StarWind SMI-S and integrations with SCVMM 2012

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ticktok
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:12 am

Tue May 01, 2012 10:06 pm

Hi Yurly,
I have installed, reconfigured, rebooted etc. I made sure the drive path was pointing to the correct folder but the issue of Targets with clustering set as an option still do not return the available storage of the Volume on which the target resides.

Another issue which is unlikely to be a problem in production environments is that if you remove all LUNs from a target in VMM 2012 then the SMI-S agent deletes the folder on which the LUNs reside, making it impossible to create further LUNs.
i.e. if the the folder on which the LUNs are stored on the server is is D:\StarWindTargets\img\starwindx
Then after deleting all LUNs the starwindx folder is removed. This prevents the SMI-S agent to allocate any more LUNs as the device path is now invalid. I found you needed to then recreate the starwindx folder and then in VMM 2012 refresh the storage provider and then you were able to create further LUNs
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Alex (staff)
Staff
Posts: 177
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 8:49 am

Fri May 04, 2012 3:18 pm

Gentlemen,
Yuriy is out of the office. He will be digging in SMI-S again in a week.
Best regards,
Alexey.
Vladimir
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 1:38 pm

Mon May 07, 2012 2:25 pm

Dear StarWind team,

we had built test environment using StarWind iSCSI software and System Center 2012 Suite.
We have :

VMM 2012 version 3.0.6005.0
StarWind version: 5.8.19.64
SMi-S provider driver - v.0.6 preview

We have Hyper-V cluster environment (2 nodes) based on SAN Storage. VMM and Storage server with iSCSI software installed on VMs.
Storage server has 1 additional virtual disk - device for iSCSI target.
Can you describe configuration steps for Private Cloud configuration using iSCSI software with SMI-S agent.
We have the following problem:
When we add new storage provider to VMM using StarWind SMI-S, we can't assign this storage pools to Private Cloud.
In attach you can find additional screenshot.
Attachments
iSCSI storage
iSCSI storage
Capture-1.JPG (154.41 KiB) Viewed 143582 times
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Yuriy (staff)
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Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:14 pm

Mon May 14, 2012 1:18 pm

Dear Ticktok,
ticktok wrote:Hi Yurly,
Another issue which is unlikely to be a problem in production environments is that if you remove all LUNs from a target in VMM 2012 then the SMI-S agent deletes the folder on which the LUNs reside, making it impossible to create further LUNs.
This issue already corrected in new build that will be avaliable soon.
Please confirm that you encountered this issue only when SMI-S configured to create and delete IBV devices.
ticktok wrote: I have installed, reconfigured, rebooted etc. I made sure the drive path was pointing to the correct folder but the issue of Targets with clustering set as an option still do not return the available storage of the Volume on which the target resides.
Please, specify version of OS that you using. Maybe you can tell us some details of your config. Our QA still have no fortune to reproduce this issue :(

--
Yuriy.
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ticktok
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:12 am

Mon May 14, 2012 10:51 pm

Yuriy (staff) wrote:Dear Ticktok,
ticktok wrote:Hi Yurly,
Another issue which is unlikely to be a problem in production environments is that if you remove all LUNs from a target in VMM 2012 then the SMI-S agent deletes the folder on which the LUNs reside, making it impossible to create further LUNs.
This issue already corrected in new build that will be avaliable soon.
Please confirm that you encountered this issue only when SMI-S configured to create and delete IBV devices.
ticktok wrote: I have installed, reconfigured, rebooted etc. I made sure the drive path was pointing to the correct folder but the issue of Targets with clustering set as an option still do not return the available storage of the Volume on which the target resides.
Please, specify version of OS that you using. Maybe you can tell us some details of your config. Our QA still have no fortune to reproduce this issue :(

--
Yuriy.
Yes the SMI-S was configured for IBV devices.

The OS the target is configured on is Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise edition - fully patched.
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Yuriy (staff)
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Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:14 pm

Fri May 18, 2012 6:54 am

Here is lasted bits of our SMI-S Agent:
http://www.starwindsoftware.com/tmplink ... review.exe

Dear Ticktok, it would be good if you can provide access to your configuration for our support and QA.
If it possible contact me via private message on this forum or write email to support@starwindsoftware.com (mention in the letter SMI-S and my name). Thank you!
Quasar
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 7:14 am

Thu May 31, 2012 7:18 am

I'm having the same issue... Do You have any solution?

I'm using SCVMM 3.0.6005.0 + SMI-S Provider v0.61.
ticktok wrote:The second issue with SCVMM 2012 is that despite the storage array showing up in VMM Manager there does not seem to be a method to add the ISCSI array to any of the hosts managed by VMM Manager. In the storage panel for either a cluster or an individual host the ability to add an iSCSI array is greyed out and unavailable.

I posted a request to this forum:-
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... b79795c124

but did not mention that the Storage array was StarWind
steves
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:17 am

Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:23 am

Also running into the same problem here. Same config.

Would like very much to be able to try this out.

BTW: I did notice that when jobs "Sets Storage Pool" finished with warnings:
Warning (26130): Storage pool %StoragePool; has been allocated to host group %HostGroupName; where none of hosts in host group has access to storage array %ArrayName;.
Recommended Action: Give access to hosts in host group to array through zoning.

And jobs "Sets Storage Logical Units" with warnings:
Warning (26130): Storage logical unit %LogicalUnit; has been allocated to host group %HostGroupNam e; where none of the hosts in host group has access to storage array %ArrayName;.
Recommended Action: Give access to at least one host in the host group to the array thro ugh zoning.

These were jobs triggered by clicking on "Allocate Capacity" button, then clicking on "Allocate Storage Pools..." or "Allocate Logical Units... " buttons.

Not sure what to make of the warnings... but they do seem to be related to the Array not showing as per: http://blogs.technet.com/b/hectorl/arch ... array.aspx

Please advise.
I'm having the same issue... Do You have any solution?

I'm using SCVMM 3.0.6005.0 + SMI-S Provider v0.61.
ticktok wrote:
The second issue with SCVMM 2012 is that despite the storage array showing up in VMM Manager there does not seem to be a method to add the ISCSI array to any of the hosts managed by VMM Manager. In the storage panel for either a cluster or an individual host the ability to add an iSCSI array is greyed out and unavailable.

I posted a request to this forum:-
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... b79795c124

but did not mention that the Storage array was StarWind
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Yuriy (staff)
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Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:14 pm

Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:24 pm

Dear Quasar and steves,

Please describe how do you plan to use the feature of adding array and/or LUN to host?

--
Yuriy
steves
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:17 am

Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:29 pm

Hi Yuriy,

For me the Simple Rapid Provisioning feature is what's driving me to test Starwind's products along with the SMI-S provider.

In summary Rapid Provision would allow the following:
Simple Rapid Provisioning - Storage arrays can create copies of virtual disks very efficiently with minimal load on the host. Using VMM 2012 you can leverage this capability to rapidly create virtual machines. VMM 2012 knows about the capabilities of the storage array. It knows when a logical unit contains a file system and a virtual disk. Through VMM 2012, you can create a template with a virtual disk on a logical unit. Finally, VMM 2012 can instruct the array to create a copy of a virtual disk by provisioning new storage on the array using snapshot or cloning technology. VMM 2012 then takes care of exposing the storage to the host, mounting the file system, and associating the virtual disk to the virtual machine.

Pasted from: http://blogs.technet.com/b/scvmm/archiv ... -2012.aspx
The highlighted portion sums what I expect from SCVMM 2012 + Starwind SAN + SMI-S provider.

Is this currently not supported or am I just missing something on my end?

Specifically, here are step-by-step instructions of what I'm trying to do (but fails at step 7): Topic: How to Allocate Storage Pools to a Host Group (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610635)

Thanks for looking into this.


EDIT: After further research here is what I found:

When I "Add Storage Device" in SCVMM2012, it in turn queries the Starwind SMI-S provider for information.

It seems that the SMI-S provider is not returning any data regarding the "StorageEndpoints" for the SAN/Array.

Hence when I try to add the Storage Array to a Hyper-V host, SCVMM2012 queries the iSCSI targets on the host and tries to match those to any available "StorageEndpoints" on any known Storage Arrays. Now, it can't find a match, because SMI-S didn't return any, and in turn doesn't enable the "iSCSI Array: Add" button in the Storage section of the host properties.

I'm getting this: Image

Should be like this: Image

This would also be the cause of the "warning 26130" error mentioned earlier when Allocating Capacity to Host Groups.

It would appear that the current SMI-S provider (v0.61) is incomplete in its integration with SCVMM2012. As it stands one cannot make use of Rapid Provisioning, Storage Allocation (to host groups) and other SMI-S dependant storage automation features.


To test for this condition:

Open the VMM Command Shell (Start > All Programs > Microsoft System Center 2012 > Virtual Machine Manager > Virtual Machine Manager Command Shell)

To query a host for iSCSI targets use the following:

Code: Select all

$ht = get-scvmhost -computername <Host Name>
$ht.InternetSCSIHbas[0].targets | ft name
To test if the endpoints are populated (If values are returned then great! Otherwise they are empty):

Code: Select all

$SArray = Get-SCStorageArray -name <Array Name>
$SArray.StorageEndpoints | ft address
Important: To succeed in using a Storage Array with a Host a match needs to exist between any StorageArray Endpoints and any of the Host Targets.

To get an overview of what all information about your storage arrays:

Code: Select all

$SArray = Get-SCStorageArray
$SArray
Attachments
Missing Endpoints from Starwind SMI-S provider.
Missing Endpoints from Starwind SMI-S provider.
MissingEndpoints-SMIS-Starwind.png (24.05 KiB) Viewed 143178 times
User avatar
Yuriy (staff)
Staff
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:14 pm

Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:04 am

Steves,

Thank you for your VERY detailed reply. Now I completely understand your needs.
steves wrote: Is this currently not supported or am I just missing something on my end?
The preview version of SMI-S provider is incomplete in part of reporting of "StorageEndpoints".

We will implement this feature in near future.

Thank you again!
andersonshen
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:09 am

Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:23 pm

HI Yuriy,

How about SMI-S provider status ? have release date ?
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Yuriy (staff)
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Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:14 pm

Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:53 pm

andersonshen wrote:HI Yuriy,

How about SMI-S provider status ? have release date ?
Dear Anderson,

It is impossible to estimate release date due to that fact that development process tightly connected with Microsoft SC VMM development team.
We are working hard together with Microsoft to release the product as quickly as possible.

--
Yuriy.
andersonshen
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:09 am

Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:56 pm

Dear Sir,

Any update ? production version already release ?


Regards,


Anderson
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Anatoly (staff)
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Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:28 am
Contact:

Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:28 pm

Not yet. We obviously depend on MS on releasing our solution - they need to get couple of thing fixed, after we will be able to proceed with developing from our side.

Thank you for understanding.
Best regards,
Anatoly Vilchinsky
Global Engineering and Support Manager
www.starwind.com
av@starwind.com
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