HP Smart Array Controllers on HP ProLiant Servers User Guide

Installation and configuration 45
For more information about the features of these utilities and for instructions for using the utilities, see the
Configuring Arrays on HP Smart Array Controllers Reference Guide. This guide is available on the
Documentation CD that is provided in the controller kit.
Whichever utility you use, remember the following factors when you build an array:
• All drives grouped in a logical drive must be of the same type (for example, either all SAS or all SATA
and either all hard drives or all solid state drives).
• For the most efficient use of drive space, all drives within an array should have approximately the same
capacity. Each configuration utility treats every physical drive in an array as if it has the same capacity
as the smallest drive in the array. Any excess capacity of a particular drive cannot be used in the array
and so is unavailable for data storage.
• The more physical drives that there are in an array, the greater the probability that the array will
experience a drive failure during any given period.
• To guard against the data loss that occurs when a drive fails, configure all logical drives in an array with
a suitable fault-tolerance (RAID) method.
System maintenance tools
Updating firmware
Firmware update methods changed with the introduction of the ProLiant Gen8 servers. Use the appropriate
information to locate and install firmware updates.
For Gen8 servers and server blades
Server and controller firmware should be updated before using the controller for the first time, unless any
installed software or components require an older version. For system software and firmware updates,
download the SPP from the HP website (http://www.hp.com/go/spp).
For G7 and earlier servers and server blades
To update the firmware on the server, controller, or drives, use Smart Components. These components are
available on the Firmware Maintenance CD. The most recent version of a particular component is available
on the HP support website (http://www.hp.com/support). When prompted for product information, enter
the appropriate server model name.
1. Find the most recent version of the component that you require. Components for controller firmware
updates are available in offline and online formats.
2. Follow the instructions for installing the component on the server. The instructions are provided on the
CD and the same Web page as the component.
3. Follow the additional instructions that describe how to use the component to flash the ROM. The
instructions are provided with each component.
For more information about updating the firmware, see the HP ProLiant Storage Firmware Maintenance User
Guide (for controller and drive firmware) or the HP Online ROM Flash User Guide (for server firmware).
Installing device drivers
IMPORTANT: Always perform a backup before installing or updating device drivers.