Re : MSA1000 Assistance

[Vincent_5]

Hi Guys,
Can anyone of you help, I have a MSA1000 attach to a rp7400 and a N4000. On the RP server I have a fc card part no A6795A, The MSA is link up to the rp and n-class via 2GB fibre . I try to use command line interface to configure the connection and raid but fail. It keep saying that cannot saved changes as global_ris is null. This message pop up when I try to add connection mtfuji wwpn=50060b0-0030e1ec profile=hp

Than I was unable to proceed, pls help and advice??

Regards
Vincent

[lawrenzo]

RIS means raid information sector

you must first create at least one logical disk so that the smart array controller can save meta data to the area.

create a unit then you should be able to add / setup the connections.

I got this info from google by the way.

[lawrenzo]

sorry I sho8uld have sent this info and link:

http://gauss.ffii.org/PatentView/EP768599

Referring now to Figures 3A-3C, a flow diagram of the SET_CONFIGURATION task is shown. Proceeding first to step 301, it is determined if a parameter GLOBAL_RIS has a non-NULL value. The parameter GLOBAL_RIS is a pointer to a location in memory storing the global RIS structure. Each logical volume is associated with specific configuration parameters, and each of the controllers 112A-E are associated with certain controller parameters. The configuration and controller parameters are stored in reserved information sectors (RIS) in each logical volume. The global RIS data structure is allocated in the local memory 108 to store the RIS information of the logical volumes in the disk subsystem 142 for faster access of the configuration and controller information. The RIS data structure also stores parameters associated with the reconfigure operation.

If the GLOBAL_RIS parameter has a NULL value, that indicates that the controller board 10 has just started up and that no logical volume has been configured yet. If the parameter GLOBAL_RIS has a NULL value, control proceeds to step 304; otherwise, if the parameter GLOBAL_RIS has a non-NULL value, control proceeds to step 302, where a parameter LOGICAL is set to point to the starting location of the area in the RIS data structure which contains the configuration and controller parameters of the specified logical volume, which for purposes of the reconfigure process is the destination logical volume. Control proceeds from step 302 to step 304.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Vincent,

For reasons I don't know the MSA-1000 can only be connected to one HP-UX machine at a time. This is listed right on HP's website.

Two windows boxes, no problem. Two Linux boxes, we do that all the time where I work. Two HP-UX boxes, can't do that.

My advice: Get another disk array that is rated for this task.

SEP

[Mohanasundaram_1]

Hi SEP,

Are you sure only one HP-UX server can be connected to an MSA1000? Are you referring to the HP-UX addendum?

That mentions about an alternate firmware meant for HP-UX environment alone. But the latestfirmware 4.48 handles windows, hp-ux and other OS together.

If you are referring to ny other document please point me to that document.

With regards,
Mohan.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

I'm referring to HP printed sales literature which HP recently handed me in Israel.

If firmware 4.48 does handle HP-UX its news to me but probably provides our poster with an answer. If the MSA-1000 is not at firmware 4.48 to work with two HP-UX servers it probably needs to be there.


http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/msa1000/

A quote from the page:
The HP StorageWorks 1000 Modular Smart Array (MSA1000) is a 2 Gb Fibre Channel storage system for the entry-level to midrange storage area network (SAN). It provides the customer with a low-cost, scalable, high performance storage consolidation system with investment protection. It is designed to reduce the complexity and risk of SAN deployments. The powerful but easy to use management software makes it ideal for departmental and remote location SANs. The ability to easily move most data, disks, and enclosures currently directly attached to Smart Array controllers (DAS) to a shared storage environment (SAN) will save the user both money and time. With the addition of two more drive enclosures, it can control up to 42 drives allowing capacity of twelve terabytes. All configuration, management and partitioning and licensing software come standard with no extra charges.

HP's exclusive optional embedded 8-port SAN switch or 3-port hub give cost effective and space saving methods of creating a SAN environment. In addition it is qualified on any of the external B-series, M-series and C-series FC switches. The MSA1000 supports Windows (32 & 64-bit), NetWare, and Linux (32 & 64-bit) operating systems. It also supports SCO, Tru64 UNIX, OpenVMS, or HP-UX operating systems.


What's new



* New hardware-only SAN Starter High Availability upgrade Kit for use with the MSA1000 SAN Starter Kit, allowing for use with free industry-standard failover solutions.



Features & benefits


* Flexible: supports Windows 2003 (32 & 64-bit), Windows 2000 and NT, NetWare, Linux (32 & 64-bit),Tru64 UNIX. OpenVMS, or HP-UX operating systems
* Manageability: utilizes familiar, easy to use configuration and Management tools
* Performance: provides transmission rate of up to 30K I/Ops (cache), throughput of up to 200 MB
* Compatible: supports 14 1-inch drives, 1 or 2 Gb Fabric Switches or hubs, in a 4U rack space
* Scalable: is easily expanded to 12 TB using forty-two 300 GB hard drives in 10U of rack space
* Integrated: allows installation of an optional internal MSA 8-port switch or an MSA 3-port hub
* Serviceable: supports hot plug drives, controllers, fans, power supplies, switches and hubs
* Reliable: supports the highest level of fault tolerance (RAID 6 with HP's Advanced Data Guarding technology)

Here is a document in conflict:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/msa1000smb/

Doesn't even mention HP-UX as a supported platform.

Gee, you think if HP wanted to sell the things they could give us the right documentation.

SEP

[Uwe Zessin]

The SMB is just a bundle which includes Fibre Channel adapters for x86 Linux + Windows. It should be obvious why you don't see HP-UX support on that page.

[Steven E. Protter]

How about this one guys?

.
The MSA1000 for HP-UX supports single controller configurations only. HP-UX support is of a homogeneous nature. Command Line Interface (CLI) is used for ...
h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11033_na/11033_na.HTML - 185

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11033_na/11033_na.HTML

---snip----
Heterogeneous support is standard for Microsoft Windows® Server 2003 (32-bit and 64-bit) Windows 2000, Windows NT®, NetWare and Linux (32-bit and 64-bit) operating systems. In addition this firmware provides separate support for Alpha servers in a Tru64 UNIX® or OpenVMS environment. Information about the support for these two operating systems is included in a separate QuickSpec for the MSA1000 attached to Alpha-based servers. HP also expanded the MSA1000's operating system coverage with the addition of basic HP-UX and SCO support in limited, homogeneous configurations.
----snip----

----snip---
HP-UX PA-Risc and Itanium-based server support â In April of 2004 HP announced basic MSA1000 HP-UX support in limited, homogeneous configurations. Coverage extends to HP-UX 11.11, and 11.23 and a wide-ranging list of Integrity and HP9000 servers.
----snip---

My richly deserved absent minded ITRC image asisde, there is now clear proof as to why I was confused and made my initial post. The old pea brain molecules did not misfire in this case.

I'm sure there is some reason to discount this link but if its out of date, why is it so easy to find and why was the printed material I received also wrong?

The question is rhetorical. As I would advise others, this is an issue best taken up with our local HP rep.

Back to the original point of the post:

It would appear if your firmware is 4.48 or above you should be fine. If you are below that level, it would seem you need to be there to perform or have HP perform a firmware upgrade.

:-) to all. As always this thread was a learning experience.

SEP

[Ted Buis]

"HP-UX 11.11, and 11.23 homogeneous environments only. (limited single controller homogeneous configurations)"
per the Quickspecs. The single controller is on the MSA1000. The second controller can't even be plugged in for it to work. If you have two controllers in your MSA1000, you have to pull one out for HP-UX. Since the single controller is a single point of failure, this is less than ideal for HA environments. I do think that two HP-UX systems can access the LUNs however, if you have a supported FC switch. I hope however that you aren't looking for great performance.