Physical Disks

Only Dell supported 6.0 Gbps SAS physical disks are supported in the storage array. If the storage array detects unsupported physical disks, it marks the disk as unsupported and the physical disk becomes unavailable for all operations.

NOTE: The MD3600f Series array must contain at least two physical disks for proper operation. This is necessary because the physical disks are used to store configuration information.

Physical Disk States

The storage array recognizes the physical disk states. Mode and status of physical disks are reported in the MDSM application. Possible values for mode and status are described in Table 4-1.

Table 4-1. RAID Controller Physical Disk States

Status

Mode

Description

Physical Disk

 

 

 

Status LED

 

 

 

 

Optimal

Assigned

The physical disk in the indicated slot

Steady Green

 

 

is configured as part of a disk group.

 

Optimal

Unassigned

The physical disk in the indicated slot

Steady Green

 

 

is unused and available to be

 

 

 

configured.

 

Optimal

Hot Spare

The physical disk in the indicated slot

Steady Green

 

standby

is configured as a hot spare.

 

Optimal

Hot Spare in

The physical disk in the indicated slot is

Steady Green

 

use

in use as a hot spare within a disk group.

 

Failed

Assigned,

The physical disk in the indicated slot

Amber flashing

 

Unassigned,

has failed because of an unrecoverable

(150 ms)

 

Hot Spare in

error, an incorrect drive type or drive

 

 

use, or Hot

size, or by its operational state being

 

 

Spare standby

set to failed.

 

Replaced

Assigned

The physical disk in the indicated slot

Green flashing

 

 

has been replaced and is ready to be,

(On 400 ms, Off

 

 

or is actively being, configured into a

100 ms)

 

 

disk group.

 

40

Planning: MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts

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Dell MD3600f, MD3620F owner manual Physical Disks, Physical Disk States
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MD3620F, MD3600f specifications

Dell's MD3620F and MD3600F storage arrays are designed for businesses seeking dependable, high-performance storage solutions tailored to meet the demands of modern data management. These models offer a blend of scalability, efficiency, and advanced features, making them well-suited for a range of applications, from virtual environments to critical database operations.

One of the primary features of the MD3620F and MD3600F is their support for a hybrid storage architecture. This approach allows organizations to combine flash storage with traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) to optimize performance and cost. The MD3620F focuses heavily on all-flash configurations, delivering exceptional speed and lower latency, ideal for I/O-intensive workloads.

Scalability is another hallmark of these storage solutions. The MD3600F allows users to scale up to 120 drives, providing robust capacity to meet growing data needs. The MD3620F is engineered for environments where data availability and speed are paramount, with support for high IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) and consistent performance under stress.

In terms of data management, both systems integrate with Dell’s proprietary software, which enhances operational efficiency through features like automated tiering. This technology optimizes data placement between different storage types based on access frequency, ensuring that hot data is readily available while reducing costs associated with less critical data.

Reliability is crucial for businesses that depend on their storage systems. The MD3620F and MD3600F come equipped with advanced data protection mechanisms, such as RAID support, which safeguards against data loss, and snapshot capabilities that provide point-in-time copies of data. Moreover, these solutions include hot-swappable components, ensuring minimal downtime for maintenance and repairs.

Connectivity is also a strong suit of these storage arrays. They support multiple connectivity options, including SAS and iSCSI, allowing for flexible integration into existing IT infrastructures. This adaptability enhances their appeal to a wide range of enterprise environments.

In summary, the Dell MD3620F and MD3600F stand out as robust storage solutions with a combination of hybrid and all-flash configurations, scalability, advanced data management tools, and enhanced reliability features. These characteristics make them ideal for organizations looking to enhance their data storage capabilities while maintaining high performance and efficiency.
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