BL 860c i2 Smart Array P700m

[Pramod M]

Hi Experts,

we have a BL860c i2 server with Smart Array P700m in addition to onboard P410i Controller. I am not able to configure raid. The P410 controller shows in HBA mode. Not able to access the P700 controller BIOS for RAID configuration. From the efi shell the drivers listing shows - under CFG and DIAG. I am not able to use set_mode to change the mode of the controller to RAID mode. saupdate command is not working from the efi shell.

Please advise..

Thanks in advance
Pramod

[Torsten.]

>> Not able to access the P700 controller BIOS for RAID configuration.


How did you ty this?

What disks are connected to the P700?

[Pramod M]

hi,

HP 300GB 6G SAS Disks.
Not showing any option on the console.
From the EFI shell drivers listing it shows '-' under CFG and DIAG, againt the Smart Array SAS Driver. And drvcfg command not showing this driver.

Thanks..
Pramod

[Torsten.]

Please post

Shell> devices

Shell> drivers

Shell> devtree

[Pramod M]

Hi,

Please find the attached outputs of
Shell> devices
Shell> drivers
Shell> devtree

I want to use this P700 for internal disk. It already having one P410i then why this additional controller required? Any advantages?

Thanks ..
Pramod

[Zygmunt Krawczyk · Accepted solution]

To run saupdate command from the efi shell you need to download

IPF Offline Diagnostics and Utilities
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=pl&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=4186428&prodNameId=4204753&swEnvOID=54&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ns-88890-1

and follow the instructions from page 6 of the doc:

HP Smart Array P700m Controller for Integrity Servers Installation Guide
http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01733460/c01733460.pdf

[Torsten.]

Locate the document

HP Smart Array RAID Controllers Support Matrix - November 2010

from here

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&contentType=SupportManual&prodTypeId=12883&prodSeriesId=5039752&docIndexId=64180

and you will see the P700m is for external drives, but not for internal drives.



You should set the P410 to RAID mode for the internal disk - are you able to do this?

[Zygmunt Krawczyk]

I've not read that you want to use P700m for internal disks. Torsten is right, P700m is for external disks only. If you are going to setup RAID on internal disks, you need to remove the P700m and to switch the P410i to RAID mode using saupdate command from Using IPF Offline Diagnostics and Utilities CD. Read page 119 in the doc:

HP Integrity BL860c i2, BL870c i2 & BL890c i2 Server Blade User Service Guide
http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02110937/c02110937.pdf

[Zygmunt Krawczyk]

You may want to update to the latest firmwares also:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=pl&prodNameId=4204753&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=4186428&swLang=13&taskId=135&swEnvOID=54


http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=pl&prodNameId=4204753&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=4186428&swLang=13&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4001

[Torsten.]

The disks are hardwired to the P410, you see this from devtree too:

Ctrl[A3] Smart Array P410i Controller
Ctrl[141] PcieRoot(0x30304352)/Pci(0x2,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/SAS(0x5000C5001AB1FAC1,0x0,0x1,NoTopology,0,0,0,0x0)
Ctrl[142] PcieRoot(0x30304352)/Pci(0x2,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/SAS(0x5000C5001AB212ED,0x0,0x1,NoTopology,0,0,0,0x0)



No need to remove the P700, but this is for external (SAS) disks, like a P2000 or a disk container.

[Clarete Riana]

Hi Pramod,

To configure the internal P410 controller in RAID mode, Download the file BL8x0ci2IOCardFW_manual.tar.gz from the below link and unzip.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=4186428&prodNameId=4204753&swEnvOID=54&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-a7c00578488a405f9baa359b3e

The tar file has the following files:

SAUPDATE.EFI â This is EFI utility to be used to change the mode of P410i controller.

SAUPDATE.DOC â Describes the procedure to change the mode of P410i controller from HBA mode to RAID mode.

Hope this helps.

[Pramod M]

Dear All,
It was very helpful, and I successfully configured the array (P410i) without removing the P700m.

Closing this thread.

Thanks..

Pramod

[Pramod M]

See above