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Fix a corrupted RAID in a Dell PowerVault MD Storage

31 January 2014
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In the previous post we have described how the command line of a Dell PowerVault storage allows several more operations compare the graphical interface. For example, the disk initialization is just one of the several troubleshooting cases where it becomes mandatory to rely on the command line (or on technical support).

Another case is where the RAID of a disks group go into the “corrupted” state: at that point, again, there is no simple solution because you have limited options in the graphical interface.

Again, the solution is switch to the command line and use the SMICLI command. The command must be run from a system with the graphical management tool of a PowerVault storage (which will also install the command line part) and with the storage already connected using a in-band mode (if the machine has also disk access to the storage), or more commonly in out-of-band mode (using the network management interfaces).

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Fix a foreign disk in a Dell PowerVault MD storage

30 January 2014
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One of the advantages of Dell PowerVault storage, with the MDxxx series, is that they use disks with identical bays of the server version (obviously depending on the generation, there will bays like the G9 servers or  bays with the same G10, G11, G12 servers form factor). In addition, disks are theoretically interchangeable because are the same models (almost from Seagate vendor, ad least for spinning disks). However, in practice, this was true with MD30xx models and derivatives, but with the recent series (MD32xx or MD36xx), there are some limitation based on the firmware version of the disks (as happen also with other storage or other vendors).

The typical issue that you have when you recycle disks that have been used in another Dell PowerVault storage (or in some cases also on a server with the PERC controller), is that the storage does not recognize them as “new” disks and marks them as “foreign disk” without giving a chance to use, for example, to build a new disk group.

In these cases, the only solution is to switch to the command line, in order to re-initialize the disks.

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DellTechnology none

Upgrade Veeam Backup & Replication from 6.x to 7.0

29 January 2014
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The upgrade path from Veeam Backup & Replication 6.x to the new version 7 is almost simple and fast: basically you have to upgrade first the Backup Enterprise Manager and then the Backup & Replication part, and finally apply the patch to bring it at the Backup & Replication 7.0 R2 release.

The entire upgrade procedure is almost fast and usually can take around 30 min for a simple install with only one single system.

Of course before doing the upgrade you need to verify the license file (you need a new one for version 7.x, but it’s easy check inside the txt file if the version is correct) and the hardware and software compatibility list (for more informations see the system requirements for the Hyper-V or vSphere edition).

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Veeam

VMware vCenter Server – Installable vs. Appliance

28 January 2014
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As written in a previous post, with the introduction of vSphere 5.0 in addition to the installable version of vCenter Server (which still requires a Windows operating system), there is also a Virtual Appliance version (called VMware vCenter Server Virtual Appliance).

VMware vCenter Server Virtual Appliance (vCSA) is a VMware’s official VA that can be used as an alternative way to implement a full vCenter Server, instead to install on a Windows Server (that must be deployed first). Unlike the installable version, it does not require a Windows Server license and instance, but is rather based on a Linux distribution (it’s a SuSE Enterprise).

Across the various versions after the 5.0, this appliance has been improved to make it more effective and optmized, both in the deploy (available finally also in the form of single OVA file), both in the occupation of space (now the downloadable OVA is smaller also the ISO). Also the embedded database has been improved from the in-flexible IBM DB2 has changed to a more function PostgreSQL (or vPostgres as named by VMware). And finally the upgrade process has been improved and simplified.

With the release of vSphere 5.5, vCenter Server Appliance has become even more attractive not just for test environments or small installations, but also for medium and large size, because it introduces new limits (using the embedded database) really interesting: maximum 100 hosts or 3000 VMs (this must not surprising that much, since it was already known that these limits were reached in the infrastructure for the Hands on Labs).

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VMware, vSphere

New VCP5-DCV exam based on vSphere 5.5

27 January 2014
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VMware has recently released a new new exam to qualify candidates for the VMware Certified Professional 5 – Data Center Virtualization (VCP5-DCV) Certification. This new exam (exam code VCP550) is based on vSphere v5.5, where the existing exam (exam code VCP510) is based on vSphere 5.0/5.1.

Passing either of these exams will earn VCP5-DCV certification. Note that does not change the course requirement (for more information see the official certification page) and that now also for VCP exam you need to request an authorization.

Is a change in the common approach of have certification based only on the major number (and completly independed by the minor one) that we have discusses in this previous post: VMware exams and related products version. But similar “issues” where already present also in VCP Cloud exams, where the IaaS one was based on vCloud 1.5 and the Cloud one on 5.1.

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VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade path – ESXi

24 January 2014
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After updating the vCenter Server part to version 5.5, you can focus on the host part. The update of the ESXi host can be completed, as usual, in several ways:

  • Manual update with the installation CD of ESXi (by selecting upgrade and keep VMFS datastore)
  • Manual update using the CLI
  • Automatic updating via vSphere Update Manager (VUM)

There are other ways, all discussed in the VMware KB 2058352 (Methods for upgrading to ESXi 5.5).

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VMware, vSphere none

VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade path – vCenter

23 January 2014
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The VMware vCenter upgrade has some possible issue, considering also that the SSO part is changed from the one implemented in vSphere 5.1. VMware has released the vSphere 5.5b (specifically for the vCenter Server application, both installable and vCSA editions) just before the Christmas holiday. Mostly another bunch of fixes around vCenter Single Sign-On functionality and upgrade errors, so be sure to use this one for the upgrade to reduce the possible issues.

Note that most of the issues are related to the vCenter components:
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