Installing Proxmox on IBM x3650: HDD mounting issues

[Caburetor]

Hello there,
I want to install Proxmox on three x3650s. I've tried to install the VE 5.3, but it has Problems to mount the drives (6x300 GB 10k rpm SAS). I know that Proxmox want to configure the RAID on its own, so you have to turn off the RAID-Controller on "normal PCs". But in this case I can't turn off the RAID-Controller, because than the System doesn't recognise the drives. After I hit Enter on "Install Proxmox VE" it's loading the Proxmox Installer and initial ramdisk. Than a typical Linux Terminal pops up an then it says, that it can not request for APEI ERST registers.
Then "mounting proc filesystem" and "mounting sys filesystem"
Then it loads many drivers, including the "intel_powerclamp"
After that:
"modprobe: ERROR: could not insert " 'intel_powerclamp': No such device.

Then:
"searching for cdrom"
"testing cdrom /dev/sr0"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sda"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sr0"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sda"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sdb"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing again in 5 seconds"

And so on until:
"no cdrom found"
"unable to continue (type exit or CTRL-D to reboot"

I tried so many different settings on the RAID-Controller:
1. No array, just initialized the drives
2. Every drive in one array in Volume mode
3. RAID 10

Every time it's just the same.
How do I have to configure the BIOS or RAID-Controller, that it will work?


Greetings from Germany
Carburetor.

PS: If you speak German, you can answer me in German, so that it is easier for me to understand, but if you speak English, it'll work too

 

[raj]

Hello there,
I want to install Proxmox on three x3650s. I've tried to install the VE 5.3, but it has Problems to mount the drives (6x300 GB 10k rpm SAS). I know that Proxmox want to configure the RAID on its own, so you have to turn off the RAID-Controller on "normal PCs". But in this case I can't turn off the RAID-Controller, because than the System doesn't recognise the drives. After I hit Enter on "Install Proxmox VE" it's loading the Proxmox Installer and initial ramdisk. Than a typical Linux Terminal pops up an then it says, that it can not request for APEI ERST registers.
Then "mounting proc filesystem" and "mounting sys filesystem"
Then it loads many drivers, including the "intel_powerclamp"
After that:
"modprobe: ERROR: could not insert " 'intel_powerclamp': No such device.

Then:
"searching for cdrom"
"testing cdrom /dev/sr0"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sda"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sr0"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sda"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing cdrom /dev/sdb"
"umount: can't umount /mnt: invalid argument"
"testing again in 5 seconds"

And so on until:
"no cdrom found"
"unable to continue (type exit or CTRL-D to reboot"

I tried so many different settings on the RAID-Controller:
1. No array, just initialized the drives
2. Every drive in one array in Volume mode
3. RAID 10

Every time it's just the same.
How do I have to configure the BIOS or RAID-Controller, that it will work?


Greetings from Germany
Carburetor.

PS: If you speak German, you can answer me in German, so that it is easier for me to understand, but if you speak English, it'll work too

 

[raj]

Hiya,

What model of IBM is it please and what firmware you are running on the box and the raid controller. I do run a few ibm x3650 and x3650M3 so maybe I can try to assist you on that. The X3650 are configured as raid 10 with all 300GB drives running and a hot spare set.

 

[jaceqp]

Depending on your RAID controller 'class' either you choose to use controller-based RAID or ZFS based software RAID. If your controller is a cheap one with no cache, battery support etc. most likely it's just a software raid (but with a separate BIOS management). ZFS 'desires' direct access to disks so either disable BIOS RAID (if possible) or reflash your controller to HBA mode (also - if possible ).
Keep in mind that having a separate PCIe controller card doesn't mean that it's a 'fancy' controller. Most cheap ones have pretty basic chip with limited functionality/reliability/performance. Some simple controllers come out as a separate card or motherboard-integrated.

I surely don't recommend using 'each disk in sepatate volume' - that might cause issues in ZFS. Way better solution would be buying a cheap PCIe controller HBA-flash capable (or even two identical for failure safety). U can buy those for 20-30$.

BTW: I bought myself a Perc H310 card (just for fun/testing purposes) and with it Proxmox installer shows no drives when RAID is set in controller itself. But the card is easily flashable to HBA mode (haven't tried it yet), so then ZFS should be no problem.
I wonder though why Proxmox installer doesn't show controller volumes. Might be lack of compatibility/drivers... no clue...

On the other hand I've tested Perc H700 controller on DELL R710 server and it works just fine with Proxmox.

 

[Caburetor]

Hello thanks for you nicely help-attempts!
I fixed the problem by installing from CD-Drive, instead of the USB-Drive. Some how the installation worked without any problems, even though it is the same ISO-Image.
Now I'm running RAID 10, configured in the RAID-Controller (It' s a good, but old one, with a lithium-battery and 256MB (OMG ) of Cache, but it is doing its job and is running very well).
The RAID 10 was accepted by Proxmox just like that.
I made already a cluster of the three servers.
And now I have a really good question: Can I run one VM simultanously on all servers, which are in the cluster? So that the power of all three servers is combined?

Greetings from Germany

Caburetor