Previous Changes

Updated

Added an important note that for Windows 2019, the largest possible value for the DiskMaxTimeout value is 60.

This section has been updated. For existing users, please check to make sure your Windows hosts are using the recommended settings. DataCore are now recommending that MPIOs PathVerificationState setting is ‘enabled’ as this has been shown to improve reliable ‘failback’, without any effect on performance, for large MPIO configurations.

This document has been reviewed for SANsymphony 10.0 PSP 11. No additional settings or configurations are required.

Added a link to Microsoft’s own technical pages for references about the registry settings that DataCore expect (on a Host) when using either DataCore Windows Integration Kit MPIO component or Microsoft’s own MPIO implementation and DataCore Virtual Disks.

Updated notes for Windows 2019 Hosts.

Updated notes for Windows 2019 Hosts.

This document has been reviewed for SANsymphony 10.0 PSP 9. No additional settings or configurations are required.

Added

Updated to include Windows 2019.

Updated

The DataCore Server’s settings – Port Roles

Removed

All information regarding SANsymphony-V 9.x as this version is end of life (EOL).

Please see: End of life notifications for DataCore Software products for more information.

Updated

Reclaiming storage on the Host manually.

Added an important note about how to safely use sdelete when using Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV).

Updated

Microsoft Cluster specific configuration settings

Two new subsections have been added:

• When using a File Share witness
• When using a Disk witness (including new important notes)

Updated

This document has been reviewed for SANsymphony 10.0 PSP 7. No additional settings or configurations are required.

Removed

The information here has been removed as it is now superseded by the information in:

The DataCore Server - Best Practice Guidelines

What was previously 'Appendix C' has now been moved to 'Appendix B' and so on.

Updated

Windows MPIO and DataCore MPIO (including DataCore WIK).

Links for both the Windows Server 2016 and 2012 (R2-only) updates have been added and updated respectively. The changes to the information are below:

Microsoft's multipath bus driver (MPIO.sys) may not failover if two or more paths from a Host to a Virtual Disk fail at the same time, or if the same Virtual Disk for two or more paths is unavailable.

Windows 2012 (R2 only) and Windows 2016 Hosts: Microsoft have issued Windows Updates that fix this problem with their MPIO.sys driver.

Windows 2016 - June 27, 2017—KB4022723 (OS Build 14393.1378)

The specific fix is documented as "Addressed issue where you may lose access to storage disks when there are still available paths if there is an error on one of the multipath I/O paths."

Windows 2012 - July 11, 2017—KB4025336 (Monthly Rollup)

This July 11 KB includes everything from the June 27, 2017—KB4022720 (Preview …) where the specific fix is documented as "Addressed an issue where MPIO failover stops after a disk has been surprise removed, identified by Event ID 157: "Disk X has been surprised removed" when there are still viable paths to use.

Scenario may occur when the newly selected path belongs to the disk that has been surprised removed."

Windows 2008 and Windows 2012 (non-R2) Hosts: No fix from Microsoft is planned for either of these versions of Windows Server.

Updated

Windows MPIO and DataCore MPIO (including DataCore WIK)

Microsoft's multipath bus driver (MPIO.sys) may not failover if two or more paths from a Host to a Virtual Disk fail at the same time, or if the same Virtual Disk for two or more paths is unavailable.

Windows 2012 and 2016 Hosts:

Microsoft are issuing a fix – see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4022720

"Addressed an issue where MPIO failover stops after a disk has been surprise removed, identified by Event ID 157: "Disk X has been surprised removed" when there are still viable paths to use. Scenario may occur when the newly selected path belongs to the disk that has been surprised removed."

Windows 2008 Hosts: No fix is planned. See the full Known Issues description in this document on how to configure Windows 2008 Hosts with MPIO/WIK.

Added

Compatibility Lists – VSS Hardware Provider

Windows 2016 hosts are Qualified when using SANsymphony 10.0 PSP 6 or greater using DataCore's WIK 4.0 or greater.

Added

Information regarding how to set the correct Vendor/Product ID when using Microsoft's own MPIO, including information on how to verify that MPIO has been set up correctly.

Updated

Only 'Round Robin with subset' or 'Failover only' MPIO Policies have been tested.

Removed

DataCore MPIO is end of life and all versions of the Windows Operating System that this version was qualified on are also End of life. Therefore all the compatibility list information for this product has been removed.

Please use the MPIO component in the 'DataCore Windows Integration Kit' instead.

Added

Windows Offloaded Data Transfers (ODX)

Windows SCSI UNMAP

Added instructions to set the Set '$cluster .QuorumArbitrationTimeMax' to 60 seconds.

Added

Known Issues - Affects Windows 2008, 2012 and 2016 Hosts

16 GB QLogic Fibre Channel Host Bus Adaptors

Do not use driver version 9.1.17.21 with firmware older than 08.03.00 when connecting to DataCore Server Front-end ports using SANsymphony-V versions 10.0 PSP 4 Update 1 or earlier (including versions 9.0 PSP 4 Update 4 and earlier) as in some cases this firmware on the Host can cause the DataCore Server to crash.

2 or 4 GB QLogic Fibre Channel Host Bus Adaptors

Do not use driver versions 9.0.1.12 or 9.0.2.11 as they may cause unexpected disconnections from the DataCore Server.

These were both previously documented in 'Known Issues - Third Party Hardware and Software'.

Removed

When choosing a preferred Server setting for Windows Hosts with ALUA enabled, do not select 'All' setting when using SANsymphony 10.0.4.x or greater

Choose an explicit DataCore Server (or leave as 'Auto Select') as in some cases when the 'ALL' setting is used, failover may not work as expected when one of the DataCore Servers is stopped.

The root cause of this is now understood and so has been superseded by the known issues that were added in March 2017.

Microsoft's multipath bus driver (MPIO.sys) may not failover if two or more paths from a Host to a Virtual Disk fail at the same time, or if the same Virtual Disk for two or more paths is unavailable.

Even with the 'ALL' setting is used, as long as there is only one FE connection for a mirrored vDisk to each DataCore Server, failover will work as expected.

Added

Microsoft's multipath bus driver (MPIO.sys) may not failover if two or more paths from a Host to a Virtual Disk fail at the same time, or if the same Virtual Disk for two or more paths is unavailable.

Updated

All previously 'Supported' entries have been marked 'Supported (EOL)' for those users that are still using old versions of Windows with this version of DataCore's MPIO to indicate what was compatible when the product was officially End of Life.

Entries that were marked as 'not qualified' have now been changed to 'not supported' as DataCore will not be able to accept self-qualification of an End-of-Life product. Otherwise all statements regarding support for end users using End-of-Life and Not Supported combinations still apply.

Added

Includes Microsoft's VSS Provider and DataCore's VSS Provider (via the HIK).

Added

Added notes for Windows 2016 Hosts regarding Operating System type.

Added

Added note that Windows 2016 Hosts are included for SCSI UNMAP.

Updated

The table originally used in the Microsoft Windows compatibility section was not needed as the separate MPIO compatibility lists are more specific. This entire table has been removed.

Initial Publication: Added

Added notes for Windows Server 2016.

Initial Publication: Updated

Automatic and Manual reclamation

These two sections have been re-written with more detailed explanations and technical notes.

The most recent version of this document is available here.

Included from previous documentation:

• The Host Server - Qualified Software Components
• SANsymphony User Guide
• Known Issues - For Windows hosts, do not use the "All" option when setting a "Preferred Server" in the host details. Either specify a DataCore Server, or use the "Auto select" setting.
• Technical Bulletins:
  # 11 - Recommended Disk Timeout Settings for Host Servers
  # 13 - Microsoft Windows Cluster configuration guide
• Information previously documented in FAQs:
  # 475 - DataCore MPIO not using the primary volume or preferred DataCore Server after start up
  #1544 - Formatting a Virtual Disk with Windows 2012 Hosts may take longer than expected
  #1586 - SANsymphony-V and Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX) with Windows 2008 and 2012 Hosts