Compaq 3200 manual Controller Duplexing, E-27

E-27

Controller Duplexing

Some operating systems support controller duplexing, a fault-tolerance feature that requires two Smart Array 3200 Controllers. With duplexing, the two controllers each have their own drives that contain identical data. In the unlikely event of a Smart Array 3200 Controller failure, the remaining drives and the Smart Array 3200 Controller service all requests.

Controller duplexing is not the same as duplexing the SCSI buses on a single Smart Array 3200 Controller. Controller duplexing is a function of the operating system and takes the place of other fault-tolerance methods. Refer to the documentation included with your operating system for implementation.

Compaq recommends using hardware-based fault tolerance instead of controller duplexing. Hardware-based fault tolerance provides a much more robust and controlled environment for fault-tolerance protection.

If you choose controller duplexing, configure each Smart Array 3200 Controller with RAID 0 to achieve maximum storage capacity. In addition, the following fault-tolerant features will not be available: online spare, auto-reliability monitoring, interim data recovery, and automatic data recovery.

Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller Reference Guide