StarWind Virtual SAN (VSAN) Free failing to create Volume

[MaxBlitzer]

I am following the guide for 3 node setup with Proxmox. I am using the same CPU and motherboards. There is a 2TB NVMe drive in each node and passed through to the VSAN VMs. I can configure storage pools on all 3 2TB drives/nodes, but unable to create volume, it always errors on sw-02 node. There isn't any helpful to go on. I have tested the nvme drive in HD Sentinel for read/write surface test without any errors and smart attributes are fine and passes an extended smart test. So I'm trying to find out why it keeps on failing.

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I have a support bundle here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i08D0b ... sp=sharing.

Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance!

[yaroslav (staff)]

Welcome to StarWind Forum. Try creating a volume with the new (unique) name.

[MaxBlitzer]

Welcome to StarWind Forum. Try creating a volume with the new (unique) name.

That worked. But don't I need them to have the same name? In the "Create Volume" section, it created the volume for 2 nodes with the same name, but no example for 3 nodes, but says its the same process. What am I missing? Should all three have unique names?

I continued and created the lun and now trying to get it added to Proxmox. But I'm stuck at step 6 of "Connecting StarWind HA Storage to Proxmox Hosts". It's like this section of the guide was written by a different person on a different setup! The IP addresses and host names are ambiguous and confusing. Step 8 refers to /dev/sda for I have no idea why. I don't even know how to adapt those instructions. On nodes 1 and 2, `fdisk -l` shows 3 starwind devices. On node 3, only 1. Step 13 refers to an mpatha and Step 14 refers to an mpath0 without explaining the changing of alias or if that is just a typo. (It's clear this section didn't get QA'd).

Anyway, in my 3 node setup, on nodes 1 and 2, I can run "iscsiadm -m discovery" and node 1 and 2 can see all 3 nodes, but node 3 can't see node 1.
On node 3:

Code: Select all

root@pve3:~# iscsiadm -m discovery -t st -p 172.16.12.3
iscsiadm: cannot make connection to 172.16.12.3: No route to host
iscsiadm: cannot make connection to 172.16.12.3: No route to host
iscsiadm: cannot make connection to 172.16.12.3: No route to host

On node 1:

Code: Select all

root@pve:~# iscsiadm -m discovery -t st -p 172.16.12.3
172.16.12.3:3260,-1 iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware:192.168.222.63-twotblun

Do I need to delete the volume and try with 3 unique names for the storage pools? Given I have all my ethernet connections working according to the 3-node setup and I still don't understand the issue with 2 vs 3 storage names, I'm getting the impression this is another Starwind issue.

[yaroslav (staff)]

Thanks for pointing that one out. This is a known issue where the volume name is stuck in configs. We are working on it.

But don't I need them to have the same name?

Nope. Names are a cosmetic thing that helps users to label their block devices. Volume names exist only in StarWind VSAN CVM, what you see in your further outputs are the LUN names.

As a side note, the iSCSI part is technically not related to StarWind VSAN and adopts the parts of iscsiadm guide so users can easily set up StarWind HA storage (that's why it is in our guide). Names you see, are the samples and might differ in your systems.

But I'm stuck at step 6

Did you set up the networking and do all those preconfigurations from above? I would like to see the guide you are using as we did not hear any confusion from other users trying to set up the storage.

Step 8 refers to /dev/sda

Every system has its block device labeling differently.
Furthermore, if you are getting the discovery issues in step 6, it might be that you do not have the storage connected into the system.

I think the best will be trialing our solution in your system (switching to FREE version requires redeploy) and getting one of our techs in the call as I believe there is some sort of misunderstanding of iscsiadm part from your end. Please reach out to the person who shared the key for a tech call, or request a trial key https://www.starwindsoftware.com/free-s ... vsan-trial.

[MaxBlitzer]

So I finally got time to circle back and try the config over. This time, the create LUN in webGUI feature is removed from Free license and so now I refer back to the StarWind page https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... ng-web-ui/ and see:

For setups with a Free license applied, the PowerShell script should be used to create the LUN – please follow the steps described in the section: Create StarWind HA LUNs using PowerShell

Except there is no section Create StarWind HA LUNs using PowerShell. Can you please have someone review these instructions and update them to be complete? This is the first experience many admins have with Starwind and it leaves a poor taste with incomplete documentation presented as fully working instructions.

I did some googling and found I can download some example scripts from within the VSAN webGUI. Except it doesn't, it downloads an .exe for which it requires another license. I tried selecting the free license I was sent and that isn't accepted. So now I have no idea how to proceed.

This is getting to be 1000x more difficult than it really needs to be.

[yaroslav (staff)]

LUN creation for the free version has always been available only in PowerShell. Only KVM allows iSCSI target creation via WEB GUI.

Except there is no section Create StarWind HA LUNs using PowerShell

You are referring to the guide that discusses deploying CVM using WEB UI.
PowerShell, The script part is described better here on the forum https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... NT8#p37208.
VSAN free for KVM does feature WEB UI though.

Except it doesn't, it downloads an .exe for which it requires another license.

Nope, you don't: a license is needed when you attempt to do full installation. If you select Management Console and PowerShell Integration Library, no license is needed.

[yaroslav (staff)]

Could you please share the key and logs from the affected VM?

[MaxBlitzer]

LUN creation for the free version has always been available only in PowerShell. Only KVM allows iSCSI target creation via WEB GUI.
VSAN free for KVM does feature WEB UI though.

What does that mean? I have the VM's in KVM on Proxmox as I mentioned in the first sentence of OP. It was functionality that was there, then gone after updates. Clicking the + on LUNs page just gives "The free capacity limit exceeded".

[MaxBlitzer]

LUN creation for the free version has always been available only in PowerShell. Only KVM allows iSCSI target creation via WEB GUI.

Except there is no section Create StarWind HA LUNs using PowerShell

You are referring to the guide that discusses deploying CVM using WEB UI.
PowerShell, The script part is described better here on the forum https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... NT8#p37208.
VSAN free for KVM does feature WEB UI though.

Except it doesn't, it downloads an .exe for which it requires another license.

Nope, you don't: a license is needed when you attempt to do full installation. If you select Management Console and PowerShell Integration Library, no license is needed.

Just some feedback. I would have expected the "Download samples" button to download a zip file of sample powershell scripts, not the same starwind-v8.exe as offered immediately below it for "Download console". Right now, you have two separate features going to the same Duff beer tap.

[yaroslav (staff)]

It was functionality that was there, then gone after updates.

To help you, I need
1. logs from all StarWind VSAN CVM (Log in to the Web management interface -> Select the gear-shaped button -> Expand the VM name view -> Support Bundle).
2. the previous version.
3. when the update happened.
Will be waiting for more details.

Right now, you have two separate features going to the same Duff beer tap.

Historically, Windows-based Managment Console came first. The web-based one you use in CVM came later and now we are slowly getting features of the Windows-based Management Console into it.

[MaxBlitzer]

It was functionality that was there, then gone after updates.

To help you, I need
1. logs from all StarWind VSAN CVM (Log in to the Web management interface -> Select the gear-shaped button -> Expand the VM name view -> Support Bundle).
2. the previous version.
3. when the update happened.
Will be waiting for more details.

Right now, you have two separate features going to the same Duff beer tap.

Historically, Windows-based Managment Console came first. The web-based one you use in CVM came later and now we are slowly getting features of the Windows-based Management Console into it.

1.
logs_sw-01_12_03_2025_23_37_40.zip
logs_sw-02_12_03_2025_23_37_05.zip
logs_sw-03_12_03_2025_23_36_15.zip

2. I don't have that saved. They currently have 1.6.580.7361. When LUN in webGUI worked for me, it was not on the previous release but the one before that. SW-01 updated first and lost the ability, then the other two updated and lost the ability.

3. It worked Feb 17 but not March 2.

License:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<StarwindLicense>
  <major_version>8</major_version>
  <minor_version>4</minor_version>
  <id>2024</id>
  <name>redacted</name>
  <organization>redacted</organization>
  <email>redacted</email>
  <max_storage_in_gb>0</max_storage_in_gb>
  <processors>0</processors>
  <expdate>0</expdate>
  <asmexpdate>0</asmexpdate>
  <proactivesupportexpdate>0</proactivesupportexpdate>
  <system_id>0</system_id>
  <product_desc>SwSAN</product_desc>
  <issuer>0xB9D2C6CDCFD8D189C5D8ED</issuer>
  <infoscenario>Proxmox Virtual Environment [KVM]</infoscenario>
  <flags>
    <AdvancedFeatures>1</AdvancedFeatures>
    <FreeLicense>1</FreeLicense>
    <GuiManagementAllowed>1</GuiManagementAllowed>
    <GuiMonitoringAllowed>1</GuiMonitoringAllowed>
    <LicenseType>29</LicenseType>
    <LocalConnectionForbidden>0</LocalConnectionForbidden>
    <SptiDeviceMask>255</SptiDeviceMask>
    <adapters>0</adapters>
    <bSpti>1</bSpti>
    <servers>3</servers>
  </flags>
  <plugins>
    <plugin unlimited="false" config_review_required="false">haimage</plugin>
    <plugin unlimited="false" config_review_required="false">haimagesyncreplica</plugin>
    <plugin unlimited="true" config_review_required="false">imagefile</plugin>
    <plugin unlimited="true" config_review_required="false">nvmftarget</plugin>
    <plugin unlimited="false" config_review_required="false">osfeaturelinux</plugin>
    <plugin unlimited="false" config_review_required="false">platformvmkvm</plugin>
  </plugins>
  <web>
    <flags>
      <WebFilesharesAllowed>1</WebFilesharesAllowed>
      <WebSpdkNvmfAllowed>1</WebSpdkNvmfAllowed>
      <WebSwVsanAllowed>1</WebSwVsanAllowed>
      <WebVcenterpluginAllowed>0</WebVcenterpluginAllowed>
    </flags>
  </web>
</StarwindLicense>
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