Executing Actions
Depending on the controller, disk or logical drive selected different actions can be executed
via menu item Actions. The hardware type is also decisive for the functionality offered.
For example, "Patrol Read" is not supported by all controllers and is consequently not always
offered.
The actions which you can execute with the RAID Manager for particular objects are arranged
alphabetically to permit easy reference. The associated description tells you which
object (system, controller, disk, logical drive, etc.) they can be used for.
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Please note that some actions are not possible with all controller types. |
- Add server
This command calls a dialog to add an existing ESXi server (host) to the ServerView RAID Manager configuration.
Thus, the RAID controller of the hypervisor can be monitored and configured. For more information see VMware ESXi.
- Alarm off
The controller's alarm test is terminated and the alarm signal is deactivated.
- Alarm on
An alarm signal is activated for checking the controller.
- Attach device
Grant operating system access to a SSD device.
- Cancel BGI
Cancels initialization which was automatically started by a controller at low priority in the
background.
- Cancel consistency check
The consistency check is aborted.
- Cancel copyback
The copyback is aborted.
- Cancel initialization
Initialization of the logical drive is aborted.
- Cancel MDC
The MDC (Make Data Consistent) is aborted.
- Cancel Patrol Read
The Patrol Read process is aborted.
- Cancel rebuild
The Rebuild process is aborted.
- Cancel verification
Aborts checking of the disk.
- Clear bad block log
The log of defective blocks is deleted.
- Clear configuration
The entire configuration (all logical drives, hot spares, etc.) is deleted.
Warning: Please pay attention of the confirmation. If you confirm it is also deleted if you are currently working on it.
- Clear foreign configuration
This action deletes the foreign configuration of all disks which the firmware has recognized as
belonging together.
- Clear log
The save file(s) for file events from ServerView RAID is deleted.
- Clear NVRAM log
The log from the controller's NVRAM is deleted.
- Create dedicated hot spare
Creates a hot spare. When another disk fails the hot spare is automatically
integrated into ongoing operations in place of the defective disk. This permits the data of the
defective disk to be restored. A dedicated hot spare protects only a selection of
redundant logical drives.
- Create global hot spare
Creates a hot spare. When another disk fails the hot spare is automatically
integrated into ongoing operations in place of the defective disk. This permits the data of the
defective disk to be restored. In contrast to a dedicated hot spare a global hot spare
protects all redundant logical drives.
- Create logical drive...
This action calls a dialog to create a logical drive. Parts of
one or more disks are combined to form a logical ("virtual") drive.
- Create RAID volume
Two logical drives of the same type (RAID level) are combined to form a logical drive.
- Delete all logical drives
All existing logical drives are deleted.
- Delete dedicated hot spare
Deletes a dedicated hot spare.
- Delete global hot spare
Deletes a global hot spare.
- Delete last logical drive
The logical drive created last (i.e. the logical drive with the highest index number) is deleted.
It is recommended to back up data on all of the logical drives before deleting them.
Warning: It is also deleted if you are currently working on it.
- Delete logical drive
A logical drive is deleted. Note: Due to limitations in firmware this action is not offered
for all MegaRAID and Integrated Mirroring RAID controllers.
With these you can only delete either all logical drives at once or just the last one.
- Detach device
Revoke operating system access to a SSD device.
- Disable SSD caching
Cancel association between logical drive and SSD cache.
- Discard preserved cache
If the controller loses access to one or more logical drives, the controller preserves the data from the logical drive.
This preserved cache, is preserved until you import the logical drive or discard the cache. Certain actions, such
as creating a new logical drive, cannot be performed if preserved cache exists. Note: If there are any
foreign configurations, import the foreign configuration before you discard the preserved cache. Otherwise, you
might lose data that belongs to the foreign configuration.
- Discharge
Discharges the battery for the emergency power supply (Battery Backup Unit – BBU).
- Display bad block log
The defective drive device blocks which the controller found when checking the devices are displayed.
- Enable SSD caching
Allow firmware to use an existing SSD cache as additional caching layer for a logical drive.
- Fast charge
The battery for the emergency power supply (Battery Backup Unit – BBU) is charged rapidly.
- Flush memory
The data from the controller's cache (internal memory) is written to the disks. The cache is then empty.
- Force detach device
Revoke operating system access to a SSD device, even if the device is currently in use.
- Force write access
Forces write access when another user either does not want to or cannot transfer it.
Caution: This action should only be performed after you have thoroughly weighed up the pros and cons.
- Format device
A disk drive is formatted.
Warning: All data previously stored on the drive is lost. If the disk
drive is used in a logical drive the data integrity of the logical drive is also impaired.
- Get write access
Takes over write access from another user.
- Help
This action calls the help about actions.
- Import foreign configuration
This action is used to import the foreign configuration of all disks which the firmware has recognized
as belonging together. After this action has been executed, the logical drives which were built with these disks
are available for further processing.
- Locate
An enclosure is located. An LED on the enclosure flashes either briefly or until location is aborted.
In the case of some controllers the LED is set to remain constantly bright.
- Locate
A disk is located. An LED on the disk drive flashes either briefly or until drive location is aborted.
In the case of some controllers the LED is set to remain constantly bright.
- Locate
A logical drive is located.
- Logout
This action is only offered for the system object and terminate your session.
You return to the login screen or to
ServerView if you started the application there.
- Make offline
A disk is switched "offline". The status of the affected logical drive
changes to "degraded" or "partially degraded".
- Make offline (redundancy)
After creating a backup of the disk on a hot spare it is switched "offline". Then the disk is removed
from the configuration and replaced by the previously created backup.
- Make online
A drive is placed back in service.
- Make ready
A disk which was switched "offline" and is no longer part of a logical drive can no longer be
switched "online" but only be made available. Only then can it be included in the configuration
again using the Make Online action.
- Make ready (clear bad block table)
A disk will be made available and simultaneously a bad block table will be cleared.
- Manage foreign configuration...
This action calls a dialog to import or clear
foreign configurations.
- Manage host...
This action calls a dialog to change connection information or delete an ESXi host from the ServerView RAID Manager configuration. For more information see VMware ESXi.
- Manage hot spare...
This action calls a dialog to create or delete
a hot spare.
- Manage MegaRAID Advanced Software Options...
This action opens a dialog which allows you to enter one or more keys to activate the
corresponding software options. Software options which are already activated will be displayed.
Installed test keys can be removed by using this action. For more information
see RAID Controller Functions.
- Manage task...
This action calls a dialog to create, modify or delete
a task.
- Mark as missing
Remove a specific disk from a logical drive.
- Migrate logical drive...
This action calls a dialog to modify a logical drive.
A logical drive is transferred directly from one RAID type to another.
- Recalibration
The battery for the emergency power supply (Battery Backup Unit – BBU) is recalibrated. This action
returns the battery to its ideal condition.
- Release write access
Releases write access for another user who urgently needs it.
- Replace missing disk...
With this action a free disk takes over the tasks of a failed disk.
If a disk in a logical drive fails in the new Avago, SAS/SATA solutions and if this is replaced by a new disk,
the latter does not automatically take the place of the disk that has been replaced but must be activated manually.
If the logical drive should continue to offer restricted functionality after this action has been completed
successfully, the rebuild must be started manually.
- Reset error counters
This action automatically deletes the error event log for the disk drive and the error counter is set to zero.
Also this action can reset the error counter and clear the status of Tasks.
- Resume BGI
The background Initialization process is resumed at the point where it was previously stopped.
- Resume consistency check
The consistency check is resumed at the place where it was previously stopped.
- Resume copyback
The copyback is resumed at the position where it was previously stopped.
- Resume initialization
The interrupted initialization of the logical drive is resumed.
- Resume MDC
The MDC (Make Data Consistent) is resumed at the point where it was previously stopped.
- Resume migration
Migration of a logical drive is resumed (see Migrate logical drive).
- Resume Patrol Read
The Patrol Read process is resumed at the point where it was previously stopped.
- Resume rebuild
The Rebuild process is resumed at the point where it was previously stopped.
- Scan configuration
All the information collected internally is deleted and then all the data is read in anew from controllers.
- Send SNMP test event
If SNMP is enabled and configured you can send a test trap with this action.
Neither RAID Manager nor any other SNMP tool can verify that the trap reaches the destination correctly.
You have to check yourself whether the trap reaches the destination properly.
- Send test E-mail
If you have enabled and configured the E-mail log you can send
a test E-mail with this action.
- Show NVRAM log
The internal log from the controller's NVRAM (non-volatile memory) is displayed. This information is
generally required by engineers for maintenance purposes.
- Show PHY errors
The SAS PHY errors recorded are displayed. This information is
generally required by engineers for maintenance purposes.
- Show sense log
A table with the last n SCSI items of sense information which occurred are displayed. SCSI sense
information is generally present when a SCSI command has failed and the controller or the disk can supply
additional information on why this happened.
- Start consistency check
In the case of redundant systems (e.g. RAID-1, RAID-5, RAID-10) this action starts a
check of the logical drive. The consistency check runs in the background, thus enabling you to
continue working with the logical drive. Depending on how the synchronization procedure has been set
on the controller any error that is found is skipped or rectified if possible, or the consistency check
is stopped and an error message is displayed.
Note: With some controllers the priority of this process can be changed via the Settings tab.
The following rule applies here: The lower the priority, the longer the process, but this enables you
to work better.
- Start copyback...
This action calls a dialog to select a disk to copy data from a logical drive to a new destination disk.
For more information see RAID Controller Functions.
- Start device
A disk drive is started, i.e. the disk drive is brought up to its standard speed. With some high-speed
disks this can take some time. As power consumption is higher when the disks start up not all of them
should be started up at once.
- Start initialization
A logical drive is
initialized. Before you write the first user data to a logical drive you should initialize this drive.
Note: Some controllers automatically perform initialization when the logical drive is created.
This action is not offered for these drives.
Warning: Initialization destroys all user data on the logical drive.
- Start MDC
A consistency check takes place and, if it is possible to rectify any inconsistency which is found, this
is done automatically (Make Data Consistent).
- Start OCE
If there is free storage space on all disks of an array this can be used to increase the capacity
of the logical drive (Online Capacity Expansion). Afterwards existing filesystems can be adapted
to the new capacity with operating system tools.
- Start Patrol Read
A Patrol Read process is started on a disk drive. In this case restricted access is still possible to
the drive. Patrol Read examines the drive's interface for errors. If an error is detected which cannot
be rectified automatically, this error is logged. The faulty part of the medium is assigned to the defective
blocks. With some controllers the disk is automatically taken out of service if multiple errors are found.
This error check is not supported by every controller, but some controllers provide the option of performing
a check automatically at freely selectable intervals.
- Start rebuild
In the case of critical logical drives of the type RAID-1, RAID-5 or RAID-10 this action starts rebuilding
the logical drive. Generally the failed disk is automatically replaced by a hot spare and a rebuild
is subsequently started automatically provided this is set on the controller. The action runs in the background,
and as long as no further disk fails it is still possible to work with the logical drive.
Note: With some controllers the priority of this process can be changed via the Settings tab.
The following rule applies here: The lower the priority, the longer the process, but this enables you to work
better.
- Start verification
Starts a disk check.
- Stop charge
Terminates the battery charging process for the emergency power supply (Battery Backup Unit – BBU).
- Stop device
A disk drive is stopped. This action can sometimes make sense before a device is replaced.
- Stop location
Drive location is stopped and the LED is switched off.
- Suspend BGI
The background initialization process is stopped.
- Suspend consistency check
The consistency check is stopped. This can, for example, be necessary when more throughput capacity
needs to be provided at short notice for the logical drives connected to the controller.
- Suspend copyback
The copyback is paused.
- Suspend initialization
Initialization of the logical drive is interrupted.
- Suspend MDC
The MDC (Make Data Consistent) is paused.
- Suspend migration
Migration of a logical drive is stopped (see Migrate logical drive).
- Suspend Patrol Read
The Patrol Read process is stopped. This can, for example, be necessary when more throughput capacity
needs to be provided at short notice.
- Suspend rebuild
The Rebuild process is stopped. This can, for example, be necessary when more throughput capacity
needs to be provided at short notice for the logical drives connected to the controller.
- Set low power threshold
Set a voltage threshold where firmware will issue warnings that the power is to low.
- Test CAS connection
If you have enabled and configured Single Sign On (SSO) via CAS
you can check the connection to the CAS server with this action.
- Test LDAP connection
If you have enabled and configured role based access control (RBAC) via LDAP you can check
the connection to the directory server with this action.
- Unblock
If an SSD cache drive (CacheCade) fails all
associated logical drives are set to blocked (i.e. no access from operating system). The Unblock action
re-enables access from the operating system.
- Write configuration
Save the current RAID configuration into a XML file on the server.
- Write NVRAM log
Save the current internal controller log into a file on the server.
- Write snapshot
This automatic action produces - contrary to the manual action
Write configuration -
at least every 10 minutes a snapshot of the current RAID configuration.