Connecting hosts to EVA5000

[JohanChristensson]

Hi everyone.

We are quite the newbees on EVA5000 and after some trial and error, we have the following setup.

We have set up a CV Eva 6.02 running on a DL140G3 with a Emulex LP90002 controller that we administrate the EVA5000 storage from.

We have installed another computer that we ave installed a Emulex LP10000 FC-HBA in, and we have registred the host WWN in the CV EVA and created a vRaid 1 disk of the size of 50GB, and presented the disk to the registred host at LUN1.

As soon as the host computer (Windows 2003) is connected to the SAN switch, it detects two Compaq HSV110 controllers and these are installed in the "Device Manager".

Up untill here, everything seems fine.

The problem is that we don't see the presented discs in the host computer. At one point, we succseeded in getting the disc visible in the disk manager, but it was "Unreadeble" and we where unable to partition/format the disc.

Also if you restart the computer, the HBA BIOS dosenät detect any other devices on the SAN network other then the two controllers.

We have also tryed using a QLogic controller. We have installed the Platfrom Kit 3.0F.

So my question to all you EVA wizes are: Is there any thing we have to install on the host computer to be abel to get this to work, or what are we doing wrong here?

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[Mark Poeschl_2]

An EVA inherently gives you multiple paths from the host to a presented disk. Windows native disk drivers do not allow for multi-path access. You need multipath disk S/W - either MPIO (from Microsoft) or SecurePath (from HP).

It's also possible that the zoning in your Fibre Channel switches isn't right. Does the output of 'cfgshow' on the switch look right?

[Ivan Ferreira]

Ensure that your zoning configuration is correct in the san switches and also, check that the host operating system is set to windows in the hosts tree of Command View.

>>> and we have registred the host WWN in the CV EVA

When you add a host in EVA, if your zoning configuration is correct, you should able to select the WWN of the HBA from the dropdown list, you don't have to manually enter the information. Where you able to select the HBA WWN from the dropdown list?

[JohanChristensson]

Mark and Ivan, thanks for your replyes.

Regarding the switch configuration: The first thing I did when we started to play around with this, was to reset the configuration of the switch. I figured that tis would set it in som kind of blank, all working state, like you will get with a normal ethernet switch, but maby I was mistaken.

When we registered the host WWN in the CV EVA, we where abel to select them from the dropdown list on the configuration page.

I also have installed "MPIO Basic Failover for EVA5000 VCS3.1x" that I found on the HP website. Should I go with the Secure Path option instead?

Your help is very much appriciated!

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[Amar_Joshi]

Johan,

Your configuration looks ok:


- Installed platform kit for EVA5000
- Installed MPIO Basic
- Able to see the controllers
- When you can select the hosts' WWN from the EVA that confirms the Zoning is working fine on SAN Switches.

only thing I suspect is the host type, are you selecting the proper host type (i.e. Windows for any MS-Windows Operating system).

For EMULEX HBAs you can install the HBAnywhere utility to see if it can see the Vdisks. Similarly for QLOGIC it's SANSurfer utility.

Otherwise, delete the Vdisk presentation and re-present. I have a feeling something is not in place though you are claiming it correctly.

My 2 cents worth....

[JohanChristensson]

If I check in the SANSurfer, I see the controllers, the switch, the EVA and two HBA's + my self. The two other HBA's are the CV EVA unit and another testunit.

I see that the HSV110 controllers are presented as LUN0, and there should also be a LUN3 since I have presented the disc as LUN3.

I have removed the host and the disk from the CV EVA, and re-created the disc, re added the Host, by selecting the correct WWN in the list and setting the OS to Microsoft Windows.

Presented the disc to the configured host, and then nothing happens. No disc, no error messages no nothing.

I'm getting a bit frustrated. Isen't there anything els that chould be wrong? Some licens issue? Is there som limit on how many hosts that can connect to the HSV110 controllers?

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi Johan,

You might want to check which driver you are using on the Emulex card (Storport or SCSIport).

I've had problems in the past with disappearing drives when I was using the Storport driver. Reverting to the SCSIport driver got things working.

You might also want to double check that you have assigned the right WWN to the host in CV EVA.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Rob

[JohanChristensson]

Well it feels like that the problem ain't the host configuration, but rather something in the configuration of the EVA SAN. I base this on that I should be abel to see ths presented discs in the BIOS of the FC-HBA card, right?

How ever. Now I'm getting a bit sick of this, so we have desided to do everything all over again. Yesterday we checked so that everything is connected the right way, disc enclusures, HSV controllers and the loop back switches, and so on.

Today we will re-initialize the controllers and re-install the CV EVA, and the host computer. It feels like we have been playing around with this to much, and it's alwasy better to start over with a clean system.

I'll get back to you with the result.

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[JohanChristensson]

Well, now everything is reinstalled and reinitzialised, but still the same thing.

In the host we see the two controllers, as LUN0, but no presented discs.

I have added the host in the CV EVA, and I entered the WWN address manualy, and checked and re checked the WWN address and it is correct. The host is configured as a "Microsoft Windows" host, and we assigned LUN2 to the presented disk.

So, what now?

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[Amar_Joshi]

Johan,

As I said earlier that I still suspect something is not right as claimed. You may wanna to through the installation guide cautiously.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01080090/c01080090.pdf

Plus, get HP engineer to verify your configuration setup. You need an expert to point out the problem.

Since the connection to your CV host is perfect, why don't you try presenting a LUN to it and try again.

[JohanChristensson]

We actually talket to a HP technican today, and after going though a few points and checking some settings, he hade no idea why the system dosen't work.

The only thing he chould think of is that in some cases if the firmware of the controller, FC-HBA's and switch are to far apart in version, this thing can happen.

He will compile a CD for us with a setup of firmware that he is sure works together, and we will try again.

Best regards,
Johan Christensson

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

> I have added the host in the CV EVA, and I entered the WWN address manually

If you had to enter the WWN manually, rather than it appearing in the drop down list, that suggests something is wrong, probably with the zoning of the switches.

Telnet on to one of the switches, and see whether you can see the WWNs in the output of the switchShow command...

Cheers,

Rob

[JohanChristensson]

Thats true, but I can find the correct WWN namn i the drop-down list in CV EVA. The reason for me to enter it manualy was to make sure that is was 100% the correct address.

Best regards,
Johan Christensson