Bypass Smart Array 5i?

[JDSerrano]

Hi,

I have a DL585-G? (no Generation number indicated on the faceplate) server that has the integrated SmartArray 5i controller, plus a 6404 Smart Array adapter as well.

The hot swap drive cage is subdivided such that the pair on the left is using the 5i, while the pair on the right are on the 6404, and the cage is set to simplex mode.

2008R2 is going to be installed on the system.  Unfortunately, the 5i 2003/2008 x64 drivers from HP don't seem to work, whereas the 6404 works fine.

I've disabled the 5i in the PCI options setup from the BIOS setup.  The 6404 still doesn't see the other two drives when I am in that controller's configuration.

 Is there a way have the 6404 be able to see all four drives, and not  just two?  I'd like to set up a raid 5 array with all four drives using the 6404.

Thanks in advance,

John

[Matti_Kurkela]

If the faceplate says just DL585 with no G number on it anywhere, that's the original generation of the model: G1 as it were. The fact that it has a Smart Array 5i supports this as well.

Changing the disk assignments is certainly possible, but it is a hardware operation: you plug the internal SCSI cables to the controller(s) you want them.

You say you have both controllers in use on the 4-disk drive cage and the cage is in simplex mode? These two statements are in conflict: simplex mode means one controller drives all four disks, duplex mode means the cage is split into two sections which must be cabled separately, either to the 5i or to an add-on controller. Perhaps your current configuration is incorrect, and that's what causing your drive detection issues.

In duplex mode, there should be two SCSI cables connected to the drive cage; in simplex mode, just one... and according to the picture in the User Guide, the single cable for the simplex mode should be connected to the right-side connector of the drive cage.

User Guide:

http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/action.process/public/psi/manualsDisplay/?sp4ts.oid=398220&javax.portlet.action=true&spf_p.tpst=psiContentDisplay&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.prp_psiContentDisplay=wsrp-interactionState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c00083255%257CdocLocale%253Den_US&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

See Appendix D for SCSI cabling instructions.

[JDSerrano]

Thanks for the clarification regarding the behavior of the drive cage in simplex vs. duplex mode, as I was mistaken in my assertion.  By all appearances, would it be fair to say that the drive cage is operating in duplex mode?

[Matti_Kurkela]

I would recommend double-checking the cage mode switch at this point.

But the cage being in duplex mode would exactly match your symptoms - the 6404 is seeing only the two slots on the right, and the "missing" two disks are connected via the other cable to the disabled 5i controller.

If the cage is in fact in simplex mode, that means you effectively have two conflicting SCSI controllers on the same bus: the active 6404 and the disabled 5i. That might also cause all kinds of strange behavior: only someone with the server schematics and information on how the 5i behaves electrically when it is in disabled state could say for sure what might happen in that case.

[JDSerrano]

A quick check on the cage mode switch showed that it was set to duplex mode.  Setting the cage to simplex mode yielded the desired results, whereby the Smart Array 6404 was able to see all four drives.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Regards,

John