HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and HP ProLiant ML570 Generation 2 Server Hot-Add Memory July 2003 (Second Edition) Part Number 325398-002 HP CONFIDENTIAL Writer: Jennifer Hayward File Name: 325398-2.
© 2003 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Microsoft® and Windows® are US registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Hewlett-Packard Company shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. The information in this document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is subject to change without notice. The warranties for HP products are set forth in the express limited warranty statements accompanying such products.
Contents Abstract.......................................................................................................... 5 Audience Assumptions ................................................................................ 5 Purpose of this Document............................................................................ 5 Hot-Add Memory Installation on HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and ML570 Generation 2 Servers ........................................................................ 6 Overview .
Abstract This guide provides reference information for Hot-Add Memory functionality for the HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and HP ProLiant ML570 Generation 2 servers. Audience Assumptions This guide is for the person who installs, administers, and troubleshoots servers. HP assumes you are qualified in the servicing of server equipment and trained in recognizing hazards in products with hazardous energy levels.
Hot-Add Memory Installation on HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and ML570 Generation 2 Servers Overview Hot-Add functionality allows you to upgrade the amount of memory in the server without powering down or rebooting the server. This functionality eliminates server downtime and service interruption when performing a memory upgrade. Hot-Add functionality is a feature developed for the HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and HP ProLiant ML570 Generation 2 servers.
Description Hot-Add Functionality Hot-Add functionality is made possible by a combination of a Hot-Add aware OS (currently Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition), system BIOS, and the Hot-Add memory driver (the Advanced System Management Controller Driver provides this function on these platforms). In addition, the hardware platform needs to support hot-pluggable memory modules or cards.
When the board insertion is complete, the OS registers the additional memory and it is then available for use by the OS and applications. The server can support up to 32 GB of memory, and a Hot-Add board insertion can upgrade to the total memory capacity, assuming all DIMM configuration requirements are met. Requirements for a Hot-Add Functionality Upgrade The following requirements and conditions must be met when configuring the servers for Hot-Add memory functionality.
Hot-Add is NOT supported in the following modes: • Advanced ECC when both memory boards are installed. In this case, no empty memory board slots are available for additional memory to be inserted.
Configuring the Servers for Hot-Add Functionality Hot-Add memory functionality can be configured using either the Hot-Plug Memory Configuration Utility or RBSU. Hot-Plug Memory Configuration Utility The Hot-Plug Memory Configuration Utility is a Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition application that allows you to select Hot-Add or Hot-Mirror. This allows the server to be configured for the desired board insertion mode at runtime without rebooting the server.
RBSU Options The board insertion mode is also configurable in RBSU. The menu for selecting the board insertion mode in RBSU (refer to Figures 2 through 5) can be accessed by selecting the System Options menu, then the Hot-Plug Board Insertion Mode menu. The options under Hot-Plug Board Insertion Mode are Hot-Mirror and Hot-Add. The mode currently selected is highlighted. NOTE: The default board insertion mode is Hot-Mirror.
Figure 3: Changing RBSU Hot-Plug Board Insertion Mode Figure 4: RBSU Hot-Add warning (when in Dual-Board Hot-Plug Mirrored Memory mode) 12 HP ProLiant DL580 Generation 2 and HP ProLiant ML570 Generation 2 Server Hot-Add Memory HP CONFIDENTIAL Writer: Jennifer Hayward File Name: 325398-2.
Figure 5: RBSU Dual-Board Hot-Plug Mirrored Memory warning (when in Hot-Add mode) Typical Hot-Add Board Insertion with an Empty Memory Slot A typical Hot-Add board insertion is very similar to a board insertion when performing a hot-plug event in Dual-Board Hot-Plug Memory Mirroring mode. The memory board is inserted and latched (refer to the documentation that shipped with the server). If board insertions are allowed, close the locking switch after latching.
If a DIMM configuration error is detected, the insertion is aborted and the LED(s) next to the invalid DIMM(s) blink amber. You can then remove the board, fix the DIMM configuration issue, and re-insert the board. When a successful Hot-Add board insertion is complete, the Memory Status LED turns solid green and all populated DIMM LEDs turn green. Unlike on a Hot-Mirror board insertion, the Mirroring Status LED and the Board Removable LED remain off.
3. Lock the memory board. The Hot-Add board insertion starts. When complete, the OS will have use of all the memory previously reserved for mirroring functionality. Figure 6: Locking and unlocking the memory board (locked position shown) Additional Considerations When Upgrading to Hot-Add Functionality Test for Faulty DIMMs Before a Hot-Add Board Insertion HP strongly recommends that the DIMMs be validated before attempting a Hot-Add board insertion.
If an application is already running, it may have already allocated and requested its memory. In this situation, the application would need to be restarted (or some other action taken) for it to begin taking advantage of the expanded memory. Other applications that continuously request additional memory usually can take advantage of the new memory without any user intervention.
