Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:44:53 -0500 From: Bruce Campbell <bruce@engmail.uwaterloo.ca> To: geeks@geekazoid.com Cc: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: ATA RAID Suggestions Message-ID: <1046439893.3e5f67d51e98c@www.nexusmail.uwaterloo.ca> In-Reply-To: <001c01c2dede$0a979f10$0200a8c0@noemie> References: <20030227143521.4371.qmail@nym.alias.net> <001c01c2dede$0a979f10$0200a8c0@noemie>
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I have about 2 weeks experience with 3ware ATA RAID. All excellent so far. I've been successfuly using some low cost ATA drive trays for almost a year now. Hardware details at: http://www.freebsd.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Freebsd/BackupServerHardware My notes on the 3ware card are at: http://www.freebsd.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Freebsd/AtaRaid As for "re-mirroring on the fly" the 3ware card will re-mirror a replacement drive after bootup, in the background (ie the o/s can boot and array will function in degraded mode until the rebuild is done) I have not tried pulling a drive live and replacing it. I didn't think ATA was supposed to do that, although I see claims it is possible from some drive tray makers and controller makers. > > Geekazoid and Friends wrote: > > > > > I am looking for ATA RAID suggestions. I have tried a Promise FastTrak > TX2000 > > > with 2 Hot-Swap Trays. I receive an error message that the controller > does not > > > support the 'rebuild' feature of 'atacontrol'. > > > > > > So, my question is thus...Can anyone recommend a solid ATA RAID > Controller that > > > supports re-mirroring on the fly? Also, any recommendations about > hot-swap > > > trays/bays? > > > > > > Any assistance would be Greatly Appreciated! > > > > > > Just to be a pain, I am not subscribed to this list. :-| Could you > please > > > reply 'geeks@geekazoid.com'? > > > > I deploy a lot of FreeBSD platforms that use HighPoint HPT370 controllers > > in an *unmirrored* configuration, for end-of-the-day backups. The HPT370 > > allows me to reliably hot swap *identical* (i.e. ST3400021A) unmounted > > drives using the following procedure: > > > > 1) power down a drive > > 2) invoke > > /sbin/sysctl -w hpt37x2.status="hpt rescan all" > > to prod the kernel into realizing that a drive is down > > 3) swap the drive > > 4) power up a replacement drive > > 5) invoke > > /sbin/sysctl -w hpt37x2.status="hpt rescan all" > > to prod the kernel into realizing that a drive is back on line > > > > Observation/question: > > > > 1. ATA gurus tell me that ATA detection magic only occurs during a > > hard boot. Something beyond my comprehension prevents a PC from > > recognizing an ATA drive with a different geometry "on the fly." > > Therefore, I use drives with identical geometry for hot swaps. > > > > 2. So far, /sbin/sysctl only seems to work with HighPoint controllers. > > Does anyone know of any other controller that can accommodate a > > hot swap by using /sbin/sysctl? > > > > -- > > charms > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > > with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message > > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message > -- Bruce Campbell Engineering Computing CPH-2374B University of Waterloo (519)888-4567 ext 5889 ---------------------------------------- This mail sent through www.mywaterloo.ca To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message
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