Help needed with HPE SSACLI - add additional raid array.

[MME2020]

So I am running 2 Windows Server 2016 servers (hyper-v) & Core server

Seems that the HPE Smart Storage Administrator tool does not work 100% with core server (only ssaprefs.exe seem to work for language settings).

Found this:

https://community.hpe.com/t5/proliant-servers-ml-dl-sl/smart-storage-administrator-and-hyper-v-2012-r2-core/td-p/6402079/page/3

Yet that dll will only make sure that the ssaprefs.exe can be started.

As alternative I have the SSACLI.

Type of Raid needed/wanted : RAID5

They are located physically in the following :

Physical Drive in Port 1I Box 1 Bay 20

Physical Drive in Port 1I Box 1 Bay 21

Physical Drive in Port 1I Box 1 Bay 22

Physical Drive in Port 1I Box 1 Bay 23

Physical Drive in Port 1I Box 1 Bay 24

Why the SSACLI --> So I don't have to boot from the ISO and thus have no downtime. (and the GUI not working).

If it would be easier to use the Powershell version of SSA it's also an option.

Its a new RAID5 array to be added as 3rd array (1x RAID1, and 1x RAID5 array already exists and was setup upon initial installation of this server)

If I look at the example it would need to be something like this:

CN01 ctrl slot=1 create type=ld drives=CN0:1:20-CN0:1:24 raid=5

How do I find out the name of the controller?

Examples:

("CN0" is a sample port name that may be different depending on the controller)

ctrl slot=1 create type=ld drives=CN0:1:1,CN0:1:2,CN0:1:3,CN0:1:5 raid=6

ctrl slot=1 create type=ld drives=CN0:1:1-CN0:1:6,CN0:1:9,CN0:1:10-CN0:1:12

raid=6

[ksram]

Hi @MME2020 ,

If ILO is configured, the Controller information can be seen there.

Or we can check from the BIOS. Please share the Server Model, so that we can check and share the steps to find the Controller information.

Thank you

[MME2020]

Model HP D380 Gen10 (default onboard raid controller)

Disk are number as the following:

Disk 20
Disk 21
Disk 22
Disk 23
Disk 24

I can also see 5 disks in the windows computer management, when I ran the following command:

ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=1I:1:20,1I:1:21,1I:1:22,1I:1:23,1I:1:24 raid=5

It stated the disks were visible to the OS (Windows 2016; 1607), can I just run this command and it'll create the array?

How long does the creation of this normally take? (its 5x 2TB HPE HDD disks)

[ksram]

Hi @MME2020 ,

The commands are right. You may proceed with the same.

Creating an Array would not take more time. It would happen in few minutes. However changing an array drive type is a time-consuming process. The controller performs all data transformations while servicing IO requests to other logical drives.

Also these Serever models come with the S100i Smart Array Controller with embedded software RAID support . HPE Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 SW RAID is only supported on Windows.

(adding additinal info : For Linux users, HPE offers a solution that uses in-distro open-source software to create a two-disk RAID 1 boot volume. Customers using Linux and VMware can use the embedded SATA ports in AHCI mode. In AHCI mode S100i Software RAID is not enabled)

Links to refer : 

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c03909334

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=a00008180enw

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=a00019427enw

Thank you

[ksram]

Hi @MME2020, Please update us if that worked? Thank you