Dell™ PowerVault™ MD3000i RAID Enclosure Hardware Owner’s Manual w w w. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l .
Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents 1 About Your System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Enclosure Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Other Information You May Need Connection Components . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 About the Enclosure Connections Hardware Features Indicators on the Enclosure Bezel . . . . . . . . .
Supported RAID Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 RAID 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 RAID 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 RAID 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 RAID 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 RAID Level Usage Segment Size Hot Spares and Rebuild Global Hot Spares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . .
When a RAID Controller Module Is Replaced or Removed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 RAID Controller Failover Modes Thermal Shutdown Updating Enclosure Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . Physical Disk Firmware 52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Expansion Enclosure Firmware . . . . . . . . . . Best Practices and Recommendations 3 . . . . . . . . . Installing Enclosure Components Recommended Tools 52 . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing the Control Panel . . . . . . . 66 Removing the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Installing the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Removing and Installing the Midplane 4 . . . . . . . . . Troubleshooting Your Enclosure . . . . . . . 71 Safety First—For You and Your Enclosure . . . . . . . 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Start-Up Routine . . . . . . . . . 72 . . . . . . . . . . .
5 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 . . . . . . . . . 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Automated Order-Status Service Dell Enterprise Training Problems With Your Order Product Information 81 . . . . . Technical Support and Customer Service Online Services 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 . . . . .
Contents
About Your System The Dell™ PowerVault™ MD3000i is a 3U rack-mounted external Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage array capable of accommodating up to 15 3.0-Gbps, Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) disks. The RAID enclosure can be daisy-chained with up to two additional MD1000 expansion enclosures, providing access to a maximum of 45 disks in the entire storage array.
• Two redundant, hot-pluggable power supply/fan modules • 512 MB of mirrored cache on each RAID controller module • Battery backup unit in each RAID controller module that protects against cache data loss for up to 72 hours • Support for up to 45 3.
Modular Disk Storage Manager The Modular Disk (MD) Storage Manager software is a graphic interface with wizard-guided tools and a task-based management structure designed to reduce the complexity of installation, configuration, management, and diagnostic tasks. MD Storage Manager can be used on any host server attached to the storage array, as well as on storage management stations connected to the same subnetwork as the RAID enclosure, to create and manage multiple storage arrays.
• Updates are sometimes included to describe changes to the enclosure, software, and/or documentation. NOTE: Always check for updates on support.dell.com and read the updates first because they often supersede information in other documents. • Release notes or readme files are included to provide last-minute updates to the enclosure or documentation or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or technicians.
Each MD3000i RAID controller module also contains a SAS Out port connector. This port allows you the option to connect the RAID enclosure to an expansion enclosure. Refer to the PowerVault MD3000i Installation Guide for details and illustrated examples of how to configure your storage array.
Table 1-1. Front-Bezel Indicators Item LED Indicator 1 Split mode (green) LED Icon Condition Because this mode is unused in the system, this LED should always be unlit. NOTE: This LED comes on if the enclosure mode switch on the enclosure’s front panel is in the split mode position before the enclosure is turned on. 2 Power (green) When lit, at least one power supply is supplying power to the enclosure. 3 Enclosure status (blue/amber) Steady amber: Power is on and enclosure is in reset state.
Figure 1-2. Front-Panel Features 1 2 3 4 5 1 enclosure status LED 2 power LED 4 enclosure mode switch 5 physical disks (15) Table 1-2. 3 split mode LED (not used) Front-Panel Components Component Enclosure status LED (blue/amber) Icon Condition Steady amber: Power is on and enclosure is in reset state. Steady blue: Power is on and enclosure status is OK. Flashing blue: Enclosure LED is being blinked by MD Storage Manager. Flashing amber: Enclosure is in fault state.
Table 1-2. Front-Panel Components (continued) Component Icon Condition Power LED (green) When lit, at least one power supply is supplying power to the enclosure. Split mode LED (green) Because this mode is unused in the system, this LED should always be unlit. NOTE: This LED comes on if the enclosure mode switch on the enclosure’s front panel is in the split mode position before the enclosure is turned on. Enclosure mode switch The function of this switch is not applicable to your MD3000i.
Figure 1-3. Physical Disk Carrier LED Indicators 1 1 Table 1-3.
Back-Panel Indicators and Features Figure 1-4 shows the back-panel features of the enclosure. A fully populated enclosure with dual RAID controllers and two power supply/cooling fan modules is shown. However, a single RAID controller module is supported, and the enclosure can run temporarily on one power supply/cooling fan module. For more information, see "Power Supply and Cooling Fan Features" on page 24. Figure 1-4.
Each RAID controller module provides data path and enclosure management functions for your enclosure, including: • Monitoring and controlling enclosure environment elements (temperature, fans, power supplies, and enclosure LEDs) • Controlling access to the physical disks • Communicating enclosure attributes and states to the host server Each RAID controller module has dual iSCSI In ports for host access.
• Eleven LEDs (two iSCSI In link speed/activity, two iSCSI In link duplex mode, two Ethernet link/speed, battery fault, SAS link fault/connectivity, cache active, controller fault, and controller power) • One SAS Out port connector • Debug port For a description of each component on the front panel of the RAID controller module, see Table 1-4. For an explanation of how to connect the enclosure using the RAID controller module ports, see the PowerVault MD3000i Installation Guide. Figure 1-5.
Table 1-4. RAID Controller Module Component Functions (continued) Item Component 4 5 Icon Function iSCSI In Port 1 Link Speed/Activity Status LED Green: Link is operating at 1000 Mbps. Battery Fault LED (amber) Amber: Battery backup unit or battery has failed or is missing. Amber: Link is operating at 100 Mbps. Off: iSCSI connection is not active. Off: Battery backup unit and battery is operating normally. 6 Cache Active LED (green) Green: On-board controller memory contains data.
Table 1-4. RAID Controller Module Component Functions (continued) Item Component 13 Icon Ethernet Speed LED (green) Function Green: Ethernet connection is operating at 100 Mbps. Off: Ethernet connection is operating at 10 Mbps or is not active. 14 Debug Port Dell support only. 15 SAS Link Fault LED Amber: Between 1–3 links are connected. Green: All four links are connected. Off: All links are down. 16 SAS Out Port Out Provides SAS connection for cabling to a downchain expansion enclosure.
Battery Backup Unit Each RAID controller contains a three-cell lithium-ion battery backup unit (BBU) that powers the controller’s cache memory and preserves the cache contents in the event of a power outage of up to 72 hours. The RAID controller firmware performs a test of the BBU at startup and will illuminate the battery fault LED if the battery is not operating within specified ranges, or if the battery is missing. The battery begins recharging automatically if the test determines that it is necessary.
Cache Functions and Features Cache Mirroring The cache mirroring function copies accepted host-write data from the primary controller to the partner controller. This action ensures that hostwrite data is safely mirrored to the partner controller before successful completion status is returned to the host. If a controller fails, the surviving controller safely retains all mirrored data. Cache mirroring is enabled by default.
CAUTION: A power supply/cooling fan module can be removed from a poweredon enclosure for a maximum period of no more than 5 minutes. Beyond that time, the enclosure may automatically shut down to prevent damage to the enclosure and/or enclosure components. A power supply/cooling fan module can be replaced without powering down the enclosure. For information on removing and replacing the modules, see "Removing and Installing the Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module" on page 64.
Table 1-5. Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module LED Indicators Type Color DC power Green Icon Function On: DC output voltages are within specifications. Off: No power or voltages not within specifications. Power supply/cooling fan fault Amber AC power Green On: DC output voltages are not within specifications or one (or both) fans are in fault. Off: No fault condition is present. On: AC input voltage is within specifications. Off: No power or voltages not within specifications.
Using Your RAID Enclosure This section covers the following information: • Basic concepts of a RAID solution including physical disks, virtual disks, and disk groups • RAID levels supported by MD Storage Manager • Hot spare operations and rebuilds • Media errors and unreadable sectors • RAID operations and features • Advanced RAID features • Hardware redundancy and failover including cabling • Updating enclosure firmware • Best practice recommendations Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, and Di
All virtual disks in a disk group support the same RAID level. The RAID enclosure supports up to 256 virtual disks (minimum size of 10 MB each) that can be assigned to host servers. Each virtual disk is assigned a Logical Unit Number (LUN) that is recognized by the host operating system. Physical Disks Only Dell-supported 3.0-Gbps SAS physical disks are supported in the storage array.
Table 2-1. RAID Controller Physical Disk States (continued) Status Mode Description Physical Disk Status LED Indication Failed Assigned, Unassigned, Hot Spare In Use, or Hot Spare Standby The physical disk in the indicated Amber flashing slot has been failed because of an (125 ms) unrecoverable error, an incorrect drive type or drive size, or by its operational state being set to failed.
Virtual Disks and Disk Groups When configuring a storage array, you would normally proceed in this order: • Organize the physical disks into disk groups. • Create virtual disks within these disk groups. • Determine which host servers you want to grant access to which virtual disks, then create mappings to associate the virtual disks with the host servers. NOTE: Host server access must be created prior to mapping virtual disks to them.
Supported RAID Levels RAID levels determine the way in which data is written to physical disks. Different RAID levels provide different levels of accessibility, redundancy, and capacity. Using multiple physical disks has several advantages over using a single physical disk, including: • Placing data on multiple physical disks, called striping, means that input/output (I/O) operations can occur simultaneously and improve performance.
RAID 5 RAID 5 uses parity and striping data across all physical disks (distributed parity) to provide high data throughput and data redundancy, especially for small random access. RAID 5 is the most versatile RAID level and is suited for multi-user environments where typical I/O size is small and there is a high proportion of read activity. RAID 10 RAID 10, a combination of RAID 1 and RAID 0, uses disk striping across mirrored disks. It provides high data throughput and complete data redundancy.
Segment Size Disk striping enables data to be written across multiple physical disks. Disk striping enhances performance because striped disks are accessed simultaneously. The segment size or stripe element size specifies the size of data in a stripe written to a single disk. The MD3000i supports stripe element sizes of 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512 KB. The default stripe element size is 128 KB. Stripe width, or depth, refers to the number of disks involved in an array where striping is implemented.
called copy back. By default, the RAID controller module automatically configures the number and type of hot spares based on the number and capacity of physical disks in your system. A hot spare may have the following states: • A standby hot spare is a physical disk that has been assigned as a hot spare and is available to take over for any failed physical disk. • An in-use hot spare is a physical disk that has been assigned as a hot spare and is currently replacing a failed physical disk.
Other conditions under which sectors are added to the unreadable sector log include: • A media error is encountered when trying to access a physical disk that is a member of a nonredundant disk group (RAID 0 or degraded RAID 1, RAID 5 or RAID 10). • An error is encountered on source disks during rebuild. NOTE: Data on an unreadable sector is no longer accessible.
Foreground Initialization The RAID controller module firmware supports full foreground initialization for virtual disks. All access to the virtual disk is blocked during the initialization process. During initialization, zeros (0x00) are written to every sector of the virtual disk. The virtual disk is available after the initialization is completed without requiring a RAID controller module restart.
The RAID controller module tracks the cycle for each disk group independent of other disk groups on the controller and creates a checkpoint. If the media verification operation on a disk group is preempted or blocked by another operation on the disk group, the firmware resumes after the current cycle. If the media verification process on a disk group is stopped due to a RAID controller module restart, the firmware resumes the process from the last checkpoint.
Dynamic segment size migration enables the segment size of a given virtual disk to be changed. A default segment size was set when the virtual disk was created, based on such factors as the RAID level and expected usage. You can change the default value if actual usage does not match your needs.
Disk Group Defragmentation Defragmenting consolidates the free capacity in the disk group into one contiguous area. Defragmentation does not change the way in which the data is stored on the virtual disks. Disk Group Operations Limit The maximum number of active, concurrent disk group processes per controller is one.
Virtual Disk Migration and Disk Roaming Virtual disk migration is moving a virtual disk or a hot spare from one array to another by detaching the physical disks and re-attaching them to the new array. Disk roaming is moving a physical disk from one slot to another on the same array. Disk Migration You can move virtual disks from one array to another without taking the target array offline. However, the disk group being migrated must be offline prior to performing the disk migration.
Use either of the following methods to move disk groups and virtual disks: • Hot virtual disk migration — Disk migration with the destination storage array power turned on. • Cold virtual disk migration — Disk migration with the destination storage array power turned off. NOTE: To ensure that the migrating disk groups and virtual disks are correctly recognized when the target storage array has an existing physical disk, use hot virtual disk migration.
• Enabling premium features before migration — Before migrating disk groups and virtual disks, enable the required premium features on the destination storage array. If a disk group is migrated from a storage array that has a premium feature enabled and the destination array does not have this feature enabled, an Out of Compliance error message can be generated. For specific procedures to correct the error, refer to the Recovery Guru.
Storage partitions give multiple host servers or host groups access to the same host server-to-virtual disk mappings. With these mappings, you can control which host server or host group may have access to a virtual disk in your storage array. The first time you map a virtual disk to a specific host server or host group, a storage partition is created. Any subsequent mappings to that host server or host group do not create new storage partitions.
You can manually configure a host server-to-virtual disk mapping. When you configure host server-to-virtual disk mapping, consider these guidelines: • You can define one host server-to-virtual disk mapping for each virtual disk in the storage array. • Host server-to-virtual disk mappings are shared between RAID controller modules in the storage array. • A unique LUN must be used by a host group or host server to access a virtual disk.
Snapshots are used to recover previous versions of files that have changed since the snapshot was taken. Snapshots are implemented using a copy-onwrite algorithm, which makes a backup copy of data the instant an error occurs. Data on a virtual disk is copied to the snapshot repository before it is modified. Snapshots are instantaneous and take up less overhead than a full physical copy process. For further details on using snapshot virtual disks, see the MD Storage Manager User’s Guide.
Virtual Disk Service The Microsoft Virtual Disk Service (VDS) is supported on your RAID storage array. Microsoft VDS is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that provides a single interface for managing disks and other storage hardware, including creating volumes on those disks. The Microsoft VDS installer service for storage provisioning is available on the MD3000i Resource CD in the \windows\VDS_VSS directory. For more information on VDS, see www.microsoft.com.
Storage Management VSS Hardware Provider Tips: • The number of snapshot virtual disks that can be created using a single snapshot set varies with the I/O load on the RAID controller modules. Under little or no I/O load, the number of virtual disks in a snapshot set should be limited to eight. Under high I/O loads, the limit should be three. • The snapshot virtual disks created in the storage management software are differential snapshots. Plex snapshots are not supported.
You can find more details on using the virtual disk copy feature in the MD Storage Manager User’s Guide. Virtual Disk Recovery You can use the Edit host server-to-virtual disk mappings feature to recover data from the backup virtual disk. This functionality enables you to unmap the original source virtual disk from its host server, then map the backup virtual disk to the same host server. Ensure that you record the LUN used to provide access to the source virtual disk.
NOTE: The best practice for ensuring data access is to avoid a configuration with a single point of failure. A single point of failure is any component or path that is not duplicated (redundant) or whose failure can cause loss of data access. Redundancy and Non-Redundancy Redundancy means that a storage array has duplicate components, or alternate ways to provide essential services. This redundancy ensures access to the virtual disks in case of a failure of a single component.
Preferred and Alternate Controllers and Paths A preferred controller is a RAID controller module designated as the owner of a virtual disk or disk group. The preferred controller is automatically selected by MD Storage Manager when a virtual disk is created. You can change the preferred RAID controller module owner of a virtual disk after it is created.
• Failover occurred due to either RAID controller module lockdown, replacement, or path failover. NOTE: Clustering requires simultaneous access from cluster nodes to shared storage. If you have clustering software installed on the host server, automatic failback should be disabled to prevent "ping-pong" with single-path failure. For more information on clustering, a link to clustering documentation is included on the MD3000i Resource CD under Product Documentation.
Thermal Shutdown Enclosure management provides a feature which automatically shuts down the enclosure when the temperature within the RAID enclosure reaches dangerous extremes. Thermal shutdown protects the data on the physical disks from corruption in the event of a cooling system failure. The temperature at which shutdown occurs is determined by the enclosure temperature probe's Nominal Failure Threshold and the Maximum Failure Threshold. These thresholds are default settings that cannot be changed.
optimal. Downloading firmware when either or both controllers are nonoptimal may result in unsynchronized firmware and cause you to have to run the download again after restoring the RAID controller module(s) to optimal condition.
Best Practices and Recommendations The MD3000i RAID array supports a variety of configurations. To take full advantage of its iSCSI features and achieve optimal performance, consider the following recommendations. • Use a separate network for all your iSCSI storage needs. If a separate network cannot be dedicated, assign this storage function to a separate virtual local area network (VLAN), which creates independent logical networks within a physical network.
Installing Enclosure Components This section explains how to install the following components: • Front bezel (optional) • Physical disks and disk carriers • RAID controller modules • Battery backup unit • Power supplies • Control panel • Enclosure midplane Recommended Tools The procedures in this section require the use of one or more of the following tools: • #2 Phillips-head screwdriver • Torx T10 driver • Wrist grounding strap, as explained in the safety instructions found in your Prod
Figure 3-1. Installing and Removing the Front Bezel 1 2 1 bezel lock 2 release tab/interlocking notch 3 3 U-shaped handle 4 To replace the bezel, insert the interlocking notch into the U-shaped handle on the side of the front enclosure panel. 5 Snap the left side of the bezel into place in the U-shaped handle on the left side of the enclosure. 6 To lock the bezel, insert the key and turn to the right. Removing and Installing Physical Disks Your enclosure supports up to 15 SAS 3.
Removing Physical Disks from the Enclosure NOTICE: To avoid damage, never leave a physical disk carrier partially removed from the enclosure. Rotating a carrier handle next to an unseated disk carrier will result in serious damage to the unseated disk carrier. NOTICE: To avoid data loss when removing a physical disk, Dell recommends that you verify with MD Storage Manager that the appropriate disk is being removed. Removing an Assigned physical disk could result in data loss.
3 Open the physical disk carrier handle by rotating it downward. 4 Gently but firmly pull the physical disk carrier from its slot while supporting the weight of the disk from the bottom. Installing SAS Physical Disks in the Enclosure NOTICE: To ensure proper airflow for enclosure cooling, each slot should contain either an active physical disk or a disk blank. CAUTION: Always wear a wrist grounding strap when handling equipment with static-sensitive components.
Figure 3-3. Installing a SAS Physical Disk in the Carrier 2 1 3 1 screws (4) 2 physical disk carrier 3 physical disk 2 With the physical disk carrier handle open, carefully align the channel on the disk carrier guide rail with the appropriate disk slot keying feature on the chassis face plate, and insert the disk (see Figure 3-2). 3 Push the physical disk carrier into the slot until the bottom of the open carrier handle makes contact with the chassis face plate.
4 Rotate the carrier handle to the closed position while continuing to push the carrier into the slot. The status LED indicator (see Table 1-3 for description) will display a steady green if the physical disk is inserted properly. If the indicator is not illuminated, see "Troubleshooting SAS Physical Disks" on page 76. NOTE: At least two physical disks must be installed in the enclosure. Removing and Installing a RAID Controller Module The enclosure contains two RAID controller modules.
Figure 3-4. Removing and Installing a RAID Controller Module 2 1 1 release tab 2 release lever Installing a RAID Controller Module 1 Carefully insert the RAID controller module into the empty module slot. 2 Push the module to the back of the slot until it is firmly seated in the backplane connector (see Figure 3-4). 3 Push the release lever in (towards the enclosure) until the module is retracted into the slot and is secure.
Removing and Installing a RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit Each RAID controller module has a battery unit that provides backup power for the data cache memory. The battery unit is mounted inside the RAID controller module and connects to the controller circuit board. This section describes how to remove and replace the battery unit. CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the enclosure cover and access any of the components inside the enclosure.
Figure 3-5. Removing and Installing a RAID Controller Module Backup Battery Unit 3 2 1 1 thumbscrew 2 battery cover 3 battery unit 4 Unscrew the thumbscrew holding the battery unit to the controller module. 5 Disconnect the battery unit from the connector by sliding it towards the back of the controller, then remove it from the controller module. 6 Place the replacement battery unit into the controller module tray and push the battery unit into the connector on the RAID controller circuit board.
Removing and Installing the Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module Your enclosure supports two separate modules containing an integrated power supply and two cooling fans per module. While the enclosure can operate temporarily with only one functional power supply, both cooling modules (with two fans each) must be present for proper cooling. Three of the four fans must be operational for the enclosure to avoid overheating.
Figure 3-6. Replacing the Power Supply 4 3 1 1 power supply 4 on/off switch 2 2 captive screws (2) 3 handle CAUTION: The power supply/cooling fan modules are heavy. Use both hands when removing. 3 Grasp the handle on the power supply and carefully pull the module out of the bay (see Figure 3-6). NOTICE: The power-supply handle is provided to ease the task of pulling the module from the bay. Do not use this handle to carry the module.
2 Gently push the module all the way to the back of the bay until it is firmly seated in the backplane connector. The power supply is seated when its front plate is even with the front plate of the adjacent power supply. NOTE: If the enclosure is powered on, the power-supply fault indicator (see Figure 1-7) remains illuminated until you connect the AC power cable to the power supply and turn on the on/off switch. 3 Tighten the two captive screws to secure the new power supply/cooling fan module in the bay.
Figure 3-7. Removing and Replacing the Control Panel 2 1 3 1 faceplate screws (16) 2 control panel 3 thumbscrews 6 Using a Torx T10 driver, remove all 16 screws from the front faceplate of the enclosure as shown in Figure 3-7. 7 Remove the front faceplate from the enclosure and place it on a flat, secure surface. 8 Slide the control panel assembly straight out from its connector on the backplane (see Figure 3-7).
2 Slide the control panel fully into the slot, making sure that its connector engages into the matching backplane connector (see Figure 3-7). Also, make sure the guide tab on the control panel is fully inserted into the mounting slot on the backplane. 3 Replace the front faceplate and re-attach the 16 screws that hold it in place. 4 Re-install any physical disks you removed (see "Removing and Installing Physical Disks" on page 56).
Figure 3-8. Removing and Replacing the Controller/Power Supply Cage 1 2 1 Phillips screws (4) 2 controller/power supply cage 5 Slide the controller/power supply cage out of the enclosure and place it aside. 6 Reaching into the enclosure chassis from the back, carefully disconnect the midplane from the control panel and lift it out of the enclosure (see Figure 3-9). 7 To re-install the midplane, reverse the previous steps.
Figure 3-9.
Troubleshooting Your Enclosure Safety First—For You and Your Enclosure To perform certain procedures in this document, you must work inside the enclosure. While working inside the enclosure, do not attempt to perform service except as explained in this guide and elsewhere in your documentation. CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the enclosure cover and access any of the components inside the enclosure.
Troubleshooting External Connections Loose or improperly connected cables and bent pins are the most likely source of problems. Ensure that all external cables are securely attached to the external connectors on your system and that none of the connectors are damaged. See "Back-Panel Indicators and Features" on page 18 for the back-panel connectors on your enclosure. Troubleshooting a Wet Enclosure Problem • Liquid spilled on the enclosure. • Excessive humidity.
Troubleshooting a Damaged Enclosure Problem • Enclosure was dropped or damaged. Action CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the enclosure cover and access any of the components inside the enclosure. Before performing any procedure, see your Product Information Guide for complete information about safety precautions, working inside the enclosure and protecting against electrostatic discharge.
Action CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the enclosure cover and access any of the components inside the enclosure. Before performing any procedure, see your Product Information Guide for complete information about safety precautions, working inside the enclosure and protecting against electrostatic discharge. 1 Check that at least two physical disks are present in the enclosure. A minimum of two physical disks must be installed.
5 Install a new power supply. See "Removing and Installing the Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module" on page 64. If the problem persists, see "Getting Help" on page 81. Troubleshooting Enclosure Cooling Problems Problem • MD Storage Manager issues a fan-related error message. • MD Storage Manager issues a temperature-related error message. Action Ensure that none of the following conditions exists: • Ambient temperature is too high. • External airflow is obstructed.
CAUTION: The cooling fans are hot-pluggable. To maintain proper cooling while the system is on, replace only one fan at a time. 1 Locate the malfunctioning fan. 2 Ensure that the faulty power supply/cooling fan module is properly connected to the enclosure midplane. 3 If the problem is not resolved, install a new power supply/cooling fan module. See "Removing and Installing the Power Supply/Cooling Fan Module" on page 64. If the replacement fan does not operate, see "Getting Help" on page 81.
Action 1 Review MD Storage Manager for possible recovery actions. NOTE: If a physical disk rebuild is under way, allow the rebuild to complete. 2 Remove the physical disk from the enclosure. See "Removing and Installing Physical Disks" on page 56. 3 Inspect the disk and midplane connectors for obvious damage. 4 Re-install the disk in its original bay. See "Removing and Installing Physical Disks" on page 56. If the problem persists, see "Getting Help" on page 81.
Hard Controller Failures and Lockdown Conditions Certain events can cause a RAID controller module to fail and/or shut down. Unrecoverable ECC memory or PCI errors, or critical physical conditions can cause lockdown. If your RAID storage array is configured for redundant access and cache mirroring, the surviving controller can normally recover without data loss or shutdown. Typical hard controller failures are detailed in the following sections.
PCI Errors The storage enclosure firmware can detect and only recover from PCI errors when the RAID controller modules are configured for redundancy. If a virtual disk uses cache mirroring, it fails over to its peer RAID controller module, which initiates a flush of the dirty cache. Critical Conditions The storage array will generate a critical event if the RAID controller module detects a critical condition that could cause immediate failure of the enclosure and/or loss of data.
Troubleshooting Your Enclosure
Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the system cover, first disconnect the power and modem cables from all electrical outlets. 1 Complete the procedures in "Troubleshooting Your Enclosure" on page 71. 2 Review the storage array status in MD Storage Manager and record any information provided. 3 Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell Support (support.dell.com) for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures.
Technical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell™ hardware. Our support staff use computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. To contact Dell's support service, see "Before You Call" on page 84, and then see the contact information for your region or go to support.dell.com. Online Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites: www.dell.com/ www.dell.com/ap/ (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.
• Anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP) ftp.dell.com/ Log in as user: anonymous, and use your e-mail address as your password. Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell™ products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. See the contact information for your region.
2 Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return. 3 Include a copy of any diagnostic information indicating the tests you have run and any error messages reported by the system diagnostics. 4 Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned (such as power cables, media such as CDs and diskettes, and guides) if the return is for credit. 5 Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials.
Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues: 1 Visit support.dell.com. 2 Verify your country or region in the Choose A Country/Region drop-down menu at the bottom of the page. 3 Click Contact Us on the left side of the page. 4 Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need.
Getting Help
Glossary This section defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in your system documents. A — Ampere(s). AC — Alternating current. ACPI — Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. A standard interface for enabling the operating system to direct configuration and power management. ambient temperature — The temperature of the area or room where the system is located. ANSI — American National Standards Institute.
BIOS — Basic input/output system. Your system’s BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip. The BIOS controls the following: • Communications between the processor and peripheral devices • Miscellaneous functions, such as system messages bit — The smallest unit of information interpreted by your system. blade — A module that contains a processor, memory, and a physical disk. The modules are mounted into a chassis that includes power supplies and fans. BMC — Baseboard management controller.
component — As they relate to DMI, components include operating systems, computer systems, expansion cards, and peripherals that are compatible with DMI. Each component is made up of groups and attributes that are defined as relevant to that component. COMn — The device names for the serial ports on your system. control panel — The part of the system that contains indicators and controls, such as the power button and power indicator.
directory — Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, “inverted tree” structure. Each disk has a “root” directory. Additional directories that branch off the root directory are called subdirectories. Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off them. DMA — Direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor. DMI — Desktop Management Interface.
expansion card — An add-in card, such as a NIC or SCSI adapter, that plugs into an expansion-card connector on the system board. An expansion card adds some specialized function to the system by providing an interface between the expansion bus and a peripheral. expansion-card connector — A connector on the system board or riser board for plugging in an expansion card. F — Fahrenheit. FAT — File allocation table. The file system structure used by MS-DOS to organize and keep track of file storage.
group — As it relates to DMI, a group is a data structure that defines common information, or attributes, about a manageable component. guarding — A type of data redundancy in which a set of physical disks stores data and an additional disks stores parity data. See also mirroring, striping, and RAID. h — Hexadecimal. A base-16 numbering system, often used in programming to identify addresses in the system’s RAM and I/O memory addresses for devices. In text, hexadecimal numbers are often followed by h.
IP — Internet Protocol. IPX — Internet package exchange. IRQ — Interrupt request. A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the processor. Each peripheral connection must be assigned an IRQ number. Two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, but you cannot operate both devices simultaneously.
LAN — Local area network. A LAN is usually confined to the same building or a few nearby buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring dedicated specifically to the LAN. lb — Pound(s). LCD — Liquid crystal display. LED — Light-emitting diode. An electronic device that lights up when a current is passed through it. Linux — An operating system similar to UNIX® systems that runs on a variety of hardware systems.
memory address — A specific location, usually expressed as a hexadecimal number, in the system’s RAM. memory module — A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board. memory — An area in your system that stores basic system data. A system can contain several different forms of memory, such as integrated memory (ROM and RAM) and add-in memory modules (DIMMs). MHz — Megahertz.
parity — Redundant information that is associated with a block of data. partition — You can divide a physical disk into multiple physical sections called partitions with the fdisk command. Each partition can contain multiple logical disks. You must format each logical disk with the format command. PCI — Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for local-bus implementation. PDU — Power distribution unit.
PS/2 — Personal System/2. PXE — Preboot eXecution Environment. A way of booting a system via a LAN (without a physical disk or bootable diskette). RAC — Remote access controller. RAID — Redundant array of independent disks. A method of providing data redundancy. Some common implementations of RAID include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and RAID 50. See also guarding, mirroring, and striping. RAID enclosure — A storage enclosure supporting RAID via a modular controller unit.
SAN — Storage area network. A configuration of computer and storage systems that incorporate dedicated Fibre Channel connectivity between the computer systems and storage. A SAN bypasses traditional network bottlenecks and supports direct high-speed data transfer between the servers and storage devices. SAN storage may consist of both hard-disk drive and tape storage devices that are connected through switches and bridges to multiple servers. SCSI — Small computer system interface.
SVGA — Super video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than previous standards. system board — As the main circuit board, the system board usually contains most of your system’s integral components, such as the processor, RAM, controllers for peripherals, and various ROM chips.
USB — Universal Serial Bus. A USB connector provides a single connection point for multiple USB-compliant devices, such as mice and keyboards. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the system is running. utility — A program used to manage system resources—memory, disk drives, or printers, for example. UTP — Unshielded twisted pair. A type of wiring used to connect systems in a business or home to a telephone line. V — Volt(s). VAC — Volt(s) alternating current. VDC — Volt(s) direct current.
win.ini file — A start-up file for the Windows operating system. When you start Windows, it consults the win.ini file to determine a variety of options for the Windows operating environment. The win.ini file also usually includes sections that contain optional settings for Windows application programs that are installed on the physical disk. Windows Powered — A Windows operating system designed for use on NAS systems.
Glossary
Index C consistency check, 36 contacting Dell, 84 enclosure management module, 18 external connections troubleshooting, 72 control panel installing/removing, 66 cooling fan features, 24 troubleshooting, 75 D damaged systems troubleshooting, 73 Dell contacting, 84 disk group about, 27 defragmenting, 39 E ECC error, 78-79 F firmware, 52 front bezel indicators, 14 removing and replacing, 55 front-panel indicators LED indicators, 15 H hard controller failure, 78 L lockdown conditions, 78 enclosure featu
midplane installing and replacing, 68 S safety, 71 segment size migration, 37 P phone numbers, 84 physical disk about, 27 consistency check, 36 installing, 58 mode, status, 28 removing, 57 troubleshooting, 76 power supply features, 24 indicators, 26 installing/removing, 64 troubleshooting, 73 R RAID controller module conditions, 79 failover modes, 51 indicators, 78 installing and removing, 60 replacing/removing, 50 redundancy consistency check, 36 104 Index storage management software See MD Storage M
V virtual disk about, 27 initializing, 35 migration, 40 recovery, 48 W warranty, 11 Index 105
Index
