Storage controller options

The server ships with an embedded Dynamic Smart Array B140i Controller. This embedded controller is supported in UEFI Boot Mode only. For more information about the controller and its features, see the HPE Dynamic Smart Array B140i RAID Controller User Guide on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise website.

Upgrade options exist for an integrated array controller. For a list of supported options, see the product QuickSpecs on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise website.

To configure arrays, see the HPE Smart Storage Administrator User Guide on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise website.

The server supports FBWC. FBWC consists of a cache module and a Smart Storage Battery Pack. The DDR cache module buffers and stores data being written by an integrated Gen9 P-series Smart Array Controller.

This server supports the 96-W Smart Storage Battery Pack. This battery pack can support up to 24 devices. Devices in this context refer to the Smart Array Controller or NVDIMM associated with the cache module.

The battery pack might have a low charge when installed. If the battery does have low charge, a POST error message appears when the server is powered up, indicating that the battery pack is temporarily disabled. No action is necessary. The internal circuitry automatically recharges the batteries and enables the battery pack. When the system is powered on this process might take approximately 2 hours.

If a system power failure occurs, a fully charged battery pack provides power for up to 150 seconds. During that interval, the controller transfers the cached data from DDR memory to flash memory, where the data remains indefinitely or until a controller retrieves the data. The data protection and the time limit also apply if a power outage occurs. When power is restored to the system, an initialization process writes the preserved data to the storage drives.

CAUTION: The cache module connector does not use the industry-standard DDR3 mini-DIMMs. Do not use the controller with cache modules designed for other controller models, because the controller can malfunction and you can lose data. Also, do not transfer this cache module to an unsupported controller model, because you can lose data.

CAUTION: To prevent a server malfunction or damage to the equipment, do not add or remove the battery pack while an array capacity expansion, RAID level migration, or stripe size migration is in progress.

CAUTION: After the server is powered down, wait for 30 seconds, and then check the amber LED before unplugging the cable from the cache module. If the amber LED flashes after 30 seconds, do not remove the cable from the cache module. The cache module is backing up data. Data will be lost if the cable is detached when the amber LED is still flashing.