BE2014 SDR Showing Duplicate SAN paritions

[syed_jahanzaib]

I took backup my server using BE2014. This server is connected with IBM v3700 SAN storage via QLOGIC FC cards. When I try to restore using its SDR CD, It shows me duplicate SAN partition, means every partition is showing double.

In windows 2008 R2, I faced this issue earlier, but after installing IBM MPIO SDDDSM , the duplicate partitions appearing problem was solved, but howto do it in SDR ?

How to solve this issue?

[Colin_Weaver]

We can't handle MPIO within the SDR recovery environment as there is no ability to add MPIO management into the WinPE boot environment for SDR.

As such before booting from the SDR DVD and restoring data, you would need to re-configure the SAN so that only 1 path is available to the disks. Then before you reboot the server after the restoring phase has completed you would re-enable the multi-path

[syed_jahanzaib]

there are two FC cards in this machine connected with FC switch ,
I have remove FC cable from one card, isn't that enough?
how can I disable Multipath before booting from SDR?

[Colin_Weaver]

That might be enough 

Typically SAN connections are managed through SAN switches and the switch has the capability to zone different connections to different devices so changing the zoning would be the other way (but only if you know what you are doing.)

You should probably check with your SAN implementor/vendor for best method

[syed_jahanzaib]

Removing cable from one of the FC card in the server didn't helped.
Removing WNN f one of the FC card from the second SAN/FC switch also didn't helped.

SDR still showing duplicate SAN partitions. (I did reboot the server after removing cable and WNN and booted from SDR again)

[Colin_Weaver]

OK SDR won't detect stuff that is not there so there must be some kind of connection to these drives via the main card

[syed_jahanzaib]

The issue is still there. I have removed one FC card, so now the server have only 1 FC card in it connected with single FC switch where SAN is also connected. Still its showing duplicate partitions. When I install the Windows 2008 R2 I also see duplications of san partitions, but after installing ibm MPIO SSDM  driver, the issue solve.

How can I prevent duplication in SDR?

[Colin_Weaver]

Apparently if you copy the 'IBM MPIO SSDM’ driver files ( the .inf, .sys and other related files ) to a USB thumb drive you might be able to load the 'IBM MPIO SSDM’ driver using the ‘Load Driver’ link in the Utilities tab of the SDR main dashboard. This might help solve the issue.

[syed_jahanzaib]

Dear Colin, thank you for you reply.

Even If I load the IBM's MPIO driver, it still shows duplicate partitions (I have 3 partitions attached to this server, and it shows 12 partitions as I have 2 FC cards , so each FC is showing 6 partitions instead of 3)

Strange thing is when I try to load driver, in My Computer window it donot show duplication,

only at where it checks partition layout, it shows duplication.