Create multiple virtual disks with WSMAN

duckman9-

We don't support one command that can create multiple VDs once invoked or can call 2 xmls. This is the workflow process to create multiple VDs using WSMAN:

1. Edit the xml that CreateVirtualDisk method will use. Once you are done editing the xml, invoke CreateVirtualDisk method which should pass and return pending VD information to the screen.

2. Edit the xml again, make changes for the next VD you want to create and once you are done editing, invoke CreateVirtualDisk method again which should pass and return pending VD information to the screen(Another option for this step is if you already have 2 xmls edited to create multiple VDs, just change the name of the file that CreateVirtualDisk method is calling).

3. Now run CreateTargetedConfigJob method using the same target controller you used to create multiple VDs.(Example: You used RAID.Integrated.1-1 for creating multiple VDs). Once you invoke this method, this will return a job ID to the screen. This one job will now execute and create the multiple VDs for your workflow.

4. Once the job is marked completed, you can run an enum on DCIM_VirtualDiskView class to see both VDs created.

This is the workflow for creating multiple VDs for one target config job. You are allowed to stack multiple RAID operations, just make sure to run all your set operations first before creating the target config job. Here's another workflow example for stacking RAID operations(1. Reset RAID controller, 2. Create VD, 3. Assign dedicated hotspare, 4. Create target config job).

Thanks

So I currently have a script that does the following:

1. Reset Config

2. Create 30G Virtual disk (over 12 drive RAID6)

3. Configure job

4. Watch #3 until complete, when complete continue

5. Create 5TB Virtual disk (again over the 12 drive RAID6)

6. Configure job

7. Watch #6 until complete.

Steps #2 and #5 use two separate XML files due to differing values.  When I try to stack the jobs it fails - hence the multiple step process.

We have a new configuration that uses several disks as separate Virtual disks across unique drives and THAT set of tasks I can stack (had a syntax error which was why it was failing).  Was curious if I was doing something wrong or if there were special commands needed to setup more then one action at a time.

So if there is something special with the values and creating 2x Virtual disks across a RAID6 hardware configuration it would be helpful to know.  For now its just a very long script run process, would love to make it a single step!

Thank you for the notes - if you have any suggestions/ideas on how to make the above work in one step that would be great!

Can you give me the WSMAN error being returned when you try to create the 2nd VD? This will help in troubleshooting why the creation of the 2nd VD is failing.

Also, what version of iDRAC firmware do you have installed on the system that is failing?

Thanks

Well now that is just frustrating - but good.  NOW it seems to work without error.  Guess I just need a weekend to retry the same command to make it work!  Ok - so that is great - thank you very much for the help!

When executing WSMAN commands, sometimes but rarely you will hit a timing window where the iDRAC is processing other information in the background, Lifecycle Controller(LC) is not ready or the server is not available. If you see a WSMAN command fail again in the future, try to execute the command again. Also, you can check the status of LC/server by running an invoke command on GetRemoteServicesAPIStatus method.

Since you are creating multiple VDs along with reset controller and want to execute one command, I would suggest using WSMAN feature "System Configuration XML"(introduced in iDRAC 1.30.30) to simplify your workflow. You can make all your RAID changes in one xml(reset config and create multiple VDs) and only need to invoke one command. Refer to attached whitepaper below which gives an overall of this feature along with workflow examples. Also i attached a link to a video with goes through a workflow of using this feature.

Whitepaper -

en.community.dell.com/.../20269601.aspx

Workflow video using System Configuration XML -

Thanks