Monitor/Rebuild Hardware RAID (Windows)
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This article explains how to monitor a hardware RAID and detect when the RAID is defective.
Identify Hardware Controller
The IONOS root servers use hardware controllers from 3ware, Areca, Adaptec, Broadcom or Dell.
You can check which hardware controller has been installed on your server in the Device Manager in the Storage Controller section. To open the Device Manager, enter the word Device Manager in the search field in the taskbar. You will then be able to select it.
RAID Controller Management Programs
The software required to manage each RAID controller is installed by default. If necessary, you can download the software for the respective controller here:
Adaptec RAID controller:
https://storage.microsemi.com/en-us/downloads/
Broadcom RAID controller:
https://www.broadcom.com/support/download-search
Dell RAID Controller:
https://www.dell.com/support/home/de-de?app=products
3ware RAID controller:
Areca RAID controller:
Check the Status of the Hardware RAID
Adaptec RAID Controller
The Adaptec RAID controller is managed with the arcconf command line tool. Use the following commands to view detailed information about the Adaptec RAID controller and the configuration:
| COMMAND | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| arcconf GETCONFIG 1 | This command displays information about the RAID controller, the configuration, RAID arrays, available disks and their current state. |
| arcconf getconfig 1 PD | Use this command to display information about the existing hard disks. |
| arcconf getlogs controller-number device ¦ dead ¦ event [clear ¦ tabular] | Use this command to display the log entries. You can use the following parameters to specify the type of log entries displayed: |
| Example: arcconf getlogs 1 device tabular | DEVICE: Shows all log entries with errors the controller could detect on all connected devices. |
| DEAD: Shows all log entries where device and hard disk failures were recorded. | |
| EVENT: Shows all log entries with information about special events (e.g. rebuilds, LDMs, etc.) | |
| You can also specify the following parameters: | |
| tabular: Displays the log in table format. | |
| clear: Deletes the specified controller protocol. | |
| arcconf getlogs controller-number device ¦ dead ¦ event [clear ¦ tabular] > FILENAME.log | This command writes the log entries to a file. |
| Example: arcconf getlogs 1 device tabular > device.log |
You can find more information here:
Broadcom RAID Controller
The Broadcom RAID controller is managed and controlled with the StorCLI command line tool. Use the following commands to display detailed information about the Broadcom RAID controller and the configuration:
| COMMAND | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| storcli64 /c0 show all | This command displays information about the RAID controller and the configuration. |
| storcli64 /c0/eall/sall show | Use this command to display information about the existing hard disks. |
| storcli64 /c0/eALL/sALL show all | This command displays information about the available disks and their current status (serial number, temperature, etc.). |
| storcli /cx show eventloginfo | Use this command to display the log entries. |
You can find more information here:
Dell RAID Controller
The Dell RAID controller is managed using the PowerEdge RAID Controller command line interface (PERCCLI). Use the following commands to view detailed information about the Dell RAID controller and the configuration:
| COMMAND | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| perccli64 /c0/e32/s0 show all | Use this command to display information about disk 0. |
| perccli64 /c0/e32/s1 show all | Use this command to display information about disk 1. |
| perccli64 /c0 show | Use this command to display information about the existing hard disks. |
| perccli /c0 show eventloginfo | This command displays the log entries for controller 0. |
You can find more information here:
3ware RAID Controller
tw_cli
The 3ware RAID controller is managed with the 3ware Storage Controller management command line interface. To open the command line interface enter the command tw_cli. Use the help command to display all available commands.
Please Note
If the 3ware Storage Controller Management Command Line Interface is not available on your server, you can download it on the following page:
# tw_cli
//XXX> help
Copyright(c) 2012 LSI
LSI/3ware CLI (version 2.00.11.022)
Commands Description
-------------------------------------------------------------------
focus Changes from one object to another. For Interactive Mode Only!
show Displays information about controller(s), unit(s) and port(s).
flush Flush write cache data to units in the system.
rescan Rescan all empty ports for new unit(s) and disk(s).
update Update controller firmware from an image file.
commit Commit dirty DCB to storage on controller(s). (Windows only)
/cx Controller specific commands.
/cx/ux Unit specific commands.
/cx/px Port specific commands.
/cx/phyx Phy specific commands.
/cx/bbu BBU specific commands. (9000 series)
/cx/ex Enclosure specific commands. (9690SA, 9750)
/ex Enclosure specific commands. (9550SX/9650SE)
Certain commands are qualified with constraints of controller type/model support.
Please consult the twi_cli documentation for explanation of the controller-qualifiers.
Type help <command> to get more details about a particular command.
For more detail information see twi_cli's documentation.
//XXX>To display information about the status of the RAID system, type the info command. This command displays information about the RAID and its current status. In this example, the RAID5 has a capacity of 1.36 TB and consists of 3 hard disks.
//XXXX> info
Ctl Model Ports Drives Units NotOpt RRate VRate BBU
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c0 9750-4i 3 3 1 0 2 1 -
//XXXX> info c0
Unit UnitType Status %RCmpl %V/I/M Stripe Size(GB) Cache AVrfy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
u0 RAID-5 OK - - 256K 2793.95 RIW ON
VPort Status Unit Size Type Phy Encl-Slot Model
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
p0 OK u0 1.36 TB SATA 0 ST1500L003-9VT16L
p1 OK u0 1.36 TB SATA 0 ST1500L003-9VT16L
p2 OK u0 1.36 TB SATA 0 ST1500L003-9VT16LTo display hardware RAID controller alerts, use the show alarms command:
//XXXX> show alarms
Ctl Date Severity AEN Message
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c0 [Wed Feb 01 2014 03:25:11] INFO Rebuild startet: unit=0
c0 [Wed Feb 01 2014 08:13:31] INFO Rebuild completed: unit=0
c0 [Wed Feb 01 2014 08:14:13] INFO Initialize started: unit=0
c0 [Wed Feb 01 2014 08:14:13] INFO Initialize completed: unit=0An alarm message is displayed in the format shown below. In this example the third hard disk (unit=0, vport 2) has failed:
//XXXX> show alarms
Ctl Date Severity AEN Message
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c0 [Wed Feb 02 2014 08:22:10] INFO Rebuild started: unit=0
c0 [Wed Feb 02 2014 08:14:13] ERROR Unit degraded: unit=0, vport 2To remove the defective hard disk from the RAID on the third port (p2), enter the following command:
//XXXX> maint remove c0 p2
Removing port /c0/p2 ... Done.After replacing the defective hard disk, the new hard disk has to be recognized. To do this, enter the following command:
//XXXX> maint rescan
Rescanning controller /c0 for units and drives ...Done.
Found the following unit(s): [none].
Found the following drive(s): [/c0/p2].To mount and rebuild a disk on the third port, type the following command:
//XXXX> maint rebuild c0 u0 p2
Sending rebuild start request to /c0/u0 on 1 disk(s) [2] ... Done.To view information about rebuilding the RAID, type the following command:
//XXXX> info c0
Unit UnitType Status %RCmpl %V/I/M Stripe Size(GB) Cache AVrfy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
u0 RAID-5 REBUILDING 0 - 256k 232.885 RiW ON
Port Status Unit Size Type Phy Encl-Slot Model
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
p0 OK u0 1.36 TB SATA 0 - ST1500L003-9VT16L
p1 OK u0 1.36 TB SATA 0 - ST1500L003-9VT16L
p2 DEGRADED u0 1.36 TB SATA 1 - ST1500L003-9VT16LMonitor 3ware RAID Controllers with the Software 3ware Disk Manager 2
3ware offers the software 3ware Disk Manager 2 (3dm2). With this software, you can manage and monitor the 3ware RAID controller.
You can download 3ware Disk Manager 2 here:
3ware Documentation
For more information on installation, configuration and application, please refer to the 3ware documentation. You can find it here:
https://www.broadcom.com/support/knowledgebase/1211161499541/lsi-3ware-user-documentation-downloads
Areca RAID Controller
Download the Windows - CLI utility and run it on your server.
The complete CLI manual can be downloaded from Areca at http://areca.starline.de/RaidCards/Documents/Manual_Spec/Software/.
Below, some sample commands are listed.
Copyright (c) 2004 Areca, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Areca CLI, Version: 1.71.240( Windows )
Controllers List
----------------------------------------
Controller#01(PCI): ARC-1110
Current Controller: Controller#01
----------------------------------------
CMD Description
==========================================================
main Show Command Categories.
set General Settings.
rsf RaidSet Functions.
vsf VolumeSet Functions.
disk Physical Drive Functions.
sys System Functions.
net Ethernet Functions.
event Event Functions.
hw Hardware Monitor Information.
exit Exit CLI.
==========================================================
Command Format: <CMD> [Sub-Command] [Parameters].
Note: Use <CMD> -h or -help to get details.
CLI>With the command < cmd> info you can request system information. For example, after entering the hw info command, the hardware monitor information is displayed:
CLI> hw info
The Hardware Monitor Information
===========================================
Fan#1 Speed (RPM) : 2673
HDD #1 Temp. : 48
HDD #2 Temp. : 47
HDD #3 Temp. : 51
HDD #4 Temp. : 0
===========================================
GuiErrMsg<0x00>: Success.
CLI>To display information about the disks, type the following command:
CLI> disk info
# ModelName Serial# FirmRev Capacity State
===============================================================================
1 ST3750640AS 5QD5G7Z1 3.AAK 750.2GB RaidSet Member(1)
2 ST3750640AS 5QD5G6JR 3.AAK 750.2GB RaidSet Member(1)
3 ST3750640AS 5QD5G7XQ 3.AAK 750.2GB RaidSet Member(1)
===============================================================================
GuiErrMsg<0x00>: Success.
CLI>Use the following command to display system information about the Areca RAID controller:
CLI> sys info
The System Information
===========================================
Main Processor : 500MHz
CPU ICache Size : 32KB
CPU DCache Size : 32KB
System Memory : 256MB/333MHz
Firmware Version : V1.43 2007-4-17
BOOT ROM Version : V1.43 2007-4-17
Serial Number : Y813CAAAAR101890
Controller Name : ARC-1110
===========================================
GuiErrMsg<0x00>: Success.
CLI>To display current events, type the following command:
CLI> event info
Date-Time Device Event Type
===============================================================================
2013-07-09 07:23:14 H/W MONITOR Raid Powered On
2013-09-29 08:06:24 H/W MONITOR Raid Powered On
2013-09-29 07:51:37 H/W MONITOR Raid Powered On
...Use the following command to get information about the current RAID set:
CLI> rsf info
# Name Disks TotalCap FreeCap DiskChannels State
===============================================================================
1 Raid Set # 00 3 2250.5GB 0.0GB 123 Normal
===============================================================================
GuiErrMsg<0x00>: Success.
CLI>In this example the RAID set consists of 3 x 750 GB.
To display information about the logical RAID volumes, type the following command:
CLI> vsf info
# Name Raid# Level Capacity Ch/Id/Lun State
===============================================================================
1 ARC-1110-VOL#00 1 Raid5 1500.3GB 00/00/00 Normal
===============================================================================
GuiErrMsg<0x00>: Success.
CLI>Areca Documentation
For further information on installation, configuration and application, please refer to the Areca documentation. You can find it here:
http://areca.starline.de/RaidCards/Documents/Manual_Spec/Software
Required Steps after Replacing a Hard Disk
When a defective hard disk is replaced, the rebuild of the RAID system usually starts automatically. To ensure the functionality of the RAID system, we recommend to monitor the rebuild of the RAID system.