Source RAID

Target RAID Level

Number of

Number of

Capacity

Description

Level

 

Physical Disks

Physical Disks

Expansion

 

 

 

(Beginning)

(End)

Possible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

disk space used

 

 

 

 

 

for distributed

 

 

 

 

 

parity data.

RAID 6

RAID 5

4 or more

4 or more

Yes

Removes one set

 

 

 

 

 

of parity data and

 

 

 

 

 

reclaims disk

 

 

 

 

 

space used for it.

RAID 6

RAID 6

4 or more

5 or more

Yes

Increases

 

 

 

 

 

capacity by

 

 

 

 

 

adding disks.

NOTE: The total number of physical disks in a disk group cannot exceed 32. You cannot perform RAID level migration and expansion on RAID levels 10, 50, and 60.

Fault Tolerance

The list of features of the PERC cards that provide fault tolerance to prevent data loss is as follows:

•Support for Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART)

•Support for Patrol Read

•Redundant path support (for PERC H810 only)

•Physical disk failure detection

•Physical disk rebuild using hot spares

•Controller Cache Preservation

•Battery and Non-Volatile Cache backup of controller cache to protect data

•Detection of batteries with low charge after boot up

The next sections describe some methods to achieve fault tolerance.

The SMART Feature

The SMART feature monitors certain physical aspects of all motors, heads, and physical disk electronics to help detect predictable physical disk failures. SMART-compliant physical disks have attributes for which data can be monitored to identify changes in values and determine whether the values are within threshold limits. Many mechanical and electrical failures display some degradation in performance before failure.

A SMART failure is also referred to as a predicted failure. There are numerous factors that relate to predicted physical disk failures, such as a bearing failure, a broken read/write head, and changes in spin-up rate. In addition, there are factors related to read/write surface failure, such as seek error rate and excessive bad sectors.

NOTE: For detailed information on SCSI interface specifications, see t10.org and for detailed information on SATA interface specifications, see t13.org.

Automatic Replace Member With Predicted Failure

A Replace Member operation can occur when there is a SMART predictive failure reporting on a physical disk in a virtual disk. The automatic Replace Member is initiated when the first SMART error occurs on a physical disk that is part

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Dell H710P, H310, H810 manual Fault Tolerance, Smart Feature, Automatic Replace Member With Predicted Failure, Reclaims disk
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H310, H710, H710P, H810 specifications

Dell offers a range of storage controller technologies, notably the H810, H710, H710P, and H310, which cater to different enterprise needs. These controllers are designed to support various storage configurations, enhancing overall system performance and reliability.

The Dell H810 is a high-performance PCIe 3.0 RAID controller that supports up to eight internal drives and is particularly suited for demanding workloads. It features advanced RAID levels including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, providing flexibility for various data protection strategies. The H810 also supports up to 32TB of storage capacity, making it suitable for environments that require substantial data management capabilities.

The H710 is another powerful RAID controller, widely recognized for its balance of performance and cost-efficiency. It features 1GB of cache memory, which aids in accelerating read and write operations. The H710 supports the same RAID levels as the H810 and allows for up to 512MB of non-volatile memory. This ensures data integrity even in the event of a power failure, making it reliable for critical applications.

The H710P is an enhanced version of the H710, with a significant upgrade in its cache capabilities. It offers 2GB of battery-backed cache memory, further enhancing data processing speeds and improving responsiveness. The H710P is ideal for intensive workloads and virtualization, where rapid access to data is essential. This controller also includes features such as RAID storage pooling, intelligent data tiering, and support for multiple virtual disks.

Finally, the H310 is a cost-effective option for small to medium-sized businesses or those with less demanding storage requirements. It offers similar RAID support as the higher-end controllers but operates with a simpler architecture. The H310 features 512MB of cache, providing sufficient performance for regular workloads without the additional complexities of more advanced controllers.

In summary, Dell's H810, H710, H710P, and H310 storage controllers each serve distinct purposes, providing various features, technologies, and performance characteristics tailored to different business needs. From high-capacity storage solutions to user-friendly setups, Dell’s offerings ensure that organizations can efficiently manage their data storage requirements.
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