CL380 CR3500 problems

[Brett Tesdall]

My company has a CL380 sitting around that we'd like to use to host some virtual servers. We'd like to reconfigure this server so that both nodes run as independent servers, but can simultaneously access specific logical drives set up in the shared storage space. We do NOT want it configured as a cluster.

I've read everything I can about how to connect everything and achieve this. I've upgraded the server BIOS, the RAID BIOS in each node, and the firmware of the CR3500. I've installed Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard on both nodes, and installed the Support Packs and CR3500 Array configuration program.

The problem currently is this: When node 1 is up and running by itself, it can access the shared storage space and all the logical drives set up in it. However, when node 2 is powered up, strange things begin happening. Most of the time, node 1 just loses connection to the CR3500, but sometimes running both nodes will also cause freezes and BSOD's. I have checked the SCSI ID's on the controllers of both nodes that connect to the CR3500, and they are set to 6 and 7 for node 1 and node 2, respectively.

What else am I doing wrong?

[Andrzej Kowalik]

Both servers and storage have ONE shared SCSI bus. If both server are running and no cluster service is started, no one know who is owner of shared disks...

regards,
Andrzej Kowalik

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi Brett,

One of the other things to be aware of is that both nodes may have the SCSI ID of the shared storage adapter in the server set to ID7. If you perform a System Erase or have had the system board on one of the DL380's replaced this is common. One node will boot OK but when the second is booted, all hell breaks loose as there are two initiators on the bus at ID7.

Go into the system config utility (SCU) via F10 or Smartstart on each node and check the SCSI ID of the controller. If both are set to 7 then change one to 6 then you won't have any conflicts.

I have attached an image with this section of the software user guide which explains how to achieve this.

I hope this helps.

Brian

[Brian_Murdoch]

Brett,

I forgot to add that once you have the nodes up and running OK, you will have to use ACU and SELECTIVE STORAGE PRESENTATION (SSP) within ACU to restrict access to the logical drives since you won't be running it as a cluster.

Regards,

Brian

[Brett Tesdall]

Hello, and thanks for your replies so far. I am going to upgrade our server from Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard to Enterprise to see if configuring it as a cluster will make it work properly.

Regarding the SCSI ID's for the cards that connect the nodes to the CR3500 shared storage, as I stated, I have already changed these to 6 and 7, so there should not be any SCSI bus conflicts. I have node 1 up now and created 2 logical drives on the CR3500 array, but the ACU does not see them. ACU only shows me the array on the on-board SCSI RAID in each server node. How do I get ACU to see the CR3500 array?

[Andrzej Kowalik]

CR3500 is not supported with ACU. This is not Smart Array controller.
You must use CR3500 Configuration Utility.

regards,
Andrzej Kowalik

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi Brett,

Sorry I didn't read your full initial request so I apologise for ranting on about the SCSI ID's but I've seen this a few times when engineers have replaced system boards at customer sites. Reply back if you can when you have tried the clustered setup.

If the Windows based ACU can't see the CR3500 try the older WIN32 application based ACU.
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/14185.html

Download it and run it. You can't install it directrly in Server 2003 but you can extract the files (click extract) to a folder C:\CR3500 for example and run CPQACU.EXE from there. It works fine in Windows 2003 and XP too even though it's completely unsupported. Choose the CR3500 from the dropdown box at the top. You'll see the embedded 5i controller as the default but the CR3500 should be there.

I hope this helps.

Brian

[Brett Tesdall]

OK, this is where I am at now.

I've had to upgrade the nodes to Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition because the Standard Edition does not support clustering.

On Node 1, I created a new cluster. It found the logical drives on the CR3500 shared storage array and designated one as a quorum, which is fine. It complained a bit about the network cards being set to DHCP, but it successfully created the cluster. I then powered up node 2 in order to upgrade it, and while node 2 was still booting, the cluster on node 1 went offline, the logical drives on the shared storage disappeared, and trying to open My Computer to view the drives froze. Node 2 never managed to fully boot, getting stuck on the Windows Server 2003 splash screen.

I have now powered down node 1 and in the process of upgrading node 2.

The problem right now seems to be that node 1 and node 2 still cannot access the shared storage simultaneously, which was my problem before upgrading to Enterprise Edition.

Is there still something more that I need to do on node 2 that might get this to finally work? I know I have to try to add it to the cluster, but will that allow the 2 machines to access the shared storage at the same time? Both nodes can see it if the other node is powered down.

Also, this CL380 only has a single CR3500. Could the problem of the nodes freezing up each other be due to a defective CR3500 unit? Or do I need to purchase a second CR3500?

Lastly, I downloaded the Win32 ACU utility, and it still is only showing the integrated smart array in the node. The CR3500 is not in the drop-down and I can find no way to make it see the CR3500.

Any help is appreciated!

[Brian_Murdoch]

Brett,

Have a look at the attached pdf which details all the SCSI device ID views for the CL380 storage with single and dual controllers installed.

When you set up the internal adapters, are both ports of each Compaq 64-bit dual channel adapter set to either 6 or 7? I.E on node 1 are both SCSI ports set to 7 and for node 2 are both SCSI ports set to 6?

What's happening still sounds like a SCSI conflict.

Brian

[Brian_Murdoch]

The following CL380 docuemntation link might also help.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?〈=en&cc=us&contentType=SupportManual&docIndexId=179166&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=254845〈=en&cc=us

Brian