RAID Setup on Compaq ML370

[t_aitch]

We are currently trying to setup a RAID-1 Array on one of our old Compaq ML370s.

After much hunting around on the internet, i managed to find the SmartStart CD (5.50 i think) but there are no options in this to setup an array, like recent smartstart cds which include an ACU setup.

Could someone explain to me the general method for getting an array setup on one of these, as we're all baffled!

Many thanks.

Haydn

[Storage-Manager]

Hi,

As far as I remember you have to run the "assisted installation" from the SMART Start CD. During this setup all files including ACU will be copied to the server and afterwards ACU will be started. I think there is an other option too when you insert the SMART Start CD into a Windows Workstation you can create a diskette with an offline ACU edition.

greetings

[Brian_Murdoch · Accepted solution]

Hi Haydn,

If you plan to do a fresh install and start from scratch then use the ERASE utility on the Smartstart 5.50 CD to wipe the system first.
(BEWARE-THIS BLOWS AWAY ANY EXISTING RAID CONFIGURATION).
Once you have the system Erased, Smartstart will walk you through the Operating System installation process including running ACU to configure the drives, putting the diagnostic partition on (F10)and then the O/S.

If you want to run ERASE from a floppy first then simply download it from here. Once done, boot from the Smartstart CD.

Erase Utility
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17918.html

You may also need the Server Profile Diskette if you choose the assisted install. Download it from here.
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/7453.html


I hope this helps.

Brian

[t_aitch]

Hi Brian,

Thank you very much for your guide, i ran the system erase utility from that disk, and i attempted to run an assisted smartstart installation of netware.

I get to the point where it asks me to insert the netware 6 CDs, however it hasnt mentioned anything about the raid setup, or ACU yet.

At what point am i expected to set this up?

We have another HP ML370, which we are attempting the same on later today. So ill update this thread and see if we get the same results.

[t_aitch]

Ok ive got a followup on this.

We just tried exactly the same method on an ML370 G2, however on this we are installing Microsoft Windows Server 2003, after it asked for the Server Profiler disk, it when straight into the ACU.

Could this be because it was a 2003 installation, or because it was a G2?

[Brian_Murdoch]

Haydn,

It sounds like you don't actually have a Smart Array controller in your system, hence ACU is not being invoked. The ML370 G1 supported a number of raid controllers as follows:-

If present, the ROC (Raid-on-Chip) card which fitted to the system board between the SCSI ports and the CMOS battery. Spare part number was 158855-001 (See attached document)

Smart Array 2P and 2DH - PCI devices, Smart Array 3200 -PCI device and others in the 2 and 3 series. Also Smart Array 5300 etc. will be OK.

If you don't have a raid controller the installation will simply load the driver for the embedded SCSI ports(Symbios Logic Chipeset) and install Netware. Check in POST to see if you get a message which states that you have a Smart Array controller. If not, then you can't have a hardware raid solution.

If it's any help you can get the 158855-001 fairly cheaply on Ebay. This is probably your easiest method of obtaining raid without buying a PCI based Smart Array controller.

Let us know what (if any) raid controller you have installed.

Regards,

Brian

[t_aitch]

Thanks again Brian for the quick response.

Ill have a look in the server a bit later on to see whats in there. From what i recall, i cant remember seeing a smart array controller being shown on post. There is also no configuration options available in post or any prompt to enter the BIOS.

I managed to Press F10, after the smartstart has been configured, and it allows me to enter a configuration utility before it asks for any operating system CDs, but when i go into "Array Configuration" which iirc is option 2, it requests a "Drive Array Configuration Disk".

Any idea where i can find that?

[t_aitch]

Ok, defintely confirmed now that this doesn't have a Smart Array controller built in, which is unfortunate.

Thanks for the info on that ROC chip, however looking through the attachment that you supplied, which was very informative, it looks as though the ROC chip doesnt support RAID 1. It only states that it supports RAID 0, 0+1 and 5.

I think that we're just going to go with whatever is on our other server.

Thanks for the help though on this.

[Brian_Murdoch]

Haydn,

Raid 0+1 is what you want with your 2 disks. This is Compaq's implimentation of mirroring on the Smart Array controllers.

The only issue with the ROC is that it only has 16Mb of Read-Only cache so performance is poorer than controllers with write-back cache but it's still a simple solution to your problem.

Brian

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

the ROC does support RAID-1. In ACU it is defined as RAID0+1, even if you only have 2 disks.

The ML370 G1 did not come with the ROC as standard. It would display a POST message for "Integrated Smart Array Controller" if it had one. When your SCSI controller initialises, does it show you the SCSI ID of each disk? If so, then it is as Brian suspects: No Hardware RAID controller. I think the ROC offered a BIOS configuration (there is an F8 prompt for it). The older "Drive Array Configuration Disk" does not exist any more. That was only for REALLY old Compaq Smart Array controllers (1st Generation, the ROC is a 4th gen.)

Regards,
Stephen

[Brian_Murdoch]

Haydn,

Just realised you are in the UK.

Try this for less than a tenner.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COMPAQ-158855-001-PROLIANT-16MB-INTEGRATED-SMART-ARRAY_W0QQitemZ5838082135QQihZ008QQcategoryZ1484QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Brian

[t_aitch]

Thanks again for all your help guys.

We were able to look at one of our other ML370G1s which had RAID 1 configured on it, and this had a Smart Array 431 Controller inside.

So it looks like we'll be ordering one of these.

Thanks everyone. Points Assigned!