Task 12: Install FC HBA Drivers (Conditional)

DOCUMENT CATEGORY: Runbook SCOPE: FC HBA driver installation PURPOSE: Install and verify FC HBA drivers so nodes present WWPNs to the FC fabric MASTER REFERENCE: Microsoft Learn — Prepare hardware for Azure Local SAN deployment

Status: Active

Skip this task if deploying Storage Spaces Direct (S2D)

This task applies only to disaggregated SAN deployments. If you are deploying with Storage Spaces Direct (hyperconverged), skip to Task 15: Complete Combined Script.

Overview

Azure Local disaggregated deployments require Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) in each node. Before zoning can be configured in the FC fabric, the HBA drivers must be installed and WWPNs collected. This task installs vendor-provided drivers and records each node's WWPN for FC fabric zoning.

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When to Run

Scenario	Run?
SAN disaggregated deployment	✅ Yes — all nodes
Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) deployment	❌ Skip
HBA drivers already installed from OEM image	✅ Yes — verify and collect WWPNs

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Prerequisites

Requirement	Details
Tasks 01–11 complete	Nodes named, storage cleaned
HBA hardware installed	FC HBAs seated in PCIe slots on all nodes
HBA vendor driver package	Download from your HBA vendor (Emulex, QLogic, Broadcom, Marvell, etc.)
FC fabric access	Fabric admin ready to configure zoning after WWPN collection

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Variables from variables.yml

Path	Type	Description
cluster_nodes[].management_ip	string	PSRemoting target IP (orchestrated mode)
cluster_nodes[].hostname	string	Node display name for logging
cluster_nodes[].fc_hba[].wwpn	string	Record here after collection — used for FC zoning

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Execution Options

Direct (On Node)

Run on each node individually via console, RDP, or PSRemoting.

Toolkit script: scripts/deploy/04-cluster-deployment/phase-03-os-configuration/task-12-install-fc-hba-drivers-conditional/powershell/Install-FcHbaDrivers-Direct.ps1

# Task 12 - Install FC HBA Drivers (run on each node)
# Consult your HBA vendor documentation for the correct .inf driver path

# Stage 1: Install driver via PnP
# Replace <path-to-driver.inf> with the vendor-provided INF file path
PNPUTIL /add-driver "<path-to-driver.inf>" /install

# Stage 2: Confirm HBA ports are detected
Get-InitiatorPort | Select-Object NodeAddress, PortAddress, ConnectionType |
    Where-Object { $_.ConnectionType -eq 'Fibre Channel' } |
    Format-Table -AutoSize

# Stage 3: Record WWPNs for each node (save to variables.yml)
# PortAddress field contains the WWPN in XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX format
Get-InitiatorPort | Where-Object { $_.ConnectionType -eq 'Fibre Channel' } |
    Select-Object @{N='Node';E={$env:COMPUTERNAME}}, NodeAddress, PortAddress |
    Export-Csv -Path "C:\Temp\wwpn-$env:COMPUTERNAME.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Orchestrated Script

Run from the management server against all nodes.

Toolkit script: scripts/deploy/04-cluster-deployment/phase-03-os-configuration/task-12-install-fc-hba-drivers-conditional/powershell/Invoke-FcHbaDrivers-Orchestrated.ps1

# Task 12 - Install FC HBA Drivers (orchestrated)
# variables.yml: cluster_nodes[].management_ip -> $ServerList

$ConfigPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\variables.yml"
$ServerList = (Get-Content $ConfigPath | Select-String 'management_ip:\s+"?([^"'' ]+)' |
    ForEach-Object { $_.Matches[0].Groups[1].Value.Trim() })

# Collect WWPNs from all nodes
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $ServerList -ScriptBlock {
    Get-InitiatorPort | Where-Object { $_.ConnectionType -eq 'Fibre Channel' } |
        Select-Object @{N='Node';E={$env:COMPUTERNAME}}, NodeAddress, PortAddress
} | Sort-Object Node | Format-Table -AutoSize

Note: Driver installation requires staging the vendor INF to each node before running. Consult your HBA vendor documentation for the driver package appropriate to the installed HBA model.

Standalone Script

When to use: Use this option for a self-contained deployment without a shared configuration file.

Script: See azurelocal-toolkit → scripts/deploy/ for the standalone script for this task.

Content Pending

Standalone script content references the toolkit repository. See the Orchestrated Script tab for the primary implementation.

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Validation

# Confirm HBA ports are online and WWPNs visible
$ServerList = @("<node1-ip>", "<node2-ip>")
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $ServerList -ScriptBlock {
    Get-InitiatorPort | Where-Object { $_.ConnectionType -eq 'Fibre Channel' } |
        Select-Object @{N='Node';E={$env:COMPUTERNAME}}, PortAddress, ConnectionType, OperationalStatus
} | Sort-Object Node | Format-Table -AutoSize

Expected: Each node shows 1–4 FC initiator ports depending on HBA count. OperationalStatus should be Online once fabric-connected.

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WWPN Collection Worksheet

Node	HBA Port	WWPN	Fabric (A/B)
NODE01	Port 0	___________________________	A
NODE01	Port 1	___________________________	B
NODE02	Port 0	___________________________	A
NODE02	Port 1	___________________________	B

Provide WWPNs to FC Fabric Admin

Once WWPNs are collected, provide them to the FC fabric administrator for zoning configuration. Zoning must be completed after Arc registration (Phase 04) — the storage array's port WWPNs are needed to complete the zone configuration.

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Rolling Reboot (if required)

Driver installation may require a node restart. In a cluster, reboot one node at a time to maintain availability:

# Drain and reboot one node at a time
Suspend-ClusterNode -Name "<NodeName>" -Drain
# Wait for roles to migrate
Restart-Computer -ComputerName "<node-ip>" -Force
# Wait for node to rejoin
Resume-ClusterNode -Name "<NodeName>"

For initial pre-cluster deployment (Phase 03), simply reboot each node and confirm the OS comes back online.

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Validation Checklist

• HBA drivers installed on all nodes
• FC initiator ports visible (Get-InitiatorPort shows Fibre Channel ports)
• WWPNs collected and recorded in variables.yml under cluster_nodes[].fc_hba[].wwpn
• WWPN list provided to FC fabric administrator

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Navigation

← Task 11: Clear Storage · ↑ Phase 03 · Task 13: Configure MPIO →

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Version Control

Version	Date	Author	Changes
1.0.0	2026-05-02	Azure Local Cloud	Initial release