DL 380 G9 ESXi install on iSCSi

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

Hi,

I have a DL380 G10 that I have successfully managed to setup for iSCSI boot and install ESXi on a volume on our HP SAN.

I am now trying to do the same on our DL380 G9, and have configured the iSCSI boot settings in the BIOS in a similar way to that of our G10. I can see on our MSA 2062 web UI that the host maps and is discovered during POST, however once I launch the ESXi installation, the mapping and initiator disconnects, meaning the volume is not visible to the ESXi installer.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to configure the G9 to work in this scenario?

Many thanks

James

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. HP-UX iSCSI Software Initiator (iSCSI-00) B.11.31.03d Release Notes (February 2013)

2. HP-UX iSCSI Software Initiator Support Guide Edition 8

If the above information is helpful, then please click on "Thumbs Up/Kudo" icon.

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[Jags_21]

Hi James,

Check the below suggestion if it solves the problem:

• Cross check if the NIC is pointed to the right target LUN that you want to use as boot LUN
• Make sure the LUN presented from the storage is visible only to the server where you want to use as a boot disk
• Change the boot sequence so iSCSI is the first in order
• Also, disable the option on “boot to the iSCSI target”, once installation is complete, then re-enable the option on the adapter.
• Always recommended to use compatible HPE Custom ESXi image

Also check the support document url: HPE UEFI Deployment Methods for HP ProLiant Gen9 Servers - iSCSI Boot Deployment, though the installation referred to RHEL bot the parameters for iSCSI config might help

For more information check URL: General Recommendations for Boot from iSCSI SAN

Thanks

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

Hello,

Can confirm iSCSI boot attempt is looking at the current LUN.

Can confirm LUN is only mapped to this one server/initiator.

iSCSI boot is set as first entry in boot list.

I cannot find where to change ths "boot to the iSCSI target" option. Where would this be?

I do not have an HP ESXi image, but had no issues using generic image on my DL 380 G10.

Checking the first document, everything is configured as mention in the instructions. The only thing is that my volume shows up as BLK0 rather than FS0. Is that a problem?

Hoping you may have additional thoughts/advice.

Thanks.

James

[Jags_21]

Hi James,

I presume you are setting up with a hardware iSCSI "boot to the iSCSI target" option this will be available with in the HBA settings that's available on the server depending on the type of card need to access the utility of the HBA, if its Software iSCSI please check the below URL.

URL: 
HPE UEFI Deployment for HPE ProLiant Gen9 Servers - Configuring the iSCSI Software Initiator and Booting iSCSI

HPE Custom is always recommended because it would have all the available drivers bundled within the image (as per the recommended SPP for the ESXi version and the server), the supported HPE custom image in your case would be as below

HPE Custom Image for VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 3 (26 October 2021) (providing the latest as reference), for all the HPE Custom Image details check recipe url: November 2021 VMware Software Recipe

ESXi versions supported reference @ https://techlibrary.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/supportmatrix/vmware.aspx#dl

Check the URL for more details on the HPE custom images: Software Delivery Repository - vibsdepot (aka HPE Online Depot)

I hope the above info might help you and resolve, if not then BLK0 might relate to compatibility issue between the server and storage, in that case I would request to work with the support team to troubleshoot and resolve the same.

Thanks,

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

Good morning,

In both the case of the working G10 and not working G9, we are using the BIOS/UEFI software iSCSI method. The NIC we have in this G9 is an Intel X550-T2, which does not appear to have any hardware boot to iSCSI options available to us.

I have already followed the software iSCSI documentation, and have configured the software iSCSI setup similarly to our working G10. That is when I get the BLK0 device showing in the UEFI shell. Note, there is currently no file system on the volume I have mapped to this host, which may explain why it is showing as BLK0, as it is effectively a RAW and uninitialized volume?

As for the image, I do not know if the Intel NIC actually came with this server or was purchased after the fact and added in house by our previous sys admin. In any case both the G9 and the Intel NIC are listed as supported by ESXi 7.0 in the Vmware compatibility matrix, so would expect the drivers to be loaded and available for use.

Many thanks

James

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

Just for ref, I have tried the HP custom image also with no change.

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

It seems the issue is somehow related to the MPIO setup on my 4 iSCSI attempts;

We have a dual port NIC and iSCSI boot is enabled on both ports in the BIOS. Our SAN has dual controllers.

We have both controllers and both NIC ports currently connected to the same switch. I therefore setup 4 iSCSI boot attempts;
NIC A to controller A
NIC A to controller B
NIC B to controller A
NIC B to controller B

I stripped it back down to two attempts:
NIC A to controller A
NIC B to controller B

This now seems to be working. Not sure why having two additional attempts causes it to become unavailable to the ESXi installer?

[Jags_21]

Hi James,

Good to Hear the issue got resolved, I am not sure what would be exact issue but as you pointed could be MPIO playing as a culprit and as per the Intel adapter I doubt if HPE as HBA with Intel chipset not sure

Thanks

[sudhirsingh]

@JamesEdmondsAsp

Glad to know that you found solution, thank you for posting the solution.

Regards,

Sudhir

[JamesEdmondsAsp]

Not sure I would really class my post as the solution, as I have simply removed what I would consider to be a valid config.

I'd still like to understand why the config I did have was causing a problem so a proper solution can be found, especially as I would ideally want this level of MPIO in my production deployment.