Product manual
Table Of Contents
- VTrak Product Manual
- Contents
- Chapter 1: Introduction to VTrak
- Chapter 2: VTrak Installation
- Unpacking the VTrak
- Mounting VTrak in a Rack
- Installing Disk Drives
- Making Management and Data Connections
- Setting Up Serial Cable Connections
- Connecting the Power
- Chapter 3: VTrak Setup
- Chapter 4: Management with WebPAM PROe
- Logging into WebPAM PROe
- Choosing a Language
- Perusing the Interface
- Logging out of WebPAM PROe
- Working with the Storage Network
- Working with Subsystems
- Viewing Subsystem Information
- Saving a System Service Report
- Setting an Alias for the Subsystem
- Setting Redundancy for the Subsystem
- Setting Cache Mirroring for the Subsystem
- Setting Subsystem Date and Time
- Making NTP Settings
- Synchronizing with a NTP Server
- Viewing the Runtime Event Log
- Saving the Runtime Event Log
- Clearing the Runtime Event Log
- Viewing NVRAM Events
- Saving NVRAM Events
- Clearing NVRAM Events
- Viewing Current Background Activities
- Making Background Activity Settings
- Running Background Activities
- Running Media Patrol
- Running PDM
- Viewing Scheduled Activities
- Scheduling an Activity
- Deleting a Scheduled Activity
- Viewing Lock Status
- Setting the Lock
- Renewing the Lock
- Releasing the Lock
- Managing Users
- Managing the Network Connection
- Managing Fibre Channel Connections
- Managing SAS Connections
- Managing Storage Services
- Monitoring Performance
- Managing Software Services
- Exporting the User Database
- Exporting a Configuration Script
- Importing a User Database
- Importing a Configuration Script
- Updating the Firmware
- Viewing Flash Image Information
- Restoring Factory Defaults
- Clearing Statistics
- Saving a System Service Report
- Shutting Down the Subsystem
- Starting Up After Shutdown
- Restarting the Subsystem
- Managing Controllers
- Managing Enclosures
- Managing Physical Drives
- Managing UPS Units
- Managing Disk Arrays
- Viewing a List of Disk Arrays
- Creating a Disk Array
- Creating a Disk Array - Automatic
- Creating a Disk Array - Express
- Creating a Disk Array - Advanced
- Deleting a Disk Array
- Viewing Disk Array Information
- Making Disk Array Settings
- Creating a Logical Drive
- Deleting a Logical Drive
- Migrating a Disk Array
- Rebuilding a Disk Array
- Running Media Patrol on a Disk Array
- Running PDM on a Disk Array
- Transitioning a Disk Array
- Preparing a Disk Array for Transport
- Managing Logical Drives
- Managing Spare Drives
- Working with the Logical Drive Summary
- Chapter 5: Management with the CLU
- Initial Connection
- Running Quick Setup
- Managing the Subsystem
- Managing the Controllers
- Managing the Enclosure
- Viewing the Enclosures Summary
- Viewing Enclosure Information
- Making Enclosure Settings
- Viewing FRU VPD Information
- Viewing Power Supply Status
- Locating a Power Supply
- Viewing Cooling Unit Status
- Viewing Temperature Sensor Status
- Viewing Voltage Sensor Status
- Checking the Batteries
- Reconditioning a Battery
- Locating an Enclosure
- Viewing Enclosure Topology
- Managing Physical Drives
- Managing Disk Arrays
- Viewing a List of Disk Arrays
- Creating a Disk Array
- Creating a Disk Array - Automatic
- Creating a Disk Array - Express
- Creating a Disk Array - Advanced
- Deleting a Disk Array
- Viewing Disk Array Information
- Setting an Alias for a Disk Array
- Accepting an Incomplete Array
- Enabling Media Patrol and PDM on a Disk Array
- Preparing the Disk Array for Transport
- Rebuilding a Disk Array
- Migrating a Disk Array
- Running PDM
- Running Transition on a Disk Array
- Locating a Disk Array
- Creating a Logical Drive
- Deleting a Logical Drive
- Managing Spare Drives
- Managing Logical Drives
- Managing the Network Connection
- Managing Fibre Channel Connections
- Managing SAS Connections
- Managing Background Activity
- Working with the Event Viewer
- Working with LUN Mapping
- Managing UPS Units
- Managing Users
- Working with Software Management
- Flashing through TFTP
- Viewing Flash Image Information
- Clearing Statistics
- Restoring Factory Defaults
- Shutting Down the Subsystem
- Starting Up After Shutdown
- Restarting the Subsystem
- Making Buzzer Settings
- Chapter 6: Maintenance
- Updating the Firmware in WebPAM PROe
- Updating the Firmware in the CLU
- Downloading the Firmware Image File
- Updating the Firmware
- Restarting - Single RAID Subsystem, Telnet
- Restarting - RAID with JBOD Expansion, Telnet
- Restarting - Single RAID Subsystem, SSH
- Restarting - RAID with JBOD Expansion, SSH
- Restarting - Single RAID Subsystem, Serial
- Restarting - RAID with JBOD Expansion, Serial
- Replacing a Power Supply
- Replacing a Cooling Unit Fan or Blower
- Replacing a Cache Battery
- Replacing a RAID Controller - Dual Controllers
- Replacing a RAID Controller - Single Controller
- Chapter 7: Technology Background
- Chapter 8: Troubleshooting
- VTrak is Beeping
- LEDs Display Amber or Red
- CLU Reports a Problem
- WebPAM PROe Reports a Problem
- Event Notification Response
- Critical & Offline Disk Arrays
- Incomplete Array
- Physical Drive Problems
- Enclosure Problems
- Controller Enters Maintenance Mode
- Connection Problems
- Browser Does Not Connect to WebPAM PROe
- Unsaved Data in the Controller Cache
- Chapter 9: Support
- Appendix A: Useful Information
- Appendix B: Multipathing on Windows
- Before You Begin
- Installing PerfectPath
- Verifying Installation
- Running Perfect Path View
- Monitoring Your LUNs and Paths
- Features and Settings
- Troubleshooting
- Updating PerfectPath
- Repairing PerfectPath
- Removing PerfectPath
- Appendix C: Multipathing on Linux
- Index
273
Chapter 7: Technology Background
This chapter covers the following topics:
• Introduction to RAID (below)
• “Choosing a RAID Level” on page 284
• “Choosing Stripe Size” on page 287
• “Choosing Sector Size” on page 287
• “Cache Policy” on page 288
• “Cache Mirroring” on page 290
• “LUN Affinity” on page 291
• “Capacity Coercion” on page 293
• “Initialization” on page 293
• “Hot Spare Drive(s)” on page 294
• “Partition and Format the Logical Drive” on page 294
• “RAID Level Migration” on page 294
• “Media Patrol” on page 301
• “Predictive Data Migration (PDM)” on page 302
• “Transition” on page 303
Introduction to RAID
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) allows multiple physical drives to
be combined together in a disk array. Then all or a portion of the disk array is
formed into a logical drive. The operating system sees the logical drive as a
single storage device, and treats it as such.
The RAID software and controller manage all of the individual drives. The
benefits of a RAID can include:
• Higher data transfer rates for increased server performance
• Increased overall storage capacity for a single drive designation (such as, C,
D, E, etc.)
• Data redundancy/fault tolerance for ensuring continuous system operation in
the event of a hard drive failure
Different types of logical drives use different organizational models and have
varying benefits. Also see “Choosing a RAID Level” on page 284. The following
outline breaks down the properties for each type of RAID logical drive: