<*> Adaptec AACRAID support (EXPERIMENTAL) ...
The driver can be compiled statically or as a loadable kernel module.
Adaptec RAID Setup Utility
The Adaptec RAID Setup Utility is the controller BIOS configuration tool used to create and manage Adaptec arrays. In this section, I’ll provide some examples for common tasks using the BIOS Setup Utility, including configuring an array for the first time and converting an existing system to a RAID-1 system. When the card ini-tializes, you’ll see a banner that provides information about disks and arrays. Use CTRL-A to enter the utility.
Adaptec controllers also ship with a bootable CD-ROM that contains a more robust GUIconfiguration tool. You can use that disk, instead of the setup utility, to per-form your initial setup.
Configuring the first array
1. UseCTRL-A to enter the Adaptec RAID Setup Utility.
2. After the utility initializes and scans connected disks, pressALT-Rto activate the RAID configuration menu.
3. Select Create from the RAID configuration menu. A window that lists the avail-able RAID levels and the default stripe size will appear.
4. Use theTABor arrow keys to move between each option. Pressing theSPACEBAR selects the RAID level that is currently highlighted. Choose the one that meets your needs.
5. If necessary, navigate to the Stripe Size field and press theENTERkey to bring up a list of available stripe sizes. Use the arrow keys and theENTER key to select the desired stripe size. The default value is fine for most systems.
6. Navigate to the Okay button and pressENTER to confirm the RAID configuration.
7. The next screen lists available disks. Move up and down the list, using the arrow keys, and then use theENTER key to select each disk you want to include in the array. A checkmark appears to the left of each disk after it is selected.
Remember that data on disks included in a new array will be lost.
Please back up necessary data before using disks in an array, or use new disks.
8. When you are finished selecting disks, navigate to the Done button, using the TAB key, and pressENTER to create the new array.
9. If you created a RAID-1, a dialog will appear, asking which disk to use as the synchronization source and destination. Since this is a new array and the disks are either new or contain incidental data, just select either option and choose Okay.
10. If any of the disks you included in a new array contain a valid partition table or boot section, the Adaptec RAID Setup Utility will warn you just before the array is created. A dialog for each disk that contains data appears, and you must man-ually confirm that each disk can be included in the array.
11. After confirming any additional dialogs, you are returned to the Adaptec RAID Setup Utility’s main menu. The new array appears in the left column just below the controller’s entry. You can use the ENTER key to expand and collapse the array’s entry, revealing its member disks.
12. Finally, press ALT-F to bring up the File menu and choose Set System Config.
This writes the array configuration into the controller’s memory. You may now reboot and begin installing a new Linux operating system. If you created an array with redundancy, the initial resynchronization will begin. You can either wait until it completes or reboot and begin installing an operating system right away.
Navigating to the array’s entry in the left column will display the percentage complete of the initial resynchronization in the right windowpane.
Configuring an existing disk for JBOD mode
Adaptec RAID controllers support JBOD mode by default. So if you replace an exist-ing SCSIcontroller with an Adaptec RAID controller, your existexist-ing sexist-ingle-disk sys-tem will boot normally. You still need to reconfigure and recompile your kernel so it supports either the dpt_i2o or the aacraid driver. Don’t forget to rerun /sbin/lilo.
Irecommend adding support for your Adaptec controller while your disks are still connected to your original SCSIcontroller. Restart the system and make sure your kernel still works with your original configuration. Next, shut down the system and replace the SCSIcontroller with your Adaptec RAID controller, connecting your sys-tem disks to the RAID controller. Be certain that your syssys-tem disk is still the first disk after you reconnect to the RAID controller. When you power on the system, Linux should boot normally, provided that the kernel was compiled properly. If you encounter problems, you can revert to your original hardware configuration and troubleshoot.
Converting an existing standalone disk to a mirror
If you want to upgrade an existing system with a single disk to a RAID-1, using an Adaptec RAID controller, you should first compile a new kernel with support for the dpt_i2o or aacraid driver. Consult the driver sections earlier in this chapter for more information. It’s okay to leave the driver for your existing SCSI controller compiled
into the kernel. In fact, that will make it easier to revert back to your original config-uration if you encounter any problems. After the driver is enabled, and the new ker-nel is installed, follow these steps:
1. Reconfigure your kernel so that it supports either the dpt_i2o driver or the aacraid driver, depending on which controller you have.
2. Reboot the system and useCTRL-A to enter the Adaptec RAID Setup Utility.
3. After the utility initializes and scans the connected disks, pressALT-Rto activate the RAID configuration menu.
4. Select Create from the RAID configuration menu. A window that lists the avail-able RAID levels and the default stripe size will appear.
5. Use theTABor arrow keys to move between each option. Pressing theSPACEBAR selects the RAID level that is currently highlighted. Choose RAID-1.
6. Navigate to the Okay button and pressENTER to confirm the RAID configuration.
7. The next screen lists available disks. Use theENTERkey to select your existing sys-tem disk, as well as a second disk to include in the mirror. Move up and down the list using the arrow keys. When a disk is selected, a checkmark appears to its left.
8. When you are finished selecting disks, navigate to the Done button, using the TAB key, and pressENTER to create the new array.
9. A dialog will appear, asking in which direction the initial resynchronization should move. Two choices are presented. Synchronize from the first disk to the second, or synchronize from the second disk to the first. This choice is extremely important. If you make the wrong decision, it will result in a total loss of data.
Make certain that data is copied from your existing system disk to the new disk.
Generally, this means copying data from disk 0,0,0,0 (the disk with the existing system data) to disk 0,0,1,0 (the second blank hard disk).
10. An additional dialog appears, indicating that there is valid data on at least one of the disks. That’s because the first disk, at least, contains a valid partition table and a boot sector. The second disk might also contain some residual but expendable data. After confirming these additional dialogs, you are returned to the Adaptec RAID Setup Utility’s main menu. The new array appears in the left column just below the controller’s entry. You can use theENTER key to expand and collapse the array’s entry, in order to reveal its member disks.
11. Finally, press ALT-F to bring up the File menu and choose Set System Config.
This writes the array configuration into the controller’s memory and starts the initial resynchronization. Irecommend waiting until the process completes before rebooting the system. Navigating to the array’s entry in the left column will display the percentage complete of the initial resynchronization in the right windowpane.
12. Once the resynchronization is complete, you can reboot and begin using your new, redundant Linux system.