We are experiencing the same problem - we also see the wwns on the SAN switch, they are zoned, but they do not show up on the Clariion array. To the OP, did you ever get a resolution?
And everyone keep in mind, this is for a new lpar, there is no AIX OS installed yet, so there is no where to run cfgmgr and emc_cfgmgr commands.
There are two different ways to scan for disks on an AIX partition prior to booting the lpar. One is to go into SMS mode (maintenance mode) and scan on the adapters, the other is to go into firmware maintenance mode, isssue an ioinfo command, and select the adapter.
SMS mode doesn't push the wwns to the CLARiiON, whereby the firmware method does. However, it only does it for the one adapter that you're currently scanning on. If you have a separate SAN team, you have to scan one, have them register it, then move onto the other. This is painful for both the AIX admin and the SAN team. Also, this does nothing as far as the other wwn in the pair (the one for LPM), as it is never recognized by the CLARiiON using either of the two methods.
This leave us with having to manually register the wwns on the CLARiiON, which is prone to errors, and also there is no indication which SP port should be assigned.
We've had similar issues and in general a tough time keeping our NPIV based LPARs logged into our VNX. Did you ever find a better way to perform the zoning/masking? How has the stability been?
Over the next 6 months, we'll be moving to a VNX as well - so I'll let you know what we find out.
On the CLARiiON side of things - I've written a korn shell script I run on the VIOServers that produces a NAVICLI script to register all the WWNs on the CLARiiON. This includes the LPM WWNs. The korn shell script also runs the chnportlogin on our HMC to log all the ports into the fabric so they can be easily zoned. I hand the NAVICLI script off to our Storage administrators.
We've had no issues, and no stability problems with NPIV. And we've used this method for existing as well as new lpars.
We are using the internal drives to boot the physical servers then the virtuals boot off the SAN. This configuartion seems to work fine and we are leaving it this way.
we have the exact same issue with IBM P770 virtual PWWns , not able to see in wwn's on the vnx array after zoning.
scanning using firmware method on the IBM side fixed it , we are able to see the wwn's on the storage array for manully registering and provisioning boot from san LUN(os lun).
JPP2
50 Posts
0
October 17th, 2011 22:00
Have you tried cfgmgr on the LPAR?
Thanks,
Julia P.
etaljic81
1K Posts
0
October 18th, 2011 06:00
So when you look at the zones you created you see the WWPN's of the EMC storage and the AIX WWPN's logged in, correct?
Make sure you run the emc_cfgmgr script once you finish the zoning and then check the connectivity status.
J_Faske
4 Posts
0
April 18th, 2012 10:00
We are experiencing the same problem - we also see the wwns on the SAN switch, they are zoned, but they do not show up on the Clariion array. To the OP, did you ever get a resolution?
And everyone keep in mind, this is for a new lpar, there is no AIX OS installed yet, so there is no where to run cfgmgr and emc_cfgmgr commands.
dd_emc
26 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 16:00
Does the AIX installer itself have some option to scan for disks, which should then force an array login?
I am more familiar with Solaris & HPUX and know that they both do.
J_Faske
4 Posts
0
April 23rd, 2012 08:00
There are two different ways to scan for disks on an AIX partition prior to booting the lpar. One is to go into SMS mode (maintenance mode) and scan on the adapters, the other is to go into firmware maintenance mode, isssue an ioinfo command, and select the adapter.
SMS mode doesn't push the wwns to the CLARiiON, whereby the firmware method does. However, it only does it for the one adapter that you're currently scanning on. If you have a separate SAN team, you have to scan one, have them register it, then move onto the other. This is painful for both the AIX admin and the SAN team. Also, this does nothing as far as the other wwn in the pair (the one for LPM), as it is never recognized by the CLARiiON using either of the two methods.
This leave us with having to manually register the wwns on the CLARiiON, which is prone to errors, and also there is no indication which SP port should be assigned.
Very frustrating, to say the least.
Del5_201ed7
1 Message
0
September 29th, 2012 08:00
We've had similar issues and in general a tough time keeping our NPIV based LPARs logged into our VNX. Did you ever find a better way to perform the zoning/masking? How has the stability been?
J_Faske
4 Posts
1
October 1st, 2012 05:00
Over the next 6 months, we'll be moving to a VNX as well - so I'll let you know what we find out.
On the CLARiiON side of things - I've written a korn shell script I run on the VIOServers that produces a NAVICLI script to register all the WWNs on the CLARiiON. This includes the LPM WWNs. The korn shell script also runs the chnportlogin on our HMC to log all the ports into the fabric so they can be easily zoned. I hand the NAVICLI script off to our Storage administrators.
We've had no issues, and no stability problems with NPIV. And we've used this method for existing as well as new lpars.
dtp1
32 Posts
0
October 1st, 2012 08:00
We are using the internal drives to boot the physical servers then the virtuals boot off the SAN. This configuartion seems to work fine and we are leaving it this way.
Ayrton_Senna
1 Message
1
May 12th, 2015 12:00
When using boot from SAN for AIX LPARS with NPIV use this procedure.
Create zoning between virtual PWWns starts with C0:XXXXXXXXXX (we call them Charlie Zeros) to the storage array.
Initially you wont see the initiators login. You need to create masking view in case of VMAX (IG, PG, SG) and add a single 100gb lun to the view.
Now rescan your HBA's and you HBA's will only look for 100GB LUN.
Once the boot lun is available, add your OS image and you'll see that pwwn's are logged into the fabric.
Finally, you can add the additional storage LUNS by editing your storage group.
**AIX LPAR WITH NPIV : HBA's wont login without boot LUN, Dont panic, do zoning, masking view and 100gb LUN you'll be see HBA logins.***
In your case register your initators on Clariion manually and follow the provisioning steps of just 100 gb lun, and steps mentioned above.
prawinready1_2ba815
2 Posts
0
January 14th, 2016 11:00
we have the exact same issue with IBM P770 virtual PWWns , not able to see in wwn's on the vnx array after zoning.
scanning using firmware method on the IBM side fixed it , we are able to see the wwn's on the storage array for manully registering and provisioning boot from san LUN(os lun).
Thanks
Prawin