RAID Adapter LEVEL / STATUS / Message Table




RAID Level 0 / 1 or 5

With RAID technology, data is striped across an array (a group) of hard disks. Striping  is the process of storing data across all the disks that are grouped in the array.

RAID Level 0 stripes the data across all of the drives of the array.


  Drive failure results in loss of data in logical drives assigned RAID level 0.
This RAID level offers substantial speed enhancement, but allows for no data redundancy, therefore, a hard disk failure within the array results in loss of data in the logical drive assigned RAID level 0, but only in that logical drive.

RAID Level 1 supported by the IBM RAID Controller provides an enhanced feature for disk mirroring that stripes data and copies of the data across all the drives of the array. The first stripe is the data stripe, and the second stripe is the mirror (copy) of the first data stripe but shifted one drive.

RAID Level 5 stripes data and parity of the data across all the drives of the array. The capacity of the logical drive when assigned level 5 is reduced by one drive (for data parity storage). Level 5 is generally the most desirable choice because it offers both data protection and increased throughput. Level 5 gives a higher capacity than level 1, but level 1 offers higher performance. If after using level 5 you are dissatisfied with the performance and can tolerate lower capacity, you can either redefine the level 5 to a level 1, or you can use a logical drive that you have assigned level 1.

Obtaining the RAID Drive Status

The following procedure enables you to see the ID, capacity, and other information about each of the hard disk drives.

  1.  Insert the RAID Controller Diskette into the primary drive (A:) and press Ctrl+Alt+Del The Main Menu of the RAID Configuration Program appears.
  2.  Select Drive Information
  3.  Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to highlight each of the drives shown in the Bay/Array  selection list. As a drive is highlighted, the information for that drive is shown at the bottom of the screen.
  4.  Press Esc to return to the Main Menu.

Blank Status:  Any of the following circumstances can cause the status area to be blank:


The status of the drives in the Bay/Array selection list is defined as follows:
drive is grouped will have a status of Offline (if the logical drive is assigned RAID level 0) or Critical (if the logical drive is assigned RAID level 1 or level 5).

and its array association is displayed.

shows an empty bay (a blank status), not a DDD drive.)

with an array, but does not contain any valid data.

from the Create/Delete Array menu and follow the instructions on the screen.)

STATUS    MEANING
RDY    Ready, the drive is recognized by the controller and is available for definition.
ONL    Online, the drive is part of an array. If this drive fails, logical drives defined in the array in which this
HSP    Hot spare, the drive will replace a similar defunct drive in real time. At this time, its status changes to ONL
DDD    Defunct, the drive is an online or hot-spare drive that does not respond to command. (If a RDY drive is defunctional powered down, it
OFL    Offline, the drive is a good drive that has replaced a defunct drive in a RAID level 1 or level 5 array, it is associated
UFM    Unformatted, the drive requires a low-level format before it can be used in an array. (To perform a low-level format, select Format drive
FMT    Format, the drive is being reformatted.


MESSAGES associated with the IBM SCSI-2 Fast/Wide Streaming RAID-Adapter/A. 

Where the Action information tells to start the IBM RAID Configuration program, insert the RAID Configuration diskette into the primary diskette dive (usually A) and press Ctrl+Alt+Del (Actions should be done by CUSTOMER)

RAID Adapter Message.    Action.
   n  logical drives are    n  represents the number of logical drives defined
   installed    Information only, no action required
   Controller cannot recover    The controller does not have a complete list of all
   from data    pending operations from the last usage.
   inconsistencies.    Start the IBM RAID Configuration program and
     synchronize all logical drives.
   Controller firmware    The controller is not operational.
   error. Reload firmware.    HW-error
   Controller hardware    The controller is not operational
   error, run RAID    HW-error
   Controller diagnostics  
   program.  
   Controller is not    The controller is not operational.
   responding to    HW-error
   commands. No logical  
   drives are installed.  
   Data on critical logical    A power loss occurred when the logical drive was in
   drive is inconsistent.    Critical state. Data is lost
     Replace the defunct drive and re-create the data
   Drive identified for    A hard disk drive is installed in the wrong bay.
   channel n  bay m  found    Install the drive in the correct bay, or leave it where it
   at channel x  bay y .    is and reassign it to its present bay. Data in the logical
     drive will be lost when you reassign it to a new bay.
     To reassign the drive :
  1. Start the IBM RAID Configuration program
  2. Select Create/delete array from the Main Menu.
      The Bay/Array selection list will appear and you
      can reassign the drive.
   Drive in channel n  bay m     The drive in this bay does not respond to commands
   does not respond.    Insert the RAID configuration Diskette and press
     Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart the system. A screen will
      appear to help you decide whether to declare the drive
     irrecoverable. If you declare the drive irrecoverable,
     start the IBM RAID Configuration program to resolve
     the problem.
   Installation stopped.    The controller cannot be accessed.
     This message is a follow-on to a preceding message.
     Follow the Action  instructions for the preceding
     message you received to resolve the problem.
   Irrecoverable    An error exists in the configuration data stored on the
   configuration error, run    RAID controller.
   Configuration program.    Restore the configuration from the Disk Array
     Configuration Backup diskette.
  1. Start the IBM RAID Configuration Program.
  2. Select Advanced functions from the Main Menu,
      then select Restore config. from diskette.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
     If the configuration stored on your Disk Array
     Configuration Backup diskette is not current (or if you
     do not have a backup of the configuration
     information), have the system serviced.
   Irrecoverable controller    The controller is not operational.
   error - memory parity    HW-error
   failure.  
   No free RAM found, no    The controller could not initialize its BIOS.
   logical drives are    HW-error
   installed.  
   No logical drives found,    No logical drives are defined
   none are installed.    Start the IBM RAID Configuration program and define
     a logical drive
   RAID firmware    This is the version level.
   version x.yy    Information only, no action is required.
   Recoverable    An error exists in the configuration data stored on the
   configuration error, run    controller.
   Configuration program.    Insert the IBM RAID Controller Diskette and press
     Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart the system. Follow the
     instructions on the screen.
   Recovery from data    Most likely cause was a sudden power loss during last
   inconsistency is in    operation.
   progress.    No action is required.
   Starting drives...    The controller is starting drives in the array.
     Information only, no action is required.
   Unidentified drive found    The drive in this bay is not recognized by the system.
   in channel n  bay m     Information only, the system will assign it to that bay.
   WARNING: n  logical    One or more drives have failed.
   drives are critical, n     Replace the defunct drives as soon as possible to
   logical drives are offline.    prevent data loss.
   WARNING: The    The EEPROM on the controller is reaching the end of
   firmware flash EEPROM    its life and must be replaced.
   is failing and must be    HW-error
   replaced.  
   WARNING: Too many    Temporary tables in the controller are full, the
   entries in the change list.    controller needs to be reset.
   Reset the system to clear    Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart the system, then follow
   it.    the instructions on the screen.
   IBM RAID BIOS -    System operating in protect mode without a device
   System in protect mode,    driver.
   cannot continue.    Update the CONFIG.SYS file with the proper device
   System halted.    drivers and restart the system.

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