EtherDrive VirtualStorage (VS) Appliance FAQ

• Q 1: What is the recommended procedure for updating an SR's firmware if it is providing physical volumes for the Virtual Storage (VS) appliance?
• Q 2: I need to update the firmware on both my SR and VS appliances. What is the correct order in which the updates should be performed?
• Q 3: I still need help. What should I do next?

• Q 1: What is the recommended procedure for updating an SR's firmware if it is providing physical volumes for the Virtual Storage (VS) appliance?
  

  The update of an SR's firmware when it is providing physical volumes for a VS should be considered a scheduled "downtime event." The following procedure is recommended:

  1. Download the latest SR firmware release from the SR support page.
  2. Follow the instructions in Appendix "C" of the SR software user manual to update the SR's firmware, however do not reboot the SR after running 'update' at the SR console.
  3. As an optional step, the value of /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs on the Linux initiator can be increased to allow more time for the following steps. This is the time in seconds (default = 180) that the AoE initiator will wait before declaring a disappeared target "dead." For example:

     [root@stuart ~]# cat /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     180
     [root@stuart ~]# echo 300 > /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     [root@stuart ~]# cat /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     300
     [root@stuart ~]# 
     

  4. Next, offline the VS LUNs for which the SR being updated is providing PVs (to confirm the LUNs residing on a particular PV, use the 'lspv -a' command). This step stops all traffic to the LUNs, preventing the VS from declaring the PV missing:

     VS59:66> lslun
     LUN           LENGTH  ONLINE      TARGET  LABEL
     1          500.002GB      ON        66.1  
     2          500.002GB      ON        66.2  
     3          500.002GB      ON        66.3  
     4          500.002GB      ON        66.4  
     5          500.002GB      ON        66.5  
     6          500.002GB      ON        66.6  
     VS59:66> offline 1-6
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 1 offline
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 2 offline
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 3 offline
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 4 offline
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 5 offline
     2009.10.28 01:27:40 Taking LUN 6 offline
     VS59:66>
     

  5. Reboot the SR on which 'update' was run in step 2.

  6. Immediately after the SR has finished booting and the prompt has returned, online the VS's LUNs again:

     VS59:66> online 1-6
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 1 online
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 2 online
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 3 online
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 4 online
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 5 online
     2009.10.28 01:40:29 Putting LUN 6 online
     VS59:66> 
     

  7. If you increased the value of /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs on the AoE inititator in step 3 above, you should now restore the former value. Remember that the default is 180 seconds:

     [root@stuart ~]# cat /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     300
     [root@stuart ~]# echo 180 > /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     [root@stuart ~]# cat /sys/module/aoe/parameters/aoe_deadsecs
     180
     [root@stuart ~]#
     

• Q 2: I need to update the firmware on both my SR and VS appliances. What is the correct order in which the updates should be performed?
  

  The following sequence is suggested when a firmware update is needed for both the VS appliance and the SR appliances providing the backing storage (physical volumes). Similarly to the update of only the VS firmware, this procedure should be considered a downtime event.

  1. Unmount the VS storage at your AoE initiators.

  2. Update the firmware on the VS appliance, following the instructions found in Appendix "A" of the VS command reference manual. Instead of rebooting at the last step, 'halt' the VS appliance.

  3. Following the procedure outlined in Appendix "C" of the SR software user manual, update the firmware of the SR appliances providing the PVs for the VS. Reboot the SRs at the last step of the firmware update.

  4. Once the SRs have completed booting it is now safe to start the VS appliance. The PV configurations will be restored once the VS completes the boot process.

  5. After the VS appliance has finished booting and restoring its PV configurations the storage can now be mounted again at the AoE initiators.

• Q 3: I still need help. What should I do next?
  

  We have hints that will help you get the fastest and best support we can provide at our Fast Support HOWTO. If you still need assistance with your CORAID EtherDrive Mirror please send the information requested at the Fast Support HOWTO to support@coraid.com.