User`s guide

5.2.4.4 Integrated Striping Firmware

This section describes features of the LSI Logic Integrated Striping (IS) firmware.

5.2.4.4.1 Host Interface

The IS host interface uses the Message Passing Interface, as described in the Fusion-MPT Message Passing

Interface Specification, including Integrated Striping. Through the Fusion-MPT interface, the host operating

system has access to the logical IS drive as well as the physical disks.

5.2.4.4.2 Metadata Support

The firmware supports metadata, which describes the IS logical drive configuration stored on each

member disk. When the firmware is initialized, each member disk is queried to read the stored metadata

to verify the configuration. The usable disk space for each IS member disk is adjusted down to leave room

for this data.

5.2.4.4.3 SMART Support

The IS firmware enables Mode 6 SMART on the IS member disks. Mode 6 SMART requires each physical

disk to be polled at regular intervals. If a SMART ASC/ASCQ code is detected on a physical IS disk, the

firmware processes the SMART data, and the last received SMART ASC/ASCQ is stored in non-volatile

memory. The IS volume does not support SMART directly, since it is just a logical representation of the

physical disks in the volume.

5.2.4.4.4 Disk Write Caching

Disk write caching is disabled by default on all IS volumes.

5.2.4.5 Fusion-MPT Support

The BIOS uses the LSI Logic Fusion-MPT interface to communicate to the SAS controller and firmware to

enable Integrated Striping. This includes reading the Fusion-MPT configuration to gain access to the

parameters that are used to define behavior between the SAS controller and the devices connected to it.

The Fusion-MPT drivers for all supported operating systems implement the Fusion-MPT interface to

communicate with the controller and firmware.