HP microserver gen 10, ESXi and RAID

[Wulluby]

Hey, can I check my understanding of how RAID is configured on the gen10 microserver is correct? I want to configure 4 drives for RAID with the machine booting to ESXi from a USB device in the internal USB. My understanding is that I should use HPE Smart Storage Administrator for configuring the RAID, can someone confirm if that is correct or if I have misunderstood this?

I tried using the "launching from an ISO image" as described in the offline environment options at https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c03909334

I used Rufus at first but while seeing the USB as an option in the list of boot devices it would not boot, I then tried using the HP USB Key Utility for Windows to create the USB but that had the same issue.

Thanks in advance.

[krasinka1409]

Hello, 

you are most probably using the integrated RAID controller of the Server. This Controller support Windows OS only and for RAID configuration you need the marvel storage utiluty instead of SSA:

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00112581en_us

[Moderator edit: Fixed the broken link.]

[Wulluby]

Ah, so to confirm. If I want to configure RAID for use with ESXi I’m going to have to buy a hardware RAID controller as the integrated RAID controller only supports Windows?

Thanks Krasinka

[krasinka1409 · Accepted solution]

Hello, 

yes, exactly. The integrated controller support Windows only, so for ESXi you would need additional smart array controller. 

[Wulluby]

FWIW the internal controller can be used to create a volume that is recognised in ESXi when using the Marvel BIOS utility package from the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center website (http://www.hpe.com/support/hpesc), copy to USB, boot using the UEFI built in EFI shell, run ui64.efi from the assigned file system volume for the USB key. 

[MacWarrior]

I would like to know how to setup email notifications or monitoring for that Marvell Raid ? Is this possible anyway ?

[HughOD]

Wulluby,

You mention that you CAN create a raid on the Gen10 and use ESXi.  Can you give more detail?

The utility requires you to use RPM to install the Linux driver for the Marvel, which ESXi can't do from my understanding.  The tool you reference does allow you to create a Raid from the EFI shell, but then it does not seem that you can install ESXi on it.

Have you actually done this yourself?  Can you give more guidance on the steps if you have?

Thanks,

Hugh

[Wulluby]

Hi, yes I got it working. I'm afraid I have only had to do it once so my memory is very vague on the whole process, I'm pasting below notes that I took at the time. Anything in bold and italics is my notes, the rest is from an email I received from their customer support. WHen I say near the top, Procedure, this didnt work.....I'm assuming/hoping that the other notes I added further down was the fix I used. Good luck..

Please find the link for the Utility Guide below –

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00112581en_us

File downloaded to downloads, Marvell BIOS Utility (UEFI) HPE MicroServer Gen10 Server

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=sf000042182en_us

Marvell BIOS Utility

The Marvell BIOS Utility is built into the embedded Marvell storage controller ROM. Use this utility to create and manage RAID virtual disks and arrays using the drives connected to the embedded storage controller.

Accessing the Marvell BIOS Utility under legacy boot mode

Procedure This didn't work

1. Reboot the server.
2. On the POST drive information screen, press Ctrl+M.

Accessing the Marvell BIOS Utility under UEFI boot mode

Procedure

1. Download the Marvell BIOS Utility package from the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center website (http://www.hpe.com/support/hpesc) and save the package in a USB key.
2. Attach the USB media to the server.
3. Reboot the server.
4. To access the One-Time Boot Menu, when prompted, press the F11 key.
5. Select UEFI: Built-in EFI Shell.
6. To obtain the assigned file system volume for the USB key, enter the map -r command at the UEFI Shell prompt. Couldn't see it but to put it simply the following in the order given

• >fs0
• >ui64.efi

1. Change to the file system that contains the Marvell BIOS Utility package, and then press the Enter key. If no other storage devices are mounted on the system, the USB drive is fs0: on the UEFI shell.
2. Enter the following command: fs0:\> ui64.efi where 0 is the server directory for the USB device containing the Marvell BIOS Utility package.

In case of any issues PLEASE REPLY ALL TO THIS EMAIL IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF SUPPORT

[Moderator edit: Fixed the broken links.]