Pillar Axiom 600 Storage System
 

PLA-Support>Sun Systems>DISK>Pillar Axiom>SN-DK: Ax600
 

In this Document

Goal

Fix

Vsphere 5.x (from Vsphere 5 documentation)

Vsphere 4.x

Created from <SR 3-5384236231>

Applies to:

Goal

What: This document will address how to configure multipathing for Vmware Vsphere 4.x/5.x to work with Axiom ax300\500\600.

Fix

Vsphere 5.x (from Vsphere 5 documentation)

Managing Storage Paths and Multipathing Plug-Ins

Use the esxcli commands to manage the PSA multipathing plug-ins and storage paths assigned to them.
You can display all multipathing plug-ins available on your host. You can list any third-party MPPs, as well
as your host's NMP and SATPs and review the paths they claim. You can also define new paths and specify
which multipathing plug-in should claim the paths.
For more information about commands available to manage PSA, see the Getting Started with vSphere Command-
Line Interfaces.

Multipathing Considerations

1. The default PSP for all devices claimed by VMW_SATP_ALUA is VMW_PSP_MRU. The VMW_PSP_MRU
selects an active/optimized path as reported by the VMW_SATP_ALUA, or an active/unoptimized path
if there is no active/optimized path. This path is used until a better path is available (MRU).

For example, if the VMW_PSP_MRU is currently using an active/unoptimized path and an active/optimized path
becomes available, the VMW_PSP_MRU will switch the current path to the active/optimized one.

2. If you enable VMW_PSP_FIXED with VMW_SATP_ALUA, the host initially makes an arbitrary selection
of the preferred path, regardless of whether the ALUA state is reported as optimized or unoptimized. As
a result, VMware does not recommend to enable VMW_PSP_FIXED when VMW_SATP_ALUA is used
for an ALUA-compliant storage array.

The exception is when you assign the preferred path to be to one of the redundant storage processor (SP)
nodes within an active-active storage array. The ALUA state is irrelevant.


VMware NMP Flow of I/O
When a virtual machine issues an I/O request to a storage device managed by the NMP, the following process
takes place.
1 The NMP calls the PSP assigned to this storage device.
2 The PSP selects an appropriate physical path on which to issue the I/O.
3 The NMP issues the I/O request on the path selected by the PSP.
4 If the I/O operation is successful, the NMP reports its completion.
5 If the I/O operation reports an error, the NMP calls the appropriate SATP.
6 The SATP interprets the I/O command errors and, when appropriate, activates the inactive paths.
7 The PSP is called to select a new path on which to issue the I/O.


Define NMP SATP Rules
The NMP SATP claim rules specify which SATP should manage a particular storage device. Usually you do
not need to modify the NMP SATP rules. If you need to do so, use the esxcli commands to add a rule to the
list of claim rules for the specified SATP.
You might need to create a SATP rule when you install a third-party SATP for a specific storage array.
In the procedure, --server=server_name specifies the target server. The specified target server prompts you
for a user name and password. Other connection options, such as a configuration file or session file, are
supported. For a list of connection options, see Getting Started with vSphere Command-Line Interfaces.

Prerequisites
Install vCLI or deploy the vSphere Management Assistant (vMA) virtual machine. See Getting Started with
vSphere Command-Line Interfaces. For troubleshooting , run esxcli commands in the ESXi Shell.

Procedure
1 To add a claim rule for a specific SATP, run the
esxcli --server=server_name storage nmp satp rule add

# esxcli --server=server_name storage nmp satp rule add -V Pillar -M 600 -s VMW_SATP_ALUA

2 Reboot your host.

 

Vsphere 4.x

This is used to correct the access paths of vSphere causing NOA events. To verify that the vSphere client is set up correctly the following steps should be followed.

• Verify the current setting for ALUA Rules.
• Add any needed Rules.
• Verify/Correct the Load Balancing on the Axiom is set to Round Robin for the server in question.
• Set Load Balancing on the vSphere server making sure Round Robin is in affect.
• Activate any changes that were made.


Check the vSphere configuration for Axiom type devices being listed as a ‘Rule’.

Listing the current settings on a vSphere server

% excli nmp satp list

Name Default PSP Description

VMW_SATP_ALUA_CX VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports EMC CX that use the ALUA protocol
VMW_SATP_SVC VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports IBM SVC
VMW_SATP_MSA VMW_PSP_MRU Supports HP MSA
VMW_SATP_EQL VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports EqualLogic arrays
VMW_SATP_INV VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports EMC Invista
VMW_SATP_SYMM VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports EMC Symmetrix
VMW_SATP_LSI VMW_PSP_MRU Supports LSI and other arrays compatible with the SIS 6.10 in non-AVT mode
VMW_SATP_EVA VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports HP EVA
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AP VMW_PSP_MRU Supports non-specific active/passive arrays
VMW_SATP_CX VMW_PSP_MRU Supports EMC CX that do not use the ALUA Protocol
VMW_SATP_ALUA VMW_PSP_MRU Supports non-specific arrays that use the ALUA protocol
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports non-specific active/active arrays
VMW_SATP_LOCAL VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports direct attached devices


Pillar Axiom should be listed in the Rules in effect.

Example list of the Pillar specific rule (recommended):
% esxcli nmp satp listrules | grep Pillar
VMW_SATP_ALUA Pillar tpgs_on Pillar Axiom ALUA Support


Example list of all rules:
% esxcli nmp satp listrules << Displays all rules. This list is cut as there are too many to list.
…
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSVX740 tpgs_on active/active HP StorageWorks SVSP with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA Intel Multi-Flex tpgs_on Intel Promise
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV340 tpgs_on EVA 4600 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV360 tpgs_on EVA 6600 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA FUJITSU tpgs_on ETERNUS with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA Pillar tpgs_on Pillar Axiom ALUA Support
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA fc Default for Fibre Channel
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA iscsi Default for iSCSI
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA IBM SAS SES-2 DEVICE IBM SAS SES-2
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA IBM 1820N00 IBM BCS RSSM
VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA HITACHI
VMW_SATP_LOCAL usb USB Devices
VMW_SATP_LOCAL ide IDE Devices
VMW_SATP_LOCAL block RAID Block Devices
…


If Pillar is not listed in the rules using the above command it will need to be added.

Using the below command will add all Axiom types to be recognized.

%esxcli nmp satp addrule --vendor="Pillar" --claim-option="tpgs_on" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA" --description="Pillar Axiom ALUA Support"


To be specific with the devices that are being recognized in the rule the model needs to be added to the command. Using the –model option is not required and is shown here for reference purposes.

% esxcli nmp satp addrule --vendor="Pillar" --claim-option="tpgs_on" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA" --description="Pillar Axiom ALUA Support" --model="Axiom 600"




Allow Round Robin access to both Slammer Contol Unit ports for all LUN’s on a vSphere server.

An Axiom Slammer has a total of four FC ports that are used to access LUNs. The ALUA rules find the correct path to use on the Active home CU. This will choose one path a its primary communication path. Setting the vSphere servers satp with the below command will allow round robin communication to both ports on a LUNs home CU.

Execute the below command to set the path access protocol to Round Robin.

%esxcli nmp satp setdefaultpsp --psp="VMW_PSP_RR" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA"






Set the vSphere client to access the Axiom ports using round robin for the CU which owns the LUN.

In this example the default PSP is being set to round robin to take advantage of both optimized ports on the Axiom controller.

%esxcli nmp satp setdefaultpsp --psp="VMW_PSP_RR" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA"

Note: No reboot of the ESX server is necessary for the above command.



Follow up on Rules

After running the commands to add the new Rule the new details will show up but will not be active.
Once the commands show the Pillar Axiom in the Rules correctly the vSphere server will then need to be rebooted.

This solution has no attachment