MPIO with HP MSA1000 and W2k03R2

[Philipp Stummer_1]

Hi folks,

I've installed a W2k03R2 with the new StorageManagement-Plugin. After installing the "VDS Hardware Provider for MSA" from HP my Server recognizes the MSA1000 Storage Array. The problem is that the server sees the published LUNS double. One is active, formated and functioning and the other is unknown or better unallocated. The MSA1000 is connected via two HBA-Adapters and of cource the "unknown" disk in my disk-management is the passive path to the LUN.

The question is: Does Microsoft provide a possibility to "convince" the Server that this "Unknown disk" is the redundant, second path to the LUN or do I need HP SecurePath to get this thing up and working probably?

Hope somebopsy can help me,
Regards,
Philipp

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

you need to install the MPIO DSM for the MSA1000 array. Download it here:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18964&prodSeriesId=421492&prodNameId=421495&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=co-40735-1

Then it should see just a single instance of the disk. SecurePath would be another option, but you cannot mix SP and MPIO on the same SAN (at least for the MPIO Basic Plug in for the MSA1000, which is all that there is at the moment), and MPIO is free, whereas SecurePath costs money.

Regards,
Stephen

[Philipp Stummer_1]

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for the answer.
I've tried this option but it doesn't work at least on a R2-Edition of Windows 2003.
Or do I have to configure something in the Basic MPIO? I didn't find anything in the Readme or elsewhere.

Regards,
Philipp

[James Muell]

You might try HP MPIO Full-Featured DSM for Windows for MSA Disk Arrays 1.00.00 27.

Also, R2 has a module for MPIO. I haven't seen it and it may only be MPIO manager.

[Philipp Stummer_1]

Hi!

I've also tried to use the full-featured DSM without success.
The main question is if it's possible to get up and running in this rather basic configuration without HP-Tools. It should be possible to do this with MS-Tools only.

Philipp

[Stephen Kebbell · Accepted solution]

Ah, hold on, I notice you mention the VDS provider. Looking through some HP-provided documentation it gets VERY confusing.
First, the VDS Hardware Provider Administration Guide:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00703989/c00703989.pdf

This says you need to install MPIO before you install the VDS HW provider.

You also need STORport drivers for your HBAs. This seems to be a requirement, I have an internal HP support stream that says SCSI Miniport is not supported. This also says MPIO 1.1 is needed (the link I provided earlier is for MPIO 1.20), but it also says Win2003 R2 is supported.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=421495&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=421492&swLang=13&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1005

Then there's the download area for the VDS provider, and in the readme it states "The HP Provider does not support MPIO for VDS 1.1", so now I don't know who to believe! :-)

My recommendation: Uninstall MPIO, Uninstall VDS HW Provider. Check your HBA driver version, and update to the latest STORport driver if needed, and apply the hotfixes from Microsoft (KB912944 and KB899415). Then install MPIO 1.1 and see if you can see your disk correctly. If that works then try the VDS Provider. But do you really need the VDS provider?

Regards,
Stephen

[Philipp Stummer_1]

Good Morning Stephen,

Thanks for the great answer. I was too lazy to read all trough the manuals, so I installed the drivers in the wrong order.
I solved the problem in another way: I installed SecurePath 4.0a, did no reboot and upgraded to 4.0c. After that I rebooted and the double-disks were gone. :-)

Regards,
Philipp

[Joseph Aiello]

Is the VDS Hardware Provider for MSA software come with MSA1000 or licensed with it? When I go to the website to get it, it wants me to register a serial number. Is this my MSA1000 s/n? Bottom line is that I need this to enable use of the Microsoft Storage Management plug in in Win 2003R2 correct?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Tony Orisawayi]

Please where can I obtain the VDS Drivers for MSA1000. HP redirects you to a registration page but nothing happens after registration