VSS Snapshot provider

[micha45]

Hi,

I've been trying to implement the HP VSS provider on our P4500 (4 nodes, San iQ 9) on the two clustered P4000 NAS gateway (software pre-installed on Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 enterprise).

I haven't been able to get this to work. I've checked the registry that shows the correct credential for the LH cluster, but I'm wondering how this could be implemented.

Is there any detailled documentation I've missed on this ?

Thanks

[Jitun]

Have you checked the

P4000 Windows Solution Pack user guide

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01865547/c01865547.pdf

[micha45]

Hi,

Yes, I did read this document.
I've checked the registry and the credentials are OK.

I'm then trying to get Windows 2008 R2 doing a VSS snapshop, but it looks like doing a standard software snapshot.

Michael

[James Cochrane_1]

Same deal here, and I've tried it on both Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 hosts, and the P4300 G1, P4500 G2 and VSA.

The P4000 Provider doesn't appear to register properly with the Microsoft VSS service - I'm trying to get the idea that this is a product problem through to HP at the moment (at Tues 4am - I was at the limit of tier-3, who were then off to engineering).

I guess this isn't a problem for everyone else, as CMC will still create a snapshot and won't report an error when creating an 'application aware' snapshot - the resultant snapshot just won't be as advertised, and neither will your LUNs when you do this! Thing is, most applications are pretty robust to VSS errors...**most** of the time.

**Most of the time** ain't good enough for a storage product.

Here are a few things you've already tried:

vssadmin list providers (should list your P4000 provider)
vssadmin list writers
vssadmin create shadow (should create an array based copy, but in my experience, it doesn't).
Install cliq on a test host, and run:

cliq vssSnapshot

This will create an array based snapshot, but in my experience will not fire up the VSS writers...SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL as it can result in corruption of data!!!

If I hear back from HP anytime soon, I'll post the solution.