When managing Dell servers using OpenManage Server Administrator, you might encounter messages related to “certified drives.” It’s crucial to understand that these alerts aren’t simply about where you purchased your hardware; they highlight a significant aspect of drive compatibility and server health.
The core issue isn’t buying a hard drive from a third-party supplier instead of directly from Dell. The real distinction lies in whether you’re using a Dell-certified drive. Here’s why this certification matters. Server manufacturers like Dell often collaborate with hard drive manufacturers to customize firmware specifically for their server environments. For certain hard drive models intended for Dell servers, Dell develops and rigorously tests firmware. This customized firmware is then pre-loaded by the drive manufacturer onto drives specifically designated as “Dell-certified.” These certified drives are available from various suppliers, often at competitive prices compared to purchasing directly from Dell.
This certification process is vital because Dell, like other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), fine-tunes both their storage controllers and drive firmware to work in perfect harmony. Generic or retail versions of the same hard drive model lack this Dell-specific firmware. Consequently, these non-certified drives might not behave predictably with Dell controllers. This mismatch can lead to performance degradation, unexpected errors, and potential data integrity issues.
OpenManage Server Administrator diligently logs and alerts on drive certification status because this information is indispensable for effective troubleshooting. When storage-related problems arise, the first question in any diagnostic process, especially when involving Dell support, will invariably be about drive certification. Non-certified drives are frequently identified as the root cause of such issues. Therefore, these alerts serve as an early warning system.
While these persistent messages about non-certified drives can be a nuisance, it’s important to recognize their purpose. Currently, there isn’t a straightforward way to dismiss these alerts within OpenManage Server Administrator. While advanced users familiar with OpenManage’s command-line interface or hardware alert filtering might seek workarounds, it’s essential to understand why these messages are generated. They are designed to ensure the stability and reliability of your Dell server environment by highlighting potential compatibility concerns related to non-certified drives. Ignoring them could mean overlooking potential hardware issues that might impact your server’s performance and data integrity in the long run.
