HP Smart Storage Administrator
HP ProLiant
age systems. HP assumes
User Guide
Abstract
This document identifies, and provides instructions for, the tools available for configuration, management, monitoring, and diagnosing of
controller and server products. This document is for the person who installs, administers, and troubleshoots servers and stor
you are qualified in the servicing of computer equipment and trained in recognizing hazards in products with hazardous energy levels.
Part Number: 742648-003
August 2014
Edition: 3
© Copyright 2013, 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express
warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall
not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
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under vendor’s standard commercial license.
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Contents
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 5
About HP SSA ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Benefits of using HP SSA ............................................................................................................................... 5
Support for configuration tasks ............................................................................................................ 6
Array configuration ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Array configuration guidelines ............................................................................................................. 8
Minimum requirements ........................................................................................................................ 9
Native support for 64-bit and 32-bit operating systems .................................................................................... 9
Operations................................................................................................................................. 10
Accessing HP SSA in the offline environment ................................................................................................. 10
Launching HP SSA with HP Intelligent Provisioning (Gen8 or later) ........................................................ 10
Launching HP SSA during POST (Gen8 or later) .................................................................................. 10
Launching HP SSA from an ISO image (all generations) ....................................................................... 11
Accessing HP SSA in the online environment ................................................................................................. 14
Launching HP SSA on a local server ................................................................................................... 15
Launching HP SSA on a local server to configure a remote server.......................................................... 15
Launching HP SSA on a remote server to configure a local server.......................................................... 16
Using the HP SSA GUI ................................................................................................................................ 17
Icon and key stroke legend ............................................................................................................... 17
Navigating the GUI .......................................................................................................................... 18
Configuration tasks........................................................................................................................... 23
Diagnostic tasks ............................................................................................................................... 53
Using the HP SSA CLI ................................................................................................................................. 55
Opening the CLI in Console mode ..................................................................................................... 55
Opening the CLI in Command mode .................................................................................................. 56
CLI syntax ........................................................................................................................................ 56
Typical procedures ........................................................................................................................... 61
Using HP SSA scripting ............................................................................................................................... 80
Capturing a configuration ................................................................................................................. 81
Using an Input script ......................................................................................................................... 81
Creating an HP SSA script file ........................................................................................................... 81
Script file options ............................................................................................................................. 86
XML support .................................................................................................................................. 102
HP SSA scripting warning messages ................................................................................................ 105
HP SSA scripting error messages ..................................................................................................... 106
Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................ 112
HP Smart Storage Administrator Diagnostics Utility CLI ................................................................................. 112
About the utility .............................................................................................................................. 112
Reported information ...................................................................................................................... 112
Installing the utility .......................................................................................................................... 114
Launching the utility in CLI mode ...................................................................................................... 115
Diagnostic report procedures ........................................................................................................... 115
SmartSSD Wear Gauge report procedures ....................................................................................... 115
512e Physical drive support ...................................................................................................................... 116
Drive arrays and fault-tolerance methods .................................................................................................... 116
Contents 3
Drive arrays ................................................................................................................................... 116
Effects of a hard drive failure on logical drives .................................................................................. 119
Fault-tolerance methods ................................................................................................................... 119
Diagnosing array problems ....................................................................................................................... 128
Diagnostic tools ............................................................................................................................. 128
Troubleshooting resources ............................................................................................................... 128
Optional components ................................................................................................................ 130
HP Secure Encryption ............................................................................................................................... 130
HP Smart Array Advanced Pack ................................................................................................. 131
About SAAP ............................................................................................................................................ 131
Acronyms and abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 132
Documentation feedback ........................................................................................................... 134
Index ....................................................................................................................................... 135
Contents 4
Overview
About HP SSA
HP SSA is the main tool for configuring arrays on HP Smart Array controllers. It exists in three interface
formats: the HP SSA GUI, the HP SSA CLI, and HP SSA Scripting. All formats provide support for
configuration tasks (on page 6). Some of the advanced tasks are available in only one format.
The diagnostic features in HP SSA are also available in the standalone software HP Smart Storage
Administrator Diagnostics Utility CLI (on page 112).
Starting with HP SSA and ProLiant Gen8 servers and server blades, HP SSA is accessible both offline and
online:
• Accessing HP SSA in the offline environment (on page 10)
Using one of multiple methods, you can run HP SSA before launching the host operating system. In
offline mode, users can configure or maintain detected and supported ProLiant devices, such as
optional Smart Array controllers and integrated Smart Array controllers. Some HP SSA features are only
available in the offline environment, such as setting the boot controller and boot volume.
• Accessing HP SSA in the online environment (on page 14)
This method requires an administrator to download the HP SSA executables and install them. You can
run HP SSA online after launching the host operating system.
Benefits of using HP SSA
HP Smart Storage Administrator is an advanced utility that enables you to perform many complex
configuration tasks. Previously, other HP configuration utilities, including Array Configuration Utility and
Option ROM Configuration for Arrays, were recommended for storage configuration.
Although ACU is still supported, HP SSA replaces it starting with HP ProLiant Gen8 servers.
There are many GUI differences between ACU and HP SSA. Some of the main differences include the
following:
• The tabs in ACU are integrated into the new HP SSA Configure menu.
• The 2-panel format in ACU is replaced with a 3-panel format in HP SSA.
• HP SSA includes a quick navigation menu, to access configuration or diagnostics options for a specific
controller.
• With an HP Smart Array Gen8 or later controller, most options do not require an SAAP license.
• HP SSA does not include a Wizards feature.
• HP SSA includes a stand-alone CLI diagnostics utility ("HP Smart Storage Administrator Diagnostics
Utility CLI" on page 112).
HP SSA provides full-range support for standard and advanced configuration tasks ("Support for
configuration tasks" on page 6). Some of these advanced tasks are not available in all HP SSA interface
formats (GUI, CLI, and Scripting).
Overview 5
Using HP SSA over other configuration utilities provides the following benefits:
• GUI, CLI, and Scripting interfaces are available.
• English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish languages are supported.
• Applications can be executed using the following tools:
o Any bootable media, such as a software CD
o Any supported Host operating system with a web browser (Microsoft Windows 2003 is not
supported. For a list of supported operating systems, see the HP website
(http://www.hp.com/go/ossupport).)
o Intelligent Provisioning, which is embedded in HP ProLiant Gen8 and later servers
• All formats can run in both online and offline environments.
• The utility can run on any machine that uses a supported browser.
Support for configuration tasks
The following table uses these symbols:
+ —The controller supports this task through HP SSA.
– —The controller supports this task through HP SSA only with a registered SAAP license key.
# —The controller supports this task through HP SSA only with a registered HP SmartCache license key.
To identify controller-specific feature support and SAAP requirements, see the controller user guide or the HP
website (http://www.hp.com/go/smartarray).
For more information, see "About SAAP (on page 131)."
Procedure
Activate or delete
license keys
Assign a RAID level
to a logical drive
Assign spare drives
to an array
Configure multiple
systems identically
Configure a RAID 6
logical drive
Configure a RAID
60 logical drive
Configure RAID 1
(ADM) and RAID 10
(ADM)
Copy the
configuration of one
system to multiple
systems
Create multiple
HP Smart Array
G6 and G7
controllers
+ + + +
+ + + –
+ + + –
1
+1 +1 +1
+
– + P-Series only –
– + P-Series only –
– + P-Series only –
1
+1 + +
–
+ + + –
HP Smart Array
Gen8 controllers
HP Smart Array
Gen9 controllers
(RAID mode)
HP Smart HBA Gen9
controllers
(HBA Mode)
Overview 6
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