Promise Technology Version 4.4 user manual Controller Cache, Disk Parameters, Rebuild Setting

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Chapter 5: RAID Monitoring and Maintenance

Controller Cache

Allows you to toggle between two write modes for the FastTrak's cache:

Write Through – Data is written to the cache and hard drive at the same time. This arrangement is safer. Check the box to select it

Write Back – Data is written to the cache first and to the hard drive later. This arrangement increases performance at the risk of data loss if the power fails. Uncheck the box to select it.

Disk Parameters

Check the respective boxes to enable these features:

Enable Write Cache – Speeds hard disk performance by writing data to the cache to increase performance. Note that you can lose data if a power failure occurs.

SMART Check – SMART, an acronym for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology, is a feature of the disk drive software. It monitors the internal performance of the drive and reports to the PC when it finds a potential failure. SMART warns you of a developing drive failure so you can replace the drive before it actually fails.

Rebuild Setting

Check the respective boxes to enable these features:

Enable Hot Spare Disk – Enables a spare drive not assigned to the array to automatically replace a failed drive in the array. You must also enable Auto Rebuild for this feature to be effective.

Enable Auto Rebuild – Enables automatic rebuilding of a fault-tolerant (RAID 1, 0+1 and 5) array when it goes Critical.

Enable Hot Swap Disk – Allows you to replace a faulty disk drive without shutting down the system. This feature works with an externally replaceable disk drive enclosure such as the Promise SuperSwap.

Rebuild Setting – Allocates system resources between rebuilding the array and responding to read/write commands from the computer system.

A High setting assigns most of the system resources to rebuilding. Rebuilding goes faster, restoring redundancy sooner but read/write requests are handled slower.

A Low setting assigns most of the system resources to handling read/write requests. Read/write requests are handled at nearly normal speed while the rebuild takes longer.

See Rebuild an Array later in this chapter for more information on the rebuilding process.

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Contents FastTrak S150 SX4 and SX4000 series Copyright TrademarksImportant data protection information Contents Promise Array Management PAM Components IntroductionHow They Work Together LAN and Internet connections PAM Installation OptionsCompany LAN without a File Server PCs with Internal RAID Promise Array Management Installation Installation LocationsMonitoring Utility Networked RAID has many installation options Operating System Support Message ServerMessage Agent Pre-Installation Procedure PAM InstallationNetwork Requirements PAM Setup Opening Screen Setup Type dialog box Add User Account dialog box Install Complete dialog box Launch PAM Initial SetupLocal PAM Log-out Local PAM Log-inCreate a New Server Remote PAM Log-inDisconnect from a Message Server Remote PAM Log-outLogout of RAID PC Remote PAM Future Log-insPAM Monitor window has three views PAM User InterfaceUser Information View Create a New UserCreate an Array Create Array Settings New Array CRAM-MD5 Setup Email Alert NotificationEmail Sender and Recipients Add a User to the Recipient ListSpecify Alert Notification Events Event Alert Setting boxInformation Events PAM User Interface Local PAM Tree ViewAn example of a RAID system in Tree View on Remote PAM Remote PAMObject View Tree View and Component Specific MenusStatus Bar Information ViewMy Console Menu Pulldown MenusDynamic Menus Main MenuMaintenance Menu RAID Machine MenuRAID System Menu Connection Menu Remote PAM only View MenuHelp Menu Preference MenuToolbar ToolbarRAID Machine Icon Popup MenusMy Console Icon Message Server IconDisk Icon RAID System IconController Icon Channel IconArray Icon User Management IconUser Icon Promise Array Management RAID Monitoring Maintenance with PAM Local PAM Log-inLog-out Remote PAM Create a RAID Server Delete a RAID Server Disconnect from a Message ServerLogout of RAID PC Future Log-ins Message Server IP Address Change Create a New User Manage UsersChange Password Delete a UserChange User Rights Alert Notification Add a User to the Recipient List Current Recipients window Delete a User from the Recipient ListSpecify Alert Notification Events Information Events Controller View Event LogRead Bad Sector Table System Information Controller OptionsRebuild Setting Controller CacheDisk Parameters Maintenance Error Handling Inconsistency Error HandlingPCI Bus Utilization Create an Array ArraysCreate Array Settings New Array Scheduled Synchronization Synchronize an ArrayStart Synchronization On Demand SynchronizationStop, Pause, Continue Synchronization SettingsExpansion Expand / Convert an ArraySelect a disk drive to add to the array Verify the Array name and click Finish From Comments ConversionStart Conversion Select the new RAID Level Conversion progress Array Critical RAID Monitoring and Maintenance Automatic Rebuild Rebuild an ArrayStart Rebuild Wizard Manual RebuildRebuild Wizard Confirmation window Rebuild Settings in Information View Rebuild SettingsError Handling Delete Array Array OfflinePromise Array Management Appendix a RAID Concepts RAID 0 writes data to both drives at the same time Striping RAIDData Mirror Disk Drives Mirroring RAIDStriping / Mirroring RAID 0+1 About Dual Data Redundancy RAID 5 Stripes all Drives with Data and Parity Information Block and Parity Striping RAIDJbod manages drives Individually, unlike RAID Jbod Single DrivePromise Array Management Right-click on the My Computer icon Appendix B Partition and FormatDisk Management Window and Disk Wizard New Partition Wizard Newly formatted array as it appears under Disk Management IP Address Appendix C Networking IssuesDhcp enabled. . . . . . . . Yes Dhcp IssuesAppendix D Technical Support Technical Support ServicesPacific Rim Sales Office