How do I map RAW Disk from the Simulator to VMs

[Stan-J]

I loaded the NetApp Simulator on an ESXi server to test something in our virtual lab.

We have a project that we need to replicate what a customer is doing so we can test VMs that use RAW disk mappings.

We need to replicate 6 to 8 disk that are RAW mapped to VMs

I followed an example to install and configure a single node cluster.
It defaults to multiple disk (56 disk with 52 available at 3.93 GB) and it looks like I have about 147 GB of space to create disk(s).
I am now at a point where i need to replicate 4 to 8 disk.

In the attached, I see 147.66 GB of usable space.

Do I need to create an aggregate for the 6 to 8 RAW disks or multiple aggregates for each disk?

What would be the steps necessary to accomplish setting up the disk mapping as RAW to the VMs

thanks

[SpindleNinja]

if there's no other data aggrs,  you'll need to create the aggr(s) to have a place to put the test volume/lun.  

[Stan-J]

The question is

do i manually create multiple aggregates , one for each RAW disk for the VMs and  how are the disk then mapped to a VM

or

create one aggregate and then use  multiple volumes assigned as RAW disk to the VM (if this is even possible) 

i tied to look at volumes, but a message is shown saying no SVM exist in the cluster.

[SpindleNinja]

Sorry,  just do a single aggr.    

You'll need to create an SVM to run protocals off the simulator.   I don't think you can do FC off the sim,  but you should be able to do iSCSI and map your luns that way. 

Put multiple volumes on that and create a lun in each volume,  map that to your igroups.  

[Stan-J]

ok,,i will take a look at this next week.

how would i set up the RAW disk mappings to the VMs,,,

[SpindleNinja]

NetApp side: 

map the lun to the esxi host(s) igroup.  

https://docs.netapp.com/ontap-9/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.netapp.doc.dot-cm-sanag%2FGUID-D4DAC7DB-A6B0-4696-B972-7327EE99FD72.html

Vmware site: 

adding the RDM:

 https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.vsphere.vm_admin.doc/GUID-4236E44E-E11F-4EDD-8CC0-12BA664BB811.html 

[Stan-J]

ok,,

making some headway

i created the aggregate, SVM, and 3 volumes...

The link says

• You must have enabled block access with FC or iSCSI.
• You must have created SAN LIFs on all of the nodes in the cluster.

Where in the OnCommand Sys Mananger can I accoplish the above 2 options?>

Then, the link has 

Create your LUNs:

lun create -vserver vserver_name -v

Does the abve requiring ssh connenct to the mgt interface ?

Can this be done / viewed in OnCommand Sys Mananger

thanks

[SpindleNinja]

you can create LUNs and igroups and map them via the GUI. 

[Stan-J]

ok,,,,what screen in the OnCommand allows for creating LUNS and igroups?

[SeanHatfield]

The GUI layout drifts a bit from version to version, but look under Storage->LUNs, then there are tabs for both LUNs and Initiator groups.  Suggest you create the initiator group first using the iSCSI IQNs of your ESX hosts, then create and map LUNs to that initiator group.

Back on the vSphere side, rescan the iscsi storage adapters to see the LUNs, which you can then map to VMs as RDMs.

Also see https://www.netapp.com/us/media/tr-4597.pdf for best practices if you decide to move past the simulation phase.

[Stan-J]

Thanks I will look into this next week..

Also, is there any way to simualte an HBA from the simulator to maop the RAW devices to VMs?

[SeanHatfield]

Not sure I follow you.  What kind of HBA and what are you trying to get it to do?

[Stan-J]

The problem we face is that VMs we are testing for a customer use HBA Fibre.

They have a Dell Server connected to  disk shelves by using a pass-through and map the drives a RAW,

Their VMs connect by using is an in-house software.

 We cannot not get one of the shelves  or HBAs and need to emulate it via simulation.

The only idea i have is to modify their software in our testbed to use iSCSI instead of the HBA.

I don't know of any other software that can emualte HBA Fibre.