SWCC Compatibility Question

[Jefferson Humber]

Have been asked to look into installing some monitoring software on an Alpha (7.3-2 + TCPIP 5.4) to monitor it's storage sub-system.

The Alpha has a RAID Array 230/Plus card installed. The software which came with the card (a few years ago) is called 'RAID Management Utility for OpenVMS v2.4', and the manual only mentions v6.1 & v6.2 OpenVMS.

I'm assuming this software is incompatible with 7.3-2 ?

I have looked on the HP web site and for this card now they are saying use SWCC v2.2 for OpenVMS.

Does anybody know if this will work with the Alpha running v7.3-2 & TCP/IP v5.4 ?

Does anybody currently use this software elsewhere ? Is it any good ? Any horror stories or success stories with it ? Any words of wisdom anyone can pass onto me ?

Thanks in advance,

Jeff

[Andy Bustamante]

That monitor will work on 7.3-2. I don't know what the latest version is, I'm running 2.0 which behaves.

That raid controller isn't the most flexible storage option, but it does the job and I still one in a production site running 7.3-2.


Andy

[Jefferson Humber]

Andy,

Sorry, which monitor are you using under 7.3-2 ?

The SWCC or the old one which comes with the RAID card (which states v.6.x in the manual) ?

Cheers,

Jeff

[Andy Bustamante]

I'm using an upgrade the CSC provided many years ago, SWXCR 2.0. Originally installed under VMS 7.1-2 and working under 7.3-2. This is a command line utility with e-mail capability.

I wasn't aware SWCC could monitor a KZPAC (Raid 230 PCI card).

Andy

[Rick Dyson]

I have a couple of these cards. Have a problem with one of them now. The SWXCR/SWXCRMGR tools never connect and go in to RWAST if I ctrl-Y them. After a few hours or overnight, I see they do finally get what they were waiting for...

When they last worked, I got this header:

**********************************************************************
* StorageWorks(TM) Raid Array 200 Management Utility *
* Version V1.1.5 *
**********************************************************************

when I saved a config printout. Is the v2.0 you mention later than this? At this time, I am going to have to shutdown the node and use the RA200RCU floppy-based program in order to see what is up on my controller and drives. I really hate that!

I do have a PCSI kit that is called "SWXCR-V0500". v5.0? But I believe it is the kit I used to install the software that generated the above banner...

My KZPSC and PZPAC cards have F/W v2.70 on them.

rick

[Ian Miller.]

I have two alphaservers with RAID Array 230/Plus (aka SWXCR).

I installed DEC-AXPVMS-SWXCR-V0300--1.PCSI on VMS Alpha V7.3-2 and V8.2 and it runs just fine.

The release notes say its V2.4 and the kit filename says its V3.0 and the image idents from ANALYZE/IMAGE are V1.0 so I'm not sure what version it is.

[Jefferson Humber]

Thanks guys.

This makes me feel more confident now about installing this vintage software on my Alpha.

Cheers,

Jeff

[John Abbott_2]

We have VMS V7.3-1 & 7.3-2 TCP/IP 5.4 ECO 4 with 2 x SWXCR. Kit name DEC-AXPVMS-SWXCR-V0501--1.PCSI dated 20-NOV-1997. The release notes says

RAID Array 200 Software V4.0 for OpenVMS and mentions kits. DEC-AXPVMS-SWXCR-V0400--1.PCSI & DEC-AXPVMS-SWXCR-V0102--3.PCSI

Had no problems using SBB 24x9.1GB disks, the monitor function works just fine using $ SWXCR MONITOR device /MAIL=username /INTERVAL=10

Make sure you save the RAID card configuration somewhere.

It's been a long time, but I think the LUN limit is something like 32GB. We recently upgraded the disks and RAID card to a 5300a and boy do these babies fly :-)

Kind Regards,
John.

[Ian Miller.]

DEC-AXPVMS-SWXCR-V0102--3.PCSI is for use on VMS V6.1 and older.

[Rick Dyson]

I looked deeper into my kits. The release notes say it is v4.0, the internal version IDs say v1.0 and the PCSI kit name is "v5.0". Go figure...

It looks like this is a new as it gets from the roundup mentioned above. It is an old, retired product line after all...

NOTE: The PCSI kit, v1.02-3 is for OpenVMS v6.1 ONLY. Not "and older". You are supposed to use the little "Invoke_PCSI.com" instead of directly using PRODUCT. It sniffs around first and uninstalls old and IFF you are OpenVMS v6.1 does it install v1.02-3, otherwise it installs v5.0.

p.s. There is at least a one other thread on this topic in the past:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=217791

Rick

[Uwe Zessin]

Could not have been "and older", because PCSI support was introducted with VMS V6.1.

[Jan van den Ende]

Jeff,

from your Forum Profile:


I have assigned points to 45 of 112 responses to my questions.


Maybe you can find some time to do some assigning?

Mind, I do NOT say you necessarily need to give lots of points. It is fully up to _YOU_ to decide how many. If you consider an answer is not deserving any points, you can also assign 0 ( = zero ) points, and then that answer will no longer be counted as unassigned.
Consider, that every poster took at least the trouble of posting for you!

To easily find your streams with unassigned points, click your own name somewhere.
This will bring up your profile.
Near the bottom of that page, under the caption â My Question(s)â you will find â questions or topics with unassigned points â Clicking that will give all, and only, your questions that still have unassigned postings.

Thanks on behalf of your Forum colleagues.

PS. â nothing personal in this. I try to post it to everyone with this kind of assignment ratio in this forum. If you have received a posting like this before â please do not take offence â none is intended!

Proost.

Have one on me.

Jan