MSA1000: adding a controller

[CCarranza]

Hi there,
We would like to add a second controller to an MSA1000 in an active/active configuration. Here’s what I think the process should be; anyone see any concerns or errors?

The install:
We have an MSA1000 with a single controller running the 7.0 firmware. We have an MSA20 shelf connected with 2 SCSI connections. There is an internal 2/8 SAN switch installed with a single Fiber Channel connection to each server (6 on SAN) and 1 connection to an MSL6000 tape array.

The goal:
The tech we spoke to on what we thought was a routine drive failure thought that the 7.0 firmware would only work properly if 2 controllers were present. We need to have the 7.0 firmware installed for VMWare’s supported hardware list. If I understand right, the 2 controllers will be fault-tolerant as well as load-balancing in an active/active setup.

The process:
• Shut down the 6 servers and 1 tape array connected to the SAN.
• Reboot SAN for clean firmware.
• Install new 2nd controller.
• Reboot SAN again.
• At prompt on controller LCD, allow firmware to be cloned (assuming it’s not on 7.0 already).
• Bring servers back up and confirm that each sees the LUNs it should.

This article seems to be very close to what I want to do, minus the cache upgrade:

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627+1254158796471+28353475&threadId=1350084

Any thoughts?
CC

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi CC,

If you're adding a second controller to an MSA1000, I'm fairly certain that you also need to add in a second internal 2/8 SAN switch.

Cheers,

Rob

[CCarranza]

Thanks for that tip. It does appear from the manual for the 2/8 SAN switch that there is one port directly to the controller. I originally thought that the port went to some sort of backplane and then to the controllers.

So if I understand right, this would be our single-path plan:

* Install new controller.
* Install new 2/8 SAN switch.
* Move one our FC server connections over to the new switch so as to free a port to...
* Connect the new SAN switch to the old one.

Though it seems like adding a switch without making the fabric redundant is unnecessarily complex. And I suspect a new switch purchase will mean that we try to hold on for another year and then upgrade/replace.

Thanks,
CC

[kunalsahoo]

Hi CC,

If you are planning to get a redundant environment with an additional controller then a additional in built switch is mandatory.

one port of the 2/8 san switch is connected internaly to the controller and also you need to have 2 fc cards on each server each going to either switches so that the server will have access to the MSA via both the controllers.

both controllers talk to each other via an internal link so once the one controller goes down the other takes ownership of all the Luns and servers gets access via that controller.

after this HW changes you can do the Firmware upgrade and insert the new controller this will copy the fw from the other controller and will reboot automatically.

hopefully this might help !!! all the best