SC7020F reboot issue

Question

Some time ago, the following problem occurred with the SC7020FOne of the controllers stopped responding via IP. However, FC traffic continued to flow.It was decided to reboot this controller.After the reboot, half of the volumes became unavailable on all hosts (These were the volumes for which this controller was the owner). The problem was solved only by rebooting the hosts. Reset HBA did not help. I had to reboot all the hosts. I would like to understand what the problem could be. We assume the following reasons: 1. Perhaps, when rebooting the controller, the owner change mechanism did not work correctly. 2. The wrong driver was selected during the ESXi update. It was version 14.0.169.25-5vmw, now updated to 14.0.169.26-5vmw. 3. Port zoning is currently configured. Can you tell me if the SC7020 supports port zoning, or is it necessary to configure WWPN zoning? The controller has not been rebooted since then. Now a reboot is required and we would like to take the necessary steps to prevent the problem.

DELL-Charles R · Answer

Hello,

Maybe these pointers can help you evaluate the past incident:

Owner Change Mechanism: If the owner change mechanism didn't work correctly during the controller reboot, it could indeed cause the volumes to become unavailable. This might be due to a bug or misconfiguration in the Storage Center OS. Ensuring that your SC7020F is running the latest firmware and software updates can help mitigate such issues.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000129562/sc-storage-customer-notification-long-running-management-process-may-cause-controller-reset

Driver Issue: The driver version could also be a factor. Since you've updated from version 14.0.169.25-5vmw to 14.0.169.26-5vmw, it's worth checking the release notes for any fixes related to storage controller communication or failover mechanisms. Sometimes, driver updates can resolve underlying issues that cause such problems.

Port Zoning vs. WWPN Zoning: The SC7020F does support both port zoning and WWPN zoning. However, WWPN zoning is generally recommended as it provides more flexibility and security. Port zoning can be used, but it is less flexible since it ties the zoning to specific physical ports.

To further diagnose the issue, you might want to:

Check the Event Logs: Look for any errors or warnings around the time of the controller reboot.
Review Zoning Configuration: Ensure that the zoning configuration aligns with best practices for your environment.

Maybe some of that can help answer your questions.

DELL-Marco B · Answer

Hello Artsiom,

Thank you for reaching out. Let's address your concerns one by one:

The SC7020F running Storage Center OS version 7.5.10 does have some known issues that could potentially relate to your problem. For example, there have been instances where controllers might reset during certain operations, which could disrupt volume availability1. Ensuring that your system is up-to-date with the latest patches and firmware can help mitigate these issues.

The SC7020F does support both port zoning and WWPN zoning. However, WWPN zoning is generally recommended as it provides more flexibility and security. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a specific link that explicitly states this, but it is a common best practice in SAN environments.

Thanks

Marco

wildgunman · Answer

@DELL-Charles R​  Hello, Now we use version 7.5.10 Can you tell me is it consist known issues similar like I described? About port zoning.  Can you provide a link, where specify that both zoning options are supported? I would be very grateful.

Compellent

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