Add hard disk with higher firmware level

[Panagiotis Tsamouras]

Dear all,

I have an EVA 4000 with Controller firmware CR0EB0xc3p-6100, three disk enclosures each one of them populated with eight 146GB hard disks Model No: BD1465822C and firmware level: HP04. Every disk is a member of the Default disk group.
I want to add 18 additional disks (actually use all the available free slots) which are of them same size but of different model no and most of them of lower firmware level.
My first question is if it is possible to use disks of different Model No in the same disk group taking into account that i will upgrade the firmware to HP04.
My second question is that some of the disks i need to add are of higher level (HP05). Is it possible to use them as they are or i need to downgrade them (i don't know if downgrading is possible)
My third and final question is related to the steps i need to take in order to upgrade the firmware of the disks. Should i add them to the defaulr disk group first and then upgrade the firmware or vice versa.

Thanks in advance

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

A different disk model could have a different firmware level as the latest - this is normal, because the firmware is different.

First update, then group.

But since it is an online update, it doesn't really matter (as long as you don't do it when the array is really busy).

[Panagiotis Tsamouras]

Thank you for your prompt response.

Just to help me get it right. Is it necessary to get all the disks that belong in the default disk group at the same firmware level or just get each disk at the latest firmware level possible even if i finaly end up with 42 disks all belongig in the default disk group with different firmware level each.

[Steven Clementi]

"My first question is if it is possible to use disks of different Model No in the same disk group taking into account that i will upgrade the firmware to HP04"

Yes, it is possible to mix different model disks in the same group, BUT HP04 might not be the latest for that particular disk model.

"My second question is that some of the disks i need to add are of higher level (HP05). Is it possible to use them as they are or i need to downgrade them (i don't know if downgrading is possible)"

That's fine, especially if they are different model numbers.


"Should i add them to the defaulr disk group first and then upgrade the firmware or vice versa."

Add the disks to the EVA first, then at a non-busy time... run the Disk Firmware Code upgrade. Once complete, add the disks to the disk group.


"Just to help me get it right. Is it necessary to get all the disks that belong in the default disk group at the same firmware level or just get each disk at the latest firmware level possible even if i finaly end up with 42 disks all belongig in the default disk group with different firmware level each."

You want the disks to be at their model's latest firmware.


The short order is... when you try to upgrade all of the disks in your EVA... the code load process look at ALL of the disks... looks at ALL of the available firmware images in the fimage file... selects the appropriate firmware for the disk model... and prompts you to update them.

When doing individual disks, the process is still the same, but only for that one disk. You still let the EVA decide which firmware from the bundle is available for loading.

The important thing to keep in mind is that different disk models can potentially have different firmware version numbers as their "latest" available firmware.


Steven

[Torsten.]

This is the contents of the latest bundle, please compare:

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# 10K Drives
########################################################################

BD03656ABA HP0A BD03656ABA_HP0A.lod
BD07256ABB HP0A BD07256ABB_HP0A.lod
BD14656ABC HP0A BD14656ABC_HP0A.lod


BD07258224 HP04 BD07258224_HP04.bin
BD14658225 HP04 BD14658225_HP04.bin
BD30058226 HP04 BD30058226_HP04.bin


BD03654499 3BE9 BD03654499-3BE9.lod
BD07254498 3BE9 BD07254498-3BE9.lod


BD03655B28 HP07 BD03655B28_HP07.lod
BD07255B29 HP07 BD07255B29_HP07.lod
BD14655B2A HP07 BD14655B2A_HP07.lod


BD03659532 HP05 BD03659532_HP05.lod
BD0725822B HP05 BD0725822B_HP05.lod
BD1465822C HP05 BD1465822C_HP05.lod
BD30058232 HP05 BD30058232_HP05.lod

BD1465B778 HP01 BD1465B778_HP01.bin
BD3005B779 HP01 BD3005B779_HP01.bin

BD300DADFP HP03 BD300DADFP_HP03.lod
BD400DADFQ HP03 BD400DADFQ_HP03.lod

BD300DAJZF HP01 BD300DAJZF_HP01.lod
BD450DAJZH HP01 BD450DAJZH_HP01.lod
BD600DAJZK HP01 BD600DAJZK_HP01.lod




########################################################################
# 15K Drives
########################################################################

BF0725754B HP06 BF0725754B_HP06.lod


BF07258222 HP06 BF07258222_HP06.bin
BF14658227 HP06 BF14658227_HP06.bin


BF0725A692 HP04 BF0725A692_HP04.bin
BF1465A693 HP04 BF1465A693_HP04.bin


BF03654564 3BE9 BF03654564-3BE9.lod


BF03655B2B HP07 BF03655B2B_HP07.lod
BF07255B2C HP07 BF07255B2C_HP07.lod


BF03658242 HP03 BF03658242_HP03.lod
BF07258243 HP03 BF07258243_HP03.lod
BF14658244 HP03 BF14658244_HP03.lod


BF03653005 HP03 BF03653005_HP03.lod
BF0725A476 HP03 BF0725A476_HP03.lod
BF1465A477 HP03 BF1465A477_HP03.lod
BF3005A478 HP03 BF3005A478_HP03.lod


BF146DA47A HP02 BF146DA47A_HP02.bin
BF300DA47B HP02 BF300DA47B_HP02.bin

BF036D8617 HP07 BF036D8617_HP07.lod
BF072D6186 HP07 BF072D6186_HP07.lod
BF146DA47C HP07 BF146DA47C_HP07.lod
BF300DA482 HP07 BF300DA482_HP07.lod
BF450DA483 HP07 BF450DA483_HP07.lod

BF300D6188 HP02 BF300D6188_HP02.bin
BF450D6189 HP02 BF450D6189_HP02.bin

BF036DAJZL HP03 BF036DAJZL_HP03.lod
BF072DAJZN HP03 BF072DAJZN_HP03.lod
BF146DAJZP HP03 BF146DAJZP_HP03.lod
BF300DAJZQ HP03 BF300DAJZQ_HP03.lod
BF450DAJZR HP03 BF450DAJZR_HP03.lod
BF600DAJZT HP03 BF600DAJZT_HP03.lod

BF300DASTH HP00 BF300DASTH_HP00.bin
BF450DASTK HP00 BF450DASTK_HP00.bin
BF600DASTL HP00 BF600DASTL_HP00.bin



########################################################################
# FATA Drives
########################################################################

ND2505823A HP04 ND2505823A_HP04.bin

ND25058238 HP05 ND25058238_HP05.lod


NB40059392 HP03 NB40059392_HP03.lod
NB50058855 HP03 NB50058855_HP03.lod

NB1000D4450 HP07 NB1000D4450_HP07.lod
NB500DA48A HP07 NB500DA48A_HP07.lod


ND2505AGXU HP00 ND2505AGXU_HP00.bin

########################################################################
# SSD Drives
########################################################################

JL0072DAKXK HP02 JL0072DAKXK_HP02.bin