Hyperflex - New deployment

[andys449]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some assistance, I'm deploying a new Hyperflex cluster for a Lab environment which is completely cut off from all normal domain services.

I'm running the deployment from the appliance running on ESXI, however the validations are failing as there is no DNS entries for the Hostnames, which I can't create as this has no domain or DNS to talk too.

TAC had previously given me a workaround to bypass validation, but I can't find it now.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

Andy

[smailmilak]

Hi,

since you are using the Standalone Installer you could put the hostnames in the etc file on the Installer VM?

[andys449]

Hi 

The installer vm is an appliance not a windows VM, unless there is another one?

Effectively this is a greenfield build where there are no other services for it to connect to, surely there is a guide for that somewhere?

Thanks

[RedNectar]

Hi @andys449 ,

I kind of thought @smailmilak had nailed it with the suggestion to use a hosts file on the installer VM. 

1. Open an ssh session to the installer VM (username: root password: WhateverYouSetItToWhenYouInstalledIt )
2. cd /etc/
3. vi hosts [if you don't know how to use vi - you'd better learn]
4. Add hostname IP addresses for NTP and whatever else you need
5. save and quit esc : w q

Now try!

---

BUT...

If it is a lab environment - why not whip up a DNS/NTP server in your lab anyway, and set it up properly?

[andys449]

Thanks,

I've never used vi to edit files like that but I have others that can do it for me.

The hyperflex is going to contain the lab environment so I can't spin up dns or ntp on it as its not going to be allowed to touch anything outwith the HX set up.

Cheers

Andy

[smailmilak]

You have a switch and router in you lab as well, actually you have to have a switch at least.

Many years ago it was possible to run a DNS server on Cisco router with ip dns server.
Look here https://ipwithease.com/configure-cisco-router-as-dns-server/

Same for NTP server. https://www.computernetworkingnotes.com/ccna-study-guide/how-to-configure-ntp-in-cisco-router.html

Take a look, or if possible run a DNS/NTP server on your laptop. Deploy HX and deploy a VM there which will have both service enabled, e.g. Windows Server.

[andys449]

Thanks all, I ended up punching holes in the firewall to allow access to the domain DNS and NTP which got me beyond this sticking point.

Its now progressed to Hypervisor Config and that keeps failing on a failure to logon to host via Serial over Lan.

I've checked that I can access the CIMC and the ESXI via SSH no problem so I know the firewalls not getting in the way of that. Any ideas on this one?

THanks

Andy

[smailmilak]

Are you using the custom HX ESXi image? If not, it will not work. 

[Steven Tardy]

---

Its now progressed to Hypervisor Config and that keeps failing on a failure to logon to host via Serial over Lan.

I've checked that I can access the CIMC and the ESXI via SSH no problem so I know the firewalls not getting in the way of that. Any ideas on this one?

---

The HX installer wants ESXi "from factory" at this point which means default password and no IP address configured.

"ESXi via SSH". . . . you should not be able to SSH to ESXi at this point.

Did you manually configure an IP on ESXi? If so don't. I would probably just reinstall ESXi if you have changed anything else.

Also the ESXi password should still be the HX default. If you have changed the ESXi password and HX is trying the default password. I would check `pam_tally2 --user root` from ESXi to see if there are login failures.

[andys449]

Yeah using the this one as listed on the HX download page

HX-ESXi-7.0U3-20328353-Cisco-Custom-7.3.0.10-install-only.iso

[smailmilak]

Access one HX via CIMC and check if the ESXi has any config, and check if you can log in with cisco cisco123 (not sure if this is the correct factory password).

You could also reinstall the esxi on the HX nodes.

[andys449]

Still can't get this to complete, the image below shows where its failing.

The 4 hosts have all had their IP's assigned and are contactable, password is still the default and i can login to the hosts ok. I can login to CMIC address via SSH and the host address as well. The build has logged in to the hosts via sol earlier in the build so I don't understand why its failing here?

I'll need to see if I can raise a TAC call on this I think

[Steven Tardy]

For these issues I will SSH to CIMC and login with UCS credentials to verify SoL is functional (can see ESXi login prompt).
Leave that CIMC session up and [Retry] the installation while watching the SoL to see if any failures can be seen via the SoL console.

Newer Hyperflex also uses ucs-tools (in place of SoL) which sometimes has issues.
But that can cause HX install gives SoL errors if ucs-tools is broken.
Resetting CIMC might fix ucs-tools.

ucs-tools results can be seen from UCSM: scope server 1; show annotations expand

[RedNectar]

Hi @andys449 ,

I got stuck at this point at one stage (on one server out of 3) and I fudged it by plugging a keyboard and monitor into the server and MANUALLY assigning the correct IP address (and maybe VLAN too).

Once the IP address was assigned, I hit retry, and it went through OK.  BTW - make sure you check the [x] Clean up disk partitions option in the Advanced config of the HX Cluster screen