ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)
1748236 Members
3457 Online
108759 Solutions
New Discussion

Re: HPE Smart Storage Battery for HPE Smart Array P440/4G Controller.

 
SOLVED
Go to solution
HPSDMike
HPE Pro

Re: HPE Smart Storage Battery for HPE Smart Array P440/4G Controller.

The systems will run fine without a battery but write cache will be disabled. Depending on how you are using the system, the performance impact could range from nothing to devastating. If you're just using these as a local boot partition for, say ESXi, and using a SAN for the VMs then you'll likely see no issue.

Unfortunately batteries do fail over time (think of anything you have with a rechargable battery like a cell phone). Replacement of the batteries are covered under warranty and you should also be able to purchase extras if you want spares outside of the normal break/fix process. 

Due to normal lifecycle proceses, the part number for this battery has recently changed so this may be why you were having issues finding supply. Make sure you are checking with the new part numbers.

HP 96W Smart Storage Battery with 145mm Cable
Gen9 & Gen10: P01366-B21

HPE 96W Smart Storage Battery with 260mm Cable
Gen9 & Gen10: P01367-B21

HPE 12W Smart Storage Battery
Gen9 & Gen10: P01363-B21

HPE 12W Smart Storage Battery with Plug Connector, 230mm cable
Gen9 & Gen10: P01364-B21

HPE 12W Smart Storage Battery with plug, 609mm cable
Gen9 & Gen10: P01365-B21

 



I work for HPE. The comments in this post are my own and do not represent an official reply from the company. No warranty or guarantees of any kind are expressed in my reply.

Accept or Kudo

PCW_INTAS
Senior Member

Re: HPE Smart Storage Battery for HPE Smart Array P440/4G Controller.

Thanks, that helps.

As for the performance impact, I would expect that we fall into the category of not noticing any difference based on what we have seen when the batteries have failed. For those servers that have have continued operating without crashing, users haven't noticed and maintenance techs have only become aware as a result of automated fault reporting.

My desire is to permanently remove the batteries on the DL360s which are all running only Raid1. We can more easily manage a battery replacement program for the DL380s as those machines are all running as master/slave duplicated pairs. The DL360s are single units running as dedicated display managers so to progressively shut them all down for scheduled maintenance is more disruptive to ATC operations.

If the battery is removed, can the self test be configured to accept it without flagging a fault or flashing the front panel LED? I've had a quick look in the BIOS but can't see anything obvious.

 

Torsten.
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: HPE Smart Storage Battery for HPE Smart Array P440/4G Controller.

There were several issues related to the battery in the past that have been resolved by ILO and BIOS updates like this:

 

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-a00017918en_us

 

make sure ILO and BIOS and smart array versions are current.

 

>> can the self test be configured to accept it without flagging a fault

 

IMHO you need at least set the write cache ratio to 0% (disable write caching).

Otherwise the controller "remembers" this setting, even if write cache is temp. disabled because of the missing battery.


Hope this helps!
Regards
Torsten.

__________________________________________________
There are only 10 types of people in the world -
those who understand binary, and those who don't.

__________________________________________________
No support by private messages. Please ask the forum!

If you feel this was helpful please click the KUDOS! thumb below!   
Threonine
Occasional Advisor

Re: HPE Smart Storage Battery for HPE Smart Array P440/4G Controller.

It's worth noting that without write caching you cannot perform array expansions, logical drive extensions, strip size migrations, and RAID migrations. See the "Write caches" section in the paper "HP Smart Array Controller Technology".