2.2 Compatibility & Reference Resources: SPOCK, QuickSpecs & HPE Support Center
Key Takeaways
SPOCK (Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge for HPE Storage Products) is HPE's interoperability reference for host operating systems, HBAs and drivers, multipathing, switches and array firmware.
A configuration is supported only when every layer in the data path appears together in SPOCK, including any footnoted settings or minimum versions.
QuickSpecs publish each product's models, specifications, options and ordering rules, such as the MSA Gen7 requirement for two controllers.
HPE supports third-party servers with MSA Gen7 only as an HPE Storage Block: HPE HBAs, HPE switches, HPE firmware and drivers, HPE multipathing and HPE storage.
HPE Support Center provides manuals, release notes, firmware and support cases; licensed software such as the HPE Storage Integration Pack for VMware vCenter comes from My Software Center.
Compatibility & Reference Resources
Quick Answer: Before you finalize any design, check it in SPOCK (hpe.com/storage/spock), HPE's interoperability database for storage. Confirm the product rules in the QuickSpecs, and use HPE Support Center for manuals, release notes, firmware and support cases. A configuration is supported only when the full stack (host OS, HBA and driver, multipathing, switch firmware and array firmware) is listed together in SPOCK.
SPOCK: Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge
SPOCK stands for Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge for HPE Storage Products. HPE's product documents point to it for every interoperability question. For example, the MSA Gen7 QuickSpecs direct readers to SPOCK for compatible operating systems and HBAs, and the B10000 QuickSpecs note that host OS support varies by connectivity protocol and should be checked in SPOCK.
What SPOCK covers
| Layer | Examples of what is listed |
|---|---|
| Host operating system | Windows Server and Hyper-V, VMware ESXi, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Oracle Linux, with versions and updates |
| Host adapter | HBA or CNA model, firmware or boot code, and OS driver version |
| Multipathing | The OS multipath software and settings to use with the array |
| Fabric | Fibre Channel switch models and firmware (HPE B-series and C-series), and supported transceivers |
| Array | Array model and firmware or OS release |
| Data protection | StoreOnce support matrix: backup applications, Catalyst plug-ins and key managers |
SPOCK also covers the protocols each array supports, such as Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NVMe over Fibre Channel, NVMe over TCP and SAS.
Reading a SPOCK result
- Start from the array and its firmware or OS version.
- Find the host OS at the exact version and update level.
- Check the HBA, its firmware and its driver for that OS.
- Check the switch model and firmware between them.
- Read every footnote. Footnotes often add conditions, such as a minimum driver release, a required multipath policy or a queue-depth setting. A row that looks supported is not supported if its footnote conditions are ignored.
What "not in SPOCK" means
If a component version is not listed, the configuration is not a supported HPE configuration. A brand-new driver from an adapter vendor's website is not automatically supported. HPE support may ask the customer to move to a listed version before escalating a case. When a business need truly requires an unlisted combination, work through the HPE account team rather than deploying it and hoping.
The HPE Storage Block rule for third-party servers
HPE MSA Gen7 supports industry-standard, non-HPE servers only as an HPE Storage Block: an HPE-branded HBA, HPE-branded switch, HPE-supplied firmware and drivers, HPE-supplied multipathing software where applicable, and HPE storage. The supported combinations are in the MSA array interoperability table in SPOCK. If a customer wants to attach an MSA to third-party servers with non-HPE HBAs, that is outside the documented support model.
QuickSpecs: product facts and ordering rules
QuickSpecs are HPE's product specification documents. Each one lists models and SKUs, standard features, limits, options and the configuration rules that OCS enforces. Examples you will meet in this guide:
- MSA Gen7: two controllers per array, 8 host ports, up to 9 expansion enclosures, and no single-controller configurations.
- B10000: RAID 6 only, a minimum of eight drives per chassis in two-drive increments, and no mixing of drive capacities or of TLC and QLC SSDs in one system.
- StoreOnce: usable capacity range, maximum Catalyst backup performance and Cloud Bank Storage limits per model.
When a question asks "how many", "which ports" or "which license", the answer comes from QuickSpecs.
HPE Support Center and related portals
| Resource | What you use it for |
|---|---|
| HPE Support Center (support.hpe.com) | User and installation guides, best-practice papers, release notes, firmware and driver downloads, warranty checks and support cases |
| HPE My Software Center | Licensed software and license keys, such as the HPE Storage Integration Pack for VMware vCenter |
| HPE product alerts | Subscriptions to advisories and firmware notices |
| HPE Tech Pro | Partner learning paths that prepare candidates for the HPE3 credential exams |
The HPE Storage Integration Pack for VMware vCenter (formerly OneView for vCenter) lets vSphere administrators see and manage supported HPE storage from vCenter. With an MSA it can create, expand and delete datastores, show VM-to-volume relationships and display array health. It does not require a separate license.
A complete pre-deployment checklist
| Check | Resource |
|---|---|
| Workload measured and solution sized | SAF, NinjaSTARS or Ninja Online for MSA |
| Configuration is valid and orderable | QuickSpecs, OCS or OCA |
| Host, HBA, driver, multipathing, switch and array combination is supported | SPOCK |
| Firmware and software at recommended levels | HPE Support Center release notes |
| Integration software available | My Software Center |
Common exam traps
- Assuming the newest vendor driver is supported. Only SPOCK-listed versions are supported.
- Ignoring footnotes. Footnote conditions are part of the support statement.
- Thinking SPOCK covers only Fibre Channel. It covers FC, iSCSI, NVMe/FC, NVMe/TCP, SAS and data protection software.
- Mixing up the tools. SPOCK answers "is it supported?"; QuickSpecs answer "what are the product's rules and limits?"; NinjaSTARS answers "what size do I need?"
An administrator plans to upgrade the HBA driver on several ESXi hosts that connect to an HPE array. The adapter vendor's website shows a newer driver than the one listed for the array. What should the administrator do?
Install the newest vendor driver, because a newer driver is always supported by HPE
Use a driver SPOCK lists for that ESXi, HBA and array, meeting any footnotes
Ask One Config Simple to approve the driver before installing it on the hosts
Disable multipathing until HPE releases a matching array firmware update
A customer wants to connect an HPE MSA Gen7 to non-HPE industry-standard servers. According to the MSA Gen7 QuickSpecs, what makes this a supported configuration?
Any server works as long as it connects to the MSA with 12Gb SAS cables
The servers must run VMware ESXi with the HPE custom image installed
The customer must buy the MSA Advanced Data Services Suite for each attached server
Use an HPE Storage Block: HPE HBAs, switches, firmware, drivers and multipathing
Which HPE resource is the right place to confirm that an HPE MSA Gen7 array supports up to nine expansion enclosures and requires two controllers?
The product QuickSpecs
SAF Analyze
HPE InfoSight
The Pearson VUE exam datacard
Which statement about SPOCK is correct?
It is a performance simulator that predicts IOPS and latency for proposed HPE arrays
It is a compatibility list that covers only Fibre Channel SANs and switches
It is HPE's interoperability reference across the full data path and many protocols
It is the cloud console used to provision volumes and hosts on cloud-managed HPE arrays
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.