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Adaptec 412R User Guide - Page 127

Clustering, Minimizing Downtime for Maximum Data Availability

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Theory of Controller Operation Note: When Clear Configuration is selected in the Flash Utility menu, both the local Flash configuration and the other controller's mirrored configuration image are cleared. Also, there is an option (J) in the Flash Utility menu that can be used to tell a booting controller to temporarily ignore the mirrored configuration. This can be used, if for whatever reason, the mirrored configuration should not be used by a booting controller. This is primarily a safeguard, because a retrieved mirrored configuration is checked extensively before it is used. Clustering Minimizing Downtime for Maximum Data Availability So-called open systems, such as Windows NT servers, just don't provide the level of availability that IS managers are familiar with on mainframes. A partial solution to this problem is server clustering. Clusters consist of two or more loosely coupled systems with a shared-disk subsystem and software that handles failover in the case of a node (host) failure. In most cases, hardware/software failover is performed automatically and is transparent to users, although users will experience performance degradation as processing is shifted to another cluster node. In some cases this failover can occur in a matter of seconds. High availability of data and applications is by far the most compelling reason to go with clustering technology. For example, the accepted rule is that stand-alone UNIX systems can provide 99.5 percent uptime. Adding a RAID subsystem can increase the uptime to 99.9 percent. The goal of clustering is 99.99 percent availability. Beyond clustering, fault-tolerant systems can provide 99.9999 percent uptime. At the high end, continuous-processing systems offer virtually 100 percent uptime. Although the increase from 99.5 percent to 99.99 percent availability may seem insignificantly small, it adds up in terms of minutes per year of downtime. For example, assuming a 7x24 operation, 99.5 percent uptime translates into 2,628 minutes, or A-25

Section	Page
Contents	4
1	9
Introduction	9
About This Guide	9
Overview	10
DuraStor 412R	10
DuraStor 6320SS	11
DuraStor 7320SS	12
About the Storage Management Software Tools	13
Adaptec Storage Manager Pro	13
Adaptec Disk Array Administrator	13
2	14
Setting Up Your Storage Subsystem	14
Installation Overview	15
Installing DuraStor in a Rack	15
Connecting the Power Cords	19
Powering On and Powering Off	20
Turning the Power On	20
Turning the Power Off	20
Configuring DuraStor	21
Basic Configuration – DuraStor412R	21
Basic Configuration – DuraStor6320SS	25
Basic Configuration – DuraStor7320SS	26
Cabling Your Storage System to the Host	28
Basic Connections – DuraStor6320SS	28
Stand-Alone Single-Port: Host Cabling	29
Stand-Alone Dual-Port: Host Cabling	31
Active-Active Single-Port: Host Cabling	32
Active-Passive Dual-Port: Host Cabling	33
Basic Connections – DuraStor7320SS	34
Basic Stand-Alone Dual-Port Topology – DuraStor7320SS Only	35
Basic Active-Active Single-Port Topology	36
Basic Active-Active Dual-Port Topology	37
Basic Active-Passive Dual-Port Topology	38
Upgrading DuraStor	39
3	40
Accessing Your Storage Management Tools	40
Installing Storage Manager Pro	40
Installing Storage Manager Pro On Windows	41
Installing Storage Manager Pro On Solaris	42
Accessing Disk Array Administrator	43
4	45
Monitoring DuraStor	45
Using Front Bezel LEDs	46
Drive LEDs	47
Disk Drive Carrier Lite Pipes	49
One-Touch Annunciation	49
One-Touch Annunciation Example	51
Enclosure SAF-TE Monitoring	53
Uploading SAF-TE Controller Card Firmware	55
5	59
Understanding and Maintaining Components	59
Front Bezel	60
RAID Controllers (6320SS and 7320SS only)	61
Replacing a RAID Controller	62
Replacing a “Killed” Controller	63
Upgrading the Memory Module	64
Replacing the Battery	65
Configuring a Single-Bus Module	66
Disk Drives	68
Attaching a Disk Drive to a Drive Carrier	68
Replacing a Disk Drive	68
Power Supply Units	71
Replacing a PSU	72
Cooling Fan Module	73
Replacing the Cooling Fan Module	74
SAF-TE Disk I/O Card	75
SCSI I/O Card	77
Fibre Channel Host I/O Card (7320SS only)	78
Replacing an I/O Card	79
Optical SFP Transceiver (7320SS only)	81
RS-232 Ports	82
Replacing the Storage Subsystem	83
Removing the Old Storage Subsystem	83
Installing the New Storage Subsystem	84
6	85
Troubleshooting	85
General Enclosure Problems	86
Common SCSI Bus Problems	87
Terminal Emulator and COM Port Problems	90
Host SCSI Channel Problems	92
Device SCSI Channel Problems	93
Problems During Bootup	93
Controller Problems	95
Common Problems and Interpreting the LEDs	96
Warning and Error Events	97
Warnings	97
Errors	99
Disk Errors	100
Disk Channel Errors	101
A	103
Theory of Controller Operation	103
Operating Modes Overview	104
Operating Modes – DuraStor6320SS	106
Stand-Alone Mode	106
Advantages:	106
Disadvantages:	106
Active-Active Mode	109
Advantages:	112
Disadvantages:	112
Active-Passive Mode	113
Advantages:	114
Disadvantages:	114
Operating Modes – DuraStor7320SS	116
Stand-Alone Mode	116
Advantages:	116
Disadvantages:	116
Active-Active Mode	118
Advantages	122
Active-Passive Mode	123
Understanding Mirrored Operations	126
Clustering	127
Minimizing Downtime for Maximum Data Availability	127
How Available are Clusters?	129
Application of Availability	129
B	131
SAN Solution Strategies (DuraStor7320SS only)	131
Active-Active Dual-Port Mode for SAN	132
Hubs Enabled	133
Hubs Disabled	135
Active-Active Single-Port Mode for SAN	137
Hubs Disabled (Single-Port Hosts and One Switch)	137
Hubs Disabled (Single External Hub)	139
Hubs Enabled	140
SAN Configuration Not Supported	141
True LUN Sharing	141
C	143
Advanced Configurations and Cabling	143
Advanced Configurations – DuraStor412R	143
JBOD – 24-Drive Configuration	143
Advanced Configurations – DuraStor6320SS	146
RAID – 12-Drive Configuration	146
RAID – 24-Drive Configuration	147
RAID – 36-Drive Configuration	150
Advanced Configurations – DuraStor7320SS	153
RAID – 24-Drive Configuration	153
RAID – 36-Drive Configuration	155
RAID – 48-Drive Configuration	158
Advanced Cabling – DuraStor6320SS	163
Stand-Alone Single-Port (Dual Hosts, Single HBAs)	163
Stand-Alone Dual Port (Dual Hosts, Single HBAs)	164
Stand-Alone Dual Port – Quad Cabling (Two HBAs, Shared SCSI Bus)	165
Active-Active Single-Port (Single Host, Two HBAs)	166
Active-Active Single-Port (Dual Host, Single HBAs)	167
Active-Active Single-Port – Quad Cabling (Dual Host, Dual HBAs) #1	168
Active-Active Single-Port – Quad Cabling (Dual-Host, Dual-HBAs) #2	169
Active-Passive Dual-Port (Dual Hosts, Single HBAs)	170
Advanced Cabling – DuraStor7320SS	171
Stand-Alone Dual-Port (Single Host, Two HBAs, Hubs Disabled)	171
Stand-Alone Dual-Port (Single Host, Two HBAs, Hubs Enabled)	172
Stand-Alone Dual-Port (Multiple Hosts, Single HBAs, Hubs Enabled)	173
Active-Active Single-Port (Single Host, Dual HBAs, Hubs Enabled)	174
Active-Active Single-Port (Dual Host, Single HBAs, Hubs Enabled)	175
Active-Active Single-Port (Dual Host, Dual HBAs – Quad Cabling, Hubs Enabled)	176
Active-Passive Dual-Port (Dual Host, Single HBAs, Hubs Enabled)	177
D	179
Port Information	179
VHDCI SCSI Connectors	180
RS-232 Service Ports	183
Null-Modem Cable	184
E	185
Technical Specifications	185
DuraStor412R Drive Enclosure	186
DuraStor6320SS Storage Subsystem	187
DuraStor6200S External RAID Controller	188
DuraStor7320SS Storage Subsystem	190
DuraStor7200S External RAID Controller	191
Glossary	195
Index	201
Numerics	201
A	201
B	202
C	202
D	203
E	204
F	204
G	204
H	205
I	205
J	205
L	205
M	205
N	206
O	206
P	206
R	206
S	207
T	208
U	209
V	209

Match case Limit results 1 per page

A-25

Theory of Controller Operation

Note:

When Clear Configuration is selected in the Flash Utility

menu, both the local Flash configuration and the other controller’s

mirrored configuration image are cleared. Also, there is an option

(J) in the Flash Utility menu that can be used to tell a booting

controller to temporarily ignore the mirrored configuration. This

can be used, if for whatever reason, the mirrored configuration

should not be used by a booting controller. This is primarily a

safeguard, because a retrieved mirrored configuration is checked

extensively before it is used.

Clustering

Minimizing Downtime for Maximum Data Availability

So-called open systems, such as Windows NT servers, just don’t

provide the level of availability that IS managers are familiar with

on mainframes. A partial solution to this problem is server

clustering.

Clusters consist of two or more loosely coupled systems with a

shared-disk subsystem and software that handles failover in the

case of a node (host) failure. In most cases, hardware/software

failover is performed automatically and is transparent to users,

although users will experience performance degradation as

processing is shifted to another cluster node. In some cases this

failover can occur in a matter of seconds.

High availability of data and applications is by far the most

compelling reason to go with clustering technology. For example,

the accepted rule is that stand-alone UNIX systems can provide

99.5 percent uptime. Adding a RAID subsystem can increase the

uptime to 99.9 percent. The goal of clustering is 99.99 percent

availability.

Beyond clustering, fault-tolerant systems can provide 99.9999

percent uptime. At the high end, continuous-processing systems

offer virtually 100 percent uptime.

Although the increase from 99.5 percent to 99.99 percent

availability may seem insignificantly small, it adds up in terms of

minutes per year of downtime. For example, assuming a 7x24

operation, 99.5 percent uptime translates into 2,628 minutes, or