IBM 393, 387, 391, 389 Creating, adding, or deleting a RAID array, Initializing a virtual drive

Creating, adding, or deleting a RAID array

This topic provides instructions on how to create, add, or delete a RAID array using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program.

Note: Before you create a RAID array using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program, make sure that the server meets the required hardware configuration. For example, the server needs to have the required number of SATA hard disk drives installed and connected to the system board. See “About RAID” on page 72 for information about the required number of hard disk drives for each RAID level. If you want to create a RAID 5 array using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program, the server also needs to have a ThinkServer SATA Software RAID 5 Key installed on the system board. See “Installing or removing the ThinkServer SATA Software RAID 5 Key” on page 102.

To create, add, or delete a RAID array using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program, do the following:

1.Start the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program. See “Starting the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program” on page 75.

2.On the main interface of the program, do one of the following depending on your needs:

•If you want to create a RAID array, select Easy Configuration and then follow the instructions on the screen.

•If you want to add a secondary RAID configuration, select View/Add Configuration and then follow the instructions on the screen to view the current configuration and add a new configuration.

•If you want to delete the existing RAID configuration, exit the program and back up all your data on the hard disk drives. After backing up all your data, enter the program main interface and select Clear Configuration. Select Yes when prompted and follow the instructions on the screen.

Attention: Deleting the existing RAID configuration erases all data on the virtual drive. Make sure that you back up all data before deleting the RAID array. If the operating system is installed on the virtual drive you want to delete, you need to reinstall the operating system after completing the operation.

•If you want to delete the existing RAID configuration and make a new configuration, exit the program and back up all your data on the hard disk drives. After backing up all your data, enter the program main interface and select New Configuration. Select Yes when prompted to proceed and then follow the instructions on the screen.

Attention: Deleting the existing RAID configuration erases all data on the virtual drive. Make sure that you back up all data before deleting the RAID array. If the operating system is installed on the virtual drive you want to delete, you need to reinstall the operating system after completing the operation.

Initializing a virtual drive

This topic provides instructions on how to initialize a virtual drive using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program after completing the configuration process.

Virtual drive initialization is the process of writing zeros to the data fields of a virtual drive and, in fault-tolerant RAID levels, generating the corresponding parity to put the virtual drive in a ready state. Initialization erases all data on the virtual drive. Drive groups will work without being initialized, but they can fail a consistency check because the parity fields have not been generated.

Notes:

1.Make sure that you back up any data you want to keep before initializing a virtual drive.

2.Make sure that the operating system is not installed on the virtual drive you are initializing. Otherwise, you need to reinstall the operating system after completing the operation.

To initialize a virtual drive using the LSI Software RAID Configuration Utility program, do the following:

Chapter 5. Configuring the server 77