RS12FC problems still

[Ben Smith_1]

Each win2k adv server can only see the drives that are attached to the individual controllers.
I want each servers to see all shared storage, not just 1 channel each. We are running in duplex with switch 1 on for clustering(right).
Am I right in thinking that in order to do this the lun mapping needs to look like this.

logic cont 0 cont 1
drive port 0 port 1
0 0 none none 0
1 1 none none 1

[Ben Smith_1]

Edit
0 none none 0
1 none none 1

[Enes Dizdarevic]

Your configuration seemd to be OK. In rs12/fc with 2 raid adapters possition of switch 1 is not important. (From installation guide: "Switch 1 can be in any position. Leave it in default position"). If you had rs12 scsi cascaded to rs12/fc its switch 1 should be in cluster position (left).
LUN mappings for spofless configuration is also OK. (I suppose you now have appropriate version of firmware and array assistent.)
If you havent installed MSCS yet you can check your configuration: Shutdown and power off one node, power on another node. It should see all shared drives. Shut down and power off second node and power on first node. Now first node shoud see all drives. If checks this step are OK you can procede to install MSCS.
MSCS is shared nothing cluster. It means you will never be able to see one shared drive from both nodes at the same time. Only node which currently owns the cluster group in which is phisical disk will see that disk.

[Ben Smith_1]

Ok have tried this, if one node is down yes you can see all drives from the other controllr using fcarray. But in order to install MSCS it requires that you are able to see all shared drives from each machine.
This means that you should be able to manage the array from the disk management utility within windows. On our setup we are only able to manage the disks attached to the fc controller on that specific node, Microsoft require that you can see all storage on each node.
I would really appreciate it if someone could give me a brief account of the configuration steps involved, or alternately mail me some info.
I understand that alot of info is only available to HP certified Engineers, as the info provided with the kit, and on the website is a bit of a joke really.

[Enes Dizdarevic]

Can you see all drives from one node through windows disk manager when another node is down? If no you are in trouble. If yes write a signature, format drive (do not convert them to dinamic volumes, shared drives have to be basic disks) and assign drive letters. Now you can install MSCS on that node. At the end of installation you are required to restart this node. When it is up power on second node and install MSCS on it. (you do not need to prepare disks with windows disk manager because disks are already prepared from first node)

[Ben Smith_1]

We can see the drive from both machines, but the secondary node reports that it is unwritable. If we take down the first node this drive then dissapears from the disk administrator, Yet the fcarray assistant on the 2nd node reports that it has taken ownership of the disks.

[Ben_16]

Be happy you cannot see all shared storage. If you could, all would be corrupt.

If you want this, you need to install MS Cluster.

Being Cluster Certified, and having to support clusters for a living, I can tell you there are several pitfalls you can fall into if you do it without being certified. How important is your data to you? If you value your data, get yourself HP MS-Cluster Certified before you attempt this.

I've seen several clusters fall down because somebody with incomplete knowledge installed them, bye bye data. You cannot put your backup back either because the cluster was incorrectly configured causing the problem in the first place. There are still lots of people with unsupported configurations out there that are accidents waiting to happen.

Alternatively, you can also buy a Cluster installation from HP or HP Certified Cluster installers.


Good luck,

Ben.