Clustering with ServeRaid and Windows Server 2003 (EXP300)

[jmathergdv]

We have:

2 x225 each with a 4mx controller and windows server 2003 enterprise edition. Pulled together many resources to attempt a cluster with these items, all firmware and bios's are up to date as far as I can tell. I have followed the instructions on how to setup clustering in the faq's, the win2k and windows 2003 and serveraid documentation.

I can fail back and forth using ipshahto.exe, both servers can see the disks, I can create the first node and add the second node (again following all of the careful instructions)....this is where I hit problems:

1) On the second node the disks appear as defunct (shared disks) and offline (quorum)...I have never done this so maybe this is how they should appear. The first node appears fine and I can create groups and resources with no problem.

2) When I try to move these resources from node1 to node2 it fails and brings them back to node1.

Can someone direct me as to what I may be doing wrong? I know that this could very well be an issue with IBM's drivers for 2003....they technically do not support it yet....

Any information would be great....

Thanks in advance.

 

[victorv]

hi,
regard the point 1), I belive you are speaking about ServRAID Manager, this is normal: each server that does not has in that moment a logical disk, (becouse for cluster motivation, it is on the other server), reports it as off-line.

The point 2) , for my opinion, is indipendent from 1) and instead it is not normal: this means that Server2 cannot guest cluster for some motivations. Probably there is a mistake in configuration: try to evict node2, unistall MSCS, special IBM disk, check network conf, see cluster parameters cluster on node1, and try to re-join server2, always running IBM setup.

bye

 

[Ydwor]

I got a similar problem.

A question..

Did u use the W2k3 Cluster Service program? Or the IBM Cluster Service installation program (the one that comes with the IBM ServerGuide CD)?

 

[jmathergdv]

I finally got all this to work, mostly by testing and by plugs accidently getting pulled out of the back by IBM technicians.....

When I set this up, I used the ibm cluster service installation program, this supposedly is not supported by ibm, and they should have a 2003 version out soon, but it does work....

Do everything just like described in the FAQ's on Tek-Tips, when you get to the part where you install the cluster service (since it is already installed) just start the ibm cluster install and go from there....

When you get it all installed, you may have trouble moving between groups, if so, try turning the primary node off, then see if the resources move. If not, then you may have done something wrong (go back and re-add the second node perhaps).

If it does move, then turn on the primary node again, then try to move the groups back, if they don't move repeat that whole process....

 

[HbO]

Where do you get the IBM ServeRAID Cluster Solution software? I cannot find it in ServeRAID 6.10 CD folder W2003

 

[jmathergdv]

It is in the win2k folder, not the win2003 folder...

 

[techieGeek]

Guys,

I don't mean to ruin the fun going on. Windows 2003 and ServeRAID Clustering is not supported yet. Using the Windows 2K cluster files from the ServeRAID CD really should not be done as that can cause problem once the system is running.
If you look at the IBM Support website under MIGR-39723 on

http://www.pc.ibm.com/support

you will see that there are no cluster files for ServeRAID and Win2003
Just a little warning for you in case something goes wrong.

Regards

Martin

 

[jmathergdv]

That is very true, but, it still works, just don't install IBM director....they supposedly will have a windows 2003 version out shortly...I know 6.11 just got released, but I don't know if it has clustering available for it.

 

[demand73]

Hi jmathergdv is it the beta ServeRAID cluster support files for w2k3 you have used?
or have you managed to install the w2k driver in 2k3?

Regards
Krister

 

[jmathergdv]

I used the win2k files, are there beta 2003 files? If so, point me in the right direction.....

 

[demand73]

Well IBM doesnt want to release the beta drivers for 2k3 to me, but im working on that part.

The problem i have is that w2k3 MSCS does not recognize my partitions i the shared EXP300 like cluster-capable

Hardware part is working and the partitions in the shelf moves between the servers (and shows up) when i run ipshahto.exe.

My biggest problem is that i must have this working by noon tomorrow (about 20h from now =) ) i have read probably read a hundred guides regarding MSCS and ServeRAID and cant get this to work, so my guess that its driver related and plain lack of knowledge.

- Exactly how did you manage get your cluster working?
not the hardware part that one i have control over
its the softpart with drivers im after

- Are you using ServeRAID 5.x or 6.x?

Thankful for a hint in right direction.
Sorry for my lousy english, am from sweden =)

Regards
Krister

 

[jmathergdv]

Did you try this part from the previous post:

Do everything just like described in the FAQ's on Tek-Tips, when you get to the part where you install the cluster service (since it is already installed) just start the ibm cluster install and go from there....

When you get it all installed, you may have trouble moving between groups, if so, try turning the primary node off, then see if the resources move. If not, then you may have done something wrong (go back and re-add the second node perhaps).

If it does move, then turn on the primary node again, then try to move the groups back, if they don't move repeat that whole process....


----Make sure you follow the faq link on tek-tips...that is key...

 

[kfunkenstein]

After three days of run around from IBM we finally got a hold of someone who told us Windows 2003 on a IBM cluster using SCSI will not work... They are supposedly working on it, but no idea when and if it will be released. This is for clusters connected by SCSI. They claim that Fiber Channels will work with 2003.... Their support is horrible and after this on top of many other episodes our company will never buy another IBM product for our datacenter.

 

[victorv]

dear kfunkenstein

I am not an IBMer, but we are IBM reseller.
I don't write you to defend IBM but to help you:
I work in IT from more than 20 years and often I have eared
these story about IBM: you are right and I understand your
dissatisfaction.
We resell also Digital ( oh sorry Compaq) (oh sorry HP) and
other, and I ensure you, that same problems or other (bigger or smaller) have also other brands.

IBM is as an elephant: it is the last to release 1Gb eth adapter on its machines to don't speak about SCSI adapters and connector!, but last month I have download from its site, FW and management tool for my notebook, 10 year old.

The IBM support is horrible, I know: I exist for this motivation. If you have to buy a PC or an HUB, you can buy it from Internet, but if you have to buy a complex system,
(from IBM,HP,Sun,ecc) I suggest you to use a competent reseller.

bye