Hp 6g BL Sas switch can't see MDS600

[drolfe]

Hi All,

I'm having a problem with my 6g sas blade switches working with a second hand mds600 i got recently. 

the link below states:

"""NOTE: For MDS600 6Gb host connectivity , P711m firmware 5.32 or higher, 6Gb BL SAS switch firmware 2.0.1.0 or higher and MDS600 firmware 3.44 are required."""

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm//WF05a/12169-304616-3930445-3930445-3930445-3936271.html?dnr=1

I've got fireware 2.86 on the MDS600 and latest on sas switches, problem is I can't upgrade the firmware from the switches due the above.

I plan to connect the mds600 to some 3g sas switches and update the firmware so that the 6g switches are support.

I'n the mean time I'm really just wanted to confirm that my VSM error messages are caused by the firmeware issue and that I don't have some other issue here.

Please see attached screenshots of the errors in VSM

Any help you could give me would be great.

Regards, Daniel

[drolfe]

see attached

[Robert_Jewell]

The messages seem clear enough.  Update the firmware and I would bet you will be good to go.

-Bob

[drolfe]

no luck,

I have connected the mds600 (ssa70) to the 3 gig switch that I got basically just a firmware upgrade but it's shows the same errors as attached

[Robert_Jewell]

Well, the errors only state there is no redundancy, but that is due to only having one switch installed.

What if you select the storage box itself from the Maintain tab? Do you see accurate information?

Have you tried resetting the MDS600 after moving to the 3Gb SAS switches?

-Bob

[drolfe]

Yeah it's the path failure errors that are the real issue, I haven't power cycled the mds600 since the change to 3 gig Sas but this really shouldn't be required. I'll get the DC to power cycle tonight and see if it helps

[Robert_Jewell]

> I haven't power cycled the mds600 since the change to 3 gig Sas but this really shouldn't be required

Agreed, but I have found that the MDS600 controllers do require a reset when changing topologies.

-Bob

[drolfe]

the MDS was rebooted, still the same issue

I did find the below thread on this forum with someone having the same issue. Seems there is a manual firmware update procedure but I can't really unerstand what needs to be done.

see below :

3G-SAS-switch-to-MDS600-unable-to-connect-due-to-SSA70-path

[drolfe]

I've also tried to roll the firmware back on the 3gig sas switch to 2.0.47.0

I'm still getting the same error and I can't upgrade the firmware

[Robert_Jewell]

I had found the following regarding updating of the MDS600 F/W via the SAS Switch:

1)      Stop host traffic and power down the blade servers.

2)      Access the VSM for the active switch.

3)      Within VSM access the Maintain Tab and select Update Storage Enclosure Firmware.

Note:  If this option is not displayed then consider the following:

• All server blades that map to this storage must be powered off.
• If the switch has a status value other than Active or Not Redundant, firmware updates are not allowed.

From the last pics you posted, the 3Gb SAS Switch was in "Not Redundant" mode, so can you confirm that the blade servers that are mapped are powered down?

-Bob

[Robert_Jewell]

I also just noted the other post referring to the SSA70.  I hadnt realized that this was a different model, but then again I hadnt heard of it before at all.

I guess that it would make sense if it was an older controller that it would not be seen properly by the SAS switches.

-Bob

[drolfe]

Hi,

Yes I can confirm that all blade server in the enclosure were powered down when trying to upgrade the firmware.

PLease see attached some photos that hp lvl2 support has asked for. It includes front and back pic of the MDS600/SSA70, hard drive details being used, sas cables and the part number of the IO modules installed.

See attached, sorry about the large jpgs

[gregersenj]

I haven't been working on the MDS600 since I did that old FW upgrade.

Try to fellow the guidelines here:

http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdDetails/?sp4ts.oid=3936272&spf_p.tpst=swdMain&spf_p.prp_swdMain=wsrp-navigationalState%3Didx%253D1%257CswItem%253DMTX_0d1dc7ba966e46048c8f9c8784%257CswEnvOID%253D4064%257CitemLocale%253D%257CswLang%253D%257Cmode%253D4%257Caction%253DdriverDocument&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.v...

I gues you will have to use the GB switches, I don't know.

They recommend an older FW DVD.

You could try with the latest SPP: www.software.hp.com

Latest SPP is 2013.09.

There's a good cabling guide for the mds600 as well

Simple go to: www.hp.com/go/hpsc

enter MDS 600 in the search field.

You will find all kind of documentation and fw etc.

BR

/jag

[Robert_Jewell]

The product naming for this storage unit family has been very confusing...from SSA70, to MDS600 and now D6000!

All I can suggest here is that you probably need MDS600 specific controllers to be able to use this in a SAS switch environment.   The MDS600 I/O controllers have a spare p/n of 498472-001.  I can state that when using these controllers the "SSA70" terms are not shown in any of the outputs.

-Bob

[tomas lovato]

I ordered on of these controllers and will test it when it arives on monday or tuesday. the front of my array show the SSA70 logo, as does the info from what i can see on the controller via the 3gb sas switch.

[drolfe]

This is a MDS600 badged unit that I've been looking at getting to replace the SSA70. See pictures attached below.
 
If you compare this unit to my unit you will notice:
1. That the part number is -007 not -001
2. The unit is also badged mds600 not ssa70
3. The release on the io modules handle is red not silver
4. The mds600 module has ports labeled "1" and "2" and the ssa70 has them labeled "in" and "out"
5. The io modules part numbers are different as below:

• MDS600 io module 498472-001 
• SSA70 io module 455508-001

It would be nice if the MDS600 IO modules (498472-001) worked in the SSA-70 enclosure but who knows until you try it?

Regards, Daniel

[drolfe]

I have a pair of MDS600 IO modules PN 498472-001 on their way to the DC now.

Will report back once they are tested in the SSA70

[tomas lovato]

I just got back to my office, my 498472-001 came in the mail, i slapped them in my ssa70 and hooked it all up and low and behold its showing up in my sas 3g switch as a mds600. I onlt have two disks in the system currently, but its shows up!

not gonna spend any more time on this today, but atleast i have a solution(fingers crossed). This is the one that worked, that i picked up off of ebay.

[drolfe]

Thanks Tomas,

This is create news, Hopefully modules are only about a day away from the DC now.

Would might want to upgrate the module firmware now, I think 3.6 is the latest, your IO modules look to have 2.6

I'd be interested to know if you have the "update storage enclosure firmware" option under the maintain tab when selecting your sas switch.

Regards, Daniel

[tomas lovato]

I dont see any way to upgrade the firmware on the mds600 controllers via the gui...

I went back and looked at your posts, my switches are the 3g ones. your are the 6g. maybe thats a difference.

[drolfe]

HI,

On the 3 gig sas swtiches the "upgrade storage enclosure firmware" is only visable under the maintain tab (when selecting the sas switch) if all your blade servers are powered off. You also need to be on the active or non-redundant switch for it to be displayed.

Since this was something that confused the hell out of HP customers they changed the 6 gig switches to always show the option but have is greyed out if all the requirments weren't met, like power down the blades etc..

Regards, Daniel

[drolfe]

HI All,

After the new modules were added to the SSA70 it's now looks to be working as per the attached images.

This was my testing my my 3g sas switch.

I'll post another update on how things are now going on the 6g sas switches.

Regards, Daniel

[tomas lovato]

Mines looking the same, upgraded the firmware without issue once i got the blades turned off... the only issue i have left is that I can see the  SATA drive sizes via my p700m Controller, but not SAS drive sizes, just shows a size of 0. They are in different shelves...

 Update. No luck on the SAS drives, and i put in a 4tb hitachi in the same shelf, but it only shows up as a 2199gb drive...

I also have a D2700 hooked up and it doesnt see any of those drives...

[drolfe]

Tomas,

Have you upgrade the p700m firmware to the latest ?