Disk Enclosures
1748036 Members
4717 Online
108757 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

 
SOLVED
Go to solution
Richard Tefertiller
New Member

Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

I have 4 10K SAS 146GB Drives, and 4 15K SAS 146GB Drives. I am trying to create two RAID1 arrays with two of the 10K drives each, and one RAID1+0 with all four 15K drives. I have flashed the P410i firmware to 3.30. I have tried using ORCA, ACU GUI both in Windows and off the Smartstart CD, and ACU CLI in Windows. In all cases, it will let me configure TWO arrays (doesn't matter which two), and then it no longer offers an option to create any more arrays.

Can anyone provide any advice as to what I might be doing wrong?
7 REPLIES 7
Jan Soska
Honored Contributor

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

you have to do something wrong - as I know there is no small limit in number of raids.
How many members have your raids? I am afraid you always put all 10K drives together and 15K drives together. Try to pick them carefully and manualy.

jan
Richard Tefertiller
New Member

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

First, I used ORCA, and left X's beside ONLY the first two 10K drives, and created an array - which it called RAID1+0, but ACU later showed correctly as just being RAID1. Then I created another array just like it with just the third and fourth 10K drives with X's beside them. Then I tried creating a RAID1+0 with all 4 15K drives, and it told me it couldn't do it, but that ACU should be able to. So I loaded Windows 2008 on the first array, ran ACU, and it didn't offer the option to create an array. So I removed the 2nd 10K array, and THEN it would let me create the array with the 4 15K drives - but then I couldn't recreate the 2nd 10K array. Same story from the CLI, and the ACU off the Smartstart CD - they'll all let me create TWO arrays, and no more. I agree about there being no small limit - the documentation says 64 - but that's what I'm running into.
Jan Soska
Honored Contributor

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

Hello Richard,
pretty strange. Maybe there is limit in ORCA, but in ACU - no way.
If you click on Physical view in ACU, do you see all your 8 drives (lets say you have only 1 raid1 form 2 driver created)?
In Logical view, you should see 1 logical raid 1 from2 drives, and have to see option to create array.
Could you confirm?

Jan
Richard Tefertiller
New Member

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

Yes, I see all 8 drives in ORCA and in all iterations of ACU, and in the scenario you describe, yes, I would still see the option to create an array - which could be 2 more 10K drives, 2 15K's, or all 4 15K's. But after creating that array, it ceases to offer an option to create a third array.
Jan Soska
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

Hello Richard,
I think I finally found where your problem is and it will not make you happy:

Problem #1:
acording P400i specification at: http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/archives_division/12400_div_v3/12400_div.html the P400i is a lighter version of P400 and supports ONLY 6 drives maximum.
Citation from "Key Features": The SA-P400 controller supports up to 18 drives. The SA-P400i supports up to 6 drives depending on the server implementation.

Possible Problem #2:
I heard rumors SmartArray controlles will not handle more than 2 logical drives until they have CACHE MODULE. (unfortunatelly I can not confirm it from official documents).
Anyway - I checked your server specs at: http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13235_div/13235_div.HTML and I see there are model with ZERO cache on raid. As well additional 4 drives bay is only option.
Could you be more specific about your server model and check IF and how many cache do you have?

If my founds are valid, my sugestion is contact HP representatives - maybe try to replace/upgrade your raid controller.

Jan
Jan Soska
Honored Contributor

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

sorry - my mistake, you have dl380g6 - yes it comes with 8 drives, but it doesn make difference. see http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13234_div/13234_div.HTML - there are zero cache models...


Jan
Richard Tefertiller
New Member

Re: Configuring 3 Arrays with ML380G6 P410i

Well, I think you may have some of the details wrong - I managed to have an array with 2 10K drives, and another with all 6 of the remaining drives. But regardless of that, I do believe you are probably right about the cause of my problem (lack of cache).

Thanks for your help. You're right, it doesn't make me happy, but it is good to know what's wrong, anyway.