Configure Online Spare HDD using HP ACU

Today we will discuss how to assign an online spare HDD to a Hard drive array using HP Array configuration Utility (ACU). I hope you are familiar with HP Array configuration utility. If Windows OS is installed on your Server, then you can find HP ACU listed under Programs –> HP System Tools –> HP Array Configuration Utility. Please visit our Guide about HP Array configuration utility to understand how to launch ACU and create RAID using it.
Guide: Configure RAID using HP ACU on your HP Server
You might be thinking why I need a spare Hard drive configured in my array?  When a Hard drive fails in an array, the spare HDD will be kicked-in and the array will rebuild to the spare HDD. If HDD fails during Server operation, the HP Smart Array controller automatically begins rebuilding each logical drive onto the online spare, this is a very automated process and no user input is required.
Once the Array/Logical drive rebuild operation is completed, the Server is back to the normal condition. Now you can go ahead and replace the failed HDD on the server.
We have seen how to configure Online spare hard drive using HP ORCA, today we will see how to configure online spare (also called as Hots pare HDD) using HP array configuration utility.

Configure Online Spare Hard drive (Hotspare) using HP ACU:

1. Open HP Array Configuration Utility on your Server

2.  Change the View to Physical View and you will find 5 HDDs are listed.

3. Now let us create a Hard drive array. Click on Create Array now.

4. Select the hard drives from the list. We have selected 4 HDDs here.
5. Click on OK

6. SAS Array A is created now (Please check below provided screenshot)
7. Now create a Logical drive by clicking Create Logical Drive

8. Select the RAID level (Fault tolerance) for the logical drive and click on Save.

9. Now Logical drive is created (Name will be changed to SAS Array A – 1 Logical drive)
10. Click on Spare Management to Assign the online Spare HDD to the Array.

11. Selected the HDD in Bay 5 as online Spare and click on Save button

12. Congrats, the spare HDD is assigned to SAS Array A. The spare HDD color will be changed to Green

13. Exit the Array Configuration Utility!

We can assign the same Spare HDD to another Array and it will be called as Global Spare or Shared Spare. HP ORCA will not allow us to assign Global spare. We will write another article regarding Global spare soon.

Refer to http://www.tricksguide.com/