Problem with redundant VSM

[nashwj]

I'm doing something simple..and wrong.  How does the secondary VSM communicate with the primary VSM?  Doing an installation today and everything is working fine..VEMs connect to the VSM.  Everything is talking.  But the secondary VSM never sees the primary.  They both come up as Active.  I installed the primary via the GUI  method and the secondary as a manual CLI...domain ID 1, secondary, reboot.  Comes up...Active again.

The Control and Packet VLANs are running over the vSwitch.  I put a Service Console on each and can ping from the ESX box the primary is on to the ESX box the secondary is on..so those are working.  What am I missing?

[Robert Burns]

The best way to get both up is to do the following.

1.  Shutdown the secondary (or planned to be) VSM.

2.  Wait 3 mins, then on your primary issue:
n1000v-AV# show sys red status

- This VSM's role should show "Primary" as its Administrative and Operational role .  If it shows standalone or secondary, then you have to change its redundancy role to primary by:

n1000v-AV#(config) system redundancy role primary

n1000v-AV#(config) copy r s

(this should not cause a reboot)

3. At this point you can bring up your secondary VSM.  As long as you assigned the same VLANs for Control & Packet, and the same Domain ID, it should be able to locate the running primary by means of VLAN broadcast.  If this is not happening, there might be an issue with the Control VLAN communication between the two VSMs.

If this still doesn't work you might want to try creating your secondary on the SAME host which is running your Primary VSM -  this will rule out any external switch configuraiton issues as they will be communication using the same vSwitch.

If you're still stuck attach your running config and topology.

Regards,

Robert

[nashwj]

It was set to Primary as the role.  I noticed when I brought the secondary up I would starting getting duplicate VSM frame messages in the log.  They could see each other, but weren't talking.  I reset both of their roles, reloaded both, and then it was fine.  Really not sure why that happened.  I helped the same customer with their DR site install today and both VSMs came right up....so...just something odd, but it's all good now.  Thanks!