How do I connect ESX to my SAN?

[svenmontgomery]

Hey all (again),

I'm attempting to connect my ESX 3.5 to my CX300 SAN.

As i 'inherited' this SAN from the previous systems admin I haven't been able to track down any of the original Navisphere CD's i.e. no navisphere agent for my esx box.

Can anyone walk me through a manual configuration of the SAN (or point me to a good whitepaper)? I suspect I need to setup some kind of host file on the esx box?

Stuck and banging my head against keyboard.

thanks as always,

 

[TheLad]

Firstly, how is your server connected to your SAN?

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"Insert funny comment in here!"
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[svenmontgomery]

Fibre Connected.

 

[nhidalgo]

i'm not sure about the cx300 SAN, but there are a few things to check. Is the fiber switch port that your esx server is in zoned?

Does the ESX server see your fiber card?

Does you SAN see the Esx server HBA?

 

[ArizonaGeek]

If your SAN is still under warranty you could call Dell and they'll walk you through some of your settings all you need is your service tag. I have a cx310 SAN and we had Dell/EMC come in and help us set it up. It took the better part of a whole day but we were setting it up from brand new. I am assuming it has been used before on another machine. You will need the Navisphere software for sure so grab that first.

When you call Dell ask for a download or a disk of the Navisphere software. You can also go to

http://powerlink.emc.com

and check the boards and downloads there. You will need to sign up for an account there but so worth it. There is a Navisphere tool bar download, I haven't used it yet but I was reading that it was pretty cool.

Good luck!

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[svenmontgomery]

I finally worked out how to manually register my SAN. Also found out my fiber zoning wasn't completely correct which wouldn't have helped.

I have given up with the agent side for the moment. Shame ESX doesn't include this setup as part of their install as most of the features of ESX is aimed at SAN connection.

thanks for all help, responses and ideas.

 

[NickFerrar]

I didn't bother with trying to install the NaviAgent on my Clariion attached ESX servers as they are on a non-routable network and have no IP access to the SAN SPs, not even sure if you can install the agent on ESX anyway? You don't really lose anything by not having agents installed though.

Sounds like you've already done the zoning/registration/storage groups thing in which case can the server(s) see the SAN LUN(s)?

 

[jtb]

With VMware, the HCL is critical. If a part is not on that, don't waste your time and money trying to back-door it...

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
"A knight without armour in a [cyber] land."