When you install an HPE server with the VMware custom image for HPE servers you automatically get all the HPE tools for configuring the hardware. Neat.
Here is a small guide on how to clean and setup the array. The ssacli is located in /opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin on the ESXi serve – start here and follow the next commands
Show the existing config:
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld all show
Smart Array P440ar in Slot 0 (Embedded)
Array A
logicaldrive 1 (279.37 GB, RAID 1, Failed)
Array B
logicaldrive 2 (3.27 TB, RAID 1+0, OK)Delete the existing logical drives:
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 1 delete
Warning: Deleting an array can cause other array letters to become renamed.
E.g. Deleting array A from arrays A,B,C will result in two remaining
arrays A,B ... not B,C
Warning: Deleting the specified device(s) will result in data being lost.
Continue? (y/n) y
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 delete
Warning: Deleting the specified device(s) will result in data being lost.
Continue? (y/n) y
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] Show all physical drives in the server:
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli ctrl slot=0 pd all show
Smart Array P440ar in Slot 0 (Embedded)
Array A
physicaldrive 1I:1:9 (port 1I:box 1:bay 9, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:10 (port 1I:box 1:bay 10, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:11 (port 1I:box 1:bay 11, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:12 (port 1I:box 1:bay 12, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:13 (port 1I:box 1:bay 13, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:14 (port 1I:box 1:bay 14, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:15 (port 1I:box 1:bay 15, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:16 (port 1I:box 1:bay 16, SAS HDD, 900 GB, OK)Create a new volume with available physical drives:
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=1I:1:9,1I:1:10,1I:1:11,1I:1:12,1I:1:13,1I:1:14,1I:1:15,1I:1:16 raid=6
Warning: Controller cache is disabled. Enabling logical drive cache will not take effect until this has been resolved.
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] Conclusion
Nice and easy – Give the HPE ssacli manual a read for more commands, starting page 57 and forward or use ssacli help.
[root@esx2:/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin] ./ssacli help
CLI Syntax
A typical SSACLI command line consists of three parts: a target device,
a command, and a parameter with values if necessary. Using angle brackets to
denote a required variable and plain brackets to denote an optional
variable, the structure of a typical SSACLI command line is as follows:
<target> <command> [parameter=value]
<target> is of format:
[controller all|slot=#|serialnumber=#]
[array all|<id>]
...........