Query: HP StorageWorks 50 Modular Smart Array compatible with OpenVMS ?

[Paolo_c]

Good morning, 

We're looking to migrate some of our Legacy VMS Blade Servers to Rx2800 i2/i4 Servers with Storage provisioned on MSA50 enclosures / HP PCIe P800 SAS RAID Controllers. Many years ago I vaguely recall having a VMS server with an Msa30 controller,  that had an interface to VMS, using something like set host/scsi $n$GG* (controller devices) which allowed us to connect to the CLI of the storage and configure add/remove drives (but can't recall the exact method used).

Although I can see that MSA60 and MSA70 enclosures were compatible with OpenVMS, (upto VMS 8.3-1H ,  -  we're running on VSI VMS 8.4-2L1) i note that the same document below doesnt show OpenVMS as ever being supported under an MSA50 configuration and just wondering if anyone knows whether the MSA50 should work alongside OpenVMS ? I appreciate that the MSA50 is no longer supported by HPe but the systems that we're migrating will mostly be Archive (non production) for which we can obtain third part support but just need to know whether it will provide an interface to VMS (or PC i/face ?) that would allow us to preconfigure the storage and, most importantly, present to the VMS O/S. 

HP StorageWorks arrays Family guide (zones.com)

[Paolo_c]

I have since recalled that we used the msa$utility / commands below, to connect to the Cli of our old MSA30  via OpenVMS, so just need to know whether the same utility is likely to work under a VSI VMS /MSA50 config or whether we will need to consider an alternative method for configuring storage under our proposed RX2800 i2/ MSA50 configuration ? 

$ run sys$system:msa$util   

MSA> Show Adap

MSA> set adapter _pkb0:    

MSA> show this .........

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. HP StorageWorks 50 Modular Smart Array - 500GB 3G 2.5" SATA Drive Model MM0500EANCR Compatibility

2. HP StorageWorks 1000 Modular Smart Array installation guide (254092-008, June 2007)

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[Paolo_c · Accepted solution]

Thankyou for the links but the question i had centered more around whether an MSA50/RX2800 configuration running OpenVMS VSI 8.4-2xxx would allow us to use the msa$util to configure our storage through VMS. Having located the msa$util on one of our Blades (running VSI 8.4-2L1), which we're planning to migrate, i ran a quick test (see attached)  which suggests that the utility is compatible and will provide the funcationality to configure the storage under our proposed configuraiton using commands which are more familiar to us.

Also we are plannning to purchase a P800 smart array controller for the MSA50 which according to the following article is compatible with HP OpenVMS, so suspect that going forward, we should be okay.  

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"|MSA$UTIL is an OpenVMS system management tool used for configuring and managing the following controllers:

• HP StorageWorks Smart Array Family of Storage Host Bus Adapters (53xx series, 64xx series, P400, and P800 with Native Command Queuing (NCQ) firmware).

Document - HPE Integrity Servers - How to Get Status of Smart Array Drives While Running OpenVMS | HPE Support