3Ware 7506-8 User Guide - Page 19

RAID 5 0 parity A1 A2 A3 A4 A Blocks B0 1 parity B2 B3 B4 B Blocks C0 C1 2 parity C3 C4 C Blocks D0 D1 D2 3 parity D4 D Blocks E0 E1 E2 E3 4 parity E Blocks Figure 4. RAID 5 Configuration Example R5 FusionTM Technology significantly improves RAID 5 write performance 3ware's R5 Fusion significantly improves RAID 5 write performance for both large sequential and small random transactions. This advanced block caching firmware technology is combined with StorSwitch to deliver extremely high performance for RAID 5 write operations. This performance improvement is applicable to only the first RAID 5 array on the RAID controller. Additional RAID 5 arrays on the RAID controller will not benefit from the R5 Fusion technology. Note: R5 Fusion is available only with Escalade 750x and 8508 ATA RAID Controllers. Configure and manage your disk arrays The 3ware Disk Array Configuration Utility is a BIOS level tool for creating, deleting, maintaining disk arrays and rebuilding mirrored arrays. From the 3DM Disk Array Configuration Utility, you can also specify hot spares from available drives to be dynamically substituted for a failed drive in a mirrored array. Refer to the 3ware Disk Array Configuration Utility chapter. S.M.A.R.T. Monitoring (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) adds monitoring and troubleshooting functionality by automatically checking a disk drive's health and reporting potential problems. It allows you to take proactive steps to prevent impending disk crashes. SMART data is checked on all disk drives (array members, JBOD and Hot Spares). Three SMART commands are issued: SMART RETURN STATUS (B0h with a Feature register value of DAh), SMART READ LOG (B0h with the content of the Features register equal to D5h), and SMART READ DATA (B0h with the content of the Features register equal to D0h). ■ SMART RETURN STATUS - This command is issued 24 hours after the Escalade controller is powered up. This 24 hour wait period is timed www.3ware.com 11