external disk arrays not recognised at cluster install

[Douglas A Ward]

let me give the technical details:
twin Netserver lp 2000r's (1.26 ghz) with 4.06.16 bios each with a NetRaid 2M with h.02.01 firmware
NetRaid Express set on each for cluster and write-thru using SCSI ID's 6 / 7
external RS/12 storage with twin hp5989C raid controller cards each with latest posted firmware

Windows 2000 Advanced Server on each machine with latest updates and latest posted hp raid and controller drivers

NetRaid Assistant installed and fully functional on each machine(B.02.03)

RS/12 Raid configuration:
2 9 gb drives: Raid 1 for quorum
2 73 gb drives: Raid 1 for SQL tempdb
2 73 gb drives: Raid 1 for SQL log
5 73 gb drives: RAID 5 for SQL Data
1 73 gb drive: hot spare dedicated to RAID 5

the servers boot from a single RAID 1 Array on Channel 0 of each 2M.
Channel 1 on each handles the RS/12 arrays shown above...

Used NetRaid Express to set up and initialize the boot drive array on each machine. Then installed the OS, updates, hp drivers, and NetRaid Assistant.

Then used NetRaid Assistant to create identical external Channel 1 arrays/logical drives on each machine. (Arrays created by the first machine did not show up in NetRaid Assistant on the second--why?)

Used only one machine to initialize the external arrays(thru NetRaid Assistant) then partitioned, formatted (NTFS basic) and assigned drive letters using that same machine in Windows DiskManager.

The other machine picked up the new drive assignments in Disk Manager without problems.

So, both machines show the same logical drive structure in Windows Disk manager.

Now, I start up the Cluster Installation Wizard, and get the following message:

"The cluster service did not find any disks on the shared scsi bus that meet the criteria for clustering..."

the only thing I can think of, is that the cluster wizard is examingin channel 0 without examining channel 1...

any ideas out there??

DA Ward

[kris rombauts · Accepted solution]

Hi Douglas,

for a Microsoft cluster configuration, the boot controller and the controller for the shared storage should each be a separate controller. If i understood correctly, in your current configuration the boot disks and shared disks live on the same Netraid 2M controller which will not work.
During the cluster installation, the wizard searches for a separate controller for the shared disks but it cannot find one,hence the message you are seeing, this is by design and how MSCS works.


So what you need to do is either add a raid controller (i.e. 1M) if the boot disks need H/W raid protection or boot the OS from the internal SCSI controller in the LP2000r if you have those types of disk carriers available (different from RS12 disks).

Look here for the LP2000r/2M cluster guide.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/lpn14800/lpn14800.pdf


I would also strongly advise to upgrade the 2M f/w to the last version H.02.02 because of critical fixes, it is available here:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=296140&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=51930&swLang=13&taskId=135&swEnvOID=54



HTH

Kris

[kris rombauts]

Seems that F/W link isn't working out right, try this one or go to hp.com, choose driver and search for Netraid 2M and you'll get their:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=51930&prodNameId=296140&swEnvOID=54&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ns-14418-1

Kris

[Douglas A Ward]

Thanks, Kris.

I suspected that the dual 2M channel assignments might be the problem. Comfirming that makes my troubleshoot a lot easier...

I was aware of the consistancy check failings on the 2.01 firmware.

But I can't seem to find a working version of the 2.02 2M firmware anywhere on the hp site. The existing links download fine, but the .exe is broken.

Anybody listening at HP might want to take a look at this...?

[kris rombauts]

Douglas,

the link works again now, i attached the executable anyhow, pls rename it to .exe first after you download it.

Kris