Disk Firmware Update on Equallogic

Yes you can try a drive FW upgrade. Such a upgrade can only perform manually from the commandline or maybe with the external update manager but not with the Group Manager you use normaly.

So download the drive update package and upload it trough FTP and than connect with ssh or serial to the unit and run "update".  The package will check all drives and perform only needed updates. It than take only a couple of milliseconds.

Regards,
Joerg

Hello, 

 Problem is he has a H/W fault condition.  Only two of the three power supplies are plugged in.  He can't do a drive FW update with a HW fault. 

 I couldn't reply to his other thread with Chrome all of a sudden for some reason.   

 Regards,

Don

"Dell Enterprise Plus" is not enough..... you need a Dell EqualLogic label on the disk.

What i have seen earlier.... we bought "used" EqualLogic disk for customers and they failed to get them working even if there is a EQL Label on the disk and all rest of the parameter matched

Notice: in early EQLs only "fresh" disks worked and when insert a disk from a another EQL it doesnt work. Later it was possible to remove existing raid information from within the GroupManager GUI.

ah sorry I didn't read the whole messages.   Drive not approved is NOT solvable by upgrading FW.  The FW version of the drive is not what constitutes compatibility.   Those are not EQL certified drives.  They might be Dell, but could be PowerEdge or Compellent.  They will never be usable by the EQL array.  The drives are modified so they can be detected as "EQL" drives.  Same for Compellent for example.   You must replace those drives with valid Equallogic drives.   

Regards,

Don

Hi Don,

I tried the hard drive firmware update. See image below

All the drives are from Equallogic SAN, from different models I am assuming. I ordered them from different sites. 

I do have all 3 power supplies plugged in. All drives are Dell Enterprise Plus.

Hello, 

 Correct.  Also in the case of a used EQL drive that hadn't been reset, the status was FOREIGN not "not approved"  

 Newer drives don't  have the Equallogic label on them.  They use a Dell PN but are modified before delivery to Dell to work with EQL arrays.  (or CML,  PowerEdge, etc)     So you can't mix them, nor can you convert them after the fact. 

 Those drives will have to be replaced.   

  Regards,

Don

Hi Don,

You are correct. Found out that the ones which were not accepted, it is because it wasn't a equallogic firmware. It was from Dell EMC Storage. Which makes sense now.

Question is, which SSD where used for PS6510? Is there a list of compatible firmware's ?

Thanks

Hello, 

 Reminder it's not the firmware on the drives that provides compatibility.  There is no list of SSD drive firmware that I know of.  The drive FW update kits detected upgradable drives so I've never kept track much of individual revisions on drives. 

 I believe EQL only supported 300GB or 600GB SSD's on 6510XS which was hybrid combination of SSD and SAS.   Never a full SSD model for the 65xx.    So you have to find SSDs made for EQL, the actual drive models aren't critical.  Multiple vendors are qualified at each capacity.  Seagate for one, the other might have been Hitachi or WD.  I don't recall. 

 Regards, 

Don

There are PS6x10s  with SSDs only and PS6x10xs which are hybrids coming with  "accelerated" RADI6 config. Earlier EQLs have different Controller Modules (type and color coded) for specific types of drives (SATA, 10K, 15K... SSD?). In the latest models one type for all when speaking of spinning disks. Not sure for SSDs.

But again... also for SSD you need EQL SSDs and not a Samsung 960 from your local RadioShack store.

I have a PS6010XS somewhere and a PS6210XS in production. If you like a can take a look.

Regards.
Joerg

PS6110 and PS6010 did come in full populated SSD. The PS6510, PS6500 didn't come with it. I am just looking at which ones I can order from eBay to use with PS6510 to have accelerated Raid 6. 

Another question. Can we change raid level from Raid 6 to Accelerated Raid 6?

Hello, 

 No.  RAID6-Accelerated can only be done a creation time.  When you have the proper mix of SSDs and 7.2K drives.  Known as a 6510ES.   I am pretty sure it was only 6 drives for SSDs. And at 600GB each that's not a lot of space in RAID6.  

 What do you plan on using this array for?    

 Regards, 

Don

This will be used as Secondary Storage (ISO, Templates, Backups, etc). Won't be need high IOPS from it. I have another PS6510 which has 600GB 10K SAS which is used for Virtual Machines and Root Volumes.

Hello, 

 Then for sure do not configure it as a hybrid.  You would just lose space for little gain.  Run RAID6, never 50 or 5.  Especially with 7.2K drives.  

 Regards,

Don