Supported Cluster Configuration?

[StevenE]

I have a customer who wants to cluster 2 DL580's with Windows 2003 EE and SQL 2005. They have 2 FC2214A HBA's in each node hooked to a EMC Clarion CX600. A Couple of questions?

1) Where does one find the recommended driver/bios versions for this configuration in a Microsoft Cluster?

2) Should EMC powerpath be used for multipathing this solution? I was thinking about Secure Path but I think that is for HP storage systems only.

Thanks for any info

[Rune J. Winje · Accepted solution]

1) If the storage was HP's XP1024 for example you would use the drivers you find when searching for FCA2214 (*)

You have a choice of storport driver component or scsiport driver component. Depending on this the storport.sys or scsiport.sys of the Windows OS will be used.

Scsiport is the old driver model. Storport the new and improved. For x64 edition of Windows only storport is available.

If using storport drivers, then it's EXTREMELY important to update to the latest storport.sys
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=916048

Finally regarding *) you should contact EMC to get their recommendation for driver version and possible driver and/or disk parameters that has to be set in the registry.

2) MPIO full featured DSM (Device Specific Module) will replace HP Securepath in the long term. For Powerpath - again check with EMC and their recommendations. It depends on things like if EMC has made a MPIO full featured DSM for their storage solution.

MPIO currently lacks some of the maturity of products like Securepath/Powerpath - but MPIO is set to replace them in the long run...

MPIO comes in two flavours - "Basic" (as in basic functionality) and "Full featured" where the storage vendor has made a DSM (device specific module) for their particular storage hardware.


Cheers,
Rune

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

you need PowerPath for Multipathing. I think there is a newer version (4.6.0) that is MPIO-based, but I haven't seen it yet. 4.5.0 with eFix1 should be fine.
The FCA2214 is supported, but you should use EMC-approved drivers and HBA BIOS from Qlogic. If you have EMC Powerlink access you can use E-Lab Interoperability Navigator to find out exactly what versions. EMC also recommend STORport drivers, and the Hotfix from Microsoft. I've attached a PDF generated by E-Lab Navigator, which should give you something to start with.

Regards,
Stephen

[StevenE]

Thanks for the replies and document, this is what i was looking for, thanks again

[Stephen Kebbell]

The Qlogic support site was down earlier. Here's a link to get the EMC-Approved drivers:

http://support.qlogic.com/support/oem_product_detail.asp?p_id=253&oemid=65&oemname=QLA2340

You have to scroll down a bit to find the Windows drivers.
You need to download SANsurfer (also on this page)to update the HBA BIOS.

Regards,
Stephen