Configuring new StorageWorks MSA 30 SB

[Toby Ragsdale]

Hello all,

Looking for some help getting a new rp3440 running. Im trying to configure the external drive array. It seems like I must use Verita Ent Admin, is this true? I can run it, but it will not connect, asking for "host" but never connecting.

I would much prefer to use SAM to configure this, or saconfig. It should be easy enough. I have four drives in this c4t0d0-c4t3d0, and want a simple raid 5 config.

Any help would be welcome.

Thanks
TBR

[Torsten.]

Is it connected to a "normal" SCSI controller or a smartarray controller?

In case of a "normal" controller you see every single disk and have to configure it using a volume manager like LVM or VxVM.

In case of a smartarray you need to create LUNs first using saconfig.

[Toby Ragsdale]

"Is it connected to a "normal" SCSI controller or a smartarray controller?"

Turns out to be a "normal" SCSI. I had asked for a smartarray controller, but somewhere in the mix, it got replaced with the standard.


"In case of a "normal" controller you see every single disk and have to configure it using a volume manager like LVM or VxVM."

Yes I see each drive. c4t0d0... etc.

So, now I have VxVM volume group rootdg. Im lost. I think I just need to distroy this group, and use LVM. Should I? How do I? Or, should I go forward with the VxVM? If so, from the group, how do I now create logical volumes?

My overall plan, now, is span two drives, and mirror to the other two.

Thoughts? Help?
TBR

[Toby Ragsdale]

Im messing with this Vx stuff, and getting frustrated. I ran the vxdiskunsetup, cant get the drives "off-line" etc. If this is a better way of doing this, I will learn it, but I would really just like to use LVM at this point. Any help needed.

TBR

[Torsten.]

Don't touch your rootdg and wait a moment ...

[Torsten.]

meanwhile you should read this

http://docs.hp.com/en/B2355-90950/ch06.html

[Toby Ragsdale]

Reading and waiting....

Thanks

TBR

[Torsten.]

OK, looks like your boot disks are using VxVM and your are not the person who set this up. To use all functionallity of VxVM you'll need additional licenses and I guess you didn't have them. Anyway, if you want to mirror your drives, we can use LVM, the default.

I'm sure you read the documentation already.

Fitsz do an "ioscan -fnCdisk" to see all available disk devices.

The devices

0/1/1/0.0.0 /dev/dsk/c2t0d0
0/1/1/0.1.0 /dev/dsk/c2t1d0
0/1/1/1.2.0 /dev/dsk/c3t2d0

are the internal disks - don't touch!

All others, you told me c4t0d0-c4t3d0, are in the MSA30.

Now open "sam" and go to disk devices. Select the first 2 disks (c4t0d0, c4t1d0) and create a volume group "vg01", create a LVOL in a certain size you need and name it lvol1. Select a mount point (e.g. data01) and confirm. If sam has finished the tasks, you can exit and list the new directory "ll /data01". That's it.

Advanced course - mirroring:

create physical volumes on the other 2 disks.
pvcreate /dev/rdsk/c4t2d0 (c4t3do)
and add them to your vg:
vgextend vg01 /dev/dsk/c4t2d0
and mirror:
lvextend -m 1 /dev/vg01/lvol1 /dev/dsk/c4t2d0

Almost expert! ;-)

In case of doubt - ask!

[Toby Ragsdale]

"OK, looks like your boot disks are using VxVM and your are not the person who set this up. To use all functionallity of VxVM you'll need additional licenses and I guess you didn't have them. Anyway, if you want to mirror your drives, we can use LVM, the default."

The internal (c2t0d0&c2t1d0) are using LVM. The OS was installed, but the mirror was not. I setup a mirror for the l-volumes.

I started getting going with the externals, so the "rootdg" is somthing I did.

"Fitsz do an "ioscan -fnCdisk" to see all available disk devices."

All used "CLAIMED"

"Now open "sam" and go to disk devices. Select the first 2 disks (c4t0d0, c4t1d0) and create a volume group "vg01", create a LVOL in a certain size you need and name it lvol1. Select a mount point (e.g. data01) and confirm. If sam has finished the tasks, you can exit and list the new directory "ll /data01". That's it."

I think I need to distroy the rootdg.

So, Im not really sure where I am. How can I get the GUI to work? When I go to it (throught the x-window sam) it is asking for a host, but nothing seems to make it happy. I really don't care if i use the gui, but cant get seem to get it going, or know what Im doing with the vx???? stuff.

Again, back to LVM would make me happy at this point.

TBR

[Toby Ragsdale]

To add. Using vxdiskunsetup, I cant get past "device is in use". I cant use umount as no lvolumes exist.

TBR

[Torsten.]

I'm not sure about this:

Did you mirror the boot disk?
Did you create a VxVM on the MSA30 disks?

Please provide this first (capture and attach):

vgdisplay -v
lvlnboot -v

How do you connect to your server? SAM also runs on a "telnet-like" session, GUI isn't really needed.

[Toby Ragsdale]

Did you mirror the boot disk?
Yes

Did you create a VxVM on the MSA30 disks?
Yes

Please provide this first (capture and attach):

vgdisplay -v
lvlnboot -v
Will do Hold.

How do you connect to your server? SAM also runs on a "telnet-like" session, GUI isn't really needed.
I use the telnet (text) version of SAM. The only reason for messing with the x-window was the stupid Veritas thing.

TBR

[Torsten.]

There is no text based veritas tool - only GIU or command line. To work out the command line will getting complicated this time.
What is the OS on the system in front of you?
In case of linux it will be easy, in case of windows you need an X-server emulation to get the GUI.

[Toby Ragsdale]

I have a x-server running. I can run the x-windows sam, and start the veritas app, but it ask for host, and nothing seems to be correct. IP, or host name for the server.

Im just trying to get it unconfigured now, and use LVM. I give up. The Veritas thing SUCKS!!!

What a waste of time. Why would they bother with the x-window version?

TBR

[Torsten.]

I'm afraid we have to remove all VxVM information to prevent future error messages and confusion. Surely we can just overwrite all this stuff, but VxVM will complain.

If

vxdiskunsetup -C c4t0d0

gives an "in use" message, try

vxdg â g rootdg rmdisk c4t0d0
and again
vxdiskunsetup -C c4t0d0

Hope this helps - sorry, because of my locale time I'll do a break ;-)

Good luck Toby, I'll come back to this thread!

[Toby Ragsdale]

Torsten,

Thank-you soo much for the help. I got the VxVM removed and recreated with LVM. I think using the Veritas tools could be useful, but I don't know that I will ever know. The LVM works fine for me, and unless someone insists that I use it, I don't see going that direction again.

For anyone future reference. I used lvdiskadm to remove 3 of the 4 drives from the volume group. Then I had make a file to stop the Veritas starting, reboot, and destroy the other drive. I will try and document a bit better and update this later. Just under the gun right now.

TBR

[Toby Ragsdale]

Thanks again.