CUSTOMER ADVISORY (REVISED): Large Microsoft 2008 and Microsoft 2008 R2 clusters using multiple host NICs with HP LeftHand DSM for MPIO to access HP LeftHand NSM or HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN can experience cluster resource failures - c02429763

DESCRIPTION

**Revision Table**
Version	Date	Details
Version 2	21 Oct 2010	Added upcoming FW release information in the Resolution section
Version 1	19 July 2010	Original document release

Microsoft Windows 2008 or Microsoft 2008 R2 clusters might experience resource failures in large configurations. Any combination of Microsoft cluster nodes, Multi-path I/O (MPIO) network interface cards (NICs) per cluster node and storage nodes that results in more than 31 iSCSI sessions per volume is affected by this issue. If the number of Microsoft cluster nodes plus the number of MPIO NICs per cluster node multiplied by the number of HP LeftHand or HP StorageWorks P4000 storage nodes exceeds 31 for a particular volume, the Microsoft cluster will not function and will fail the Microsoft cluster validation test.

Patch 10085 -00 addresses this issue by changing the 31-session limit to 64 sessions; however, environments that result in more than 64 sessions might experience cluster resource issues.

SCOPE

This issue affects any Microsoft 2008 or 2008 R2 cluster using HP LeftHand DSM for MPIO to access the HP LeftHand NSM or HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN running HP P4000 SAN/iQ Software 8.0, 8.1, or 8.5. Any of these systems can experience resource failures if the total number of iSCSI sessions exceeds 31.

RESOLUTION

The next major release after HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN/iQ software version 8.5 will resolve this issue.

For storage nodes running HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN/iQ software 8.5, install patch 10085 -00 to resolve the issue-it changes the 31-session limit to 64 sessions; however, environments that result in more than 64 sessions might experience cluster resource issues.
For storage nodes running HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN/iQ software 8.0 or 8.1, upgrade to HP P4000 SAN/iQ software 8.5 first and then install patch 10085 -00.

To get the patch:

Go to http://www.hp.com/support/storage .
Under Disk Storage Systems, select either LeftHand NSM Storage Systems or P4000 SAN Solutions .
Select your product, then click Download drivers and software .
Select your product, then click Cross operating system (BIOS, Firmware, Diagnostics, etc.) .
Click Patch , and under the Description column of the table, click the title of the 10085 -00 patch:
- To download the patch, click Download .
- To read the release notes, click the Release Notes tab.

Proactive Updates

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