ML110 G7 Hot Plug Advanced Pack, do I need or not?

[Cory Hug]

I'm confused on whether I need this or not, and if I do, I can't figure out where to enter the license code.

New ML110 G7 purchased as a Smart Buy as hot-plug capable out of the box.  In the box with the server was include a license packet for a Hot-Plug Advanced Pack.  (It was just in the box with the server and part of the server's price, I did not purchase this separately.)

However, we want to do RAID 5 so the vendor we purchased from said we needed to get an add-in SmartArray controller for RAID 5, and for our need they recommended a P410/256.

So the P410 is installed and functioning, but I'm unclear on what to do with this Hot-Plug Advanced License.  I registered it and got the "key", but when I press F8 on Smart Array config utility and try to enter the license key within that, it won't take it.

So here's what I'm thinking, and I just need someone who knows to tell me if i'm correct, or if I'm not then to please explain how this works and if I do need that Hot-plug Advanced Pack or not.

I'm guessing the Hot-plug Advanced Pack is the on-board RAID controller, which I'm not using since I have the add-in P410.

And the P410 must be hot-plug capable out of the box?  And thus doesn't need the Hot-plug Advanced Pack license?

So I'm thinking I don't need the Hot-plug Advanced Pack license in my setup with the add-in P410, but please correct me if I'm wrong.  And in that case, I need to know how/where I put the license key that I have into the system since the SmartArray config utility for the P410 won't accept it.

Thank you.

[Goutham_Sabala]

Looks to me I have figured what is going on..

ML110 G7 goes with default b110i controller on board which doesnt have hot plug capability. Hot-Plug Advanced License that you bought is for b110i controller which is only make the hard drives as hot plug and not raid 5, raid 5 is not supported on b110i controller.

After which you purchased p410 controller which is hot plug out of the box however you need a backplane and hot plug hard drive . Looks like you are entering the licensce brought for b110i on p410 controller which is why it is not accepting it

[Cory Hug]

Yes, the server has the hot-plug cage as part of the SmartBuy package, and I have purchased hot-plug hard drives.

So based on that, and with the P410 add-in card for the RAID 5, am I correct that I can just ignore the Hot-plug Advanced Pack license?  I would only need that license if I were using the on-board controller and not doing RAID 5?

[Goutham_Sabala · Accepted solution]

Absolutely, you can ignore Hot plug advanced Pack ( it is for b110i)

[Cory Hug]

Thanks!  I guess one more question as I think about it.

Is there a way to still install the Hot-plug Advanced Pack license on the on-board controller.  Or would I have to remove the P410 temporarily and just boot it with no hard drives, and then would the F8 get me into the on-board controller config and be able to enter the license key?  But is there a way to do it without having to remove the P410?

Mostly just curious.

Thanks again!

[Goutham_Sabala]

You dont have to remove the P410, go to Array Config Utility and choose b110i under controller and on the right side of the screen you see an option to install the licensce, you can do it through ORCA as well ,

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01706551/c01706551.pdf

page number 8 and 9 will have the screenshots

[Cory Hug]

Thanks much!  I think I'm all set now, but here's what I found.  I am not currently able to enter the license into the on-board controller with my current setup.

I had been trying to do it via the ORCA, but I never got a separate prompt for F8 to get in to the config utility for the onboard controller.  The only prompt I ever got was for the P410.

I just checked the ACU too based on your suggestion and the on-board controller doesn't show up in there as an available selction.

However, in looking at the instructions you linked to (thank you for that), I see a note in both the ORCA and ACU sections that this only appears if there are actually hard drives attached to the on-board controller.  In my case, there are no hard drives attached to the on-board controller.  All hard drives are attached to the P410.

So I'm just not going to worry about it at this point.

Thanks again for all your help!