VTrak M310p, M210p Product Manual

Capacity Coercion also affects a replacement drive used in a disk array. Normally, when an physical drive fails, the replacement drive must be the same capacity or larger. However, the Capacity Coercion feature permits the installation of a replacement drive that is slightly smaller (within 1 gigabyte) than the remaining working drive. For example, the remaining working drives can be 80.5GB and the replacement drive can be 80.3, since all are rounded down to 80GB. This permits the smaller drive to be used.

Without Capacity Coercion, the controller will not permit the use of a replacement physical drive that is slightly smaller than the remaining working drive(s).

Initialization

Initialization is done to logical drives after they are created from a disk array. Initialization sets all data bits in the logical drive to zero. The action is useful because there may be residual data on the logical drives left behind from earlier configurations. For this reason, Initialization is recommended for all new logical

drives. See “Logical Drive Initialization” on page 108.

Caution

When you initialize a logical drive, all the data on the logical drive will be lost. Backup any important data before you initialize a logical drive.

Hot Spare Drive(s)

A hot spare is a disk drive that is connected to the disk array system but is not assigned as a member of the disk array. In the event of the failure of a drive within a functioning fault tolerant disk array, the hot spare is activated as a member of the disk array to replace a drive that has failed.

VTrak will replace a failing disk drive in a disk array with an unassigned drive, if one is available. The unassigned drive is not part of any disk array. Such a drive is called a hot spare drive. There are two types:

•Global – An unassigned disk drive available to any disk array on the VTrak.

•Dedicated – An unassigned disk drive that can only be used by a specified disk array.

The hot spare policy function lets you select whether a disk array will access any unassigned disk drive or a designated drive in the event of disk drive failure. See “Spare Drive” on page 114 (WebPAM PROe) or “Spare Drive Management” on page 155 (CLU) for information on how to make this setting.

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Promise Technology m310p, m210p, VTrak external disk array subsystem manual Initialization, Hot Spare Drives
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m210p, VTrak external disk array subsystem, m310p specifications

Promise Technology has established itself as a strong player in the storage solutions market, particularly with its VTrak series of storage systems. Among the notable products in this lineup are the VTrak M310P and M210P models, designed to deliver efficiency, scalability, and high performance for businesses of all sizes.

The Promise VTrak M310P is a high-performance storage solution that emphasizes speed and versatility. This model supports both SAS and SATA drives, enabling enterprises to tailor their storage needs based on workload requirements. It is built with an advanced RAID engine that provides multiple RAID levels, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, ensuring data redundancy and protection against drive failures. The M310P can accommodate up to 96TB of raw storage when fully populated, catering to environments that require large amounts of data retention and quick access times.

Key features of the VTrak M310P include the intuitive management interface, which simplifies storage provisioning and monitoring. This model also incorporates Promise's innovative "HyperRAID" technology, which enhances performance by optimizing I/O operations and providing real-time analytics and reporting. Additionally, the M310P supports a variety of host connection interfaces, including iSCSI, Fibre Channel, and InfiniBand, allowing seamless integration into existing infrastructure.

On the other hand, the VTrak M210P is tailored for a slightly different audience, focusing on small to medium-sized businesses that require reliable and cost-effective storage solutions. The M210P retains several high-end features found in its bigger counterpart while offering a more budget-friendly option. This model also supports a mix of SAS and SATA drives and includes RAID capabilities similar to the M310P for data protection.

The M210P provides a robust set of management tools designed for ease of use, including automated alerts and comprehensive reporting capabilities. Its compact design and reliable performance make it ideal for remote office locations or data centers where space is a premium. Furthermore, the model incorporates advanced power management features to reduce energy consumption without compromising performance.

Both the M310P and M210P are built with scalability in mind, allowing businesses to easily expand their storage capacity as data needs grow. With a focus on durability, performance, and advanced technology, Promise Technology’s VTrak systems are well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of modern data storage. Whether for large enterprises or smaller organizations, these products offer solutions that enhance productivity and ensure data integrity.
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