B1izzard
asked on
AX150 boot from SAN
I am just curious if it is possible to setup a boot from san scenario, and the general process. For example, I want to install Windows Server from DVD, but have the OS install on the SAN so the server is diskless.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Duncan Meyers
That'll teach me to copy-and-paste.
i did lately in a project BCP and disaster recovery plan by implementing multiple blade servers connected to IBM SAN to host multiple application and replicate them to DR site (5Km) through Dark Fiber. I deployed them on a disk-less Blade server that boot from the SAN FC (BFS), boot images stored on disk arrays SAN can be easily cloned between the 2xsites beside the data. The servers are running OS Red Hat ELS 5.5 x86_64 64Bit + Windows2003. BFS will help you to implement DR in a proper way if you enable Hardware SAN replica feature later
ASKER
I will try this tonight.
Will boot from SAN work on both Windows Server 2008 32 & 64 bit with the AX150 and QLogic QLA2342 HBA's? I just ask because of the Windows 2003 server reference which is sometimes the death knoll for the latest OS.
If it will, if I was running Windows Server 2008 x64, it looks like these would be the correct drivers. Please confirm.
http://driverdownloads.qlogic.com/QLogicDriverDownloads_UI/SearchByProduct.aspx?ProductCategory=39&Product=255&Os=173
Will boot from SAN work on both Windows Server 2008 32 & 64 bit with the AX150 and QLogic QLA2342 HBA's? I just ask because of the Windows 2003 server reference which is sometimes the death knoll for the latest OS.
If it will, if I was running Windows Server 2008 x64, it looks like these would be the correct drivers. Please confirm.
http://driverdownloads.qlogic.com/QLogicDriverDownloads_UI/SearchByProduct.aspx?ProductCategory=39&Product=255&Os=173
ASKER
meyersd, can you elaborate where you said: 'First, add the boot from SAN LUN to the storage group - it should be the first LUN presented.' I am using Navisphere Express, so what is the procedure using this?
When I try to boot, all I get for selectable boot options are (I did not get anything at 125):
ID Vendor Rev Port Name Port ID
0 DGC 0220 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 0000EF
1 QLogic QLA 2342 21:00:00:E0:8B:0A:90:CD 0000E8
Who is DGC? What hardware device is the Port Name 50:06.... referring to? Why is the HBA listed?
When I try to boot, all I get for selectable boot options are (I did not get anything at 125):
ID Vendor Rev Port Name Port ID
0 DGC 0220 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 0000EF
1 QLogic QLA 2342 21:00:00:E0:8B:0A:90:CD 0000E8
Who is DGC? What hardware device is the Port Name 50:06.... referring to? Why is the HBA listed?
ASKER
So in Navisphere Express, do I simply create a virtual disk and if the HBA is configured correctly, it will boot to it?
I had a prexisting 1GB lun and was able to see this when booting DVD and trying to install Windows Server 2008. Since I couldn't install to 1GB, I went to Navisphere and deleted it and created a 20GB lun in it's place for virtual disk 1. When I tried rebooting the server, it stopped seeing the lun as it had previously when I saw it in the Windows Server setup. It gives some error about no device found at ID 125 (don't remember the exact verbiage).
So is the vendor 'DGC' at ID 0 what it looks like normally when trying to boot from SAN?
Why would the server stop seeing the SAN after deleting the 1GB and creating a 20GB? Must I reboot the whole SAN? II tried rebooting SP A, which did nothing.
I had a prexisting 1GB lun and was able to see this when booting DVD and trying to install Windows Server 2008. Since I couldn't install to 1GB, I went to Navisphere and deleted it and created a 20GB lun in it's place for virtual disk 1. When I tried rebooting the server, it stopped seeing the lun as it had previously when I saw it in the Windows Server setup. It gives some error about no device found at ID 125 (don't remember the exact verbiage).
So is the vendor 'DGC' at ID 0 what it looks like normally when trying to boot from SAN?
Why would the server stop seeing the SAN after deleting the 1GB and creating a 20GB? Must I reboot the whole SAN? II tried rebooting SP A, which did nothing.
You're almost there. Highlight this one and press Enter:
0 DGC 0220 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 0000EF
DGC is Data General Corporation - the inventors of the CLARiiON line. The name lives on in the boot BIOS despite DG having been bought out by EMC in 1999. 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 is the World Wide Name (similar to a MAC address) of the CLARiiON. 50:06:01:63: identifies the box as EMC and a CLARiiON. The last octet tells me you're on port 3 on SPA. The last part of the WWN (:3A:60:1D:03) is unique to your AX150.
>Why would the server stop seeing the SAN after deleting the 1GB and creating a 20GB.
It's now looking for an OS on that drive - if you now install an OS on that drive, life will be sweet.
0 DGC 0220 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 0000EF
DGC is Data General Corporation - the inventors of the CLARiiON line. The name lives on in the boot BIOS despite DG having been bought out by EMC in 1999. 50:06:01:63:3A:60:1D:03 is the World Wide Name (similar to a MAC address) of the CLARiiON. 50:06:01:63: identifies the box as EMC and a CLARiiON. The last octet tells me you're on port 3 on SPA. The last part of the WWN (:3A:60:1D:03) is unique to your AX150.
>Why would the server stop seeing the SAN after deleting the 1GB and creating a 20GB.
It's now looking for an OS on that drive - if you now install an OS on that drive, life will be sweet.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
It is working now. 2 quick questions then I will close this post:
>> The last octet tells me you're on port 3 on SPA.
Can you explain this? The AX150 has SP A ports FE0 & FE1, and SP B ports FE0 & FE1. So where does port 3 come from?
I found out the problem on booting when it gave the error 'No fibre devices found' for adapter 0 loop id 125. When I deleted the partition and recreated it, I did not assign it to a server, so apparently you must do so. Is this 'lun masking'?
>> The last octet tells me you're on port 3 on SPA.
Can you explain this? The AX150 has SP A ports FE0 & FE1, and SP B ports FE0 & FE1. So where does port 3 come from?
I found out the problem on booting when it gave the error 'No fibre devices found' for adapter 0 loop id 125. When I deleted the partition and recreated it, I did not assign it to a server, so apparently you must do so. Is this 'lun masking'?
>Can you explain this? The AX150 has SP A ports FE0 & FE1, and SP B ports FE0 & FE1. So where does port 3 come from?
It's a quirk of the AX-series. Their big brother, the CX4- series arrays, use the same prefix: 50:06:01:6n for SPA and SPB. For SPA, n is 0 to 7, for SPB, n is 8 to F, so you can tell from the WWN exactly which port you're connected to. (Incidentally, SPB port 0 will be at 50:06:01:6B...)
>Is this 'lun masking'?
Certainly is. I use full Navisphere almost exclusively, so I forget some of the terminology used in Navisphere Express. In a CX4- series (or if you're using full Navisphere with the AX-150), you'll see storage groups. You use the storage group to assign a LUN to a server.
It's a quirk of the AX-series. Their big brother, the CX4- series arrays, use the same prefix: 50:06:01:6n for SPA and SPB. For SPA, n is 0 to 7, for SPB, n is 8 to F, so you can tell from the WWN exactly which port you're connected to. (Incidentally, SPB port 0 will be at 50:06:01:6B...)
>Is this 'lun masking'?
Certainly is. I use full Navisphere almost exclusively, so I forget some of the terminology used in Navisphere Express. In a CX4- series (or if you're using full Navisphere with the AX-150), you'll see storage groups. You use the storage group to assign a LUN to a server.
ASKER
>> Incidentally, SPB port 0 will be at 50:06:01:6B
How did you arrive at that? I understand SPA 0-7, SP B 8-F, but if it was SP B port 0, how would it be 50:06:01:6B instead of 50:06:01:68?
How did you arrive at that? I understand SPA 0-7, SP B 8-F, but if it was SP B port 0, how would it be 50:06:01:6B instead of 50:06:01:68?
I think (although I' m mot 100% sure this is the case), the AX port numbering is offset because there is an iSCSI and a FC version. SPB is :6B: because it would go 68, 69, 6A, 6B, like SPA port numbers go 60, 61, 62, 63.
ASKER
Got it working. Thanks everyone!