{"id":11,"date":"2024-11-04T09:00:37","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T09:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rackware.nl\/?p=11"},"modified":"2024-11-04T09:05:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T09:05:46","slug":"enabling-the-uid-on-a-disk-drive-on-hpe-proliant-gen10-servers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rackware.nl\/?p=11","title":{"rendered":"Enabling the UID on a Disk Drive on HPE ProLiant Gen10 Servers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How to Identify and Replace a Faulty Disk in an HPE vSAN Node Using the ssacli Tool<\/h2>\n

Recently, we encountered a situation where a disk went bad in one of our customer\u2019s HPE vSAN nodes. As part of the troubleshooting and repair process, we needed to physically identify and replace the failed disk. However, without a clear indicator, it can be challenging for an onsite engineer to pinpoint the exact disk that needs replacing, especially in a populated disk array. This blog will walk you through a convenient way to enable the disk identification LED using the ssacli<\/code> tool, which comes in handy given that HPE’s iLO interface lacks a direct “Turn on UID” button.<\/p>\n

The Challenge: No UID Button in iLO<\/h3>\n

The HPE iLO (Integrated Lights Out) interface offers a wealth of remote management options, but unfortunately, it doesn\u2019t include a straightforward \u201cTurn on UID\u201d button. This would allow an engineer to activate an LED on the faulty disk, making it easy to spot among other disks in the array. Without this feature, we rely on other methods to ensure the right drive is being replaced.<\/p>\n

Solution: Using ssacli<\/code> with VMware ESXi 7<\/h3>\n

Since our HPE node is running VMware ESXi 7 with the HPE vendor addon, we can use the ssacli<\/code> utility to turn on the UID light for a specific drive. Here\u2019s how to do it step-by-step, with thanks to Wes Milliron for his excellent blog on the subject, which served as a key reference in this process. You can find his detailed post here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Identify the Failed Disk in iLO<\/h4>\n

First, log in to the HPE iLO interface to gather details on the failed drive. You need to locate the disk by its controller, port, box, and bay information. For instance, let\u2019s say we\u2019ve identified that the failed disk is in:<\/p>\n

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  • Controller Slot:<\/strong> 1<\/li>\n
  • Port:<\/strong> 1I<\/li>\n
  • Box:<\/strong> 2<\/li>\n
  • Bay:<\/strong> 1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This information helps us target the exact drive when using ssacli<\/code> to turn on the UID.<\/p>\n

    Step 2: Access the ssacli<\/code> Tool on the ESXi Host<\/h4>\n

    SSH into the ESXi host and navigate to the directory where ssacli<\/code> is located:<\/p>\n

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