topic Re: MSA 2050 linear config in MSA Storage

MSA 2050 linear config

adri06 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:02:59 GMT

Hi guys,

How are you?

I´m configuring a new MSA 2050 but I´m having problems creating the pools. It´s simple, I have 2 x SSD disks and 6 x 1.2 TB SAS.

The objective is to create 2 RAIDs: Raid 1 with SSD and Raid 5 with SAS disks but I can´t because the MSA says that I need a license... (performance Tier License).

I don´t need to create a singles pool with both types of disks, etc I only need to create 2 separate RAIDs.

I´ve been reading that I can do this with linear configuration but When I´m creating a pool I cannot see this option.

How Can I enable / configure this 2 independent RAIDs?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 06:18:16 GMT

Remove the un-used SSD half of the slot and then try to create the Virtual DIsk Group with SAS drives as you want in Pool. It's possible that Controller is thinking SSD drive available in system without Performance Tier License so it's not allowing to create new VDG. So after you create the new VDG in Pool A then insert the SSD and try to configure SSD read-cache

Please refer the below forum discussion as well where I have fixed similar issue,

https://community.hpe.com/t5/MSA-Storage/MSA2040-add-tier-licence-error-while-adding-pool/m-p/7013673#M12034

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

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Re: MSA 2050 linear config

adri06 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 06:40:20 GMT

Hi!

Thanks for your quick response;

I did all this steps:

1. Remove all pools.

2. Extract SSD disks.

3. Create a new Pool with all SAS DIsks (Raid5)

4. Connect 2 SSD disks.

5. Try to create a Raid 1 pool with this 2 SSD disks.

6. It doesn´t work.

I have again the same problem, the storage system says that I need performance tier license.

But I don´t need to create a Read Cache I only need to create another Raid with this 2 SSD disks but totally independent form the another Raid5 with SAS disks.

What Can I do?

Many thanks for your help.

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

Bart_Heungens — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 06:45:51 GMT

Hi,

From 5th generation on MSA's does not support linear configurations anymore, only virtual pools...

So if you want to use 2 types of disks (SAS and SSD in your case) you will need to have the advanced data services license. Or use just 1 type of drives...

Kr,

Bart

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 06:56:10 GMT

Please refer the SMU guide (page no 20), it's clearly mentioned "If you have the Performance Tier license, you can use SSDs for virtual disk groups."

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=a00017707en_us

Also you can check best practice whitepaper (page no 5), it's clearly mentioned "A license is required for the Performance Tier for mixed SSD and HDD systems. For a system with only SSDs, the Performance Tier license is not required."

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=a00015961enw

So this is the reason you are not able to create VDG with SSDs

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

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Re: MSA 2050 linear config

adri06 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 07:34:47 GMT

Hi!

Thanks a lot for your responses.

Now, everything it´s clear.

Thanks!

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1 — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 12:22:50 GMT

@adri06..............Nice to hear that provided information helped you.

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

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Re: MSA 2050 linear config

muleshvedant — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:18:23 GMT

Hi Subhojit, Are you trying to say that if a storage contains SSD and HDD, Tiering licence is a must.

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

muleshvedant — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:24:32 GMT

Hi Subhajit,

Are you trying to say that it is mandatory to have tiering licence to use SSD and HDD in same box.

Mulesh

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

muleshvedant — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:37:14 GMT

Unfortunately (and this is dangerous for a pre-sales) the MSA QuickSpecs document does not talk about this limitation.

When you go to configure a storage on OCA tool it gives an orange warning - not red.

Thanks for this warning.

Re: MSA 2050 linear config

SUBHAJIT KHANBARMAN_1 — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:47:17 GMT

@muleshvedant

As per my understanding it's mentioned in Quickspec as below,

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=a00008276enw (page no 7)

"Configurations which have a mixture of both SSDs and HDDs within the same system being used as a capacity Tier (excluding SSD Read Cache), will require the Advanced Data Service Suite LTU. This rule applies to the system level and therefore the license is required regardless of whether the drives are configured for auto-tiering within the same Pool. All SSD configurations and SSD Read Cache extension do not require a license on the MSA2050 array."

Hope this helps!
Regards
Subhajit

I am an HPE employee

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