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Dell Powervault 3600f SAN configuration
Hello
We have a Dell 3600f SAN with dual controllers.
Additionally 6x wintel servers each with HBA with single fibre connection.
We started with a single server attached to controller 0 and all works fine, all LUNS are seen. Afterwards a second server was attached to controller 1 and LUNs all seen apart from the first server that then lost all LUNs. Ownwership/preferred path also moved to controller 1.
This is bad as I need all LUNs available on all directly attached servers on either controller.
According to the Dell info we can directly attach up to 4 servers in HA mode or 8 servers without HA. I can only presume we are currently running HA (have no idea how to check this) and need to convert it.
The first server on controller 0 is running live data therefore have to be careful not to cause further problems.
Any ideas how to deal with this one? We cannot contact Dell as the support contract is with another organisation that is struggling to find an answer too.
Thank you.
We have a Dell 3600f SAN with dual controllers.
Additionally 6x wintel servers each with HBA with single fibre connection.
We started with a single server attached to controller 0 and all works fine, all LUNS are seen. Afterwards a second server was attached to controller 1 and LUNs all seen apart from the first server that then lost all LUNs. Ownwership/preferred path also moved to controller 1.
This is bad as I need all LUNs available on all directly attached servers on either controller.
According to the Dell info we can directly attach up to 4 servers in HA mode or 8 servers without HA. I can only presume we are currently running HA (have no idea how to check this) and need to convert it.
The first server on controller 0 is running live data therefore have to be careful not to cause further problems.
Any ideas how to deal with this one? We cannot contact Dell as the support contract is with another organisation that is struggling to find an answer too.
Thank you.
You cannot have two servers connected to the same LUN without clustering software, at least not using NTFS since the master file table is cached in RAM and there is no file locking mechanism. Data corruption is pretty well instant since each overwrite the others data, because it doesn't know it's there since it's not in it's local copy of the MFT.
Additionally there are only 4 host ports per controller and you have 6 hosts, so you can't have HA even if you slice a LUN off for each server unless you but a pair of FC switches and get second HBAs for each server (or buy 3 dual channel ones so that 3 servers have 2 single channel HBAs and 3 have the new dual port ones).
How to deal with it? Get someone else to design the solution most likely since you don't have the right kit or software at the moment. What are you trying to achieve with your setup?
How to deal with it? Get someone else to design the solution most likely since you don't have the right kit or software at the moment. What are you trying to achieve with your setup?
ASKER
Thanks for comments- cannot go to Dell as was purchased through another agent and support has to go through them and they don't do config assistance -- long story!
Fibre switch and dual HBAs are out for the time being due to cost.
Dell site states that 8 servers can be connected in "non HA" mode. Can you get this link if you need it.
Cannot find anything in the manuals.
These are 6x Hyper-V 2012 R2 clustered servers and LUNs will be shared using CSV. We don't require HA at the moment as happy to run off a single controller/half the cluster nodes should the worst happen.
Just need to work out how turn HA on/off and enable 8 directly attached servers as Dell seem to indicate we can.
Fibre switch and dual HBAs are out for the time being due to cost.
Dell site states that 8 servers can be connected in "non HA" mode. Can you get this link if you need it.
Cannot find anything in the manuals.
These are 6x Hyper-V 2012 R2 clustered servers and LUNs will be shared using CSV. We don't require HA at the moment as happy to run off a single controller/half the cluster nodes should the worst happen.
Just need to work out how turn HA on/off and enable 8 directly attached servers as Dell seem to indicate we can.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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As far as Dell's claim that 8 servers can be connected in non-HA mode it's true, but they cannot share the same LUN.
ASKER
Points understood. We are using all nodes on a single controller now and due to limitations have gone ahead with 2x Brocade silkworm 200e fibre switches.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Here is a starting point - http://www.dell.com/support/my-support/us/en/04/product-support/product/powervault-md3600f after the page displays click on Manuals to expand that sections there should be something to help you there!
You can also go to support.dell.com and enter your arrays service tag for more specific information.