HELP - Running 2 x P822 with different arrays.

[HulliP]

Currently got an HP Proliant DL380e G8 with two P822 smart array raid cards. Running Windows Server 2019. Modifications are made using the ACU GUI in Windows.

One card is plugged into two external D2600's (12bay JBOD) and takes care of the internal 14 bays. I want the other to handle an external MDS600 (70bay JBOD). Everything uses 6g SAS. I checked all documentation and it does say my hardware should all be compatible with each other.

When I first plugged it in to test it everything seemed to work fine. One card had all its per-existing arrays and the second one was asking how I wanted to arrange the test drives in the MDS600. I went ahead and loaded up half of the 70 bays with blank drives while the machine was powered off.

Now both smart array cards read the same, they show the exact same arrays, even though the first card is the only one with SAS connections to the D2600's. Second card reads all existing arrays + 35 free drives. I have looked high and low for something that looks like a function to split them up / disable redundancy in the HP array configuration utility but can't find anything. Both cards seem to want to handle ALL arrays.

Switching the cables around, unusually drops all arrays and asked to make new ones from my pre-arrayed drives (nearly gave me a heart attack), but they came back once I plugged it back into its original P822. The only thing I see that sounds about right in the ACU is "Modify spare activation mode" which only gives two options, neither of which sound like to would stop the cards syncing the arrays together (Failure spare activation & predictive spare activation).

What am I missing here? I though these generation servers didn't use SAS expanders. Surely that would mean adding more array cards. I wish to turn off whatever is syncing the two cards together.

I have been stumped on this for longer than I care to admit. ANY help is welcomed.

[pchops]

There cannot be any redundancy (at the controller level) between Smart Array controllers -- that is, they operate independently of each other and store their respective configuration data on the drives that they are attached to. As you've already alluded to, the "spare activation mode" has nothing to do with any kind of interaction between controllers, only what action a controller will perform on drives designated as array spares.

Is it possible that you have things cabled in a dual-domain configuration (ie: SAS connections from both controllers to the D2600s and/or MDS600)?

The only other thing I can think of is that if you had swapped external cables between controllers at some point and saved a configuration, then both controllers would "see" all of the drives at the last configuration save, but then you would be getting a bunch of "missing drive" status messages in ACU.

You might try entering "ORCA" (the BIOS-based ACU) during POST (via F8) and see if it behaves the same way, just to rule out any Windows funny business.

Just my two cents...

[Suman_1978]

Hi,

May be you need to check the Cabling.
Also check out the "Technology considerations in selecting a direct attached storage solution for HP ProLiant Gen8 servers"

Thank You!
I work with HPE but opinions expressed here are mine.
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