msa direct attach with hba sn1100q and vsphere 8

[Pazzoide1976]

Hello,
I need some information about a configuration based on two dl380 gen10, with hba sn1100q2p and one msa1060 fc storage.
The problem is that the fiber paths are not stable using the PTP configuration to go to 16Gb.
Some paths do not go up.
If I unplug and plug the gbic the path goes up.
If I configure the system in loop mode it is stable but the maximum allowed speed is 8 Gb.
Does the msa 1060 storage support 16gb direct attach with hba sn1100q2p with vsphere 8?
What could be the problem?

Thank you

Greetings.

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. HPE MSA 1060/2060/2062 Installation Guide

2. HPE MSA 1060/2060/2062 Storage Arrays Best Practices

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[Pazzoide1976]

In the installation guide on page 30 it says:
Point-to-point protocol is used to connect to a fabric switch. Point-to-point protocol can also be used for direct connection, and it is the only option supporting direct connection at 16Gb/s.
So in direct attach with point to point it has to work at 16Gb/s?

Thank you

[Mahesh202]

Hi Pazzoide

I understand that you are experiencing stability issues with the fiber paths when using a point-to-point (PTP) configuration to connect two HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 servers with HBA SN1100Q2P to an HPE MSA1060 FC storage. You have mentioned that the paths are unstable when configured for 16 Gb and that some paths do not come up. However, when configured in loop mode, the connection is stable but limited to a maximum speed of 8 Gb.

To answer your first question, the HPE MSA1060 storage supports direct attach with HBA SN1100Q2P and vSphere 8 at 16 Gb speeds. However, it is important to ensure that the firmware and driver versions for the HBA and storage are compatible with each other and with vSphere 8.

As for the stability issues you are experiencing, there could be several potential causes. One possible issue is a misconfiguration of the fiber channel switch or zoning, which could cause connectivity issues between the servers and storage. It could also be a driver or firmware compatibility issue between the HBA and storage, which can cause communication errors and instability.

Another possible cause could be a faulty or poorly installed fiber optic cable, which could cause intermittent connectivity issues. It's also possible that there is an issue with the GBIC modules themselves, which may need to be replaced.

To resolve the issue, you should check the compatibility of the firmware and drivers of the HBA and storage, verify the fiber channel switch configuration and zoning, and inspect the fiber optic cables and GBIC modules for any issues. You may also want to consider reaching out to HPE MSA Storage technical support for assistance in troubleshooting the issue.

Hope this helps.!!

Regards
Mahesh.

[Pazzoide1976]

Thanks for your answer.
To install I used the drivers and firmware proposed by spock so at this point I think it's a hw problem.

[Pazzoide1976]

I opened a case for both storage and servers.
Let's see what the support says.

[Pazzoide1976 · Accepted solution]

The problem was due to driver 5.3.1.0.
Support made me downgrade to 4.1.34 and run the vmware article https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/84325.
Paths are now stable at 16GB.

[Mahesh202]

Hi Pazzoide

I'm glad to hear that the issue with your driver has been resolved by downgrading to version 4.1.34 and following the VMware article you mentioned. It's always important to ensure that your drivers are up-to-date and compatible with your system and any software you're using. It's also a good practice to keep backups of your data in case of unexpected issues or errors. If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to ask.

Hope this helps.!!

Regards
Mahesh

[Denis_G]

In my case helped turning off nvmesupport option in driver by:

esxcfg-module -s 'ql2xnvmesupport=0' qlnativefc

This option is turned on by default on fresh drivers and causes different issues like path unstability in Direct Attach configurations