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February 14th, 2014 17:00
Dell R710, Dell MD3200 and VMware VAAI
Hi guys, We have 3 x Dell R710 hosts running VMware ESXi v5.1 hypervisor. Our SAN is Direct Attached storage via Dell MD3200. We have Enabled the High Performance Tier option. My question is about VMware VAAI. In particular, this VMware recommendation: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1033665 It says: "For information on VAAI support in a given storage array or required firmware levels, contact the storage array vendor." So I am wondering: is VAAI supported (or not) with the MD3200 ... and if NOT: should I be disabling VAAI settings as per VMware's recommendation? What are the potential implications for performance of turning VAAI support off ... or NOT turning it off? Thanks, Steve
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Dev Mgr
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February 17th, 2014 21:00
You are indeed running a pretty old firmware. The latest is 07.84.53.60.
To be able to upgrade to this version, you'll need to be running a fairly up to date version of MDSM. I'd suggest to download 4.1.2.29 or the latest, which is 5.0.0.70. All Windows servers and Linux (not VMware or XenServer) server that manage and/or are connected via iSCSI to the SAN should have their MDSM software updated before you upgrade the raid controller firmware on the SAN.
Raid controller firmware: www.dell.com/.../powervault-md3200
Latest resource DVD (5.0.0.70): www.dell.com/.../powervault-md3200
FrostyAtCBM
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February 14th, 2014 17:00
Further to that, the following page:
www.dell.com/.../pd
says: "VAAI support- Available for customers using VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration"
So its "available". But how do I know if it is being used, or not, or even whether I *should* be using it?
Thanks,
Steve
FrostyAtCBM
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February 14th, 2014 18:00
Digging further, I found this article:
kb.vmware.com/.../search.do
Running the command: esxcli storage core device vaai status get
Returns me a display like this for each LUN on the MD3200 (and the other tiers of storage):
naa.6842b2b0004665ba000003964d1101b2
VAAI Plugin Name:
ATS Status: unsupported
Clone Status: unsupported
Zero Status: supported
Delete Status: unsupported
So only "Zero Status" is a supported VAAI function. Have I read that right?
Dev Mgr
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February 15th, 2014 08:00
Have you checked the MD's firmware? If it's fairly out of date, it could be that newer firmware added additional VAAI capabilities.
I'm not sure when a vendor can claim to support VAAI; if they just have to support a minimum of 1 subcomponent, or if they have to support all capabilities to claim VAAI support.
FrostyAtCBM
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February 16th, 2014 12:00
Good thinking. Our MD3200 is running the following:
Firmware version: 07.80.41.60
NVSRAM version: N26X0-780890-001
AMW version: 10.80.G6.47
FrostyAtCBM
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February 18th, 2014 15:00
Thanks ... I've downloaded the firmware and resource DVD ... will schedule an upgrade in the next few weeks. I normally leave stuff like this well alone, unless there is a known problem which the firmware will resolve. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy.
But I read back through some of the previous Release Notes for the firmware versions and at least one of them mentioned VAAI-related changes, so this is probably a good enough reason to update.
Will post again post-upgrade.
FrostyAtCBM
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March 3rd, 2014 15:00
Suggesting to upgrade the firmware was a good call. I completed the upgrade to v7.84 firmware (and new NVSRAM plus updated HDD firmware) last weekend. There are now additional VAAI functions supported:
ATS Status: supported <---- new
Clone Status: supported <---- new
Zero Status: supported
Delete Status: unsupported