'hpsa' - A SCSI-based Linux device driver for HP Smart Array Controllers

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Planning for hpsa
There are many similarities and differences between hpsa and cciss drivers. Being aware of these will help with the
transition to hpsa.
What is not changing
Most aspects of Smart Array storage device operations remain the same even after a transition to the hpsa driver.
Data formats
The transition to the hpsa driver does not affect compatibility with data stored on logical disks. Data formats and array
configurations are a function of the controller firmware, not the device driver software. The driver transition does not
affect compatibility with array configuration metadata. The hpsa driver is compatible with array and logical disk
configurations from a system running the cciss driver, because configuration data is stored on the logical disks. You
generally do not need to reconfigure storage when switching to the hpsa driver.
Health monitoring
The HP Systems Management Homepage (SMH) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) storage agents fully
support hpsa for health and status monitoring.
Configuration
The tools used to configure arrays, logical disks, and controller settings do not change. Online configuration methods
include Array Configuration Utility (ACU, ACU-XE), and the command-line version, hpacucli. Offline configuration
methods include:
 Booting from the HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) to run ACU
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 Using the ROM-Based Setup Utility, called Option ROM Configuration for Arrays (ORCA), during a boot sequence
 Booting the offline Array Configuration Utility
 Using the Intelligent Provisioning utility during a boot sequence
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Firmware and driver updates
Firmware and driver version maintenance will continue to be accomplished using HP Smart Components and the HP
Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP). You can download the SPP from the HP website. You can obtain driver updates from the
HP website as images of the driver update media and as downloads compatible with each distribution’s native package
management utility, such as Red Hat Package Manager (RPM). You can also download drivers from the Software Delivery
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Not available on ProLiant Gen8 servers, which use Intelligent Provisioning for ACU
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Only available on ProLiant Gen8 servers
P822
cciss
hpsa
cciss
hpsa
2
hpsa
2
hpsa
P721m
cciss
hpsa
cciss
hpsa
2
hpsa
2
hpsa
Other current
controllers
cciss
cciss
cciss
cciss
cciss
cciss
Future
controllers
Cciss
2
hpsa
cciss
hpsa
hpsa
hpsa
There are no optional drivers for RHEL 6 and kernel.org:
1 Cciss is a supported driver in SLES 11, SP1, but an early hpsa version was offered as an optional driver.
2 SLES11 SP1 Bootable Driver Kit (BDK) image from hp.com or drivers.suse.com is required for these controllers
3 Even though SUSE in-box drivers can support hpsa with these controllers, HP recommends use of cciss driver, which is default driver for these.