nas 8000 (netserver based) problem to see luns on VA array

[Gianluca Cecchi]

Hello all,

I'm trying to configure a NAS8000 composed by 2 netserver (old version of the hw).
I'm only using one of them for now.
I can connect via mgmt eth0 with telnet and the java enabled gui, without any problems.
I'm not able to see any storage attached.
I know that there is a fibre channel hba connected to a fc-switch and from here
to a VA storage array where 2 LUNS were configured for access from the nas.
From the gui I'm not able to see anything about storage, also after rescan and reboot
of the nas.
From the manuals I should see only the luns, if connected to a SAN attached storage,
but I see nothing
The only relevant things I can find through the logs are:

- in the "messages" log file I see this error message:
hpn: (0) hpArrayMond: ERROR - Caught: Direct connect mode
is not enabled
- also from command line using the command
"% getStorageDasdScsiVa7xxxManagementSoftwareRunning"
I get:
[ERROR] getStorageDasdScsiVa7xxxManagementSoftwareRunning: Direct connect mode is not enabled

- it seems that the link is not up from the fc-switch port to which the nas is connected.
I cannot reach the site where the hw is for the moment, so I cannot inspect the hw at the
moment, but I had cable and port of the fc-switch changed without any positive result

- from the manual it appears that in the main gui window accessing the switch from the web I should have information about the hba (under the network card information) but I have nothing.....
The OS version installed is 1.4.2 Is this true for the netserver version also?

Any help on how to debug/troubleshooting the situation?

Thanks in advance.

Bye,
Gianluca

[Vincent Fleming]

Since you've already discovered that you have a problem between the NAS head and the switch, it sounds like you've narrowed your problem down quite a bit already.

You have to be sure that the cables are in the port numbers you expect - without physical access to the equipment, you will need to rely on the local operators for this. Next, be sure your Zone(s) are appropriate - you may have it zoned away from the VA. Next is the topology... be sure the topology is the same (Fabric) in both the switch and HBA/NAS head.

Let us know if you can get the HBAs to be recognised by the switches....

-Vince]

[Gianluca Cecchi]

Ok, thanks.
But the problem is that it seems that the NAS itself is not able to recognize if the FC HBA is on board and well configured or not.
I wasn't able to find any command or gui tab to search for this and in the logs I'm not able to find neither positive messages about it, neither negative ones.
Is there a command to show info about the HBA, or eventually something like lspci....?
The only reference about storage is in the "messages" file:

hpn: (0) hpArrayMond: ERROR - Caught: Direct connect mode
is not enabled

and also issuing the command
% getStorageDasdScsiVa7xxxManagementSoftwareRunning"
I get:
[ERROR] getStorageDasdScsiVa7xxxManagementSoftwareRunning: Direct connect mode is not enabled

Any hints about the meaning of the error?

Cheers,
Gianluca

[Vincent Fleming]

Gianluca,

Information about how to debug NAS8000 problems can be found at: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Resource.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=110&prodSeriesId=238964&prodTypeId=12169

There are manuals there also.

The "Direct Connect mode is not enabled" seems to indicate that the HBAs are in Fabric mode, and it expects to be in Loop mode for some reason. See the SAN attach guide under "manuals" from that link above for some more info.

I think what you have is a SAN problem... the maagement software for the VA will not run until you have basic connectivity to the array.

Vince

[Saulius_1]

Hi,

I'm using that "unwanted child" called NAS8000 too :(.

It is connected to the SAN, using brocade switches. VA7400 is used for some different purposes than NAS only, however NAS has its own LUN, and shares it through copper.

I have the same errors filling my log files :(. I mean "Direct mode not enabled". As far I understand the problem is in the SAN. Don't know how NAS was designed, but it seems, that developers liked direct attach mode, when VA is connected directly to the NAS without any switch.

Our LUN/port level zoning is OK, performance is OK (as for NAS which is linux based). However I'm getting same errors.

2Vincent: I can not see any normal troubleshooting guides in the link you've given. Can you point more directly. Thanks.

Saulius