Replacing a faulty HP 6401 Array Controller - Data Loss??

[CA1212793]

I have a ML530 with a HP 6401 Dual Array Card; the array consists of two RAID 5 arrays.

I have received the below error in sys logs;

"Drive Array Accelerator Battery Failed. The array accelerator board attached to the array controller in Slot 6 is reporting a battery failure"

HP support have told me to replace the array controller. If I swap the array controller for another 6401 will I loose any data or partition structure?

Is there any way to backup the array configuration and restore it, or does RAID5 remember its configuration and it will just boot up straight away?

[BR838972 · Accepted solution]

If you replace the battery whilst the server has power connected then you will be OK.

If you swap the controller (Hot Plug), you may have to run a repair on the OS installation, but this is rare.

RAID config is stored on the controller and on the HP FAT disk stripe.

[CA1212793]

Thanks Matt

Even if in the rare case that I do have to repair the OS will the array config, partitions etc still have remained intact?

[BR838972]

Hi,

The partition information will still be held on the physical disks even if your array controller is in a non-recoverable state. If you replaced a completely dead controller, it would wait for the disks to become ready before interogating the DCT (Disk Configuration Table) of the array, which is held in the "FAT" part of the disk structure (RAID0, 1, 5, etc).

If you are still concerned about Data Availablility, I suggest that you install DUAL controllers which will allow for a complete controller failure and seemless redundant switching to the spare controller.