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Creation of New RDM for MSCS Cluster Node when Cluster Service Is Active on Another Node

Details

I am using a Cluster-Across-Boxes or N + 1 configuration for Microsoft Cluster Services. I am attempting to add a raw device map (RDM) for the shared LUN. I already have a cluster node active on another ESX Server system, and I see error messages such as the following logged to /var/log/vmkwarning during the RDM creation process.

Jun 12 10:17:40 esxhost vmkernel: 4:19:59:39.039 cpu3:1033)WARNING: SCSI: 5446: Failing I/O due to too many reservation conflicts
Jun 12 10:17:40 esxhost vmkernel: 4:19:59:39.039 cpu3:1033)WARNING: SCSI: 7835: status 0xbad0022, rstatus #c0de01 for vmhba3:0:2. residual R 919, CR 0, ER 3
Jun 12 10:17:40 esxhost vmkernel: 4:19:59:39.039 cpu3:1033)WARNING: SCSI: 6247: Failed for vmhba3:0:2 status = 195887138
 
What method should I use to create the RDM?

Solution

Option 1
 
One option is to stop the cluster, create a new RDM, and restart the cluster. This process creates down time, which might not be acceptable in a production environment.

Instead of stopping the cluster, you can create new RDM descriptors on the local VMFS volume using Option 2.

 
Option 2
 
Create a new RDM for the new cluster node and configure the cluster node.
 
Log on to the service console as root and enter the following command on a single line:
  • For ESX Server 2.5:

    [root@esxhost]# vmkfstools -L lunreset vmhbaX:Y:Z:0 ; vmkfstools -r vmhbaZ:Y:Z:0 /vmfs/VMFSVol/RDM_Name.vmdk

    In this example, replace the following with values for your system:
    • vmhbaX:Y:Z:0 - source LUN
    • vmhbaZ:Y:Z:0 - destination VMFS volume
    • VMFSVol - VMFS volume name
    • RDM_Name.vmdk - destination file name

  • For ESX Server 3.0:

    [root@esxhost]# vmkfstools -L lunreset /vmfs/devices/disks/vmhbaX:Y:Z:0 ; vmkfstools -z /vmfs/devices/disks/vmhbaX:Y:Z:0 /vmfs/VMFSVol/RDM_Name.vmdk


    In this example, replace the following with values for your system:
  • vmhbaX:Y:Z:0 - source LUN
  • VMFSVol - VMFS volume name
  • RDM_Name.vmdk - destination file name
Note that vmkfstools -z should be used to create a passthru-rdm and vmkfstools -r to create a non-passthru-rdm for ESX Server 3.0. For this configuration, using passthru-rdm is mandatory.

 

Keywords

1862; MSCS; Clustering; Cluster; RDM; cluster-across-boxes; N+1;

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  • KB Article: 1862
  • Updated: Aug 14, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware ESX
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 2.5.x
    VMware ESX 3.0.x