Query: HP MSA 2050 Remove Disk Groups

[Dave49]

Hi, got an odd one here, MSA2050 unit which oreviously had 4 disk shelves attached.  This was in preoduction and working.  It got rmeoved froj our DR site, but now needs to be repurposed for another site.

We only have the 2050 controller, not the extra disk shelves.

Trying to remove the disk groups and it fails.  I've logged a call with HP, and we have dequrantined the disks, but are still unable to remove the disk groups, nor the volumes.

I don't care about the data, I just want to reconfigure the device, I can't believe they make it this hard, it was simle on NetApp

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. HPE MSA 2050 User Guide

2. HPE MSA 2050 SAN Storage - FRU Parts Support Guide | Additional Resources

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[yazmeh]

Certainly! When dealing with storage systems like HP MSA 2050 and NetApp, the process of removing disk groups generally follows these steps:

1. Access MSA or NetApp Management: Log into the respective web interface or command-line interface of your HP MSA 2050 or NetApp storage system. Admin credentials will be required.

2. Navigate to Disk Groups: Locate the section related to "Disk Groups" or "Storage Pools." This is where you manage your storage configurations.

3. Select Disk Groups: Identify the specific disk group you intend to remove. Click on it to select it for removal.

4. Remove Disk Group: Look for an option like "Delete," "Remove," or "Disband." Click on this option. The system may prompt you for confirmation. Confirm the action.

5. Confirm Removal: Double-check and confirm that you want to proceed with removing the disk group. Confirmations are essential as this action erases all data within the group.

6. Wait for the Process: The system will initiate the process of removing the disk group. Please be patient as this may take a few minutes.

7. Verify Removal: Once the process is complete, verify that the disk group has been successfully removed from the list of active storage configurations.

Always ensure you have backups of critical data before making significant changes to your storage systems like HP storage or NetApp Storage. If you encounter difficulties, it's advisable to seek assistance from HP or NetApp support teams, as they can provide tailored guidance based on your specific system configurations.

[JonPaul]

@Dave49 
Push on the call with HPE support. They need a higher level support in order to remove an incomplete pool.
If you post the ticket number you have we can try to meet in the middle.
The reason for the difficulty in doing this is that every disk-group in the Pool is dependent on every other disk-group.  Your data may be on any component in the Pool.  Removing a disk-group from a Pool while it is not intact will lead to data loss.
In your case the data loss is acceptable other cases an action to clear the disk-group may not be as well understood and allow a customer to corrupt all their data.
Sorry for the hassle but the alternative for less experienced user is catastrophic.

[Dave49]

@support_s  Thanks for the links, but I had alredy followed these, it seems the solution is not availabel to end users, but requires HPE intervention.

[Dave49]

@yazmeh ,I agree, these would be the normal steps, however this particular MSA  is the controller module that was located in our DR site (prior to decomission) and it did have 4 extra disk enclosures attached to it.  The disk enclosures have been destroyed/sent to landfil, or wherever the disposal company has done with them.

Unfortunately, the configuration wasn't removed form the deivce prior to its removal from the location, and this is where the problem lies.

As an end user I am unable to force the deletion/removal of the configuration from this device without HPE assistance.

I understand there is the issue of potential data loss, but in our case thats not a problem, as the device was intended to be disposed of, but an opportunity to re-use was seen (and currently not implemented)

Cheers

[Dave49]

@JonPaul thanks for the response.

We had a session with support, and whilst the disks were able to be dequarantined by support, the disk groups could not be removed (something to do with them being part of a virtual pool)

The case was sent to secodn line support, and logs provided, however it has been determined that the deivce is out of support, so for now it is closed whilst I wait for quote for Time&Materials.

I understand the concerns around data loss, but surely with appropriate caveats that should be on the customer, not the vendor to gatekeep?