Windows Volumes Offline after EQL Firmware Upgrades

Question

I've had the issue for years and never found a resolution on the windows side but I thought I would try again and see if anyone knows hotfixes or configuration settings to avoid this issue.

When I upgrade equallogic arrays, I power off all virtual machines to avoid connection issues and lost data for the more IO intensive applications like SQL and Exchange. After I do firmware upgrades and I power back on windows machines that have EQL volumes attached to them, I run into the issue where the virtual discs won't come online. If you go into Disk Management, you will see the volumes are connected but offline and you have to manually bring the volumes online and then either restart the services or machine for the SQL databases, exchange, etc. to come back online properly.

The issue only happens when you do a firmware upgrade or restart the arrays. If I shutdown the windows machines or restart them, there is no issue with the volumes coming online properly.

My suspicion is that has to do with some kind of bug or timeout setting causing the volumes to not come online. I just don't know why it only happens when arrays are restarted and not any other time.

If any one knows of a fix or solution, I would appreciate it. It happens on all the different windows server OS from 2008 R2 to 2012 R2 in my environment and only to windows. Vmware always comes back up without issue. I do have the EQL HIT KIT with multipath I/O installed on each of the servers with 4.7.1 on the server 08R2 servers since that where support ends and 4.9 installed on all the servers.

xseitdept · Answer

I also forgot to mention, the volumes in windows are not dynamic discs since I know there are issues with them configured that way and i confirmed on the servers they are not,

xseitdept · Answer

To answer your previous questions, I'm running a few different model EQL arrays in my Group Mgr including PS6210S, PS6110S, PS6100X. The eql arrays along with Dell M630 and M830 blades are all connected to HP 5406zl chassis switch for the storage network and then separate chassis switches for mgmt and internal network. The iscsi storage switch due has port fast, flow control, and all the other best practices. All the windows servers are virtual servers running on the blades that ESXI hosts.

As for this post, I did run "auto configure" in the ISCSI volumes and devices tab. If auto configure isn't the approriate way to do it, please let know how I should add them and any options or configurations i need to add in windows to resolve this issue.

Thanks.

Origin3k · Answer

During the initial configuration for connecting to the ISCSI Target there is a checkbox where you can tic enable autom. reconnect after Windows reboot. RegardsJoerg

xseitdept · Answer

That is not the issue. That was done as part of the configuration. The ISCSI volume is attached in windows it's just not online. It shows up as offline when windows boots up and only happens when arrays have been restarted. The windows servers are off when the arrays are restarted so it's not because connections are dropped. It's something with how windows is handling iscsi volumes to bring online after arrays are restarted.

xseitdept · Answer

After doing some digging online, it appears what is needed to adjust the SAN policy inside disk part in windows from OfflineShared (windows default) to OnlineAll so that windows will bring all volumes online regardless of what type of disc it is such as iscsi or nas volumes. It appears it is an issue even for the SAN manufacturers and this works for others.  So I'm going to try that and see if it works on the SAN in my lab environment after I upgrade to 9.1.1 and restart it. Hopefully that is all it is. I'll reply back if it does. I don't know how no one else has this issue in windows for equallogic unless the HIT kit with MPIO is suppose to set it and it stopped doing that some point.

EqualLogic

Windows Volumes Offline after EQL Firmware Upgrades

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