Smart Array MSA 500 G2

[tmish]

We currently have 3 Storageworks MSA500's.  They are all running fine but, new OS versions are requiring us to change how we are utilizing them and the OS versions are 64bit.  Currently they are all connected to DL380's G4 servers.  I would like to know what if any of the DL380's G5's and up are compatible.  It would be ideal if we could utilize them with in our VM environment.

In reference to http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11956_div/11956_div.HTML

I am wondering if we can extend the life of these MSA500 G2 Smart Arrays by upgrading to Fiber.

Are there any 64 bit issues when accessing with 64 bit OS?  Do we need to have San software to use the arrays after upgrading them?

Thanks for your opinions.

TJ

[Johan Guldmyr]

As far as the quickspecs goes it looks like you could upgrade an MSA500 to an MSA1000 (and with that get 2Gbps SAN-switch as an i/o module at the back of the MSA).

If you upgrade the arrays you will need Fibre Channel SAN infrastructure to access the MSA (cables, sfp, hba). If you'll run it in a dual-fabric setup you'll need two of all. And you'll need to configure multipathing on the OS.

Personally I'd be hesitant to do this upgrade. I doubt you can get this upgrade kit new, may have to get used ones or I'd assume they could get really expensive.

Could you perhaps share the storage from the MSA500 as it is? Through iSCSI or NFS and use that for storing VMs?