Nutanix – Redeploying nodes with Foundation

by | Friday, January 6, 2017 | HCI

Problem

I recently deployed a Nutanix cluster which was a combination of old and new 3000 series nodes. Setup of the new machines went according to plan, however I found the old servers were reporting incorrect block IDs and/or positions.

For those who aren’t familiar with 3000 series systems, the product is Nutanix badged SuperMicro hardware, 4 servers in 2U of rack space. Each chassis has 4 slots (A-D).

http://i2.wp.com/thehyperadvisor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1412727888_thumb.png

Photo: 3000 series nodes

Solution

To fix the issue you need to update the factor settings on the Controller VM (CVM). Here are the steps:

  1. Document your node locations, double and triple check.
  2. Step two varies based on your hypervisor. In my case I was configuring an ESXi cluster so I needed to Foundation before I could expand the cluster.
  3. Run a scan in Foundation. Cross reference this with your doco from step 1.
  4. If it doesn’t match, edit the “factory_config.json” file which is found in “/etc/nutanix/” directory on each node. This assumes you’ve already configured your IPMI or have direct access to the physical equipment.
  5. Update the “rackable_unit_serial:”, “node_position:” or both to match your layout. Caution! Json files are particular… Don’t screw up the formatting.
  6. Restart the Genesis service by typing “genesis restart” at the $ prompt.
  7. Re-run Foundation. Nodes should now correspond to the desired layout.

Good luck.