HP P2000 HP BladeSystem Deployment Guide for Solutions with 6Gb SAS Switches a - Page 41

Installation notes and best practices HP BladeSystem c-Class enclosure, server blade, SAS controller, and 6Gb SAS BL Switch: • Before installing SAS controllers on server blades and installing SAS BL Switches in BladeSystem c-Class enclosure interconnect bays, be sure to understand the mapping relationships between the devices. For more information, see "Device relationships and mapping information" (page 37). HP BladeSystem c-Class enclosure: • The BladeSystem c-Class enclosure can be installed in a rack or rack-free environment. • Before installing components in the BladeSystem c-Class enclosure, be sure to review enclosure device bay and interconnect bay numbering. HP P711m/P712m controller: • New HP ProLiant server blades auto-configure when they are powered up for the first time. For more information about the Auto configuration process, see the server-specific setup and installation guide or the HP ROM-Based Setup Utility User Guide. These guides are available on the server Documentation CD. • Do not power up the server until the hardware configuration is satisfactory and remember to check the HP P711m/P712m website for the latest firmware version and upgrade. HP 6Gb SAS BL Switch: • The HP 6Gb SAS BL Switch is not supported for use in the first-generation BladeSystem c7000 enclosure. Only the second-generation c7000 is supported. • When selecting a BladeSystem interconnect bay for the switch, make sure that the selected interconnect bay maps to the desired server blade. For more information, see "Device relationships and mapping information" (page 37) • Both switches in an interconnect bay row of the BladeSystem c-Class enclosure must be the same model. For example, both switches must be 6Gb SAS BL Switches. Mixing SAS BL Switches and Fibre Channel or Ethernet switches in the same interconnect bay row is not supported. • In dual-domain configurations with two switches installed in the same interconnect bay row of the BladeSystem enclosure: ◦ Both switches must have the same version of firmware installed. ◦ If both switches need updating, they must be updated individually. First, update the firmware on the switch with the active VSM. Then, update the firmware on the switch with the passive VSM. P2000 G3 SAS MSA Array System controller and drive enclosure: • You can specify a nickname (host name) for the SAS WWN to be able to easily identify the host in the host list. See "Adding a host" in the HP P2000 G3 MSA System SMU Reference Guide or set host name in the HP P2000 G3 MSA System CLI Reference Guide. • If creating multiple volumes, consider using multiple vdisks to improve performance. • Decide whether to use explicit mapping to control which hosts can access a volume. For more information, see "Provisioning the system" in the HP P2000 G3 MSA System SMU Reference Guide. • Use blanks to fill unpopulated drive bays. Gaps between components cause changes in airflow through the device. Using blanks ensures proper airflow. Installation notes and best practices 41