How To manage HP Smart Array RAID controllers From VMware ESXI ON-Line

VMware ESXI HP costume image include the HPE SSACLI tool that is install as a VIB (vSphere Installable Bundle). If not you can Download and install HPE Smart Storage Administrator (HPE SSA) CLI for VMware 7.0 https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=MTX-ecd489e042ff4821b90abdd305#tab3

The most important feature is to manage the raid controller on-line without the need to take the Host server down ! so for example you can increase or expand the logical disk size live. in my case I have RAW disk mapping to the VM and this procedure was very helpful, I didn’t need to restart the host and go into ILO storage manager.  (the steps are in the end of the blog)

Over the years the name of the HPE Storage Controller Tool has been changed and so has the location. Here is a list of locations that have been used for the last ten years for VMware ESXi:

# Location VMware ESXi 4.0/4.1/5.0
/opt/hp/hpacucli/bin/hpacucli
# Location VMware ESXi 5.1/5.5/6.0
/opt/hp/hpssacli/bin/hpssacli
# Location VMware ESXi 6.5/6.7
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli

The full user guide can be found here :

HPE Smart Storage Administrator User Guide

This are the most common used command, you can run it from putty after start the SSH service on the ESXI 7 :

# Show configuration
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl all show config

# Controller status
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl all show status

# Show detailed controller information for all controllers
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl all show detail

# Show detailed controller information for controller in slot 0
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 show detail

# Rescan for New Devices
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli rescan

# Physical disk status
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 pd all show status

# Show detailed physical disk information
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 pd all show detail

# Logical disk status
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld all show status

# View Detailed Logical Drive Status
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 show

# Create New RAID 0 Logical Drive
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=1I:1:2 raid=0

# Create New RAID 1 Logical Drive
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=1I:1:1,1I:1:2 raid=1

# Create New RAID 5 Logical Drive
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=1I:1:1,1I:1:2,2I:1:6,2I:1:7,2I:1:8 raid=5

# Delete Logical Drive
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 delete

# Add New Physical Drive to Logical Volume
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 add drives=2I:1:6,2I:1:7

# Add Spare Disks
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 array all add spares=2I:1:6,2I:1:7

# Enable Drive Write Cache
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 modify dwc=enable

# Disable Drive Write Cache
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 modify dwc=disable

# Erase Physical Drive
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 pd 2I:1:6 modify erase

# Turn on Blink Physical Disk LED
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 modify led=on

# Turn off Blink Physical Disk LED
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 ld 2 modify led=off

# Modify smart array cache read and write ratio (cacheratio=readratio/writeratio)
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 modify cacheratio=100/0

# Enable smart array write cache when no battery is present (No-Battery Write Cache option)
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 modify nbwc=enable

# Disable smart array cache for certain Logical Volume
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 logicaldrive 1 modify arrayaccelerator=disable

# Enable smart array cache for certain Logical Volume
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 logicaldrive 1 modify arrayaccelerator=enable

# Enable SSD Smart Path
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 array a modify ssdsmartpath=enable

# Disable SSD Smart Path
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=0 array a modify ssdsmartpath=disable

Here is an example to expand online the logical drive 3 on slot 2 to 1000 giga :

To view Controller details :
/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl all show detail

To View logical volume details

/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=2 ld 1 show

all logical volume on controller:

/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=2 ld all show

#this will expand the LD 3 on slot 2 to 1000 giga:

/opt/smartstorageadmin/ssacli/bin/ssacli ctrl slot=2 ld 3 modify size=1000000 forced

Available options are:
Max: 605141720 (Units in MB)
Min: 512000 (Units in MB)
MaxMBR: Max. for MBR Partition Table (2097152 MB = 2 TB)


Good Luck

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