VPLEX: Failed to unclaim storage-volume which was deleted from the backend array.

• An array volume "storage_volume_1" initially with VPDID "VPD83T3:514f0c55892000abc" was already removed from the VPLEX and backend array.
• A new storage volume using the same name as the removed storage volume, that is "storage_volume_1", was created and presented to VPLEX. The "naa:" Identifier is "514f0c55892000xyz" on the backend array.

       Example: 

• The storage array became "unknown" after creating the new storage volume on VPLEX. The "naa:" Identifier became "VPD83T3:514f0c55892000abc" which was the identifier of the previously removed array volume named "storage_volume_1".
• However the new storage volume was mapped to "naa:" Identifier "514f0c55892000xyz" using the prior storage-volume name, "storage-volume_1", when seen from the backend array, and attempting to unmap it issued an error.
• The newly created storage volume has "VPD83T3:514f0c5589200xyz" as its NAA ID when seen from backend.
• Technically a volume with an identifier ending with "abc" doesn't exist. While the new volume with an identifier ending with "xyz" is fine.

When the unclaim command was used to unclaim a storage-volume that had been removed on the backend array it failed to unclaim Storage Volume.
 
When trying to unclaim a particular storage volume from VPLEX, we receive an error "Firmware command error." and the cause of the failure as reported by the firmware
 
Example:
     VPlexcli:/clusters/cluster-2/storage-elements/storage-volumes> unclaim -d <storage_volume_name>
     storage-volume unclaim:  Evaluation of <<unclaim -d storage_volume_name>> failed.
     cause:                   Failed to unclaim storage-volumes.
     cause:                   Firmware command error.
     cause:                   Valid storage-volume, but storage-volume not known by device. << reason of failure
 

Sample Output: 
      VPlexcli:/clusters/cluster-2/storage-elements/storage-volumes> unclaim -d INFxxxxxxxxxxxxDS01
     storage-volume unclaim:  Evaluation of <<unclaim -d INFXXXXXXXXXXXXDS01>> failed.
      cause:                   Failed to unclaim storage-volumes.
      cause:                   Firmware command error.
      cause:                   Valid storage-volume, but storage-volume not known by device.
 

A storage volume name having a particular VPDID, which is required to be used with the unclaim command, was deleted from the storage array but was not unclaimed from VPLEX. However a new storage volume with the same name was created.

Example:

•  For verification, log in to VPlexcli and check the hierarchy of the storage volume to be unclaimed. 

         Example:

    Sample output:

• Restart the VplexManagementConsole server as shown below,

• Log in to the Vplexcli console and re-issue the command "unclaim -d <storage_volume_name>"

          Example:

          Sample Output:

• Do a long listing, ' ll ', at the storage volume context. The <storage_volume_name> should not show up. If it does not this means that the volume that you had just unclaimed has been successfully unclaimed.