MSA 2060 ISCSI no Multipath to ESXi via Direct Attached DAC

[sabict]

We have 3 Proliant Servers running VMWare ESXi 7 and 1 MSA 2060 ISCSI (all latest Firmware).

Two of the Proliants have 2 DAC cables each directly to the MSA. One Proliant is on the other side and is connected via two fibre cables to two diffrent switches and from those switches with fibre to the MSA.

All 3 Proliants are setup and configured the same way, but only the 3rd one gets Multipathing. The first two just will not do multipathing.

We have tested all kinds of configs and setups, but it looks like having 2 DACs attached just do not support multipathing. We tested taking the DAC out en putting a Switch in between (so Proliant DAC to Switch and Switch DAC to MSA) and then it works. Can anyone please confirm this?
Is the Proliant DAC to MSA supposed to do Multipath or not?

[SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1 · Accepted solution]

@sabict 

As per my understanding, I think with DAC cable you connect dedicated MSA controller host port to dedicated Server HBA port. So how multi-path will come into picture ?

In case of Switch connectivity, internal to the switch routing happens from one switch port to another switch port and that's how multipath happens.

For example, let's say we have below setup

MSA Controller Port A1, A2, B1,B2
Server1 HBA port 1 >> S1
Server2 HBA port 2 >> S2

In case of direct connectivity,

A1 -> S1
B1 -> S2

So there is no other path possible.

In case of Switch connectivity below paths possible,

A1 -> S1
A1 -> S2

A2 -> S1
A2 -> S2

B1 -> S1
B1 -> S2

B2 -> S1
B2 -> S2

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

I am an HPE employee

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[ArunKKR]

Hi,

From MSA SPOCK compatibility document:

General iSCSI Initiator (1) Notes:
1) All standard ProLiant NICs are supported in Switch Connected in conjunction with the iSCSI OS initiator (SW initiator). Direct Connect is not supported.

https://h20272.www2.hpe.com/SPOCK/index.aspx

Click on configuration set zip files and select MSA 2060 iscsi to download the zip file.

It will have ESXI 7 specific pdf file which has the above listed information as foot note in Page 6.

[Shawn_K]

Hello,

First, the MSA 2060 has been tested and verified with DAC cables and multipathing. This configuration does work. The transfer media will not affect multipathing, it is just a path.

I do have some questions though.

Are the DAC cables the correct and supported cables for the MSA? We have had some issues with "HPE compatable" cables that were not correctly programed. When the DAC cables are connected what is the result of show host ports? Can the servers see the data on the MSA with the DAC cables?

You also state DAC cables and fibre. To me, fibre is for Fibre Channel and not fiber optic cables. Regardless, we do not support 10G (DAC) and 1G (fiber optic) to the same controller. Nor do we support iSCSI and FC to the same MSA 2060 controller.

If you could provide some more details it would be helpful.

I work for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The comments in this post are my own and do not represent an official reply from HPE. No warranty or guarantees of any kind are expressed in my reply.

Cheers,
Shawn

[sabict]

Thank you. We completely rewire the MSA and the server and now we do have multipathing.