topic Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question in HPE EVA Storage

EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Chris Shreeve — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:22:11 GMT

Hi

We have inherited an old EVA3000 from a mergera with another company. It very out of date and has a couple of hardware errors (cache battery failed is it worth reseating to see if it clears the error; does HP keep old stock?)

The management server is a windows 2000, which i have been tasked with upgrading, to at least w2k3, it's SQL database is also on the same server. It running Openview storage management applicance V2.1 sp1a (attached image). I've taken a Capture Configuration with SSSU (applicance backup does not work)command view is 3.1 the EVA's firmware is 3010 (i think). As far as i know the EVA is end of product life and we have no support with HP

Ideally i would like to reinstall all the software on a clear server which a supported OS. I'm having trouble finding a compatibility martix from HP. Given my firmware what version of command view can i install (applicance end of life??) and what is the back was to restore the eva's config? Or given my situation would a insitu OS upgrade be better.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Bulent ILIMAN — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:07:06 GMT

the one you have is the first generation of the EVA family.

VCS 3.010 is a very old and a buggy version, You can call hp for a per-call upgrade and fix for HW problems, they can also help you to upgrade the VCS to a new version. But you must be aware that new versions of the CV-EVA software needs a license and to have that license you need an active contract on that EVA.

If you plan to continue to use that EVA may be you can sign a contract with hp for a period of -say 6 months- and in that period you can get the CV license. You need to pay for initial HW maintenance to fix the failed batteries in all cases.

latest version of CV EVA is 9.3 and can run on windows 2008 R2 but it will not support VCS 3.010, and you can not upgrade the VCS without help of hp, because it is really old version and you will need many sub-steps to reach latest VCS. old versions of VCS are not available any more even in hp intranet.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Johan Guldmyr — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:06:43 GMT

Hey!

As far as I know the EVA3000 is not end of life yet, like Bulent said you can still get support and HP do have spare parts for them (a lot are the same as for the EVA5000 anyway).

Sure, reseat the batteries, you may get lucky! Just be a little careful. Inspect the controller/battery, you never know what happens to old batteries.

Link to the EVA3000 manuals:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual〈=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64179&taskId=101&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=315127

See this for which are supported / latest and compatible versions:

HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array Compatibility Reference.

In the link above you also have software updating guide/release notes. Which tells you how to get to latest 3.x (active/passive) or 4.x (active/active)

If you contact HP you may be able to get the firmware sent to you as the VCS is not available on software.hp.com anymore.

But a trial version of Command View 9.3 is available there. However, you probably want to upgrade the VCS firmware before trying that version of CV.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Uwe Zessin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:25:35 GMT

Please DO NOT install trial vesions of Command View V9 (or even earlier version) just "for fun" !!!!!

It is possible that it irreversible reformats meta-data areas and you are no longer able to manage the system with an older version of CV.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Chris Shreeve — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:31:01 GMT

Thanks for the info.

I'll call HP and see where we stand on support.

we will be using the EVA for the next 4 to 6 months. I sure management won't pay for licenses to upgrade CV. My biggest problem is the windows 2000 management server and upgrading that to windows 2003. Our audit and security people are pushing for this to be done.

Very tempted to P2V the server and add it to our virtual environement, then do the upgrade. While the pysical box has issues, it is still running as is. Are there any know problems with running the storage manager as a VM, it would be esx 4.0?

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Uwe Zessin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:34:52 GMT

It is possible that the version of CV-EVA you are using is too old to run on W2003. That ability was around CV-EVA V3.2 or V3.3 if I recall correctly.

I've checked logs from an oooold installation in 2004 which used CV-EVA V3.2 together with VCS V3.020.

Only the very latest EVA generation with the very latest firmware and the very latest version of CV-EVA has support for running in a VM. I've *played* with this around CV version 4 or 5 and did not have success.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Chris Shreeve — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:49:44 GMT

thanks uwe

I think that rules it out being run as a VM.
Can i still download that version of command view? The office where EVA has basically been abandoned and media is going to be fun to find.

Either an insitu OS upgrade or reinstall onto a fresh box need to know i can get the config back.

thanks

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Bulent ILIMAN — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:03:43 GMT

please don't forget to assign points to the answers that helped.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Johan Guldmyr — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:17:47 GMT

The older versions of CV aren't publicly available on hp.com anymore.
Maybe HP Support can hook you up.

But in reality I guess they want you to pay for the software and license and get the latest version so maybe you'll be denied.

Re: EVA3000 - management server OS upgrade question

Chris Shreeve — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:56:12 GMT

This thread had links to older firmware and CV versions
http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Storage-Area-Networks-SAN/Command-view-not-working/m-p/4593720/highlight/true#M43162

download ok