Asus RS724QA-E6 RS12 User Guide - Page 17

Integrated RAID for SAS User’s Guide

2-1

Version 1.1

Copyright © 2006, 2007 by LSI Logic Corporation. All rights reserved.

Chapter 2

Overview of Integrated Mirroring

and Integrated Mirroring

Enhanced

This chapter provides an overview of the LSI Integrated Mirroring (IM)

and Integrated Mirroring Enhanced (IME) features. It includes these

sections:

•

Section 2.1, “Introduction,” page 2-1

•

Section 2.2, “IM and IME Features,” page 2-2

•

Section 2.3, “IM/IME Description,” page 2-3

•

Section 2.4, “Integrated RAID Firmware,” page 2-5

•

Section 2.5, “Fusion-MPT Support,” page 2-7

2.1

Introduction

As a result of the shift towards Network Attached Storage (NAS), ISPs

need a cost effective, fault-tolerant solution to protect the operating

systems on small form factor, high-density, rack-mountable servers. The

LSI Integrated Mirroring (IM) and Integrated Mirroring Enhanced (IME)

features provide data protection for the system boot volume to safeguard

critical information such as the operating system on servers and high

performance workstations. The IM and IME features provide a robust,

high-performance, fault-tolerant solution to data storage needs, at a

lower cost than a dedicated RAID controller.

The IM and IME features support one or two mirrored volumes per LSI

SAS controller, to provide fault-tolerant protection for critical data. The

two volumes can have up to twelve disk drives total, plus one or two hot

spare disks.

If a disk in an Integrated Mirroring volume fails, the hot swap capability

allows you to restore the volume by simply swapping disks. The firmware

then automatically re-mirrors the swapped disk. Additionally, each SAS

Section	Page
Integrated RAID for SAS	1
Chapter1 Introduction to Integrated RAID	13
1.1 Introduction	13
1.2 Integrated RAID Benefits and Features	14
1.3 Using this Manual	15
Chapter2 Overview of Integrated Mirroring and Integrated Mirroring Enhanced	17
2.1 Introduction	17
2.2 IM and IME Features	18
2.3 IM/IME Description	19
2.4 Integrated RAID Firmware	21
2.4.1 Resynchronization with Concurrent Host I/O Operation	21
2.4.2 Metadata Support	21
2.4.3 Hot Swapping	22
2.4.4 SMART Support	22
2.4.5 Hot Spare Disk	22
2.4.6 Media Verification	23
2.4.7 Disk Write Caching	23
2.4.8 NVSRAM Usage	23
2.5 Fusion-MPT Support	23
Chapter3 Creating IM and IME Volumes	25
3.1 IM/IME Configuration Overview	25
3.2 Creating IM and IME Volumes	26
3.2.1 Creating an IM Volume	27
3.2.2 Creating an IME Volume	29
3.3 Creating a Second IM or IME Volume	29
3.4 Managing Hot Spares	30
3.5 Other Configuration Tasks	32
3.5.1 Viewing Volume Properties	32
3.5.2 Synchronizing an Array	32
3.5.3 Activating an Array	33
3.5.4 Deleting an Array	33
3.5.5 Locating a Disk Drive, or Multiple Disk Drives in a Volume	34
3.5.6 Selecting a Boot Disk	34
Chapter4 Overview of IntegratedStriping	37
4.1 Introduction	37
4.2 IS Features	38
4.3 IS Description	38
4.4 Integrated Striping Firmware	40
4.4.1 Metadata Support	40
4.4.2 SMART Support	40
4.4.3 Disk Write Caching	40
4.5 Fusion-MPT Support	40
Chapter5 Creating Integrated Striping Volumes	41
5.1 IS Configuration Overview	41
5.2 Creating IS Volumes	42
5.3 Creating a Second IS Volume	44
5.4 Other Configuration Tasks	45
5.4.1 Viewing IS Volume Properties	45
5.4.2 Activating an Array	45
5.4.3 Deleting an Array	46
5.4.4 Locating a Disk Drive, or Multiple Disk Drives in a Volume	46
5.4.5 Selecting a Boot Disk	47
AppendixA Using the CFGGEN IR Configuration Utility	49
A.1 Hardware and Software Requirements	50
A.2 CFGGEN Interface Description	51
A.3 CFGGEN Commands	51
A.3.1 Common Command Line Parameters	52
A.3.2 CREATE Command	53
A.3.3 DEFAULTS Command	54
A.3.4 DISPLAY Command	55
A.3.5 FORMAT Command	58
A.3.6 HOTSPARE Command	59
A.3.7 STATUS Command	60
A.3.8 SETOFFLINE Command	61
A.3.9 SETONLINE Command	62
A.3.10 AUTO Command (EFI Version Only)	63
A.3.11 DISABLEIR Command (EFI Version Only)	64
A.3.12 ENABLEIR Command (EFI Version Only)	65
A.3.13 LIST Command (EFI Version Only)	66

Asus RS724QA-E6 RS12 User Guide - Page 17

Overview of Integrated Mirroring and Integrated Mirroring Enhanced, 2.1 Introduction

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