Page 3 - Contents
Contents 1 Overview....................................................................................................................................... 9 Supported Operating Systems ......................................................................................................................
Page 9 - Overview
1 Overview The Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H310, H710, H710P, and H810 family of storage controller cards has the following characteristics: • Complies with serial-attached SCSI (SAS) 2.0 providing up to 6 Gb/sec throughput. • Supports Dell-qualified serial-attached SCSI (SAS) hard drives,...
Page 13 - Features; Physical Disk Power Management; Configured Spin Down Delay
2 Features Some of the features discussed for PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H310, H710, H710P, and H810 cards are: • Physical Disk Power Management • Types of Virtual Disk Initialization • Consistency Checks • Disk Roaming • Fast Path • Virtual Disk Migration • Reconfiguration Of Virtual Disks • ...
Page 14 - Types Of Virtual Disk Initialization; Background Initialization Of Virtual Disks; Full Initialization Of Virtual Disks; Fast Initialization Of Virtual Disks; Consistency Checks
NOTE: There is a delay to I/O operations when a configured disk is being spun up. Types Of Virtual Disk Initialization You can initialize the virtual disks as described in the following sections: CAUTION: The initializing virtual disks task erases the files and file systems while keeping the virtual...
Page 15 - Disk Roaming; Using Disk Roaming; FastPath; Configuring FastPath-Capable Virtual Disks
Disk Roaming Disk roaming is moving the physical disks from one cable connection or backplane slot to another on the same controller. The controller automatically recognizes the relocated physical disks and logically places them in the virtual disks that are part of the disk group. You can perform d...
Page 16 - Virtual Disk Migration; Migrating Virtual Disks
Table 2. FastPath Eligibility Across Supported RAID Levels RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 6 Read Yes Yes(Optimal and Degraded) Yes(Optimal and Degraded) Yes(Optimal and Degraded) Write Yes No No No In addition, FastPath-capable virtual disks are characterized by the following: • The presence of CacheCade...
Page 17 - Virtual Disk Write Cache Policies; Conditions Under Which Write-Back Is Employed
3. Boot the system and import the foreign configuration that is detected. You can do one of the following: – Press <F> to automatically import the foreign configuration.– Enter the BIOS Configuration Utility and navigate to the Foreign Configuration View. NOTE: For more information on accessin...
Page 20 - Automatic Replace Member With Predicted Failure
Source RAID Level Target RAID Level Number of Physical Disks (Beginning) Number of Physical Disks (End) Capacity Expansion Possible Description disk space used for distributed parity data. RAID 6 RAID 5 4 or more 4 or more Yes Removes one set of parity data and reclaims disk space used for it. RAID ...
Page 21 - Patrol Read; Redundant Path Support (For PERC H810 Only)
of a virtual disk. The target disk needs to be a hot spare that qualifies as a rebuild disk. The physical disk with the SMART error is marked as failed only after the successful completion of the Replace Member. This avoids putting the array in degraded status.If an automatic Replace Member occurs u...
Page 22 - Physical Disk Hot Swapping; Using Replace Member And Revertible Hot Spares
Physical Disk Failure Detection Failed physical disks are detected and rebuilds automatically start to new disks that are inserted into the same slot. Automatic rebuilds can also happen transparently with hot spares. If you have configured hot spares, the controllers automatically try to use them to...
Page 23 - Controller Cache Preservation; Recovering Cache Data; Battery Transparent Learn Cycle; TLC Time Frame
Controller Cache Preservation The controller is capable of preserving its cache in the event of a system power outage or improper system shutdown. The PERC H710, H710P, and H810 controllers are attached to a Battery Backup Unit (BBU) that provides backup power during system power loss to preserve th...
Page 25 - Deploying The PERC Card; Removing The PERC Controller
3 Deploying The PERC Card CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your product documentation, or as directed by the online or telephone service and support team. Damage due to servicing that...
Page 27 - Installing The PERC Controller
1. release lever (2)2. PERC stack-up connector3. PERC mini blade controller4. screws (2) Figure 3. Removing and Installing the PERC Mini Monolithic Controller 1. release lever (2)2. storage-controller card holder 3. storage controller card4. battery5. heatsink 6. touch points (2)7. storage-controlle...
Page 28 - Support For Internal Multiple Controllers; Reverting To Single Path Support From Redundant Path Support For
3. Install the storage controller in the appropriate controller slot and connect all the cables to the storage controller. CAUTION: When removing or replacing the PERC Mini Monolithic Controller, hold the card by its edges marked by the blue touch points. Do not handle the card while holding the bat...
Page 31 - Driver Installation; Pre-Installation Requirements For Windows Driver Installation; Windows
4 Driver Installation The Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H310, H710, H710P, and H810 cards require software drivers to operate with the supported operating systems. This chapter contains the procedures for installing the drivers for the PERC H310, H710, H710P, and H810 cards. NOTE: For more i...
Page 33 - Updating Existing Windows Server 2008 Or Windows Server 2008 R2; Updating The Linux Driver
9. Reboot the system when prompted. Updating Existing Windows Server 2008 Or Windows Server 2008 R2 NOTE: Close all applications on your system before you update the driver. 1. Insert the media (CD, DVD, or USB drive) containing the driver. 2. Select Start → Settings → Control Panel → System. The Sy...
Page 34 - Installing Or Updating The RPM Driver Package With DKMS Support; Installing Or Updating The RPM Driver Package With KMOD Support; Installing Or Updating The RPM Driver Package With KMP Support
Installing Or Updating The RPM Driver Package With DKMS Support NOTE: This procedure is applicable for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 SP7 and SUSE Enterprise Linux 10 SP4. NOTE: For SUSE Enterprise Linux 10 SP4, immediately following the operating system installation, download the latest driver from del...
Page 37 - Management Applications For PERC Cards; Dell OpenManage Storage Management; Entering The BIOS Configuration Utility
5 Management Applications For PERC Cards Dell OpenManage Storage Management applications enable you to manage and configure the RAID system, create and manage multiple disk groups, control and monitor multiple RAID systems, and provide online maintenance. The management applications for PERC H310, H...
Page 39 - Setting Up Virtual Disks
Notation Meaning and Use Example down- arrow key Use the down-arrow key to move to the lower menu items within a menu or to a lower level menu. You can also use the down-arrow key to open a menu list in a popup window, such as the stripe element size menu, and select a setting. Word wrap is supporte...
Page 41 - Virtual Disk Management; Creating Virtual Disks
Parameter DescriptionNo-Read-Ahead specifies that the controller does not use read ahead for the current virtual disk.Adaptive specifies that the controller begins using Read-Ahead if the two most recent disk accesses occurred in sequential sectors. If all read requests are random, the algorithm rev...
Page 42 - Selecting Virtual Disk Parameters
15. Press the spacebar to make the settings active so that you can change them. An X is displayed beside Advanced Settings. The settings are the stripe element size, read policy, and write policy. You can also choose advanced options such as forcing the cache policy to Write-Back, initializing the v...
Page 43 - Converting Physical Disk To Non-RAID For PERC H310
5. Press <Enter>. Converting Physical Disk To Non-RAID For PERC H310 Conversion of a Physical Disk to Non-RAID allows direct operating system access to the drive. Non-RAID disks cannot be used within a Virtual Disk nor can they be used as Hot Spares. 1. Press <Ctrl> <N> to access t...
Page 44 - Screen
The Consistency Check runs and checks the redundancy data in the virtual disks. 7. After you start the Consistency Check, press <Esc> to display the previous menu if needed. Importing Or Clearing Foreign Configurations Using The VD Mgmt Menu When a foreign configuration exists, the BIOS screen...
Page 46 - Break Mirror; Managing Preserved Cache
Break Mirror A Break Mirror operation is an operation that can be performed only on RAID1 arrays. It provides a way to 'split' the mirror and spin-down one of the hard disks, which can then be imported into the configuration of a different PERC H310, H710, H710P, or H810 controller. This can be a us...
Page 47 - Managing Dedicated Hot Spares
Perform the following steps to select whether to import the virtual disk or discard the preserved cache: 1. On the VD Mgmt screen, click on a controller icon. 2. Press <F2> to display the available actions. 3. Select Manage Preserved Cache.A message is displayed advising you to import the fore...
Page 49 - BIOS Configuration Utility Menu Options
BIOS Configuration Utility Menu Options The first menu that is displayed when you access the BIOS Configuration Utility <Ctrl> <R> is the main menu screen. It lists the controller, controller number, and other information, such as the slot number. On the screen, you can use the arrow key...
Page 51 - Virtual Disk Actions
Menu Item Selected in Left Panel Information Displayed in Right Panel • Number of physical disks (PD) • Space available on the physical disks • Number of free segments • Number of dedicated hot spares Hot Spares Physical Disk Properties: • Vendor name • Physical disk state • Enclosure Position • Slo...
Page 52 - Physical Disk Actions
Physical Disk Management (PD Mgmt) The Physical Disk Management screen (PD Mgmt) displays physical disk information and action menus. The screen displays physical disk IDs, vendor names, disk size, type, state, and disk group (DG). You can sort the list of physical disks based on the headings. You c...
Page 53 - Rebuild; Controller Management Actions
Action Description Remove HS Removes a dedicated hot spare from its disk group or a global hot spare from the global pool of hot spares. Rebuild Select Rebuild to rebuild one or more failed physical disks. For information on performing a physical disk rebuild, see the topic Performing A Manual Rebui...
Page 54 - Foreign Configuration View; Physical Disk Management; Setting LED Blinking
Option Descriptioncontroller and disable it on the other controllers. The system can then boot from the BIOS-enabled controller. Enable BIOS Stop On Error Select the option to stop the system BIOS during bootup if there are BIOS errors. The option enables you to enter the configuration utility to re...
Page 57 - Controller Management; Enabling Boot Support
Controller Management Enabling Boot Support NOTE: See your system documentation to ensure the proper boot order is selected in the system BIOS. In a multiple controller environment, you can enable BIOS on multiple controllers. However, if you want to boot from a specific controller, enable the BIOS ...
Page 58 - Disabling Auto Import; Restoring Factory Default Settings; UEFI RAID Configuration Utility; Entering The UEFI RAID Configuration Utility
NOTE: The controller automatically imports every optimal and degraded foreign configuration without enabling the feature if there is no native configuration on the controller. To enable Auto Import: 1. Press <Ctrl> <N> to access the Ctrl Mgmt menu screen. 2. Press <Tab> to move the...
Page 60 - Physical Disk Management Menu
* Safe mode on errors: The system will continue booting as long as the boot volume is not on this controller. Drives connected to the controller will be reported as unconfigured good drives to the RAID management utilities upon a successful boot. No configuration changes will be allowed, except to c...
Page 61 - CacheCade; CacheCade Virtual Disk Characteristics
6 CacheCade The Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H710, H710P, and H810 cards support CacheCade, a feature that can improve application performance by increasing read caching capacity. The CacheCade feature makes use of high performing solid state disks (SSDs) as a secondary tier of cache. Cache...
Page 63 - Automatic Reconfiguration Of CacheCade Virtual Disks
Deleting CacheCade Virtual Disks To delete CacheCade virtual disks, perform the following steps in the BIOS Configuration Utility: 1. Press <Ctrl> <N> to access the Virtual Disk Management screen. 2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the CacheCade Disk Group or Virtual Disks headi...
Page 65 - Security Key Implementation
7 Security Key And RAID Management NOTE: PERC H310 does not support any security implementations. Security Key Implementation The Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H710, H710P, and H810 cards support Self-Encrypting Disks (SED) for protection of data against loss or theft of SEDs. Protection is ...
Page 66 - Creating A Security Key; Changing The Security Key
Creating A Security Key Perform the following steps to create a security key on the controller: NOTE: There is no passphrase backup option when you create a security key; you need to remember your passphrase. 1. During the host system boot up, press <Ctrl> <R> when the BIOS screen is dis...
Page 67 - Securing Pre-Existing Virtual Disks
NOTE: If there is an existing configuration on the controller, it is updated with the new security key. If you had previously removed any secured disks, you still need to supply the old passphrase to import them. Deleting A Security Key NOTE: Delete Key is active if there is a security key present o...
Page 69 - Instant Secure Erase; Troubleshooting Security Key Errors; Secured Foreign Import Errors
3. Press <F2> to display a menu of available actions. 4. Select Import to import the foreign configuration or Clear to delete the foreign configuration. Press <Enter>. NOTE: To Clear, you need to Instant Secure Erase foreign configurations secured with a different security key. 5. If you...
Page 70 - Failure To Delete Security Key
there is a security key present. Select the Secure VD option as No in the Create New VD menu. See the topic Creating Virtual Disks for steps on how to create an unsecured virtual disk. Failure To Delete Security Key A security key is used to lock or unlock access to a security-enabled component. Thi...
Page 71 - BIOS Error Messages; Discovery Error Message
8 Troubleshooting To get help with your Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) H310, H710, H710P and H810, you can contact your Dell Technical Service representative or see dell.com/support. BIOS Error Messages The controller BIOS read-only memory (ROM) provides Int 13h functionality (disk I/O) for t...
Page 72 - Missing Disks In Virtual Disk Error Message
• The controller detects an Error-Correcting Code (ECC) error while performing its cache checking routine during initialization. • The controller discards the cache rather than sending it to the disk subsystem because the data integrity cannot be guaranteed. Corrective Action: To resolve this issue,...
Page 73 - Dirty Cache Data Error Message; BIOS Disabled Error Message; Drive Configuration Changes Error Message
Corrective Action: Check the cable connections and fix any issues. Restart the system. If there are no cable problems, press any key or <C> to continue. Dirty Cache Data Error Message Error Message: The following virtual disks are missing: (x). If you proceed (or load the configuration utility...
Page 74 - Adapter At Baseport Not Responding Error Message; Virtual Disks Offline Error Message
Corrective Action: Check the cable connections and fix any problems before restarting the system. If there are no cable problems, press any key or <Y> to continue. Adapter At Baseport Not Responding Error Message Error Message: Adapter at Baseport xxxx is not responding, where xxxx is the base...
Page 75 - Firmware Fault State Error Message; Foreign Configuration Found Error Message
Virtual Disks Partially Degraded Error Message Error Message: x Virtual Disk(s) Partially Degraded, where x is the number of virtual disks partially degraded. Probable Cause: This message is displayed when the BIOS detects a single disk failure in a RAID 6 or RAID 60 configuration. Corrective Action...
Page 76 - Multibit ECC Errors Detected Error Messages
Foreign Configuration Not Found In <Ctrl> <R> Error Message Error Message: The foreign configuration message is present during POST but no foreign configurations are present in the foreign view page in <Ctrl> <R>. All virtual disks are in an optimal state . Corrective Action:...
Page 77 - Configured Disks Removed Or Not Accessible Error Message; Degraded State Of Virtual Disks
CAUTION: When removing or replacing the PERC Mini Monolithic Controller, hold the card by its edges marked by the blue touch points. Do not handle the card while holding the battery or the heatsink. For more information, see figure “Removing and Installing the PERC Mini Monolithic Controller” in Rem...
Page 78 - Memory Errors; Preserved Cache State; PERC Card Has Yellow Bang In Device Manager; PERC Card Not Seen In Device Manager
To recover a virtual disk from a degraded state, you must replace the failed physical disk and rebuild it. Once the rebuilding process is complete, the virtual disk state changes from degraded to optimal. For information on rebuilding the disk, see the topic Performing A Manual Rebuild Of An Individ...
Page 79 - Physical Disk Issues; Physical Disk In Failed State; Unable to Rebuild A Fault Tolerant Virtual Disk; Physical Disk Displayed As Blocked
Corrective Action: The issue occurs because of any of the following causes: • The driver is not native in the operating system.To resolve the issue, press <F6> to install the RAID device driver during installation. • The virtual disks are not configured properly.To resolve the issue, enter the...
Page 80 - Multiple Disks Become Inaccessible; Rebuilding A Failed Physical Disk; Virtual Disk Fails During Rebuild Using A Global Hot Spare; Virtual Disk Fails During Rebuild Using A Dedicated Hot Spare
Multiple Disks Become Inaccessible Issue: Rebuilding the physical disks after multiple disks become simultaneously inaccessible. Corrective Action: Multiple physical disk errors in a single array typically indicate a failure in cabling or connection and could involve the loss of data. You can recove...
Page 81 - SMART Errors
Physical Disk Fails During Reconstruction On Redundant Virtual Disk Issue: A physical disk fails during a reconstruction process on a redundant virtual disk that has a hot spare. Corrective Action: The dedicated hot spare goes to Ready state and the virtual disk goes to Failed state. Virtual Disk Fa...
Page 82 - Replace Member Errors; Source Disk Fails During Replace Member Operation; Target Disk Fails; General Disk Fails; Linux Operating System Errors; Virtual Disk Policy Is Assumed As Write-Through Error Message
Smart Error Detected On A Physical Disk In A Non-Redundant Virtual Disk Issue: A SMART error is detected on a physical disk in a redundant virtual disk. Corrective Action: Perform the following steps: 1. Back up your data.2. Use Replace Member or set up a global hot spare to replace the disk automat...
Page 83 - Driver Does Not Auto-Build Into New Kernel; Unable To Register SCSI Device Error Message
Corrective Action: The error message is displayed when the Linux Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) mid-layer asks for physical disk cache settings. The controller firmware manages the virtual disk cache settings on a per controller and a per virtual disk basis, so the firmware does not respond ...
Page 84 - Disk Carrier LED Indicators
Disk Carrier LED Indicators The LED on the physical disk carrier indicates the state of each physical disk. Each disk carrier in your enclosure has two LEDs: an activity LED (green) and a status LED (bicolor, green/amber). The activity LED is active whenever a disk is being accessed while the status...
Page 85 - Appendix: RAID Description; Summary Of RAID Levels; Disk Striping
9 Appendix: RAID Description RAID is a group of independent physical disks that provides high performance by increasing the number of disks used for saving and accessing data. CAUTION: In the event of a physical disk failure, a RAID 0 virtual disk fails, resulting in data loss. A RAID disk subsystem...
