Category: Equallogic & VMWare (虛擬化技術)

Disable VM Time Synchronization with ESXi Host Completely

By admin, April 16, 2021 18:40

Simply add the following lines to VM options

tools.syncTime 0
time.synchronize.continue 0
time.synchronize.restore 0
time.synchronize.resume.disk 0
time.synchronize.shrink 0
time.synchronize.tools.startup 0
time.synchronize.tools.enable 0
time.synchronize.resume.host 0

Interesting! Windows Server 2019 working on ESX 4.1!

By admin, April 2, 2021 21:51

w2k19

As expected, the installation process is almost identical to Windows Server 2012 and 2016. The key is to use BIOS version SLIC 2.5.

Except I’ve encountered a tricky problem that the valid license key won’t activate, it returns with “windows server 2019 error -xc004f069″.

It turns out the the source ISO is an evaluation copy, so all you have to do is to convert the Eval copy to Retail version by:

DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula

To determine upgrade path and other available edition:
DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions

For the evaluation/retail version of Windows Server 2016 Standard, you can also convert to the retail version of Windows Server 2016 Data Center using the same command and the appropriate product key.

DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula

Update: Apr 11, 2021

It turns out VM will lost its customized CPUID parameter after Veeam backup restoration, BIOS SLIC 2.5 parameter holds though.

So you have to add it back again, or the VM will keep crashing every now and then.

However, if the VM is deployed via template, then there is no problem at all.

No GUI and SSH login on console, only [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through

By admin, October 11, 2017 13:05

Today I found out one of the CentOS 7-1611 VMs has no GUI available and also there is no SSH login at the console.

Worst the screen indicates “[sda] Assuming drive cache: write through”, seems it’s hang at startup.

In fact it’s working fine, then I SSH into the server remotely, and issue “systemctl set-default multi-user.target” which set the default login interface to be text based SSH login, the SSH login screen appears after the reboot.

systemctl isolate multi-user.target to return to command mode
systemctl isolate graphical.target  to return to graphical mode

Somehow, systemctl isolate graphical.target turns the screen into blank, still have no idea what’s causing this, nor startx works.

Finally, the vCenter VM Guest OS status changed from CentOS 4/5 64 bits to Other (32-bit) automatically everything after reboot, anyone knows why? Pls drop me a line, thx.

When Dell Runs Out of Stock

By admin, June 1, 2017 19:10

This is what my friends showed to me recently.

When Dell ran out of Equallogic disks (15K RPM, 600GB 3.5″ SAS), they supplied him with this alternative solution.

A 2.5″ 15K RPM, 600GB SAS!

IMG-20170602-WA0005

IMG-20170528-WA0003

This is how it fits into the original 3.5″ tray, seems the tray is a revised version with 4 new holes on the back in order to fit that 2.5″ SAS disk.

IMG-20170528-WA0004

IMG-20170602-WA0002

How to Clear a Equallogic RAID label via a CLI command

By admin, April 24, 2017 12:24

GrpName> mem sel <member name> disk select 0

GrpName(member_MEMBERNAME disk_0)> ?

clear-label          - Clears the label on the selected disk if the disk contai

Just make DOUBLE sure you have the correct drive number.  Remember first drive number is ZERO (0) not one (1).

You can issue it as one command.  mem sel membername disk select <number> clear-label

However, I prefer to select the drive first.  Then do a “show” to make sure it’s the disk I want.

show

______________________________ Disk Information _______________________________

Slot: 0                                Status: spare

Model: ST900MM0006                     Revision: LE09

Size: 838.36GB                         Errors: 0

Rpm: 10000                             SectorSize: 512

Health: ok

What’s New in VMware vSphere 6.5?

By admin, November 4, 2016 14:11

After almost 6 years since the release of ESX 4.1 in Aug 2010, vSphere 6.5 has finally arrived. However imoo, I would still prefer to call it ESX 4.5 at max as there are not much new and useful  features added to be honest.

vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 (VCSA) is probably the most interesting one as it comes with native high availability, so no more worry about that single point of failure.

Other than that, I bet most of the 99% out there won’t really find those so called new feature useful in their daily operation.

In additional, seems there is no major change in VMware’s licensing model, remember that horrible vRAM tax back in 2012? :)

Finally, I am looking for Total SSD storage solution recently, and my eyes are on Pure Storage, but why their stock PSTG is dropping like hell?

vSphere-6.5-Whats-New-2

Virtualization came-in and changed everything!

By admin, November 2, 2016 12:36

Come across this photo of my previous project today, can’t believe it’s almost 10 years already!…Used to setup a lot of cables, servers and network equipment before.

Then Virtualization came-in and changed everything, now with just after a few mouse clicks you have all the pieces ready in the photo, everything is software defined…well, at least it’s much more Eco-friendly for data center environment nowadays, and most importantly virtualization made my life much easier finally! (The answer is VMW if you know what I mean)

14940189_10205556792639017_27051369326164148_o

Alternative SMD (Sunday Morning Drive), pushing up some IOPS

By admin, January 31, 2016 10:29

smd

Gifts from Equallogic

By admin, January 16, 2016 19:14

Professional compensation from Dell for their previous very unprofessional services.

IMG_2287

IMG_2281

IMG_2282

It’s a bit different than the one back in 2011, which has Firmware version EN03 and Made in China.

eql_15k



NO STOCK of this Equallogic 600GB 15K SAS Disk!!!

By admin, December 28, 2015 19:07

This is the 4th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed (previous failed record was on April 30, 2015), but this time comes with another surprise the local Dell logistic and inventory department called me saying they don’t have any stock currently!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? There are at least 50-60 Equallogic boxes running 600GB 15K SAS in Hong Kong and they don’t have the most failed parts in stock? and we paid for 4 hours Pro-Support replacement service…to be updated!

The RAID reconstruction took 3 hours and 40 mins to complete this time.

1

Update: Jan-15, 2016

5th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed.

02

Update: Jan-18, 2016

6th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed.

Whenever you see predicative failure kicks-in (ie, Copying to Spare), then you know it’s time to call Dell service, as all previous 3 predicative failures, none of it worked, the process always failed at half way.

02

Update: Jan-30, 2016

7th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed

4 disks failed one after another in 30 days is a Wow!!!

It seems the 5 years + SAS disks do have a life span of around 5 years warranty time, that’s why you need to extend your warranty for another 2 years as Dell gives maximum 7 years warranty for their enterprise products.

Update: Jul-15, 2016

8th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed

Don’t think predicative failure will help, so called pro-support right away to replace the failed disk.

Update: Oct-1, 2018

9th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed

After more than 2 years, finally it comes another disk failure, but this time the copy to spare was successful!

—————————————–
Level Received Member Message
Info 10/01/2018 04:43:05 AM eql01 Completed copying-to-spare operation from drive 4 to drive 15.
—————————————–

One interesting fact I found out, when I re-insert the failed disk, EQL produced the following error that I’ve never seen before.

—————————————–
History-of-Failures

ERROR event from storage array eql01
subsystem: SP
event: 14.4.18
time: Mon Oct 1 11:00:43 2018

0:Orphan disk drive: Disk drive LUN 4 (26bc078a0900-779214cc-8) no longer belongs to RAID LUN 0 (3be078a0900-b0e5c22b-92d39732). This disk has a history of failure and will not be used.

Update: Dec-2, 2018

10th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed, more than half of the disks are replaced, firmware EN03 from EN01.

Update: Dec-31, 2018

11th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed just before the end of 2018, this time is the first disk with firmware EN03.

Update: May-23, 2019

12th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed, firmware EN03 (TB EN03, Disk 0:0)

Update: Nov-15, 2020

13th time Equallogic 15K SAS failed, firmware EN03 (TB EN03, Disk 0:3)

=========================
Update: Jan-23, 2023

1st time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:11)

Update: Feb-28, 2023

2nd time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:12)

Update: Mar-13, 2023

3rd time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:2)

Update: Mar-26, 2023

4th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:3)

Update: Mar-27, 2023

5th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:2)

Update: Mar-28, 2023

6th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:4)

Update: Mar-30, 2023

7th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:6)

Update: Apr-08, 2023

8th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:11)

Update: Apr-16, 2023

9th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:3)
10th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:10)

Update: Apr-17, 2023

11th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:7)

Update: Apr-24, 2023

12th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:15)

Update: May-6, 2023

13th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:3)

Update: May-6, 2023

14th time Equallogic02 10K SAS failed (TB FE10, Disk 0:0)

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