Symptoms

The array-based copy was provisioned to VPLEX while it was still in synchronized status (before the copy was created). The user provisions new Logical Units (LUs) from a backend array to VPLEX. The LUs are listed under the logical-units context but not under the storage volumes context.Performing an array re-discovery in the VPLEX CLI for the backend array does not help. Attempting to claim the newly provisioned Logical Unit (LU) using the VPLEX CLI fails: storage-volume claim: Evaluation of <<storage-volume claim -n VNX01_lun_10 -d VPD83T3:600601xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx511 --thin-rebuild>> failed. cause: Command execution failed. cause: Failed to set value for option --storage-volumes. cause: Could not find appropriate contexts matching '[VPD83T3:600601xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx511]'. Streaming scsi/27 (A scsi command issued by the tower has returned with scsi sense data.) messages in the firmware logs for the newly provisioned LUN. scsi/27 tgt VPD83T3:600601xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx511 cmd 0x88 status 0x2 valid 0 resp 0x70 seg 0x0 bits 0x0 key 0x5 info 0x0 alen 10 csi 0x0 asc 0x25 ascq 0x1 fru 0x0 sks 0x0

Cause

The user provisioned array-based copies, such as EMC MirrorView, TimeFinder, SRDF, SnapView, and XtremIO snapshots, to VPLEX. At that time, the array-based replication was still in synchronized status. In this state, the backend array allows non-read/write SCSI commands, such as Inquiry, to complete successfully. However, it does not complete read/write SCSI commands. When an array-based copy on a backend array, such as an inactive SnapCopy or MirrorView Secondary image, is provisioned to VPLEX, the array returns a SCSI Check Condition (with SK/ASC/ASCQ: 0x5/0x25/0x01) on all read/write SCSI commands. When a new LU is provisioned from a backend array to VPLEX, VPLEX attempts to discover and identify the new storage volume.As part of this process, VPLEX reads block 0, but the array fails the read commands. Consequently, VPLEX is unable to complete the discovery process for the storage volume. The new LU is not listed under the storage volumes context.

Resolution

VPLEX supports array-based replications, such as EMC MirrorView, TimeFinder, SRDF, SnapView, and XtremIO snapshots. Users must follow the procedure described in the white paper below:http://www.emc.com/collateral/white-papers/h12642-wp-emc-vplex-leveraging-native-and-array-based-copy-technologies.pdf The array-based copy can be presented (zoned and LUN masked) to VPLEX after the copy is created on the storage array.

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