SAN no longer fully VMware certified.

[simm0]

We have a cheap iSCSI SAN, an Infortrend Eonstor S16E G1130.

When we bought it it was VMware certified but as of vSphere 4 it is certified for use with hardware iSCSI HBAs only. We have it running on software initiators under 3.5 without issue.

What I'd like to know is what keeps it from being fully certified under vSphere 4, if it's an issue with a feature we'll never use (like boot from SAN) then I'm more likely to move it to 4.1 with the software initiators. If it's an issue such as the SAN falling into a singularity and taking all the data with it if it so much as sees a software initiator then maybe I won't.

Does anyone know where I might find this information? I'm asking the question with VMware and the vendor too but I've found better info in here than at either of those sources in the past.

Cheers
Simon.

 

[dasaint]

if it is not in the compatibility guide
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php

it means that its not supported by vmware to escalate, they will give best effort on storage cases, but in the endgame they wont be able to escalate it if its too big of an issue.

keep in mind there are a lot of solutions out there that arent on the supported list but work, it just means you will have to have A) good backups and B) the ability to support the hardware from the vmware software end. you should call your hardware vendor and see if they can tell you why its not on the certified list or supported list if its not there.

 

[simm0]

Thanks dasaint.

It's on the HCL but it's now listed as suppported with Hardware iSCSI HBAs only. Those things aren't cheap and are overkill for our environment.

I'm really just trying to find out if it's safe enough to migrate to 4.1 and continue using software initiatiors.

I have asked the vendor why it is not fully supported, I'm sure they'll not answer the question in broken english within a week or two

cheers
simon

 

[NetJunkie]

Because it wasn't worth VMware's time to test it with the new version. Might work fine..just not on the HCL.

 

[samborarocks]

it means that its not supported by vmware to escalate, they will give best effort on storage cases,

Just wanted to comment on this as I don't know what best effort would be, We are all on EMC storage where I work, we had a huge issue with VMWare tresspassing LUNs on a Clariion CX3-40, which IS in the support matrix and it took them almost a month and a half to figure it out.....

For what it's worth, sometimes I can't believe VMWare is owned by EMC with support like that.......

SR

 

[NetJunkie]

Just wanted to comment on this as I don't know what best effort would be, We are all on EMC storage where I work, we had a huge issue with VMWare tresspassing LUNs on a Clariion CX3-40, which IS in the support matrix and it took them almost a month and a half to figure it out.....

For what it's worth, sometimes I can't believe VMWare is owned by EMC with support like that.......

SR

So what was causing it? Zoning?

 

[simm0]

Because it wasn't worth VMware's time to test it with the new version. Might work fine..just not on the HCL.

Is that an informed guess or do you know it to be true?

Cheers

 

[NetJunkie]

Is that an informed guess or do you know it to be true?

Cheers

Informed guess. I don't think they have made any changes to 4.1 to break older SANs...it's just they chose not to run it through testing this time.

 

[simm0]

I don't think they have made any changes to 4.1 to break older SANs...

Thanks. It's status hasn't changed since vSphere 4. It runs fine on the SW initiators under 3.5.

We bought the thing because it was affordable (cheap!) AND VMware certified, now it isn't.
The joys of playing at this end of the market I suppose.

 

[lopoetve]

We have a cheap iSCSI SAN, an Infortrend Eonstor S16E G1130.

When we bought it it was VMware certified but as of vSphere 4 it is certified for use with hardware iSCSI HBAs only. We have it running on software initiators under 3.5 without issue.

What I'd like to know is what keeps it from being fully certified under vSphere 4, if it's an issue with a feature we'll never use (like boot from SAN) then I'm more likely to move it to 4.1 with the software initiators. If it's an issue such as the SAN falling into a singularity and taking all the data with it if it so much as sees a software initiator then maybe I won't.

Does anyone know where I might find this information? I'm asking the question with VMware and the vendor too but I've found better info in here than at either of those sources in the past.

Cheers
Simon.

You can't.

If it is not certified, then it is not certified - either QA resources, reliability, failure to pass the required tests, or simply because the vendor didn't want to, but there's no real way to find out unless the vendor wants to tell you why.

Given the MASSIVE changes that went into the 4.X swiscsi stack, and the changes in the KL storage stack in general, I can almost guarantee there's a reason the certification status changed - it probably didn't pass a test with the new version.

 

[lopoetve]

Because it wasn't worth VMware's time to test it with the new version. Might work fine..just not on the HCL.

beg to differ.

There are a LOT of changes, and VMware does ~not~ do the testing - the vendor does.

They run the hardware through the test and submit the paperwork to get it certified

 

[lopoetve]

Informed guess. I don't think they have made any changes to 4.1 to break older SANs...it's just they chose not to run it through testing this time.

4->4.1 no. 3.5->4.0 absolutely. The entire storage ~and~ iSCSI stacks were changed

 

[NetJunkie]

4->4.1 no. 3.5->4.0 absolutely. The entire storage ~and~ iSCSI stacks were changed

Oh yeah..sorry. I missed where he was on 3.5 right now. Yeah, big changes there.

 

[simm0]

You can't.

If it is not certified, then it is not certified - either QA resources, reliability, failure to pass the required tests, or simply because the vendor didn't want to, but there's no real way to find out unless the vendor wants to tell you why.

And trying to get useful information out of them is always painful and often fruitless.

**Sighs**
The SAN is not even a year old....

Thanks for the info.

 

[lopoetve]

Just wanted to comment on this as I don't know what best effort would be, We are all on EMC storage where I work, we had a huge issue with VMWare tresspassing LUNs on a Clariion CX3-40, which IS in the support matrix and it took them almost a month and a half to figure it out.....

For what it's worth, sometimes I can't believe VMWare is owned by EMC with support like that.......

SR

1. ESX will not cause a lun trespass unless your zoning isn't set up right, or your SAN config is not correct, or you're doing something silly like using fixed pathing (which is not supported on an A/P array like the Clariion).
2. VMware is not owned by EMC. EMC is a majority shareholder - no more.

Like I tell everyone else - if you have trouble with VMware support, PM me and I'll try to help!

 

[lopoetve]

And trying to get useful information out of them is always painful and often fruitless.

**Sighs**
The SAN is not even a year old....

Thanks for the info.

Let me see if I have any names that might help.

 

[NetJunkie]

Just wanted to comment on this as I don't know what best effort would be, We are all on EMC storage where I work, we had a huge issue with VMWare tresspassing LUNs on a Clariion CX3-40, which IS in the support matrix and it took them almost a month and a half to figure it out.....

For what it's worth, sometimes I can't believe VMWare is owned by EMC with support like that.......

SR

Should let me help you get in to a Vblock with Cisco/VMware/EMC then you can call one place for support staffed by all 3.

 

[simm0]

Let me see if I have any names that might help.

Thanks lopoetve, that could be very helpful.

Cheers
Simon.