topic Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software in Operating System - HP-UX

Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Chad T — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:48:46 GMT

I am looking to get Integrity Virtual Machines to run several guest HPUX servers. I have an iSCSI SAN which would provide the storage for the Guests. Someone mentioned to me that Integrity Virtual Machines guests can not utilize storage presented from an iSCSI SAN. Is this truely a limitation of Integrity Virtual Machines software?

Thank you for your time. I am having trouble finding documentation proving or disproving this.

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

smatador — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:07:28 GMT

Hi,
Look at the storage interface support
http://docs.hp.com/en/T2767-90797/T2767-90797.pdf
I suppose that if they say "iSCSI adapters is supported by the iSCSI driver", that's mean you could present for example as an vio storage a iscsi lun.
HTH

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Eric SAUBIGNAC — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:13:50 GMT

Bonjour Chad,

Honestly, I have never worked with iSCSI storage. So I have never looked for limitation over it.

But, I don't see why a disk, whatever technology it relies on, SCSI, iSCSI, SAS, SAN FC, could not be used for virtualization storage.

Looked for word iSCSI in HPVM docs and found nothing.

Eric

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Chad T — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:44:40 GMT

I agree...I do not find anything saying it will not work...i am just hoping to find someone who has used iSCSI storage and the Integrity Virtual Machines software to be sure it does work.

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Dave Olker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:42:42 GMT

> I have an iSCSI SAN which would provide
> the storage for the Guests.

Just to be clear, are you asking if the VM Host can use the iSCSI initiator to mount LUNs from an iSCSI SAN and use these LUNs as Integrity VM Guest boot disks (i.e. boot the VM Guest using an iSCSI LUN mounted on the VM Host)? Or are you wanting to run the iSCSI initiator software on the Integrity VM Guest and have the Guest access the LUNs directly from the iSCSI SAN?

These are two very different paradigms, so I'm trying to understand which one you're wanting to use.

Regards,

Dave

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Chad T — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:49:00 GMT

Yes you are correct. I would like to use the HPiscsi initiator on my local host have integrity vms running and use the iscsi presented storage as disks to build my guest vms on.

If possible, it may be useful to use the HP iscsi initator on a vm if it worked but i dont think that is necessary if I can get the storage to the guest through the host.

Thank you very much for the reply.

Re: Integrity Virtual Machines Software

Dave Olker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:19:40 GMT

Hi Chad,

There is some debate about whether this is a supported configuration or not. The release notes talk about supporting iSCSI adapters, but don't specifically call out the software-based iSCSI initiator. At this time we're working with the HPVM team to get clarification on this point.

It would help if you could provide me a few details about your specific situation.

1) What company do you work for?
2) What type of iSCSI storage will you be using?
3) What type of ethernet connection will you be using to talk to the iSCSI storage? (i.e. 1GBE? 10GBE?)
4) How soon are you wanting to deploy this solution?
5) Which version of HP Integrity Virtual Machine software are you running? (i.e. 3.5, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2)?

If you're not comfortable providing these details in a public forum, please feel free to contact me directly at: dave.olker@hp.com.

Thanks,

Dave