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Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

 
uzimmermann
Frequent Advisor

Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

So HPE has option part number, spare part number and assembly part number.

Option part number is what is used for you to order memory, be it off the shelve or as part of a factory configuration

Spare part number is what is used to order replacement parts when something fails, be it self repair or on-site service

Assembly number is what iLO reports about the installed memory. This is also in AHS.

HPE has a ProLiant DL series and a ProLiant DX series. DX are Nutenix system, which as far I can tell are technically the same as DL but are specific configured or preloaded with Nutenix.

Yet someone in HPE decided it is a good thing to use different option and assembly part number for DL vs DX:

- HPE ProLiant DL 560 Gen10 Server
* Load Reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs)
 - HPE 64GB (1x64GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Load Reduced Smart Memory Kit
- Option Part Number P00926-B21
- Spare Part Number P06190-001
- Assembly Part Number P03054-091
- HPE 128GB (1x128GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-24-21-21 Load Reduced Smart Memory Kit
- Option Part Number P11040-B21
- Spare Part Number P19402-001
- Assembly Part Number P11057-1A1

- HPE ProLiant DX560 Gen10 Server
* Load Reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs) for 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Series
 - HPE DX 64GB (1x64GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Load Reduced Smart FIO Memory Kit
- Option Part Number P18451-B21
- Spare Part Number P06190-001
- Assembly Part Number P03054-091
- HPE DX 128GB (1x128GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-24-21-21 Load Reduced Smart FIO Memory Kit
- Option Part Number P18454-B21
- Spare Part Number P19402-001
- Assembly Part Number P11057-0A1

Above is pulled from https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-a00036896en_us#N11E9F but I only included the particular DIMMs I have experience in our own systems.

As you see the description is almost identicial, the DX series has only added "DX" to the description. You will notice that the Option part number is different in case of the 128GB DIMMs and the Assembly part number is almost identical but it is -1A1 vs -0A1. The spare part number however is the same.

If you use the P11057-0A1 Assembly part number and search on Partsurfer.hpe.com you will find that it will list it, but it doesn't show any functional equivalents nor where used information. The same is true for P11057-1A1.

So the problem we have run into is that the factory for the last 10 months has installed the DX 128GB DIMMs into our DL Gen10 servers. The contract reflect the Option part number as listed above. This Option part number on the contract is used to stock the depot for 6h CTR. But when we had a DIMM fail the depot had no stock as the DIMMs we have come up as P11057-0A1 instead of P11057-1A1. 

When CSC searched for a Spare part number for P11057-0A1 they came up with a Spare part number of P16001-001, which while it has the same description as P19402-001, it isn't something which HPE seems to stock anywhere in the US or Canada. P16001-001 seems to be used in SimpliVity, so I don't know how they got to that for a DL server.

I am really frustrated with HPE and really would like to understand the though process of why having different Option and Assembly part number for DL versus DX and why the factory would install the DX version in a DL server? And no, this is not a single case, but all our DL Gen10 for the last 10 or so months, this includes DL360, DL560 and DL560 Gen10 where we use 128GB DIMMs. 

 

 

5 REPLIES 5
william hawkins
HPE Pro

Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

Very sorry for this confusing situation, this is unfortunately the internal structure of HPE showing on the outside as internal systems make it easier to credit a business unit / product line for revenue and profit when they have their own option SKUs.    Last year there was a large split in ALL options not just DIMMs to track Volume Compute vs. HPC vs. Storage.   Similar splits occur inside those larger groupings as you see with DL vs. DX business.   When the spare is identical these are indeed the same parts (or set of equivalent parts for multi-vendor support).   However to be sure these are the same it is imporant to veryify the identical spare is referenced in official documents/sources  (beyond the name seeming similar) because it is still possible that a 128 GB DIMM in one business product line might be sourced and tested slightly differently than in others and therefore not be fully compatible (historically this was true for Integrity vs. x86 systems).   Additionally the HPE/Nutanix partnership may decide "we're not going to support/test DL360 Option X on DX360" -- so even it you "know" DX360 and DL360 are same you may not be OK installing that option X on a DX360. 

HPE Servers
I work for HPE
uzimmermann
Frequent Advisor

Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

That doesn't explain then why the factory built ALL of our DL style Gen10 servers with second generation scalable CPUs with DX type memory.

I have 15 servers which all have 128GB DIMMs which are of the assembly number for DX and this caused HPE to miss 6h CTR SLA because the depot was stocked based on the DL option part number.

And on top of that they couldn't find the spare part number from the assembly number and when they "found" something, they found Simplivity memory, so yet another part. This part was not available anywhere in the US or Canada and they wanted to fly it in from Asia or Europe.

 

william hawkins
HPE Pro

Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

Unable to explain this -- it is very weird that it would be biult the way you describe: DLs with DX memory.   It would also confuse many call center folks because it isn't supposed to happen; could even see some tools giving wrong answers and certainly would mess up SLA as "if there were no/a few DXs shipped to a country, why stock spares there?"  The best advice is that you escalate with whomever you bought this from as it doesn't appear to be "built right".    If this was truly from HPE direct (rather than channel sales) there is  good traceability based upon product and serial number if it was fully loaded by HPE.   However, HPE visibility can be limited in the channel as they might buy 50 semi-empty serverrs and + 500 loose DIMMs and HPE doesn't necessarily know how they are mixed.  POs/SalesOrder #, Serial numbers with Product ID,  list of support cases placed AND pictures of the servers and the 'wrong parts' would all be helpful if you want to approach the sales folks for help.    Even if your problem is solved you might help HPE find a process error which helps another customer. . . 

HPE Servers
I work for HPE
uzimmermann
Frequent Advisor

Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

All these servers were CTO, i.e. built by HPE, while ordered through channel part. I checked every single DL360 Gen10, DL560 Gen10 and DL580 Gen10 we have with 128GB DIMMs. The problem isn't present with the 64GB DIMMs. Even the replacement DIMM which was finally installed after 30 hours was using the assembly part number for the DX 128GB DIMM.

And yes, this is getting escalated inside of the support organization but they had no explanation why HPE uses different numbers for option/spare/assembly part number.

 

william hawkins
HPE Pro

Re: Can someone explain to me why HPE is doing this with Gen10 memory?

There are two 128 GB DIMMS currently being sold,  not sure which exactly youтАЩre referencing

Through internal systems confirmed these are same, but partsurfer doesnтАЩt seem to know it (USA based).
https://partsurfer.hpe.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=P11040-B21 << DL
https://partsurfer.hpe.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=P18454-B21 << DX Fails
>> BOTH BUILT using P11041-B21 (and underlying components)

https://partsurfer.hpe.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=P00928-B21 << DL
https://partsurfer.hpe.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=P18452-B21 << DX Fails
>> BOTH BUILT using P00929-B21 (and underlying components)

I could see how the factory, trying to be helpful and ship quickly would consider these functionally equivalent and perhaps substitute. But some step in the Support set-up process seems to have been missed for the DX parts. They should definitely check all of these:
P18448-B21 HPE DX 16GB (1x16GB) Single Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Registered Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18449-B21 HPE DX 16GB (1x16GB) Dual Rank x8 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Registered Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18450-B21 HPE DX 32GB (1x32GB) Dual Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Registered Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18451-B21 HPE DX 64GB (1x64GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Load Reduced Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18452-B21 HPE DX 128GB (1x128GB) Octal Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-24-21-21 Load Reduced 3DS Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18453-B21 HPE DX 64GB (1x64GB) Dual Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-21-21-21 Registered Smart FIO Memory Kit
P18454-B21 HPE DX 128GB (1x128GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2933 CAS-24-21-21 Load Reduced Smart FIO Memory Kit

HPE Servers
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