We're implementing a vplex metro (cross site) with vSphere 5.5. We can't find a doc that tells us exactly how to configure Vmware HA and ESXi settings. We have found several docs on 5.1 but nothing about 5.5
We set up these parameters
esxcli system settings advanced set -o "/Disk/AutoremoveOnPDL" -i 0
Another question... during our tests we've removed access to the distributed volume for a single node, simulating a PDL / APD condition. We expected HA to failover the VM to another host, but it just doesn't happen. Is these behaviour correct? What do we need to do in order to have HA restart the VM on a different host?
Also VPLEX devices might be recognized as SSD, which is wrong. I have created a custom nmp rule on each host, that also enables RR by default for VPlex Devices:
your DRS setting can prevent VM automatically restarting on another host. If your DRS setting ties the VM to that host then HA won't override. Need to set DRS to should run on, rather than must.
Non cross connected configurations recommend to use adaptive pathing policy in all cases. Round robin should be avoided especially for dual and quad systems.
For cross connected configurations, fixed pathing should be used and preferred paths set per Datastore to the local VPLEX path only taking care to alternate and balance over the whole VPLEX front end (i.e. so that all datastores are not all sending IO to a single VPLEX director).
For cross-connected sites (uniform host access) use either VMware Fixed Path Policy, or PowerPath with auto-standby. For non-cross connected use VMware RoundRobin.
With ESX Hosts and VPLEX residing in the same failure domain I see no good reason for using cross-connect. In that case, if VPLEX fails, your hosts fail, too.
Isn't the default PSP for Invista already Fixed? If so, only "disable_ssd" is needed. But: If you use Fixed you need to define the preferred Path on Each Host to each LUN!
OliverCC
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Posted March 15th, 2014 01:00
Hi Matteo,
The settings habe changed in 5.5. You need to disable PDL AUtoRemove on each Host (set Advanced Setting "/Disk/AutoremoveOnPDL" to "0").
See also here;
Also VPLEX devices might be recognized as SSD, which is wrong. I have created a custom nmp rule on each host, that also enables RR by default for VPlex Devices:
esxcli storage nmp satp rule add –satp VMW_SATP_INV –vendor “EMC” –model “Invista” –option “disable_ssd” –description “VPLEX custom” –psp “VMW_PSP_RR”
Oliver