MSA-1000 v4.24 w/ 2003 and Secure Path 4.0c Problem

[Derek_31]

Here's my current configuration:

MSA-1000, two fibre channel ports, two controllers, only one port connected to the 2/16 switch at the moment (firmware 4.24 and 3.1.1, respectively), and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise on a DL360 G2.

Old Config: With secure path 4.0B, and MSA-1000 2.38, all was well. I know having the 2nd fibre port not connected isn't the best configuration, but that's how it currently is.

Problem: Now when the server boots, during the boot process the system mounts the secure path volume, and then it is rudely 'un plugged', Windows complains loudly in the system logs, and then it is re-mounted all before the login screen appears. The effect is that SQL, Exchange, and other programs are quite unhappy with the volume being rudely dismounted (duh). This absolutely never happend with 2.38 and SP 4.0B, and always does with the new config.

I have a second SAN setup, MSA-1000 v4.24, two old Gadzooks built-in switches cascaded to each other, and 2003 hosts with SP 4.0c with single connections to the build in switches. They reboot just find and never once had the error.

So I conclude that 2003 with MSA-1000 4.24, Secure Path 4.0c, and a single connection to a dual controller MSA-1000 storage array has a problem that didn't exist before.

I'll probably end up connecing the 2nd fibre port off the MSA, but our 16 port switch is already full.

The long term answer is of course to get another switch or get the 2/32, but I'd like to get the 4.24/SP4.0c config working like it did with 2.38 and SP4.0B.

[Doug de Werd]

It's not surprising that you are getting error messages with your config. The MSA1000 is designed to run either ALL single path or ALL dual path. If you have a mix of single and dual components like you do, it would be normal for error messages to occur.

It may be that the 4.0C/4.24FW combination has additional error condition identification code in there that the old combination didn't have.

Bottom line is you should run either all single path or all dual path, but not a mix.

Thanks,
Doug