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 Controllers
Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Storage Management User's Guide
This section describes the controllers supported by Storage Management as well as the different controller features.
What is a Controller?
Most operating systems do not read and write data directly from the disks, but instead send read and write instructions to a controller. The controller is the
hardware in your system that interacts directly with the disks to write and retrieve data. A controller has connectors (channels or ports) which are attached to
one or more physical disks or an enclosure containing physical disks. RAID controllers can span the boundaries of the disks so as to create an extended
amount of storage space – or a virtual disk – using the capacity of more than one disk.
Controllers also perform other tasks, such as initiating rebuilds, initializing disks, and so on. To complete their tasks, controllers require special software known
as firmware and drivers. In order to function properly, the controller must have the minimum required version of the firmware and drivers installed.
Storage Management supports different types of controllers. If your system has a supported controller, the controller is displayed by expanding the Storage
object in the tree view. You can select the controller to display tabs for executing controller tasks and viewing controller properties.
Different controllers have different characteristics in the way they read and write data and execute tasks. It is helpful to understand these features to most
efficiently manage your storage. The following sections describe the supported controllers and their features.
RAID Controller Technology: SCSI, SATA, ATA, and SAS
Storage Management supports RAID controllers using SCSI, SATA, ATA, and SAS technology. This section indicates which technology the supported RAID
controllers use. For more information on these controllers, see Supported Features and the controller hardware documentation.
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SCSI RAID Controllers
PERC 4/SC, 4/DC, 4e/DC, 4/Di, 4/IM, 4e/Si, and 4e/Di RAID controllers use Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) technology.
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CERC SATA RAID Controllers
The following Cost Effective RAID Controller (CERC) controllers use Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) technology.
l CERC SATA1.5/6ch
l CERC SATA1.5/2s
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CERC ATA RAID Controllers
The following Cost Effective RAID Controller (CERC) 6/I family of controllers uses Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) technology.
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What is a Controller?
RAID Controller Technology: SCSI, SATA, ATA, and SAS
RAID Controller Features
Controller-supported RAID Levels
Controller-supported Stripe Sizes
RAID Controller Read, Write, Cache, and Disk Cache Policy
Cluster-enabled RAID Controllers
Creating and Deleting Virtual Disks on Cluster-enabled Controllers
Integrated Mirroring and the PERC 4/IM Controller
Background Initialization on PERC 4/SC, 4/DC, 4e/DC, 4/Di, 4e/Si, and 4e/Di
Controllers
Non-RAID Controller Description
Firmware/Driver Versions
Controller Health
Controller Properties and Tasks
Set Rebuild Rate
Reset Configuration
Export Log
Foreign Configuration Operations
Importing Foreign Configurations
Importing/Recovering Foreign
Configurations
Clear Foreign Configuration
Physical Disks in Foreign Virtual Disks
Set Background Initialization Rate
Set Check Consistency Rate
Set Reconstruct Rate
Redundant Path Configuration
Set Patrol Read Mode
Start and Stop Patrol Read
Change Controller Properties
Manage Physical Disk Power
Manage Preserved Cache
Manage Encryption Key
Patrol Read Report
Check Consistency Report
Slot Occupancy Report