About this document

This document (RN-91HC190-45, July 2022) provides late-breaking information about Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware) 8.8.3-03. 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).

Accessing product downloads

Product software, drivers, and firmware downloads are available on Hitachi Vantara Support Connect:  https://support.hitachivantara.com/.

Log in and select Product Downloads to access the most current downloads, including important updates that may have been made after the release of the product.

About this release

This is a minor release that adds new features and resolves multiple known problems.

Product package contents

New features and important enhancements

System requirements

For system requirements, see Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment in the Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware®) User Guide.

Resolved problems

Known problems

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

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

o   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.

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

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

·         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.

o   DLMManagerVM

o   HBsA Service

·         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.

·         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:

o   Extended Round Robin: HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXRR

o   Extended Least I/Os: HTI_PSP_HDLM_EXLIO

o   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:

o   Most Recently Used (VMware): VMW_PSP_MRU

o   Round Robin (VMware): VMW_PSP_RR

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.

·         When you use VMware PowerCLI, use the command prompt of Windows PowerShell to execute the utility for collecting HDLM error information (DLMgetras).

·         When VMware PowerCLI is used on Windows Server 2012 R2 in an environment where Windows PowerShell 4.0 is installed, if an HDLM command is terminated by performing one of the following operations, subsequent HDLM commands might fail, and the KAPL01148-E message might be output. In addition, if the HDLM command is run in another Windows PowerShell command prompt window, the command will not end.

o   Pressing Ctrl+C

o   Selecting End task in Task Manager

o   Closing the Windows PowerShell command prompt window

Example of an error message that is output:

# dlnkmgr -s host-name -u user-name -p password view -sys

KAPL01148-E An attempt to connect to the specified server has failed. Operation name = view

If this problem occurs, close all Windows PowerShell command prompt windows. Then, open a new Windows PowerShell command prompt window and run the HDLM command.

As a solution to this problem, consider upgrading Windows PowerShell from 4.0 to 5.1.

·         When you install VMware PowerCLI, note the following restrictions:

o   Do not install the product into the following folder:

$PSHome\Modules

(%Windir%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules)

o   This folder is reserved for modules provided by Windows.

o   When linking with Global Link Manager, install the product into the following folder, which is accessible to all users:

$Env:ProgramFiles\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

(%ProgramFiles%\WindowsPowerShell\Modules)

• If you use the Install-Module command of Windows PowerShell to install the product, specify All Users for the -Scope parameter.

Notes:

When linking with Global Link Manager, VMware PowerCLI is used not only by current users but also by the SYSTEM built-in account.

Verify that the Windows system environment variable PSModulePath contains the folder where VMware PowerCLI is installed.

If the variable does not contain it, add the folder path.

o   When not linking with Global Link Manager, install the product into the following folder, which is only accessible to current users:

$Home\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

(%UserProfile%\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules)

o   If you use the Install-Module command of Windows PowerShell to install the product, specify Current User for the -Scope parameter.

o   In addition, you can install the product into the following folder, which is accessible to all users:

$Env:ProgramFiles\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

(%ProgramFiles%\WindowsPowerShell\Modules)

·         When you install VMware vSphere CLI and VMware PowerCLI on the same remote management client, do not perform an operation with the Credential Store file for vSphere CLI by using PowerCLI cmdlets, or do not perform an operation with the Credential Store file for PowerCLI  by using credstore_admin.pl of vSphere CLI.

The password encryption and decryption algorithms are not same between vSphere CLI and PowerCLI, so if you perform these operations, the Credential Store file might become unusable.

If you want to perform such operations, you will need to delete the Credential Store file and then create it again.

In addition, in an environment where the Credential Store file created by using credstore_admin.pl of vSphere CLI, if you use the dlnkmg command by switching CLI to PowerCLI, the following error message might be output when you do not specify a user name or password.

KAPL01183-E The HDLM command cannot be executed because the VMware PowerCLI settings are not configured properly.

If the above message is output, specify a user name or password.

·         When you remove HDLM plugins from the ESXi host and install an older version of the HDLM plugins, delete the module option information of the HDLM first, and then install the older version of HDLM.

If you do not delete the information, HDLM SATP might not be loaded. If HDLM SATP is not loaded, an error message is output to vmkwarning.log. In addition, the dlnkmgr view -sys command terminates with an error.

<vmkwarning.log>

WARNING: NMP: nmpSatpCheckLoadedModule:794: SATP instance, name=HTI_SATP_HDLM:

Load Failed! [Bad parameter]

<Command error message>

# dlnkmgr connection-options view -sys

KAPL01181-E The HDLM driver is not installed correctly.

To delete the module option information, execute the following command on the ESXi host:

# esxcfg-module --set-options "" hti_satp_hdlm

Delete the module option information after one of the following two operations:

1)    Removing the HDLM plugins:

Delete the module option information after performing step 4 "Remove HDLM" in the section "When using VMware vSphere CLI" or "When using VMware Power CLI" in "Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment - Removing HDLM" of the Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager User Guide for VMware®.

2)    Removing HDLM plugins and then re-installing an older version of the HDLM plugins:

Delete the module option information, and then restart the ESXi host.

When you delete the module option information, the option settings of HDLM are also deleted. Therefore, check the option settings of HDLM before the deletion, and then reconfigure them by using the dlnkmgr set command.

·         When you install HDLM by using vSphere Lifecycle Manager, for ESXi 7.0 Update 1 or later, use the Depot file instead of the addon file.

·         When you incorrectly specify host name, user name, or password of the host connection options in the command prompt of Windows PowerShell in an environment where VMWare PowerCLI is installed to execute DLMGetras, the KAPL10957-W message is output instead of the KAPL10956-W message.

# DLMgetras -s XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX -u XXXX -p XXXXXXXX

'"esxcli.exe"' is not recognized as an internal or external command,

operable program or batch file.

KAPL10957-W The utility for collecting HDLM error information cannot be executed because the VMware vSphere CLI or VMware PowerCLI is not installed.

This is a problem due to an error of the output message, and there is no problem in this environment.

Check the host connection options, and then re-execute the command.

·         In an environment where VMWare vSphere CLI or VMWare PowerCLI is already installed, when you execute DLMGetras in the command prompt of Windows PowerShell, an error of thumbprint might be output.

# dlmgetras -s XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX -u XXXX -p XXXXXXX

Certificate error. Server SHA-1 thumbprint: AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF:GG:HH:II:JJ:KK:LL:MM:NN:OO:PP:QQ:RR:SS:TT (not trusted)

C:\hdlmtemp\hdlmgetras_XX

KAPL10043-I Error information is being collected.  (XX%)

This message is output if one of the following conditions such as 1 and 2 is met:

1)    Removing the HDLM plugins:

o   The dlmrmcenv utility has not been executed in the vSphere CLI prompt.

o   When DLMGetras is executed, the host connection options are incorrect, or the specified host is not responded.

2)    If you have set vSphere CLI as communication interface of HDLM:

o   The dlmrmcenv utility has been executed in the vSphere CLI prompt.

o   PowerCLI is specified as CLI to acquire host  information.

o   The specified host information when DLMGetras is executed is not  stored in the Credential Store file.

This problem is due to an output of the error message, and DLMGetras is executed without any problem if the KAPL10043-I message is output.

If the KAPL10043-I is not output, check the host connection options, and then re-execute the command.

·         When you use ESXi 7.0 Update 2 or later, HDLM cannot be linked with Global Link Manager. In addition, when you use VMware PowerCLI, use VMware PowerCLI version 12.3.0.

·         When HDLM is linked with Global Link Manager, VMware PowerCLI 12.1.0 or later is not supported. Use PowerCLI 12.0.0.

·         Storge systems which have following functions are no longer supported.

o   Dynamic load balance control function

o   High Availability Manager function

o   Virtual ID function for storage migration

But the parameters for these functions are displayed in the format of set or view operation of the HDLM command when help operation is executed. And the following item is displayed when view -sys operation is executed:

Dynamic I/O Path Control

·         When you use any of the following special characters in your password for the ESXi host, HDLM cannot connect to the ESXi host. When setting your password for the ESXi host, do not use the following characters:

#  "  '  `  $  |  >  <  &

@  ,  (  )  {  }  ]  ;   ␣  spaces

·         If the property "QuickEdit Mode" is enabled in the command prompt or in the Windows PowerShell prompt, the command processing stops when you select text in a window where the DLMgetras command is running. While text is selected, the window displays "Select", and the command processing will not restart until you press the Enter key.

·         When you execute the dlmperfinfo utility or the DLMgetras utility from the PowerShell command prompt while you do not have system administrator permissions, the User Account Control (UAC) dialog box does not appear.

The following warning messages are output, and the utility cannot be executed:

o   For the dlmperfinfo utility: "KAPL13038-W A parameter is invalid."

o   For the DLMgetras utility: "KAPL10005-W The number of parameters is insufficient."

·         When you set the execution policy of Windows PowerShell in Windows 10, set the execution policy for the MachinePolicy, UserPolicy, or CurrentUser scope to RemoteSigned. If you set only the execution policy for LocalMachine scope to RemoteSigned, an attempt to connect to the ESXi host by using the HDLM command fails, and the KAPL01148-E message is output.

KAPL01148-E An attempt to connect to the specified server has failed. Operation name = view

Installation precautions

For details on HDLM installation, see the Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (for VMware®) User Guide.

Chapter 3. Creating an HDLM Environment -  Installing HDLM

Usage precautions

Documentation

Appendix A

Copyrights and licenses

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