MicroServer Gen8 is noisy

[JDWL]

Hey,

HPVSA drivers are available for various versions of Ubuntu server - check out the HP ISS team PPA.

While early releases of the driver (kernel module) were apparently a bit rough the current versions are rock solid - my server runs 24/7 with this module on the latest 14.04 LTS kernel with no issues of any kind.

The team also provide a install driver so you can build the server with with HPVSA from boot, I didn't need this as my boot drive is RAID0.

Gotchas are;

1) you have to blacklist the AHCI module (modprobe.blacklist=ahci) or the HPVSA module will not load.

2) you must install both the HPVSA ppa and the HPVSA-update ppa - the update PPA provides modules for kernel updates, in my experience the updated modules come out before a new kernel.

6% fan speed in Ubuntu w/ the B120i in raid mode.

https://launchpad.net/~hp-iss-team/+archive/ubuntu/hp-storage

J

[no_noisy_server]

Hey JDWL,

may I ask which Ubuntu version you use? I assume 14.04?

I read about creepy errors and that the driver is really unstable.

Could you explain how you installed Ubuntu with the driver or is there any more useful documentation available anywere?

Thank you in advance

[c0mm0n]

This isn't only an issue with AHCI.

Using b120i with 2x3tb each in a Raid0 array (fake JBOD to keep the raid controller ON).

Using proxmox (debian).

As debian doesn't have drivers for the b120i,  using it seems useless and my fans are at 37/39% permanently.

With the modified ILO, I get 22%, better, but still way too noisy.

Using Debian, the smart array goes missing in ILO, and the HD Max sensor too. Yes i'm in raid mode, I'm SURE.

If I boot into IP, and do any refresh or change on RAID config = fans go at 6%

If I boot esxi from a USB stick = fans at 6%

I've juiste bought this 1k€ server, and am amazed at how things are going. From very bad support in ESXI 5.1 /5.5 to fan crisis using Debian, looks like a cursed hardware.

[igloo]

Hello from france,

and thanks for the post.

it's seems there's an issue.

http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/mostViewedDisplay?javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.prp_efb5c0793523e51970c8fa22b053ce01=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c04226727-1%257CdocLocale%253Den_US&javax.portlet.tpst=efb5c0793523e51970c8fa22b053ce01&sp4ts.oid=5219994&ac.admitted=140...

[Admin: Above link no longer exists] 

works for me with ahci sata.

regards.

[asterisk1]

Hello

I'm tried to update BIOS to latest version (06/06/2014) but I got the error init disk warnig:Using suspect partition. 

Any idea how to solve this?

Regards.

[JustRoy]

Is there an How-To guide on installing the HPVSA on Ubuntu at install? Many thanks.

[JustRoy]

I got the HPVSA driver loaded on Ubuntu 14.04. I loaded the PPA repositories on RAID 0 drive and blacklisted AHCI. 

I confirmed loading of the driver with lsmod and the RAID 1 disk are shown as one logical HP volume.

I still get relatively high fan speeds (29%). It seems higher then AHCI. What are normal fan speeds for B120i (fake)raid with HPVSA loaded?  Could this be a hard disk compatiblity issue? Temperature sensors not detected (could not find them in ilo, but the B120i raid is shown).

[c0mm0n]

Not sure but : 

- Are you sur you have the latest BIOS ? (6/6/14)

- Aren't there some management tools to install ? (for ILO to get the reporting)

[Jimmy Vance]

---

@JustRoy wrote:

I got the HPVSA driver loaded on Ubuntu 14.04. I loaded the PPA repositories on RAID 0 drive and blacklisted AHCI. 

I confirmed loading of the driver with lsmod and the RAID 1 disk are shown as one logical HP volume.

I still get relatively high fan speeds (29%). It seems higher then AHCI. What are normal fan speeds for B120i (fake)raid with HPVSA loaded?  Could this be a hard disk compatiblity issue? Temperature sensors not detected (could not find them in ilo, but the B120i raid is shown).

---

When in B120i mode using hpvsa the fan speed is ~6%.  One test you could try is to download the HP Scripting Toolkit for Linux and boot it from a USB key (there is a script within the toolkit to create a bootable key) This is a SLES based kernel and it will load hpvsa. Would be a goo comparison.

What are the temp readings from the sensors listed in iLO?

Toolkit

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/km/search#q=toolkit&t=All&sort=relevancy&numberOfResults=25

download

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/km/search#q=MTX-dae51a12c67e499f93624a15d4&t=All&sort=relevancy&numberOfResults=25

[JustRoy]

Thank you for the link. I will test the SLES based version tonight. 

I entered ILO with Ubuntu running and looked at the temperatures. The hard disks seem recognized (HD max = 35C). I 'll see if I can make a "print screen" and post some temperatures.

If I get better fanspeed with the USB key, perhaps I should try OpenSUSE or CentOS?