EF & E-Series, SANtricity, and Related Plug-ins

E-Series SRA Plug-in for For SRM work only with thick volumes!

gmilazzoitag
8,046 Views

The issues given by the bugged SRA plug-ins have finally ended (see here).

After a call openened with support, lot of logs exchanged, they've been able to reproduce the issue and development team reported:

 

"Development has confirmed an issue with thin provisioned volumes with AMGs. The only workaround is to avoid thin provisioned volumes for SRM until a release of SRA includes the fix for this issue. At this time, I do not have an ETA for the a release date of the SRA version that will include a fix.   

 

For the time being, to get the customer into production, I recommend trying a non-thin provisioned volume within a Dynamic Disk Pool or creating a volume within a Volume group"

 

First I've created and paired in a new AMG a new thick volume but SRA failed the same nevertheless I put my old AMG (with thin vols) disabled. Only when I've completely removed the old AMGs I was able to complete the SRM device discovery and the creation of the protection group.

 

Well, mistery is solved but it remains a very big issue…a big issue because if you have also just one thin volume in a AMG the SRA fails to enumerate the paired devices!

I think that customer (and me too, I'm a “thin” evangelist) would use thin from arrays that claim they can do it, don’t you think so?

 

Well. If AMG in E-Series contain thin volumes the SRA plugin fails with the error I shared with you.

And, maybe this is worst, if you maintain also just one AMG with thin resources, SRA fails!

This means that in case you need just a couple of LUNs for SRM purposes all of your other DR resources, also the “crash consistancy ones”, must be THICK!

This is really crazy!

 

Anyway, my SRM/SRA worked only when I’ve created a new AMG with thick volumes and after I’ve removed all old thin mirrored resources and their AMGs.

 

It's really incredible to think that development team forgot the possibility to use thin volumes in AMG...using such array able to do thin! 😉

 

 

10 REPLIES 10

mjastad
7,981 Views

There is a fix in the works as I type this reponse, that hopefully should be done in a day or so.  The development team plans to apply the fix, along with some other logging changes, and

 

 

  1.  Get a “beta” build out to the customer through FTP or similar
  2. run that new build through VMware certification so they can post the new version on NSS and VMware’s site.

Current plans would be to have a patched version recertified and posted by the end of April, as the recert process takes time.  EPG Interoperability Team will be driving much of the recert, and they’re already engaged on these issues. There is an effort to push a “beta” version to the customer within a few days, pending verification of the fix in progress.

gmilazzoitag
7,932 Views

Just to give to the customer an hope…

Do you have some news about the “beta” patch? Customer is available to put it on production (worst case scenario it does not work)

 

Regards,

gmilazzoitag
7,807 Views

Hi,

 

two months are passed. No news about patch a/o new working release.

Customer in the meantime migrated everything to thick with a lot of effort we've paid!

 

Do you have news about this patch?


Regards,

montee
7,796 Views

Hello -- 

 

We fixed the issue, but then had to run the new VMware certification suite and have been having difficulty with some of their tests. We're still working on getting through the full certification process and will post the SRA when that is complete. Full posting is expected by late June, but we could provide an earlier copy sooner. However, from your message it appears the customer no longer urgently needs this?

 

Best Regards.

gmilazzoitag
7,785 Views

Yes. Customer decided to convert every volume in thick format.

It remains anyway the issue because I'm sure that who buy thin provising capabla arrays want to use it! 😉

 

Regards

 

gmilazzoitag
7,537 Views

A very long time ago we've started to wait for a new release of this software.
Somebody was sure that the patch would be available for april 2015. We're in september and the only one is yet 5.5.

 

Luckly we decided to convert all our volumes in thick format...(with high efforts to migrate!...)

...but it's incredible that from a storage that support thin provisioning this cannot be used if you're planning to adopt DR with VMware SRM!


montee
7,512 Views

Hello,

 

VMware required us to make an additional change to the SRA and since that time have experienced delays in getting through their cert. suite. We believe we are past the most difficult hurdles and are anticipating a posting in the first half of October.

 

 

gmilazzoitag
7,971 Views
Hi,
Thanks for the update. I've felt rumors about this patch just this afternoon by a colleague of you..and this because I'm the one who discovered this issue! 🙂

Is not on my decisions to convince customer to try and/or eventually shot adopt a beta in a production environment. Also because this customer is a little bit angry for others issues and delays caused by software of E-series(see other posts th myself)

Anyway let me know when this beta will be enough tested and how to get it. I will try it.

I hope this can help us to maintain these arrays at customer (a metal fan but using fas until now...long story)

montee
7,352 Views

Hello,

 

The NetApp SANtricity Storage Replication Adapter 05.06 is now available on vmware.com. The VMware Compatibility Guide shows it supporting SRM 5.1, 5.5, and 6.0. We have submitted test logs for the certification on SRM 6.1 and are waiting on VMware to add that to the compatibility guide.

 

This version of the SRA solves the thin provisioned volumes issue.

 

Cheers.

montee
5,726 Views

Hello,

 

VMware has added SRM 5.8 and 6.1 support to the Compatibility Guide for the NetApp SANtricity Storage Replication Adapter 05.06.

 

Best regards.

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