If you work with HPE Gen10 BladeSystem IT infrastructure and you are not ready to invest in the Synergy technology, this article is for you.
The HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen10 server blade is the latest addition to the HPE BladeSystem lineup, it has been released in 2017. If you want to stick with the HPE BladeSystem infrastructure, Synergy is something you can consider. BUT if you don't have enough budget, knowledge or simply there is no reason to replace the current infrastructure, you can always upgrade your extending hardware by newer blades and stronger and faster memory modules, SSDs, HDDs, processor (CPU) etc. even if the manufacturer (OEM) discontinues certain parts and announce End Of Sale (EOS) / End Of Life (EOL).
Let's start with a quick overview.
Overview
The HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen10 Server Blade is designed to optimize core IT applications, ensuring right-sized storage for the appropriate workload, all at a reduced TCO. Managed by HPE OneView, this converged management platform accelerates IT service delivery, enhancing business performance. The server blade now boasts the Intel® Xeon® Processor Scalable Family, offering up to a 25% bin to bin performance gain over its predecessors. This is complemented by 2666 MT/s HPE DDR4 SmartMemory. The server also supports tiered storage controller options, internal 12 Gb/s SAS, 20 Gb FlexibleLOMs, two M.2, NVMe, or up to four uFF drives, and HPE ProLiant Persistent Memory options.
What kind of options do we have in terms of enclosures?
Enclosures
Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers two different c-Class server blade enclosures to house the blade servers:
HPE BladeSystem c7000 rack enclosure: this is a 10U high enclosure which holds up to sixteen (16) ProLiant BL460c Gen10 servers plugged vertically. •
HPE BladeSystem c3000 rack enclosure: this is 6U high enclosure which holds up to eight (8) HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen10 servers plugged horizontally.
Server blades, interconnect modules, power supplies, fans, and redundant Onboard Administrator modules are all designed to fit into the c3000 and c7000 enclosures.
Moving on to the technical specification of the blade servers.
Technical Specifications of BL460c Gen10
Processors: up to 2 processors, Intel® Xeon® Scalable Family of processors - Generation 1 & 2., 1.9 to 3.8 GHz, depending on processor selected.
Processor Core Available: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 or 26, per processor, depending on model and generation selected.
Processor Cache: From 8.25 to 35.75 MB L3, depending on processor selected.
Memory: Maximum (LRDIMM) 2TB. 16 x 128GB up to 2666MT/s at 1.2V.
I/O Slots: I/O mezzanine cards: 2 x PCIe 3.0 (x16) mezzanine cards.
RAID Controllers: One (1) HPE Smart Array P204i-b 12G SAS modular Controller with 1GB Flash-Backed Write Cache (FBWC), or HPE Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 SW RAID.
Max Internal Storage: Hot Plug SFF SAS. Up to 7.68TB (2 x 3.84TB).
Drive Bays: 2 x 2.5″ SAS/SATA (HDD/SSD), NVMe SSD.
Drive Description: 2 SFF SAS/SATA/SSD, 2 SFF NVMe SSD or 4 uFF SSDs.
Expansion Slots: 2, for detailed descriptions reference the QuickSpecs.
Memory Type: HPE DDR4 SmartMemory.
Memory Slots: 16 DIMM slots (8 per socket).
Maximum Memory: Up to 2 TB capacities using 128 GB DDR4 DIMMs.
Memory Protection Features: Advanced ECC Memory Mirroring Memory Online Spare Mode (Rank Spare Mode).
Network Controller: HPE 10 Gb 536FLB FlexFabric adapter 2-ports per controller or HPE 20 Gb 650FLB FlexFabric adapter 2-ports per controller, depending on model.
Storage Controller: HPE Smart Array S100i and/or HPE Smart Array P204i-b, depending on model.
Power Supply Type: Up to 6 per enclosure with N+N or N+1 options.
System Fan Features: Hot-plug enclosure-based.
Infrastructure Management: HPE iLO Management with Intelligent Provisioning (standard) HPE iLO for BladeSystem, HPE OneView Advanced (optional).
Included Hard Drives: All drives optional.
Optical Drive Type: None.
Form Factor: 8 servers (c3000), 16 servers (c7000).
The next ones are the key features.
Key Features of BL460c Gen10
Drive Improved Economics: The Gen10 Server Blade drives a 75% reduction in licensing costs by modernizing IT infrastructure and offers a 64% faster server deployment.
Business Agility: With 16 GB HPE Persistent Memory, the server delivers great performance and data resiliency for databases and analytic workloads. It also features Intelligent System Tuning, Jitter smoothing, and Workload matching for optimal performance.
Converged Operations and Management: The server, in conjunction with HPE OneView, can save up to 40% of staff time from daily operations. It also reduces IT deployment and maintenance time.
Security Innovations: The server offers a silicon root of trust, firmware runtime validation, secure recovery, and Commercial National Security Algorithms (CNSA) for unmatched security.
And finally the 5 steps.
5 Steps to Extend the Life of Your HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen10 Server Blade Infrastructure
1. Assessment and Analysis:
Begin by having a comprehensive assessment of your current infrastructure (chassis, blade servers, switches and all other hardware). Identify the pain points and the areas of improvement.
If you aren't sure, have a brainstorming with your team, use monitoring tools to gather data on performance, usage patterns, and potential hardware or software failures.
2. Upgrade Key Components:
Prioritize upgrading critical components like SSDs, HDDs, memory modules, and CPUs to the latest and most powerful versions available.
Consider replacing any components that have been in use for an extended period or show signs of wear and tear.
Look up your hardware failures from the past and keep some spare parts onsite.
3. Implement Regular Maintenance:
Schedule regular maintenance checks to ensure that all components are functioning optimally.
Clean the server blades to prevent dust accumulation, which can lead to overheating. Ensure that the cooling systems are efficient and replace any malfunctioning fans.
Avoid updating / changing Firmware versions if you have a stable version.
Even, if the OEM doesn't povide support (CarePack) anymore (EOSL - End Of Service Life), you can still get hardware maintenance contract - Third Party Maintenace. In almost every country you'll find quality companies providing these kind of services, here is a list about the biggest TPMs: TPM list.
Third Party Maintenance companies are independent service providers that offer maintenance and support services for equipment, even after the OEM has declared the product as EOL or EOSL. They are not affiliated with the OEM and operate independently. TPMs can support a wide range of products from various OEMs, often at a lower cost than the OEM's post-warranty support.
4. Optimize Software and Workloads:
Review the software running on your server blades. Ensure that they are compatible with the latest hardware upgrades and are optimized for performance.
Distribute workloads efficiently across the infrastructure to prevent overburdening specific components and ensure smooth operation.
5. Plan for Future Scalability:
As your business grows, so will your IT needs. Plan for future expansions by ensuring that your current infrastructure can support additional server blades or other components. Don't get influenced by the manufacture and sales reps, they'll try to sell you the newest series. You can still keep your systems alive for a long time even if the equipment, parts etc. are EOS, EOL and EOSL. Upgrade on your own terms.
Stay informed about upcoming releases, such as the anticipated new series, so you can make informed decisions about when to upgrade or expand.
If you would like to read more on this topic, here are some links:
HPE BladeSystem c3000 Enclosure QuickSpecs - the c3000 HPE c-Class enclosures have full backwards and forwards compatibility, existing server blades are supported in the new enclosures and any future server blades will be supported in the existing enclosures.
HPE BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure QuickSpecs - The c7000 HPE c-Class enclosures have full backwards and forwards compatibility, existing server blades are supported in the new enclosures and any future server blades will be supported in the existing enclosures.
HPE BladeSystem c-Class Interconnect and Mezzanine Components
Are you ready to upgrade your existing HPE Blade infrastructure with some powerful parts? Get in touch with us now: info@server-parts.eu.