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Dell PowerVault MD3200 Owner's Manual - Page 29

Planning: RAID Controller Modules, RAID Controller Modules - sas storage array

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3 Planning: RAID Controller Modules RAID Controller Modules The RAID controller modules provide high-performance, advanced virtual disk configuration, and fault-tolerant disk subsystem management. Each RAID controller module contains 2 GB of cache that is mirrored with the other controller's cache for high availability and is protected by a batterypowered cache offload mechanism. RAID controller modules provide the following data path and enclosure management functions: • Monitoring and controlling enclosure environment elements (temperature, fans, power supplies, and enclosure LEDs) • Controlling access to the physical disks • Communicating enclosure attributes and states to the host server and management station Each RAID controller module has multiple SAS IN ports for host access. The ports provide redundant host connections and support a high availability storage environment. Various configurations can be utilized, in both single controller (simplex) and dual controller (duplex) modes, to connect the storage enclosure to hosts depending on specific redundancy needs. For information on cabling, see the MD3200 and MD3220 Series storage array's Deployment Guide. Planning: RAID Controller Modules 29

Section	Page
Introduction	17
About This Document	17
Inside the box of the Dell PowerVault MD3200 Series Storage Array	18
Dell PowerVault MD3200 Series Storage Array	18
Dell PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manager	18
Other Information you May Need	19
Planning: About Your Storage Array	21
Overview	21
Hardware Features	22
Front-Panel Features and Indicators	22
Back Panel Features and Indicators	25
Hard-Drive Indicator Patterns	26
Power Supply and Cooling Fan Features	27
Power Indicator Codes	28
Planning: RAID Controller Modules	29
RAID Controller Modules	29
RAID Controller Module Connectors and Features	30
RAID Controller Module-Additional Features	32
Battery Backup Unit	32
Storage Array Thermal Shutdown	33
System Password Reset	33
Cache Functions and Features	34
Cache Mirroring	34
Write-Back Cache	34
Write-Through Cache	34
Planning: MD3200 Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts	35
Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, and Disk Groups	35
Physical Disks	36
Physical Disk States	36
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology	37
Virtual Disks and Disk Groups	37
Virtual Disk States	38
RAID Levels	38
RAID Level Usage	39
Segment Size	41
Virtual Disk Operations	41
Virtual Disk Initialization	41
Background Initialization	41
Foreground Initialization	41
Consistency Check	42
Media Verification	42
Cycle Time	42
Virtual Disk Operations Limit	43
Disk Group Operations	43
RAID Level Migration	43
Segment Size Migration	43
Virtual Disk Capacity Expansion	44
Disk Group Expansion	44
Disk Group Defragmentation	45
Disk Group Operations Limit	45
RAID Background Operations Priority	45
Virtual Disk Migration and Disk Roaming	46
Disk Migration	46
Disk Roaming	48
Advanced Features	48
Host Server-to-Virtual Disk Mapping	49
Host Types	49
Snapshot Virtual Disks	49
Snapshot Repository Virtual Disk	50
Virtual Disk Copy	51
Virtual Disk Recovery	51
Using Snapshot and Disk Copy Together	52
Multi-Path Software	52
Preferred and Alternate Controllers and Paths	53
Virtual Disk Ownership	53
Load Balancing	54
Monitoring MD3200 Series System Performance	55
Configuration: Overview	59
User Interface	59
Enterprise Management Window	60
Array Management Window	61
Configuration: About Your Storage Array	63
Out-of-Band and In-Band Management	63
Storage Arrays	64
Adding Storage Arrays	64
Setting Up Your Storage Array	66
Locating Storage Arrays	67
Naming or Renaming Storage Arrays	68
Setting a Password	69
Viewing Storage Array Connections	70
Adding/Editing a Comment to an Existing Storage Array	71
Removing Storage Arrays	71
Enabling Premium Features	72
Failover Alert Display	72
Changing the Cache Settings on the Storage Array	73
Changing Expansion Enclosure ID Number	73
Changing the Enclosure Order in the Physical Pane	73
Configuring Alert Notifications	74
Configuring E-mail Alerts	75
Configuring SNMP Alerts	77
Battery Settings	78
Setting the Storage Array RAID Controller Module Clocks	79
Configuration: Event Monitor	81
Enabling or Disabling the Event Monitor	82
Windows	82
Linux	82
Configuration: About Your Host	83
Configuring Host Access	83
Using the Mappings Tab	84
Defining a Host	84
Removing Host Access	86
Managing Host Groups	86
Creating a Host Group	86
Moving a Host to a Different Host Group	87
Removing a Host Group	88
Host Topology	88
Starting or Stopping the Host Context Agent	89
I/O Data Path Protection	90
Managing Host Port Identifiers	91
Configuration: Disk Groups and Virtual Disks	93
Creating Disk Groups and Virtual Disks	93
Creating Disk Groups	94
Locating a Disk Group	96
Creating Virtual Disks	96
Changing the Virtual Disk Modification Priority	98
Changing the Virtual Disk Cache Settings	99
Changing the Segment Size of a Virtual Disk	101
Changing the I/O Type	102
Choosing an Appropriate Physical Disk Type	103
Physical Disk Security with Self Encrypting Disk	104
Creating a Security Key	106
Changing a Security Key	108
Saving a Security Key	109
Unlocking Secure Physical Disks	110
Erasing Secure Physical Disks	111
Configuring Hot Spare Physical Disks	111
Hot Spares and Rebuild	113
Global Hot Spares	113
Hot Spare Operation	114
Hot Spare Drive Protection	114
Enclosure Loss Protection	115
Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping	116
Creating Host-to-Virtual Disk Mappings	117
Modifying and Removing Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping	118
Changing Controller Ownership of the Virtual Disk	119
Removing Host-to-Virtual Disk Mapping	120
Changing the RAID Controller Module Ownership of a Disk Group	121
Changing the RAID Level of a Disk Group	122
Restricted Mappings	122
Changing the RAID Controller Module Ownership of a Virtual Disk or a Disk Group	124
Changing the RAID Level of a Disk Group	125
Storage Partitioning	126
Disk Group and Virtual Disk Expansion	128
Disk Group Expansion	128
Virtual Disk Expansion	129
Using Free Capacity	129
Using Unconfigured Capacity	129
Disk Group Migration	130
Export Disk Group	130
Exporting a Disk Group	130
Import Disk Group	131
Importing a Disk Group	131
Storage Array Media Scan	132
Changing Media Scan Settings	133
Suspending the Media Scan	134
Configuration: Premium Feature- Snapshot Virtual Disks	135
Creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk Using the Simple Path	136
About the Simple Path	137
Preparing Host Servers to Create the Snapshot Using the Simple Path	137
Creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk Using the Advanced Path	140
About the Advanced Path	140
Preparing Host Servers to Create the Snapshot Using the Advanced Path	141
Creating the Snapshot Using the Advanced Path	143
Specifying Snapshot Virtual Disk Names	145
Snapshot Repository Capacity	146
Re-creating Snapshot Virtual Disks	149
Disabling a Snapshot Virtual Disk	150
Preparing Host Servers to Re-create a Snapshot Virtual Disk	151
Re-creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk	152
Configuration: Premium Feature- Virtual Disk Copy	153
Creating a Virtual Disk Copy for an MSCS Shared Disk	154
Virtual Disk Read/Write Permissions	155
Virtual Disk Copy Restrictions	155
Creating a Virtual Disk Copy	156
Before you Begin	157
Virtual Disk Copy and Modification Operations	157
Create Copy Wizard	157
Failed Virtual Disk Copy	158
Preferred RAID Controller Module Ownership	158
Failed RAID Controller Module	158
Copy Manager	159
Copying the Virtual Disk	159
Storage Array Performance During Virtual Disk Copy	160
Setting Copy Priority	161
Stopping a Virtual Disk Copy	161
Recopying a Virtual Disk	162
Preparing Host Servers to Recopy a Virtual Disk	162
Recopying the Virtual Disk	163
Removing Copy Pairs	164
Configuration: Premium Feature- Upgrading to High-Performance- Tier	165
Configuration: Device Mapper Multipath for Linux	167
Overview	167
Using DM Multipathing Devices	168
Prerequisite Steps	168
Device Mapper Configuration Steps	169
Limitations and Known Issues	174
Troubleshooting	175
Management: Firmware Downloads	177
Downloading RAID Controller and NVSRAM Packages	177
Downloading Both RAID Controller and NVSRAM Firmware	178
Downloading Only NVSRAM Firmware	180
Downloading Physical Disk Firmware	183
Downloading MD1200 Series Expansion Module EMM Firmware	185
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART)	186
Media Errors and Unreadable Sectors	187
Management: Installing Array Components	189
Recommended Tools	189
Front Bezel (Optional)	190
Removing the Front Bezel	190
Installing the Front Bezel	190
Hard Drives	191
Removing a Drive Blank	191
Installing a Drive Blank	192
Removing a Hard Drive	192
Installing a Hard Drive	194
Removing a Hard Drive From a Hard-Drive Carrier	195
Installing a Hard Drive Into a Drive Carrier	197
RAID Controller Module	197
Removing a RAID Controller Module Blank	197
Installing a RAID Controller Module Blank	198
Removing a RAID Controller Module	199
Installing a RAID Controller Module	200
Opening the RAID Controller Module	200
Closing the RAID Controller Module	201
RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit	202
Removing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit	202
Installing the RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit	203
Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module	204
Removing a Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module	204
Installing a Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module	205
Control Panel	206
Removing the Control Panel	206
Installing the Control Panel	208
Backplane	209
Removing the Backplane	209
Installing the Backplane	212
Management: Firmware Inventory	213
Viewing the Firmware Inventory	213
Management: System Interfaces	215
Microsoft Services	215
Virtual Disk Service	215
Volume Shadow-Copy Service	215
Troubleshooting: Your Storage Array Software	217
Start-Up Routine	217
Device Health Conditions	217
Storage Array Support Data	220
Automatically Collect the Support Bundle Data	221
Collecting the Physical Disk Data	222
Event Log	222
Recovery Guru	223
Storage Array Profile	224
Viewing the Logical Associations	226
Viewing the Physical Associations	226
Finding Nodes	227
Using Go To	228
Recovering From an Unresponsive Storage Array Condition	229
Locating a Physical Disk	232
Locating an Expansion Enclosure	233
Capturing the State Information	234
SMrepassist Utility	235
Unidentified Devices	236
Recovering From an Unidentified Storage Array	236
Starting or Restarting the Host Context Agent Software	239
Troubleshooting: Your Array	241
Safety First-For you and Your Array	241
Troubleshooting Storage Array Startup Failure	241
Troubleshooting Loss of Communication	241
Troubleshooting External Connections	241
Troubleshooting Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module	242
Troubleshooting Array Cooling Problems	243
Troubleshooting Expansion Enclosure Management Modules	243
Troubleshooting RAID Controller Modules	244
Troubleshooting Hard Drives	246
Troubleshooting Array and Expansion Enclosure Connections	247
Troubleshooting a Wet Storage Array	248
Troubleshooting a Damaged Array	249
Troubleshooting RAID Controller Modules	249
Conditions	249
Invalid Storage Array	250
ECC Errors	250
PCI Errors	250
Critical Conditions	250
Noncritical Conditions	251
Getting Help	253
Contacting Dell	253