Error Using EqualLogic Datastore Manager

UPDATE – 10/23/2013 – After upgrading the HIT Kit from 3.1.1.37 to 3.5.2.1 I am able to use Java 1.7 Update 45 without issue.

 

The Dell Host Integration Tools for VMware (often called the HIT kit) are a set of vSphere Plug-ins that assist in doing a lot of storage realted tasks on an EqualLogic SAN from within the vSphere client.

Recently I ran into an issue when using the EqualLogic Datastore Manager plug-in to create a new datastore. I first noticed an issue when the navigation pane on the left was stuck showing “Retrieving data…”.

I clicked on Create Datastore & got the same “Retrieving data…” message on the first screen of the wizard.

The message is due to a Java issue. Turns out it doesn’t work if you have the latest version installed which is 1.7 update 7 at the time of this writing. You have to downgrade to 1.6 update 35 which is the latest as of this writing. Then it starts working again.

So in conclusion…

Java is THE WORST software EVER. Worse than Adobe Reader & Flash. Everyone always talks about it like it’s so great because it’s cross-platform & runs on everything & blah-blah-blah. Yeah, that’s all great until you have to update it. And that’s the problem. It’s constantly being updated because it’s just one big security vulnerability. But you can’t update it to protect yourself because then all these Java applications stop working because these Java programmers can’t come down from their pedestal to fix their shitty software. You may think your language is so superior, but you should probably talk to a few System Administrators & ask them how great they think it is. We’re the ones that have to deal with your incompetence.