Smart Array P420i conflicts with iLO4

[tbsky]

Hi:

    I have a ProLiant DL360p Gen8 server comes with Smart Array P420i (without cache). I need to install 4 sata hard disks as JBOD to it recently. unfortunately I found the card can only create two raid0 disk(seems limited by card cache), so I change the card to HBA mode with Offline HP Smart Storage Administrator.

    then I install RHEL 7.4 to these disks and notice the disk write speed is very slow, about 5-8 MB sequential write . I changed many parameters but nothing useful. then I reset iLO4 and found the disk speed suddenly back to normal (about 50-80 MB sqeuential write). the normal speed would remain 5-10 mintutes. then it will slow down again.

   sometimes I reboot the server will also get the normal speed.  but no more than 10 mintutes it will slow down again.

   by checking the bios I understaned that iLO4 and Smart Array P420i are sharing the same IRQ. I don't know what goes wrong when using P420i at HBA mode. disable iLO4 may cure the problem, but the server is at remote branch so I need iLO4 if something wrong happened.

I have tried several firmware and drivers with parameters. nothing useful:

Bios: firmware 2012, 07/01/2015, 01/22/2018

iLO4: firmware version tried 1.51,  2.30, 2.50, 2.55

P420i: firmware version tried 8.00, 8.32

hpsa (the driver): tried rhel 7.4 native version and latest hp version. tried hpsa paramter "hpsa_simple_mode" and "reply_queues".

also tried to blacklist iLO related linux modules:  hpilo, hpwdt

thanks a lot for help! hope there is a way to make the disk to  run at normal speed.

Regards,

tbskyd

[tbsky]

Hi:

  after more testing, I find more information. with P420i HBA mode. the iLO4 HD Max sensor temperature is wrong, stay at 50-53C. and the fan speed run at 94%. when iLO4 reset, the fan speed increase from 20% to %94 slowly.  when fan speed run over %80, harddisk speed slow down. when fan speed run at 94%, the harddisk is very slow. it seems  there is a black magic that iLO4 told P420i to slow down. can we prevent it?

  thanks a lot for help!