CX4 for Home Lab

Hi,

So I am currently setting up a Homelab to experiment with virtualization and big data type applications using ESXi, and need some advice. I currently have the lab configured with an HP c7000 Blade Enclosure, with 2 (expanding to 8) BL460C g7 blades and Emulex 4Gb/s FC HBAs. I want to setup a shared SAN to store VMs as well as common resources. Since I cannot afford the cost of new products, I am likely going to purchase used.

There is an abundance of KTN-STL4s (CX4 DAEs) that can be had for very reasonable prices on the internet. My understanding is that these must be paired with a CX3 or CX4 SPE to function. I also understand that they must come with the original hard drives with FLARE installed to work properly. Can anyone provide some tips as to how to identify whether FLARE is installed easily, and how I might go about setting this system up?

Thanks!