monitor an MSA 1000

[labadie_1]

Hello

Vms 7.3-2, DS25 and MSA 1000.

I would like to know how I can monitor the disks of the MSA 1000, in order to know if some disks have failed.

Regards

Gerard

[Uwe Zessin · Accepted solution]

As far as I can tell, concerning the MSA1000, OpenVMS is a third-class citizen meaning there is nothing provided.

You might receive the usual SCSI data into the error log, but I am not aware if there is a bit-to-text translator for the MSA.

You can watch the controllers through the CLI interface at the front and there is a program (SYS$ETC:MSA_UTIL.EXE) that can query a controller. Unfortunately the output from the controller CLI and MSA_UTIL is quite different - try it, you will see what I mean.

[Åge Rønning]

MSA1000 errors will be written to the OpenVMS errorlog. That mean that tools like webes reading the errorlog will report the error.

[Peter Hofman]

You can write a tool that connects to the MSA1000 over the console port (e.g. via a console server) and lists the status with the "show units" command at regular intervals.

I prefer the CLI over MSA_UTIL, since it provides progress information about the mirroring, and it also is more clear on which disk is being replaced by the spare disk.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

I don't know if this works on a msa1000 but I use "set ho /scsi dev show failed" where dev is a disk name. You need hszterm$scsipad.exe to be able to use it (unsupported).

Wim

[Uwe Zessin]

Please be *VERY* careful when trying HSZTERM - you can send your HSG 'into space' (make it hang).

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Uwe,

When is is giving problems ? I dayly use set ho/scsi several times per day without problems (towards hsg80).

Wim

[Uwe Zessin]

HSZTERM does not lock the controller against other agents (SWCC, SMA). The controller can also become confused when it is fed commands via HSZTERM and the maintenance port.

If you are running ACS V8.7-7, I suggest you read the customer advisory embedded in the following archive:
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/storageworks/acs/HSG80_V87F-7.zip

While this only talks about the ability to process commands we have customers who were able to completely freeze their controllers.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

This bank doesn't allow to open zips.

I tested it several times on a dual hsg80. The commands are serialized (v86f-13).

May be it can be used but test it first.

Wim