User Guide

AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide
53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016
18
Getting Started
Chapter 2
Table 4. Features of RAIDXpert2 (Continued)
RAIDXpert2 Feature
Description
Array Recovery
If an array is accidentally deleted, it might be recovered by creating a
new array with the same properties as the deleted array. (This can occur
only if disk Write Access operations are not in-progress.)
Background Array
Initialization (BGI)
The background initialization of a redundant array creates the redundant
data that allows the array to survive a disk failure.
Background initialization allows a redundant array to be used
immediately. Data is not lost if a disk goes offline prior to completion of
the BGI process.
Cache Support for Arrays
Various array-caching options are supported: No Cache, Disk Read
Ahead Cache, Write Back Cache, Read + Write Back Cache.
Cache Support for Disks
Various disk-caching options are supported: No Cache, Disk Read Ahead
Cache, Disk Write Back Cache, Disk Read Ahead + Write Back Cache.
Secure Erase
All data on an array can be erased and ensured it is unrecoverable, even
with advanced data recovery techniques.
Consistency Check
A Consistency Check is a background operation that verifies and corrects
the mirror or parity data for fault-tolerant disks. It is recommended that a
Consistency Check be run periodically on an array.
Disk Roaming
With disk roaming, SATA cables can be disconnected from their disks
and shuffled without confusing RAIDXpert2.
Note: Disconnect the SATA cables from the disks only when the system is
shutdown.
Disk roaming also allows:
 Disks to be moved to different slots in the backplane. RAIDXpert2
detects which disks belong to which arrays, regardless of where the
disks are moved in the backplane.
 Disk(s) to be moved between systems.
Note: It might not be possible to move disks between systems if they
contain boot arrays.
Fault Tolerance
The following fault tolerance features are available with RAIDXpert2, in
order to prevent data loss in case of a failed disk.
 Disk failure detection (automatic).
 Array rebuild using hot spares (automatic, if the hot spare is
configured for this functionality).
 Parity generation and checking (RAID5 only).
 Hot-swap manual replacement of a disk without rebooting the system
(available only for systems with a backplane that supports hot-
swapping) is not recommend for disks that are part of the Boot
Virtual Disk or are connected to the AMD 300-Series Chipset.
For example if a disk fails in RAID1, the array remains functional and
data is read from the surviving mirrored disk.
Mirror Rebuilding
A broken mirrored array can be rebuilt after a new disk is inserted and the
disk is designated as a spare. The system does not have to be rebooted.