Itanium Familiarization Cookbook?

[Pete Randall]

OK, finally I'm into install mode with a readable console. Out of the woods, I hope.

All your hints were helpful but Duncan and Jim were the closest to guessing what I actually needed (if only I could have figured out how to ask it) and Rita gets extra points for going above and beyond the *call* of duty (Thanks, Rita!).


Pete

[Torsten.]

Pete, if you want to do a fresh install, I would consider to create a hardware RIAD first. It's sometimes difficult to configure a replaced disk, if you don't have a RAID.
Here is the how-to:

http://docs.hp.com/en/J6369-90071/ch03s01.html

[Pete Randall]

Torsten,

I'm guessing that's probably exactly what I should do. I've got 8 disks and I should probably set up a 4 by 4 mirror.

Being used to LVM mirroring, I never would have guessed that I should do prior to install, though.

Thanks,


Pete

[Torsten.]

Hmm, with the default built-in SAS controller you can only create 2 pairs of mirrored disk + 1 hotspare.
That's it.

If you want more, you need to upgrade your server with a smartarray P400 controller.

But you can use at least 1 pair for the OS and use the other disks with LVM mirrors.

Read this and you will understand why I prefer a hardware RAID for the boot disks:

http://docs.hp.com/en/5992-3385/ch04s08.html#v1446838

With SAS disks it is sometimes even more complicated.

[Torsten.]

Replacement procedure for SAS disks is also here:

http://docs.hp.com/en/J6369-90071/ch04s05.html

[Torsten.]

A final hint:

If you have installed your OS on RAID and want to know what disks to use for LVM mirrors, this command will show you what you have:

# sasmgr get _info -D /dev/sasd0 -q raid

Fri Apr 25 11:53:50 2008

---------- PHYSICAL DRIVES ----------
LUN dsf SAS Address Enclosure Bay Size(MB)

/dev/rdsk/c1t0d0 0x500000e013712345 1 6 70007
/dev/rdsk/c1t2d0 0x5000c5000012345 1 2 70007
/dev/rdsk/c1t3d0 0x5000c5000012345 1 3 70007
/dev/rdsk/c1t4d0 0x5000c5000012345 1 1 70007
/dev/rdsk/c1t6d0 0x5000c5000012345 1 4 70007

---------- LOGICAL DRIVE 5 ----------

Raid Level : RAID 1
Volume sas address : 0xab5c072e2512345
Device Special File : /dev/rdsk/c1t1d0
Raid State : OPTIMAL
Raid Status Flag : ENABLED
Raid Size : 69878
Rebuild Rate : 0.00 %
Rebuild Progress : 100.00 %

Standard inputParticipating Physical Drive(s) :

SAS Address Enc Bay Size(MB) Type State

0x500000e013712345 1 7 70007 SECONDARY ONLINE
0x500000e013712345 1 8 70007 PRIMARY ONLINE


This hint is for free, not for points ;-))

[Steven E. Protter]

Pete,

Your rx3600 system probably has a hardware raid card.

Though I love mirror/ux and lvm mirroring, its better for performance to use hardware raid and just present the disks to the system.

The raid card has a cpu and a subsystem and provides better i/o performance than mirror/ux

SEP

[Torsten.]

"Your rx3600 system probably has a hardware raid card."

See

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12595_div/12595_div.HTML

If you order a system with linux, the server *must* have a RAID card (and can be used for hp-ux, if it is a P400) - in case of a P600 it can be only used with linux or windowz. HP-UX and VMS can also use the default built-in, linux and win... cannot.

I know, it's difficult.

[Pete Randall]

Torsten ( or anybody ),

I was just going back through and checking to make sure everything was set up the way I thought it was. I discovered that I had managed to create my RAID volume on disks 1 and 2, but loaded my OS on disk 4.

I used sasmgr to delete the RAID volume and would now like to re-create it utilizing disk 3 and 4. Is this possible or will I end up destroying the OS that is already loaded on disk 4? The manual doesn't seem to say.


Pete

[Pete Randall]

-OR-

should I just give up on the hardware raid and use LVM mirroring?


Pete