create storage failed: pvcreate error ... device is too small (pv_min_size) (500)

[larsen]

Hello,

I'm in the process of setting up a HP MSA2040 SAN to work with Proxmox. As I just started using a SAN, I have a little over zero knowledge of these things, so there most probably will be errors in my setup (or terms I don't use correctly).

Current status is:
- MSA2040 is connected via DAC with 4 cables to two PVE hosts (clustered)
- I have not setup multipath (as I don't understand the documentation, yet)
- "iscsiadm" can find the iSCSI target
- I have added an iSCSI storage in Proxmox VE ("Use LUNs directly" is unchecked)

Now, when I try to add a LVM storage on top of my iSCSI target, I can select the LUN 1 from the dropdown list, but get this error message when clicking on "Add":

create storage failed: pvcreate '/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SHP_MSA_2040_SAN_00c0ff277b3d0000819b3c6201000000' error: 
Cannot use /dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SHP_MSA_2040_SAN_00c0ff277b3d0000819b3c6201000000: device is too small (pv_min_size) (500)

Google didn't find anything useful.

atl-vm03:~# pveversion
pve-manager/7.1-12/b3c09de3 (running kernel: 5.13.19-6-pve)

atl-vm03:~# ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/ | grep scsi | grep -v sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 2022-04-27 16:35 scsi-0HP_MSA_2040_SAN_113237343563660000c0ff277c330000c0a8781c00c0ff277b3d0000c0a8781b -> ../../sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 2022-04-27 16:35 scsi-3600c0ff000277b3d819b3c6201000000 -> ../../sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 2022-04-27 16:35 scsi-SHP_MSA_2040_SAN_00c0ff277b3d0000819b3c6201000000 -> ../../sdb

atl-vm03:~# lsblk | grep sdb
sdb                                                 8:16   0  5.2T  0 disk

What am I doing wrong here?

 

[bbgeek17]

If you have storage that is connected via multiple paths, then you should spend time to understand how to use Multipath with it. You will not be able to switch easily and without destroying existing configuration. You will also, most likely, run into unexpected random issues with OS finding same LVM signatures on multiple devices.

What does "journalctl -f" log during your attempt to create the LVM device? What is the full output of lsblk?

---

Blockbridge : Ultra low latency all-NVME shared storage for Proxmox - https://www.blockbridge.com/proxmox

 

[larsen]

There is nothing new to be seen in "journalctl -f" during an attempt to create the LVM device.

atl-vm03:~# lsblk
NAME                                              MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda                                                 8:0    0  7.3T  0 disk
├─sda1                                              8:1    0 1007K  0 part
├─sda2                                              8:2    0  512M  0 part
└─sda3                                              8:3    0  7.3T  0 part
  ├─pve-swap                                      253:0    0    8G  0 lvm  [SWAP]
  ├─pve-root                                      253:1    0   96G  0 lvm  /
  ├─pve-data_tmeta                                253:2    0 15.8G  0 lvm
  │ └─pve-data-tpool                              253:4    0  7.1T  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-data                                  253:5    0  7.1T  1 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--108--disk--1                      253:6    0  500G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--106--disk--0                      253:7    0  149G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--104--disk--0                      253:8    0   32G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--102--disk--0                      253:9    0   20G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--105--disk--0                      253:10   0   10G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-backup                                253:11   0    1T  0 lvm  /mnt/backup
  │   ├─pve-vm--100--disk--0                      253:12   0  500G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--107--disk--0                      253:13   0  300G  0 lvm
  │   ├─pve-vm--108--state--suspend--2021--01--15 253:14   0  8.5G  0 lvm
  │   └─pve-vm--106--state--suspend--2021--01--15 253:15   0  6.5G  0 lvm
  └─pve-data_tdata                                253:3    0  7.1T  0 lvm
    └─pve-data-tpool                              253:4    0  7.1T  0 lvm
      ├─pve-data                                  253:5    0  7.1T  1 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--108--disk--1                      253:6    0  500G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--106--disk--0                      253:7    0  149G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--104--disk--0                      253:8    0   32G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--102--disk--0                      253:9    0   20G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--105--disk--0                      253:10   0   10G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-backup                                253:11   0    1T  0 lvm  /mnt/backup
      ├─pve-vm--100--disk--0                      253:12   0  500G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--107--disk--0                      253:13   0  300G  0 lvm
      ├─pve-vm--108--state--suspend--2021--01--15 253:14   0  8.5G  0 lvm
      └─pve-vm--106--state--suspend--2021--01--15 253:15   0  6.5G  0 lvm
sdb                                                 8:16   0  5.2T  0 disk

So you think this problem might have to do with an underlying multipath problem?

 

[bbgeek17]

I dont see multiple devices in your output so I cant blame it on Multipath.
Try to follow manual steps here and see which step fails : https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Logical_Volume_Manager_(LVM)

---

Blockbridge : Ultra low latency all-NVME shared storage for Proxmox - https://www.blockbridge.com/proxmox

 

[larsen]

I got it working now. Underlying problem must have been the network configuration as I used an example for a switch-scenario as a basis while we are using DAC. Straightened that out (at least better than before) and got multiple devices (sdb and sdc) and then configured multipath.