MSA2040 FC ODX support

[rgijsen]

Hi, we have a MSA2040 FC, with performance tiering license, running software GL220P009, the latest when writing this post. Connected are two Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Hyper-V hosts in a failover cluster, both connected with dual-port HP 8Gbps HBA's in a MPIO setup. Everything works fine from that perspective, and the whole setup is 100% verified with HPe SPOCK. When I do sequential operations, because of MPIO I can do about 1400MB/sec of traffic. Not bad.

When we bought the unit 2 years ago our representative told us ODX would be available through a forthcoming update (that's about 3 years ago now). We've never got ODX running under 2012R2, but now with 2016 I'd though to give it another try, but alas, no cigar. Neither can I find any official information of ODX being supported or not.

One issue I run into is that we deliberately use fixed VHDX files on our VM's. Whenever I expand a disk with let's say 100GB, for some reason it only does that with about 200MB/sec and an insane amount of IOPS, stalling practically all other IO. While that's more of an OS issue than SAN issue by itself, ODX should fix that.
For testing reasons I have a dirt cheap Synology 2415+ with a few SATA disks, connected with 1Gbps iSCSI and that does ODX. For large file operations that support ODX that 'crappy' Synology outperforms our 25k+ SSD powered MSA2040 by almost an infinite number. Expanding a VHDX file on the Synology with 100GB takes a second of 2 or 3, while it takes at least half an hour on the MSA2040. It's rediculous to see a device 10 times as expensive and marketed as way more (small)-enterprise ready to perform so much worse than a cheap small office NAS because of a missing promised feature.

So I'd like to get some additional information on how or when ODX is supported by the MSA2040. No-one seems to be able to tell me. Has anyone got it working?

[rgijsen]

*bump*

It's been a while since I posted this but the issues are still there.

[rgijsen]

*bump again*

We now also run a MSA2052, and the question still stands. Does it officially support ODX or not?

[HPSDMike]

Hello,

Typically, HPE SPOCK contains the definitive answer for these types of questions. For Windows 2016 and MSA 2050/2052, it says:

Disk Array Notes

1) Microsoft Offline Data Transfers (ODX) is not supported

The same is also true when checking Windows 2012. 

I'll post more information on this thread if I can uncover any additional updates.

[Colin Benson]

Whereabouts did you locate this information in SPOCK as I am searching and finding nothing, trying ascertain the Storevirtual ODX support?

[SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1]

Please find the HPE SPOCK link to get your answer,

https://h20272.www2.hpe.com/spock/Content/Default.aspx?LinId=HPE%20MSA%202050/2052%20SAN%20Storage%20(FC)&CompPath=Operating%20System/Windows%20Server%202016&ConfigType=Fibre%20Channel%20Connectivity||iSCSI%20Connectivity||Serial%20Attached%20SCSI%20Conn&deprecated=false

https://h20272.www2.hpe.com/spock2/Cont/ConfigsetView/index/91759

https://h20272.www2.hpe.com/SPOCK/Content/ExportPDFView.aspx?Id=91759&typeId=2

Tried to give you step by step SPOCK links along with applied filter.

Attaching the screenshot for your reference as well.

It clearly says that Microsoft Offline Data Transfers (ODX) is not  supported