replace Smart Array 6400

[Samuel Spear]

Need to replace Smart Array 6400 controller on existing server.

Can I just plug in new controller without any additional configuration.  Concerned about existing configuration and data.

Thanks,

[Jimmy Vance]

The RAID information is stored on teh drives, you should have no issue replacing the controller with another Smart Array 6400. The replacement controller needs to have the same or newer firmware that the controller it is replacing

[PDP-Fan]

to replace a Smart Array controller with the same type and model should never be a problem. I did that 100 times and the new controller always reads the configuration correctly from the disks.

Only huge firmware version differences could eventually create a problem, but I never had issues with that.

Just shut down the server normally, change the controller and let it start up like always. Eventually a message about cache size change may come up if you use a different cache (or none) but even that is just for information.

[Jimmy Vance]

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@PDP-Fan wrote:

Only huge firmware version differences could eventually create a problem, but I never had issues with that.

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Hence my comment above. Generally the only time you run into a firmware issue is if the replacmeent controller has older firmware than the one being replaced.  Newer firmware is backwards compatible, but not allways the other way around.