Compaq Smart Array (cpqarray) ESX 3.0 vmkernel driver available

[Paul_Lalonde]

As many of you have discovered, the older Compaq Smart Array controllers are not supported under ESX 3.0. These include any RAID controllers that use the cpqarray device driver (ie. Smart2, 2P, 221, 3200, etc.)

I have ported the cpqarray driver to ESX 3.0 and would like someone to test it for me.

The cpqarray vmkernel driver can be found here:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~plalonde2/cpqarray.o

This vmkernel module needs to be placed in the /usr/lib/vmware/vmkmod directory and permissions set using: chmod 444 cpqarray.o

To load (and test) the driver, please use: vmkload_mod cpqarray.o

If successful, you should see the Smart Array controller register itself with the vmkernel and with the service console.

Please let me know how it works. I won't have a system with a Smart Array to test for a couple of days.

Regards,

Paul[b][/b]

Message was edited by:

kix1979 Removed bold heading

[playblast]

Nope! I just bought Smartarray 5300 card and installed it.

[Rumple]

i found an LSI megaraid controller in my box of goodies and so far so good, although the megaraid did seem to stall for a while during the setup, but seems to be fine.

[playblast]

i also tetsted with Adaptec 39160 card and worked without any issues. No RAID though.

[josdenos]

Jambo Paul,

Did you have anytime to make some progress on that cpqarray driver?

Thanks,

Jos.

[josdenos]

Have you made any progress in uncovering the driver's secret, Paul?

Thanks,

J.

[Paul_Lalonde]

Hi... I haven't forgotten about it, but thanks for the reminder. I'll spend some time on the driver this upcoming week and see how I make out.

Stay tuned.

Paul

[geoffw]

Hi folks,

I have a couple of DL360s for my home lab. And I'd really like to get 3.0

on them so I can v-motion. It would help me solve a lot of problems at work.

Can anyone send me some instructions/help on building a floopy img

( driver disk) so I can get this party started right?

cheers,

geoffw

[stickybit]

What type of controllers do you have in your DL360s?

[geoffw]

Compaq Intelligent Arrays (cpqarray) of course!

(I'm having trouble building a driver disk to load at ESX 3.0 install time)

I think now the problem is I need to find a driver for the service console side.

I've cobbled together a driver disk by hand but it doesn't seem to actually load the driver

[stickybit]

I was snooping around the Compaq ftp server sometime last week and found several image files for older versions of Redhat. I tried one of the image files and was able to load the driver for my Intelligent Array during the ESX 3.0 installation, but the install failed after the driver load because it couldn't find any valid disks!

There are other cpqarray image driver files for Redhat on the ftp server that you could play around with to see if you can start your install or compare the drivers against yours.

I found the image files at: ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/supportsoftware/linux

I purchased a supported SCSI card from eBay for $20.00 US to connect to my StorEdge A1000 and it works like a charm.

[Dennis_Ramaeker]

Paul,

I have a older (beta) release of the esx3.0.

With this CD it loads the cpqarray automatically. If you can tell me where I can find it, I can send it to you!

Grtz

Dennis

[josdenos]

Hi Paul,

Any update? We are trying to reuse as much old hardware we can get down here in the wild, so any help with this would be a big humanitarian deed.

Any other brave souls working on backporting this driver into ESX3?

Thanks and,

Kwaheri,

Jos.

[Paul_Lalonde]

Well, good news and bad news...

The good news is that I managed to tweak a few things and get the cpqarray.o vmkernel module loaded (using vmkload_mod on the command line). It found the Smart 2/P controller in my test system and registered itself as vmhba0.

The bad news is that, after modifying the boot-up initrd image to include support for the cpqarray module, the next reboot PSOD'd the server. I have to chase down the problem, but we're getting closer!

Paul

[Rocky1972]

Well, good news and bad news...

The good news is that I managed to tweak a few things

and get the cpqarray.o vmkernel module loaded (using

vmkload_mod on the command line). It found the Smart

2/P controller in my test system and registered

itself as vmhba0.

The bad news is that, after modifying the boot-up

initrd image to include support for the cpqarray

module, the next reboot PSOD'd the server. I have to

chase down the problem, but we're getting closer!

Paul

When I look at this thread http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=389094񞿦 had this comment from vmware may that will help...

You are right, the code line in Beta2 still had the cpqarray enabled.

It is now disabled intentionally since the cpqarray is not the supported list for ESX 3.0 (it was not in the supported list in the Beta2 HCL docs either)

seems it's disabled, don't know how...

[David_Jersey]

Paul,

I have a Smart Array 431 I'm wanting to load VMware on. If you make any progress, I'd be happy to test it.

David Jersey

[Paul_Lalonde]

I've got the cpqarray vmkernel module loading and registering the device, but it isn't giving control back to the service console. A little more tuning is needed, I think...

Paul

[Rocky1972]

getting close I hope...

[Paul_Lalonde]

I don't know if the issue I'm having is just my controller or not. Later tonight, I'll post the driver that I have and you guys can try it for yourselves.... it loads, but it just gets hung up on the SCSI bus.

Paul

[josdenos]

Hi Paul,

Did you manage to get it working?

Can you post the driver and how to install it?

Thanks,

J.

[Rocky1972]

any news about this project ?