EVA5000 on cluster

[Helmi_1]

hi,

i got 4 cluster that cinnected to MSA1000 as a primary storage(HP secure path). My plan is to connect these 4 cluster to EVA5000 as a backup storage (single path). The problem is, i just can only add this EVA volumes to clster but cannot applies cluster environment(failover and failback).

Pls advise.
Thaks.

[Paul Henderson_2]

Helmi,
What type of cluster are you configuring? VMS, TruCluster, SUN Cluster, Windows cluster? You'll have to provide more exact information.

[Helmi_1]

Thanks for the reply,

i am using windows 2003 cluster. i am already implement this almost 2 years with msa1000. Now i just want add the EVA5000 volumes on existing cluster with same group of cluster. This is for backup SAN due to this is very critical server. The HP reseller already email HP Malaysia to get information, here is the email to them.

Question,
I got the customer queries on the server setup, please help to clarify asap. (with attachment)

Respond from HP Malaysia.

You question relates to Microsoft clustering capabilities. Talk to a microsoft clustering expert. I will see if I can do the same here.

My question is, can EVA 5000 work with windows cluster enviroment ? (failover and failback volumes).

Thanks

[Uwe Zessin · Accepted solution]

> My plan is to connect these 4 cluster to EVA5000
> as a backup storage (single path).

Assuming that the EVA runs with VCS firmware version 3:
Make sure that all cluster members use the same path and talk to the EVA controller which is managing the virtual disk. You CANNOT connect one server single-path to one controller and the other server to EVA's second controller and expect Windows to fail over the virtual disk!

I suggest you check whether you can at least use the basic MPIO in your environmnent to use multipathing.

[Helmi_1]

Thanks for the reply,

actually, the connection between 2 cluster server to EVA5000 through 2 more SAN switch. This a updated diagram. I had tried to add EVA volumes at existing cluster. its work, but not stable. sometime the volumes can be failover/failback, and sometime its cannot work. Pls advise.

HP Malaysia informed me that only 1 HP storage can be added on windows cluster enviroment. MSA1000 and EVA5000 can't be mix. is it true?

[Paul Henderson_2]

A disk is a disk, regardless of whether it is on an MSA or EVA. If the server has a path to a disk, and the disk controller (MSA or EVA) 'presents' the disk to the server, then the server will see it and possibly use it.

We have several servers accessing internal storage, HSG80 storage (on the SAN), and EVA storage (on the SAN). There is no issue.

However, you cannot, for example, create a virtual disk on the MSA, then create an identically sized disk on the EVA and have the server failover between the MSA and EVA disks. There is simply no connection, and there is nothing ensuring the mirroring of the two drives.

You may be able to run some volume manager software that will mirror data between the MSA disk and the EVA disk. You may want to do this for disaster recovery, for example, in two separate computer rooms.

If you don't need physical separation, why not just use the raid 1 mirroring capability of the EVA to ensure survivability of your data?

Anyway, I hope this helps... I'm still confused about what you want to do.

[Helmi_1]

Thanks for the replies,

fyi,

We have 4 cluster server. All connected to MSA1000 as a primary storage. My planned is to have EVA5000 as a backup storage. If anything hapend to MSA1000 either both controller on MSA failure, we have EVA as a secondary storage(backup storage). I already presents the EVA volumes to all cluster server. All data now miror between MSA volumes and EVA volumes using simple script. Now the issue is, i need to add the EVA volumes at the existing windows cluster. The problem is its work, but not stable. sometime the volumes can be failover/failback, and sometime its cannot work. SQL and application running on cluster environment. Pls advise.

fyi,
MSA using secure path and EVA connection is single path.

Pls advised. I need to implement this as soon as posibble.

Thanks.

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

according to HP's SAN Design Reference Guide, you can only have an MSA1000 and an EVA5000 on the same host if the following conditions are met:
1. The MSA has only a single controller
2. The EVA has firmware VCS 3.xxx (3.028)
3. SecurePath must be version 4.0c SP2 (SP2-1), for the EVA.

So the answer from HP is correct (your setup is an unsupported configuration). As Paul says, you can have HSG and EVA on one server, but the MSA is a different family of storage.

Regards,
Stephen