MSA 1000

[Bhavnish]

Hi,

Could anyone confirm me what is the purpose of the MSA 1000 controller, if we want to create the raid of the MSA HDD then we need to connect it to some array controller card so that we can create the Raid so what MSA 1000 controller do.?

Thanks in adv.

[Heironimus]

You do not connect the MSA1000 to a RAID controller in a server. You connect it to one or more fibre channel HBAs. The fibre cards plug in to the fibre switch in the back of the array to communicate with the MSA1000 controller.

That being said, I think the MSA1000's RAID controller is the same as a SmartArray 5i or 6i and you use the same array configuration tools that you would on an internal HP array controller.

[Steven Clementi]

"You do not connect the MSA1000 to a RAID controller in a server." - The MSA1000 IS a RAID controller.


"You connect it to one or more fibre channel HBAs." - You only connect 1 MSA1000 controller to 1 HBA. If you have 2 MSA1000 controllers in your MSA1000 configuration (or MSA1500), then you would NEED 2 HBA's. Connecting dual controllers to 1 HBA is not supported.

"The fibre cards plug in to the fibre switch in the back of the array to communicate with the MSA1000 controller." - Yes, this is the usual way things work unless there is no fibre switch on the MSA itself. If there isn't, then there must be some external SAN Switch to connect both the servers and the MSA to.

"That being said, I think the MSA1000's RAID controller is the same as a SmartArray 5i or 6i..." - Not the same, but in the same family. It is a Smart Array Controller.

"...and you use the same array configuration tools that you would on an internal HP array controller." - Yes, you use ACU to configure the MSA.


Steven

[Bhavnish]

Hi,

But i seen some setup in which MSA 1000 connected with SA6400 Controller so how thwy working. If you sayig that it can't connect to any Raid Card.

Pls confirm me..

[Mark Wibaux]

What you probably saw was a MSA500 which uses the same chassis as an MSA1000 but different controllers and connections (SCSI vs Fibre channel)

MSA500 quickspecs
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11956_div/11956_div.HTML

MSA1000 quickspecs
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12624_div/12624_div.HTML