Configuring MD32xx(SAS) using MDSM in Debian Linux

Question

Dear Team,
The practical scenario is here one MD3200 enclosure having two controller module and i want to map LUN to Server(R410 with Dell SAS 6 Gbps HBA) which doesn't have any OS but later on want to install Debian Linux after LUN mapping.So i have to do the out band communication using MDSM and the steps are as follows....

1.Discover the storage array.
2.then goto-logical-rt click on unconfirmed capacity-create a disk group-create vd-mapped the lun to singe host.
What the problem i'm facing is that during installation of linux the storage luns are coming first)/dev/sda,/dev/sdb) and the internal lun in the server(sas6ir-raid1) is coming after his(/dev/sdc).My question is how to change the sequence so that the server internal lun will come first agter that the storage luns?

How do i install MDSM in debian server for in band management and also pls provide the link for Dell SAS 6 Gbps HBA driver for debian linux.

Also it will be very appreciable for providing details configuration , installation and best practice of MD32xx storage array.

Thanks in advance
Swastik Das
E-mail: swastik.das@hotmail.com

mattslavin · Answer

I can tell you Debian, isn't supported or validated to work with the array.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/md3200i/en/matrix/matrix.pdf

Redhat 5.5 and SuSe will work perfectly with the device.

Now in saying that we have been able to make the device work with other non-supported systems like Gentoo and such.

Follow the linux install manual located here http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/md3200i/en/OM/PDF/MD3200i.pdf

Try This
apt-get install open-iscsi multipath-tools
iscsiadm -m discovery –type sendtargets –portal PUT_YOUR_TARGET_IP_HERE -P 1
iscsiadm -m node -l
multipath -ll

If the array was setup correctly and the lun assigned to the host or host group, you should now see active paths to the array.

swastikdas · Answer

Thanks mattslavin for u r suggestion.Here i'm talking about MD3200 SAS based direct attached storage. My point is
will i be able to install MDSM in DEbian Linux.if yes pls guide me.

How to change the Lun boot order.(i.e during installation of linux the storage luns are coming first "/dev/sda,/dev/sdb) and the internal lun in the server(sas6ir-raid1) is coming after this as (/dev/sdc).

Thanks in advance

Swastik Das

mattslavin · Answer

The official response is no, because Debian systems are not yet validated to work. That being said, you can always break the mold and draft your own setup. It linux so anything is possible!

You will need to use the DM_Multipath driver to connect to the array. What Distro are you running? Debian is used for alot of distros.

swastikdas · Answer

Thanks again Matt

The Debian destro is using kernel version 2.6.x(debian 5.x).
Pls share some doc. regarding disk mapper multipath / DM_driver(softwares) so that i can configure MD3200 in Debian Linux.

Also pls provide Dell SAS 6 gbps hba driver for debian.

Step-by-stem configuration and best practice CBT/pdf.

Finally if u thing from customer point of view Storage should n't have any host OS dependencies because storage is some thing which mainly used for high volume of data storage and mapped to host system as local lun/drive access.

Thanks in Advance

Swastik Das
email-swastik.das@hotmail.com

mattslavin · Answer

Swastik, sorry if I gave any impression that Dell had any support for the Debian system.

Supported Equipment and Hardware with the MD32xx array
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/md3200/en/matrix/matrix.pdf

Debian is not supported, and I don't think this is the venue for something like this to take place. There are no drivers or documentation anywhere that explains how to do this step by step.

I will say that there is a way to do it with planning and design

Use the LSI Driver (Compile and Install)
http://www.lsi.com/rdac/rdac-LINUX-09.03.0B05.0439-source.tar.gz

Reboot with your new kernel and verify the RDAC driver is in use by doing fdisk -l. Then I would run a strace on a benchmark tool to see if you get any errors when conducting this process.

Your looking for readv and pread64 panics. This will allow you to verify if the kernel will remain stable under data loads. Again for any advice beyond this would be out of the scope of this forum and support.

swastikdas · Answer

Thanks Matt,i let u know after doing all my R&D on the said product.in Debian along with the performance issue.

Pls let me know in the future if u find some thing which is exciting in terms of storage technology which is now a days changing with rapid rate , it will help me in giving better CSAT in the field as a DSP CE.

FluidFS

Configuring MD32xx(SAS) using MDSM in Debian Linux

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