2 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:09:25 GMT

I get the same problem too.
Maybe the MPIO settings only support like this???

NIC-A Connect to Controller A Port0 & Port1
NIC-B Connect to Controller B Port0 & Port1

The user manual and configure simple was quiet unclearly.

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Scott Vandeslunt — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:40:14 GMT

Just FYI to everyone asking, I have not received a solution on this. I called HP on it, but they did not seem to have a solution either. -Scott (original poster)

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Cracker_2 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:43:00 GMT

Please take a look my post, maybe you will have some idea for how to use msa2012i.

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=1311248

As i know, if Controller B undetected Controller A heartbeat msg, it will do the following things:
1. Take over all Controller A's vDisk
2. Take over Controller-A0 & A1 iSCSI host IP to Controller-B0 & B1

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Cracker_2 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:04:44 GMT

For MPIO, you just need to configure MPIO between A0 & A1 or B0 & B1, i think the configurable settings are how the traffic run on A0 & A1 or B0 & B1. since msa2012i's vdisk only can own by single Controller on the same time, when the controller failure it will perform controller failover.

Re: MSA 2012i Multipath

Cracker_2 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:16:55 GMT

MPIO settings: