User's Guide: Dell™ Cost Effective RAID Controller

www. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l .
c o m
Dell Cost Effective RAID Controller
Users Guide
Model CERC SATA1.5/6ch
Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you
how to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury,
or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
2004 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, PowerEdge, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Inc. Microsoft,
Windows, Windows NT, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark
of Intel Corporation. Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. Red Hat is a registered trademark of
Red Hat, Inc. SATASelect is a registered trademark of Adaptec, Inc.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and
names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
January 2004 P/N P2447 Rev. A00
Contents 1
Contents
1 Introduction
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Controller Management Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
RAID Controller Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Advanced RAID Technology Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Array Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Hot Spares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Dedicated Hot Spares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Global Hot Spares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Automatic Failover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Audible Alarm Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Sounding the Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Silencing the Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
2 Installing the Controller
Component Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Installation Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Checking Your Controller and Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Determining the Boot Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
2 Contents
3 Installing the Driver
Creating a Driver Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Installing the Windows Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Installing a Windows Driver During Operating System Installation 3-2
Installing a Windows Driver for a New RAID Controller. . . . . 3-3
Updating an Existing Windows Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Installing the Red Hat Linux Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Creating a Linux Driver Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Installing the Linux Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Installing The Linux Event Logging Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Installing the Novell NetWare Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Installing a Driver for a New Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Performing a Standard Mode Installation of NetWare 5.1SBE . 3-7
Updating an Existing Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
4 BIOS RAID Configuration Utility
Using the Array Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Creating Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Managing Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Initializing Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Rescanning Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Using SATASelect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
SATA Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Controller Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Using the Disk Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Viewing the Event Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Contents 3
5 DOS Utilities
Using the DOS Flash Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Firmware Diskette Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Running the Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Flashing the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Error Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Using the CERC Container Configuration Utility . . . . . . . 5-11
Interactive Versus Script Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Running the CERCCCU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Using Interactive Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Creating an Array with CERCCCU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Managing Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Using the Scripting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Script File Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Array Definition Block Keywords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Error Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Invoking the CERCCCU and Using a Script . . . . . . . . . 5-32
6 Command Line Interface (CLI)
Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Installing the CLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Installing the CLI in Linux. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessing the CLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessing the CLI in Linux. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Using the CLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Opening and Closing a Controller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Displaying Information about Your Array . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Managing Failover Options and Hotspares . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Displaying Controller Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
4 Contents
Displaying Disk Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Displaying Array Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
CLI Command Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
General Control Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Container (Array) Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Controller Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27
Disk Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Logfile Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Task Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Using Automated Command Scripts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
A Specifications
B Troubleshooting
Hard Drive In RAID Group Is Missing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Hard Drive Is Off-Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Controller Not Detected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Controller Error Reported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
Controller Rebuild Or Scrub Fails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
Controller Is Beeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7
No OS Found On Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7
System Hangs During Controller POST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8
Unable To Flash The Controller Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9
SATA RAID Disk Set Down Or Array Down Error Reported . . . B-10
Consistency Check Failed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-11
Physical Disk Format Failed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12
Virtual Disk Format Failed (More Than One Drive?) . . . . . . . B-13
Contents 5
Virtual Disk Rebuild Failed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-14
Virtual Disk Failed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-15
Physical Hard Drive Initialization Failed . . . . . . . . . . . . B-17
Virtual Disk Reconfiguration Failed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18
Replacing A Bad Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18
C Regulatory Notices
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
A Notice About Shielded Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
IC Notice (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
EN 55022 Compliance (Czech Republic Only) . . . . . . . . . . C-4
CE Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
VCCI Notice (Japan Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Class B ITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
MIC Notice (Republic of Korea Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Glossary
Index
Figures
Figure 2-1. Controller Component Layout . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Figure 2-2. Removing the Slot Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
6 Contents
Tables
Table 1-1. Array Migration Possibilities . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Table 4-1. Number of Drives Supported by RAID Level . . 4-4
Table 5-1. Number of Drives Supported by RAID Level . . 5-13
Table 5-2. CERCCCU Command-Line Switches . . . . . . 5-18
Table 5-3. Array Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Table 5-4. Array Definition Block Keyword Summary . . . 5-24
Table 5-5. CERCCCU Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Table A-1. Controller Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
1
SECTI ON 1
I nt r oduct i on
1-2 Introducti on
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mThis document explains how to install your Dell RAID controller, device driver, and
controller management software, which enables you to manage the controller and its
attached storage devices.
Installation Overview
The following steps provide an overview of the process of installing, setting-up, and
configuring the controller:
1 Read and understand this entire section.
2 Install and configure the controller and hard drives according to the instructions in
"Installing the Controller."
3 Install the driver using the generic driver installation guide at support.dell.com. You
will find updated drivers at the same location.
Controller Management Utilities
Your RAID controller includes the following software tools to manage your storage
subsystem:
BIOS RAID Configuration UtilityPart of the controllers built-in BIOS code. You
start the BIOS RAID Configuration utility by pressing <Ctrl><A> during BIOS
startup. For details, see "BIOS RAID Configuration Utility." The BIOS RAID
Configuration utility contains:
Array Configuration UtilityUsed to create, configure, and manage arrays. Also
available as a DOS-based executable (CERC Container Configuration Utility).
For details, see "BIOS RAID Configuration Utility."
SATASelect
Used to to verify the hardware configuration of the controller and

the drives.
Disk UtilitiesUsed to format and verify drives.
DOS UtilitiesContained on the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
Command Line Interface (CLI)Enables Linux users to automate array creation or
testing in a production environment using scripts.
Storage Management Software ApplicationIf your controller was shipped with a
storage management application, refer to the documentation provided with the
application. The storage management application provides you with an easy-to-use
graphical interface to manage your storage subsystem.
Introducti on 1-3
System Requirements
Dell (or other Intel
based) server or workstation with at least one available universal

PCI slot and a motherboard and BIOS that complies with the PCI Local Bus
Specification, Revision 2.2 and provides large memory-mapped address ranges. Refer
to www.dell.com for computer and RAID controller compatibility information.
One of the following:
Microsoft
Windows
2000 Server, Advanced Server and Small Business Server,

Service Pack 3, 4
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Small Business
Server and Web Edition
Red Hat
Linux Professional, versions 9.0

Red Hat Linux Advanced Server, version 2.1, 3.0 32-bit
Novell
NetWare
, versions 5.1 and 6.5

Novell NetWare Small Business Suite
Minimum of 20 MB of disk space for device drivers and storage management software
Up to six hard drives (SATA only) and six SATA cables.
3.5-inch, 1.44-MB diskette drive
CD-ROM drive
1-4 Introducti on
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RAID Controller Features
The goal of RAID is to provide better performance and reliability from combinations of disk
drives than possible with the same total storage space without RAID.
Your controller supports six SATA drives. The controller offers the features and performance
ideal for high-end workstations and entry-level servers.
Conforms with PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.2
64-bit, 66-MHz PCI interface compatible with 32-bit/33-MHz PCI slots
64 MB of on-board RAM
Low-profile, MD2 form factor ideal for 1U/2U servers
Supports the SATA Specification, version 1.0
RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 10 and simple volume (JBOD)
Operating system-independent configuration and RAID creation using the BIOS
RAID Configuration utility
Flash ROM for easy upgrades of the controller BIOS and the BIOS RAID
Configuration utility
Event logging and broadcasting, including messaging for alphanumeric pagers
Audible alarm for data safety. See "Audible Alarm Operation" for details.
Advanced RAID Technology Features
The controllers RAID features are described below:
Optimized Disk UtilizationEnables you to use the full capacity of all your drives,
even if drive sizes vary.
Online Capacity/Volume ExpansionAllows you to expand the capacity of your
RAID during system operation.
Online RAID Level MigrationLets you change RAID levels without rebuilding your
array from scratch.
Multiple ArraysCreate multiple arrays from a single set of drives.
SATA Disk Hot PlugIf your server supports hot plug, you can add and remove disks
without shutting down your system.
Introducti on 1-5
Array Migration
The controller supports modifying existing arrays by expansion, migration from one array
type to another, and changing the stripe size, as described by the table below.
Windows supports Online Capacity Expansion (OCE). That is, on completion of an array
expansion, the additional capacity can be used without restarting the system. Refer to your
operating system documentation for instructions on using the additional capacity.
Hot Spares
A hot spare is a drive that is reserved to replace a failed drive in a redundant array. In the
event of drive failure, the hot spare replaces the failed drive and the array is rebuilt
automatically. Prior to becoming an array member as a result of a failure, a hot spare can be
unassigned using a management utility.
NOTE: A spare can only be used by the system to rebuild an array if it is the same size
as, or larger than, the failed drive.
The controller supports two types of hot spares:
GlobalProtects every array that the spare drive has sufficient available capacity to
protect.
DedicatedProtects only the array to which it has been assigned.
Dedicated Hot Spares
When an array member (a drive) containing the dedicated hot spare fails, the spare is
automatically used to store the data contained on the failed drive if the spare has sufficient
capacity. The spare becomes a member of the array with the failed drive and ceases to be
marked as a hot spare. If the spare is much larger that the drive it is replacing, the extra
space is unused.
Tabl e 1- 1. Ar r ay Mi gr at i on Pos s i bi l i t i es
Current Array Type New Array Type
RAID 0 RAID 5 or 10
RAID 1 RAID 0 or 5 or 10
RAID 5 RAID 0 or 10
RAID 10 RAID 0 or 5
1-6 Introducti on
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When an array member (a drive) fails, a global hot spare of sufficient capacity is
automatically used to store the data contained on the failed drive. The behavior of the
system after a failure depends on the size of the spare relative to the drive it is replacing:
If the global hot spare is the same size, or less than 100 MB larger than the drive it is
replacing, it becomes a member of the array with the failed drive and ceases to be
marked as a global hot spare.
If the global hot spare is larger than the drive it is replacing by 100 MB or more, the
spare replaces the failed drive, yet remains a global hot spare. The unused portion of
the global hot spare is available for use in the event of future failure.
NOTE: In the case of a RAID 10 array, the system can use the same global hot spare
to replace two failed drives in the same array if the global hot spare is at least twice
the size of the failed drives in the array. This is not recommended because redundancy
is compromised. Therefore, when assigning a global hotspare in a system that contains
a RAID 10 array, it is recommended the spare be the same size as the members of the
RAID 10 array.
Automatic Failover
This feature allows the controller to automatically rebuild an array when a failed drive is
replaced with a new drive. This feature applies only to fault tolerant arrays. See "Controller
Configuration Options" for details.
Audible Alarm Operation
The controller is equipped with an audible alarm that can alert you to situations that affect
data safety. You can silence the alarm.
Sounding the Alarm
The alarm sounds under the following circumstances:
When the controller is running, the alarm sounds when any drive fails. For example, if
a drive becomes unplugged, the alarm sounds.
When restarting the system, the alarm sounds if an array is degraded. For example, if
a drive is missing from a three-drive RAID 5, the alarms sounds.
Introducti on 1-7
The alarm sounds if an array cant be configured. For example, if a drive is missing from a
RAID 0, the alarm does sound. If two drives are missing from a RAID-5, the alarm does
sound.
Silencing the Alarm
Once the alarm is sounding, it continues to sound until one of the following actions is
taken:
The array with the failed member is deleted.
Redundant array onlyA rebuild begins.
The alarm is silenced or disabled using one of the following utilities:
SATASelectSee the Alarm Control option in "BIOS RAID Configuration
Utility."
Array Configuration UtilitySee the ALARM=option in of "DOS Utilities."
1-8 Introducti on
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2
SECTI ON 2
I nst al l i ng t he
Cont r ol l er
2-2 Inst al l i ng t he Control l er
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mTo install the controller and drives, you need up to six SATA hard disk drives and SATA
cables (supplied in this kit).
Configuration of SATA devices is easy for the following reasons:
There are no jumpers or switches to set on the controller or hard drives.
The interface cable ends are identical.
All interface connectors are keyed so that you can insert them in only one direction.
Component Layout
The RAID controller is shown below. Note the position of the SATA interface connectors
necessary for attaching the SATA hard drives.
Fi gur e 2- 1. Cont r ol l er Compone nt L ay out
Port 0 Port 1 Port 2 Port 3 Port 4 Port 5
SATA Connectors
Inst al l i ng t he Cont rol l er 2-3
Installation Procedure
To install the controller in the system:
1 Shut down your system, disconnect the power cable, and open the system.
2 Identify an unused PCI slot and remove the slot cover, as illustrated below.
Fi gur e 2- 2. Remov i ng t he Sl ot Cove r
3 If your system accepts low-profile brackets only, install the low-profile bracket supplied
with your kit in place of the standard full-height bracket.
4 Install the controller in the PCI expansion slot and secure the controller bracket to the
host system.
NOTE: Verify that the card is installed in a PCI expansion slot and that the card is firmly
seated in the expansion-slot connector.
5 If you have not already installed your SATA hard drives, do so now.
6 Use the cables supplied with your kit to connect your controller to the SATA hard
drives.
The cable connectors are all identical, so it does not matter which end you connect to
your controller or hard drive. Also, the connectors are keyed to fit the connector in only
one direction. Do not try to force a cable connector onto the controller or a drive. If
the connector does not slide on easily, try reversing it.
7 Close the system and reattach the power cable.
2-4 Inst al l i ng t he Control l er
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Checking Your Controller and Devices
After installing the controller and connecting it to the SATA hard drives, you are ready to
use the BIOS RAID Configuration utility to check your controller and devices, as described
below:
1 Turn on your system.
2 When prompted, start the BIOS RAID Configuration utility by pressing
<Ctrl><A>.
3 If your drives have already been used in another system (even if not part of an array),
select Array Configuration Utility and initialize the drives. If you are not sure if the
drives have been used, we recommend that you still initialize the drives. Otherwise,
skip to the step 4.
NOTE: If a drive appears to be missing, power down the system and check the connections.
4 Select SATASelect
to verify the hardware configuration of the controller and the

drives.
Verify that all drives and controllers are shown. If anything appears to be missing,
power down the system and check the connections.
Determining the Boot Controller
Your controller is bootable. If your system already contains a bootable hard drive with an
installed operating system, you can set up your system to boot a second operating system
from the new controller.
To add a second bootable controller, you may need to use System Setup to change the hard
disk boot sequence so that the Dell CERC SATA1.5/6ch controller is at the top of the list.
If System Setup does not allow this change, your system BIOS may not be configurable to
allow the controller to act as a second boot device.
Refer to your system's "User's Guide" for information about System Setup.
3
SECTI ON 3
I nst al l i ng t he Dr i ver
3-2 Instal l i ng the Dri ver
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Creating a Driver Diskette
When you install a driver in a new system or update a driver in an existing system, you need
a driver diskette.
You can use the following methods to obtain drivers:
Visit the Dell Support website at support.dell.com and download the latest drivers
for your controller. Follow the instructions provided with the download.
Use the drivers from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD or other support CD
provided with your server. Refer to Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD user
documentation for details.
Installing the Windows Driver
This section contains the following procedures for installing the drivers for the Microsoft

Windows
2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 operating systems:

Installing a Windows Driver During Operating System Installation: Use this method if
you are performing a new installation of the operating system and want to include the
drivers.
Installing a Windows Driver for a New RAID Controller: Use this method if the
operating system is already installed, you have installed a RAID controller, and you
want to add the device drivers.
Updating an Existing Windows Driver: Use this method if the operating system and
RAID controller are already installed, and you want to update to the latest drivers.
The Windows driver file is available on the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
Installing a Windows Driver During Operating System Installation
Perform the following steps to install the driver while you are installing the operating
system.
1 Power down the system.
2 Boot the server.
3 During bootup, the BIOS banner should display.
4 Configure the logical drive. See "Using the CERC Container Configuration Utility."
NOTE: If this controller is not your primary controller, you can skip to Step 5 and
configure the logical drives using Dell OpenManage Array Manager (if provided).
Inst al l i ng t he Dri ver 3-3
5 Insert the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD in the CD drive and restart the
server.
6 Select the language that you want to use.
7 Read and accept the software license agreement to continue.
8 Select Click here for Server Setup on the Server Assistant main page.
9 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete setting up the operating system.
Server Assistant detects the devices on your system and then automatically installs
drivers for all of those devices, including your RAID controller.
10 When prompted, insert the operating system CD and follow the instructions on the
screen to complete the installation. Refer to the operating system documentation for
more information.
Installing a Windows Driver for a New RAID Controller
Perform the following steps to configure the driver when you add the RAID controller to a
system that already has Windows installed.
1 Create a driver diskette. See "Creating a Driver Diskette" for details.
2 When the controller is added to a server and the operating system detects the
controller, click Cancel on All Detected Devices and reboot.
3 Install the drivers for the new hardware.
4 The Found New Hardware Wizard screen displays the detected hardware device.
5 Click Next.
6 The screen used to locate the device driver for the hardware device is displayed.
7 Select Search for a suitable driver for my device and click Next.
8 The Locate Driver Files screen is displayed.
9 Insert the driver diskette you created in step 1.
10 Select Floppy disk drives and click Next.
11 The Wizard detects the device driver on the diskette, and the Completing the
upgrade device driver wizard displays the name of the controller.
12 Click Finish to complete the installation.
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mUpdating an Existing Windows Driver
To update the existing driver, perform the following operations:
3 Press Start > Settings > Control Panel > System.
The System Properties screen is displayed.
4 Click the Hardware tab.
5 Click the Device Manager.
The Device Manager screen is displayed.
6 Click SCSI and RAID Controllers.
7 Double-click the RAID controller for which you want to update the driver.
8 Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver.
The screen for the Upgrade Device Driver Wizard is displayed. The Wizard helps you
update the driver for the hardware device.
9 Follow the steps in the Wizard to search the diskette for the driver.
10 Select the INF file from the diskette.
11 Click Next and continue the installation steps in the Wizard.
Installing the Red Hat Linux Driver
Use the procedures in this section to install the Red Hat
Linux driver. The driver is

updated frequently. To ensure you have the current version of the driver, download the
updated Red Hat Linux driver from Dell Support at support.dell.com.
If you are installing a more recent driver than the one on the Red Hat CD, you must
download the driver before you begin operating system installation and create a driver
diskette. You will use the driver diskette when you are installing the operating system.
For more detailed installation instructions for Red Hat Linux 8.0 or later, see the operating
system installation guide on the Dell Support site at support.dell.com.
Creating a Linux Driver Diskette
Before beginning the installation, download the driver appropriate for your version of Red
Hat Linux from support.dell.com to your temporary directory. To create a driver diskette:
1 Move the device driver package to your local temporary directory (/ t mp) and extract
it as follows:
cd / t mp/
t ar - xvzf downl oaded- f i l e. t ar . gz
2 Insert a DOS- or EXT2-formatted diskette into your floppy drive and extract the driver
file to it as follows:
mount / mnt / f l oppy
cd / mnt / f l oppy
t ar - xvzf / t mp/ dr i ver - di sk- f i l e. t ar . gz
cd -
umount / mnt / f l oppy
NOTE: You can also create a driver diskette using the Dell OpenManage Server
Assistant CD. See "Creating a Driver Diskette" for details.
Installing the Linux Driver
Perform the steps below to install Red Hat Linux 8.0 or later and the appropriate RAID
drivers.
1 Create a driver diskette. See "Creating a Linux Driver Diskette" for details.
2 Boot normally from the Red Hat Linux installation CD.
3 At the command prompt, type l i nux dd.
4 When the install prompts for a driver diskette, insert the diskette you created in step 1
and press <Enter>.
5 Complete the installation as directed by the installation program.
Installing The Linux Event Logging Utility
If your controller did not come with a storage management software application, you may
want to install the Linux Event Logging utility to log event messages in your Linux
environment.
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mTo Install The Utility
Install (as root user):
r pm- - i nst al l aevent d- *. i 386. r pm
Make sure that the previous package is uninstalled. Currently - f or ce may be used either
to get around a previously installed package, or any errant package dependency issues (the
forced package will endeavor to self-compile from the embedded sources to get around
package dependency problems).
To Uninstall The Utility
Uninstall (as root user):
r pm- e avent d
The package posts events to the syslogd daemon as ker nel . i nf o, ker nel . medi um,
ker nel . hi gh, daemon. def aul t to syslogd, depending on the priority of the message.
These messages, in a typically configured system (see syslogd and syslog.conf
documentation for the specific machine) will land in / var / l og/ messages. The
language selected for the printout comes from the system environment (RC_LANG or
LANG).
Installing the Novell NetWare Driver
This section contains the following procedures for installing the drivers for the Novell

NetWare
operating systems:
During Operating System InstallationUse this method if you are performing a new
installation of Novell NetWare using Dell Server Assistant and want to include the
drivers. See "Installing a Windows Driver During Operating System Installation" in
"Installing the Windows Driver" for more information. (Operating system and driver
installation workflow on Server Assistant is the same for all operating systems.)
NOTE: For information about installing drivers if you use the NetWare CD to install your
operating system, see your Novell documentation.
Installing a Driver for a New ControllerUse this method if Novell NetWare is
already installed and you want to add the device drivers after installing the RAID
controller.
Performing a Standard Mode Installation of NetWare 5.1SBEWith standard mode
installation, you accept the defaults for the components to be installed.
Updating an Existing DriverUse this method if Novell NetWare and the RAID
controller are already installed, and you want to update to the latest drivers for the
controller.
Installing a Driver for a New Controller
Perform the following steps to add a NetWare 5.1 or later driver to an existing installation.
2 At the root prompt, type nwconf i g and press <Enter>.
The Installation Options screen is displayed.
3 Select Configure Disk and Storage Device Options, then press <Enter>.
4 Select Discover and load an additional driver.
The system detects the extra unit.
5 At the prompt to select a driver from the list, press <Insert> to insert the driver.
Your installation is complete. Proceed to step 6 only if you want to select an additional
driver.
6 Select Select an additional driver.
The Select a Driver screen is displayed.
7 Press <Insert> and read the instructions that are displayed.
8 Insert the driver diskette you created in step 1 and press <Enter>.
The system detects a driver and installs it.
Performing a Standard Mode Installation of NetWare 5.1SBE
Standard mode means that you accept the defaults for the components to be installed.
Perform the following steps for a standard mode installation on NetWare 5.1SBE.
1 Select Standard Installation.
2 Type the NDS information, then click Next.
3 Select the correct time zone, then click Next.
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m4 When prompted for a license diskette, insert the License Diskette and press
<Enter>.
The installation screen appears. It displays a list of devices, including Storage Devices.
5 Press <Esc> to display another list of devices, including Storage Adapters.
6 Select Modify.
7 Scroll down to Storage Adapters and press <Enter>.
9 Press <Insert> to add a driver.
10 Press <Insert> again to make an addition to the driver list.
11 Once driver installation is complete, press <Esc> to return to the main menu.
12 Select Continue and press <Enter> to continue system installation.
Updating an Existing Driver
Perform the following steps to update an existing driver for NetWare:
2 Type nwconf i g at the system prompt.
3 Press <Enter> to access the NetWare Configuration Utility.
4 On the Configuration Options screen, select Driver Options and press <Enter>.
5 In the Driver Options menu, select Configure Disk and Storage Options, then press
<Enter>.
6 Under the Additional Driver Actions menu, press the down arrow key to select the
Additional Driver option, then press <Enter>.
7 Press <Insert> to install an unlisted driver.
8 Press <F3> to specify a different path.
9 Insert the driver diskette you created in step 1 and press <Enter>.
The file CERCSR6.HAM is displayed under the option Select a Driver to Install.
10 Highlight CERCSR6.HAM and press <Enter>.
11 Select Yes to copy CERCSR6.HAM files to C:\NWSERVER.
12 Select No to save the existing file messages to C:\NWSERVER.
13 Under CERCSR6 Parameters, perform the following steps to provide the slot number.
14 Press <Alt><Esc> to access the System Console.
15 On the System Console, type l oad CERCSR6, then press <Enter>.
Supported slot options are displayed, for example:
No Selection
PCI Slot_2.1 (HIN 203)
16 Write down the number after "HIN"; in the example in step 15, the value is 203.
17 Under Choice, type 0 for the option No Selection.
18 Press <Alt><Esc> until you exit the System Console and return to the CERCSR6
Parameters screen.
19 Under Slot Number, enter the slot number you obtained from System Console and
press <Enter>.
20 Press <F10> to save the CERCSR6 parameters.
21 Under Driver CERCSR6 Parameters Actions, select Save Parameters and Load
Driver and press <Enter>.
22 Select No when asked to load additional drivers.
23 The Selected Disk Driver screen lists CERCSR6.
24 Exit the NetWare Installation Utility.
25 Power down and reboot your server.
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4
SECTI ON 4
BI OS RAI D
Conf i gur at i on Ut i l i t y
4-2 BIOS RAID Confi gurati on Uti l i ty
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mThe BIOS RAID Configuration utility is an embedded BIOS utility that includes:
Array Configuration UtilityUsed to create, configure, and manage arrays. Also used
to initialize and rescan drives. (Also available as a stand-alone DOS utility as described
in "Using the CERC Container Configuration Utility.")
SATASelect
Used to change device and controller settings.

Disk UtilitiesUsed to format or verify media.
To run the utility, press <Ctrl><A> when prompted by the following message during
system startup:
Pr ess <Ct r l ><A> f or BI OS RAI D Conf i gur at i on Ut i l i t y
The BIOS RAID Configuration menu appears, presenting the following options:
Array Configuration Utility
SATASelect Utility
Disk Utilities
To select an option from this menu, or from any of the menus within the utility, browse
with the arrow keys, then press <Enter>. In some cases, selecting an option displays
another menu. To return to the previous menu at any time, press <Esc>.
The following sections discuss each of these menu options.
BIOS RAID Conf i gurati on Uti l i ty 4-3
Using the Array Configuration Utility
The Array Configuration Utility enables you to manage, create, and delete arrays from the
controllers BIOS. You can also initialize and rescan drives.
You can use the Array Configuration Utility to create a bootable array for the system. We
recommend that you configure the system to boot from an array instead of a single disk to
take advantage of the redundancy and performance features of arrays. For details, see
"Making an Array Bootable."
Creating Arrays
Before creating arrays, make sure the disks for the array are connected and installed in your
system. For information on how to initialize a disk drive, see "Initializing Disk Drives."
NOTE: Any disks with MS-DOS
partitions, disks with no usable space, or disks that

are uninitialized appear dimmed and cannot be used for creating a new array.
To create an array:
1 Shut down and restart the system.
2 At the BIOS prompt, press <Ctrl><A>.
3 From the BIOS RAID Configuration utility menu, select Array Configuration
Utility.
4 From the Array Configuration Utility menu, select Create Array.
5 Select the disks for the new array, then press Insert.
The Array Configuration Utility displays the largest usable space available for each
disk. You can use available space from multiple disks for the new array.
To deselect any disk, highlight the disk, then press Delete.
6 Press <Enter> when all disks for the new array are selected.
The Array Properties menu is displayed.
After you install a controller in a system and start it for the first time, the BIOS announces
the configuration it has detected. This configuration may not match your systems
configuration.
NOTICE: If you do not take any action within 30 seconds, the system automatically accepts the
configuration. If the configuration does not match your system, reject it or start the BIOS
RAID Configuration utility. Otherwise, the array configuration may be erased.
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mIf necessary, start the BIOS RAID Configuration utility. Upon starting the BIOS RAID
Configuration utility, accept the configuration that the utility reports, then modify the
configuration to suit your needs.
Assigning Array Properties
You can use the Array Configuration Utility to assign array properties only prior to array
creation. To assign properties to the new array:
1 From the Array Properties menu, select an array type, then press <Enter>.
The display shows only the array types available for the number of drives selected. The
maximum number of drives allowed and minimum number of drives required depends
on the RAID level, as described in the table below.
2 Type in an optional label for the array, then press <Enter>.
3 Type the desired array size.
The maximum array size available based on the segments you selected is displayed
automatically. If you want to designate a different array size, type the desired array size
and select MB (megabytes), GB (gigabytes), or TB (terabytes) from the drop-down
list. If the available space from the selected segments is greater than the size you
specify, the remaining space is available for use in other arrays.
4 Select the desired stripe size. The allowable stripe sizes are 16, 32, and 64 KB (the
default). The default stripe size provides the best overall performance in most network
environments.
5 Specify whether you want to enable read and write caching for the array. When
Enabled (the default), caching is enabled, providing maximum performance. When
Disabled, caching is disabled.
Tabl e 4- 1. Number of Dr i ves Suppor t ed by RAI D Le vel
Array Type
Number of Drives
Maximum
Supported
Minimum
Required
Simple Volume (JBOD) 6 1
RAID 0 6 1
RAID 1 2 2
RAID 5 6 3
RAID 10 6 4
NOTICE: When caching is Enabled, there is a potential for data loss or corruption during a
power failure.
Caching should usually be enabled to optimize performance, unless your data is highly
sensitive, or unless your application performs completely random reads, which is
unlikely.
6 From Create array via, select Build/Verify, Clear, or Quick Init (for RAID 1, 5, and
10).
7 For RAID 1, 5 and 10, specify the rebuild rate, one of the following:
HighTask is high priority, 0 ms delay
MediumTask is medium priority, 50 ms delay
LowTask is low priority, 100 ms delay.
8 Specify whether you want to enable write caching for the array. When you are finished,
select Done.
Managing Arrays
Use the Manage Arrays option to view array properties and members, make an array the
boot array, manage failover assignments, and delete arrays. The following sections describe
these operations in greater detail.
Viewing Array Properties
To view the properties of an existing array:
1 From the Array Configuration Utility menu, select Manage Arrays.
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array about which you want more
information, then press <Enter>.
Single Level Arrays OnlyFor RAID levels 0, 1, and 5, the Array Properties dialog
box shows detailed information on the array physical disks.
Dual-Level ArraysFor RAID 10s, to view detailed information on the array
physical disks, highlight the displayed member, then press <Enter> to display the
second level. Press <Enter> again to display the physical disks associated with the
array.
NOTE: A failed drive is displayed in a different text color.
3 Press Esc to return to the previous menu.
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You can make an array bootable so that the system boots from the array instead of from a
stand-alone (single) disk. To make an array bootable:
2 Select the array you want to make bootable, then press <Ctrl><B>. This changes
the selected arrays number to 00, making it the controllers boot array.
3 Restart the system.
Whenever making an array bootable, consider the following guidelines:
If the controller is not a boot device, you can disable its runtime BIOS, see "Controller
Configuration Options." When the BIOS is disabled, it does not occupy any of the
expansion ROM region of the systems memory map. In a system with several
expansion ROMs, disabling the BIOS may be helpful.
You cannot make a non-00 array bootable while the array is in a build/verify or
reconfiguration process.
The controller always uses the lowest numbered array as its bootable array. If you
delete Array 00 for any reason, the next lowest numbered array becomes the bootable
array. Use the <Ctrl><B> option to mark the correct array as the bootable array (by
making it Array 00).
If you want to boot from a stand-alone (single) disk drive, first create a volume on that
disk.
The system BIOS provides additional tools to modify the boot order. For more
information, refer to your system documentation.
Deleting Arrays
NOTICE: Back up the data on an array before you delete it. When you delete the array, you
loose all data on the array. You cannot restore deleted arrays.
To delete an existing array:
2 Select the array you wish to delete, then press Delete.
3 From the Array Properties dialog box, press Delete again, then press <Enter>.
A warning message is displayed regarding data loss.
4 Select Yes to delete the array, or No to return to the previous menu.
5 At the Array Properties dialog box, select Delete again, then press <Enter>.
Managing Failover Drive Assignments
To assign a global or dedicated hot spare drive to an array:
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array to which you want to assign a hot
spare, then press <Ctrl><S> for dedicated hot spare or <Ctrl><G> for global hot
spare.
The Hotspare Management for Array dialog box is displayed, which shows the drives
that can be assigned as hot spare drives.
3 Select a drive, then press Insert to assign the drive as a hot spare.
The specified drive is displayed in the Assigned Hotspare Drives list.
4 Press <Enter> to save the hot spare drive assignment.
A message is displayed asking you whether you have finished managing hot spare
drives.
5 Press Y (for yes) to return to the Array Configuration Utility menu.
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mTo remove an assigned global or dedicated hot spare drive from an array:
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array from which you want to remove the
assigned hot spare drive, then press <Ctrl><S> or <Ctrl><G>.
The Hotspare Management for Array dialog box is displayed, which shows a list of
drives that can be assigned as hot spares and a list of drives that are assigned as hot
spares.
3 From the Assigned Hotspare Drives list, select the drive to be removed, then press
Delete.
The specified drive is displayed in the Select Hotspare Drives list.
4 Press <Enter> to save the removed hot spare drive assignment.
A message is displayed asking you whether you have finished managing hot spare
drives.
5 Press Y (for yes) to return to the Array Configuration Utility menu.
Initializing Disk Drives
If an installed disk does not appear in the disk selection list for creating a new array or if it
appears grayed out, you need to initialize it before you can use it as part of an array.
NOTICE: Initializing a disk overwrites the partition table on the disk and makes any data on
the disk inaccessible. If the drive is used in an array, you may not be able to use the array again.
Do not initialize a disk that is part of a boot array. The boot array is the lowest numbered array
(normally 00) in the List of Arrays dialog box. (See "Viewing Array Properties" for information
on determining which disks are associated with a particular array.)
To initialize drives:
Utility.
3 Select Initialize Drives.
4 Browse with the arrow keys to highlight the disk you wish to initialize, then press
Insert.
5 Repeat step 5 until all the drives to be initialized are selected.
6 Press <Enter>.
7 Read the warning message, ensure that you have selected the correct disk drives to
initialize, then press Y to continue.
Rescanning Disk Drives
To rescan the drives connected to the controller:
Utility.
3 Select Rescan Drives.
Using SATASelect
SATASelect enables you to change device and controller settings without opening the
system or handling the card. With this utility, you can modify the Channel Interface
Definitions and Device Configuration Options.
To access SATASelect:
1 When you turn on or restart your system, press <Ctrl><A> to access the BIOS
RAID Configuration utility when you see the following message:
2 If multiple controllers are installed, select the controller you want to configure, then
press <Enter>.
3 From the BIOS RAID Configuration utility menu, select SATASelect Utility.
The SATA Configuration and Controller Configuration menu options are displayed.
See "SATA Configuration Options" and "Controller Configuration Options" for
details.
To select a SATASelect menu option, browse with the arrow keys to the option, then
press <Enter>. In some cases, selecting an option displays another menu. You can
return to the previous menu at any time by pressing Esc.
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mTo restore the original SATASelect default values, press F6 from the Configure/View
Host Adapter Settings screen.
4 To exit SATASelect, press Esc until a message prompts you to exit. (If you changed any
host adapter settings, you are prompted to save the changes before you exit.) Select
Yes to exit and restart the system. Any changes you made take effect after the system
boots.
SATA Configuration Options
The SATA configuration options are described below:
Write Cache (Default: Enabled)When Write Cache is Enabled, performance is
maximized.
NOTICE: When Write Cache is Enabled, there is a potential for data loss or corruption during
a power failure.
DMA (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode is
used for the drive, providing maximum performance.
SMART (Default: Enabled)Controls the predictive failure feature of the disk drive.
When Enabled and the drive supports Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting
Technology (SMART) configuration, the SMART status of the drive (Healthy or
Failed) is displayed along with the physical drive display during POST. Messages are
logged to the storage management software log file when they occur. When Event
Broadcasting is installed on your operating system, SMART events are also sent to
destinations according to your systems particular configuration (for example, system
log file, Event Viewer, pop ups, email, etc.) When Disabled, or when the drive does not
support SMART, the SMART status is not displayed.
Allow Read Ahead (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, the drives read ahead cache
algorithm is use, providing maximum performance under most circumstances.
Controller Configuration Options
The controller configuration options are described below:
Runtime BIOS (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, the controller BIOS allows the
controller to act as a bootable device. Disabling the BIOS allows another suitable
controller to act as the boot device.
Automatic Failover (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, the controller automatically
rebuilds an array when the failed drive is replaced. When disabled, the array must be
rebuilt manually.
Array Background Consistency Check (Default: Disabled)When Enabled, the
controller continuously performs a verification on a redundant array to data integrity.
In the case of RAID 1 or 10, consistency checks assure that the data between like
blocks match. In the case of a RAID 5, consistency checks assure that data in the stripe
and the calculated parity for the stripe match. Consistency checking processes reduce
performance. For a RAID 5, the performance reduction is significant.
Array-based BBS Support (Default: Disabled)When Enabled in systems that
support BBS, the controller presents attached bootable devices up to the host system's
BIOS for boot device selection. This is relevant for logical arrays.
Physical Drives Display during POST (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, attached
physical devices are displayed during system POST. Displaying the devices adds a few
seconds to the overall POST time.
30-Second Configuration Change Timeout (Default: Disabled)When Enabled, and
a configuration change has been detected, a message is displayed when the system is
restarted (after controller POST). When you see this message, you can either press
<Enter> to proceed with the restart, press <Ctrl><A> to enter the BIOS utility, or
allow the system to proceed with the restart after a 30-second delay. When Disabled,
you must either press <Enter> to proceed with the restart or <Ctrl><A> to enter
the BIOS utility; otherwise, the system waits indefinitely.
Alarm Control (Default: Enabled)When Enabled, the alarm sounds when a drive
fails or the state of an array changes. (See "Audible Alarm Operation" for details).
Choose Silence to silence the alarm for the current event (if any)without preventing
the alarm from sounding during a future event. Choose Disabled to silence the alarm
for the current event (if any)and prevent the alarm from sounding during a future
event.
Using the Disk Utilities
The disk utilities enable you to low-level format or verify the media of your SATA hard
disks. To access the disk utilities:
1 Turn on your system, then press <Ctrl><A> when prompted to access the BIOS
RAID Configuration utility.
press <Enter>.
3 From the BIOS RAID Configuration utility menu, select Disk Utilities.
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m4 Select the desired disk, then press <Enter>.
You are offered the following options:
Format DiskSimulates a format of the hard drive by removing the file system
and writing zeros to the entire disk. SATA drives are formatted at the factory and
do not need to be formatted again.
NOTICE: Formatting destroys all data on the drive. Be sure to back up your data before
performing this operation.
Verify Disk MediaScans the media of a disk drive for defects. Any errors found
are corrected.
Viewing the Event Log
The BIOS-based event log stores all firmware events (configuration changes, array creation,
boot activity, and so on).
The event log has a fixed size. Once full, old events are flushed as new events are stored.
Also, the log is volatile; therefore, it is cleared after each system restart.
To access the event log:
1 When you turn on or restart your system, press <Ctrl><A> to access the BIOS
RAID Configuration utility when prompted by the following message:
press <Enter>.
3 From the BIOS RAID Configuration utility menu, press <Ctrl><P>.
The Controller Service menu appears.
4 Select Controller Log Information, then press <Enter>.
The current log is displayed.
5
SECTI ON 5
DOS Ut i l i t i es
5-2 DOS Ut i l i t i es
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Using the DOS Flash Utility
The DOS Flash Utility is used to update the flash EEPROM components on one or more
RAID controllers. The utility can also be used to verify a controllers current flash contents
against the flash images in a specified file or to save a controllers current flash contents to a
file.
Your RAID controller uses nonvolatile flash to store on-board software, such as BIOS,
microprocessor kernel, and monitor. Whenever it becomes necessary to update any of those
components you can update your controllers flash components using the utility.
The utility updates the controllers flash by reading flash image data from a supplied User
Flash Image (UFI) file and writing it to the controllers flash components. A UFI file
contains all of a controllers flash images, as well as information about each image. It also
includes general controller information, such as controller type, to ensure that utility uses
the correct UFI file when updating the controllers flash.
Overview
The utility performs the following primary functions:
UpdateUpdates all the flash components on a controller with the flash image data
from a UFI file.
SaveReads the contents of a controllers flash components and saves the data to a
UFI file. This enables you to later restore a controllers flash to its previous contents
should the need arise.
VerifyReads the contents of a controllers flash components and compares it to the
contents of the specified flash image file.
VersionDisplays version information about a controllers flash components.
ListLists all the supported controllers detected in your system.
See "Running the Utility" for command details.
DOS Ut i l i t i es 5-3
System Requirements
The requirements for the utility are as follows:
Runs in MSDOS, Version 5.0 or later. (You must shut down your operating system and
reboot to DOS. To start MSDOS, boot from a bootable MS-DOS diskette or from a
DOS partition on a bootable drive. You cannot use a DOS command prompt window
in Windows. )
At least 8 MB of extended memory.
DOS extenders, such as EMM386.SYS and DOS4GW, are not supported.
The utility supports HIMEM.SYS and is compatible with other DOS drivers running
under HIMEM.SYS (for example, SMARTDRV.SYS and SETVER.SYS).
Run from a partition on a drive or array attached to the controller you are updating.
Once the flash update begins, no I/O is possible to any array attached to that controller
until the flash operation is completed and the system is restarted.
To update multiple controllers in the same system, first update the boot controllers
flash, then restart the system, and finally update the flash for any remaining
controllers.
Firmware Diskette Kit
The Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD includes the executable afu.exe, the
corresponding documentation, and a separate flash image. The flash image may be
comprised of multiple UFI files.
To create a controller firmware kit on diskettes:
1 Locate the firmware package on the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
2 Execute the exe file and follow instructions to create a bootable MS-DOS
diskette
and the firmware image diskette.
Running the Utility
You can run the utility from its graphical user interface (GUI) or from the command line.
Accessing the Utility from the GUI
To access the utility:
1 At the DOS command prompt (typically A: \ >), type af u with no arguments.
The main menu to the utility is displayed.
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m2 Select Select Controllers and select the controllers to be flashed.
3 Select Select an Operation.
4 Select any available function and follow the on-screen instructions.
Accessing the Utility from the Command Line
At the DOS command prompt (typically A: \ >), type af u followed by a command and any
optional switches. The utility processes the command, prompts you to insert additional
diskettes as needed, exits, and reports success or an error message code.
The syntax of the command line is as follows:
afu <Command> [ / C<Cont r ol l er I D>] [ / D <UFI Fi l e Pat h>] [ / ?]
where <Command>is one of the following commands:
helpDisplays help text.
listLists the supported controllers installed on this system.
saveSaves the contents of a controllers flash to the specified UFI file.
updateUpdates a controllers flash from the data in the specified UFI file.
verifyCompare the controllers current flash to the specified UFI file.
versionDisplays the controllers current flash version information.
The switches are as follows:
/ C <Cont r ol l er I D>is one or more controller IDs representing the set of controllers
on which to perform the specified command. You can specify a single controller ID, for
example:
/ C 0
multiple IDs separated by commas, for example:
/ C 0, 2
or al l to indicate all controllers.
This switch is required. If no / C switch is specified, the system returns a fatal error
message. See each individual command for the default switch values.
/ D<UFI Fi l e Pat h>specifies the path (drive and directory) where the UFI files are
located. If you do not specify the / Dswitch, the utility looks for, or creates, its UFI
files in the default location.
NOTE: You cannot specify the name of a UFI file, only its path. UFI filenames are
predefined, based on the controller type.
Flashing the Firmware
The easy way to flash the controller is to use the utility GUI. Follow the instructions in
"Accessing the Utility from the GUI" to start utility with the GUI.
To flash the firmware using the utility from the command line:
1 Shut down your system.
2 Insert the bootable diskette that contains the utility. See "Firmware Diskette Kit" for
information on creating the bootable diskette.
3 Turn on the system.
4 Start System Setup and verify that your system is set up to boot from the bootable
diskette.
5 At the DOS prompt, type af u l i st and press <Enter>.
This command displays a list of the controllers in your system. Note the controller
number of the controller you wish to update. Verify that the controller you wish to
update is identified.
6 You can perform this step using any of the following alternatives:
a To flash the firmware on a single controller, type:
af u updat e / C <cont r ol l er _number >
Where <controller_number>is the number of the controller whose
firmware you are updating.
For example, to upgrade controller 0, you would type:
af u updat e / C 0
b To flash the firmware on multiple controllers, type:
af u updat e / C <controller_number_a>, <controller_number_b>
Where <controller_number_a>and <controller_number_b>is the number
of one of the controllers whose firmware you are updating.
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mTo upgrade controllers 0, 2, and 3 for example, you would type:
af u updat e / C 0, 2, 3
c To flash the firmware on all controllers, type:
af u updat e / C al l
The firmware image may be contained on multiple disks.
The utility prompts you to insert the first firmware diskette. When it detects that the
diskette is in the drive, the utility reads the part of the firmware image contained on
the first diskette.
The utility then tells you to remove the first firmware diskette and insert the second
firmware diskette.
If there are additional UFI files, this process is repeated until the complete image has
been read and the controller flash is updated with the new image.
Commands
The following pages describe each of the commands in detail. For ease of use, the
commands are presented in alphabetical order.
Help
The hel p command displays a summary of utility functions and command switches.
To display the help text for the utility, you can also type af u / ?
Options
None
Default Switch Values
None
Examples
A: \ > af u hel p
A: \ > af u / ?
List
The l i st command displays the supported controllers installed on your system. Use this
command to see which controllers are installed on this system, or to identify the ID
numbers assigned to each physical controller.
You do not have to restart the system upon completion of this command.
Options
None
None
Example
A: \ > af u l i st
Adapt ec Fl ash Ut i l i t y V4. 0- 0 B5749
( c) Adapt ec I nc. 19992002. Al l Ri ght s Reser ved.
Cont r ol l er s Det ect ed and Recogni zed:
Cont r ol l er #0 ( 03: 05: 00) Adapt ec 2610SA
Save
The save command saves the contents of a controllers flash in a UFI file. The name of the
UFI file is based on the controller type and cannot be changed. Use the / D switch to specify
the drive and directory where you want the utility to create the UFI file.
NOTE: You can specify only one controller ID. If you include the / C switch and
specify more than one controller, the utility displays an error message and exits.
You must restart the system following a SAVE command.
If you do not include the / C switch, the utility returns a fatal error message.
If you do not include the / D switch, the utility creates the UFI file in the current default
drive and directory.
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Examples
In the following example, the utility saves flash contents from controller 0 to a UFI file in
the current default drive and directory:
A: \ > af u save / c 0
In the following example, the utility saves flash contents from Controller 1 to a UFI file in
c: \ uf i _f i l es:
A: \ > af u save / c 1 / d c: \ uf i _f i l es
Update
The updat e command updates a controllers flash components from the flash image data
in a UFI file. You can use the UPDATE command to update a single controllers flash
components or to update multiple controllers on your system.
You must restart the system following an UPDATE command.
If you do not include the / D switch, the utility looks for its UFI files in the current default
drive and directory.
Example
A: \ > af u updat e / C 0
Updat i ng Cont r ol l er 0 ( Adapt ec 2610SA)
Readi ng f l ash i mage f i l e ( Bui l d 5749)
AFU i s about t o updat e f i r mwar e on cont r ol l er s Adapt ec 2610SA
***PLEASE DO NOT REBOOT THE SYSTEM DURI NG THE UPDATE***
Thi s mi ght t ake a f ew mi nut es.
Wr i t i ng Adapt ec 2610SA ( 4MB) Fl ash I mage t o cont r ol l er 0. . . OK.
Ver i f yi ng. . . OK
Pl ease r est ar t t he comput er t o al l ow f i r mwar e changes t o t ake
ef f ect .
Verify
The ver i f y command compares the contents of each of the flash components on a
controller to the corresponding image in a UFI file and indicates whether they match. Use
this command to determine whether a controllers flash components are up-to-date when
compared to a specific UFI file.
After using the ver i f y command, you must restart the system upon completion of this
command.
If you do not include the / D switch, the utility verifies against UFI files in the current
default drive and directory.
Example
A: \ > af u ver i f y / c 0
Readi ng f l ash i mage f i l e ( Bui l d 5748)
Cont r ol l er #0: Adapt ec 2610SA
ROM: Checksum: 797B [ VALI D] ( Bui l d 5748)
Fi l e: Checksum: 797B [ VALI D] ( Bui l d 5748)
I mage Compar es Cor r ect l y
Version
The ver si on command displays version information about the flash components on a
controller.
Use the / C switch to get version information about a specific controller or multiple
controllers.
NOTE: If your system contains multiple controllers, you must include the / C switch;
otherwise, the command fails and reports an error message.
After using the ver si on command, you must restart the system upon completion of this
command.
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Examples
The following example displays version information about all supported controllers.
A: \ > af u ver si on / c 0
Ver si on I nf or mat i on f or Cont r ol l er #0 ( Adapt ec 2610SA)
ROM: Bui l d 5748 [ VALI D] Fr i Sep 27 13: 28: 40 EDT 2002
Error Handling
Because the utility can run without user intervention, it exits immediately whenever an
error is detected. For example, if the utility is unable to locate UFI files, it displays an error
message and exits. On exit, the utility returns its exit statuszero for success or nonzero for
an errorin the DOS environment variable ERRORLEVEL. If you run the utility from within
a DOS batch file, the batch file can examine the utilitys exit status using the DOS
command I F ERRORLEVEL 1 to take action if the utility exited with an error.
Using the CERC Container Configuration
Utility
This section describes the CERC Container Configuration Utility (CERCCCU) for DOS
only.
For information about running the CERCCCU in the BIOS RAID Configuration Utility,
see "BIOS RAID Configuration Utility."
Interactive Versus Script Mode
When used in MS-DOS mode (also known as interactive mode), the CERCCCU offers the
same interface and features as the BIOS-based version (array creation, display, and deletion,
as well as device initialization). See "Using Interactive Mode" for details.
In addition, the CERCCCU for MS-DOS offers a special command-line interface that
enables you to create arrays based on parameters specified in a plain-text script file. It also
enables you to configure certain controller channel properties. You can record a controllers
current array and channel configuration in a plain-text script file, allowing you to easily
restore your configuration or create a configuration based on a script template. See "Using
the Scripting Features" for details.
Running the CERCCCU
To run the CERCCCU for MS-DOS:
1 Locate the CERCCCU utility package on the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD,
then extract the files to your harddrive
2 Copy CERCCCU.exe onto a bootable MS-DOS diskette and insert this diskette into
the drive of the system that contains the RAID controller.
3 Restart your system.
If you issue the command CERCCCU without any command-line switches, the CERCCCU
main menu is displayed (interactive mode). If you include any command-line switches with
the CERCCCU command, CERCCCU processes your command with no further interaction
(command-line or script mode).
The remainder of this section explains in detail how to use the CERCCCU in both
interactive and script modes.
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mUsing Interactive Mode
When you issue the CERCCCU command at the MS-DOS prompt without any command-
line switches, the CERCCCU main menu is displayed. To select a CERCCCU menu
option, use the and keys, and press <Enter>. In some cases, selecting an option
displays another menu. Press Tab to navigate between the fields within a dialog box. You
can return to the previous menu at any time by pressing Esc.
Creating an Array with CERCCCU
Before creating arrays, make sure the disks to be used as members of the array are connected
and installed, and use the following guidelines:
Disks with MS-DOS partitions, disks with no usable space, or disks that are
uninitialized appear dimmed and cannot be used for creating a new array.
If necessary, restart your system to ensure that it detects all connected drives.
If you need to initialize a device, see "Initializing a Hard Drive."
To create an array, select the drive or drives to be used in the array, then assign the desired
properties to the array.
Selecting Segments for New Arrays
To select one or more segments to assign as members of the new array:
1 Use the arrow keys to select the drives to assign to the new array and press Insert.
The CERCCCU displays the largest usable space available for each drive. You can use
some or all of the available space from multiple drives to create the new array.
To deselect a drive, highlight the drive and press Delete.
NOTE: Drives containing MS-DOS partitions, drives with no available space, or
uninitialized drives appear dimmed and cannot be selected when creating a new array.
2 Press <Enter> when you have selected all segments for the new array. The
CERCCCU displays the Array Properties menu.
Assigning Array Properties
1 From the Array Properties menu, select an array type and press <Enter>. The display
shows only the array types available for the number of drives selected.
The controller supports six drives. The maximum number of drives allowed and
minimum number of drives required depends on the RAID level, as described in the
table below.
2 Type in an optional label for the array and press <Enter>.
3 Type the desired array size.
The maximum array size available based on the segments you selected is displayed
automatically. If you want to designate a different array size, type the desired array size
and select MB (megabytes), GB (gigabytes), or TB (terabytes) from the drop-down
list. If the available space from the selected segments is greater than the size specified,
the remaining space is available for use in other arrays.
4 Select the desired stripe size. The allowable stripe sizes are:
For RAID 0, and 5 only16, 32, and 64 MB (the default).
For RAID 10 only16, 32 and 64 MB (the default).
5 The default stripe size gives the best overall performance in most network
environments.
Tabl e 5- 1. Numbe r of Dr i v e s Suppor t ed by RAI D Level
Array Type
Number of Drives
Maximum
Supported
Minimum
Required
Simple Volume (JBOD) 6 1
RAID 0 6 1
RAID 1 2 2
RAID 5 6 3
RAID 10 6 4
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m6 Specify whether you want to enable read and write caching for the array. When
Enabled (the default), caching is enabled, providing maximum performance. When
Disabled, caching is disabled.
NOTICE: When caching is Enabled, there is a potential for data loss or corruption during a
power failure.
Caching should usually be enabled to optimize performance, unless your data is highly
sensitive, or unless your application performs completely random reads, which is
unlikely.
7 When you are finished, press Done.
Managing Arrays
The Manage Arrays option enables you to perform the following functions:
"Viewing Array Properties"
"Assigning Hot Spares"
"Removing Hot Spare Drives"
"Initializing a Hard Drive"
"Making an Array Bootable"
"Deleting Arrays"
These operations are described in greater detail in the sections that follow.
Viewing Array Properties
1 From the main menu, select Manage Arrays.
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array you want to view information on
and press <Enter>.
The Array Properties dialog box is displayed. View the information as follows:
RAID 0, 1, 5The physical disks associated with the array are displayed here,
except in the case of a RAID 10 array.
RAID 10 onlyHighlight the displayed member and press <Enter> to display
the second level. Press <Enter> again to display the physical disks associated with
the array.
NOTE: The label of a failed drive is displayed in a different color.
Assigning Hot Spares
To assign a global or dedicated hot spare:
1 From the main menu, select, Manage Arrays.
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array you to which you want to assign a
spare drive, then press <Ctrl><S>.
The Hotspare Management for Array dialog box is displayed; it shows which drives
can be assigned as spare drives.
3 Select a drive and press the Insert key to assign the drive as a spare.
The specified drive is displayed in the Assigned Hotspare Drives list.
4 Press <Enter> to save the spare drive assignment.
The following prompt is displayed:
Have you f i ni shed managi ng Hot spar e dr i ves?
5 Press Y (for yes) to return to the main menu.
Removing Hot Spare Drives
To remove a global or dedicated hot spare:
2 From the List of Arrays dialog box, select the array you want to remove the assigned
spare drive from and type <Ctrl><S>.
The Hotspare Management for Array dialog box is displayed; it shows which drives
can be assigned as spare drives and a list of drives that are already assigned as spare
drives.
3 From the Assigned Hotspare Drives list, select the drive to be removed, then press
Delete to remove the drive as a spare.
The specified drive is displayed in the Select Hotspare Drives list.
4 Press <Enter> to save the removed spare drive assignment.
The following prompt is displayed:
Have you f i ni shed managi ng Hot spar e dr i ves?
5 Press Y (for yes) to return to the main menu.
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mInitializing a Hard Drive
You must initialize a drive before you can use it as part of an array. You can tell a drive is not
available (and must be initialized) if it is not listed in the disk selection list or if it is listed
but grayed out.
NOTICE: Initializing a disk deletes all data on the disk. (Actually, it overwrites the partition
table on the disk and makes all the previous data on the disk inaccessible.) If the drive is a member
of an existing array, you might not be able to use that array again. Do not initialize a disk that is
part of a boot array (numbered 00 in the List of Arrays dialog box). See "Viewing Array
Properties" for information on determining which disks are associated with a particular array.
1 From the main menu, select Initialize Drives.
2 Select the disks you want to initialize and press Insert.
3 Press <Enter>.
4 Read the warning message and ensure that you have selected the correct devices to
initialize. Press Y to continue.
Making an Array Bootable
You can make an array bootable so the system boots from the array instead of from a stand-
alone (single) device.
When making an array bootable, note the following:
You cannot make a non-00 array bootable if the array is in a build/verify or
reconfiguration process.
The controller always uses the lowest numbered array as its bootable array. If you
delete Array 00 for any reason, the next higher numbered array becomes the boot array.
Mark the correct array as the bootable array by making it Array 00.
If the controller is not a boot device, you can disable its runtime BIOS to conserve
ROM.
To make an array bootable:
2 Select the array you want to make bootable and press <Ctrl><B>. This changes the
selected arrays number to 00, making it the controllers boot array.
3 Restart the system.
Deleting Arrays
NOTICE: Back up the data on an array before you delete it. All data on the array is lost when
you delete the array, and you cannot restore a deleted array.
2 Select the array you want to delete and press Delete.
3 From the Array Properties dialog box, press Delete again, then press <Enter>.
A warning message is displayed regarding data loss.
4 Press Yes to delete the array, or No to return to the previous menu.
Using the Scripting Features
To use the CERCCCU scripting features, issue the command CERCCCU with one of the
following required switches:
/ PPlayback mode. This mode configures arrays and channel settings from a
specified script file.
/ sSilent mode. This mode causes the utility to run without reporting results.
/ P<f i l e>Indicates playback mode.In this mode ACU reads the specified script
file and creates Arrays based on the script.
/ R<f i l e>Record mode. In this mode, the ACU scans the controller's
configuration and creates the script file based on the configuration.
/ L<f i l e>Optional log file name. If specified, ACU creates a log of its activity, and
any errors it encounters.
/ C<number >Optional controller number.In systems with more than one controller,
specifies the controller on which to operate.
/ DC<Ar r ay number >Delete the given array number.
/ DLDelete all legacy arrays.
/ I Do not wait for Build/Clear to complete while in playback mode.
/ ALLRun across all the controllers.
SHUTShutdown the controller's kernel.
BUI LDALLStart Build/Verify for all Quick Init Mode Arrays.
LI STDisplay all the controllers.
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m ALARM=<opt i on>Alarm control, where opt i on is one of the following:
Enabl eEnables alarm control.
Si l enceSilences the alarm for a current event, if any. Does not prevent the
alarm from sounding if a new event occurs.
Di sabl eSilences alarm for a current event, if any. Prevents the alarm from
sounding if a new event occurs.
Test Turn ON the alarm for 2 seconds.
BI OS=<Enabl e/ Di sabl e>Enable or disable INT13 flag.
DRI VE_DI SPLAY=<Enabl e/ Di sabl e>Enable/disable physical drive display
during POST.
On the CERCCCU command line, you can also specify the name of a log file to record the
status of the playback or record operation. The CERCCCU records in the log any errors or
warnings encountered.
When running in playback or record mode, CERCCCU stores the status of the playback or
record operation in the MS-DOS variable ERRORLEVEL on exit, allowing it to be used within
an MS-DOS batch file. See "Error Handling" for more information on error handling.
The table below lists the required and optional CERCCCU command-line switches.
Tabl e 5- 2. CERCCCU Comma nd- Li ne Swi t c hes
Switch Description
/ P <f i l e> Playback Mode SwitchIn this mode, the CERCCCU reads the contents of
the specified script file and creates arrays and configures channel settings based
on the properties defined in the script.
<f i l e>is the name of the script file. It can include a drive, directory, and
filename and extension, but only the filename is required. If no drive or
directory is specified, defaults are used. The file extension is optional.
NOTE: If you do not include either the / P or the / R switch (but not both), the
CERCCCU exits with an error.
/ R <f i l e> Record Mode SwitchIn this mode, the CERCCCU scans the controllers
current array and channel configuration and creates the specified script file
based on the configuration.
<f i l e>is the name of the script file. It can include a drive, directory, and
filename and extension, but only the filename and extension (.MLC) are
required. If no drive or directory is specified, defaults are used.
NOTE: The CERCCCU exits with an error if you do not include either the / P or
the / R switch (but not both).
Playback Mode
Playback mode enables you to create one or more arrays based on the properties defined in a
script file. It also enables you to configure certain properties for each controller channel.
When you create an array, you can specify any of the array properties listed in the table
below.
/ L <f i l e> Optional Log Filename SwitchIf you include this switch, the CERCCCU
records its activity and any errors it encounters in the log file. If you do not
include this switch, the CERCCCU displays any status and errors on the screen.
<f i l e>is a standard MS-DOS file, which can include a drive, directory,
filename and extension. Only the filename and extension (.LOG) are required. If
no drive or directory is specified, defaults are used.
/ C <number > Optional Controller Number SwitchIn systems with more than one
controller, this switch specifies which controller to change.
<number >is a controller number. Controller numbers start with zero. The
default is controller 0.
NOTE: The number assigned to a particular controller depends on the
controllers physical PCI slot and the order in which your system scans its PCI
slots.
Tabl e 5- 3. Ar r a y Pr ope r t i e s
Property Description
Type Supported array types are:
Volume
RAID 0
RAID 1
RAID 5
RAID 10
Size Size of the array to be created. Size can be specified in megabyte (MB), gigabyte
(GB), or terabyte (TB) units, or Maxi mumto specify the maximum size based
on the given type and disks.
Label Alphanumeric string uniquely identifying the array.
StripeSize Size (in MB) of contiguous data distributed across a striped array (RAID 0,
RAID 5, or RAID 10)
Tabl e 5- 2. CERCCCU Comma nd- Li ne Swi t c he s
Switch Description
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In addition, other array properties enable you to control the various array settings during
array creation. See "Array Definition Block Keywords" for the complete list of array
properties.
Initializing Drives
By default, when you use playback mode to create arrays, the CERCCCU initializes only
those drives specified by the Dr i ves property keyword in the script file. It performs this
initialization step before creating any new arrays. For example, consider a script file that
defines the following new arrays:
RAID 1 with dr i ves=0: 0: 0, 0: 1: 0
RAID 5 with dr i ves=0: 1: 0, 0: 2: 0, 0: 3: 0
As a result of executing this script file, the CERCCCU initializes all drives comprising the
two arrays before creating any arrays. Any other drives connected to the controller are not
affected.
Initializing a drive automatically deletes any existing arrays with that drive as their member.
For example, if you specify drive 0:0:0 in an arrays Dr i ves property and that drive happens
to be part of a RAID 0 (stripe) array, the CERCCCU deletes the stripe array when it
initializes the drive.
NOTE: The existing arrays with drive members that are not specified in any Dr i ves
property within the script are not affected.
In some cases, you might want the CERCCCU to delete any existing arrays and initialize all
drives connected to the controller, even those that are not specified in a scripts Dr i ves
property. To achieve this, specify I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes within any array definition to
instruct the CERCCCU to perform this task. Unlike most array properties, the
I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes property is a global CERCCCU setting and applies to all arrays.
Thus, you need only specify I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes once within any array definition.
Cache settings You can specify the following cache values:
ReadCacheYes (enable), or No (disable)
WriteCacheYes (enable), or No (disable)
Drives Disk drives to use in creating the array. Drives are identified by their channel
number, ID number, and LUN.
HotspareDrives Disk drives to assign as spare drives for this array. Drives are identified by their
channel number, ID number, and LUN.
Tabl e 5- 3. Ar r a y Pr ope r t i e s
Property Description
NOTICE: Back up the data on an array before you initialize it. When you initialize the array,
you loose all data on the array. The data cannot be restored.
Because the CERCCCU reads the entire script file before creating any arrays, the
I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes property can be used anywhere in the script. Continuing from the
previous example, if I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes is specified in the second RAID 5s definition,
the CERCCCU initializes all drives before creating the first RAID 0.
If I ni t i al i zeAl l =No is specified, the CERCCCU initializes only uninitialized drives
that are specified by the Dr i ves property.
NOTE: When an array is deleted during a build/verify process, the build/verify process
is terminated in progress.
See "InitializeAll Keyword" for details on the syntax of the I ni t i al i zeAl l property.
Record Mode
Record mode writes an existing controllers array configuration to a specified script file,
enabling you to create the same configuration by running the CERCCCU in playback mode
with the resulting script. In addition, record mode lists certain controller properties that can
be set in playback mode.
Because the CERCCCU supports only a subset of array types available through the CLI and
the GUI, it cannot record all the possible array configurations. If the CERCCCU
encounters an array that it cannot create it displays a warning (and records the warning in
its log file, if that switch is used) and does not record any properties for that array in its
script file.
Determining Build/Verify/Clear Status
When using playback mode to create an array, you can specify whether to wait for an arrays
initial build/verify or clear to complete or to continue while the build/verify or clear
proceeds in the background. If you instruct the CERCCCU to continue (Wai t =No), you
need to be able to check the status of a background build/verify or clear task and determine
when it is complete.
The CERCCCU provides a way to do this. When you use record mode to record a
controllers configuration and you specify a log file (/ L switch), the CERCCCU writes
build/verify and clear status information about each array in the configuration to the log
file. An application or batch file can then parse the resulting log file to determine whether
an arrays build/verify or clear is complete, in progress (a percentage of the task completed),
or failed.
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mThe following example shows a log file of a recorded configuration consisting of three
arrays:
Readi ng ar r ay i nf or mat i on. . . Passed
Scanni ng f or Dr i ves. . . Passed
Readi ng cache val ues. . . Passed
Ar r ay #0 St at us : OK
Ar r ay #1 St at us : BUI LD/ VERI FY 30%
Ar r ay #2 St at us : BUI LD/ VERI FY/ CLEAR FAI LED
Each status line consists of the prefix:
Ar r ay#<n> St at us :
where <n>is the array ID, followed by the status. The possible status values are as follows:
OK
Indicates a nonredundant array (no build required) or a redundant array whose build
task completed successfully.
BUI LD/ VERI FY <n>%
CLEAR <n>%
Indicates a build/verify (or clear) is currently in progress, where <n>is the percentage
of the operation that is complete. The percentage is an integer between 0 and 99,
inclusive.
BUI LD/ VERI FY/ CLEAR FAI LED
Indicates a build/verify or clear that did not complete due to a data error or other
unexpected problem.
When a build/verify task runs on a multilevel array, the build/verify occurs on the child
arrays and not on the parent array. Consequently, the parent task always indicates 0 percent
and the child task indicates 0 to 100 percent. When a clear task runs on a multilevel array,
the clearing occurs on the parent array and not on the child arrays. Consequently, the parent
task indicates 0 to 100 percent and the child tasks always indicates 0 percent.
Build/Verify Operations on RAID 10 Arrays
For a RAID 10 array, the status message indicates the percent of the build/verify completed
for the parent and child tasks. The status updates to OK when the tasks are complete. A
sample RAID 10 build status is as follows:
Ar r ay #1 St at us : BUI LD/ VERI FY = 30%
Script File Syntax
A CERCCCU script file consists of one of the following:
Array definition blockSpecifies the properties of an array, such as type, size, and
cache settings. The block begins with the keyword Ar r ay and ends with the keyword
End.
Channel definition blockSpecifies the properties of a controller channel, such as
Cont r ol l er I D. The block begins with the keyword Channel and ends with the
keyword End.
Each array or channel property consists of a property keyword and assigned value, separated
by an equal sign (=). Each property must be on its own line in the script. The order of
properties within a block (other than the starting Ar r ay or Channel keyword, and the
ending End keyword) is not significant.
Some array properties, such as Type, are required; others are optional. The table below lists
and describes array definition block properties, indicates which properties are optional, and
provides the default value used when that property is not specified.
All keywords can be written in any combination of upper- or lowercase characters. Script
lines can include any number of spaces and tabs both within keywords, or when separating
keywords and their values. Blank lines are ignored.
The pound character (#) indicates the start of a comment. The CERCCCU ignores all
characters on a line that begins with a pound sign. You can begin a comment following array
property assignments or start a new line. See "Invoking the CERCCCU and Using a Script"
for a sample script that includes comments.
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mArray Definition Block Keywords
The table below lists the keywords that can be specified within an array definition block.
The table lists each propertys keyword, whether it is required, and its default value (if any).
Note that the keywords are arranged so the required keywords are listed first.
The following sections describe each of these keywords in detail.
Tabl e 5- 4. Ar r a y Def i ni t i on Bl ock Ke ywor d Summar y
Keyword Required?
Default
Value Description
Array Yes None Indicates the start of an array definition block.
Drives Yes None Specifies the devices used in creating the array.
Type Yes None Indicates the type of array to create.
End Yes None Indicates the end of an array definition block.
HotspareDrives No None Specifies the hot spare drives to assign to the array.
InitializeAll No No Indicates whether to initialize all the drives connected
to the controller.
Method No Build/Verify Indicates which method (build/verify, clear, or quick
init) to use when creating a RAID 1, 5, or 10 array.
ReadCache No Yes Indicates whether read caching is enabled for this
array.
Size No Maximum Specifies the size of the array.
StripeSize No 64 Specifies the size of contiguous I/O, in bytes.
Wait No Yes Indicates whether the CERCCCU should wait for the
new arrays build/verify or clear to complete before
continuing.
WaitForBuild No Yes Provided for backward compatibility only.
WriteCache No Yes Indicates whether write caching is enabled for this
array.
Array Keyword
Ar r ay is a required keyword, indicating the start of an array definition block. It accepts an
optional array label value.
Examples
Ar r ay
Ar r ay=MyDat a
Drives Keyword
Dr i ves is a required keyword, specifying the devices to use in creating the array. There is no
default value.
A drive is identified by its channel number, ID (target), and LUN, separated by colons. For
example, 0: 0: 0 or 0: 1: 0. Separate multiple drive identifiers with commas.
NOTICE: Any drive specified within the script file is initialized, which destroys any data on that
drive. If a drive is specified in more than one array definition block in a script, it is initialized
only once.
Examples
Dr i ves=0: 0: 0
Dr i ves=0: 0: 0, 0: 1: 0, 0: 2: 0
Type Keyword
Type is a required keyword, indicating the array type. There is no default value.
NOTE: For information about the maximum number of drives supported and minimum
number of drives required, see Table 5-1.
The Type keyword values are:
Volume
RAID0
RAID1
RAID5
RAID10
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Examples
Type=Vol ume
Type=RAI D1
End Keyword
End is a required keyword, indicating the end of an array definition block.
Example
End
Globalsparedrives Keyword
Gl obal Spar eDr i ves is an optional keyword specifying the global hot spare drives to assign
to the array. The syntax for this command is the same as for the Dr i ves keyword. See
"Drives Keyword" for details.
Example
Gl obal Spar eDr i ves=0: 0: 0, 0: 1: 0
HotspareDrives Keyword
Hot spar eDr i ves is an optional keyword specifying the dedicated hot spare drives to assign
to the array. The syntax for this command is the same as for the Dr i ves keyword. See
"Drives Keyword" for details.
Notes
When assigning spare drives to a RAID 10 array, the CERCCCU assigns all the drives
in the list to all the arrays within the multilevel array.
The CERCCCU makes no checks to ensure that the amount of available space on the
specified spare drives is sufficient to serve as failover for the given array.
Example
Hot spar eDr i ves=0: 0: 0, 0: 1: 0
InitializeAll Keyword
I ni t i al i zeAl l is an optional keyword indicating that all the drives connected to the
controller should be initialized and any existing arrays deleted before creating a new array.
This property applies to all drives on all channels.
Possible values are:
Yes (the default)Initialize all drives.
NoDo not initialize any drives unless they are unitialized and specified with the
Dr i ves property keyword.
The I ni t i al i zeAl l keyword is both global and position-independent within a script file.
If I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes appears in any array definition block within the file, all drives
connected to the controller are initialized and any existing arrays are deleted before any new
arrays are created.
If there is no I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes property specified anywhere in the script, the
CERCCCU initializes only those drives specified with the Dr i ves property keyword. See
"Initializing a Hard Drive" for more details.
NOTE: You do not need to specify I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes in more than one array
definition block. If both I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes and I ni t i al i zeAl l =No are specified
within a script file, regardless of their position within the file, I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes
is the overriding value.
Examples
I ni t i al i zeAl l =Yes
I ni t i al i zeAl l =No
Method Keyword
Met hod is an optional keyword, indicating which method to use when creating a RAID 5
array. Possible values are:
Build (the default)Build/verify the array.
ClearClear the array.
Quick Init - Make the array available immediately.
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mOverall, the Bui l d method takes longer than Cl ear, but it enables you to begin using the
array immediately. Although faster, Cl ear must complete before you can begin using the
array. Quick Init makes the array available immediately, but for RAID 5 write
performance is impacted until a Verify with Fix is run on the array.
NOTE: The Met hod property applies only to redundant arrays (RAID 1, 5, and 10).
Examples
Met hod=Bui l d
Wai t For Cl ear =No
ReadCache Keyword
The ReadCache keyword indicates whether the array uses read caching.
Possible values are:
Yes (the default)Enable read caching.
NoDisable read caching.
The default is Yes.
Example
ReadCache=Yes
Size Keyword
The Si ze keyword specifies the size of the array. Specify the size as an integer or a decimal
number, followed by the unit keyword MB (megabytes), GB (gigabytes), or TB (terabytes).
A unit keyword is required with a numeric size value. If no unit keyword is specified, the
CERCCCU exits with an error.
Specify Maxi mum(the default) to create an array using the maximum available space, based
on the array type and drives selected.
Examples
Si ze=2. 5GB
Si ze=300MB
Si ze=Maxi mum
StripeSize Keyword
NOTE: This keyword supports only RAID 0, RAID 5, and RAID 10 arrays.
The St r i peSi ze keyword specifies the size of contiguous I/O (in MB) written to each
member of a striped array before switching to the next member.
The possible values for St r i peSi ze are 16, 32, and 64 (KB). The default is 64.
Example
St r i peSi ze=64
Wait Keyword
The Wai t keyword indicates whether the CERCCCU should wait for the new arrays
build/verify or clear to complete before continuing.
The Wai t property is optional; if not specified, the CERCCCU waits for the arrays
build/verify or clear to complete before continuing. Specify Wai t =No to allow the
CERCCCU to continue while the build/verify or clear completes in the background.
Array build/verify clears any tasks executed entirely on the controller and does not depend
on the CERCCCU or any other host application to complete. If the controller is powered
off before the build/verify or clear completes and is then restarted, the build/verify or clear
task resumes without any user intervention.
Example
Wai t =Yes
Wai t =No
WaitForBuild Keyword
The Wai t For Bui l d keyword is provided for backward compatibility only. Use the Wai t
keyword instead. The Wai t For Bui l d keyword is still recognized and can be used
interchangeably with the Wai t keyword.
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mWriteCache Keyword
The Wr i t eCache keyword indicates whether write caching is used for this array (if write
caching is supported for the system). Possible values are as follows:
Yes (the default)Enable the write cache.
NoDisable the write cache.
NOTICE: Setting an arrays Wr i t eCache property to Yes might result in data loss or
corruption during a power failure.
Examples
Wr i t eCache=Yes
Wr i t eCache=Al ways
Error Handling
Because the CERCCCU scripting feature is designed to run without user intervention, the
CERCCCU handles errors during record and playback by exiting immediately whenever an
error is detected.
Whenever the CERCCCU encounters an error during record or playbackfor example, an
unrecognized keyword in a script fileit reports the error and exits. If a log file is opened,
the CERCCCU writes the error message to the log file. Otherwise, it displays the message
on the screen.
Upon exit, the CERCCCU returns its exit status in the DOS environment variable
ERRORLEVEL. When the CERCCCU is run within a DOS batch file, that batch file can
examine the CERCCCUs exit status using the DOS command I F ERRORLEVEL n. The
batch file can use this command to test the CERCCCU success or failure status. The batch
file can test for a specific error using a series of I f ERRORLEVEL n commands.
The table below describes the possible error codes returned by the CERCCCU.
Tabl e 5- 5. CERCCCU Er r or Codes
Code Description
0 CERCCCU ran without changesThe CERCCCU exited with no errors (success) and no
report is required.
1 No controller foundThe CERCCCU did not detect any controllers in the system.
2 Syntax or logical error in the script fileThe CERCCCU encountered an invalid
command or keyword in the specified script file.
3 Unable to open fileThe CERCCCU was unable to open the specified script or log file.
4 Error in the command line parametersYou passed an invalid command-line switch to
the CERCCCU. (See "Using the Scripting Features" for the list of valid command
switches.)
5 Unable to read system configurationThe CERCCCU was unable to get the configuration
information from the specified controller.
6 No drives detectedThe CERCCCU did not detect any devices attached to the selected
controller.
7 Specified drive not found in systemThe device you specified does not exist on the
selected controller.
8 Specified array size too smallYou specified an array size that is smaller than the minimum
size allowed for this array.
9 Specified array size too bigYou specified an array size that is larger than the maximum
size allowed for this array.
10 Number of drives do not match the array typeThe number of drives you selected is
invalid for the type of array specified.
11 Unable to initialize driveThe CERCCCU was unable to initialize one or more devices.
12 Error occurred while creating arrayThe CERCCCU encountered an error creating an
array.
13 Too many spare drives assignedYou attempted to assign more than the maximum number
of spare drives allowed for the specified array.
14 Insufficient memory to run the applicationThere is not enough memory to run the
CERCCCU.
15 Incorrect controller numberThe controller number you specified is invalid or out-of-
range.
16 Controller not respondingThe controller has stopped responding to the CERCCCU.
17 Build/Verify/Clear failedThe build/verify or clear running on one or more arrays has
failed.
100 You ran CERCCCU and made changesThe CERCCCU exited with no errors (success)
and you must restart the system.
Tabl e 5- 5. CERCCCU Er r or Codes
Code Description
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Playback and Record Notes
When using CERCCCU in playback or record mode, note the following:
When recording an array, the CERCCCU does not create a Wai t keyword within an
arrays definition block in a script file.
When playing back any script file generated from the CERCCCU record option, the
CERCCCU uses the default setting Wai t =Yes when creating an array unless you first
edit the script file and include a Wai t =No line in the arrays definition block.
When recording a RAID 10, the CERCCCU cannot map spare drives assigned to the
individual mirror sets to the HotspareDrives list in the resultant script file. The script
file syntax allows only a single list of spare drives to be assigned to any given array.
In this case, the CERCCCU creates the HotspareDrives list using all the drives
assigned to the lower-level mirror set arrays within the RAID 10. When playing back
this script, the CERCCCU assigns all the drives in the HotspareDrives list to all the
mirror set arrays making up the RAID 10. However, this might not exactly match the
original spare drive assignments to the mirror set arrays.
When recording an array, the CERCCCU creates a separate channel definition block
for each controller channel. Each block includes all the property keywords and values
reflecting the channels current settings. Edit the script file as necessary to change any
of the channels settings or delete keywords to ensure the controllers corresponding
channel setting is not changed.
Invoking the CERCCCU and Using a Script
The following MS-DOS command invokes the CERCCCU and creates arrays on controller
1 based on the array keywords defined in the script file A: \ RAI D. CERCCCU. It also
configures Channel 0 and saves a log of the operation in the log file C: \ RAI D. LOG.
A: \ > CERCCCU / P A: \ RAI D. CERCCCU / L C: \ RAI D. LOG / C1
The following sample script file is a sample RAI D. CERCCCU script as referred to in the
previous CERCCCU command. This script creates the following arraysa 500 MB, single-
disk volume and a 2-GB, two-drive RAID 1 with a hot spare.
# Scr i pt t o cr eat e vol ume, mi r r or , and RAI D 5 ar r ays
# Cr eat e a 500MB vol ume l abel ed MySyst em
Ar r ay=MySyst em
Type=Vol ume
Si ze=500MB
Dr i ves=0: 0: 0
End
# Cr eat e a 2GB mi r r or l abel ed MyMi r r or
Ar r ay=MyMi r r or
Type=RAI D1
Si ze=2GB
# Use dr i ves 1 and 2
Dr i ves=0: 1: 0, 0: 2: 0
# Di sabl e wr i t e cache
Wr i t eCache=No
# Assi gn 1 spar e dr i ve
Hot spar eDr i ves=0: 3: 0
End
The following sample script file creates a maximum-size three-drive RAID 5.
# Cr eat e a maxi mumsi ze RAI D 5 l abel ed MyDat a
Ar r ay=MyDat a
Type=RAI D5
Si ze=Maxi mum
# Use t he maxi mumst r i pe si ze
St r i peSi ze=64
# Cl ear t he ar r ay ( don t bui l d/ ver i f y i t )
Met hod=Cl ear
# Don t wai t f or cl ear t o compl et e
Wai t =No
# Use dr i ves 0, 1, 2
Dr i ves=0: 0: 0, 0: 1: 0, 0: 2: 0
End
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6
SECTI ON 6
Command Li ne
I nt er f ace ( CLI )
6-2 Command Li ne Inter f ace (CLI)
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mThis Command Line Interface (CLI) enables you to configure and manage controller
components.
CLI commands enable you to automate testing or array creation in a production
environment using Linux shell scripts.
This appendix describes briefly some of the commands available in the CLI.
Terminology
Your SATA controller has the following restrictions with regard to CLI terminology and
nomenclature:
Channel/LUNChannel always equals 0; LUN always equals 0.
IDID always means port.
In other words, in the device ID format C: PT: L, where C represents Channel, PT represents
Port, and L represents LUN, only the value for Port is used.
The following terms are used in discussing the CLI:
Array, containerA logical disk created from available space and made up of one or
more segments on one or more physical disks.
Stripe, chunkContiguous set of data distributed across all the disks in an array. A
striped array distributes data evenly across all members in equal-sized sections called
stripes.
Free or available spaceSpace on an initialized disk that is not in use.
Segment, partitionContiguous area of a physical drive that makes up some or all of
an array.
Hot spare, failover diskA hard drive. An array member that is not used in day-to-day
data storage but is reserved, instead, for use as a replacement for one of the other
drives in the array in the event of a failure.
Additional RAID terms are defined in the Glossary.
Command Li ne Inter f ace (CLI) 6-3
Installing the CLI
The method you use to access the CLI depends on the operating system, as described
below.
Installing the CLI in Linux
To install the CLI in Linux:
1 Log on as root or become superuser.
2 If you are upgrading from an earlier version, check to see if an af aapps kit already
exists on your system, and if it does, remove it.
a To determine if the afaapps kit is installed on your system, enter the following
command:
r pm- q af aapps
If the application software exists on your system, the rpm command returns the
following message, where VERSION_NUMBER is the actual version of the
application software:
af aapps- VERSION_NUMBER
b If the application software already exists on your system, remove it by entering the
following command, replacing VERSION_NUMBER with the version number
returned by the rpm -q command:
r pm- e af aapps- VERSION_NUMBER
3 Insert the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
4 Mount the CD drive.
5 Change directory using the following command:
cd / mnt / . . .
6 Copy the af aapps. TAR file to /tmp by entering the following command:
cp af aapps. TAR / t mp
7 Change your working directory by entering the following command:
cd / t mp
8 Untar the initial archive by entering the following command:
t ar - xvf af aapps. TAR
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m9 Uncompress and untar the remaining archive by entering the following command:
zcat af aapps. t ar . Z | t ar - xvf -
The tar command reports that it found a file in the format
af aapps- VERSION_NUMBER. r pm. You need to use this filename as an argument
in the next step.
10 Entering the following command, replacing VERSION_NUMBER with the actual
version of the software:
r pm- i af aapps- VERSION_NUMBER. r pm
11 Unmount the CD drive.
12 Remove the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
Accessing the CLI
The method you use to access the CLI depends on the operating system, as described
below.
Accessing the CLI in Linux
In the directory where CLI is installed, type af acl i from the Linux prompt. The system
displays the CLI >prompt, which indicates you can now use CLI commands.
NOTE: You can type af acl i from any directory if you set the path in the . l ogi n or
. cshr c startup file to the directory where CLI is installed. See your operating
system documentation for details.
Using the CLI
This section contains some examples of using CLI commands to perform common tasks.
The commands are the same regardless of your operating system.
Opening and Closing a Controller
To prepare a controller to receive a CLI command, you first need to open the controller. You
may open only one controller at any time.
To open controller AFA0 and prepare it to receive more CLI commands, type:
CLI > open AFA0
The prompt changes to reflect the open controller, as shown in the next example. When
you have finished with the controller, close it by typing:
AFA0> cl ose
Displaying Information about Your Disks
Before creating any array, use the di sk showspace command to display information
about your disks.
NOTE: Before you can create arrays, you need to initialize the member drives.
In the following example, the Usage column indicates Free for each disk, which means that
the space on each disk consists of available space.
AFA0> di sk show space
Execut i ng: di sk show space
Scsi C: I D: L Usage Si ze
- - - - - - - - - - - ---------- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0: 00: 0 Free 64. 0KB: 57. 1GB
0: 01: 0 Free 64. 0KB: 57. 1GB
Displaying Information about Your Array
After creating an array, use the cont ai ner l i st command to display information about
the array. In the following example, the Num Label column indicates the array ID 0 and the
array label Venus. The Type column indicates a volume set. The Total Size column indicates
that the array is 100 MB.
AFA0> cont ai ner l i st
Execut i ng: cont ai ner l i st
Num Tot al Ot h St r i pe Scsi Par t i t i on
Dr Label Type Si ze Ct r Si ze Usage C: I D: L Of f set : Si ze
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 Vol ume 100MB None 0: 01: 0 64. 0KB: 100MB
Venus
Creating a Volume Set
To create a volume set, use the cont ai ner cr eat e vol ume command. In the following
example, Volume 0 is created on device 0:01:0 from 100 MB of available space. The arrays
cache is enabled, and the label is Venus.
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mAFA0> cont ai ner cr eat e vol ume / cache=TRUE / l abel =
Venus ( ( 0, 01, 0) , 100M)
Execut i ng: cont ai ner cr eat e vol ume / cache=TRUE / l abel =
Venus ( ( CHANNEL=0, I D=1, LUN=0) , 104, 857, 600)
cont ai ner 0 cr eat ed
Creating a RAID 0
When creating a RAID 0, you need to determine the stripe size that is most suitable for
your environment. The st r i pe si ze attribute indicates the number of bytes in a stripe,
the amount of data written to a segment before the I/O data stream switches to the next
segment in the array. The stripe size can be 16, 32, or 64 (KB). The default is 64.
NOTE: Later, you can use the cont ai ner r econf i gur e command to change the
stripe size.
To create a RAID 0, use the cont ai ner cr eat e st r i pe command. In the following
example, Array 0 is created on device 0:01:0 from 100 MB of available space. The arrays
cache is enabled, and the label is Mars.
AFA0> cont ai ner cr eat e st r i pe / cache=TRUE / l abel =Mar s ( ( 0, 01, 0) , 100M)
Execut i ng: cont ai ner cr eat e st r i pe / cache=TRUE
/ l abel =" Mar s" ( ( CHANNEL=0, I D=1, LUN=0) , 104, 857, 600 )
cont ai ner 0 cr eat ed
Creating a RAID 1
To create a RAID 1, use the cont ai ner cr eat e new_mi r r or command. In the
following example, a RAID 1 is created on devices 0:02:0 and 0:03:0 using 100 MB of
available space from each device.
AFA0> cont ai ner cr eat e new_mi r r or ( ( BUS=0, I D=0, LUN=0) , 104, 857, 600) ( BUS=0, I D=1, LUN=0)
Execut i ng: cont ai ner cr eat e new_mi r r or ( ( BUS=0, I D=0, LUN=0) , 104, 857, 600) ( BUS=0, I D=1, LUN=0)
Cont ai ner 0 cr eat ed
Creating a RAID 5
When you create a RAID 5, you use a form of redundancy called parity. When you set up
parity, the parity stripes are initialized, by default, using a scrub switch (/ scr ub=TRUE).
Parity is set up in the background, and the disks are available immediately.
NOTE: The / scr ub switch is not available in Linux. For Linux, the RAID 5 is always
created by building.
The stripe size can be 16, 32, or 64 (KB). The default is 64.
NOTE: You can use the cont ai ner r econf i gur e command at a later time to change
the stripe size.
To create a RAID 5, use the cont ai ner cr eat e r ai d5 command. In the following
example, a RAID 5 is created on devices 0:01:0, 0:02:0, and 0:03:0 using 100 MB of available
space from each device. The / st r i pe_si ze switch specifies that each stripe contains
64 KB, which is the default if you specify do not specify / st r i pe_si ze at all.
AFA0> cont ai ner cr eat e r ai d5 / st r i pe_si ze=64K ( ( 0, 1, 0) , 100M) ( 0, 2, 0) ( 0, 3, 0)
Execut i ng: cont ai ner cr eat e r ai d5 / st r i pe_si ze=65, 536
( ( CHANNEL=0, I D=1, LUN=0) , 104, 857, 600) ( CHANNEL=0, I D=2, LUN=0)
( CHANNEL=0, I D=3, LUN=0)
Deleting an Array
To delete an array, use the cont ai ner del et e command. In the following example,
Array 0 is deleted.
AFA0> cont ai ner del et e 0
Execut i ng: cont ai ner del et e 0
After running the cont ai ner del et e command, use the cont ai ner l i st command to
verify that the array was deleted. In the following example, no arrays are found on the
controller.
No cont ai ner s f ound.
Managing Failover Options and Hotspares
To assign one or more hotspares to a single array, use the cont ai ner set f ai l over
command. To assign one or more spare disks for all arrays, use the cont ai ner set
gl obal _f ai l over command. These commands enable you to add hotspares to an array
prior to a drive failure so that the array contains the resources it needs to survive a failure.
Alternatively, you can use the automatic failover commands that enable you to remove a
failed drive and add a hot spare in its place. The controller automatically assigns the new
hot spare to replace the failed drive without your having to first assign it using the
cont ai ner set f ai l over or cont ai ner set gl obal _f ai l over commands.
NOTE: Automatic failover applies only with disks in redundant arrays.
NOTICE: During hot spare assignment, all data is deleted from the hot spare.
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Display a controllers automatic failover status.
Enable automatic failover.
Displaying the Controllers Automatic Failover Status
To display a controllers automatic failover status, use the cont r ol l er show
aut omat i c_f ai l over command. In the following example, automatic failover is
DISABLED.
AFA0> cont r ol l er show aut omat i c_f ai l over
Execut i ng: cont r ol l er show aut omat i c_f ai l over
Aut omat i c f ai l over DI SABLED
Enabling Automatic Failover
To enable automatic failover, use the cont r ol l er set aut omat i c_f ai l over
command with the / f ai l over switch, as in the following example:
A3AC0> cont r ol l er set aut omat i c_f ai l over
/failover_enabled=TRUE
Execut i ng: cont r ol l er set aut omat i c_f ai l over
/ f ai l over _enabl ed=TRUE
After running the cont r ol l er set aut omat i c_f ai l over command, use the
cont r ol l er showaut omat i c_f ai l over command to verify that automatic failover
has been enabled. If necessary, you can now replace a failed disk with a replacement disk.
Displaying Controller Information
Controllers exhibit a number of attributes that you can display or manage using the
following CLI commands:
Controller List
This command allows you to see the following information types:
Adapt er NameName
Adapt er TypeProduct name
Avai l abi l i t yAccess mode
Example
CLI > cont r ol l er l i st
Execut i ng: cont r ol l er l i st
Adapt er Name Adapt er Type Avai l abi l i t y Cl ust er i ng
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
\ \ . \ AFA0 CERC SATA1. 5/ r ead/ wr i t e No
Controller Details
Remote ComputerName of remote system on which an open controller resides
Device NameController name
Controller TypeController model number
Access ModeSpecifies read-only, read/write, or none
Controller Serial NumberLast six hexadecimal characters of serial number
Number of BusesNumber of channels or ports
Devices per BusMaximum number of devices per channel or port, not including the
controller
Controller CPUName of the CPU
Controller CPU SpeedClock speed, in MHz
Controller MemoryTotal available memory
Battery StateNot present
CLILatest build performed on the controller that impacts the controller CLI.
APILatest build performed on the controller that impacts the controller API.
Miniport DriverLatest build performed on the controller that impacts the
controller miniport driver.
Controller SoftwareLatest build performed on the controller that impacts the
controller software.
Controller BIOSLatest build performed on the controller that impacts controller
BIOS.
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controller firmware.
Controller HardwareHardware revision.
Example
AFA0> cont r ol l er det ai l s
Execut i ng: cont r ol l er det ai l s
Cont r ol l er I nf or mat i on
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Remot e Comput er : .
Devi ce Name: AFA0
Cont r ol l er Type: CERC SATA1. 5/ 6ch
Access Mode: READ- WRI TE
Cont r ol l er Ser i al Number : Last Si x Di gi t s = 8A277A
Number of Buses: 1
Devi ces per Bus: 15
Cont r ol l er CPU: i 960 ser i es
Cont r ol l er CPU Speed: 100 Mhz
Cont r ol l er Memor y: 64 Mbyt es
Bat t er y St at e: Not Pr esent
Adapt er Al ar mSt at e: Event Al ar mDi sabl ed
Component Revi si ons
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CLI : 4. 1- 0 ( Bui l d #6123)
API : 4. 1- 0 ( Bui l d #6123)
Mi ni por t Dr i ver : 4. 1- 0 ( Bui l d #6123)
Cont r ol l er Sof t war e: 4. 1- 0 ( Bui l d #7005)
Cont r ol l er BI OS: 4. 1- 0 ( Bui l d #7005)
Cont r ol l er Fi r mwar e: ( Bui l d #7005)
Before opening a controller, you may want to use the cont r ol l er l i st command to
display a list of controllers. In the following example, the Adapter Name column indicates
that AFA0 is the name of the controller installed on the system. The controllers path is
\ \ . \ .
CLI > cont r ol l er l i st
Execut i ng: cont r ol l er l i st
Adapt er Name Adapt er Type Avai l abi l i t y
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
\ \ . \ AFA0 CERC SATA1. 5/ 6ch r ead/ wr i t e
Displaying Disk Information
The CLI enables you to monitor or manage disk attributes, prepare a disk for use by a
controller, and detect defects using the following CLI commands:
Disk List
CChannel
IDDevice ID assigned to each device attached to a channel
LReserved
Device TypeAlways disk.
BlocksTotal number of blocks available on a device
Bytes per BlockNumber of bytes for each block
UsageEither MS-DOS
, Initialized, Not Initialized, Offline, or Unknown

SharedReserved
Example
AFA0> di sk l i st
Execut i ng: di sk l i st
C: I D: L Devi ce Type Bl ocks Byt es/ Bl ock Usage Shar ed Rat e
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0: 00: 0 Di sk 120103200 512 I ni t i al i zed NO 132
0: 01: 0 Di sk 120103200 512 I ni t i al i zed NO 132
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Total number and location of primary defects (defects that originate during
manufacturing)
Total number and location of grown defects (defects that originate after
manufacturing)
Example
AFA0> di sk show def ect s / f ul l =t r ue ( 0, 1, 0)
Execut i ng: di sk show def ect s / f ul l =TRUE ( CHANNEL=0, I D=1, LUN=0)
Number of PRI MARY def ect s on dr i ve: 5
Def ect 1 at cyl i nder 229, head 7, sect or 203
Number of GROWN def ect s on dr i ve: 0
Disk Verify
Total number and location of primary defects (defects that originate during
manufacturing)
Total number and location of grown defects (defects that originate after
manufacturing)
Example
AFA0> di sk ver i f y ( BUS=0, I D=0, LUN=0)
Execut i ng: di sk ver i f y ( BUS=0, I D=0, LUN=0)
Displaying Array Information
The CLI enables you to display and manage array attributes using the following commands:
Container List
LabelName assigned to an array. Not automatically assigned.
TypeSpecifies volume, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, or reconfigured array.
Total SizeNumber of bytes of available space when the array was created,
reconfigured, or extended.
Stripe SizeNumber of bytes in a stripe. Amount of data written to a segment before
the I/O data stream switches to the next segment/array.
UsageSpecifies read-write, read-only, or none. An array can be set to read-only if not
used by an application.
CChannel
IDDevice ID assigned to each device attached to a channel
LReserved
Partition OffsetOffset of the partition, in KB
Partition SizeSize of the partition, in MB
Example
Num Tot al Ot h Chunk Scsi Par t i t i on
Dr Label Type Si ze Ct r Si ze Usage B: I D: L Of f set : Si ze
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 Vol ume 30. 0MB None 0: 00: 0 64. 0KB: 15. 0MB
Venus 0: 01: 0 64. 0KB: 15. 0MB
Container Show Cache
Global container Read Cache SizeNumber of blocks dedicated to the read cache.
Global container Write Cache SizeNumber of blocks dedicated to the write cache.
Read Cache SettingSpecifies whether the read cache is enabled.
Write Cache SettingSpecifies whether the write cache is enabled.
Write Cache StatusSpecifies whether the write cache is enabled.
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Example
AFA0> cont ai ner show cache 0
Execut i ng: cont ai ner show cache 0
Gl obal cont ai ner Read Cache Si ze : 5345280
Gl obal cont ai ner Wr i t e Cache Si ze : 63332352
Read Cache Set t i ng : ENABLE
Wr i t e Cache Set t i ng : ENABLE
Wr i t e Cache St at us : Act i ve, cache enabl ed
CLI Command Dictionary
This section contains a command reference.
General Control Commands
Close
Closes the currently opened controller.
Syntax
cl ose
Exit
Closes the opened controller and exits the CLI.
Syntax
exi t
Help
Invokes general or topical help.
Syntax
hel p [ / f ul l ] [ {command}]
Parameters
{command}If a command has more subcommands, Help lists the subcommands and
their functions. If a complete command is used, such as cont ai ner l i st , Help displays
all possible switches.
Switches
/f ul l Displays all relevant commands along with the command format and all command
switches.
History_Size
Sets the size of the history buffer.
Syntax
hi st or y_si ze {buffer_size}
Parameters
{buffer_size}Size of the command history buffer. The default is 200.
Open
Opens a controller for access by the CLI. The controller must be open before any command
can be targeted at that controller.
Syntax
open [ / r eadonl y={boolean}] [ / domai n={string}] {string}
Parameters
{string}System name and the controller to open.
Switches
/ r eadonl yIf TRUE, the controller is opened for read-only access. (The default is
FALSE.) If you open a controller with read-only access, you can use only the commands that
do not change the controller configuration.
Reset_Window
Resets the window.
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Syntax
r eset _wi ndow
Container (Array) Commands
Before working with arrays, you must have previously opened the controller. In addition, you
must have initialized your disks to prepare for array operations.
The Container commands are used to display, create, and manage arrays.
Container Add_Level
Creates a multilevel volume array which contains the array as its only element.
Syntax
cont ai ner add_l evel {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to convert to a multilevel volume.
Container Clear
Clears the array.
Syntax
cont ai ner cl ear [ / al ways={boolean}] [ / wai t
boolean}] {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to clear.
Switches
/ al waysSpecifies whether to clear the array even if it has data on it. The default is
FALSE, meaning that the command clears the array only if it has no data on it. All user files
must be closed; the / al ways switch cannot override this restriction.
/ wai t If FALSE (the default), the operation is performed in the background and the
command prompt is returned immediately. If TRUE, the operation is performed
immediately and the command prompt is returned only when done.
Container Create Mirror
Creates a RAID 1 from a single entry volume.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e mi r r or [ / wai t ={boolean}] [ / i o_del ay={integer}]
{container} {device_ID}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array on which to create a RAID 1 (mirror).
{device_ID}ID for the device whose available space to use for mirroring the volume
specified in the {container} parameter.
Switches
/ i o_del ayNumber of milliseconds between each I/O used for the RAID 1 creation.
Container Create Mmirror
Creates a multilevel array of RAID 1 arrays from a multilevel array of single entry volumes.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e mmi r r or [ / i o_del ay={integer}] [ / wai t ={boolean}]
{container} {device_ID} [ {device_ID}. . . ]
Parameters
{container}ID of the array whose underlying volumes the command converts to
RAID 1 arrays.
{device_ID}ID for the device whose available space to use to create the multilevel
array of RAID 1 arrays.
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Switches
/ i o_del ayNumber of milliseconds between each I/O used for the RAID 1 create.
Container Create Mstripe
Creates a multilevel RAID 0 (stripe).
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e mst r i pe [ / st r i pe_si ze={integer}] [ / l abel =
{string}] {container} [ {container}. . . ]
Parameters
{container}ID of the array from which to create the multilevel RAID 0.
Switches
/ st r i pe_si zeStripe size for the RAID 0.
/ l abel Label for the RAID 0.
Container Create Mvolume
Creates a multilevel volume.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e mvol ume {container} [ {container}. . . ]
Parameters
{container}ID of the array from which to create the multilevel volume.
Container Create New Mirror
Creates a RAID 1 (mirror) from two available spaces.
NOTE: For the rest of the details, see cont ai ner cr eat e r ai d5 below.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e new_mi r r or [ / cache={boolean}]
[ / cl ear ={boolean}] [ / l abel ={string}] [ </ qui ck_i ni t ={boolean}>]
[ / scr ub={boolean}] [ / wai t ={boolean}] {free_space}
[ {device_ID}. . . ]
Container Create RAID5
Creates a RAID 5.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e r ai d5 [ / cache={boolean}]
[ / st r i pe_si ze={integer}] [ / cl ear ={boolean}] [ / l abel ={string}]
[ </ qui ck_i ni t ={boolean}>] [ / scr ub={boolean}] [ / wai t ={boolean}]
{free_space} [ {device_ID}. . . ]
Parameters
{free_space}Device and its associated available space used to create the array.
{device_ID}One or more devices whose available space to use to create the array.
Switches
/ cacheSpecifies whether to enable the arrays cache.
/ st r i pe_si zeStripe size for the array (only applies to RAID 5).
/ cl ear Specifies whether to clear the entire array during initialization.
/ l abel Label to assign to the newly created array.
/ qui ck_i ni t Specifies to use the Quick Init process, making the array available
immediately.
/ scr ubSpecifies whether to set up the parity by building.
Container Create Stripe
Creates a RAID 0.
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Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e st r i pe [ / cache={boolean}]
[ / st r i pe_si ze={integer}] [ / l abel ={string}] {free_space}
Parameters
{free_space}Device and its associated available space to use to create the RAID 0.
{device_ID}One or more devices.
Switches
/ cacheSpecifies whether to enable caching on the array.
/ st r i pe_si zeStripe size, in KB, for the RAID 0. The default is 64.
/ l abel Label to assign to the new RAID 0.
Container Create Volume
Creates a volume.
Syntax
cont ai ner cr eat e vol ume [ / cache={boolean}] [ / l abel ={string}]
{device_ID}, {free_space}, {device_ID}, [ {free_space}. . . ]
Parameters
{device_ID}Device and its associated available space to use to create the volume.
{free_space}Available space to use to create the volume.
{device_ID}, {free_space}Additional devices and associated available spaces.
Switches
/ cacheSpecifies whether to enable caching on the array.
/ l abel Label to assign to the new volume.
Container Delete
Deletes the array.
Syntax
cont ai ner del et e [ / al ways={boolean}] [ / uncondi t i onal ={boolean}]
{container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to delete.
Switches
/ al waysSpecifies to delete the array even if it has data <a file system>. (Cannot
override open files.)
/ uncondi t i onal Specifies that the array be deleted even if it has a file system.
(Overrides open files.)
Container List
Lists information about the arrays on the controller.
Syntax
cont ai ner l i st [ / al l ={boolean}] [ / f ul l ={boolean}] [ {container}]
Parameters
{container}ID of the array containing information to display.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to list all containers on the system.
/ f ul l Specifies whether to display detailed information.
Container Move
Moves the first array number specified to the second array number specified; in effect, to
renumber an array.
Syntax
container move {container1} {container2}
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Parameters
{container1}ID of the array to renumber.
{container2}ID number to assign to the array specified in cont ai ner 1.
Container Promote
Creates a multilevel volume from a RAID 0 or a single entry volume.
Syntax
cont ai ner pr omot e {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to promote to a multilevel array.
Container Readonly
Sets the protection on the array to read-only access.
Syntax
cont ai ner r eadonl y {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to set to read-only access.
Container Readwrite
Sets the protection on an array to read-write access.
Syntax
cont ai ner r eadwr i t e {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to set to read-write access.
Container Reconfigure
Changes the configuration of an array.
Syntax
cont ai ner r econf i gur e [ / st r i pe_si ze={integer}]
[ / mi r r or ={boolean}] [ / par t i t i on_move={boolean}]
[ / par t i t i on_si ze={integer}] [ / r ai d5={boolean}]
[ / r ai d10={boolean}] [ / r est ar t ={boolean}] [ / st r i pe={boolean}]
[ / vol ume={boolean}] [ / wai t ={boolean}] {container}
Parameters
{container}ID number of the array to reconfigure.
{device_ID}One or more devices.
Switches
/ st r i pe_si zeStripe size of the array.
/ mi r r or Reconfigure the array as a RAID 1.
/ par t i t i on_moveSpecifies that the array will move partitions instead of add extra
space.
/ par t i t i on_si zeSize of a partition.
/ r ai d5Reconfigure the array as a RAID 5.
/ r ai d10Reconfigure the array as a RAID 10 (stripe of mirrors).
/ r est ar t Restart reconfiguring the array.
/ st r i peReconfigure the array as a RAID 0.
/ vol umeReconfigure the array as a volume.
Container Remove Failover
Removes one or more failover disks.
Syntax
cont ai ner r emove f ai l over {container} {device_ID}
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Parameters
{container}ID of the array whose assigned failover disk is to be removed.
{device_ID}ID for the device to remove as a failover disks.
Container Remove Global_Failover
Removes a global failover assignment.
Syntax
cont ai ner r emove gl obal _f ai l over {device_ID} [ {device_ID}. . . ]
Parameters
{device_ID}ID for the device to remove as a failover disk.
Container Restore RAID5
Tries to restore a RAID 5 that has a number of dead segments as members.
Syntax
cont ai ner r est or e RAI D5 {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the RAID 5 to restore.
Container Scrub
Checks and repairs the consistency of a redundant array.
Syntax
cont ai ner scr ub [ / i o_del ay={integer}] [ / no_r epai r ={boolean}]
[ / wai t ={boolean}] {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the redundant array to build.
Switches
/ i o_del ayNumber of milliseconds the controller waits between I/Os when building
the array.
/ no_r epai r Specifies whether the build operation be performed without repairing the
error.
Container Set Cache
Sets cache parameters for a specific array.
Syntax
cont ai ner set cache [ / r ead_cache_enabl e={boolean}]
[ / unpr ot ect ed={boolean}] [ / wr i t e_cache_enabl e={boolean}]
{container}
Parameters
{container}Specifies the ID of the array on which to set cache parameters.
Switches
/ r ead_cache_enabl eSpecifies whether to enable the read-ahead cache.
/ unpr ot ect edSpecifies whether to set the container's NVRAM write-back cache to disable,
enable when protected, or enable always. Use this switch in conjunction with the
/ wr i t e_cache_enabl e switch.
/ wr i t e_cache_enabl eSpecifies whether to set the container's NVRAM write-back
cache to di sabl e, enabl e when pr ot ect ed, or enabl e al ways. Use this switch
in conjunction with the / unpr ot ect ed switch.
Container Set Failover
Assigns an automatic failover disk for a single array.
Syntax
cont ai ner set f ai l over {container} {device_ID} [ {device_ID}. . . ]
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Parameters
{container}ID of the array on which to assign an automatic failover disks.
{device_ID}ID for the device to assign as a failover disk.
Container Set Global_Failover
Assigns an automatic failover disk for all arrays.
Syntax
cont ai ner set gl obal _f ai l over {device_ID} [ {device_ID}. . . ]
Parameters
{device_ID}ID for the device to assign as a failover disk.
Container Set IO_Delay
Sets the I/O delay (in milliseconds).
Syntax
cont ai ner set i o_del ay {container} {integer}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array on which to set the I/O delay.
{integer}Number of milliseconds the controller waits between I/O operations.
Container Set Label
Assigns a new label to the array.
Syntax
cont ai ner set l abel {container} {string}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array to which to assign a label.
{string}Specifies the label to assign.
Container Show Cache
Displays caching parameters for an array.
Syntax
cont ai ner show cache {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the array whose associated cache parameters to display.
Container Show Failover
Displays an arrays assigned failover disks.
Syntax
cont ai ner show f ai l over [ {container}]
Parameters
{container}ID of the array whose assigned failover disks to display.
Container Unmirror
Changes the RAID 1 (mirror) to a volume and frees the redundant space.
Syntax
cont ai ner unmi r r or {container}
Parameters
{container}ID of the RAID 1 to unmirror.
Controller Commands
The following commands are used to display the status of a variety of controller attributes
and to perform such tasks as pausing or resuming I/O, and enabling or disabling automatic
failover.
Controller Details
Shows details about the open controller and software.
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Syntax
cont r ol l er det ai l s
Controller Firmware Compare
Compares the contents of each of the flash components on a controller to the
corresponding image in User Flash Image (UFI) files and indicates whether they match.
Syntax
cont r ol l er f i r mwar e compar e [ / C{cont r ol l er }] [ {cont r ol l er }. . . ]
[ / D{UFI _f i l e_pat h}]
Switches
/ C{cont r ol l er }ID representing the set of controllers on which to perform the
firmware comparison.
/ D{UFI _f i l e_pat h}Location of the UFI files.
Controller Firmware Save
Saves the contents of a controllers flash in User Flash Image (UFI) files.
Syntax
cont r ol l er f i r mwar e save [ / C{cont r ol l er }] [ {cont r ol l er }. . . ]
Switches
/ D{UFI _f i l e_pat h}Location of the UFI files.
Controller Firmware Update
Updates a controllers flash components from the flash image data in a pair of User Flash
Image (UFI) files.
Syntax
cont r ol l er f i r mwar e updat e [ / C{cont r ol l er }] [ {cont r ol l er }. . . ]
Switches
/ D{UFI _f i l e_pat h}Path where the pair of UFI files are located.
Controller List
Lists all controllers or displays information about the currently opened controller.
Syntax
cont r ol l er l i st [ / domai n={string}] [ {string}]
Parameters
{string}System name from which to display a list of controllers or specific information
about the open controller.
Controller Rescan
Rescans the channels and updates all underlying structures.
Syntax
cont r ol l er r escan
Controller Reset_Channel
Resets a specific channel on the open controller.
Syntax
cont r ol l er r eset _channel {integer}
Parameters
{integer}Channel on which to reset this channel.
Controller Resume_IO
Performs rescan operation, then resumes I/O after pause_io.
Syntax
cont r ol l er r esume_i o
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Turns automatic failover on or off for the controller.
Syntax
cont r ol l er set aut omat i c_f ai l over [ / f ai l over _enabl ed={boolean}]
Switches
/ f ai l over _enabl edSpecifies whether to enable automatic failover on the controller.
Specify 1 to enable, 0 to disable. The default is 0.
Controller Set Container_Verify
Turns the container verify task on or off.
Syntax
cont r ol l er set cont ai ner _ver i f y [ / ver i f y_enabl ed={boolean}]
Switches
/ ver i f y_enabl edSpecifies whether to enable the container verify feature. The
command default is TRUE, which means the command enables the container verify
feature.
Controller Show Automatic_Failover
Displays the automatic failover status (enabled or disabled) for the controller.
Syntax
cont r ol l er show aut omat i c_f ai l over
Controller Show Channels
Displays all of the channels on the controller with the characteristics of each channel.
Syntax
cont r ol l er show channel s
Controller Show Container_Verify
Displays the status of the container verify status.
Syntax
cont r ol l er show cont ai ner _ver i f y
Disk Commands
Use the disk commands to manage disks connected to a RAID controller. The CLI enables
you to monitor disk characteristics and parameters, prepare a disk for use, and detect
defects.
Disk Blink
Causes the disk access light to blink.
Syntax
di sk bl i nk {device_ID} {integer}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device to blink.
{integer}Number of seconds for the disk to blink. A value of zero stops the blinking.
Disk Initialize
Initializes a disk on the currently opened controller.
Syntax
di sk i ni t i al i ze [ / al ways={boolean}] [ / uncondi t i onal ={boolean}]
{device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device to initialize,
Switches
/ al waysSpecifies whether to initialize the disk even if the disk has existing data.
(Cannot override open files.) Default is FALSE.
/ uncondi t i onal Specifies whether to initialize the disk even if arrays on the disk have
open files. The default is FALSE.
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mDisk List
Lists the disks available on the controller.
Syntax
di sk l i st [ / al l ={boolean}] [ / f ul l ={boolean}] [ {device_ID}]
Parameters
{device_ID}Specifies the ID of the device to display information.
Switches
/ al l Lists all devices on the controller.
/ f ul l Detailed information for devices. The default is FALSE.
Disk Remove Dead Partitions
Removes all failed segments from a disk.
Syntax
di sk r emove dead_par t i t i ons {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device from which to remove failed segments.
Disk Set Default
Sets the default ID for use in CLI commands.
Syntax
di sk set def aul t {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device.
Disk Set Smart
Changes a disks Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART)
configuration.
Syntax
di sk set smar t [ / al l ={boolean}] [ / cl ear ={boolean}]
[ / enabl e_except i ons={boolean}] [ / l oger r ={boolean}]
[ / per f ={boolean}] [ / r epor t _count ={boolean}] [ {device_ID}]
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device on which to change SMART configurations.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to enable SMART configurations for all disks.
/ cl ear Clears the SMART error counts for the disk.
/ enabl e_except i onsSpecifies whether to enable SMART exception reporting.
/ l oger r If FALSE (the default), logging of SMART exception reports is disabled. If
TRUE, logging of SMART exception reports is enabled.
/ per f If FALSE (the default), reporting of exceptions according to the MRIE mode is
disabled. If TRUE, reporting of exceptions according to the MRIE mode is enabled.
/ r epor t _count Number of times an exception can be reported. A value of zero
indicates no limit.
Disk Show Default
Displays the current default for the device ID.
Syntax
di sk show def aul t
Disk Show Defects
Shows the number of defects and the defect list for a specific disk drive.
Syntax
di sk show def ect s [ / f ul l ={boolean}] {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device.
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Switches
/ f ul l Specifies whether to display the defect count and the list of defects.
Disk Show Partition
Displays a list of partitions on the disks attached to the currently opened controller.
Syntax
di sk show par t i t i on
Disk Show Smart
Displays drive Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) configuration
information for one or all disks.
Syntax
di sk show smar t [ / al l ={boolean}] [ / f ul l ={boolean}]
[ / vi ew_changeabl e={boolean}] {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device for which to display SMART information.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to display SMART configurations for all disks.
/ f ul l Specifies whether to display detailed SMART configuration information for one
or all disks.
/ vi ew_changeabl eSpecifies whether to display the configuration information that
can be set on a SMART disk.
Disk Show Space
Displays space usage information.
Syntax
di sk show space [ / al l ={boolean}] [ {device_ID}]
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device for which to display space usage information.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to display all space usage.
Disk Verify
Verifies all blocks on a device and, optionally, repairs any bad blocks.
Syntax
di sk ver i f y [ / r epai r ={boolean}] [ / wai t ={boolean}] {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}Specifies the ID of the device to verify.
Switches
/ r epai r If FALSE (the default), the command only reports failures. If TRUE, bad
blocks are automatically repaired, if possible.
Disk Zero
Clears an entire disk (by writing zeros). All data is erased and cannot be recovered.
Syntax
di sk zer o [ / r epai r ={boolean}] [ / wai t ={boolean}] {device_ID}
Parameters
{device_ID}ID of the device to clear.
Switches
/ r epai r If FALSE (the default), the command only reports failures. If TRUE, bad
blocks are automatically repaired, if possible.
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Logfile End
Ends the logging of all output and closes the log file.
Syntax
l ogf i l e end
Logfile Start
Begins the logging of all CLI command line activity to a file.
Syntax
l ogf i l e st ar t [ / append={boolean}] {f i l e}
Parameters
{file}Name of log file.
Switches
/ appendSpecifies whether to append all CLI command line activity to an existing
output file if one exists.
Task Commands
Use the task commands to display and manage tasks. A task is an operation that occurs only
on the controller, asynchronous to all other operations. Examples of tasks are clearing a disk
and creating a RAID 1. Once a task is running on the controller, the CLI enables you to
display, stop, suspend, and resume the task.
Task List
Lists the tasks running on the controller.
Syntax
t ask l i st [ / al l ={boolean}] [ {integer}]
Parameters
{integer}Task ID.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to list all currently running tasks.
Task Resume
Resumes a task that was suspended or all of the tasks that were suspended.
Syntax
t ask r esume [ / al l ={boolean}] {integer}
Parameters
{integer}Task ID for the task to resume.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to resume all suspended tasks.
Task Stop
Stops one or all tasks on the controller.
Syntax
t ask st op [ / al l ={boolean}] [ {integer}]
Parameters
{integer}Task ID for the task to stop.
Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to stop all suspended tasks.
Task Suspend
Suspends one or all tasks running on the controller.
Syntax
t ask suspend [ / al l ={boolean}] [ {integer}]
Parameters
{integer}Task ID for the task to suspend.
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Switches
/ al l Specifies whether to suspend all running tasks.
Using Automated Command Scripts
To execute a CLI command script, type the at sign (@) followed by the filename that
contains the CLI commands, for example:
AFA0>@commandscr i pt . t xt
A CLI command script is a text file that contains valid CLI commands. Each line ends with
a line feed inserted by pressing <Enter>. The following CLI command script:
open AFA0
cont r ol l er det ai l s
cl ose AFA0
exi t
1 Opens controller AFA0 by invoking the CLI command open.
2 Invokes cont r ol l er det ai l s.
3 Closes controller AFA0 by invoking the CLI command cl ose.
4 Exits the example CLI command script.
A
APPENDI X A
Speci f i cat i ons
A-2 Speci f i cati ons
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NOTE: These specifications are provided by the manufacturer for information
purposes only and do not constitute an extension of Dell' s warranty to you. Dell' s
warranty is contained in the documentation for your system.
Tabl e A- 1. Cont r ol l er Speci f i cat i ons
Component Description
Computer bus 32- or 64-bit PCI local bus
On-board processors Intel
80302 Intelligent I/O Processor

Three Silicon Image SI3512 dual SATA 1.0 controllers with
command queuing
Cache memory 64 MB, fixed ECC SDRAM
Data safety Audible alarm
Device protocol SATA 1.0 and SATA II
RAID levels RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, RAID 5, and Simple volume
Container (array) support Up to 64 containers per controller; 64 partitions maximum per
container
PCI bus 64-bit, 66 MHz (32-bit, 33 MHz-compatible)
SATA channels 6 internal channels
Device support Up to 6 SATA devices per controller (1 per channel)
Supports a RAID container as a boot device
Recommended Minimum System Requirements
Server or workstation with one universal PCI slot and a motherboard and BIOS that complies with
the PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.2 and provides large memory-mapped address ranges.
Physical and Environmental
Dimensions Half-sized PCI card:
Overall width including bracket = 6.65 in or 16.9 cm
Card height excluding bracket = 2.52 in. or 6.4 cm
Operating temperature 0 C to 50 C
Storage temperature 40 C to 64 C
Operating humidity 10% to 90%, noncondensing
Power requirements 5 V 10%
Voltage ripple and noise 50 mV peak-to-peak maximum
B
APPENDI X B
Tr oubl eshoot i ng
B-2 Troubl eshoot i ng
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mThe following is a list of troubleshooting tips for your RAID controller. For more
troubleshooting information, visit the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
Hard Drive In RAID Group Is Missing
Determine Which Drive in RAID Is Missing
1 Power-off system.
2 Disconnect/reconnect SATA drive power/data cables.
3 Check cable ends for bent pins/problems.
4 Boot system.
Hard Drive in RAID Group is Still Missing
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace SATA drive power/data cables.
3 Boot system.
If enclosure used, change slot.
If Hard drive in RAID group is still missing
1 Verify power is sufficient for enclosure.
2 Replace enclosure.
Replace SATA hard drive.
Hard Drive in RAID Group Still Fails
Replace PCI SATA RAID controller.
Troubl eshooti ng B-3
Hard Drive Is Off-Line
Determine Which Drive is Off-Line
1 Power-off system.
2 Disconnect/reconnect SATA drive power/data cables.
4 Boot system.
Hard Drive is Still Off-Line
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace SATA drive power/data cables.
3 Boot system.
1 Reboot system.
2 At the CERC SATA BIOSscreen, press the <Ctrl><A> when prompted to enter the
ACU utility.
3 Enter PCI SATA RAID Controller BIOSSelect.
4 Enter Disk Utilities.
5 Run Format option.
If Format fails
Replace SATA drive.
Replace SATA drive.
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Controller Not Detected
Determine Which Controller Is Not Detected
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove all cables from undetected PCI SATA RAID controller.
3 Boot system.
Controller Still Not Detected
1 Power-off system.
2 Reseat controller.
3 Boot system.
1 Power-off system.
2 Move controller to different slot.
3 Boot system.
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove all PCI SATA RAID controllers except undetected board.
3 Boot system.
Controller Detected
1 Add cards controllers back one-by-one.
2 Add drives/cables back one-by-one.
3 Replace faulty component.
Replace PCI SATA RAID Controller.
Controller Error Reported
Determine Which Controller Reported the Error
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove all cables from controller
3 Boot system.
Controller Error Still Reported
1 Power-off system.
2 Reseat controller card in the same slot.
3 Boot system.
1 Power-off system.
2 Move controller to different slot.
3 Boot system.
1 Power-off system.
2 Flash controller.
3 Boot system.
Controller Rebuild Or Scrub Fails
Determine Which Controller/Drive Set Failed Rebuild or Scrub
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove and reattach all power and cables to the card and drives.
3 Boot system.
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mController Rebuild or Scrub Still Fails
1 Power-off system.
2 Reseat controller card in the same slot.
3 Boot system.
Controller Rebuild or Scrub Still Fails
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace drive power/data cables.
3 Boot system.
1 Use drive manufacturers disk tools or BIOS utility to determine faulty disk(s). Bad
block on one drive could cause rebuild to fail.
2 Verify the disk(s) using BIOS utility and initialize the faulty disk and try rebuild.
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace SATA drive set.
3 Boot system.
Controller rebuild or scrub succeeds
Add one drive back into drive set to determine failing drive.
Controller Is Beeping
Determine Which Controller is Beeping
At POST, if a configuration has changed to cause the controllers buzzer to sound, a
Conf i gur at i on Has Changed message will be presented under that controller. At
the CERC SATA BIOSscreen, press <Ctrl><A> to enter SATASelect and silence the
alarm.
If the controller is simply beeping and does not display itself at POST, it is a hardware error.
You will be able to determine which controller is in error based upon what POSTs and what
does not.
No OS Found On Boot
Determine Which Controller Should Boot
Make sure Adaptec SATA BIOS displays.
BIOS Doesnt Display
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove all cables from undetected PCI SATA RAID controller.
3 Boot system.
BIOS Display
1 Power-off system.
2 Check drive power/data cables.
3 Reseat controller.
4 Boot system.
OS Still Not Found
1 At the CERC SATA BIOSscreen, press the <Ctrl><A> when prompted to enter the
ACU utility.
3 Check BIOS ENABLED in Controller Menu.
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m4 Disk or Array should be recongnized using BIOS bus scan.
OS Still Not Found
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace hard drive with known bootable drive.
3 Boot system.
OS Still Not Found
1 Power-off system.
2 Reinstall operating system.
3 Boot system.
OS Still Not Found
System Hangs During Controller POST
Determine Which SATA PCI RAID Controller is Hanging.
1 Power-off system.
2 Remove any recently installed new hardware.
3 Boot system.
System Still Hangs
1 Power-off system.
2 Disconnect all drives/cables from PCI SATA RAID controller.
3 Boot system.
System Still Hangs
1 Power-off system.
2 Move controller to a different slot.
3 Boot system.
System Doesnt Hangs
1 Reconnect a single/cable(s) drive.
2 If system doesnt hang, add drives one by one and identify which drive or cable causes
the problem.
System Still Hangs
1 Power-off system.
2 Try flashing the firmware.
3 Boot system.
System Still Hangs
Unable To Flash The Controller Firmware
Determine Which SATA PCI RAID Controller Cannot Be Flashed
1 Power-off system.
2 Make sure firmware image is correct version.
3 Make sure controller is detected by AFU program.
4 Boot system.
AFU Doesnt Detect Controller
1 Ensure AFU and FW Versions match.
2 Consult for latest firmware version.
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mStill Cannot Flash Controller Firmware
1 Power-off system.
2 Disconnect all drives/cables from PCI SATA RAID controller.
3 Boot system.
Still Cannot Flash Controller Firmware
1 Power-off system.
2 Move controller to a different slot.
3 Boot system.
Try "AFU Update/Skip" from DOS command prompt.
1 Disconnect all drives from PCI SATA RAID controller.
2 Try flash process again.
1 Add Mode 0 flash jumper to PCI SATA RAID controller (if supported).
2 Try flash process again.
SATA RAID Disk Set Down Or Array Down Error
Reported
Determine Which SATA Disk Set Or Array Failed
1 Power-off system.
2 Reseat power/data cables.
4 Boot system.
SATA RAID Disk Set Or Array Error Still Reported
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace powercables.
3 Boot system.
1 If disk enclosure used, reseat SATA disk drives.
2 Boot system.
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace drive set.
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace drive enclosure
Consistency Check Failed
Determine Which SATA Drive Failed the Consistency Check
1 Power-off system.
4 Boot system
Consistency Check Still Fails
1 Power-off system.
3 Enter Disk Utilities.
4 Run Verify option.
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Verify Fails
Run Format option.
Format Fails
Replace SATA drive.
Format Succeeds
Run Verify option.
Verify still fails
Replace hard drive.
Verify Succeeds
1 Power-on system.
2 Run Consistency Check.
1 Check device driver for latest update.
2 Replace hard drive.
Physical Disk Format Failed
Determine Which SATA Drive Fails the Physical Format
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace power/data cables.
4 Boot system.
Physical Disk Format Still Fails
1 Reboot system.
3 Enter Adapter Configuration utility.
4 Run VERIFY option.
Verify Fails
Replace hard drive.
Verify Succeeds
Run Format option.
Replace hard drive.
Virtual Disk Format Failed (More Than One
Drive?)
Determine Which SATA Drive Fails The Virtual Format
1 Power-off system.
3 Boot system.
Virtual Disk Format Still Fails
1 Power-off system.
2 Replace power/data cables.
3 Boot system.
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1 Reboot system.
4 Run Verify option.
Verify Fails
Replace hard drive.
Verify Succeeds
Run Format option.
Physical disk format still fails
Replace hard drive
Virtual Disk Format Still Fails
Virtual Disk Rebuild Failed
Determine Which Virtual Disk Failed Rebuild
1 Start SMBE program.
2 Check drives in RAID group which comprise virtual disk.
One or more drives are off-line, or missing or report error
1 Power-off system.
4 If enclosure used, make sure sufficient power is supplied.
5 Boot system.
Virtual Disk Rebuild Still Failed
1 Power-off system.
2 Enter BIOSSelect utility.
3 Enter SATA drive utility.
4 All devices should display.
One or more drives do not display
1 Replace SATA hard drive.
2 Reboot system.
1 Check for latest device-driver.
2 Delete array, rebuild array
Replace SATA drive set which comprises virtual disk.
Virtual Disk Failed
Determine Which Virtual Disk Failed
1 Start SMBE program.
2 Check drives in RAID group which comprise virtual disk.
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One or more drives are off-line, or missing or report error
1 Power-off system.
4 If enclosure used, make sure sufficient power is supplied.
5 Boot system.
Virtual Disk Still Failed
1 Power-off system.
2 Enter BIOSSelect utility.
3 Enter SATA drive utility.
4 All devices should display.
One or more drives do not display
1 Replace SATA hard drive.
2 Reboot system.
1 Check for latest device-driver.
2 Delete array, rebuild array
Replace SATA drive set which comprises virtual disk.
Physical Hard Drive Initialization Failed
Determine Which SATA Drive Failed Initialization.
1 Power-off system.
4 Boot system.
Physical Drive Initialization Still Fails
1 Reboot system.
Format Fails
1 Replace power/data cables
2 Run Format
Format fails
Format Succeeds
1 Reboot system.
4 Run Initialization
Physical Drive Initialization Still Fails
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Virtual Disk Reconfiguration Failed
Determine which drive failed reconfiguration
1 Power-off system.
4 Boot system.
Drive still fails to reconfigure
1 Reboot system.
Format fails
Replacing A Bad Controller
1 Power-off system.
2 Detach SATA cables from existing (failed) card.
3 Remove card from system.
4 Insert new card into system.
5 Reconnect SATA cables.
6 Power-on system.
7 When prompted with a Conf i gur at i on Has Changed message, select Yes to
accept the change.
C
APPENDI X C
Regul at or y Not i ces
C-2 Regul ator y Noti ces
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FCC Notices (U.S. Only)
Most Dell computer systems are classified by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) as Class B digital devices. However, the inclusion of certain options can change the
rating of some configurations to Class A. To determine which classification applies to your
computer system, examine all FCC registration labels located on the bottom or back panel
of your computer, on card-mounting brackets, and on the cards themselves. If any one of
the labels carries a Class A rating, your entire system is considered to be a Class A digital
device. If all labels carry either the Class B rating distinguished by either an FCC ID
number or the FCC logo, ( ), your system is considered to be a Class B digital device.
Once you have determined your systems FCC classification, read the appropriate FCC
notice. Note that FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly
approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment.
A Notice About Shielded Cables
Use only shielded cables for connecting peripherals to any Dell device to reduce the
possibility of interference with radio and television reception. using shielded cables ensures
that you maintain the appropriate FCC certification of this product. For parallel printers, a
cable is available from Dell Inc.
Class B
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual, may cause interference
with radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient the receiving antenna.
Relocate the computer with respect to the receiver.
Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
Plug the computer into a different outlet so that the computer and the receiver are on
different branch circuits.
Regul at or y Not i ces C-3
If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television
technician for additional suggestions. You may find the following booklet helpful: FCC
Interference Handbook, 1998, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402, Stock No. 054-000-00450-7. This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undersired operation.
The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in
compliance with FCC regulations:
Product name: Dell PowerEdge
Expandable RAID Controller 2/Single Channel Card

Model number: S466
Company name: Dell Inc.
Regulatory Department
One Dell Way
Round Rock, Texas 78682 USA
512-338-4400
IC Notice (Canada Only)
Most Dell computer systems (and other Dell digital apparatus) are classified by the
Industry Canada (IC) Interference-Causing Equipment Standard #3 (ICES-003) as Class
B digital devices. To determine which classification (Class A or B) applies to your computer
system (or other Dell digital apparatus), examine all registration labels located on the
bottom or the back panel of your computer (or other digital apparatus). A statement in the
form of IC Class A ICES-3 or IC Class B ICES-3 will be located on one of these labels.
Note that Industry Canada regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly
approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment.
This Class B digital apparatus meets the requirements of the Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numrique de la Classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Reglement sur le
Materiel Brouilleur du Canada.
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EN 55022 Compliance (Czech Republic Only)
CE Notice
Marking by the symbol indicates compliance of this Dell system to the EMC
(Electromagnetic Compatibility) directive of the European Community. Such marking is
indicative that this Dell system meets or exceeds the following technical standards:
EN 55022 Limits and Methods of Measurement of Radio Interference
Characteristics of Information Technology Equipment.
EN 50082-1 Electromagnetic compatibilityGeneric immunity standard Part 1:
Residential, commercial, and light industry.
IEC 801-2 Electromagnetic compatibility for industrial-process measurement and
control equipment Part 2: Electrostatic discharge requirements. Severity level 3.
IEC 801-3 Electromagnetic compatibility for industrial-process measurement and
control equipment Part 3: Radiated electromagnetic field requirements. Severity
level 2.
IEC 801-4Electromagnetic compatibility for industrial-process measurement and
control equipment Part 4: Electrical fast transient/burst requirements. Severity
level 2.
EN 60950: 1992 Amd. 1:1993 + Amd. 2.1993: Safety of Information Technology
Equipment including Electrical Business Equipment.
A Declaration of Conformity in accordance with the preceding standards has been made
and is on file at Dell Products Europe BV, Limerick, Ireland.
This device belongs to Class B devices as described in EN 55022, unless it is specifically stated that it is a Class A
device on the specification label. The following applies to devices in Class A of EN 55022 (radius of protection up
to 30 meters). The user of the device is obliged to take all steps necessary to remove sources of interference to
telecommunication or other devices.
Regul at or y Not i ces C-5
VCCI Notice (Japan Only)
Most Dell computer systems are classified by the Voluntary Control Council for
Interference (VCCI) as Class B information technology equipment (ITE). However, the
inclusion of certain options can change the rating of some configurations to Class A.
To determine which classification applies to your computer system, examine the FCC
classification on the registration labels located on the back panel of your computer, on card-
mounting brackets, and on the cards themselves. If any one of the labels carries an FCC
Class A designation, your entire system is considered to be VCCI Class A ITE. If all labels
carry either an FCC Class B identification number or the FCC logo (FCC), your system is
considered to be VCCI Class B ITE.
Class B ITE
This is a Class B product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control Council for
Interference (VCCI) for information technology equipment. If this equipment is used near
a radio or television receiver in a domestic environment, it may cause radio interference.
Install and use the equipment according to the instruction manual.
MIC Notice (Republic of Korea Only)
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Gl ossar y 1
Glossary
A
activity
See task.
array
A logical disk created from available space and made
up of one or more segments on one or more physical
disks. Arrays are typically used to provide data
redundancy or enhanced I/O performance. See also
container, segment, volume, spanned volume,
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10.
Also known as a container.
Array Configuration Utility
An application used to create, configure, and manage
arrays from the controllers BIOS.
array initialization
See initialize.
ATA
AT Bus Attachment. Standard parallel interface to
IDE hard disks typically used in desktop computers
and some entry-level servers. SATA (Serial ATA), is
a successor to parallel ATA, which is sometimes
referred to as PATA.
available space/segment
Unused space on an initialized disk from which
logical devices (arrays) are created. When an array is
deleted, the space that it used is returned to the
available space pool.
B
background consistency check
Consistency check performed as a background
process. See also consistency check command.
bad segment
Segment that is in an unknown state.
bootable array
Array configured as the boot device.
build
Background initialization of a redundant array. The
array is accessible throughout. RAID 1 copies the
contents of the primary drive to a secondary drive.
See also clear.
bus
See channel.
C
cache
Fast-access memory on the controller that serves as
intermediate storage for data that is read from, or
written to, drives.
capacity
Total usable space available in megabytes or
gigabytes.
2 Gl ossar y
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mCERCCCU
CERC Container Configuration Utility. An
application used to create, configure, and manage
arrays from the controllers MS-DOS.
channel
Any path, or bus, used for the transfer of data and the
control of information between storage devices and a
RAID controller. For SATA channels, each channel
has a single drive capacity.
chunk
See stripe.
clear
Foreground initialization of a fault-tolerant array. A
clear operation zeros all blocks of the array. The array
is not accessible until the clear task is complete.
concatenation
Joining of physical or logical drives in sequential
order.
consistency check command
The controller continuously performs a verification
on a redundant array to data integrity. In the case of
RAID 1 or 10, consistency checks assure that the data
between like blocks match. In the case of a RAID 5,
consistency checks assure that data in the stripe and
the calculated parity for the stripe match.
container
See array.
D
dead partition
See failed.
degraded
A redundant (for example, a RAID 1) array in which
one or more members have failed. The data is intact
but redundancy has been compromised. Any further
failure would cause the array to fail and result in data
loss.
dirty data
Data that has been written to a cache but which has
not been flushed out to its final destination.
disk drive
Device for storing nonremovable, rewritable media.
See also hard disk, hard drive.
disk ID
Unique disk identifier that consists of the channel
number, ID, and LUN (channel:ID:LUN), for
example, 1:04:0. See also channel.
drive LED
Disk indicator LED that illuminates during read or
write operations.
E
event
Notification or alert from the system, indicating that
a change has occurred.
event log
File used to maintain information about prior
controller activities or errors.
event notification
Process for transmitting events.
Gl ossar y 3
F
failed
State of a nonredundant array that has suffered a
single drive failure, or a redundant array that has
suffered multiple drive failures. A failed array is
inaccessible and data is lost.
failed segment
A segment that is no longer usable by an array because
it is either logically bad and therefore no longer
needed, or physically damaged.
failover drive
See hot spare.
fault-tolerant array
Refers to an array that can continue to function after
a disk drive failure without loss of data. See also
redundant.
foreign disk
Disk that has previously been initialized on another
type of RAID controller. The RAID signature on the
disk allows the RAID controller to identify whether
or not the disk was initialized on the controller it is
currently connected to.
free space/segment
See available space/segment.
H
hard disk, hard drive
Basic unit of nonvolatile, nonremovable, magnetic
storage media. See also disk drive.
hot spare
A hard drive, an array member, that is not used in day-
to-day data storage but, instead, is reserved for use as
a replacement for one of the other drives in the array
in the event of a failure.
hot swap
To remove a component from a system and install a
new component while the power is on and the system
is running.
I
impacted
An impacted array is one which has been created but
for some reason the initial build operation did not
complete. All member drives are present and
operational, and all data written to the array is
protected. To optimize the array, run a Verify with
Fix Task.
initialize
Process of preparing a disk for use by the controller.
When a disk is initialized, the controller records the
RAID signature on the disk.
initialized array
An array that is ready for data reads and writes. Arrays
can be initialized by build or clear.
L
legacy disk
Disk that contained a valid partition table when
connected to the controller. The controller manages
the disk as a legacy disk array where there is a one-to-
one logical-to-physical mapping of array to disk.
logical device
Volume comprised of space from one or more
physical drives and presented to the operating system
as if it were a single storage unit.
low-level format
Process performed by the drive firmware that
completely removes the file system from the disk.
4 Gl ossar y
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M
migration
See reconfiguration.
mirrored array/mirroring
See RAID 1.
monitoring
Process of receiving, displaying, and logging system
events.
multipartition array
Array with multiple operating systems or MS-DOS

partitions
O
offline array
Array that can no longer be accessed.
optimal
The state of an array when it is fully operational. For
redundant arrays, the entire array is protected.
P
partition
See segment.
phantom object
Object that represents a component that cannot be
configured by the controller management software;
for example, a missing drive.
Q
quick init
An array initialized using the Quick Init option is
available immediately, with no on-going background
controller activity. All data written to an array that
has been quick initialized is protected.
R
RAID
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (alternative
definition Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks).
RAID 0
A single-level array consisting of two or more equal-
sized segments residing on different disks. RAID 0
distributes data evenly across its respective drives in
equal-sized sections called stripes. RAID 0 arrays are
not redundant.
RAID 1
Single-level array consisting of two equal segments
residing on two different drives. Provides redundancy
by storing identical copies on two drives.
See also mirrored array/mirroring.
RAID 5
Single-level array consisting of at least three drives.
Like RAID 0, data is striped across the drives.
However, in RAID 5, parity is stored separately from
data, and occupies the equivalent of one drive. The
controller generates parity every time data is written
to the array, and it is distributed in stripes across all
the drives.
Gl ossar y 5
RAID 10
Dual-level RAID type created by using two or more
equal-sized RAID 1 arrays to create a RAID 0. Both
read and write performance are improved due to array
striping. However, the performance improvement
costs additional storage space due to the mirroring of
the arrays.
RAID signature
The area on each disk reserved for use by the RAID
controller.
RAID volume
Concatenates two or more arrays of the same type.
rebuild
Background regeneration of redundant data on a
RAID 1.
reconfiguration
Process of expanding an array or migrating an array
from one RAID type to another; changing the stripe
size of a RAID 0, or moving a logical devices
segments to other disks.
redundant
The ability of an array to maintain operability when
one or more hardware failures occur. RAID 1 is
redundant. In the event of a drive failure, redundant
arrays can be restored to normal operation by
replacing the failed drive and rebuilding the array.
rescan
Process of updating the current screen to show all
currently available resources.
S
segment
Contiguous area of a physical drive that makes up
some or all of an array. When the software creates an
array, it automatically converts space into segments.
SATA (Serial ATA)
A successor to ATA that uses a serial, instead of
parallel, interface.
simple volume
A volume made up of disk space from a single disk. It
can consist of a single region on a disk or
concatenated, multiple regions of the same disk.
single-level array
Array created from one or more segments. See also
volume, spanned volume, RAID 0, RAID 1.
spanned volume
A simple volume that spans two or more drives.
spare
See hot spare.
stripe
Contiguous set of data distributed across all the disks
in an array. A striped array distributes data evenly
across all members in equal-sized sections called
stripes.
stripe size
The amount of data in each section of a striped array.
striped array
See RAID 0 and RAID 5.
T
task
An operation that occurs only on the RAID controller,
asynchronous to all other operations; for example,
initializing a disk or verifying an array. Some tasks can
take an extended period of time, particularly if the
RAID controller is also performing intensive data I/O
while the task is running.
6 Gl ossar y
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V
verify
See consistency check command.
volume
See simple volume, spanned volume.
Index 1
I ndex
Numerics
1U/2U servers, 1-4
30-Second Configuration
Change Timeout, 4-11
A
AFU
controller ID switch, 5-4
file path switch, 5-5
switches, 5-4
system requirements, 5-3
AFU command
help, 5-6
list, 5-7
save, 5-7
verify, 5-9
version, 5-9
alarm
see audible alarm, 4-11
array
bootable, 4-6
creating, 5-12
making bootable, 5-16
migration, 1-5
multilevel, and a build/verify
task, 5-22
properties, 5-13
properties, drives, 5-20
properties, hotspare
drives, 5-20
properties, label, 5-19
properties, ReadCache, 5-20
properties, Size, 5-19
properties, StripeSize, 5-19
properties, Type, 5-19
properties, WriteCache, 5-20
size, 4-4, 5-13
stripe size, 4-4, 5-13
viewing properties, 5-14
Array Configuration
Utility, 1-2, 2-4
using to manage an array, 4-3
array definition block, 5-23
Drives keyword, 5-25
End keyword, 5-26
GlobalSpareDrives
keyword, 5-26
HotspareDrives keyword, 5-26
InitializeAll keyword, 5-27
keywords summary, 5-24
Method keyword, 5-27
ReadCache keyword, 5-28
Size keyword, 5-28
Type keyword, 5-25
Wait keyword, 5-29
WaitForBuild keyword, 5-29
WriteCache keyword, 5-30
Array Properties dialog
box, 5-13, 5-14
deleting an array, 4-7, 5-17
Assigned Hotspare Drives
list, 4-7, 5-15
removing drives, 5-15
Assigned Hotspares Drives list
removing a hotspare, 4-8
audible alarm, 1-4, 4-11, 5-18,
A-2
automatic failover, 1-6, 4-10,
6-7, 6-25, 6-30
B
BIOS RAID Configuration
utility, 1-2, 2-4
BIOS RAID Configuration
utility, upgrading, 1-4
bootable array, 4-6, 5-16
creating, 5-16
support, A-2
build/verify task
determining status, 5-21
on a multilevel array, 5-22
C
cache
read, 4-4, 5-14
write, 4-5
2 Index
2 Index
CERC Container
Configuration Utility, see
CERCCCU
CERCCCU
/C switch, 5-19
/L switch, 5-19
/P switch, 5-18
/R switch, 5-18
creating an array in interactive
mode, 5-12
interactive mode, 5-11
playback mode, 5-19
playback mode, initializing
drives, 5-20
record mode switch, 5-18
script mode, 5-11, 5-17, 5-19
channel definition block, 5-23
channels, A-2
clear status, 5-21
CLI command
close, 6-14
container add_level, 6-16
container clear, 6-16
container create mmirror, 6-17
container create mstripe, 6-18
container create
mvolume, 6-18
container create
new_mirror, 6-18
container create stripe, 6-19
container create volume, 6-20
container delete, 6-20
container list, 6-21
container move, 6-21
container promote, 6-22
container readonly, 6-22
container readwrite, 6-22
container reconfigure, 6-22
container remove
failover, 6-23
container remove
global_failover, 6-24
container restore RAID5, 6-24
container scrub, 6-24
container set cache, 6-25
container set failover, 6-25
container set
global_failover, 6-26
container set io_delay, 6-26
container set label, 6-26
container show cache, 6-27
container show failover, 6-27
container unmirror, 6-27
controller details, 6-27
controller firmware
compare, 6-28
controller firmware save, 6-28
controller firmware
update, 6-28
controller list, 6-29
controller resume_io, 6-29
controller set
automatic_failover, 6-30
controller set
container_verify, 6-30
controller show
automatic_failover, 6-30
controller show channels, 6-30
controller show
container_verify, 6-30
disk blink, 6-31
disk initialize, 6-31
disk list, 6-32
disk remove
dead_partitions, 6-32
disk set default, 6-32
disk set smart, 6-32
disk show deafult, 6-33
disk show defects, 6-33
disk show partition, 6-34
disk show smart, 6-34
disk show space, 6-34
disk verify, 6-35
disk zero, 6-35
exit, 6-14
history_size, 6-15
logfile end, 6-36
logfile start, 6-36
open, 6-15
reset_window, 6-15
task list, 6-36
task resume, 6-37
task stop, 6-37
task suspend, 6-37
Configuration Change
Timeout, 4-11
container
creating with CCU, 4-3
deleting, 4-7
support, A-2
controller
ID, 5-4
number, 5-19
Controller Service
Menu, 4-12
D
dedicated hot spare, 1-5, 5-26
dimensions, A-2
disk
initializing, 4-8
Index 3
utilities, 1-2, 4-2
DOS
extenders, 5-3
supported version, 5-3
utilities, 1-2
DOS4GW, 5-3
drives
deselecting, 5-12
initialize using interactive
mode, 5-16
initializing using script
mode, 5-20
Drives property
initializing drives, 5-20
overview, 5-20
E
ECC SDRAM, A-2
EEPROM components, 5-2
EMM386.SYS, 5-3
End keyword
environmental
specifications, A-2
error handling
list of codes, 5-30
script mode, 5-30
ERRORLEVEL variable, 5-30
event logging,
broadcasting, 1-4
example of invoking the
CERCCCU and creating
an array, 5-32
extenders, 5-3
F
failover drive
assignments, 4-7
file path switch, 5-5
firmware kit, 5-3
flash
controller feature, 1-4
updating, 5-2
format disk, 4-12
G
global hot spare, 1-5, 5-26
GlobalSpareDrives keyword
H
HIMEM.SYS, 5-3
hot plug capability, 1-4
hotspare
assigning to an array, 4-7
defined, 1-5
removing, 5-15
removing from an array, 4-8
Hotspare Management for
Array dialog box, 4-7, 4-8,
5-15
HotspareDrives keyword
HotspareDrives property, 5-20
humidity, operating, A-2
I
Initialize Drives option, 5-16
InitializeAll property
description, 5-20
initializing disk drives, 5-16
Intel 80302 Intelligent I/O
Processor, A-2
interactive mode
using the CERCCCU, 5-11
J
JBOD, 1-4
L
Label property, 5-19
Linux
support, 1-3
Linux Event Logging utility
installing, 3-6
uninstalling, 3-6
List of Arrays dialog box, 5-14
assigning a hotspare, 4-7, 5-15
removing a hotspare, 4-8, 5-15
log files
switch, 5-19
4 Index
4 Index
M
Manage Arrays
removing a hotspare, 5-15
Manage Arrays dialog box
assigning a hot spare, 4-7,
5-15
Manage Arrays option, 4-5,
5-14
deleting an array, 5-17
making an array
bootable, 5-16
MD2 form factor, 1-4
Method property, array
definition block, 5-27
N
NetWare support, 1-3, 3-6
noise, voltage, A-2
O
online capacity
expansion, 1-4, 1-5
online RAID level
migration, 1-4
optimized disk
utilization, 1-4
P
pager, event broadcasting, 1-4
PCI
compatibility, 1-4
Local Bus Specification, 1-4
playback mode, 5-17
build/verify status, 5-21
clear status, 5-21
switch, 5-18
power requirements, A-2
processor specifications, A-2
properties
Drives, 5-20
HotspareDrives, 5-20
InitializeAll, 5-20
Label, 5-19
ReadCache, 5-20
Size, 5-19
StripeSize, 5-19
Type, 5-19
viewing array, 5-14
WriteCache, 5-20
R
RAID levels, A-2
support, 1-4
read cache, 4-4, 5-14
ReadCache property
description, 5-20
record mode
script file syntax, 5-23
Red Hat support, 1-3
regulatory notices, C-2
Runtime BIOS, 4-10
S
SATA
device configuration, 2-2
SATA 1.0, A-2
SATA configuration
options, 4-10
SATA II, A-2
SATASelect, 1-2, 4-2
script files
syntax, 5-23
script mode, 5-11, 5-17
error handling, 5-30
Select Hotspare Drives
list, 4-8, 5-15
Self-Monitoring, Analysis and
Reporting Technology.
See SMART
configurations
SETVER.SYS, 5-3
Silicon Image SI3512 dual
SATA 1.0 controller, A-2
Size property
description, 5-19
SMART, 6-32, 6-34
description, 4-10
SMARTDRV.SYS, 5-3
specifications
physical, A-2
Storage temperature, A-2
stripe size, 4-4, 5-13
StripeSize
keyword, 5-29
property, 5-19
switches, 5-4
Index 5
syntax of script files, 5-23
system requirements, 5-3, A-2
T
temperature
operating, A-2
storage, A-2
troubleshooting, B-2
Type property
description, 5-19
U
UFI files
definition, 5-2
path, 5-5
V
Verify disk media, 4-12
voltage ripple and noise, A-2
W
Wait property, array
WaitForBuild property, array
Windows support, 1-3
write cache, 4-5
WriteCache property
description, 5-20
6 Index
6 Index
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Used to to verify the hardware configuration of the controller and

based) server or workstation with at least one available universal

2000 Server, Advanced Server and Small Business Server,

Linux Professional, versions 9.0

, versions 5.1 and 6.5

to verify the hardware configuration of the controller and the

2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 operating systems:

Linux driver. The driver is

Used to change device and controller settings.

partitions, disks with no usable space, or disks that

, Initialized, Not Initialized, Offline, or Unknown

80302 Intelligent I/O Processor

Expandable RAID Controller 2/Single Channel Card

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