W2003 MSCS MSA MPIO DSM error Load Balance Policy is not Supported on Selected Device

[Iain Binnie]

HI, When trying to initiate load balanceing in the manager I receive the mesage "Load Balance Policy is not Supported on Selected Device" THis is a W2003 cluster, from what I haev learned this is due to persistent reservations, I found a article for EVA DSM but not for 2003 MSA MPIO to enable this, I am running 2 x W2003 cluster nodes a MSA 1500cs hooked into a SAN, MPIO is v3.01...I fear it sinply does not support loadbalanceing?

[IBaltay]

Hi,
if you are running the Active/Passive firmware - 5.20, only the MPIO basic version is supported.
The MPIO DSM full feature version for MSA (3.01.00) is supported only with the Active/Active MSA controller firmware - 7.0

[Iain Binnie]

Hi, thnaks for the reply and I should have mentioned I am running ROM v7, it did function correctly with load balanceing (active/active) untill I installed the cluster service on both nodes and created new LUN's at first I noticed it on the quorum and then I realised that all disk are doing it I updated MPIO to v3.01 but this didnt help, during the install I see no mention of cluster aware ect....any help apreciated, is it supported?

[IBaltay]

Hi,
yes its supported:
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/ha/microsoft/msa1000sb.pdf

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/ha/microsoft/MSA1000%20SMB.pdf

the whole doc is here:
http://h18026.www1.hp.com/solutions/enterprise/highavailability/answercenter/configuration-all-list.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

[Iain Binnie]

HI,

So it only says it supports basic failover not load balanceing, activ active or did I missread it? When I say is it supported I mean the load balanceing on a w2003 Cluster. I see with a W2008 MSCS and a EVA you would have to enable it as in this link http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1285007 I cant find said or any .reg file in my install folder...any help mucho apreciated

[IBaltay]

and what about this?
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/ha/microsoft/MSA1500AACCSM32bit.pdf

[Iain Binnie]

OK, so I guess it is supported, so where is my error coming from? Do I Have to change anythign to get Loadblancing to work after the cluster install? It was definately working b4 the cluster config? any ideas apreciated

[IBaltay]

loadbalancing = YES (DSM FF 3.01.00 release notes/download)

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=421492&swItem=co-63423-1&prodNameId=421495&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=13&taskId=135&mode=4&idx=0

[IBaltay]

but MSCS is not listed in the SAN design reference guide for MSA 1000/1500 - page 191:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00403562/c00403562.pdf?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

[IBaltay]

and this:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01535379/c01535379.pdf

[Iain Binnie]

so that guide says multipathing high availability for upto 8 nodes it also says MSA1500 single controller and dual controller with active/active failover. I guess as it says failover it means not load balancing? SO does this mean it dont work? Hmmm....now Im more bemused?

[Iain Binnie]

my last poste was to the one b4 the install guide....I have been through the install guide and it doesnt mention load balancing in MSCS 2003, unless I missed it?

[IBaltay]

a) the MSCS/LB combination not listed here (w2k3):
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00868010/c00868010.pdf?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

b)the MSCS/LB combination explicitly pointed only to the w2k8 in the nstallation/refference guide:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01535379/c01535379.pdf

[Iain Binnie]

Im confused by this, so active/active is load balancing adn is clamed to be supported in the first link page one? The second link does mention that MSCS 2008 load balancing is setup as default, if you look back to the link I posted it states its now also I see in the config of 2008 you need to click an option. So do you think its simply not supported in W2003 MSCS load balancing? It is looking this way as soon as I installed MSCS onto the 2 nodes it stopped load balancing where as it was before and in the w2003 version there is no option in the config as there is in 2008 install of MPIO, unless I missed the option but it seems to be a simple next next blah install?? I think Im gona have to ask my HP account manager to get his tech guys to explain, you would think it would state in the install guide its not supported in W2003 but I guess they may not want to point that out? Thanks for all of your help, so in summary, in my situation its not supported is your hypothesis????

[IBaltay]

maybe this HP support doc could help:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=c01470331&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN