ML350 G6 UPS issues?

[Keith Donnelly]

I have had power loss issues with the new ML350 G6 and a ML370 G6.

I have been in contact with APC and they have a Tech Note on the issues with PFC power supplies in New servers (e.g HP G6 range)

Link to APC:
http://www.apc.com/prod_docs/results.cfm?DocType=App%20Note&Query_Type=3&Value=23

Summary of issue:
This document explains why some Back-UPS or Smart-UPS SC models may not be the proper choice for servers and other equipment that use large PFC (power factor corrected) power supplies and/or contain redundant supplies. Active PFC power supplies have become more common on name brand servers to comply with more stringent guidelines for energy consumption. It provides guidance for selecting and properly sizing models that are more suitable for the demands of these applications.


Cheers
Keith D.

[sammy mah_1]

I am another one to join this group. I got an email from HP support, indicating the same issue you've all had the the G6/G7 power supplies.
Looks like an education for us is in store, and the APC article (mentioned here before) is great.

Can someone recommend some lower end UPS's compatible with the ML350 G6/G7 servers?

Please specify make/model#'s you are using?
What UPS's from HP are compatible?

Thanks,
Sammy

[Mike Topping]

I have the same issue as everyone in this thread I have spoken to HP got the same old line need a 2000va UPS. Supposedly to stop and overload from inrush current.

A better solution is to use a "online" ups
It on the battery all the time, they are more expensive but not by to much

The funny thing is the HP tech said that HP ups's will work just fine.

Do you know who makes HP ups's Eaton

I am having this issue with a Eaton 5115 1500va

[Small Business Owner]

What color LED's are you finding for the power problems in this issue?

A new customer who just purchased an HP ML350 G6 with RAID 5, and one power supply is experiencing server crashes once or twice a day.

We walk over to the server and it has a yellow light and red light. Wish I could be more specific here.

This customer is going to drop us if we don't get this figured out in 2 days. They will demand their money back too. I really need HP's help here as everything is up to date for software.

We have the exact same setup for SBS 2008 on a Dell server that is working flawlessly. Hmm?

[Wayne Henegar]

If I remember correctly, I was gettin yellow light(s) and possibly a read light on the bottom. Certainly nothing green until pressing the power button to restart.

I have had no issues since installing a double conversion UPS.

[Small Business Owner]

Wayne,

Thanks. That sequence seems similar to ours. I might just try an Eaton vs. the 1500 APC if the one firmware update that HP just installed does not resolve this issue by tomorrow.

Best,

[sammy mah_1]

Firmware? What firmware? Link?
Also, what UPS are you guys using that work with the ML350G6(besides HP's)??

[Bleeder]

We've got our ML350 G6 on an Eaton Powerware 5125. No problems, but it's the 3000 VA model.

[Small Business Owner]

All the default firmware updated using the HP Proliant utility. We were missing the ILO firmware. Don't think that has anything to do with it so i'm buying an Eaton.

[Wayne Henegar]

The smallest Eaton I found in double-conversion was 700. It works beautifully. Post your experience and fixes as it will benefit us all. (ILO did not fix mine.) GOOD LUCK!!!

[Carlos Magallon]

Hello!
We recommend install the upgrade firmware: * RECOMMENDED * ProLiant Support Pack for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x64 Editions

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=3884316&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=3884315&swLang=13&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4024

(If you are using w2k8 64x) And a UPS of 2000 VA it´s enough. We are using an APC 2200. This worked fine to us.

Regards,
Carlos Magallon

[Small Business Owner]

Ok. That's what we installed. Still, I think it is the battery backup/power supply compatibility.

On the other hand, how do I remotely monitor voltage on that server's power supply to even know if it is causing problems?

Thanks,

[Wayne Henegar]

This is not a very technical post...done mostly from memory of my delimna months ago with one of my clients. I too am an SMB consultant and have to monitor/solve these issues while not being on site to solve first hand.

1)This installation has two PS installed in the server. 2)I set the BIOS for both PS to function all the time. 3)I plugged one (PS2) into UPS, the other (PS1) into regular outlet. 4)I monitored the HP management log and it would indicate that "PS1" lost power, then came back on after only seconds...server stay on. I cross referenced with employees observations of lights flickering or outages at those times...they observed none.

Basically established to my satisfaction that power surges/fluctuations that were not affecting anything else at the business were causing the PS that did not have the UPS to drop. The PS on the Eaton stayed up as did the server.

Prior to this experiment, both PS's on the APC (interlaced??) would indicate loss of power and not power back on...just set there with 'yellow' lights.

Maybe this 'poor boy' monitoring will work for you???

[BrightMinds]

We've got a DL380 G7 with pretty much exactly these issues.

Dual PSUs with each going to a different APC SC1500 UPS. Problem is that at least once a day the server powers off. Normally just left with a flashing red power light on the front.

We need to look at buying a new UPS asap - anyone know the cheapest (!) dedicated UPS I can use with this incompatible, awkward, picky piece of ...?

[BrightMinds]

I've noticed that our DL380 was shipped with odd PSUs.

In it are 2x 750W 506822-201 PSUs however these are not mentioned on here http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13595_div/13595_div.html#Power%20Specifications

HP support recommended trying a dedicated 2000VA UPS but since that's a criminally expensive 'test' I'm going to get them to ship me the PSUs mentioned in the above link. Something here's not right.

[Jonas Eriksson]

@BrightMinds

Like you experienced I've had similar problems with that PSU. However the secondary PSU in our G6 was a different model and works just fine with a "substandard UPS". Try getting HP to send one of those. ;)

See Below:

750W European PSU:s

BAD PSU
RMN: HSTNS-PL18
GPN: 506821-001
PN: 506822-201
Spare: 511778-001

WORKING PSU
RMN: HSTNS-PD18
GPN: 506821-001
PN: 506822-101
Spare: 511778-001

[Ron Golesh]

It's interesting that this problem, as you can see by the number and dates of entry, continues. HP could have nipped this in the bud, over a year ago, with changes, and a response. Instead, these forums go on and on, with essentially no HP input to the forums and no HP answers, other then Buy their UPS. Everybody needs to express their displeasure with the lack of a response by HP and the need to have them admit and fix, rather then run and hide as they are doing.

[Small Business Owner]

Just spoke with HP and they said that the G6 servers are the only ones affected with this issue. They have a new power supply that is more energy efficient and is more sensitive to power fluctuations. They directed me to http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13241_div/13241_div.html to lookup the UPS that are compatible with their system and would not send me any documentation. I told them I purchased an Eaton and they could not advise if this was going to work. However they urged me again using the APC.

My Eaton was shipped tonight and I could not cancel the order so I'm installing the Eaton tomorrow in hopes that this solves the issue.

[Francisco.D]

Hello all !

New in this forum, i have some troubles with ML350 G6 and UPS too.

Actually we have a APC Back-UPS Pro 1500, and of course, the G6 server shutdown without reboot when the UPS switch to the battery.

I asked to APC if there is an UPS compatible with the G6, and still waiting for the reply.

Some of users here decide to use a APC Smart-UPS 1500, can you tell me if this model is good for the G6 ?
http://www.ldlc-pro.com/fiche/PB00104072.html

Many thanks

[Ron Golesh]

John,

It will not work. According to HP, only the HP UPS's are "up to the task".

Call the vendor you purchased the server from, complain, and ask them to complain to HP about this problem.

[Jonas Eriksson]

Better yet: Return it and buy a Dell. It is the only language they will listen to. =P

[Tom Szabo]

Guys,

There is a lot of helpful information in this thread but also some not so helpful info.

The problem that the original post and most of us have encountered is an issue where the G6 (and I assume G7) servers need to be connected to a UPS that provides a TRUE SINE WAVE electric output. The reason why the SC APC models and other low end UPS devices don't work is because they are providing a 'Stepped approximation of a sine wave', in other words they are faking the signal. This is why the server shuts down as soon as the UPS goes to battery power.

I can confirm that the APC SUA1500 and the SMT1500 do fix the problem. Remember just look to make sure the output is a True Sine
Wave and you should be fine.

[Ron Golesh]

Much of the usefull info, is in the April responses. HP should review the issues, the communication and the fixes and communicate them to the forum users.

BTW, there are several forums on this subject.

[BrightMinds]

Part of the problem though is that HP (or their resellers) make no mention of this when we buy this (or my DL380 G7) server. So we start it up in the rack on an APC SC1500, it reboots, HP organise a motherboard change, it still reboots.

They told me it needs a dedicated 2000VA UPS, I said...surely not?!

It's only through these forums that I find out it needs a premium UPS and likely not one from APC. Ours is currently plugged directly into the wall so when the tariff switches at ~6am the UPS stammer doesn't force it to reboot.

To make things more confusing I can't find a single reseller that says their UPS provides a pure sine wave. The APC website just says 'sine wave'. Do HP help with this? Of course not.

[Ron Golesh]

As a larger reseller of both Dell and HP, I can tell you that the HP servers come through distribution, not directly from HP. And...we and our engineers find out about the problems, when they occur, after the installs. Nothing from HP to us, as a dealer. We certainly now advise our customers of the issues.

We have found, through both trial and error (putting each UPS on a Scope and seeing if it meets HPs recommendations), that there is NO consistant pattern. For example, we have found that the servers work great with CyberPower pureSine models. One of the lowest prices UPS's on the market. But DON't work with the Eaton models listed as true sine wave (and the maker of HP's UPS's).

The biggest problem here is the LACK of reponse in these forums, from HP, and the lack of a solution made available from HP that does not require their own brand of UPS. Why would anybody not be suspicious of a problem that requires more hardware to be purchased from the company that has the problem?