Notes on FC Drivers, Firmware, and BIOS
Applies to All HBA Models
For New Installations
The SANsymphony installation process will query all Fibre Channel HBAs installed in the DataCore Server and try to match them from a list of known PCI/Vendor Hardware IDs. Any HBAs that are matched, will have the native driver replaced with the DataCore driver during the SANsymphony. Any HBAs that are not matched will remain untouched.
Adding an HBA after SANsymphony has Already been Installed
HBAs that are inserted into a DataCore Server after SANsymphony has already been installed will need to apply the DataCore driver manually. For more details, see Replacing a Fibre Channel Driver.
Upgrading SANsymphony
Whenever the SANsymphony software is upgraded any HBAs that already have the DataCore driver on it will also get updated as well. HBAs that are installed but are not using the DataCore driver will remain untouched.
Never manually upgrade an HBA that is already using the DataCore driver. This will remove the existing DataCore driver and SANsymphony will report the HBA as if it were ‘offline’ or ‘not present’ within the SANsymphony Console. If this happens accidentally (for example when updating the Server Hardware using a third-party vendors own tools) then the DataCore driver can easily be reloaded. For more details, see Replacing a Fibre Channel Driver.
The version of DataCore’s QLogic driver and firmware is specific to each SANsymphony release.
Also see:
BIOS
The DataCore driver does not include the HBA’s BIOS. DataCore recommend using the vendor’s own tools and processes to upgrade the BIOS to the most current available whenever possible but be careful that the driver or firmware is not also upgraded at the same time. See the above warning.
Applies Only to Emulex 16/32/64GB HBAs
Firmware
SANsymphony, during installation, will query Emulex HBAs to make sure that there is a always a minimum firmware version installed. If the firmware is too old, then SANsymphony will attempt to update the firmware on the HBA to a version that is packaged with the SANsymphony software. Emulex HBAs with later firmware versions will not have their firmware changed.
Also, unlike QLogic HBAs, it is safe to upgrade Emulex HBA firmware using the vendor’s own tools - although be careful about not also ‘updating’ the Windows driver as well (see the above warning). However, unless there is a specific, technical reason from the vendor to upgrade the HBAs firmware, DataCore recommend using the SANsymphony installed version.
Applies Only to Emulex 8GB HBAs
Firmware
Unlike the newer 16/32/64GB Emulex HBAs, SANsymphony does not provide any firmware for 8GB HBAs and the firmware that is already on the HBA, when the DataCore driver is installed, will be used.
Also, unlike QLogic HBAs, it is safe to upgrade Emulex HBA firmware using the vendor’s own tools - although be careful about not also ‘updating’ the Windows driver as well (see the above warning).
Vendor Only (Third Party) Drivers
HBAs that are not using the DataCore’ drivers cannot be managed by SANsymphony and so cannot be used for Front-End (FE) or Mirror (MR) port connections.
If a storage vendor has their own preferred HBA driver and the DataCore Back-End (BE) driver cannot be used, then use the vendor’s own recommended tools to upgrade or replace any HBAs connected to the storage after the installation of SANsymphony - although be careful about not also ‘updating’ the Windows driver for HBAs that are using DataCore’s driver at the same time (see the above warning).