Installing HBA BIOS on ESX 3.5 - HP FC2242SR HBA

[TIM02210]

II am just getting started on setting up VMware environment. I have 4 HP Proliant DL380 G5 servers each with a dual port HP HBA (HP FC2242SR 4GB PCI-e DC HBA). I have these hooked up to a 6 TB HP MSA1000. I need to install the HBA BIOS and I need some direction on this. When I boot the ESX server I get the message "Emulex BIOS not installed". If I go to the HP web site and locate the driers and download page for this HBA (see below) I do not see ESZ listed as an OS option, they have a few versions of Red Hat and other flavors of Linux as well as all the MS OS. Should I be using on of the Red Hat BIOS.

That is my main question for now but going forward I'm sure I will have more since this is my first time setting up the HBA / SAN environment.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?prodNameId=1143907&lang=en&cc=us...

[kumarkv]

hey

Download the driver for RHEL 3 and install and check

Thx

Kumar

[TIM02210]

OK, I downloaded the Red Hat drivers and I am following the instructions from HP. I copied the file to the ESX servers and extracted and untared the contents in to the tmp directory. I then change to the directory that was created "hp-lpfc-2008-05-30" and I type in install but it keeps coming back with "install: too few arguments". I am stuck at this point; I am pretty new to Linux and ESX. I tried the help files with no luck. The install is located in that director, I can see it when I do an ls.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

You won't be able to add Linux drivers to ESX as the vmkernel of ESX which provides virtualization services is not Linux. Plus the FC2242SR is listed as a supported HBA so ESX will have the drivers it needs for the card.

For the BIOS not insstall error see this thread - http://forums12.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627121726588740628353475&threadId=1251563

Are you planning to boot the ESX host from the MSA1000 or will you use local drives? Just as an aside, what sort of LUN size are you using with the MSA1000?

[TIM02210]

OK, so ESX will have the drivers needed, do I still have to install them. I want to partition the 6 TB into 3 2TB partitions (is that what you mean by LUN size?). This is new to me and I am having a hard time finding good documentation. HP has reams of documentation but it is fragmented and not at all clear. Are there any good sites that explain this process from start to finish? I have the HAB hooked up to the MSA1000 and I have green link lights on both the HBA and the MSA1000. I am attaching a screen shot of the storage adapters section from within the VIC. I think I just need an outline of where I go from here and then maybe I can hunt down the appropriate documentation. Setting up the MSA and the HBA is completely new to me so thanks for being patient.

[TIM02210]

I seem to be having trouble attaching the screenshot, let's see if this works.