storageworks sfs20

[robkwild]

i didnt know where to put this so sorry if im posting in the wrong area but i have a sfs20 and i have no idea to set it up install it as all it has is an ethernet port but i dont know the ip of the machine so im stuck,

any ideas please

rob

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hey, I tried to find some information but it looks to me like you would connect this via SCSI to the server, and on the server you would then use ACU to configure the shelf.

I'm not so sure the ethernet port is for IP traffic, it could be that it's a diagnostic serial port.

[robkwild]

thanks alot, dont spose you have the download link to get the acu?

[Torsten.]

It depends on your OS.

[Johan Guldmyr]

Also depends on if you have an HP SCSI/smart array card (an SFS20 hw installation guide on the internets mentions SA 6404).

[robkwild]

is this is

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?prodNameId=420470&lang=en&cc=us&taskId=135&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=420469

[Torsten.]

Yes, and here is the windows version of the tool:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=420469&prodNameId=420470&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-9eae20fde3d34070bccecad8c0

[robkwild]

nice one, im getting somewhere, i have install windows 7x64 ACU program on my pc connected the sfs20 to my computer via a scsi cable and when i open the acu program on my pc it wont detect any controllers, can anyone advise, it could be my scsi cable?

[Torsten.]

You need a smartarray controller to make this work.

[Matti_Kurkela]

I'm afraid it means your computer does not have a SmartArray RAID controller which could control the sfs20.

As far as I understand, the sfs20 is not exactly a stand-alone storage box, but more like an "expansion unit" for a SmartArray RAID controller or a StorageWorks 1500 series storage box (which can act as a "master controller" for the sfs20).

[Sebastian.Koehler]

Have you checked the manuals?

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64179&taskId=120&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=457553

Regards,
Sebastian

[robkwild]

do you know if i can install any other Array Config Utility, as this one doesnt see the storageworks 20 atall, also i have checked my scsi card and it works fine it see's the storageworks 20 so its the hp array config utility

[Johan Guldmyr]

If you want to check if it's the instatllation of ACU on your OS that's causing issues you could just boot the machine and try to access it via either the utility during POST or by booting the machine on the smartstart CD and start ACU from there.

[Torsten.]

Your storage box (the MSA20) is something special.

It is just an enclosure with disks. It has a smartarray controller 6400 inside, but you need another sa6400 in the server. The smartarray configuration utility (ACU) configures the controller, not the storage box. Since the disks are connected to the controller, the configuration applies to the disks, but your "configuration device" is the smartarray controller inside the server, the interface is ACU.

Without a smartarray controller in your server it will NOT WORK.

[robkwild]

how do you start the utility during post?

i have burnt the array config utility to cd and even that doesnt see the storage

[Johan Guldmyr]

robkwild: do you have an HP smart array controller in your server? Which kind of server and controller?

[robkwild]

i hooked up my sfs20 to my  atto ul4d scsi card and my server is a workstation 8200 running windows 7 x64

[Torsten.]

As said, it doesn't work without a smartarray controller inside the server.



HP often bundles a proliant server, some disks and a special operation system as a solution, e.g. D2D, virtual tape libraries, NAS boxes etc ... and sell this as a solution.


This is the SFS:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01320199&cc=ad&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen

It's a bundle of at least 2x proliant server, 2x MSA20 and a network switch.


Looks like this SFS20 STORAGE ENCLOSURE itself is a MSA20, but with single I/O modules with dual connectors.

Usually you have a SERIOUS problem if you want to share such a smartarray controller based RAID between two servers: the cache of the servers array controller.

For this reason the smartarray was moved to the MSA20, the RAID capability of the servers smartarray is not used, the enclosure interal controller does the work.

For this reason it can be shared between 2 servers, the dual ports on the I/O module connects the 2 servers.

However, there must be a smartarray controller as a pass-thru in the server, another "plain" SCSI controller does not work.

But again, you need a smartarray controller (e.g. SA6402 or SA6404)!

[robkwild]

got it working, with an hp worskatation 8200 and replaced the atto scsi card with a hp scsi card and since then all is working

[robkwild]

i get speeds of only 8MB/sec is there any way i can up the speed

[Johan Guldmyr]

Check SCSI mode.

Are all cables healthy? Do you need to use terminators?

SCSI IDs etc

[robkwild]

what is scsi mode and scsi id?, sorry for the dumb question

[Johan Guldmyr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCSI

maybe SCSI mode was a bad choice of word.
What speed has been negotiated for the SCSI link?
What kind of SCSI card do you have?

[Torsten.]

As stated earlier this enclosure is (was) only supported as a part of the complete cluster solution.

In such cluster config you have a server connected to each of the scsi connectors of the enclosure.

I doubt this will do auto termination, so you probably need to connect a scsi terminator to the free and open scsi port of the enclosure.

without termination the bus will be slow or maybe doesn't work at all.

[robkwild]

i dont know what speed has been negotiated about the scsi link but the card is a - Ultra320 SCSI 2000 series