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zeroNorth
Contributor
Contributor

HP Smart Array P420i warning

Hi,

I got a brand new DL380p gen8 Server with 8 300GB SAS disks in 2 raid 5, and installed esxi from the branded image: VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-799733-HP-5.34.23.iso on the first raid.

Everything seems to be working fine but I get a warning for the Smart Array P420i controller in the Hardware Health Status.

I checked ILO and everything is ok there. I have uploaded the machines Active Health System log to HP and they say everything is working properly.

Has anyone else had a similar Problem?

rgds,

franz

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68 Replies
p17blo
Contributor
Contributor

Today I upgraded 2 of my HP DL360 G5 from ESXi 4.1 to ESXi 5.0 u2 (with HP modified install as downloaded from VMWare site, linked from HP Site).

Before the upgrade no errors were shown, now i have an error on each (exactly the same as the screen already shown here) however I am running a P410i RAID card and my firmware is up to date (7.22)

There is no apparent hardware problems and no logs posted elsewhere on the system, so I am guessing it's a spurious error, but I am obviously not alone with this.

I'm keen to understand if anything is needed -

I forgot to mention - There is a BIOS message flashed up (really quickly so I haven't managed to read it on my live system yet) to do with updated firmware which I hadn't notice before either.

Paul

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VirT3ck
Contributor
Contributor

It seems they put the Feb 2013 drivers back up again but removed the HPSA drivers.

http://vibsdepot.hp.com/hpq/feb2013/

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CPSWernerSt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

Upgrade two vmware ESX 4.0 HP DL380 G6 and one vsphere 5.0 Update 1 DL 380p Gen8 to vsphere 5.1 latest HP build, and all follow up patches from vmware. The DL380 G6 have a Smart Array Controller P410i inside and the Gen8 a P420i. I have on all of them the latest patches/firmwares/drivers and get the same screens with warning. IML and ACU didn't show any errors. I know also from another customer that he got the same problems with hios blades. So it looks like we can only wait until HP fix this problem maybe together with vmware.

Best regards

Werner St,

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p17blo
Contributor
Contributor

Well I think I have SOLVED this issue.  Please take the time and effort to check.validate this for yourself.  If it goes wrong - Don't blame me.

I fixed this in two stages - Firstly my BIOS message.  I downloaded the Proliant SPP and made a USB KEY (using HP USB KEY creator 1.7) but a DVD would have been just as effective.

V1.7 HP USB Key download here: http://bit.ly/Xd6sSq

(Warning this will not install in a virtual machine, but you can extract the files and run the HPUSBKEY app manually)

The SPP can be downloaded here:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/spp/index.html

(you should check which is compatibale with your server).

Run the SPP and update everything - this removed my BIOS 'warning' relating to Drives/RAID

THEN, to fix with health warning under ESXi5 U2

Download the HP Offline Bundle  - The one for my server was found here: http://bit.ly/13knFyc  You may need to find your own.

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY ENABLED SSH etc on the ESXi box, follow these steps:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=200474...

Copy the file onto your ESXi server (no vCenter, but specific ESXi server) - I user Filezilla using the SSH credentials for root but you can find your own way.  You should put the file inthe following location:

/var/log/vmware/

Next SSH to the ESXi server (I did so as root) and run the following command:

esxcli software vib install -d hp-esxi5.0uX-bundle-1.3.5-3.zip

Wait - It takes a few seconds.  This was the output from my command:

Installation Result
   Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
   Reboot Required: true
   VIBs Installed: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-ams_500.9.2.0-11.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-smx-provider_500.03.01.10.2-434156
   VIBs Removed: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-ams_500.9.3.0-13.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-smx-provider_500.03.02.00.23-434156
   VIBs Skipped: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_char-hpcru_5.0.3.09-1OEM.500.0.0.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_char-hpilo_500.9.0.0.9-1OEM.500.0.0.434156

Then reboot

WAIT! - After you reboot give it a few minutes for health to start being reported - My machine didn't show any health for at least 2 or 3 minutes.

Hope you find this useful.   Please post feedback to help others.

Paul

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VirT3ck
Contributor
Contributor

I already ran the latest SPP (Feb 2013) on my server so I've skipped that step.

Then I installed the following drivers: http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdDetails/?sp4ts.oid=5204443&sp...

This gave me the following output:

Installation Result
   Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
   Reboot Required: true
   VIBs Installed: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_char-hpcru_5.0.2.21-1OEM.500.0.0.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-ams_500.9.2.0-11.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-smx-provider_500.03.01.00.5-434156
   VIBs Removed: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_char-hpcru_5.0.3.09-1OEM.500.0.0.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-ams_500.9.3.0-13.434156, Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_hp-smx-provider_500.03.02.00.23-434156
   VIBs Skipped: Hewlett-Packard_bootbank_char-hpilo_500.9.0.0.9-1OEM.500.0.0.434156

Rebooted the server and now indeed the Health Status in ESXi 5.1 (914609) is correct.

However, if you look at the output of the SSH session you'll notice the drivers being used right now aren't the latest drivers.

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p17blo
Contributor
Contributor

Yes, I did see, however would you prefer working drivers, or the latest drivers?  It's a simple option for me.

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VirT3ck
Contributor
Contributor

I agree the option is simple and for now I am too using the older drivers. But I'd prefer that HP just fixes these issues ASAP with their drivers. Since they released both newer firmware and drivers for a reason 😉

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abelliot
Contributor
Contributor

HI,

Same problem with hp dl380 gen8p. HP SIM say me the same alert...

I have download the latest drivers for esxi 5.1, add to Update Manager and add to my ESXi and Update Manager says is up to date...

I think we need to wait for new update from HP...

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DJ_Italian
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Franz,

I also purchase a new HP dl360p G8 and install vmware ESXi-5.1.0-799733-HP-5.34.23.iso with the same symptoms, upgraded the firmware from 3,22 ti 3.44 via the tech support console and it didn't make a difference.  After reading your article, i also log a call with HP and they are unaware of the issue even though i forwarded them this post,  so thank you!   

i'll keep you posted on how i go.

DJ.

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CPSWernerSt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

since our customer got response from HP-Support, to do the following steps:

1) Remove the below “VIBs” from the local ESXi host by typing “esxcli software vib remove –n hp-smx-provider” for each vib listed below.

                a) hp-smx-provider

b) char-hpilo

c) char-hpcru

d) hp-ams

2) Reboot the host after removing the VIBs and download the older version of ESXi 5 offline bundle and the version is 1.3.5 (26 Oct 2012) and the link is given below.

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdDetails/?sp4ts.oid=5177950&sp...

3) Reboot the ESXi HOST once again after installation of the Offline Bundle and check the status in the vCenter.

So i didn't  try it now, but as other guys here recommend this step and use older vibs, it looks like it is the solution until HP fix this.

Best regards

Werner St.

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abelliot
Contributor
Contributor

YES!

It's working !!

no alarm on vcenter on hp sim too !

Very Thanks

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abelliot
Contributor
Contributor

but we loose some information about smart array with wbem on vcenter and hp sim too, but snmp it's ok.

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CPSWernerSt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

as i found out by myself the following things:

It looks like you can not install the older offline-bundle with the update manager -> it shows the new modul is an older version, so you must install it via ssh/ESXI-CLI like this:

esxcli software vib install -d path_to_bundle.zip

But it works also on my site (at the moment 1 DL380 Gen8 tested)

Best regards

Werner St.

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abelliot
Contributor
Contributor

Now on vcenter no warnings, but HP SIM cannot communicate with HP CIM Agents...

I try to back to last release, I prefered to have the warning...

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teeboli
Contributor
Contributor

I am running into the same problem, did an in-place migration from esxi 4.1 to the latest 5.1 build on a DL-380 G6.  Updated the HP firmware on everything in the server as well and now I am getting a "degraded" yellow exclamation point on the controller itself with no detail.  While this server was sitting at 4.1 level there were no error indications on the array controller and WBEM was reporting everything correctly to both HP SIM and Orion.  Here are my questions?

1)  Is it safe to assume this is a cosmetic / spurious error?

2)  Should I just wait it out for the next HP VIB files or make attempts to revert to older ones?

I guess I will open a ticket with HP and make some noise

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Josh26
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

The problem with the "downgrade" approach is that the moment you have a hard disk fail, HP inform you that they can't help because your VMware offline bundle is one version behind.

Even if you do have a case # for a ticket over this issue, where they were the ones that told you to downgrade.

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p17blo
Contributor
Contributor

That doesn't make sense.

The point of the downgrade is to make warning visible.  I wasn't convinced that VMWare would report an disk failure with the latest version drivers.

As soon as  a faulty disk is discovered you remove it and send it away for warranty replacement - I don't understand why VMWare logs, versions would even come into.  It isn't software support on VMWare, it's hardware replacement.

Anyway, use it, don't use it. I just wanted to ensure I was informed of imminent of actual disk failure rather than 1 disk failing and not being aware.

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BernardBurette
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

Had the same problem, it is linked to buggy HP software (the WBEM part I guess) not a hardware problem here.

I posted my solution on HP forum : http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/ProLiant-Servers-ML-DL-SL/ESXi-5-0-Hardware-Status-shown-as-Warning-but...

Hope this helps.

Regards.

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atctech
Contributor
Contributor

I encountered the same issue here, with DL360G7 / P410i.

I can assure that the driver also will display disk failure in addition to the existing false one.

vmware_screenshot.jpg

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CPSWernerSt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Sehr geehrter Kunde/Geschäftspartner/Kollege! Ich bin zur Zeit für unsere Kunden unterwegs. Bitte wenden Sie sich in dringenden Fällen an unsere Supportline unter Tel: 02236 315325 800 mailto:ecall@cpservices.at oder für unsere Vertragskunden an unseren Helpdesk unter Tel: 02236 315325 2525 mailto:msphelpdesk@cpservices.at Mit freundlichen Grüßen Werner Steinegger

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