Network Card User Manual
Table Of Contents
- Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H310, H710, H710P, and H810 User’s Guide
- Overview
- Features
- Physical Disk Power Management
- Types Of Virtual Disk Initialization
- Consistency Checks
- Disk Roaming
- FastPath
- Virtual Disk Migration
- Virtual Disk Write Cache Policies
- Virtual Disk Read Cache Policies
- Reconfiguration Of Virtual Disks
- Fault Tolerance
- The SMART Feature
- Patrol Read
- Redundant Path Support (For PERC H810 Only)
- Physical Disk Failure Detection
- Using Persistent Hot Spare Slots
- Physical Disk Hot Swapping
- Using Replace Member And Revertible Hot Spares
- Controller Cache Preservation
- Battery Transparent Learn Cycle
- Deploying The PERC Card
- Driver Installation
- Pre-Installation Requirements For Windows Driver Installation
- Creating The Device Driver Media For Windows Driver Installation
- Downloading Drivers From The Dell Systems Service And Diagnostic Tools Media For Windows
- Downloading Drivers From The Dell Support Website For Windows
- Installing Driver During a Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 Installation
- Installing Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 For A New RAID Controller
- Updating Existing Windows Server 2008 Or Windows Server 2008 R2
- Updating The Linux Driver
- Management Applications For PERC Cards
- Dell OpenManage Storage Management
- BIOS Configuration Utility
- Virtual Disk Management
- Creating Virtual Disks
- Selecting Virtual Disk Parameters
- Converting Physical Disk To RAID Capable For PERC H310
- Converting Physical Disk To Non-RAID For PERC H310
- Initializing Virtual Disks
- Checking Data Consistency
- Running A Data Consistency Check
- Importing Or Clearing Foreign Configurations Using The VD Mgmt Menu
- Importing Or Clearing Foreign Configurations Using The Foreign Configuration View Screen
- Break Mirror
- Managing Preserved Cache
- Managing Dedicated Hot Spares
- Deleting Virtual Disks
- Deleting Disk Groups
- Clearing The Configuration
- BIOS Configuration Utility Menu Options
- Physical Disk Management
- Controller Management
- UEFI RAID Configuration Utility
- CacheCade
- Security Key And RAID Management
- Troubleshooting
- BIOS Error Messages
- Discovery Error Message
- Extra Enclosure Error Message
- Cache Data Lost Error Message
- Missing Disks In Virtual Disk Error Message
- Previous Configuration Of Disks Removed Error Message
- Missing Virtual Disks Error Message
- Dirty Cache Data Error Message
- BIOS Disabled Error Message
- Drive Configuration Changes Error Message
- Adapter At Baseport Not Responding Error Message
- Offline Or Missing Virtual Drives With Preserved Cache Error Message
- Virtual Disks Offline Error Message
- Virtual Disks Degraded Error Message
- Virtual Disks Partially Degraded Error Message
- Memory Or Battery Problem Error Message
- Firmware Fault State Error Message
- Foreign Configuration Found Error Message
- Foreign Configuration Not Found In
Error Message - Previous Configuration Cleared Or Missing Error Message
- Invalid SAS Topology Detected Error Message
- Multibit ECC Errors Detected Error Messages
- Configured Disks Removed Or Not Accessible Error Message
- Battery Discharged Or Disconnected Error Message
- Degraded State Of Virtual Disks
- Memory Errors
- Preserved Cache State
- General Issues
- Physical Disk Issues
- Physical Disk In Failed State
- Unable to Rebuild A Fault Tolerant Virtual Disk
- Fatal Error Or Data Corruption Reported
- Physical Disk Displayed As Blocked
- Multiple Disks Become Inaccessible
- Rebuilding A Failed Physical Disk
- Virtual Disk Fails During Rebuild Using A Global Hot Spare
- Virtual Disk Fails During Rebuild Using A Dedicated Hot Spare
- Physical Disk Fails During Reconstruction On Redundant Virtual Disk
- Virtual Disk Fails Rebuild Using A Dedicated Hot Spare
- Physical Disk Takes A Long Time To Rebuild
- SMART Errors
- Replace Member Errors
- Linux Operating System Errors
- Disk Carrier LED Indicators
- BIOS Error Messages
- Appendix: RAID Description
3. Boot the system and import the foreign configuration that is detected. You can do one of the following:
– Press <F> to automatically import the foreign configuration.
– Enter the BIOS Configuration Utility and navigate to the Foreign Configuration View.
NOTE: For more information on accessing the BIOS Configuration Utility, see the topic Entering The BIOS
Configuration Utility.
NOTE: For more information on Foreign Configuration View, see the topic Foreign Configuration View.
4. Exit the BIOS Configuration Utility and reboot the system.
5. Ensure that all the latest drivers for the PERC H710, H710P, or H810 card (available at support.dell.com) are
installed.
For more information, see the topic Driver Installation.
Virtual Disk Write Cache Policies
NOTE: PERC H310 only supports Write-Through mode.
The write cache policy of a virtual disk determines how the controller handles writes to the virtual disk. Write-Back and
Write-Through are the two write cache policies that can be set on virtual disks individually.
All RAID volumes are presented as Write-Through to the operating system (Windows and Linux) independent of the
actual write cache policy of the virtual disk. The PERC cards manage the data in cache independently of the operating
system or any applications.
NOTE: Use the Dell OpenManage storage management application or the BIOS Configuration Utility to view and
manage virtual disk cache settings.
Write-Back And Write-Through
In Write-Through caching, the controller sends a data transfer completion signal to the host system when the disk
subsystem has received all the data in a transaction.
In Write-Back caching, the controller sends a data transfer completion signal to the host when the controller cache has
received all the data in a transaction. The controller then writes the cached data to the storage device in the
background.
The risk of using Write-Back cache is that the cached data can be lost if there is a power failure before it is written to
the storage device. This risk is mitigated by using a Non-Volatile Cache on the PERC H710, H710P or H810 card.
NOTE: The default cache setting for virtual disks is Write-Back caching.
NOTE: Certain data patterns and configurations perform better with a Write-Through cache policy.
Conditions Under Which Write-Back Is Employed
Write-Back caching is used under all conditions in which the battery is present and in good condition.
Conditions Under Which Forced Write-Back With No Battery Is Employed
CAUTION: It is recommended that you use a power backup system when forcing Write-Back to ensure there is no
loss of data if the system suddenly loses power.
Write-Back mode is available when you select Force WB with no battery. When Forced Write-Back mode is selected,
the virtual disk is in Write-Back mode even if the battery is not present.
17