Re-install Command View , from 9.1 to 9.4 for EVA4100

[NOB Sysadmins]

Hi,

May I challenge this pool of virtual knowledge with some specific questions about Command View EVA? 

We have an EVA4100 on firmware CR1363xc3p-6220 

We currently have a management server, MGT-01, that runs Command View EVA 9.1.

This server also has HPSIM 5.3SP1 and includes HP Insight Remote Support A.05.50 and many other add-in modules for HPSIM

MGT-01 has recently become unstable and we are unable to reboot Windows without having to start in last-known-good config. The software still runs well, aslong as we dont reboot the machine. This is of course not a desirable situation, so we are reinstalling our various management tools onto other servers. 

I am not that experiened with this software as it was all installed by third-party three years ago before I was at the company. 

I wanted to take this oppertunity to install the latest versions of HPSIM and (P6000) Commands View.

But I need to be sure about the following questions:

1. Can an EVA4100 on firmware 6220 be managed by a fresh install of P6000 Command View 9.4?

2. Can I takeover control of the EVA4100 from Command View 9.1 on the old server, and if so, is it easy to do?

3. The EVA4100 is currently licensed with: "HP CV EVA 4k Series Unlimited Lic". I am assuming that swithing control to another Command View doesnt not effect this?

4. Am I licensed to use P6000 Commands View 9.4 for this EVA, if I am now using 9.1 ?

5. We will reinstall HPSIM 6.3 on a seperate (virtual) server. For a while it will run parrallel to the old HPSIM 5.3 install until I have it set up properly. I am assuming that HPSIM monitors the EVA via its management server. Therefore I would expect that ones I switches ownership to the new 9.4 install, that the old HPSIM installation would start to cry wolf. is that correct?    If so, I may want to monitor the new Command View 9.4 install with the old HPSIM 5.3 for now, would that work do you think?

Thank you all for the extremely detailed and well thought-out responses I am sure to get ;)

- Robert

[Sudhakar Subramaniam]

HI ,

The below link has all compatbility matrix which should answer all your questions.

http://spock.corp.hp.com/index.aspx

[NOB Sysadmins]

Hi Sudhakar,

The link you provided doesn't seem to work I am afraid. 

[Sudhakar Subramaniam]

Sorry , please access the below link.

You need to register if you are a first time user.

http://h20272.www2.hp.com/

[Johan Guldmyr · Accepted solution]

Hi!

1) See "P6000 EVA Compatibility Reference"

2) You shouldn't mix Command View versions, but if you want to, just surf in to command view, chose your array and you'll get the question "another machine is managing this array, do you want to take over control?"

3) I believe so yes. It's possible to export the licenses from within Command View

4) Yes

Aren't you going to jump up to 6.240 XCS on the EVA while you're at it?

[NOB Sysadmins]

HI all,

The compatibility reference guide ( HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array Compatibility Reference ) indeed anwsered a lot of my questions. Thank you for pointing that out to me. 

The link for those looking for it: 

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02523047/c02523047.pdf

( HP Part Number: 5697-104 5Published: June 2011 Edition: 27 )

Yesterday afternoon I achieved all my stated objectives, so I will go ahead and awnser my own questions here:

1. Yes, EVA4100 6220 firmware ss supported with Command View 9.4. (HP P6000 Enterprise Virtual Array Compatibility Reference, Page 5 )

2. Yes, swithing control between installations of Command View (regardless of version difference) is very easy, and consists simply of confirming the takeover of the EVA from inside the Commands View software. Control can be switched back and forth without apparent limit.   

3. Because our EVA was already licensed, this license simply appears under the new Command View installation in the storage device view. There is no apparent relationship between licenses and the Command View software. Interestingly enough, we seem to have been given an new 60-day period on Business Copy and Continuous access features. Also the Instant-On License has been reset to 60 days. Our Unlimited License is listed also. 

No re-import of the EVA license is needed. 

4. Yes, Command View 9.4 appears to be free to use with any licensed EVA product that supports it the model and the appropriate firmware level. 

P6000 Software Products are licensed on frame-basis. From the P6000 software quickspecs ( http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13905_div/13905_div.pdf )

All P6000 software products offer only frame based licenses; only one license is required to enable software on an array irrespective of capacity on that array. We do not provide the 1 TBlicenses from P6000 series onwards. The licenses are not transferable from one array to another.

Any P6000 product (formerly: EVA) LTU appears to grant the right to install and use the P6000 Command View software regardless of version.   

5. HPSIM 5.1 SP1 (and I am assuming for now this is also true of HPSIm 6.3) supports multiple management proxies for a storage device. Assuming Command View and SMI-S are configured properly on the (new) secondary management server, it is simply a matter of doing a new discovery on that system with HPSIM. The discovery log should indicate that at least one SMI-S CIMOM has been detected, and later in the log it will mention that " storage related information" has been discovered and may be added. 

Afterwards, in the HPSIM storage object, 2 managemend proxies will be listed, the old and the new. Switching control between the management servers in Command View does not seem to reflect in any way in the information in HPSIM.