Proliant DL580 - Swapping Array Controllers

[Martin Harrow]

We have a very busy Proliant DL580 G1 (2 x 700MHz, 1.5Gb, >1Tb disks) running Oracle 8i. It has some errors on one of the 2 4200 Smary Array controllers, which makes the server fail every so often. Fail means that the array card goes into 'general failure' state and the disks connected to that card cannot be seen.

I would like to swap the 4200 controller with a 5300, or whatever I can get hold of now.
I need to know whether the RAID information is stored on the disks, so that I can automatically pick them back up when I connect them to a new controller.
Has anyone done this before and can u offer any advice?

[PDarmanin]

Hi Martin,

As far as I know Smart Array controllers are backward compatible and the raid configuration is stored in the drives. So I guess all u have to do is just swap the controller and u are done.


Good Luck

Pierre

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello Martin,
That's not the right was as Pierre suggested(Sorry Pierre). The right way is you install the new controller in the server while it's still functional or has the other controller in the system. Once the replacement is properly installed then you bring the server back up and make sure all is working the way you would like then power down and move the cable over to the replacement controller. Now the rationale behind this is that assuming you would be installing SA5300 which uses CPQCISS driver(I believe) whereas SA4200 uses CPQARRY2.SYS driver(Correct me if I am wrong). Obviously your OS is not going to like the SA5300 if the drivers don't exist.
Another thing worth mentioning, please make sure you have the latest BIOS as well well as the firmware of the replacement Array controller uptodate. I have attached the link in case you need for the BIOS as well as the firmware of controller. Like always I stress to make a full backup before attempting any changes to the hardware.

BIOS:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17370.html

Firmware:

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/locate/20_1121.html#72

Please do let me know as to how you make out.

Regards,

[Daniel Kobus_1]

Sunil is correct, we have done this before and if you try and just swap it out its not going to work properly!