How can I manage Dell H700 RAID controllers from the Linux command line?

Question

Previous PERC controllers could all be managed/monitored by the LSI MegaCLI tools. The latest release of those tools does not appear to recognize my H700 card:

$ sudo /opt/MegaRAID/MegaCli/MegaCli64 -adpCount 

Controller Count: 0.

Are there any options aside from installing the massive OMSA suite?

-Ben

Solution

You didn't mention which "latest release" you used. I just tried this and it seems to work fine now. The Dell H700 is using this chipset:

# lspci -v | grep LSI
01:00.0 RAID bus controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic LSI MegaSAS 9260 (rev 05)

Visit the support section of LSI's site, the 9260 is part of the "MegaRAID Value Line". That took me to MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i, click on the "Downloads" tab from there. I downloaded "MegaCLI - Linux (MegaRAID Release 5.0)", version 8.01.06 from 28-FEB-11. Unzip the package, then install/run it like this:

# rpm -i Lib_Utils-1.00-08.noarch.rpm MegaCli-8.01.06-1.i386.rpm 
# /opt/MegaRAID/MegaCli/MegaCli64 -AdpAllInfo -aALL  

Adapter #0

==============================================================================
                    Versions
                ================
Product Name    : PERC H700 Integrated
Serial No       : 0000000
FW Package Build: 12.10.0-0025

I blanked the serial number here for privacy reasons. You might need to do a firmware upgrade to your card as well to make it compatible. I wouldn't be surprised that this didn't work when you tried it and has only been fixed since. I try to hold off buying these new controllers from Dell until as long as possible after they've been released because of issues like that.

Comments

[Ash Stirland]

The latest release MegaCLI 8.07.14 opens /proc/devices to first scan for adapters. In VMWare ESX, this path does not exist. Try 8.07.07 instead.

[Bernd Wechner]

This is an old question, and much seems to have changed. I can only seem to find downloads with .rpm packages not .deb packages. Any more up to date tips appreciated.

[Bernd Wechner]

OK, some progress. Can convert to .deb with the alien package. Tried 8.07.07 and silently ignores the PERC H700 as well.

[Bernd Wechner]

Alas the earliest megacli I can find is 5.3 here: broadcom.com/… and it doesn't see the controller either. I can't seem to find 6.0 *8.01.06) alas.

[Bernd Wechner]

So I found MegaCli-8.01.06-1.i386.rpm here: repo.semantico.net/redhat/6Server/os/x86_64, but alas as I'm on a .deb based system I need to convert it using the alien package converter. But it won't convert as it's for i386 architecture and I'm on x86_64.

[Bernd Wechner]

OK, I converted it in a 32bit OS VM, and installed it fine on my server with i386 arch enabled. But alas even though it is 5.0 version 8.01.06 I don't see what Greg Smith sees, I see what Insyte sees. MegaCLI does not see my PERC H700. :-(

[Bernd Wechner]

And I finally succeeded in getting a version that works. Following these instructions: mybluelinux.com/debian-linux-and-lsi-megaraid-sas and using "xenial main" as the repo even though I'm focal not xenial, That installs megaCLI v8.07.14 and it works, the one trick, that I may have overlooked is that megacli must run as root to see the RAID controller. That is megacli -adpCount sees 0 adapters but sudo megacli -adpCount sees 1 and I can interact with it too. All is good now.