PowerFlex Proxmox Guide

Prepare the Proxmox environment

Edit lvm.conf

vi /etc/lvm/lvm.conf

Edit LVM conf to include this line: types = [ "scini", 16 ]

devices {
     # added by pve-manager to avoid scanning ZFS zvols and Ceph rbds
     global_filter=["r|/dev/zd.*|","r|/dev/rbd.*|"]
     types = [ "scini", 16 ]

Install kernel headers [Optional if compiling driver]

Example:

uname -r
6.8.12-4-pve

wget http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve/dists/bookworm/pve-no-subscription/binary-amd64/proxmox-headers-6.8.12-4-pve_6.8.12-4_amd64.deb

dpkg -i proxmox-headers-6.8.12-4-pve_6.8.12-4_amd64.deb

Install build tools [Optional if compiling driver]

apt install build-essential

PowerFlex SDC Driver install

Download SDC driver package

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/scaleio/drivers

Unpack driver

Unzip PowerFlex_4.5.3000.128_Debian12_SDC.zip

Upload EMC-ScaleIO-sdc-4.5-3000.128.Debian12.x86_64.siob and siob_extract to the proxmox server

root@syd-proxmox-01:~# chmod +x ./siob_extract
root@syd-proxmox-01:~# ./siob_extract EMC-ScaleIO-sdc-4.5-3000.128.Debian12.x86_64.siob

Install sdc package

Obtain MDM IPs of PowerFlex

Install SDC Driver

#Input MDMs from the above step
export MDM_IP=48.66.151.61,48.66.152.61

#Run the installer
dpkg -i EMC-ScaleIO-sdc-4.5-3000.128.Debian12.x86_64.deb

If the kernel version of the supplied SDC version does not match the host operating systems’s kernel proceed to the next step.

[Optional for mismatched kernel driver]

Compile driver

#Navigate to the driver_cache directory created by the sdc installer [version will vary]
cd /bin/emc/scaleio/scini_sync/driver_cache/default/4.5.3000.128

#Unpack build package
tar zxf Dell-PowerFlex-scini_builder-4.5.3000.128.x86_64.tgz

#Create directory with the current kernel name
mkdir $(uname -r)

#run build script
./build_driver.sh

#Copy scini module to the kernel directory 
cp ini/scini.ko ./$(uname -r)

#Restart scini driver
systemctl restart scini

Volume Creation

Create volume in PowerFlex using the PowerFlex manager UI and map it to the host

Use Proxmox shell to create the volume

Example:

fdisk -l

sgdisk -N 1 /dev/scinia

pvcreate --metadatasize 250k -y -ff /dev/scinia1

pvdisplay

vgcreate Powerflex_vol1 /dev/scinia1

The volume will now appear in the UI under Disks → LVM

Changing PowerFlex system

If you want to connect to the host to another PowerFlex system or change the storage after installation this can be performed via the shell

#Stop scini service. WARNING. This disconnects all PowerFlex volumes
systemctl stop scini

#Edit the drv_cfg file and change the MDM IP
#eg. mdm 48.66.151.11,48.66.152.11
vi /etc/emc/scaleio/drv_cfg.txt

#Start Scini service
systemctl start scini

Host will be visible on the new system

Troubleshooting

Package removal

Should you wish to remove the package and start over run the following commands. Note the /etc/emc directory may need to be cleaned up

systemctl stop scini

dpkg -r emc-scaleio-sdc

dpkg --purge emc-scaleio-sdc

reboot

Secure boot

Secure Boot is a BIOS feature not typically enabled for *nix based systems, however if you encounter this error “scini.ko: Key was rejected by service” then boot into the BIOS and disable Secure Boot.

░░ A start job for unit scini.service has begun execution.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 1000.
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: Loading the best matching scini driver for your kernel...
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: The running kernel version is 6.8.12-4-pve
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: A perfect matching driver was found in /bin/emc/scaleio/scini_sync/driver_cache
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: Attempting to load /bin/emc/scaleio/scini_sync/driver_cache/Debian/4.5.3000.128/6.8.12-4-pve/scini.ko (version: 6.8.12-4-pve)...
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51670]: insmod: ERROR: could not insert module /bin/emc/scaleio/scini_sync/driver_cache/Debian/4.5.3000.128/6.8.12-4-pve/scini.ko: Key was rejected by service
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: Perfect match driver failed to load.
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51649]: Failed to load driver scini.
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51641]: Error (1) loading module binary /bin/emc/scaleio/scini.ko
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51681]: rmmod: ERROR: Module scini is not currently loaded
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51641]: Error (1) unloading module binary /bin/emc/scaleio/scini.ko
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 scini[51641]:  failed!
Mar 27 08:25:15 syd-proxmox-01 systemd[1]: scini.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░