HP bladeserver Boot from SAN

[RohitGo]

Hi Team,

We are setting up a HP C3000 Blade server for Windows server 2003 R2 Server Boot from SAN. There is no local HDD connected with the bays.
We have the following hardware setup:
HP Blade : C3000 series with HP1/10 GB VC-Enet module and HP 4 GB VC-FC module
Storage : HP StorageWork MSA 2000
Switch: HP StorageWorks 8/8 SAN Switch
HBA: Emulex LPe1105-4 GB FC HBA
Installation method: HP SmartCD setup and windows CD setup
HBA Emulex BIOS setup" FC point to point' and tried with other available options as well.

Issue: Initially Blade server detects the LUN (given as LUN 05) mapped with WWN number. SmartCD also detects the right LUN and starts the installation, asks for the windows server CD and shows the setup as succesfull but on reboot, server shows an error 'NTLDR missing'. We have tried installing the Linux on the same setup and works fine with no error. We couldn't able to find out what could be the possible reason for this issue. Any suggetions, reference links will we highly appreciated.

Regards,
Rohit

[Patrick Terlisten]

Hello Rohit,

do you setup the HBA BIOS correctly? Active the BIOS of the HBA and select a target to boot from?

Best regards,
Patrick

[Frantisek Kysela]

Hi,
you need corectly set up boot lun in HBA BIOS.
As second you need modify zoning to only one path to storage during installation. MS installator do not support multipath.

[RohitGo]

Hi . Thanks for reply. I have activated the HBA BIOS and tried with almost all the possible options to boot from. I even tried FC Point-to-point but no luck. I have tried with zoning the WWN number of HBA and Storageworks but still i am getting the same error..'NTLD missing'.

Regards
Rohit

[hpite]

Hi Rohit,

I have faced exactly the same error you faced (except I am using EVA). At first, I was optimistic that since SmartStart was able to detect the LUN through the Emulex HBA that the installation would work fine.

I even mounted the volume on another server to take a look at it and the installation files are copied over. So SmartStart is doing something right.

However, I either get a red screen (illegal Opcode) or NTLDR is missing screen.

In the end, I gave up and installed Windows using a slipstream version that had the Emulex Boot from SAN drivers.

I cannot find official support documentation that SmartStart supports Boot from SAN. Can you? If you can, then you can open a ticket with HP.

[Chris Rosan2]

You really need to use RDP to deploy boot from SAN blades. This is what i've found.

Make sure you ONLY have 1 path to the server. With the EVA you need to only have 1 port of 1 controller in the zone.

How i've got mine setup is i have a "build zone" on one SAN switch. This zone only has 1 EVA port as a member. Once the server is built and the required MPIO software installed you can change the zoning so that it's got multi path's (put it into a "normal" windows zone with ALL paths).

Not sure what you'd have to do with the MSA2000, but i'd imagine it will be pretty much the same. Just make sure there's only 1 WWID of the SAN in your build zone.

You'll also need to put the WWID of the SAN into the install config file.

[Patrick Terlisten]

Hello,

why should RDP necessary for boot-from-san??

@ Rohit

Did you try the boot-from-san drivers??

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=1844101&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=1844100&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1005

Best regards,
Patrick

[CLEB]

I don't use Smartstart when creating a boot from SAN install.

Just boot from Windows installation cd, press the F6 key to insert a storage driver from floppy/USB and once complete install the Proliant Support Pack.

Definitely restrict the LUN to only one path to the MSA.

[RohitGo]

Hi Guys, Thanks alot for all the suggestions.
Issue still persists with an error "NTLDR is mising" on boot.
As suggested by couple of guys i have created a zone as well on SAN swith. I have created a 'basic zone'. Zone has follwing info

(SAN)MSA WWN
HBA WWN
On HBA BIOS i have FC Point-to-point topology method. I can see the LUN mapped when HBA BIOS loads but system couldn't able to boot from the SAN.

Regards,
Rohit

[hpite]

Hi Rohit,

actually for Blade (Mezzanine HBAs) you do not see to set FC point-to-point. You might want to try to leave it at the first option (default, which is auto I think)

So, did you do a slipstreamed install or a CD install, then press F6 to supply the boot from SAN Emulex drivers?

You need to install the Windows OS this way or else Windows will not point to the right mass storage device to look for NTLDR.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember how to change the settings such that MBR on the LUN will point back to MSA2000 LUN or else I think it is still looking for a local drive.