Replication - Select Existing Device

[GiveitAGo]

version: starwind-v8 build15260
Hosts: 2x WinServer2022 Standard Baremetal

Steps to recreate:
- Node1: Add Device (Advanced) - HDD - Virtual - Name:"Witness" - Size:1gb - SectorSize: 4096 - No Cache
- Node2: repeat
- Node2: expand Target:Witness - select Device:imagefile1 - select Replication Manager
- Replication Manger Wizard
- add a partner - "Two-Way" - Host: Node1 - Failover: Heartbeat - Setup: Select existing Device
- i cannot get it to see the existing device on Node1

The only settings in the Replication Manager Wizard i can see I can alter are:
- "Modify Target Name ...". When i tick "Target Name" and specify the iqn of Node1's "Witness" it errors with
"Specified Target Name already exists, change Target Name"

- "Location". When I set this to Node1's Witness device folder it errors with
"Device folder 'Witness' already exists in the specified location"
clicking "Show Details" it add the line "Success"

BUG-01 / Q: Is the wizard's GUI showing it as an error on the "Select Existing Target" screen, when it should be showing it as a "success please proceed"

NB: If you close the Replication Partner Wizard and then re-open it but this time do NOT alter "Location" or "Modify Target Name..." it allows you to advance. But you only two pages further to a "Device Name / Device Size" page that is blank and won't let you proceed.


This is an issue as:
- When you use Replication Partner wizard to "Create new Partner Device"
- it says that it will use "Existing Device Parameters will be used as a Template"
- but it does not
- This is as issue as on Node1
- your target "CSV1" has a C:\ sub folder "CSV1" and image file "CSV1.img"
- your target "CSV3" has a C:\ sub folder "CSV3" and image file "CSV3.img"
BUT
- using Replication Partner to "Create new Partner Device" (as select existing doesn't work)
- on Node2 your target "CSV1" gets a C:\ sub folder "Storage1" and image file "Storage1.img"
- on Node2 your target "CSV3" has a C:\ gets sub folder "Storage2" and image file "Storage2.img"
- This is not good.
BUG 02 / Q: Shouldn't this part of the wizard set the sub folder and image filename to the provided Target?
RESOLVED IN v8 build15260


BUG 03 / Q: Why does Node1's Witness get a filename of "Witness.img" but the device name is "imagefile1"
RESOLVED IN v8 build15260

[yaroslav (staff)]

Welcome to StarWind Forum. If you have access to GUI, it is better to reach out to support@starwind.com

First, I am afraid that the procedure you explained is not entirely correct. I will be happy if you spare more details here. The process you explained leads to either the priority mix (see more here https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... f=5&t=5731) or devices with similar names but on different nodes. See the guide at https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... rver-2016/

The only settings in the Replication Manager Wizard i can see I can alter are:
- "Modify Target Name ...". When i tick "Target Name" and specify the iqn of Node1's "Witness" it errors with
"Specified Target Name already exists, change Target Name"

....

- "Location". When I set this to Node1's Witness device folder it errors with
"Device folder 'Witness' already exists in the specified location"
clicking "Show Details" it add the line "Success"

The target name should be unique, including IQN. Try leaving it default. Also, make sure that there is no other device with the same name. Also, it looks like the directory or file already exists on the underlying storage, please clear out the old files.

BUG-01 / Q: Is the wizard's GUI showing it as an error on the "Select Existing Target" screen, when it should be showing it as a "success please proceed"

Sorry, but I don't quite follow. Are you trying to recreate or attach the existing device? To connect the replication partner, you need to select *_HA.swdsk, otherwise, the system does not recognize it as an HA device, or recreate the replica.
We also do not recommend putting the disks to C:\.

- This is not good.

This is normal behavior for VSAN to put devices into dedicated folders. The folder you see matches the name you type while creating the device and the device in it. It looks like you left Storage1 and 2 as default and modified only the target names. To me, it looks like that you got slightly confused while deploying the solution.
Please stick with the guide above. Also, Do not hesitate to reply to the person who shared the trial key with you or at support@starwind.com for technical assistance.

BUG 02 / Q: Shouldn't this part of the wizard set the sub folder and image filename to the provided Target?

This is not a bug. You need manually to navigate into the folder and select the *.img or *.swdsk file.

BUG 03 / Q: Why does Node1's Witness get a filename of "Witness.img" but the device name is "imagefile1"

This is not a bug, imagefile is the internal name, Witness.img is the user-friendly name that you assigned.

[GiveitAGo]

Thank you for the prompt response.
I think you missed the title and my bullet points.

I followed the guide. I created CSV1 and Witness and both were replicating.
My Node1="HYP3", my Node2="HYP4"
I moved on and following the guide started the Failover Cluster steps.
On running the Cluster Validation starwind threw lots of errors and both CSV1 and Witness replication failed.

Errors:
- HA device iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware.hyp4-sw-csv1:command "READ". Underlying device response time is longer than expeced. Response time is 60 sec.
- Device imagefile2 Hanged command "READ" on the underlying storage has been detected and terminated
- Old session with the same ID is still present. Login rejected! Please try to reconnect Intiator. Target name iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware.hyp4-sw-csv1, Initiator naem:iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware.hyp3-sw-csv1:

So at this point i have the files on Node4, but the replication has failed.
I want to re-create the replication only, not the 1.5tb file that is sat on HYP4 perfectly fine.
So now please re-read the steps of my 1st post.
I open replication ... select existing device on HYP4 ... and ... it won't let me use an existing device on HYP4. See 1st post.

[yaroslav (staff)]

To me, it does not look like the system is configured correctly. Also, the storage configuration is unknown and this might be the key to the READ events you see. I'd like to have a closer look at this system.
Please make sure to clear out folders that might carry duplicate names on the destination side (i.e., the node where you recreate the mirror to).
Do you have access to UI of the Management Console and can you perform actions there? If so, please reach out to StarWind support.

[GiveitAGo]

Gosh you are being stubborn.

Pretty please with a cherry on top can you:

• Install starwind-v8 build15260 on two nodes
• Node1: Add Device (Advanced) - HDD - Virtual - Name:"Witness" - Size:1gb - SectorSize: 4096 - No Cache
• Node2: repeat
• Node2: expand Target:Witness - select Device:imagefile1 - select Replication Manager
• In Replication Manger Wizard
• add a partner - "Two-Way" - Host: Node1 - Failover: Heartbeat - Setup: Select existing Device

Tell me if YOU can select an existing target on the node.
or is this feature not working for you either.

I try not to beat about the bush or waste time.
I have tried to be very clear and to the point.
Please just take these steps and investigate.

Many thanks

- I have other targets - so do not want to edit the starwind config to resolve as this means taking down the starwind service
- I cannot get the PowerShell to work as it errors with invalid partner info
- both the above are separate issues to be dealt with separately
- this topic title is "Replication - Select Existing Device" - lets focus on this feature please
- I am a client trying to help you improve your product - trying to point out possibly broken functionality - why make this so hard?

[yaroslav (staff)]

I am sorry for such a misunderstanding. The procedure for creating the HA device that we have in our guide is different from what you mentioned in your post. That's not how we have it written in the guide.
What you do is create 2 standalone devices and then create an HA device selecting the exact image from the other node. This is not how it works. You need an HA header that is created through the replication manager. To use the existing device for High availability (HA), HA header which according to your post was not yet created.
The correct procedure should look like
1. Create a device on NODE1.
2. Go to Replication Manager.
3. Go through the replication manager.
or
Use the self-titled script from C:\Program Files\StarWind Software\StarWind\StarWindX\Samples\powershell.
There is no need to create the same device on both nodes and promote one of them to HA.
Can you please reach out to support at support@starwind.com to let us further dig into this matter?

- I have other targets - so do not want to edit the Starwind config to resolve as this means taking down the Starwind service

If you have access to the Management Console, there is no need to edit the config file to remove the header. With PowerShell, you can remove device and target by running RemoveDevice.ps1 and RemoveTarget.ps1 for the specific device scripts are in C:\Program Files\StarWind Software\StarWind\StarWindX\Samples\powershell by default.

- I cannot get the PowerShell to work as it errors with invalid partner info

See the script here https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... p+3#p31505. If I understand it correctly, there is a folder and files with the same name.

- I am a client trying to help you improve your product - trying to point out possibly broken functionality - why make this so hard?

I value your effort, but from the procedure, it seems that you did not fully follow the guide. I am happy to talk more about how the solution works and how you can create a replica correctly in more detail. That is why I suggested you reach out to support to look into it. From what I know you have not logged the case with us yet. Hope to hear back from you at support@starwind.com use 1073172 as your reference.