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Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 8:06 pm
by daileyks
I have an ESXi lab environment with 2 VMware ESXi hosts. I setup the StarWinds VSAN on 2 Windows boxes that were pinned to these hosts but, considering to moving to the VSA/Linux appliance. I've deployed the Linux appliance to each host, formatted the additional 200 GB disk on each VSA but, I'm unable to get the 2 node cluster working with the 2 node example script. I'm getting the error message or something similar to below.

Exception calling "CreateDevice" with "4" argument(s): "Failed to query volume properties: -1044527128
-
QueryVolumeProperties "/mnt/disk1"
-
104 Volume name required.. "
My issue appears to be same as what was described in the forum article (https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... 1ec#p29312).

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 3:55 pm
by Oleg(staff)
Hi daileyks,
Thank you for your input, we found some issues in StarWindX work with StarWind VSA.
It should be fixed in the next builds of StarWind VSA.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:15 pm
by mahy
Hi there,
we're testing vsan free at the moment and ran into the same issue. (identical to the steps taken by daileyks )
Downloaded the regular windows setup and the vca by the end of last week.

As the issue still occurs, i just wanted to ask if there is already an new (beta) version of StarwindX available?
I've searched your website but didn't find anthing..

Kind regards
Martin

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:21 pm
by Boris (staff)
In case of VSAN for vSphere, the new build of StarWindX is going to be available not earlier than the new build of the service itself, i.e. the new OVF template offered for downloading from our website. Be sure to check https://www.starwindsoftware.com/releas ... re-vsphere from time to time for the updated build.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:35 pm
by mahy
Boris (staff) wrote:Be sure to check https://www.starwindsoftware.com/releas ... re-vsphere from time to time for the updated build.
Okay, thank you 8)

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 12:59 am
by Boris (staff)
You are welcome.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:45 am
by dsw9742
Hi there, wanted to see if there has been any progress on this issue? Understand if the next build is not ready for release, but is there a viable workaround, e.g. using an older build of StarWindX, or creating the HAImageFiles externally to this script, or escaping or re-formatting the ImagePath value for $firstNode and $secondNode, or ... something else? I am happy to get my hands dirty if that is what's required.

Not trying to harp ... but creating HA Devices is kind of a critical function of the StarWind vSAN solution.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:00 pm
by dsw9742
This is a follow up to my previous post. I've spent a little more time investigating this and have a proposed workaround that I'd like to run by the StarWind folks. I'll write it up as well as try it on my lab machines and post back here shortly.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:23 pm
by Boris (staff)
Could you share your idea? If you do not want to publish it yet, private messages can be used.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:08 am
by dsw9742
Hi Boris, sure. Short version is below, please let me know if anything needs to be clarified:

1. modify the CreateHA(two nodes).ps1 script by changing both `$firstNode.CreateImage` and `$secondNode.CreateImage` from `$true` to `$false`:

Code: Select all

   ...
   $firstNode.CreateImage = $false
   ...
   $secondNode.CreateImage = $false
   ...
   
2. run the script and allow it to fail
3. modify the CreateImageFile.ps1 script by setting the same values for `path`, `fileName`, and `size` as used in the CreateHA(two nodes).ps1 script. Comment out the lines that create device and create target (lines 14-22, I believe). Run this twice (with appropriate modified values), once for each node.
4. open _HA.swdsk file belonging to the created HA device and change the value for `sync_status` from `0` to `1`. This needs to be changed in the corresponding _HA.swdsk file on each node:

Code: Select all

   ...
   <sync_status>1</sync_status>
   ...
   
5. restart StarWindVSA.service on primary node
6. restart StarWindVSA.service on secondary node
7. open StarWind Management Console GUI and watch the devices sync

This appears to work in my lab. Is anyone else able to replicate this? Does anyone else see a reason this workaround should not be used (until a solution is released)?

Oh, two additional things, one minor, one potentially larger:
1. Should this thread be in the StarWind VSAN section of the forum rather than the V2V Converter section?
2. It is concerning to me that `user` and `starwind` work for the `-user` and `-password` arguments of the `New-SWServer` command, even though I have changed the password for the root user account in Cockpit. Leaving default user/password open to scripting sure looks like a security hole.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:34 pm
by dsw9742
OK, this isn't working for me when I start from scratch and try to repeat it. However, I do appear to have an updated process that is close to working -- script gets stuck at "Synchronizing 0%" which may be an easily-remedied DNS issue. Will follow up again after I try a few more things.

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:42 pm
by dsw9742
Ah, now I'm getting what look like license-related issues preventing the Sync and HB channels from connecting. I'm using the Linux VSA (not Free), and the trial license did expire yesterday, so this isn't totally unexpected ... but doesn't an expired license just prevent full use of the Management Console GUI? I didn't think it prevented partner node connections from succeeding. Do I need to apply a new license in order to reactivate that feature?

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:52 pm
by dsw9742
Apologies for the thread spam, but I think I've finally got a simple workaround figured out: create the imagefiles in the appropriate directory on both master and partner nodes, then run the CreateHA(two nodes) script with $firstNode.CreateImage = $false and $secondNode.CreateImage = $false. And make sure you've got either a paid license, an unexpired trial license, or a free license installed on the server nodes :).

Re: Free VSAN Hyperconverged Create HA Disk

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:52 pm
by Michael (staff)
Thank you for your interest in our product.
If you have a trial license, you always can contact your account manager for technical support or ask another trial license to complete evaluation.