by Rich Bassett--CSY Lab
Alex Early--CSY
Product Marketing
The Hewlett-Packard SureStore E Disk Array MC256 provides
high-capacity, high-speed mass storage, with continuous data availability,
ease of service, scalability, and connectivity. The disk array can
be connected to multiple server systems. The HP 3000 supports the
MC256 through Fast-wide SCSI connections. The disk array can have
up to 32 SCSI ports. It can be directly connected to the HP 3000
or connected via the SCSI-Fibre Channel Router for distances up
to 10km.
The disk array is the first RAID disk array to truly provide
continuous data availability. It is designed for nonstop operation
and continuous access to all user data. The disk array has no active
single point of component failure. It is not expected to fail in
anyway that would interrupt user access to data. The MC256 is easily
configured on the HP 3000.
Announcing Support of the HP SureStore E Disk Array
MC256 |
 |
The following is a summary of site, software and hardware
requirements for support of the HP SureStore E Disk Array MC256.
Device installation and support is to be provided by HP. For detail
information on the support and configuration of MC256, refer customers
to the Operating System Configuration Guide (A5701-90910). Support
of MC256 product will have the following general restrictions:
Support will only be allowed on a
dedicated SCSI bus, with no other types of devices (homogeneous
bus environment).
Daisy-chaining of two or more MC256 units are not
supported.
No support for shared SCSI busses.
F/W SCSI Device Adapter Card (28696A, known as "Wizard")
firmware MUST be at level 3728 or greater.
9x9 Core I/O card (A2372-60004 or A3453-60010, known
as "Mustang") will be conditionally supported
with the following restrictions:
Must disconnect all internal
F/W SCSI drives.
Must have firmware level of 3636.
Up to 8 LDEVs will be supported (Tested limit).
LDEV 1 boot will have the following conditions:
ONLINE HOT replacement of FRUs
is supported with the exception of microcode downloading, online
memory replacements, disk adapter replacements.
Only RAID 1 is support for LDEV 1.
Microcode down-loading, online memory replacements
and disk adapter replacements must be performed with no jobs or
sessions logged on.
LDEV 1 capacity limited to 4 Gbytes (due to NIO
IODC limits).
MC256 has certified this disk to operate with the following
MPE/iX Releases:
MPE/iX 5.5 PowerPatch 7 + KXL9 or
MPE/iX 6.0 PowerPatch 1 + KXL9
Support on 5.5 and 6.0 will have the following restrictions:
No logging to the host of any vendor
unique error codes. These codes are used to identify any hardware
component (FRU) that has failed. For example, the failure of a fan
inside the device would be reported as a FRU error.
SYSMAP will identify the MC256 device as non-supported.
SYSGEN product ID is "HPDARRAY".
MC256 microcode revision level B++(rev 36) or later
is required. Host mode table should be set to 08.
Target address support only (Multi- LUN support
available on request)
An additional requirement for support is that each MC256 will
have a telephone modem connected for remote access. Normally, the
MC256 will call HP support when it detects any errors. SCSIDSK2
can be used on the MC256 to validate access to the device. For information
on support, see the HP support plan.
