Hpacucli is the a command line Array Configuration Utility program for Smart Array Controllers and RAID Array Controllers. The command can be installed in one of two ways; either by standalone rpm, or as part of the Proliant Support Pack. The utility is useful as it allows you to create and delete raid configs without having to reboot.

First run the hpacucli command to start the utility. Once the utility is started run the command below to show your arrays and disks.

=> ctrl all show config

In my case I had added 3 additonal drives to a DL385 G1 with the intention of creating a simple raid1 mirror with a hot spare. The command below creates the second array, array B.

=>ctrl slot=0 create type=ld drives=2:3,2:4 raid=1

Now I can view my new array using ctrl all show config.

  array B (Parallel SCSI, Unused Space: 0 MB)

      logicaldrive 2 (67.8 GB, RAID 1, OK)
      physicaldrive 2:3   (port 2:id 3 , Parallel SCSI, 72.8 GB, OK)
      physicaldrive 2:4   (port 2:id 4 , Parallel SCSI, 72.8 GB, OK)

Now I add the remaining drive as a hot spare to the newly created array B

=> ctrl slot=0 array B add spares=2:5

The command below can be used to show the status of your array, which in my case is not good.

=> ctrl all show status

Smart Array 6i in Slot 0 (Embedded)
   Controller Status: OK
   Cache Status: Temporarily Disabled
   Battery/Capacitor Status: Failed (Replace Batteries/Capacitors)