C H A P T E R 20 |
Using the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility |
This chapter describes how to use the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility (ARCU), a BIOS-based utility used to create and manage controllers, disk drives and other devices, and arrays on systems equipped with an Adaptec-based disk controller. It contains the following sections:
Caution - On servers equipped with an Adaptec disk controller, all drives must be part of a volume before they can be used by the BIOS or the OS. Adaptec controllers support single-drive volumes that can be used for drives that are not part of a RAID array. See Chapter 21for more information. |
Many of the tasks described in this document can also be done using the Sun StorageTek RAID Manager graphical user interface (GUI). This is described in Parts I and II of this document.
The Adaptec RAID Configuration utility provides three tools:
This section describes how to start and navigate through the Adaptec RAID Configuration utility. The section contains the following subsections:
To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility |
1. Start an RKVM session, or connect a keyboard, mouse, and video device to the server module.
2. Power on or start the server module.
3. When prompted, press Ctrl-A.
The Adaptec RAID Controller Utility (ARCU) screen appears.
During bootup, if your system has insufficient memory, the following message appears.
BIOS RAID Configuration Utility will load after system initialization. Please wait... Or press <Enter> Key to attempt loading the utility forcibly [Generally, not recommended] |
Note - The first time you power on your system after you install a new controller, the BIOS might display a configuration that does not match the system’s configuration. This is normal behavior. |
To Navigate the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility |
Use the arrow keys, Enter, Esc, and other keys on your keyboard to navigate through the utility menus.
All the tools within the Adaptec RAID Configuration utility are menu-based. Instructions for completing tasks are displayed onscreen.
You can use the ACU, a tool of the Adaptec RAID Configuration utility, to create and manage arrays. This section contains the following subsections:
To Start the ACU |
1. Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration utility.
See To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility.
2. On the ARCU screen, select Array Configuration Utility and press Enter.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to create and manage arrays, and initialize, rescan, and erase disk drives.
To Create a New Array With the ACU |
1. Select Create Arrays from the main ACU menu.
Only disk drives that can be used in a new array are available for selection. (Disk drives must be initialized before they can be used in an array. See To Initialize Disk Drives With the ACU for more information.)
2. Use the Array Properties menu to modify the RAID level, size, name, stripe size, and caching settings of the array.
Note - Creating a new array might change the BIOS boot order. Check the BIOS settings to verify the correct boot order. |
To Manage Existing Arrays With the ACU |
1. Select Manage Arrays from the main ACU menu.
2. From the Manage Arrays menu, do any of the following:
Note - Failed drives are displayed in a different text color. |
Caution - Before deleting an array, back up the data to avoid permanently losing it. |
To Make an Array Bootable With the ACU |
Note - You might need to change the system BIOS to modify the boot order. For more information, refer to your computer documentation. |
1. Select Manage Arrays from the main ACU menu.
2. Select the array that you want to make bootable, and then press Ctrl-B.
Note - You cannot make an array bootable while it is building, verifying, or rebuilding. |
The array number changes to Array 00, which makes the array the boot array.
To Initialize Disk Drives With the ACU |
If a disk drive is grayed-out (unavailable for use in a new array), it might need to be initialized.
Select Initialize Drives from the main ACU menu.
To Rescan Disk Drives With the ACU |
Select Rescan Drives from the main ACU menu.
To Perform a Secure Erase on Disk Drives With the ACU |
When you perform a secure erase on a disk drive, all data on that disk drive is completely and irretrievably eradicated. Secure erase performs three distinct writing passes to the disk drive being erased--it does not just write zeros.
Performing a secure erase takes up to six times longer than clearing (or zeroing) a disk drive. You might want to perform a secure erase only on disk drives that contain confidential or classified information.
Note - To save time erasing a disk drive that does not contain sensitive information, you can format it, or clear it with the Sun StorageTek RAID Manager GUI. Both options take less time than the secure erase option, but might not offer enough security for highly sensitive information. See Using the Disk Utilities to Manage Disk Drives) to format a disk drive. |
Select Secure Erase from the main ACU menu, then select Y (yes).
To return to the main ACU menu after the secure erase has started, press Esc. The selected disk drive(s) cannot be used until the erase is complete.
To Stop a Secure Erase in Progress With the ACU |
1. From the main ACU window, select Secure Erase.
2. Select the disk drive being secure erased, and then press Ctrl-Q.
The secure erase stops and the ACU returns to its main window.
The ARCU includes a tool for modifying the controller settings, and for modifying the disk drives connected to it. This utility is called either SerialSelect (SAS) or SATASelect.
This section contains the following subsections:
To Start Using the Select Utility |
1. Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration utility (see To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility).
2. Select the Select utility and press Enter.
The utility might be named SerialSelect or SATASelect.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to modify the settings of the controller and connected disk drives, as required.
To Apply Changes and Exit the Select Utility |
1. Press Esc until you are prompted to exit.
If you modified any settings, you are prompted to save the changes before you exit.
2. Select Yes to exit, then press any key to restart your computer.
Any changes you made take effect after the computer restarts.
To Modify General Settings With the Select Utility |
Select Controller Configuration from the main Select utility menu and change the settings listed in the following table.
Some options might not be available.
Note - Default settings are shown in bold type. |
To Modify SAS-Specific Controller Settings With the Select Utility |
In addition to the general settings listed in To Modify General Settings With the Select Utility, some controllers have SAS-specific settings that can be modified if required.
Select PHY Configuration from the SerialSelect main menu and change the settings listed in the following table.
Note - Default settings are shown in bold type. |
The Select Utility has the ability to monitor the controller’s battery status.
To Check the Controller Battery Status |
Select Battery Unit Status from the Select Utility menu.
The utility displays the following information about the status of the battery.
The estimated remaining charge indicates how long the battery will continue to operate if the power fails.
You can use the disk utilities tool to perform low-level formatting, or to verify your disk drives.
Note - New disk drives are low-level formatted at the factory and do not need to be low-level formatted again. |
Caution - Before you format a disk drive, back up all data. Formatting destroys all data on a disk drive. |
This section contains the following subsections:
To Format or Verify a Disk Drive With the Disk Utilities |
See To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility.
2. On the ARCU screen, select Disk Utilities.
3. Select the disk drive you want, then press Enter.
4. Select Format Disk or Verify Disk Media.
To Locate Disk Drives With the Disk Utilities |
Note - This feature is available only with disk drives that have an activity LED. |
You can use the Identify Drive feature to physically locate a disk drive by blinking the LED.
See To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility.
3. Select the disk drive you want, then press Enter.
4. Select Identify Drive, then press Enter.
5. When you have finished locating your disk drive, press any key to stop the blinking.
To Identify Disk Drives With the Disk Utilities |
You can identify disk drives by viewing the list of disk drives on your system. Only physical drives that appear during POST are shown.
See To Start the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility.
The Disk Utilities view displays the following information:
The BIOS-based event log records all firmware events, such as configuration changes, array creation, and boot activity.
Some events are not stored indefinitely. The event log is cleared of any non-persistent events each time you restart your computer. Also, when the log is full, new events overwrite old events.
To View the Event Log |
1. Start the BIOS RAID Configuration utility.
See “Running the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility.
2. Select the controller you want, then press Enter.
The BIOS RAID Configuration utility menu appears.
4. Select Controller Log Information, then press Enter.
Copyright © 2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.