Installing an SSA RAID Cluster Adapter

Installing an SSA RAID Cluster Adapter

To complete the installation, you must:

1.  Install the adapter card
2.  Connect the necessary SSA cables
3.  Revise the system configuration information
4.  Load an operating system, unless one is already loaded in the server
5.  Load the device drivers and utility programs.

Installing the Adapter Card

  Remove all power from your PC server and any attached devices before removing the cover.
To install the adapter card, refer to the documentation that came with your PC server. The User's Handbook for your server describes how to install an adapter. Perform the steps described in that book, ensuring that you perform the actions relating to the static-protective package correctly. When choosing a slot for the SSA RAID Cluster Adapter, take note of the following restrictions and recommendations:

•  The SSA RAID Cluster Adapter card is a long PCI adapter card.  On some models of PC Server, there is only one slot in which a long PCI adapter card can be  installed without interference with the heat sink on the processor.  In these models, it might be necessary to move previously installed adapter cards before installing  the SSA RAID Cluster Adapter card.
•  The SSA RAID Cluster Adapter cards in the two systems of a  cluster must be installed on corresponding buses in the two  system units. The User's Handbook for your system describes  which slots are on which buses.
•  If you are connecting the two servers using more than one SSA  RAID Cluster Adapter in each system, the SSA adapters must be  in the same priority order in the two servers. In some systems,  slots with lower numbers have higher priority, in other systems,  higher numbers mean higher priority, the User's Handbook for  your system describes which rule applies.
•  If you want to boot from an SSA disk drive: install the SSA  adapter in a PC slot with a higher priority than the slots used by  any SCSI adapters. ('Configuring the Adapter'  describes other actions you must perform to boot from an SSA disk drive.)
•  In some server units, the SSA RAID Cluster Adapter card might be too large or the wrong  shape to fit into some slot positions. If it helps, remove the blue handle on the  SSA RAID Cluster Adapter card by removing the screws that attach it to the adapter card.
•  The manufacturers or suppliers of some server units might have recommendations on which  slots to use for disk-drive adapters. For details of this refer to the documentation that is supplied with  the server unit. You can find more information about SSA  adapters and particular servers at the addresses given in  Chapter, 'Getting the Latest Information'

Connecting the Disk Drives

Each of the 2 pairs of SSA ports can attach up to 48 dual-port devices in a closed loop. Up to two SSA RAID Cluster Adapters can be included in a loop. If two SSA adapters are in a loop and there is a second loop attached to one adapter, it must be attached to the other adapter also.

If multiple SSA RAID Cluster Adapters are installed in two systems sharing disk drives, the priority in each system of the adapters in each loop must be the same. For example, the first adapter (in slot-number order) in one system must be in an SSA loop with the first SSA adapter in the other system.

'SSA Loops and Links' provides a general description of SSA loops and some rules for cabling valid configurations.

1.  Connect the cables from the devices to the appropriate pair of connectors on the adapter card.
2.  Turn the retaining screws on the SSA cable connectors fully clockwise to ensure that a good ground connection is made.

Configuring the Adapter

The SSA subsystem must be configured before you can and the system can use it. To do this:

1.  Turn power on to the system unit and to the devices. Your  system automatically performs the PCI configuration tasks, which  recognize the new adapter, during the boot process.
2.  If you are NOT going to boot from an SSA disk drive:
   1.  Ensure that the CBIOS for the SSA adapter is disabled.  To do this, if the message CBIOS is currently enabled appears during the boot process, press the tab key.
   2.  Enable the BIOS for the other storage adapters in the system (for instructions on how to do this,  refer to the information for those adapters).

   If you are going to boot from an SSA disk drive:.

   1.  Ensure that the CBIOS for the SSA adapter is enabled. To  do this, if the message CBIOS is currently disabled  appears during the boot process, press the tab key.
   2.  Before running the Windows NT Install program, run the SSA  configuration utility (supplied on the PC-DOS Configurator  and Utilities diskette that is supplied with the adapter) to:
      1.  Attach SSA disk drives in the order required.  (Chapter, 'Configuring SSA Subsystems' describes how to do this.)  The Windows NT Install program recognizes disk drives in order starting with the SSA disk drive at  the top of the List of System Resources for the highest priority adapter.
      2.  Set the disk drive access mode of any disk drives you select for a Boot or  System partition to Private to the adapter in the server in which you will run the Windows NT Install program. 'Viewing and Changing Disk Drive Access Modes' describes how to do this.

   3.  If you have a problem when attempting to boot from an SSA disk drive, refer to 'Basic Problems'

Installing the Device Drivers and Utility Programs

A README.TXT file on the Windows NT Device Driver and Utilities diskette provides detailed instructions on installing the device drivers and the associated utility programs.

When you have installed these programs, reboot your system.

After installing the device drivers, you must configure your disk arrays before you can use them with your system. Chapter, 'Configuring SSA Subsystems' describes how to do this. Then, your SSA subsystem will be ready for use with your system.
The format in which the Event / Error Logger reports errors is controlled by the file EVNCTRLF.TXT in the install directory (which, by default, is system root\issa). Details of the settings and how to change them are contained in the header of the control file.

Moving Arrays from Another Type of Adapter

If you move a RAID-1 array from an SSA RAID Adapter to an SSA RAID Cluster Adapter, you must change the array's SplitConfirm attribute to enabled. 'Changing Array Attributes' describes how to do this.

If you are going to move a RAID-1 array from an SSA RAID Cluster Adapter to an SSA RAID Adapter, before you move it, change its SplitConfirm attribute to disabled.

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