toasters July 2007

toasters@lists.teaparty.net

50 participants
36 discussions

NetApp Thin Provisioning and VMware ESX
by drenthjd＠wxs.nl 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

Hi Toasters, We created something of an interesting dilemma for ourselves. The original problem was the lack of a means to extend existing VMFS LUNs through ESX without an extent and or downtime. The idea was to use NetApp thin provisioning as a way to offer up a large disk to ESX without the need to back that up with real disks, as a way to monitor real disk usage we created a hard volume and monitor with df the real use of disk against a hard limit (being the volume). So a 1 TB Lun (thin) was created inside a 200 GB (hard) volume, subsequently we wanted to keep track of ESX 3's usage through controlling the size of the VMDK files we would create. As this environment hosts desktops and was a testing ground at first there were a whole bunch of VMDK being created and destroyed. The situation we end up with is VMware thinking it has 60 GB in use of a 1 TB LUN while NetApp reports 180 GB in use of 200 GB (being the hard limit at this time). Basically the question becomes whether we can force ESX to actually reuse any of the [netapp in use] - [real use according to ESX] = 130 GB of space. Probably we need to clean up and start over with a new clean LUN, which we could then either hard provision and forget about thin provisioning altogether, because in our scenario it is no help. A broader question becomes were we went wrong? Our situation seems to suggest that we waste a whole lot of disk space - which VMware wont reuse on its own, and which NetApp can't touch (how would it know it was now freed up space) In that sense thin provisioning is just a space waster in an environment with VMDK's being destroyed and recreated from scratch. Of course we could always go flexcloning... but that would force netapp world on a whole lot of admins. Best regards, Delorean

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FW: GREETING CARD EMAILS
by Maglinger, Paul 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

Sorry guys. Don't know how your address got attached to this... Paul ________________________________ From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com [mailto:owner-toasters@mathworks.com] On Behalf Of Maglinger, Paul Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:02 PM To: pmaglinger(a)inetmail.att.net; sendme18roses(a)yahoo.com; samus_aran5506(a)juno.com; cal6014(a)evansville.net; NetApps list server; Stan Maglinger Subject: GREETING CARD EMAILS Importance: High Be very careful in opening an email stating "You've received a greeting ecard from a School friend!" or some other subject regarding an E-Card. If it is not from someone you know I advise you to delete the email. Some will even say that they were sent by your "mom" or "brother". The link inside the email will take you to a malicious site. -Paul

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GREETING CARD EMAILS
by Maglinger, Paul 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

Be very careful in opening an email stating "You've received a greeting ecard from a School friend!" or some other subject regarding an E-Card. If it is not from someone you know I advise you to delete the email. Some will even say that they were sent by your "mom" or "brother". The link inside the email will take you to a malicious site. -Paul

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110v PDUs for NetApp Racks
by Holland, William L 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

We have an R200 in a 42U NetApp rack with 4ea of the 0U, 220v, 16a PDUs. In a few months we plan to relocate it to another facility, but they do not have 220v power available, only 110v. Any ideas where we can find 110v PDUs to replace the NetApp 220v ones? Ideally they would be the same physical size as the ones currently in the rack. They have to be 0U as the rack is totally full.

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RE: NFS vs. iSCSI for VMware (was "Re: List still active?")
by Scott Lowe 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

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Adding VLANs to a vif
by Wes Hardin 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

I have a FAS3020 with all four onboard gig-e ports trunked as vif0. I am wanting to add a VLAN interface to my current vif for my backup network. Will the following lines in /etc/rc work? (Sorry for the wrapping) vif create multi vif0 -b ip e0a e0c e0b e0d vlan create -g off vif0 4093 ifconfig vif0 `hostname`-vif0 mediatype auto netmask 255.255.248.0 partner vif0 ifconfig vif0-4093 `hostname`-backup netmask 255.255.0.0 partner vif0-4093 I still want vif0 to act as it does now, sending and receiving untagged frames, but the new interface, vif0-4093, sending tagged frames. I tried to simulate this with the ONTAP simulator, but it wasn't supported on my setup and all the documentation I can find doesn't mention the original interface again after creating the VLAN. Thanks, -- /* wes hardin */ UNIX System Admin Dallas Semiconductor/Maxim Integrated Products

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ndmpcopy failure "RESTORE: File creation failed"
by Paul Letta 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Hello, I have a new filer running 7.2.2. I am using ndmpcopy from the command line of the new filer to copy a directory (not a whole volume) from an old filer running 7.1.1.1. Many of the directories I am moving are fine, but at least one (so far) has produced some errors while the ndmpcopy was running: Ndmpcopy: cfs1: Log: RESTORE: File creation failed: ...(258720) The ndmpcopy runs and finishes without error. The ndmpdcopy of one of these directories had 179 of these failures. Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: 124480831 KB Ndmpcopy: new: Log: RESTORE: RESTORE IS DONE Ndmpcopy: new:newcfs1: Notify: restore successful Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: DUMP IS DONE Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: Deleting "/vol/vol1/../snapshot_for_backup.234" snapshot. I then turned on ndmpd debug to 70 and ran it again. This time each of the failed files had a similar segment of errors like this: Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message NDMP_LOG_MESSAGE sent Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message Header: Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Sequence 22 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Timestamp 1184183769 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Msgtype 0 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Method 1539 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: ReplySequence 0 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Error NDMP_NO_ERR Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Log type: 0 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message id: 0 Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Log message: RESTORE: File creation failed: ...(258729) Ndmpcopy: new: Log: RESTORE: File creation failed: ...(258729) The new filer is empty and the destination volume is a big flexvol. The source directory (qtree) is in a traditional volume. I have opened a case, but nothing back yet. Anyone ever see this before ? Thanks, Paul

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RE: ndmpcopy failure "RESTORE: File creation failed"
by Kenneth Heal 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

HiI vaguely recall seeing something similar and in that case there was an inconsistent inode in the source directory. It is therefore probably worth doing a wafliron on the source directory:filer>priv set advancedfiler*>vol wafliron start volnamefiler*>priv setfiler>cheersKenneth HealStorage ConsultantSenet Eindhoven bv> Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:34:13 -0400> From: letta(a)jlab.org> To: toasters(a)mathworks.com> Subject: ndmpcopy failure "RESTORE: File creation failed"> > Hello,> I have a new filer running 7.2.2. I am using ndmpcopy from the > command line of the new filer to copy a directory (not a whole volume) > from an old filer running 7.1.1.1. Many of the directories I am moving > are fine, but at least one (so far) has produced some errors while the > ndmpcopy was running:> > > Ndmpcopy: cfs1: Log: RESTORE: File creation failed: ...(258720)> > The ndmpcopy runs and finishes without error. The ndmpdcopy of one of > these directories had 179 of these failures.> > Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: 124480831 KB> Ndmpcopy: new: Log: RESTORE: RESTORE IS DONE> Ndmpcopy: new:newcfs1: Notify: restore successful> Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: DUMP IS DONE> Ndmpcopy: old: Log: DUMP: Deleting > "/vol/vol1/../snapshot_for_backup.234" snapshot.> > > I then turned on ndmpd debug to 70 and ran it again. This time each of > the failed files had a similar segment of errors like this:> > Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message NDMP_LOG_MESSAGE sent> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message Header:> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Sequence 22> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Timestamp 1184183769> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Msgtype 0> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Method 1539> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: ReplySequence 0> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Error NDMP_NO_ERR> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Log type: 0> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Message id: 0> Jul 11 15:56:09 EDT [ndmpd:10]: Log message: RESTORE: File creation > failed: ...(258729)> Ndmpcopy: new: Log: RESTORE: File creation failed: ...(258729)> > The new filer is empty and the destination volume is a big flexvol. The > source directory (qtree) is in a traditional volume.> > > I have opened a case, but nothing back yet. Anyone ever see this before ?> > Thanks,> Paul _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

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RE: List still active?
by Glenn Walker 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

We're looking at going the ESX route as well. The NFS route is thin-provisioned, as you said, which is attractive. Keeping the snapshot capabilities for LUNs by adding space reservations is safer, but costly. Quite frankly, thin provisioning the space res for LUNs is attractive if your organization is pro-active, but that isn't the case where I'm at: too dangerous and asking for danger. That said, you won't get quite the same latency\throughput with NFS as with iSCSI or especially FCP. Glenn -----Original Message----- From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com [mailto:owner-toasters@mathworks.com] On Behalf Of Glenn Dekhayser Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:55 AM To: Davies,Matt; Scott Lowe; Forest Leonard; toasters(a)mathworks.com Subject: RE: List still active? Advantages IMHO 1) VMDKs on NFS are by default THIN-Provisioned; 2) Throughput is about equal 3) NFS is a heck of a lot easier to administer 4) There's 3x longer history and knowledgebase on NFS network t-shooting. Dis-Advantages: 1) You can do a QLogic iSCSI card to offload CPU processing of packets; 2) In a big environment you can use iSNS; 3) You can be much more granular with masking/etc (although I can imagine you can be creative with NFS) 4) NFS is stateless (v2), to be run fastest you use UDP; so to make it reliable it gets a little slower (but still not a real biggie) Anyone else? Glenn @ VOyant > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com [mailto:owner- > toasters(a)mathworks.com] On Behalf Of Davies,Matt > Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:35 AM > To: Scott Lowe; Forest Leonard; toasters(a)mathworks.com > Subject: RE: List still active? > > Scott, > > Any chance you could expand on the advantages of NFS over Iscsi ? NFS > isn't an area I have any experience of.... > > Cheers > > Matt > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com [mailto:owner- > toasters(a)mathworks.com] > On Behalf Of Scott Lowe > Sent: 11 July 2007 14:05 > To: Forest Leonard; toasters(a)mathworks.com > Subject: Re: List still active? > > Forest, > > When it comes time to configure VMkernel for VMotion, then I'd > definitely recommend keeping it separate from the virtual machine > network. As it stands right now, you don't even need a VMkernel NIC > configured because it sounds like you are using Qlogic iSCSI HBAs and > only have a single ESX Server. Since the Qlogic cards handle the > iSCSI traffic and there is no VMotion, there no current need for a > VMkernel NIC (unless you want to use NFS from the FAS to provide > additional storage for VMs--which, by the way, works pretty well and > has some nice advantages over iSCSI, IMHO). > > Regards, > Scott Lowe > ePlus Technology, Inc. > slowe(a)eplus.com > > > > On Jul 11, 2007, at 8:33 AM, Forest Leonard wrote: > > > Interesting stuff. I only have one ESX server so I haven't gotten > > to the > > Vmotion configuration yet.. That should be later this year. > > > > I just configured a RDM to run a Virtual server on. I found an > article > > where you want to create the type as NTFS if it is a RDM for a > windows > > host. Not sure if I am going to use this going forward. I actually > > don't > > know if you can migrate into a RDM. It doesn't look like it. > > > > I am only using 2 NIC's on my Vmware server.. and a QLOGIC card for > my > > ISCSI access.. I may need to look at bulking up my NIC > > configuration. It > > looks like I may gain some performance if I separate my VMKernal > > from my > > Virtual Machine network? > > > > Thanks, > > Forest > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Davies,Matt [mailto:MDAVIES@generalatlantic.com] > > Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 8:18 AM > > To: Forest Leonard; ggwalker(a)mindspring.com; toasters(a)mathworks.com > > Subject: RE: List still active? > > > > Sounds like we are both at the same stage. > > > > We are not using RDM's yet, however when it comes to exchange we will > > have to, or I may just stick with using the Microsoft Iscsi > > initiatator > > from within the VM, not exactly supported, but I know of other people > > doing it. > > > > We have migrated 8 machines so far, into just one datastore and > > have not > > seen any performance problems at all, although most of the machines > > have > > very low IO requirements. > > > > We are using a script to snapshot and then replicate using > snapmirror, > > it works very well, however our Virtual Centre server is also a VM > > which > > was causing a few problems with the snapshots on the VMware side not > > being removed, but moving this to a separate datastore seems have > > cured > > the problems, even SQL doesn't seem to have a problem. > > > > The script is the one written by Evan Battle, that is in the newest > > netapp docs on VMware. I did have a few problems with ssh to the > > filer, > > but we are now using rsh and it seems to be ok. > > > > I don't know how you have setup your virtual switches on the ESX > side, > > but I got some best practice information out of VMware on that > > subject. > > > > Each of our ESX IBM3550 host servers have 6 Nics, connected as > > follows. > > > > 2 Nics for service console VMKernel for Vmotion, load balance using > > Virtual port ID > > > > 2 Nics for Virtual Machine network, load balance using Virtual port > ID > > > > 2 Nics for ISCSI (Service Console and VMKernel), load balance using > IP > > Hash > > > > Hope this helps.... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Forest Leonard [mailto:fleonard@rvigroup.com] > > Sent: 11 July 2007 11:06 > > To: Davies,Matt; ggwalker(a)mindspring.com; toasters(a)mathworks.com > > Subject: RE: List still active? > > > > Hey Matt... I am actually doing the exact same thing on a FAS 270.. I > > have migrated about 7 servers so far. > > > > Are you using RDM's (remote device mappings) for the Virtual > > Machines? I > > actually just created 2 200GB LUNs on the netapp to use as Datastores > > and have not had any performance issues. > > > > Just wondering what your experience with RDM's are.. I added one > > into a > > virtual machine.. It just lets you map a LUN directly to a Virtual > > machine. > > > > Has anyone out there used the netapp script to capture a VM snapshot? > > > > Thanks, > > Forest > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com on behalf of Davies,Matt > > Sent: Wed 7/11/2007 1:00 AM > > To: ggwalker(a)mindspring.com; toasters(a)mathworks.com > > Subject: RE: List still active? > > > > > > > > Still working by the looks of things. > > > > busy in process of migrating all our physical severs to VM, stored > > on a > > iscsi lun on a FAS 270. > > > > For those that want to know we are using the software iscsi initiator > > within ESX and have not had any problems so far. > > > > cheers > > > > matt > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com <owner-toasters(a)mathworks.com> > > To: toasters(a)mathworks.com <toasters(a)mathworks.com> > > Sent: Wed Jul 11 01:03:49 2007 > > Subject: List still active? > > > > I've noticed that I'm still subscribed, but have received no email > > since > > July 4th. Everyone didn't trade their NetApp gear for something else > > while I was out of town did they?? J > > > > > > > > _____________________________________________________________ > > This e-mail (including all attachments) is confidential and may be > > privileged. > > It is for the exclusive use of the addressee only. If you are not the > > addressee, > > you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this > > communication is > > strictly > > prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please > > erase all > > copies of the message and its attachments and notify us immediately > at > > help(a)generalatlantic.com <mailto:help@generalatlantic.com>. Thank > You. > > > > > > > > > ###################################################################### > > > ## > > ############# > > Note: > > If you have received this message in error, please notify the > original > > sender immediately by telephone (203)975-2100 or by return e-mail, > and > > delete the message, along with any attachments from your computer. > If > > you have received this message in error, you are hereby notified that > > any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail, and any > > attachments thereto, is strictly prohibited.This note is also to > > notify > > the recipient of this email that it has been scanned for all known > > viruses and attacking techniques. Thank you. http://www.rvigroup.com > > > ###################################################################### > > > ## > > ############# > > > > > ###################################################################### > > > ############### > > Note: > > If you have received this message in error, please notify the > > original sender immediately by telephone (203)975-2100 or by return > > e-mail, and delete the message, along with any attachments from > > your computer. If you have received this message in error, you are > > hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of > > this e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is strictly > > prohibited.This note is also to notify the recipient of this email > > that it has been scanned for all known viruses and attacking > > techniques. Thank you. http://www.rvigroup.com > > > ###################################################################### > > > ############### > > > > >

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LUN Snapshots
by Robert Lazzurs 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

Hello, I was wondering if anyone is aware of a way to have a NetApp do snapshots of just one LUN within a volume, if not possibly one qtree within a volume. The reason I ask is to provide a service where customers can have their iSCSI LUN and then backup that iSCSI LUN with a snapshot, however as I am going to have 100's of LUN's (well 1000's tbh, but this will be over many storage heads from the looks of things) I cannot assign a volume to each LUN. If there is not a way to get a NetApp to provide these facilities then if someone has any recommendations on storage systems I should look at that would be great :) (PS I love NetApp, please don't say I have to switch!!!) Thanks.

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toasters July 2007