Adding a Synergy frame to existing FLM

[CadenLange]

Hi

We have an existing Synergy Frame at one of our offices wihch is about to be closed and all IT kit moved to the HQ. We already have a Synergy Frame in the HQ and would like to have both frames managed by the same pair of composers. So we want both frames to retain their existing ICMs with no ICM cables running between the frames.

Both Synergy frames have identical hardware as they were installed at the same time, but the frame being moved to the HQ office has been kept updated with the latest OneView and SPPs whereas the HQ frame has older firmware and version of OneView (6.x)

The Synergy frame from the office closure no longer has any data that needs to be retained so we were planning on performing a complete factory reset on all the components and treat it like it was a new device.

What are the high level steps for this? I've read the Synergy Grow best practices guide but this assumes that we'll also be moving ICMs between frames and having a 2 frame environment in a High Availability configuration  - What I believe we're aiming for a 2 Frames both in 'Redundant' mode,

Is the below correct?

• Factory reset all the devices on the Synergy frame being moved to the HQ - this will then effectively be a 'new' frame
• Install the new frame with the existing composers and  ICMs removed. Power on the Frame
• Factory reset the FLMs (just to be sure)
• Cable the FLMs to the exsting management ring and allow the existing composers to add the frame into OneView
• Copy the existing LIG to ensure that all attributes in the new logical interconnect group is identical to the existing logical interconnect group. The existing LIG is configured as 'Redundant'
• Create a new enclosure group using the new Virtual Connect logical interconnect group we just created. ensuring the redundancy setting is 'Redundant' and the number of enclosures is now 2.
• Edit the existing logical enclosure to reparent it to the new enclosure group. Click Yes, change to acknowledge that you are changing the enclosure group for the logical enclosure.
• Insert the interconnect link modules back into Frame 2 ICM Bay 3 and into Frame 2 ICM Bay 6. Wait for the modules to be recognized and added into HPE OneView. Do not connect the interconnect link cables yet.
• Once the modules have been configured, connect the interconnect link cables, and wait for the port status to turn ‘green’ in the enclosure interconnect link topology page.
• Check everything associated with the LIs are green and looking healthy. Perform Update From Group on the logical enclosure.
• The server profile templates from the original enclosure group must be copied and associated (reparented) to the new enclosure group.
• Move the standby Synergy Composer to its new frame.

I'm uncertain if all the above steps are necessary if there are no plans to change to a Highly Available environment and would like this confirmed if possible. I'm also uncertain on what to expect with regards to FLM, ICM and compute module firmware versions as these will be higher than the existing baseline. The guide says these can be downgraded but will they be decected ok or will the existing OneView composers and SPPs need to be upgraded just to get components correctly added by OneView when I first connect the FLMs?

many thanks

[DanCernese]

That's great research.  I have some important things to consider:

• You really must update the existing HQ frames to current, especially if the ones being moved are newer.  Otherwise a lot of random issues might be encounted unless you force a downgrade on those and it only makes sense to move forwarwd, not backward.
• If possible, before moving, delete the profiles & Logical Enclosure.  This will reset a lot of the config.  Also, factory reset the composers and pull them out to set aside as future spares (although to be useful they must be reimaged to precisely the exact version of the running composers).
• You're not "growing" an existing Logical Enclosure.  You'll be creating a parallel identical logical enclosure-- so most of the tricky parts of the grow process are unnecessary.
• That means you do not modify the existing EG or update from group on the existing LE.  You create another LE from the existing (or copied) EG.    You can share the existing LIG(s) assuming everything is cabled identical.

[CadenLange]

@DanCernese 

Thanks Dan – I will make sure the HQ Synergy frame has the latest firmware bundles and OneView updates

I have also added a step to manually remove as much of the existing configuration as possible

• Manually remove the existing config from the old Synergy fram (including server profiles and Logical Enclosure
• Factory reset all the devices on the Synergy frame being moved to the HQ - this will then effectively be a 'new' frame
• Install the new frame with the existing composers and  ICMs removed. Power on the Frame

Question: - Do I still need to remove the ICMs from their bays prior to re-cabling the FLM ring (as in my previous step)??

• Factory reset the FLMs (just to be sure)
• Cable the FLMs to the exsting management ring and allow the existing composers to add the frame into OneView
• Copy the existing LIG to ensure that all attributes in the new logical interconnect group is identical to the existing logical interconnect group. The existing LIG is configured as 'Redundant'

I think I’d prefer not to ‘share’ the LIG, just in case we do need to make changes to the LIG for this chassis only in the future.

• Create a new enclosure group using the new Virtual Connect logical interconnect group we just created. ensuring the redundancy setting is 'Redundant' and the number of enclosures is now 2.

Question: - As this will now be it’s own LE, am I correct in thinking I don’t set the number of enclosures to a value of ‘2’ and detailed in the previous step?

• Edit the existing logical enclosure to reparent it to the new enclosure group. Click Yes, change to acknowledge that you are changing the enclosure group for the logical enclosure.

I no longer complete the above step?

• Insert the interconnect link modules back into Frame 2 ICM Bay 3 and into Frame 2 ICM Bay 6. Wait for the modules to be recognized and added into HPE OneView. Do not connect the interconnect link cables yet.

The above step may not be relevant if I didn’t need to remove the ICMs in the first place.

• Once the modules have been configured, connect the interconnect link cables, and wait for the port status to turn ‘green’ in the enclosure interconnect link topology page.
• Check everything associated with the LIs are green and looking healthy. Perform Update From Group on the logical enclosure.

Question: - I don’t perform the above step, but instead create a step to create a new LE (as below)??

• Create a new Logical Enclosure using the existing enclosure group and newly copied LIG
• The server profile templates from the original enclosure group must be copied and associated (reparented) to the new enclosure group.

The above step is no longer required

• Move the standby Synergy Composer to its new frame.

many thanks in advance

Caden

[DanCernese · Accepted solution]

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• Manually remove the existing config from the old Synergy fram (including server profiles and Logical Enclosure
• Factory reset all the devices on the Synergy frame being moved to the HQ - this will then effectively be a 'new' frame
• Install the new frame with the existing composers and  ICMs removed. Power on the Frame

Question: - Do I still need to remove the ICMs from their bays prior to re-cabling the FLM ring (as in my previous step)??

You do not need to remove the ICMs.  If you have successfully deleted the LE, nothing further is required.  If you were not able to successfully delete the LE, you should swap the VC module positions (that will reset them when powered on).

• Factory reset the FLMs (just to be sure)
• Cable the FLMs to the exsting management ring and allow the existing composers to add the frame into OneView
• Copy the existing LIG to ensure that all attributes in the new logical interconnect group is identical to the existing logical interconnect group. The existing LIG is configured as 'Redundant'

I think I’d prefer not to ‘share’ the LIG, just in case we do need to make changes to the LIG for this chassis only in the future.

That's fine.

• Create a new enclosure group using the new Virtual Connect logical interconnect group we just created. ensuring the redundancy setting is 'Redundant' and the number of enclosures is now 2.

Question: - As this will now be it’s own LE, am I correct in thinking I don’t set the number of enclosures to a value of ‘2’ and detailed in the previous step?

The count should match the number of frames in the LE, that is 1.

• Edit the existing logical enclosure to reparent it to the new enclosure group. Click Yes, change to acknowledge that you are changing the enclosure group for the logical enclosure.

I no longer complete the above step?

Completely irrelevent.

• Insert the interconnect link modules back into Frame 2 ICM Bay 3 and into Frame 2 ICM Bay 6. Wait for the modules to be recognized and added into HPE OneView. Do not connect the interconnect link cables yet.

The above step may not be relevant if I didn’t need to remove the ICMs in the first place.

Correct.. ..again, these complications are only for "grow an LE" processes.

• Once the modules have been configured, connect the interconnect link cables, and wait for the port status to turn ‘green’ in the enclosure interconnect link topology page.
• Check everything associated with the LIs are green and looking healthy. Perform Update From Group on the logical enclosure.

Question: - I don’t perform the above step, but instead create a step to create a new LE (as below)??

Irrelevent

• Create a new Logical Enclosure using the existing enclosure group and newly copied LIG

You should create a new EG because you will be using different LIGs.  Create the new LE from the new EG+LIGs.

• The server profile templates from the original enclosure group must be copied and associated (reparented) to the new enclosure group.

The above step is no longer required

Irrelevent

• Move the standby Synergy Composer to its new frame.

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[Sunitha_Mod]

Hello @CadenLange,

Let us know if you were able to resolve the issue.

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