Raid 5 on SAS controller

[Asneel]

Controller is smart array P410 and when I boot using the smart start and go into ACU , i dont get an option for raid 5 . I only get raid 0 and 1 . I have 3 disks . When I do raid 1 i get the 3rd disk as a spare .
How do I setup raid 5 or get an raid 5 option ?

[Viveki]

Hi

I hope the drive is not failed and not part of any other volume.

What is th FW of the controller? Try to upgradet the same if not latest and try.

[Asneel]

Hi , the drive is fine , this is brand new server .
I have also tried with the latest snart start , the firmware should be latest as well .I don't what's happening

[AndyHickman]

Hi

What server is it?

Have you purchased the Extra Memory Cache that some controllers need to make RAID5 happen?

[Asneel]

Hi, its a DL 385 G6 and no we didnt buy any extra cache because we have never had to buy any extra cache for any of our servers .

[AndyHickman]

Hi

We have had a G6 DL360 (I think) in that needed the 256Mb Cache for RAID 5 to be enabled, as do the ML350 G5's and G6's

It depends on the unit that is purchased, as many different configurations come with different bits.

Sometimes your Hardware providor will spec it up and put the cache in, sometimes they wont.

I'd update the firmware as the previous poster stated and check for the cache (looks like an add on daughter board, slightly shorter than a ram module, normally put in a slot down the bottom of the motherboard to the left)

Is this the first one of this type of server you've purchased? I only ask to find our more information about your issue.

[Asneel]

The firmware looks to be the latest .
Thanks for your advice , I will go back to our supplier .

[Jimmy Vance]

It appears there are three models of this server

Storage Controller:
Performance Models: HP Smart Array P410/512MB with BBWC
Base Models: HP Smart Array P410/256MB Controller
Entry Models: HP Smart Array P410/Zero Memory Controller
(Upgrade to 256MB cache with optional battery for BBWC, or 512MB BBWC option)

For RAID 5 you must have either the performace model, or upgrade the others with the BBWC option listed in the Quick Specs

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13360_na/13360_na.html

[Steve Reece_3]

That's consistent with the other cards that I've seen - you need the BBWC (Battery Backed Write Cache) in order to allow Raid 5. If you don't have the battery backup and you lose power, you risk losing data so the card "plays it safe".

FWIW, the SAS Array cards that I've used really do need caching on them to make their performance acceptable in most busy environments. The performance of the drives themselves just won't cut it on a SAS array card. Fine for booting from if you have a virtually read-only boot partition though.

Steve