ESXi cluster SAS SAN setup

[stess]

New here so please don't shoot me if I post in wrong topic, there was a lot to choose from..

Setting up a new Dell ME5024 SAN, but unsure on how to config the SAN.

Setup with 2 servers in a ESXi7 cluster as below, initators A0/B0 from server1, A3/B3 from server 2 to controller A and B:

I've created 2 volumes.

The SAN wants you to create ”hosts” and/or ”host groups” to add the initiators to, and then connect the volumes to the host(s).

If I create 1 host for each physical server with the 2 initiators from that server, for ex. Server1 with initiator A0/B0 and then add a volume to that host, the result will be that only that physical server (server1) can reach that volume in ESX later?

What's the correct way of doing this? Since I want both servers to of course reach both volumes?

Should I be creating a ”host” and just call that for ex ”cluster” and add all 4 initiators to that host, and then connect both volumes to that host?
Then both servers will be able to access both volumes, but is this the correct way of doing it?

Will ESXi keep track of these connections and use them, and realize they're going for the same SAN and volumes, just different paths?

 

[IRIX201110141]

You should hook up your ESX1 to A0/B0 and your ESX2 to A1/B1 to make life easier.

You should create a Hostgroup which holds the Hosts if you would like to have a Setup where every Host see every LUN. If you later create a additional LUN just place it onto the Hostgroup in the same way as when you later add a 3rd. Host or start replacing Host. So less time for managing is needed(depends on the number of Hosts and luns of course)

The ME50xx supports  Unified LUN Presentatin which means that a Host can reach a lun on ever Ports on every Controller.  It up to the ESXi Host and the select MPIO path policy to deal with.

I have setup a couple of ME40xx/50xx and i found it not that difficult.  The support assist feature in the 5024 drive me nuts because the owner/address doesnt match and DellEMC have created a old SiteID in the backend. It took 3 weeks to solve that.

Regards,
Joerg

[stess]

Thanks.

Any reason to use A1/B1 instead of A3/B3? Just curious.

Ok, so I assign initiator A0/B0 to esx1, and A1/B1 to esx2 and then add them to host group, and then assign volumes/LUN to host group.

 

lol, I'm having exactly the same issue with the support assist..

[IRIX201110141]

May i should ask first what kind of frontend type you have(SAS,FC,iSCSI)?

Othewise.... first ESX goes to the 1st. Controller ports, second ESX goes to the 2nd. Controller ports and so on. KISS=Keep it Simple, Stupid.
But we put labels on the cables as well.

About the support assist... the main issue when its not possible to create the PIN/Key is that your login to a private account(green circle) and not business (black circle) one. There is a Dell KB available which describes how to upgrade your account. It should work i an automated way 99% of all cases. I was part of the 1% were the account details and the location of the unit doesnt match because there was already a outdated/wrong EMC SiteID which was linked to the ME5024. It took 3 weeks and 5 different support agents to get it solved.

Regards,
Joerg

[stess]

Thanks for the info. It's a SAS system.