MSA1040 and SSD Drivers

[Luis Otavio da Costa]

Hi Folks ,

One of my customers is using an MSA1040 with SAS 10k disks only ( 1,2 TB SAS 10k ) and He doesn´t have the GL200 or newer firmware in the system . 

He would like to install some SSD drivers to better database random i/o performance ( Microsfoft SQL ) .

I got some informations in the "MSA1040 Best practices"  but I have doubts like ,

1) the customer can install and configure new SSD drivers and create new volumes without installing the software advanced virtualization or is it a MUST ? I mean if the customer do not install the license the SSD drivers will not be avaiable to the MSA1040  ?

2) considering it is a MUST ... will they need to recreate the present configuration ?  I asked it because the present configuration is linear (  all SAS 10k disks are not virtualized ) .

3) the performance tiering license software is also a MUST ? This customer would like only  to create a new disk group with SSD Drivers and keep only SQL database on  it without auto tiering . Is it possible ?

Thanks in advance 

Luis Otavio 

[arun_r]

Hi Luis,

MSA 1040 added support for SSD drives only from GL220  firmware version onwards.

Reference GL220 firmware release notes, SMU guide and quickspecs:

https://downloads.hpe.com/pub/softlib2/software1/pubsw-linux/p1158764188/v119515/764118-404_RN_MSA_GL220.html

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=c04227623#

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c04220794

MSA 1040 supports both linear vdisks and virtual pools from GL200 firmware version onwards..

Virtual pool/Performance tier requires separate license in MSA 1040.

SSD drives can be used in the MSA 1040 as normal linear vdisk with out any additional license. Only prequiste is firmware version. 

SSD disks could be used to create linear vdisks in MSA 1040 with controller firmware greater than GL220

[parnassus]

Hi Luis, also...there is a nice page specifically made for HPE MSA Storage Firmware.

[Luis Otavio da Costa]

Thank you so much . The anwswer was very very important .

One last question ... is the SSD drivers in linear configuration  with correct firmware version supported by HPE support team ( worldwide )  ?

[arun_r]

Hi Luis,

MSA 1040 with SSD drives in linear vdisk configuration and latest firmware is a supported configuration.

[arun_r]

Hi Luis,

I hope my solution has helped you to resolve the query, if not kindly let me know If you have any further queries.