SiI3132 SATARAID5™ Storage Management Software User Manual Home Edition Silicon Image, Inc. 1060 East Arques Ave. Sunnyvale CA 94085 (408) 616-4000 www.siliconimage.
Copyright © 2004, Silicon Image, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, or translated into any language or computer format, in any form or by any means without prior written permission of: Silicon Image, Inc. 1060 East Arques Ave. Sunnyvale CA 94085 Silicon Image, Inc. reserves the right to make changes to the product(s) or specifications to improve performance, reliability, or manufacturability.
Table of Contents 1 WELCOME ........................................................................................................................................................5 1.1 DATA ENHANCEMENT .....................................................................................................................................5 1.1.1 DATA SECURITY .............................................................................................................................................5 1.1.
.3.5 DELETE MEMBER .........................................................................................................................................21 4.3.6 DELETE ORPHAN ..........................................................................................................................................22 4.3.7 DEVICE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................23 4.3.8 REBUILD RAID GROUP .......
1 Welcome Silicon Image’s SATARAID5TM software enhances your data storage by combining advanced RAID1 features typically seen on high-end data systems with low cost/high capacity Serial ATA drives. By using industry standard SATA drives and Silicon Image Host Bus Adapters, you can achieve extraordinarily low costs while remaining assured that your data is protected against hardware failure. 1.1 Data Enhancement 1.1.
2 An Introduction to RAID 2.1 RAID Volumes RAID technology allows one or more disks to be combined into a logical volume which provides greater performance and/or protection than standard disk drives. These volumes, also known as RAID Groups, appear like regular disk drives to the operating system and can be partitioned, formatted and used just like any other normal disk. The complexity of the RAID is hidden within the driver.
2.3 RAID Levels 2.3.1 Disk Striping (RAID 0) Striping is a performance-oriented, non-redundant data mapping technique. While Striping is discussed as a RAID Group type, it is does not provide any fault tolerance. With modern SATA and ATA bus mastering technology, multiple I/O operations can be performed in parallel, enhancing data throughput. Striping arrays use multiple disks to form a larger virtual disk. The figure below illustrates a three-disk stripe set.
written to different disks. There are at least 3 members to a Parity RAID set. The following example illustrates how the parity is rotated from disk to disk. Parity RAID uses less capacity for protection and is the preferred method to reduce the cost per megabyte for larger installations. Mirroring requires 100% increase in capacity to protect the data whereas the above example only requires a 50% increase. The required capacity decreases as the number of disks in the group increases. 2.3.
3 Installation 3.1 Upgrading From Previous Silicon Image RAID Software If you are upgrading from a previously released Silicon Image RAID driver, please read the following sections carefully. 3.1.1 Legacy RAID Support Previous RAID drivers which do not support RAID 5 functionality are known as “Legacy” drivers and are being replaced with the SATARAID5 software. Legacy RAID volumes are still supported by the SATARAID5 software and have the following benefits. • • • 3.
Click “Next” to pass the welcome screen. Click the Next button to install the SATARAID5 program in the default directory (recommended). An alternate directory may be selected if desired. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
3.3.2 Installing the JAVA Run Time Environment The Java Run Time Environment installation will automatically start once the InstallShield has finished installing the driver and GUI. Once started, the following dialog screens will appear. Followed by When a window appears asking for acceptance the license agreement, select I accept the terms of this license agreement and click Next. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Choose the Typical setup type and click Next. When the installation completes, click Finish. Restart the computer when prompted. 3.4 Installing Manually To manually install individual components of the SATARAID5 software, please refer to the following sections. 3.4.1 Driver The SATARAID5 driver can be installed using the normal Windows® driver install/upgrade interface. To begin, insert the CDROM into the CD drive.
Once the Device Manager is started, select “SCSI and RAID controllers” as shown below. Right click on the desired Host Bus Adapter and select “Update Driver…”. Make sure the installation CD-ROM is in the CD drive and select “Install the software automatically (Recommended)”. Press “Next” to install the software. 3.4.2 SATARAID5 Manager To install the SATARAID5 Manager, copy the files from the “Manager Files” directory on the installation CD-ROM to any desired directory on the host.
4 SATARAID5 Manager 4.1 Overview The SATARAID5 Manager is the Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows you to create and manage RAID volumes. The Manager initially shows two windows as seen below. The RAID Groups window identifies SATA host adapters and configured RAID groups. For systems with more than one Silicon Image Host Bus Adapter installed, you can switch between cards by selecting the desired card in the RAID Groups Window.
The fields are defined as follows: RAID Group Label: Provides an identifiable name for the RAID group. This field can be any ASCII string to help the user identify this volume. RAID Group: Select a Group ID from the available ID list. The maximum number of RAID Groups per controller is 8 so Group ID can be any number between 0 and 7 inclusive. Configuration: The configuration indicates which RAID level is to be used to configure these members.
RAID Level 0 1 5 10 JBOD Concatenated Min # of Disks 2 2 3* 4* 1 1 Once all parameters have been selected, select “Create” to create the RAID Group. When finished, press Cancel to exit the Create RAID Group Dialog. 4.2.1 Concatenated RAID Groups Concatenated RAID Groups allow the user to select different sized segments for each member of the volume. For Concatenated volumes only, a second dialog box will appear allowing the user to select the individual segment sizes from each disk.
Legacy Spare The commands are documented on the pages that follow. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.1 Configuration SATARAID5 configuration options include customization of the settings for Log File, Popup, and Advanced Options. This command displays a dialog box to let user set different configurations for SATARAID5 with the following three tabs: Log File Tab The log file is used to store event information received from all Silicon Image RAID drivers. The log file is a text file and can be viewed with any text viewer (such as Notepad) or with the Event Log window of SATARAID5.
Popup Tab SATARAID5 can be configured to notify the user of events using messages in popup windows. Use the slider control to set the event level for popups to occur: - Error Level - The following events will trigger a popup window: Errors - Warning Level - The following events will trigger a popup window: Warnings Errors - Information Level - The following events will trigger a popup window: Informational Warnings Errors - Disable All - No events will trigger a popup window.
Advanced Options The Advanced Options tab is used to control advanced features of the RAID driver. By default, all these advanced options are disabled. The following features are supported: 1. Legacy (Bootable) Support – When this feature is selected, Legacy Support menu will be available in the menu bar. The Legacy Support Menu includes a list of menu items to support RAID functions for legacy RAID groups.
4.3.3 Create Spare This command displays a dialog box to let user create Spare Drive, user needs to select the following parameters: Spare Type: Global -- the spare drive is for all RAID groups in the system. Dedicated -- the spare drive is dedicated to the specified RAID group. RAID Group: Select the RAID group to which this spare drive is dedicated. This parameter is enabled only when Dedicated spare type is selected.
4.3.6 Delete Orphan An orphan device segment is part of a RAID group that cannot access another device segment within the same RAID group. When a member of a RAID group fails in a severe manner (such as a loss of power or a complete hard disk failure), it becomes an orphan. This command displays the Delete Orphan Segment window to show all orphan segments and allow user to delete selected orphan segments. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.7 Device Summary This command displays the Segment Summary window to show all physical devices’ segments. The Segment Summary window has it’s own menu bar. All options available via the menu bar are shown below File Options Exit Sorting… Fields… Exit This command closes the Task Summary window. Sorting This command sorts the rows based on the selected field. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Fields This command displays a dialog box to let user choose which fields will be shown in the Segment Summary window. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.8 Rebuild RAID Group This command displays a dialog box to let user choose a replacement segment to rebuild a non-fault tolerant RAID group. 4.3.9 Delete RAID Group This command displays a dialog box to let user choose RAID groups to delete. 4.3.10 RAID Group Summary This command displays a dialog box to show all RAID groups’ group ID, configuration, and status. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
The RAID Group Summary window has it’s own menu bar. All options available via the menu bar are shown below File Options Exit Sorting… Fields… Exit This command closes the RAID Group Summary window. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Sorting This command displays a dialog box to let user choose up to 3 items to sort RAID group items in the RAID Group list. Fields This command displays a dialog box to let user choose which fields will be shown in the RAID Group Summary window. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.11 Task Manager This command displays the Task Manager window. The Task Manager window lists all RAID and disk management tasks that have been started and/or done. This window provides user the ability to schedule any RAID and disk management operations including RAID group creation, rebuild, and test. The Task Manager window has it’s own menu bar.
This option will be available in future revisions. 4.3.13 Exit This command closes the Task Summary window. Sorting This command displays a dialog box to let user choose up to 3 items to sort task items in the task list. 4.3.14 Fields This command displays a dialog box to let user choose which fields will be shown in the task list. Modify This command allows user to modify parameters of the selected task items. The following is an example of changing rebuild priority for a rebuild task.
Suspend This command allows user to suspend the selected task items. Resume This command allows user to resume the suspended task items. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Cancel This command allows user to cancel the selected task items. Delete This command displays a dialog box to let user delete the selected task items from the task list in Task Summary window. The following dialog box will pop up to get confirmation from the user. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.15 Event Log This command displays the Event Log window. The Event Log window displays SATA device-related events that occur while SATARAID5 is running. The Event Log window has it’s own menu bar. All options available via the menu bar are shown below File Options Exit Sorting… Fields… Exit This command closes the Event Log window. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Sorting This command displays a dialog box to let user choose up to 3 items to sort event items in the event log. 4.3.16 Fields This command displays a dialog box to let user choose which fields will be shown in the event log. 4.3.17 Resources This command displays the Resource Information window. This feature is for debugging purpose only. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.18 Create Legacy RAID Group This command displays a dialog box to let user create legacy RAID group. This item is disabled if new RAID groups exist. User needs to select the following parameters: RAID Group: Select a group ID from the available ID list Configuration: Striped (for RAID 0) Mirrored (for RAID 1) Mirrored Striped (for RAID 10) Parity RAID (for RAID 5) Capacity: Select from a list of RAID group size, current options are from 256 MB to 100 GB, and MAX.
4.3.20 Delete Legacy RAID Group This command displays a dialog box to let user choose legacy RAID groups to delete. This item is disabled if no legacy RAID groups exist. 4.3.21 Convert Legacy RAID Group This command displays a dialog box to let user choose legacy RAID groups to convert to new RAID groups of the same RAID type (configuration). This item is disabled if no legacy RAID groups exist. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.22 Create Legacy Spare This command displays a dialog box to let user create legacy spare drive. This item is disabled if new RAID groups exist. 4.3.23 Delete Legacy Spare This command displays a dialog box to let user delete legacy spare drive. This item is disabled if no legacy spare drive exists. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.24 Convert Legacy Spare This command displays a dialog box to let user choose legacy spare drives to convert to new spare drives. This item is disabled if no legacy spare drives exist. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
4.3.25 Help Topics This command opens an interactive help dialog using the standard Windows help interface. This option will be available in future revisions. 4.3.26 About This command displays a dialog box with more information about the SATARAID5 program, including the revision level. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
5 Creating and Deleting Legacy RAID Groups with BIOS Utility Legacy RAID sets and JBOD can be created and managed by either the BIOS utility or the SATARAID5 GUI. New RAID groups must be created and managed by the SATARAID5 GUI. During boot up, a screen similar to that below will appear for about 5 seconds. Press CTRL+S or the F4 key to enter the BIOS RAID utility. The RAID Utility menu screen will be displayed. A brief description of each section is presented on the next page.
Main Menu The Main Menu in the upper left corner is used to choose the operation to be performed. The selections are: Create RAID Group Delete RAID Group Rebuild RAID 1 Set Resolve Conflicts Low Level Format Logical Drive Info Create RAID Group is used to create a new legacy RAID Set or for allocating legacy spare drives. Delete RAID Group is used to delete a legacy RAID Set or to deallocate a legacy spare drive.
5.1 Creating RAID Groups As previously discussed, the Silicon Image SATA host adapter supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, and JBOD configurations. The selection of the RAID level to be used should be based upon factors including performance, data security, and number of drives available. It is best to carefully consider the long-term role of the system and plan the data storage strategy appropriately. Silicon Image has made the creation of RAID sets very simple.
4. If manual configuration is selected, the chunk size of Striped Sets can be selected. For Mirrored Sets, the Source and Target drives can be selected. 5. If auto configuration is selected, BIOS will select RAID member drives automatically and the chunk size of Striped Sets is set to 64KB. 6. Select RAID set size with ↑ and ↓ keys. See section 6.9 for explanation on selecting size. 7. After the RAID set size is set, the message “Are You Sure?” will display before completing the configuration.
8. 5.2 RAID sets can be created in both BIOS and in the SATARAID5 GUI. If you have excess capacity left on your hard drives after creating a RAID set in the BIOS, you can later go to the SATARAID5 GUI to create additional logical drives that fully utilize the capacity on all your hard drives. Creating Spare Drive If there is a RAID 1 set, spare driver can be created. The spare drive can be allocated to the RAID 1 set in the event of a failure of one of the drives in the RAID 1 set. 1.
SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
5.5 Rebuild RAID 1 Set This menu selection is used to initiate the copying of data from an existing drive to a replacement drive that has been installed in a RAID 1 set after the failure of one of the members. 1. Select “Rebuild RAID 1 set” 2. Select the desired set and press Enter. 3. Press “Y” when asked, “Are You Sure?” 4. The set will be rebuilt. The status of the rebuild is displayed in the MAIN MENU window. Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
5.6 Resolving Conflicts When a RAID set is created, the metadata written to the disk includes drive connection information including the channel on the host adapter to which it is connected. If after a disk failure the replacement disk was previously part of a RAID set or used in another system, it may have conflicting metadata, specifically in reference to the drive connection information. If so, this will prohibit the RAID set from being either created or rebuilt.
3. Note that some conflict resolutions may result in the drive letter assignment changing; for example the RAID set may have been drive D: but after the conflict resolution, it may become drive E. Be aware of this when performing a conflict resolution. To maintain the same drive lettering, the SATA cables connected to the drives may need to be swapped, or in the case of a SATA-based removable drive unit, the order of the drives within the chassis made need to be changed.
5.7 Low Level Formatting The Low Level Format menu selection allows the complete erasure of data on a hard drive. This is not an action, which typically needs to be performed as formatting the drive under Windows is usually sufficient to prepare the drive for use. 5.8 Logical Drive Information This menu item allows the display of the assignment of physical drives within a logical set (RAID set, RAID 1 spare, or unassigned). It is a display-only function.
user deletes the set or drive. For this reason, after a set or drive is deleted, BIOS recognizes the physical drive as a reserved logical drive and it will not report the drive to the system BIOS. When user selects to create a RAID set, spare drive, or JBOD, he or she has to select size for the set or drive. BIOS will set a default size for it and user can use the ↑ and ↓ keys to change the size.
6 Allocating Partitions in Windows After the RAID groups have been created either using SATARAID5 Manager or BIOS Menu Utility, the RAID group must have a partition defined on it, then the RAID group must be formatted in preparation for use under Windows. Windows XP, 2000, and Server 2003 use the Disk Management utility that is part of the Operating System. There are enough nuances that make it important to follow the procedure specific to the Operating System. 6.
Instead of “Basic,” a disk may also report as either “Unknown” or “Dynamic.” If the disk reports as “Unknown” right-click on the disk icon and click “Write Signature.” A window will appear with the disk in question (all “Unknown” disks may appear in this window). Make sure the box next to each disk is checked, and then click OK. The disk should now report as “Basic.” If a disk reports as “Dynamic,” right-click on the icon of that disk, and click on “Revert to Basic Disk...
4. The third window designates the partition size. Since this is a Striped RAID set utilizing 2 disk drives, the size of the partition will be approximately twice the size of the smallest single disk drive. Click Next. 5. The fourth window designates the drive letter of the partition. Change the drive letter if desired. Click Next. SATARAID5 User’s Manual Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
Copyright © 2004 Silicon Image Inc.
6. The next window allows the volume label to be set and selection of the type of formatting to take place upon the creation of the partition. Make sure the Format this partition. . .” radio button is selected. Name the volume as desired (suggestions are generic names such as STRIPED SET or something specific to use such as FINANCIAL, CRITICAL, MISCELLANEOUS, etc.). It is recommended to use the default NTFS for the file system. Click Next. 7.
The status of the newly created partition in the Disk Management window should change to Formatting and the percentage complete will be displayed. Depending upon the size of the partition, the format process may take several minutes. When complete, the status will change to “Healthy” and the name and drive letter will be updated. Once the disk reports Healthy, it appears in the listing in System Listing section with all of its pertinent information as well.
