topic Re: Storage Controller testing in Storage Software

Storage Controller testing

satyahc — Mon, 04 May 2015 15:49:25 GMT

Hi,

I need some details to perform some testing. I have been asked to configure the storage system for our e-commerse software for RAID1 and ensure the storage controller works as expected.

I have gone through hpssacli & hpssascripting. I have cook book PDF. I understand the concept to configure RAID1. Now i want to test whenther storage controller is working as expected. RAID 1 means 2 identical data copied in 2 hard drives.

I want to test following scenarios;

a) Write some data on RAID1 configuration. Make one of the hard drive to fail and ensure the controller will get the data from the different drive.

b) Configure the cache and ensure the cache is having some write data. Force the cache volume to fail and check the data will not be lost.

How can i test above scenarios. I am sitting in a remote location and i don't have any physical access to the storage system. Keeping this thing in mind how can i test above scenarios?

I am new to the storage domain, execuse me if i am asking silly questions. But i badly need support on it.

Thanks in advance.

Regds,

satya

Re: Storage Controller testing

Dennis Handly — Mon, 04 May 2015 17:02:25 GMT

What kind of storage do you have?

Without physical access, I'm not sure how successful you'll be.

This testing sounds more like something a vendor would do, not an end user.

Re: Storage Controller testing

satyahc — Mon, 04 May 2015 19:58:47 GMT

Infrastructure physical set up is configured in a remote location by a service vendor. So i don't have much information. But i have access to the controller and able to run the commands to configure.

I ran "ctrl show all " command and i got the following information

Smart Array P440ar in Slot 0 (Embedded) .

Not sure if this information is sufficient to direct me?

Is it possible to disable or enable the hard drives using the controller. If it is possible, then i can simulate my test and get the result....

If you think physical access is mandatory then confirm me, so that i can raise my hands and try to figure out to get physical help.

Re: Storage Controller testing

Torsten. — Mon, 04 May 2015 20:31:20 GMT

Such an internal smart array controller is just a standard. Up to year 2005 HP has shipped 10 million proliants already.

(see http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=171397#.VUfVU5PQrHU )

In 2014

...HP shipped more than 4 servers each minute in the second calendar quarter 2014....

( see http://www8.hp.com/de/de/solutions/business-perspective-article.html?compURI=1103378#.VUfUsZPQrHU )

Millions of customers have tested the controllers in every possible way, so I would just trust a mirror will work as expected and I would not start pulling disks just for another "testing" ... ;-)

If you talk about smart caching, this is a read only cache, see http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/arraycontrollers/smartcache/

Re: Storage Controller testing

satyahc — Tue, 05 May 2015 06:15:37 GMT

Thanks a lot for your response and reference links.

Yes i accept your point. I will try to convince my management to skip this testing.