how to get signal when RAID fails ?

[jonas kellens]

Is there a way to be warned when one of the disks in the array (connected to the array controller) fails ?

I mean on hardware-level, not via software or the OS.

The OS wil only see 1 HD when RAID 1 is applied with 2 disks. So it will not be the OS that's capable of sending warnings, it must be the hardware RAID controller.

Can the RAID controller send messages for example by SNMP ??

[TTr]

It depends on your raid controller. Most raid controllers come with software that runs on the OS and talks to the controller and reports any failures and events on the controller.

With small pci card based controllers this is the most you can do. Larger standalone raid controllers have their own built in software and LAN interfaces that record all events internally that you can look and review and can send notifications out for any failures and critical events.

It is the same principle in both cases. In the first case the controller is a small raid card so the software runs on the OS. In the second case the raid controller is a larger system with its own OS environment and the software runs within the controller.

[jonas kellens]

You know whether the HP Proliant ML570 G4 has a RAID controller with build-in software that can send messages via the LAN ?

I don't find anything in the docs...

[Torsten.]

Of the OS is responsible for such things - how should the controller send anything over the LAN without involving the OS?

Does the controller have a LAN connection?

;-)

You have the storage agents running for such purposes.

[jonas kellens]

If the controller can send SNMP-messages (a trap) there is no need to involve the OS.

[Torsten.]

How should a SCSI controller send anything over the network without involving the OS?

[Torsten.]

Please read TTr's comment again!

How does SNMP work?
An (software) agent is monitoring a device. If needed, he sends a trap to a known destination, including his own source address. For this reason the agent must be able to control the network device.

Some standalone arrays have these agents included into the firmware + a LAN connection, so the firmware of the array can send traps.

For internal raid (cards) the agents are running on the OS - where else?

For Proliant servers there are special agents for monitoring devices - they are responsible to notify you (anyhow - there are many possibilities).

The only thing that the controller can do on its own is to lid a red LED.