Drive Validation

By: Natty Ayana

Problem? What Problem?

• Drives being distributed to BLT often have outdated firmware and left over data on them causing problems when they are slotted into a functioning server.

• Why am I here?• Learn about the Drive Validation project & it’s importance• Make sure all drives are up to date and healthy before putting them into

servers• Make sure there is no conflict between the drive we are giving to BLT and

the drives already in the servers• Ensure minimal downtime in critical servers

How did we get here?

• Prior to this drive validation setup there was no process in place to ensure that reclaimed drives going into critical servers were going to function properly.

• Once problems started cropping up, BLT setup a validation station in 37 until we could get a station up and running in 123

Phase 1(Getting server ready for validation)

• Load the server• DO NOT PUT DRIVES IN THE SAME ROW AS THE OS DRIVE • For Dell’s do not put drives in the server with the OS drives

• Log into server with credentials• Open drive health application

• For Dell open up “server administration” (select continue even though it says not recommended)

• For HP click the window button, type “HP smart storage” and select the aplication (pin to task bar)

Phase 2(Checking health of drives)

• HP• Open HP smart storage administrator (should be pinned task bar)• On the left hand side select smart array P822• Under actions click configure• On the left hand side select Physical drives (this will show status and quantity of drives. (Yellow

triangle=problem, no indicator= good)

• Dell• Under System (on the left) click the + button to expand storage options• On the left select PERC H810 adaptor• Select logical drive connector• Select enclosure MD 1220• Select physical disks (this will show status and quantity of drives. (Green=good to go, Yellow=problem)

Phase 3(Validating the drive)

• HP• 1. Open File Folder• 2. Select OSDisk (C drive)• 3. Select Drive_Validation_Wipe• Right click HPFWUpdate and select run with PowerShell• Server will reboot upon completetion (it can take up to 3-4 minutes to reboot)• Repeat the first 3 steps of the process• Right Click NukeAndClearRaidDisks+EraseAllDrives and select Run with

PowerShell (it may ask you to confim the action. Type “Y” and hit enter)• Repeat the first 3 steps• Right click HPFWCheck and select Run with PowerShell• Proceed to phase 4

Phase 3 Cont.

• Dell• Open file explorer • Select OSDisk (C Drive) • Select Drive_Validation_Wipe • Right click NukeAndClearRaidDisks+EraseAllDrives and Select run with

PowerShell• Let the program run and finish• Continue to phase 4

Phase 4(Re-validating the drive)

• Repeat Phase 2 to re-validate the drives• If drive shows Good and is in inventory, move the drive to the designated wall

bin location for distribution• If drive shows Good and is not in inventory, move it to the validated not in

inventory bin• If Drive shows Problem, place it in the problem drive bin to be validated again• If drive shows predictive failure at any point in the process immediately remove

and PCR

Good Luck Team!