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Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware®) 8.7.3-00 Release Notes

Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager

 

About this document

This document (RN-91HC190-33, May 2020) provides late-breaking information about Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware) 8.7.3-00. It includes information that was not available at the time the technical documentation for this product was published, as well as a list of known problems and solutions.

Intended audience

This document is intended for customers and Hitachi Vantara partners who license and use Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware).

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About this release

This is a minor release that adds new features.

Product package contents

Medium

CD-ROM

Revision

Release Type

Prerequisite version of Service Pack

Software

Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware)

8.7.3-00

Full Package

-

New features and important enhancements

8.7.3-00 Additional Functions and Modifications

VMware PowerCLI is now supported as a prerequisite program for remote management clients.

System requirements

Refer to Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment of the Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware®

Host

For details on supported Hosts refer to the following manual:

- Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware® Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment - HDLM System Requirements - Hosts and OSs Supported by HDLM

Supported OSs in a HAM environment are listed below:

Supported OS

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Update 2

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5

Host Bus Adapter (HBA)

Applicable HBAs and HBA drivers:

- Inbox driver for ESXi 6.0/6.5/6.7 or HBA drivers that support ESXi 6.0/6.5/6.7 as listed in VMware Compatibility Guide.

- HBAs and HBA drivers for BladeSymphony that support ESXi 6.0/6.5/6.7 as listed in VMware Compatibility Guide.

Storage

For details on supported storage systems, refer to the following manual:

- Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware® Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment - HDLM System Requirements - Storage Systems Supported by HDLM

When the Dynamic I/O Path Control function is enabled on Hitachi AMS 2000 series, use a microprogram version 08B8/D or later.

Requirements to use a HAM environment are as follows:

- HDLM supports the HAM functionality of the following storage systems:

- Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform

- HP P9500

- Hitachi Unified Storage VM

The required microprogram versions are listed below:

Storage system

Interface

Microprogram version

Remark

Virtual Storage Platform

FC I/F

70-03-XX-XX/XX or later(*1)

X: voluntary number

P9500

FC I/F

70-03-XX-XX/XX or later(*1)

X: voluntary number

Hitachi Unified Storage VM

FC I/F

73-03-0X-XX/XX or later

X: voluntary number

*1: If you use the vStorage APIs for Array Integration with HAM, apply 70-05-00-XX/XX or later.

Operating Systems Requirements

The following operating systems are supported.

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Update 1 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Update 2 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Update 3 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 Update 1 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 Update 2 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 Update 3 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7 Update 1 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7 Update 2 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7 Update 3 Standard Edition/ Enterprise Edition/ Enterprise Plus Edition

Prerequisite Programs

- Host

None

- Remote management host

VMware vSphere CLI 6.0/6.5/6.7 must be installed and set up to be connected to the host.

Resolved problems

[8.7.3-00 Modifications]

The following problem has been corrected:

(1) The following vulnerabilities related to the JRE that comes with HDLM.

CVE-2019-13117, CVE-2019-13118, CVE-2019-16168, CVE-2020-2583, CVE-2020-2585, CVE-2020-2590, CVE-2020-2593, CVE-2020-2601, CVE-2020-2604, CVE-2020-2654, CVE-2020-2655, CVE-2020-2659

Known problems

(1) When you remove HDLM by using removehdlm (utility for Removing HDLM) in "HDLM-installation-folder\bin", perform the following operations.

- "HDLM-installation-folder\bin" is not deleted. Delete "HDLM-installation-folder".

- The dialog box "removehdlm is in use" is displayed during a remove. Select "Continue" to continue the remove.

The above phenomena can be avoided by performing either of the following procedures.

- Obtain the HDLM installation DVD, and then remove HDLM by using removehdlm utility stored in "drive-containing-installation-DVD-ROM:\HDLM_VMware\DLMTools".

- Copy removehdlm utility in "HDLM-installation-folder\bin" to any location, and then remove HDLM by using the copied removehdlm utility.

(2) When you change the setting of user account or Credential Store file by dlmrmcenv (utility for Configuring HDLM Remote Management Client Environments), restart the following two services by using the Windows service console to enable the change.

- DLMManagerVM

- HBsA Service

(3) A dialog box is displayed to prompt a system reboot even when a new installation or upgrade installation is aborted. Select "No" since the reboot associated with the installation abort is not required.

(4) When you create a cluster configuration in a virtual machine environment by using cluster software (such as MSCS or HA Monitors) that uses SCSI reservations, you cannot apply the following HDLM load balancing algorithms:

-  Extended Round Robin: HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXRR

-  Extended Least I/Os: HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXLIO

-  Extended Least Blocks: HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXLBK

When you create a cluster configuration in a virtual machine environment by using cluster software that uses SCSI reservations, specify one of the following load balancing algorithms for the LUs assigned to the virtual machine:

-  Most Recently Used (VMware): VMW_PSP_MRU

-  Round Robin (VMware): VMW_PSP_RR(*1)

Note that you can specify settings for each LU by using VMware (by means such as the esxcli commands or vSphere Web Client) or by using Global Link Manager.

(*1): You can specify this algorithm when you are using ESXi6.0 Update3 or later.

(5) When you use PowerCLI as a prerequisite program for remote management clients, HDLM cannot be managed by using Global Link Manager.

Installation precautions

For details on HDLM installation refer to the following document:

- Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware®

Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment -  Installing HDLM

Additional Precautions

(1) ESXi and VIB package that is a module package of VMware respectively have four acceptance levels: VmwareCertified, VmwareAccepted, PartnerSupported and CommunitySupported, from higher levels. If the acceptance level of an ESXi is higher than that of a VIB package, the VIB package cannot be installed on the ESXi. In this case, an operation of lowering the acceptance level of the ESXi to an appropriate level is required. For the operation procedures, refer to the following document:

- Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware®

Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment -  Installing HDLM

(2) Names of offline bundle files and plugin modules provided in this version are listed below.

- Offline bundle name  and information of plugins

Offline bundle name

Displaying the HDLM version of the host

Plugin name

Version *1

Acceptance level

hdlm-0872000001-0600.zip

8.7.2-00

satp-hdlm

08.7.2-00.0600

VMwareAccepted

psp-hdlm-exlio

08.7.2-00.0600

VMwareAccepted

psp-hdlm-exlbk

08.7.2-00.0600

VMwareAccepted

psp-hdlm-exrr

08.7.2-00.0600

VMwareAccepted

hex-hdlm-dlnkmgr

08.6.2-00

PartnerSupported

*1: You can check the version information of each plug-in installed on an ESXi host by running the following command from a remote management client:

- esxcli host-connection-option software vib list | findstr hdlm

(3) Before installing HDLM, make sure that VMware vSphere CLI (vCLI) is installed and the ESXi server can be accessed by vCLI.

(4) If HDLM is managed with HGLM, confirm the following before the operation of "Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware® - Settings When Managing HDLM by Using Global Link Manager".

- On Remote Management Client, a host name of an ESXi host can be resolved into an IP address.

- A Credential Store file is created by using the resolved IP address.

(5) The command prompt which is displayed during an installation, upgrade, or uninstallation of remote management client is automatically closed after the operation is completed. Make sure not to close it during the operation. If Command Prompt is closed during the operation, the operation of an installation, upgrade, or uninstallation ends before completion. In this case, perform an upgrade installation.

(6) The maximum number of LUs including all SCSI devices such as built-in disks and CD-ROM drives is 256 for ESXi 6.0, 512 for ESXi 6.5 and 1024 for ESXi 6.7 or later. Therefore, the maximum number of LUs for a storage system manageable by HDLM will be smaller than the maximum for ESXi, depending on the status of other connected devices. Before applying HDLM to an ESXi host, confirm that the ESXi host correctly recognizes the LUs to be managed by HDLM.

Remove Precautions

For details on HDLM installation refer to the following document:

- Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware®

Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment - Removing HDLM

Usage precautions

Notes on General procedures

(1) HDLM provides NMP sub-plugins(SATP/PSP) to enable multipath management for Hitachi storages. For the information of NMP/SATP/PSP, refer to the following documentation(*).

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-67-storage-guide.pdf

(*): It is the information as of September, 2018.

(2) Any restrictions and precautions for NMP which VMware announces are applied to your environment using HDLM. Check the restrictions and precautions before you build an environment.

(3) Any restrictions and precautions for PSP VMW_PSP_RR (Round Robin) that is provided by VMware are applied to the following HDLM load balances.

- HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXLIO

- HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXLBK

- HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXRR

 

If you want to revert to the previous specification, in which "Active(I/O)" is displayed only for the last-used path, execute the following commands, and then restart the host:

-  esxcli host-connection-option system module parameters set -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exlio -p reportWorkingPaths=1

-  esxcli host-connection-option system module parameters set -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exlbk -p reportWorkingPaths=1

-  esxcli host connection option system module parameters set -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exrr -p reportWorkingPaths=1

This setting is enabled as long as a new installation of ESXi is not performed.

Note that if you specify 2 for reportWorkingPaths in the preceding commands, "Active(I/O)" is displayed as the path status for all active paths. You can check the setting values for reportWorkingPaths by using the following commands:

-  esxcli host-connection-option system module parameters list -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exlio

-  esxcli host-connection-option system module parameters list -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exlbk

-  esxcli host-connection-option system module parameters list -m=hti_psp_hdlm_exrr

 

-  Null character or 2: Display "Active(I/O)" for all active paths.

-  1: Display "Active(I/O)" for the last-used path.

(Note that if you change this setting, the new setting value becomes valid after the host is restarted.)

(5) When you remove a remote client, a dialog box displaying "Location is not available." might be output. However, the processing to remove it performs properly. Select the OK button to close the dialog box.

Notes on HAM procedures

(1) In the case of displaying the LU information, the HAM information is not output by specifying the "all" parameter-value for the HDLM command. Specify the "ha" and "hastat" parameter-value instead.

(2) An online operation is performed on an owner path, a non-owner path's status may change to Offline(E). After performing an online operation on an owner path, use the HDLM command to make sure that the non-owner path's status is Online. If the non-owner path's status is Offline(E), change the status of HAM pairs to PAIR, and then perform an online operation on the Offline(E) path again.

(3) When you set up a HAM pair to be managed by HDLM, make sure that the host recognizes paths to the MCU (Primary VOL) and RCU (Secondary VOL) after the HAM pair is created(*).

Execute the dlnkmgr view -lu -item hastat operation. If ha is not displayed in the HaStat column, then the corresponding LU is not recognized as being in a HAM configuration.

If the host recognizes the paths to the MCU and RCU or either one of the paths, before the HAM pair is created, restart the host after the HAM pair is created.

 

If you need to restart the host while the HAM pair is released, disconnect all paths to the MCU and RCU, restart the host, re-create the HAM pair, and then reconnect the paths.

If you restart a host that is connected to the MCU and RCU while the HAM pair is released, the RCU volume will be recognized as a volume other than an MCU volume. If this occurs, restart the host after the HAM pair is re-created.

Execute the dlnkmgr view -lu -item hastat operation, and then confirm that ha is displayed in the HaStat column.

Documentation

Available documents

Document name

Document number

Issue date

Hitachi Command Suite Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware®) User Guide

MK-92DLM130-24

 May 2020

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