321 Studios GHDX2-2430S-24F4D User Manual

Galaxy RAID

Model GHDX2-2430S-24F4D

24 bay FC-4G to SATA-II RAID Subsystem

Single Controller

Model GHDX2-2430R-24F4D

24 bay FC-4G to SATA-II RAID Subsystem

Dual Controller

Installation and Hardware

Reference Manual

Version 1007

Version 1.0 (08, 2005)

Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Contact Information

Americas

Rorke Data Inc
7626 Golden Triangle Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
http://www.rorke.com

ii

Copyright 2007

This Edition First Published 2007

All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or
computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written
consent of Rorke Data , Inc.

Disclaimer

Rorke Data makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents
hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchan tability or
fitness for any particular purpose. Furthermore, Rorke Data reserves the right to
revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content
hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes.
Product specifications are also subject to change without prior notice.

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Trademarks

Galaxy and the Galaxy logo are registered trademarks of Rorke Data , Inc.

®

PowerPC
Motorola Inc.

Solaris and Java are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

All other names, brands, products or services are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.

is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation and

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Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Warnings and Certifications

Restricted Access Location:

This equipment is intended to be installed in a RESTRICTED ACCESS LOCATION only.

Electric Shock Warning!

To Prevent Electric Shock:
Access to this equipment is granted only to trained operators and service personnel who have

been instructed of and fully understand the possible hazardous conditions and the
consequences of accessing non-field-serviceable units. For example, accessing the backplane
may cause electric shock.

FCC (applies in the U.S. and Canada)

FCC Class A Note

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device may accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residen tial area is likely to
cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.

iv

The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

WARNING:

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Use only shielded cables to connect I/O devices to this equipment.

You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void your authority to operate the
equipment.

This device is in conformity with the EMC.

CB

This device is in conformity with the CB safety specifications.

This device meets the requirements of the CB standard for electrical
equipment with regard to establishing a satisfactory level of safety for
persons using the device and for the area surrounding the apparatus.
This standard covers only safety aspects of the above apparatus; it does
not cover other matters, such as style or performance.

CCC for Power Supplies’ compatibility to China Compulsory Certification.

This device is in conformity with UL standards for safety.

ITE BSMI Class A, CNS 13438 (for Taiwan)

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Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

This device is in conformity with UL standards for safety.

RoHS 2002/96/EC compliant

WEEE Disposal of Old Electrical and Electronic Equipment

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Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. PRODUCT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................1-1

1.1.1 Product Introduction........................................................................................1-1

1.1.2 Enclosure Chassis ............................................................................................1-2

1.1.2.1 Chassis Overview........................................................................................................... 1-2

1.1.2.2 Physical Dimensions................................................................................................... ... 1-3

1.1.2.3 Front Panel Overview....................................................................................................1-3

1.1.2.4 Hard Drive Numbering.................................................................................................. 1-4

1.1.2.5 Rear Panel Overview.....................................................................................................1-4

1.1.2.6 Back-plane Board........................................................................................................... 1-5

1.2. SUBSYSTEM COMPONENTS........................................................................................1-5

1.2.1 LCD Panel........................................................................................................1-5

1.2.2 Drive Trays.......................................................................................................1-6

1.2.3 RAID Controller Modules ................................................................................1-6

1.2.4 Controller Module Interfaces...........................................................................1-7

1.2.5 DIMM Modules ................................................................................................1-9

1.2.6 BBU..................................................................................................................1-9

1.2.7 PSUs...............................................................................................................1-10

1.2.8 Cooling Modules ............................................................................................1-11

1.3. S

1.4. H

UBSYSTEM MONITORING.......................................................................................1-12

1.3.1 I2C bus ...........................................................................................................1-12

1.3.2 LED Indicators...............................................................................................1-12

1.3.3 Firmware (FW) and RAIDWatch GUI ...........................................................1-13

1.3.4 Audible Alarms...............................................................................................1-13

OT-SWAPPABLE COMPONENTS..............................................................................1-13

1.4.1 Hot-swap Capabilities....................................................................................1-13

1.4.2 Components....................................................................................................1-14

1.4.3 Normalized Airflow ........................................................................................1-14

CHAPTER 2 HARDWARE INSTALLATION

2.1. INSTALLATION OVERVIEW...............................................................................2-1

2.2. INSTALLATION

2.3. SAFETY

PRECAUTIONS:......................................................................................2-2

2.3.1 Precautions and Instructions............................................................................2-2

2.3.2 Static-free Installation......................................................................................2-3

2.4. GENERAL

2.4.1 Installation Procedure Flowchart....................................................................2-4

2.5. UNPACKING

2.6. INSTALLATION

2.6.1 Pre-installed Components................................................................................2-5

2.6.2 Uninstalled Components ..................................................................................2-5

vii

PRE-REQUISITES.....................................................................2-1

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE.........................................................2-3

THE SUBSYSTEM..........................................................................2-5

OVERVIEW...............................................................................2-5

Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

2.7. INSTALLING

THE OPTIONAL BBU....................................................................2-6

2.7.1 BBU Installation Overview...............................................................................2-6

2.7.2 BBU Warnings and Precautions.......................................................................2-6

2.7.3 Installation Procedure......................................................................................2-7

2.8. HARD

DRIVE INSTALLATION............................................................................2-9

2.8.1 Hard Drive Installation Prerequisites..............................................................2-9

2.8.2 SATA Drive Installation ...................................................................................2-9

2.9. DRIVE

2.10. RACK/CABINET

TRAY INSTALLATION ..........................................................................2-10

INSTALLATION.....................................................................2-12

CHAPTER 3 SUBSYSTEM MONITORING

3.1. SUBSYSTEM MONITORING OVERVIEW ......................................................................3-1

3.2. S

3.3. A

3.4. I2C

TATUS-INDICATING LEDS .......................................................................................3-2

3.2.1 Brief Overview of the LEDs..............................................................................3-2

3.2.2 LCD Panel........................................................................................................3-3

3.2.3 Drive Tray LEDs ..............................................................................................3-4

3.2.4 Controller Module LEDs..................................................................................3-5

3.2.5 LAN Port LEDs ................................................................................................3-6

3.2.6 BBU LED..........................................................................................................3-7

3.2.7 PSU LEDs.........................................................................................................3-8

3.2.8 Cooling Module LEDs......................................................................................3-9

UDIBLE ALARM ....................................................................................................3-10

3.3.1 Default Threshold Values...............................................................................3-10

3.3.2 Failed Devices................................................................................................3-11

MONITORING....................................................................................................3-11

CHAPTER 4 SUBSYSTEM CONNECTION AND OPERATION

4.1 FC HOST CONNECTION PREREQUISITES ........................................................4-1

4.1.1 Choosing the Fibre Cables...............................................................................4-1

4.1.2 FC Lasers.........................................................................................................4-2

4.1.3 FC Speed Auto-detection..................................................................................4-2

4.1.4 SFP Transceivers..............................................................................................4-2

4.2 TOPOLOGY

4.2.1 Basic Configuration Rules................................................................................4-3

4.2.2 Fibre Channel Topologies................................................................................4-3

4.2.3 Host-side Topologies........................................................................................4-4

4.2.4 Unique Identifier ..............................................................................................4-4

4.2.5 ID/LUN Mapping..............................................................................................4-4

4.3 SAMPLE

4.3.1 Sample Topology – Clustered Hosts.................................................................4-4

4.3.2 Sample Topology – Direct-Attached.................................................................4-5

4.4 POWER

4.4.1 Check List.........................................................................................................4-6

4.4.2 Power On Procedure........................................................................................4-7

4.4.3 Power On Status Check....................................................................................4-8

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AND CONFIGURATION CONSIDERATIONS ..............................4-3

TOPOLOGIES.........................................................................................4-4

ON .............................................................................................................4-6

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

4.4.4 LCD Screen ......................................................................................................4-9

4.5 POWER

OFF PROCEDURE .................................................................................4-10

CHAPTER 5 SUBSYSTEM MAINTENANCE

5.1. OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................5-1

5.1.1 Maintenance.....................................................................................................5-1

5.1.2 General Notes on Component Replacement.....................................................5-1

5.2. REPLACING

5.2.1 Overview...........................................................................................................5-2

5.2.2 Notes on Controller Module Maintenance.......................................................5-3

5.2.3 Removing the Controller Module.....................................................................5-3

5.2.4 Replacing the Controller Module.....................................................................5-4

5.3. DIMM

5.3.1 DIMM Module Considerations.........................................................................5-6

5.3.2 DIMM Module Replacement Procedure...........................................................5-6

5.4. REPLACING

5.5. REPLACING

5.5.1 PSU Module Overview .....................................................................................5-9

5.5.2 Replacing the PSU Module.............................................................................5-10

5.6. COOLING

5.6.1 Cooling Module Overview..............................................................................5-13

5.6.2 Replacing a Cooling Module..........................................................................5-14

5.7. REPLACING

5.7.1 Hard Drive Maintenance Overview................................................................5-16

5.7.2 Replacing a Hard Drive .................................................................................5-17

CONTROLLER MODULE COMPONENTS ...................................5-2

MODULE REPLACEMENT.......................................................................5-6

A FAULTY BBU ..............................................................................5-7

A FAULTY PSU MODULE..............................................................5-9

MODULE MAINTENANCE ..............................................................5-13

A FAILED HARD DRIVE..............................................................5-16

APPENDIX A SPECIFICATIONS

A.1. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................. A-1

A.2. CONTROLLER SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................... A-3

A.2.1 Configuration .................................................................................................A-3

A.2.2 Architecture....................................................................................................A-3

A.3. DRIVE TRAY SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................A-4

A.4. POWER SUPPLY SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................A-4

A.5. COOLING MODULE SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................A-5

A.6. RAID MANAGEMENT............................................................................................. A-5

A.7. FAULT TOLERANCE MANAGEMENT........................................................................ A-6

APPENDIX B SPARE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

B.1. SPARE PARTS ......................................................................................................... B-1

B.2. ACCESSORIES ......................................................................................................... B-2

APPENDIX C PIN OUTS

C.1. SFP CONNECTOR PIN OUTS ................................................................................... C-1

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Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

C.2.

COM1 CABLE: DB9 AUDIO JACK PIN OUTS.......................................................... C-3

C.3. COM2 CABLE: DB9 AUDIO JACK PIN OUTS.......................................................... C-4

C.4. GAL-9011 NULL MODEM...................................................................................... C-5

C.5. ETHERNET PORT PIN OUTS..................................................................................... C-6

C.6. MAIN POWER ......................................................................................................... C-6

x

Safety Precautions

Precautions and Instructions

• Prior to powering on the subsystem, ensure that the correct power range is being

used.

• The Galaxy subsystem comes with twenty four (24) drive bays. Leaving any of th ese

drive bays empty will greatly affect the efficiency of the airflow within the
enclosure, and will consequently lead to the system overheating, which can cause
irreparable damage.

• If a module fails, leave it in place until you have a replacement unit and you are

ready to replace it.

• Airflow Consideration: The subsystem requires an airflow clearance, especially at

the front and rear.

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

• Handle subsystem modules using the retention screws, eject levers, and the metal

frames/face plates. Avoid touching PCB boards and connector pins.

• To comply with safety, emission, or thermal requirements, none of the covers or

replaceable modules should be removed. Make sure that during operation, all
enclosure modules and covers are securely in place.

• Be sure that the rack cabinet into which the subsystem chassis will be installed

provides sufficient ventilation channels and airflow circulation around the
subsystem.

• Provide a soft, clean surface to place your subsystem on before working on it.

Servicing on a rough surface may damage the exterior of the chassis.

• If it is necessary to transport the subsystem, repackage all disk drives separately.

• Dual redundant controller models come with two controller modules that must be

installed into the subsystem. Single controller modules come with a single controller
module and a metal sheet is placed over the lower controller bay at the rear of the
subsystem. Since single controller modules cannot be upgraded, this metal sheet
should NEVER be removed.

ESD Precautions

Observe all conventional anti-ESD methods while handling system modules.
The use of a grounded wrist strap and an anti-static work pad are recommended.
Avoid dust and debris in your work area.

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Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

About This Manual

This manual:

• Introduces the Galaxy RAID GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D 400mhz ASIC

subsystem.

• Describes all the active components in the subsystem.

• Provides recommendations and details about the hardware installation

process.

• Briefly describes how to monitor the subsystem.

• Describes how to maintain the subsystem.

This manual does not:

• Describe components that are not user-serviceable.

• Describe the configuration options of firmware, using terminal emulation

programs, or the RAIDWatch GUI software that came with your subsystem.

• Give a detailed description of the RAID controllers embedded within the

subsystem.

Revision History

♦ Initial release

Who should read this manual?

This manual assumes that its readers are experienced with computer hardware
installation and are familiar with storage enclosures.

Related Documentation

• User’s Operation Manual

• RAIDWatch User’s Manual

xii

These two documents can be found in the product utility CD included with yo ur
subsystem package.

Conventions

Naming

From this point on and throughout the rest of this manual, the Galaxy series is
referred to as simply the “subsystem” or the “system” and Galaxy is frequently
abbreviated as “Gal.”

Lists

Bulleted Lists: Bulleted lists are statements of non-sequential facts. They can be
read in any order. Each statement is preceded by a round black dot “•.”

Numbered Lists: Numbered lists are used to describe sequential steps you
should follow in order.

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Important information that users should be aware of is indicated with the
following icons:

NOTE:

These messages inform the reader of essential but non-critical
information. These messages should be read carefully as any directions
or instructions contained therein can help you avoid making mistakes.

CAUTION!

Cautionary messages should also be heeded to help you reduce the
chance of losing data or damaging the system.

IMPORTANT!

The Important messages pertain to use the Galaxy subsystem introduced
in this manual.

WARNING!

Warnings appear where overlooked details may cause damage to the

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Galaxy Raid GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

equipment or result in personal injury. Warnings should be taken
seriously.

Software and Firmware Updates

Please contact Rorke Technical Support for the latest software or firmware
updates.

Problems that occur during the updating process may cause unrecoverable errors
and system down time. Always consult technical personnel before proceeding
with any firmware upgrade.

NOTE:

The firmware version installed on your system should provide the
complete functionality listed in the specification sheet/user’s manual.
We provide special revisions for various application purposes.
Therefore, DO NOT upgrade your firmware unless you fully understand
what a firmware revision will do.

xiv

Galaxy Raid Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

xv

Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1. Product Overview

This hardware manual briefly introduces the Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-16F4D Fibre-4G
to SATA-II RAID subsystem as shown in Figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1: GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D FC-to-SATA RAID Subsystem

The GHDX2-2430S-24F4D RAID subsystem is powered by a single RAID controller,
the GHDX2-2430R-24F4D by dual redundant RAID contro llers. Each RAID controller
comes with two (2) 4Gbps Fibre host channels that are interfaced through four (4)
separate SFP ports. A total of eight (8) SFP ports are available in a redundant-controller
configuration. The additional SFP ports facilitate connection to multiple application
servers and for connecting fault-tolerant data paths. The subsystem houses twenty-four
(24) 3Gbps SATA-II disk drives each with dedicated channel bandwidth. Each controller
board comes with a pre-installed 512MB DDR RAM DIMM module and can support
memory modules with the capacities up to 2GB.

The Galaxy HDX2 series is built around a custom ASIC400 specifically designed with
the hardware RAID6 capability. RAID6 can sustain two member drives of a RAID array
to fail at the same time and thereby helps achieve a higher level of data availability.
There are six (6) dedicated RCC paths strung between the partner RAID controllers in a
dual-active configuration. The RCC chips reside on the third, separate PCI-X bus. This
design takes benefits of the abundant system bandwidth brought by the new architecture
and hence the inter-controller communications do not affect drive channel throughput.

Introduction 1-1

Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

A SAS expansion port comes with each RAID controller and provides easy connectivity
to terabytes of expansion capacity over the 4x, wide SAS link cables.

Two (2) RS-232C (audio jack) serial port connectors are located on the controller
faceplate. One serial port (COM1) enables serial communication between the controller
and an external PC running terminal emulation software that can be used to configure and
manage the RAID subsystem. The second serial port (COM2) connects to an
uninterruptible power supply (UPS). An RJ-45 Ethernet connector allows telnet access
and web-based management using the included browser-based or Java-based versions of
the RAIDWatch manager software.

Disk drives in the front section of the subsystem are directly mated with a common
backplane. The backplane receives a maximum of twenty-four (24) SATA-II hard drives
that should be separately purchased.

Two (2) redundant, hot-swappable, dual-fan cooling modules protect the RAID
subsystem from overheating and three (3) redundant, hot-swappable, 1U 405W power
supply unit (PSU) modules provide constant power to the RAID subsystem. The modular
nature of the subsystem and the easy accessibility to all major components ensure that the
subsystem can be reliably and efficiently operated and maintained.

1.1.1 Enclosure Chassis

1.1.1.1 Chassis Overview

The Galaxy HDX2 24bay subsystem comes with a 4U compact steel chassis and
aluminum alloy framework for even distribution of component heat. A back-end PCB is
enclosed in thick gauge sheet metal that divides the enclo sure intern ally into th e front and
rear sections. (See Figure 1-2) The front section accommodates twenty-four (24) drive
trays (with their associated hard drives) and the rear section accommodates three (3) PSU
modules, two (2) dual-fan cooling modules, and RAID controllers in a single- or dual­controller configurations. The two (2) foldable handles on the front of the chassis enable
you to easily extract the chassis from a rack cabinet. The subsystem enclosure can be
mounted into standard 19-inch rack cabinets using separately purchased slide rails.

1-2

Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-2: Galaxy 24-bay SATA RAID Subsystem Overview

1.1.1.2 Physical Dimensions

The Galaxy HDX2 24bay subsystem comes in a standard 4U chassis with the following
dimensions:

♦ With forearm handles: 482W x 174.4H x 514D mm (19 x 6.87 x 20.2 inches)

♦ Without forearm handles: 445W x 174.4H x 498D mm (17.5 x 6.87 x 19.6

inches)

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

1.1.1.3 Front Panel Overview

Figure 1-3: Galaxy HDX2 24bay RAID Subsystem Front View

As shown above, the front section of the subsystem features a 4-column by 6-row layout
to accommodate twenty-four (24) drive trays that are designed to house standard 3.5-inch
SATA drives. The left-side forearm handle comes with a 16 characters by 2 rows LCD
screen and four (4) function keys that can be used to configure and monitor the
subsystem.

1.1.1.4 Drive Slot Numbering

The front section of the enclosure houses twenty-four (24) hard drives. When viewed
from the front, the drive bays (slots) are numbered 1 to 24 from left to right, then from
top to bottom.

Slot-1 Slot-2 Slot-3 Slot-4
Slot-5 Slot-6 Slot-7 Slot-8

Slot-9 Slot-10 Slot-11 Slot-12
Slot-13 Slot-14 Slot-15 Slot-16
Slot-17 Slot-18 Slot-19 Slot-20
Slot-21 Slot-22 Slot-23 Slot-24

Figure 1-4: Hard Drive Slot Numbering

1-4

Introduction

1.1.1.5 Rear Panel Overview

Figure 1-5: Galaxy GHDX2-2430R-24F4D Rear View

Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-6: Galaxy GHDX2-2430S-24F4D Rear View

The rear panel of the Dual redundant controller version of the Galaxy HDX2 subsystem
is shown in Figure 1-5. The rear panel provides access to all the components located in
the rear half of the RAID subsystem enclosure. The rear panel of the single controller
version of the Galaxy HDX2 subsystem is shown in Figure 1-5.

Three (3) (N+1) redundant, hot-swappable 405W PSU modules provide converted power
from the power source. Two (2) redundant, hot-swappable, dual-fan cooling modules are
located above the PSU modules. One power switch on the chassis rear panel controls all
PSU modules. Each PSU module contains two cooling fans.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Each RAID controller module comes with four (4) SFP host ports, two (2) RS-232C
(audio jack) serial ports, one (1) RJ-45 Ethernet connector and status-indicating LEDs
located on its rear-facing faceplate.

1.1.1.6 The Backplane Board

An integrated backplane board receives disk drives on the front end and connects the
RAID controller, cooling, and PSU modules on the other side. The PCB board provides
logic level signals and low voltage power paths. It contains no user-serviceable
components.

1.1.1.7 Subsystem Rack/Cabinet Installation

The subsystem chassis has pre-drilled screw holes for rackmounting. Separately



purchased, independently installed rackmount rails are available for rack or cabin et
installation.

The slide rails come with their own printed copies of installation guide.

1.2. Subsystem Components

1.2.1 LCD Keypad Panel

Figure 1-7: LCD Keypad Panel

The LCD keypad panel consists of an LCD display with push buttons and LEDs that
indicate array statuses. The LCD panel provides full access to all RAID configurations
and monitoring options. After powering up the subsystem, the initial screen will display

1-6

Introduction

the subsystem model name. A different name can be assigned for the subsystem or
specific logical drives. This enables ease of identification in a topology consisting of
numerous arrays.

1.2.2 Drive Trays

The subsystems’ twenty-four (24) drive trays accommodate separately purchased,
standard 1-inch pitch, 3.5-inch disk drives. The drive bays are accessed through the front
of the enclosure. Two (2) LEDs on each tray bezel indicate the disk drive’s operation
status. A rotary bezel lock on each drive tray secures the hard drive in place, while a
release button can be used to open the front bezel.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-8: Drive Tray

WARNING!

Be careful not to warp, twist, or contort the drive tray in any way (e.g., by dropping
it or resting heavy objects on it). The drive tray has been customized to fit into th e
drive bays in the subsystem and if it is deformed or altered it may not fit into the
drive bay.

NOTE:

The redundant-controller subsystem is shipped with twenty-four drive trays with
multiplexer (MUX) adapter boards. These MUX boards provide access routes for
different RAID controllers.

Please DO NOT use drive trays from a previous Galaxy model, GHDX-7376R6­24F2D. They are not compatible.

1.2.3 RAID Controller Module

The RAID controller module contains a main circuit board and a daughter card providing
additional interface connectors, management and host interfaces, and a preinstalled
512MB DDR RAM DIMM. The subsystem comes standard with BBU protection. The
BBU is installed in the module bay located at the top center of the controller module. The
BBU can be independently inserted or removed. Please note: The controller module

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

contains no user-serviceable components. Only remove the controller when replacing a
faulty unit or installing/ the cache memory inside.

WARNING!

Although the RAID controllers are hot-swappable, the only time you should handle
the controller itself is to remove a failed controller, or to install and replace
memory modules. Unnecessary tampering with the RAID controller can damage
the controller.

Figure 1-9: RAID Controller Faceplate

The controller faceplate provides external interfaces including four (4) SFP host ports,
two (2) RS-232C (audio jack) serial ports (labeled COM1 and COM2), one (1) RJ-45
Ethernet connector and six (6) status-indicating LEDs (labeled from 1 to 6), one Restore
Default LED and the associated push button. The controller main circuit board is hou sed
in a metal canister and can only be seen after the controller is removed from the chassis.
The controller canister has two (2) ejection levers that can be used to retrieve or secure
the controller module to the chassis. These levers are secured to the enclosure chassis
using two (2) retention screws through the screw holes underneath each lever.

1.2.4 Controller Module Interfaces

All host I/O and management interfaces are located on the controller faceplate. The
interfaces are listed below.

 SFP host ports: Host ports are SFP sockets that receive 4Gb/s interface fiber optical

transceivers. It is recommended to use only certified transceivers and cables.

 SAS expansion port: The SAS expansion port provides a 12Gb/s wide link to the

Galaxy series expansion JBODs.

 RS-232C (Audio Jack): All controller modules come with two (2) RS-232C (audio

jack) serial ports The serial ports can be used for establishing a management session
through terminal emulation and uninterruptible power supply ( UPS) support.

1-8

Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

The dual-controller subsystem comes with a serial port Y-cable that allows you to
access a surviving controller in the event of controller failure without physically
changing the connection.

TIPS:

Connect both Ethernet ports (if you are using a dual-controller subsystem) to
the Ethernet ports of your network switch.

The Ethernet port on a non-dominant (secondary) controller will stay idle until
the occurrence of primary controller failure.

 Ethernet port: A single 10/100BaseT Ethernet port is used for local/remote

management over LAN/WAN. For a dual-controller configuration, connect the
Ethernet ports on both RAID controllers to your local network. The Ethernet port on
a non-dominant (stand-by, usually the controller in the lower slot) controller will
remain idle until a dominant, primary controller fails and the management service is
transferred to the surviving controller.

 Disk Drive Channels: All models come with twenty-four (24) SATA drive channels

that are interfaced thorough a backplane to the hard disk drives.

1.2.5 DIMM Module

Each controller module comes with a preinstalled 512MB DDR RAM DIMM module
mounted on the controller board within a metal chassis. The controller module supports
memory modules with sizes from 512MB to 2GB.

1.2.6 BBU Module

The BBU can sustain cached data for days during a power failure. If power outage
occurs, the BBU supplies power to sustain the unfinished writes in cache memory.

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Figure 1-10: BBU Module, Controller Top Cover, and the Module Slot

The BBU functionality consists of two major parts. One is the charger circuitry mounted
on top of the controller main board. The other is an optional BBU module that contains
several battery cells. On a single-controller configuration, the BBU is an optional
accessory. The BBU module is hot-swappable so it can be replaced while the subsystem
is running.

New Feature:

The battery cell packs come with an EEPROM to record the date of installation and other
service data; and when the appro ximate on e-year life expectancy is reached (by checking
against the real-time-clock), system administrators will be notified for replacing the
BBU.

In accordance with international transportation regulations, the BBU is only charged to
between 35% and 45% of its total capacity when shipped. After powering on the
subsystem (see Section 4.1) the BBU will automatically start charging its battery cells. It
usually requires approximately twelve (12) hours for the battery to be fully charged.

The BBU is aware of its life expectancy as well as its charge level. Charge level
awareness helps avoid frequent re-charge.

1.2.7 Power Supply Units

The subsystem is equipped with three (3) hot swappable, 1U-profile, 405W PSU
modules. The PSU modules are located on the rear panel of the subsystem.

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Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-11: PSU Module

Each PSU module comes with a power socket for power cord plug-in. All three power
supplies are turned on and off using a single powe r switch on th e enclos ure chas sis. Each
PSU also comes with two (2) embedded cooling fans to provide sufficient airflow across
its heat-generating components and one (1) LED to indicate the PSU status. An extraction
handle makes it easier to install or remove the PSU from the subsystem. While a PSU
may be removed when the system is still online, this should only be done if the PSU has
failed and needs to be replaced.

A retention screw through the extraction handle secures the PSU to the chassis. If the
PSU needs to be removed, the retention screw must be removed first. After installing a
new PSU module, make sure that the retention screw has been firmly secured. The
shipping package contains adjustable cable clamps that can be used to secure power cord
connections.

PSU specifications are shown in Appendix A.

Power Supply Safety Restrictions

No. of Failed PSUs Responses and Preventive Actions

1. Warning messages are issued.

2. Cached data is flushed to the hard drives (also depends on

the Event Triggered configuration settings of the

1

firmware).

3. If previously configured to the Write-back mode, the

caching mode is automatically switched to the
conservative Write-through mode.

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1. Warning messages are issued.

2. The subsystem is temporarily held in an idle state.

3. The firmware forces the subsystem to stop serving host

I/O requests.

2

4. After the failed PSUs are replaced, array administrators

should manually turn the power switch off and then on.

5. If the subsystem is powered on with only one PSU, the

firmware will start the initialization process but stays idle
until at least one other PSU is added.

Table 1-1: Power Supply Safety Restrictions

1.2.8 Cooling Modules

These Galaxy 24 bay subsystems come with two (2) hot swappable, redundant, dual-fan
cooling modules. Two (2) 8cm blowers are housed in each cooling module and provide
ventilation airflow from the front to the rear of the subsystem, extracting the heat
generated by the SATA hard drives and other components.

Intelligent Dual Speed Operation

The fans in the cooling module operate with two rotation speeds. Under normal operating
conditions, the cooling fans run at the low speed, which is sufficient for maintaining an
efficient airflow across components. Under the following conditions, the cooling fans
automatically increase their rotation speed to increase the airflow:

1. Component Failure: if a cooling fan, PSU, or temperature sensor fails, the
remaining cooling fan(s) automatically raises its rotation speed.

2. Elevated Temperature: if the temperature breaches the upper threshold set for any
of the interior temperature sensors, the cooling fans automatically raise its rotation
speed.

3. During the initialization stage, the cooling fans operate at the high speed and
return to low speed once the initialization process is completed and no erro neous
condition is detected.

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Introduction

1.2.9 Enclosure DIP Switches

Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-12: Cooling Module

Figure 1-13: Enclosure DIP Switches

DIP switches are located on the upper left corner of enclosure rear panel. The first tree
switches determine an enclosure ID and should always be kept at their default, “0-0-0.”
The two (2) switches marked as #7 and #8 have no function. The #4 switch is for
controlling the onboard hub across the host ports on partner controllers, to enable/d isable
the onboard bypass. Switch #4 is only applicable in a dual-controller configuration.
Switches #5 and #6 control host channel 4G or 2G speed.

When the onboard hub is enabled, host channels on the partner controllers will be
combined, e.g., Channel 0 on Controller A and Channel 0 on Controller B combined into
a host loop. Using the onboard hub enables fault-tolerant host links without the use of
expensive FC switches in a DAS (Direct Attach Storage) topology.

The configuration options for setting the DIP switches is fully discussed in Chapter 4.

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1.3. Subsystem Monitoring

The RAID subsystem comes with several monitoring methods to give you constant
updates on the status of the system and its individual components. The following
monitoring features are included in the subsystem.

1.3.1 I2C bus

The following subsystem elements interface to the RAID controller over a non-user­serviceable I

 Disk drives (drive failure output)
 PSU modules
 Cooling modules

2

C bus:

 Temperature sensors

1.3.2 LED Indicators

The following active components all come with LEDs that indicate the status of the
individual component:

 RAID controller (7 LEDs)
 LCD keypad panel (3 LEDs)
 Cooling module (2 LEDs)
 PSU module (1 LED)
 Drive tray (2 LEDs)
 BBU module (1 LED)

1.3.3 Firmware and RAIDWatch® GUI

Firmware: The firmware (FW) is pre-installed software that is used to configure the
subsystem. The FW can be accessed through either the front panel LCD keypad or a
terminal emulation program that is installed on an external computer/application server
used as a management station.

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Introduction

RAIDWatch: RAIDWatch is a premier, web-based or Java-based graphical user
interface (GUI) that can be installed on an adjacent or a remote computer and accessed
via standard TCP/IP.

1.3.4 Audible Alarm

The RAID subsystem comes with audible alarms that are triggered when certain active
components fail or when certain controller or subsystem thresholds are exceeded. When
you hear an audible alarm emitted from the subsystem, it is imperative that you determine
the cause and rectify the problem immediately.

WARNING!

Failing to respond when an audible alarm is heard can lead to permanent
subsystem damage. When an audible alarm is heard, rectify the problem as soon as
possible.

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.4. Hot-swappable Components

1.4.1 Hot-swap Capabilities

The subsystem comes with hot-swappable components that can be exchanged while the
subsystem is still online without affecting the operational integrity of the subsystem.
These components should only be removed from the subsystem when they are being
replaced. At no other time should these components be removed from the subsystem.

1.4.2 Components

The following components are all hot swappable:

 RAID controller modules
 PSU modules
 Host I/O modules
 Cooling modules
 Hard drives
 BBU modules

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1.4.3 Normalized Airflow

Proper subsystem cooling is referred to as “normalized” airflow. Normalized airflow
ensures the sufficient cooling of the subsystem and is only attained when all the
components are properly installed. Therefore, a failed component should only be hot­swapped when a replacement is available. If a failed component is removed but not
replaced, permanent damage to the subsystem can result.

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Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

This page is intentionally left blank.

1-17

Chapter 2

Hardware Installation

2.1. Installation Overview

This chapter gives detailed instructions on how to install hard disk drives and drive trays
into the subsystem. Installation into a rack or cabinet should occur before hard drive
installation. Please confirm that you received all of the components listed on a printed
copy of Unpacking List included in the shipping package before proceeding with the
installation process.

2.2. Installation Pre-requisites

1. Static-free installation environment: The subsystem must be installed in a static-

free environment to minimize the possibility of electrostatic discharge (ESD)
damage. (See Section 2.3) Use of anti-static wristband and static-control devices
such as ionizers, is recommended.

2. Component check: Before installing the subsystem, you should confirm that you

have received all of the required components by checking the package contents
against the Unpacking List.

3. Memory modules: If you wish to change the pre-in stalled memory modules, it is

preferred that you install the separately purchased modules during the initial
installation stage. (See Section 2.6.2)

4. Hard drives: Up to 24 hard drives have been pre-integrated into drive trays. On the

rare occasion that a drive needs to be replaced, use this procedure. (See Section 2.7)

5. Cabling: All optical FC cables and SFP transceivers are user-supplied and should be

purchased separately. (See Chapter 4)

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6. Rack installation: The enclosure chassis can be installed into standard, 19-inch

wide rack cabinet using self-purchased mounting rails the Galaxy slide rails.

2.3. Static-free Installation

Static electricity can damage the system’s electronic components. Most of the subsystems
that are returned for repair result from improper installation and ESD damage. To prevent
ESD damage, follow these precautions before handling any of the components:

 When installing the subsystem, you should wear an anti-static wristband or touch a

grounded metal surface to discharge any static electricity from your body.

 Avoid carpets, plastic, vinyl, and Styrofoam in the work area.
 Handle all components by holding their edges or metal frame. Avoid touching circuit

boards or connector pins.

2.4. General Installation Procedure

Detailed, illustrated instructions for each step are given in the following sections.

CAUTION!

To ensure that the system is correctly installed, please follow the steps outlined
below. If these steps are followed, the installation will be fast and efficient. If these
steps are not followed, the hardware may accidentally be installed incorrectly.

Step 1. Unpack the subsystem. Make sure that all the required subsystem

components have indeed arrived.

Step 2. Change the DIMM module. Although a DIMM module comes with

the RAID controller, if you wish to use a different DIMM module
with a larger memory capacity, then the DIMM module exchange
should be made first. (See Section 2.6.2)

Step 3. Rack/Cabinet installation. The subsystem should be installed into a

rack cabinet prior to installing the hard drives. Installation into a rack
cabinet requires separately purchased mounting rails. There are also
Galaxy rail kits for 32 or 36-inch deep racks. Installing the subsystem
into a rack or cabinet requires at least two or three people.

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Step 4. Verification of hard drive installation into the drive trays.

Although SATA-II interface hard drives have been installed into drive
trays for you, follow this procedure to replace individual hard drives.
(See Section 2.7)

Step 5. Install the drive trays into the enclosure. Note that the drive trays

used in single- or redundant-controller subsystems are different. Make
sure not to mix the drive trays. A redundant-controller subsystem
requires the MUX boards on its drive trays.

Step 6. Connect the cables. Use the supplied power cords to connect the

subsystem to power mains. It is recommended to connect power cords
to separate and independent power sources, e.g., UPS systems, for
higher redundancy. Make sure your subsystem is electrically
grounded.

It is also recommended to use the included cable clamps to prevent
accidental disconnection of the power cords. Use separately purchased
Fibre Channel optical cables and transceivers to connect the host ports
to your Fibre Channel storage network or directly to the host
computers. (See Chapter 4)

SAS expansion JBODs come with SAS 4x, wide link cables.

Step 7. Power up. Once all of the components have been properly installed

and all the cables properly connected, the subsystem can be powered
up and the RAID array configured. (See Chapter 4)

2.4.1 Installation Procedure Flowchart

Figure 2-1 shows a flowchart of the installation procedu re. As you complete each step,
check off the “Done” box on the right. Please use this flowchart in conjunction with the
instructions that follow.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Figure 2-1: Installation Procedure Flowchart

2.5. Unpacking the Subsystem

The subsystem components are packed in several boxes.

WARNING!

For a detailed packing list, refer to the included Unpacking List. Do not rely on the
non-definitive, summarized checklist shown below - it is for reference only.

The following items should be packed in individual boxes and are not pre-installed:

 Twenty four (24) drive trays an d pre-installed drives
 Accessory items

The enclosure chassis, with its pre-installed components, is located at the bottom of the
package. The pre-installed components include:

 Two (2) controller modules
 Three (3) PSU modules
 Two (2) cooling modules
 Two (2) foldable forearm handles

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 One (1) LCD keypad panel on the left side foldable handle
 Back-end PCBs

2.6. Memory Module Installation

2.6.1 Memory Module Installation Overview

The subsystem comes with a pre-installed 512MB DDR RAM DIMM module on each
controller. The controller supports memory modules with sizes up to 2GB. If memory
modules with a different size need to be used, the pre-installed DIMM module can be
removed and the new ones installed. Replacement and installation instructions are
described fully below.

NOTE:

A DIMM of a different size can be ordered from your subsystem supplier. Using
non-certified modules can cause unexpected compatibility problems.

Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Considerations:

1. A DIMM socket is located on the side of the controller main board. Prior to changing

the DIMM module, the controller canister must first be removed from the enclosure
chassis.

2. With a new subsystem, there may not be cached data in the DIMM module. If the

subsystem has been operating and there is cached data, the BBU will discharge to
support the cache contents. It is therefore recommended to make sure BBU module
is removed before replacing the DIMM module. The BBU can be removed simply by
loosening its retention screw.

If you are replacing the memory modules, please refer to the installation procedure
below. If the memory modules do not need to be changed, proceed to Section 2.7.

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WARNING!

 The controller board in the controller module is a sensitive item. Please

ensure that all anti-static precautions stipulated above a re strictly adhered to.
Only qualified engineers should replace the DIMM module.

 Removing the DIMM module while it contains cached data and when the

BBU is still attached to the controller can damage the DIMM module. When
the controller is removed from chassis, the BBU will start to discharge
supplying power to memory. Removing the DIMM module while it is being
powered by the BBU may damage the DIMM module.

Therefore, remove a BBU module before you replace a DIMM module if you
prefer using a different DIMM module.

2.6.2 Selecting the Memory Modules

If the memory module on the RAID controller is going to be replaced, the following
factors must be considered when purchasing replacement DIMM modules:

 DDR DIMM modules supported: The subsystem supports DDR RAM DIMM

modules with memory capacities ranging from 512MB to 2GB.

 Installation considerations: When installing the DIMM module, it is necessary to

handle the controller module. The controller board is more susceptible to damage
than the other components and must therefore be handled with extreme care. ALL
anti-static precautions specified in Section 2.3 must be strictly adhered to.

 Secure installation: If the DIMM module is not firmly in place, the subsystem will

not run and the controller will need to be removed and the DIMM module correctly
installed.

 Purchasing considerations: When purchasing a DDR DIMM to install on the

controller board, contact your system vendor for an adequate module.

2.6.3 DIMM Module Installation/Replacement

WARNING!

1. Consult the technical support of your reseller or distributor if you are not

sure which memory module can be installed into the controller. To avoid
compatibility problems, it is recommended to purchase only certified
DIMM modules for the Galaxy RAID.

2. The BBU and controller module must be removed prior to installing a new

memory module. Do this with care. Sensitive components can be damaged
during the process.

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

3. The BBU module is hot-swappable and can be independently swapped

from the controller. However, as a safety precaution and just in case your
memory still holds cached data, it is recommended to flush the unfinished
writes using the “Controller Shutdown” command in firmware and remove
the BBU module before handling the DDR RAM module. If the BBU is
supplying power to the memory when the DDR module is being removed,
damage may occur.

Step 1. Prepare an anti-static work pad for placing a removed controller. Use

of an ESD grounding strap is highly recommended.

Step 2. Remove the pre-ins talled BBU module. Use a Phillips screwdriver

to loosen the retention screw that secures the BBU module to the
enclosure chassis and carefully remove the module. Carefully place
the module for it contains Li-ION batteries. Do not drop it to the floor
or place it near any heat source or fire.

Figure 2-2: Removing the BBU Module

Step 3. Remove the controller module. Remove the retention screws

that secure the controller’s ejection levers using a cross-head
screwdriver. Using both hands, simultaneously press the ejection
levers downward until the controller is removed from the chassis.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Figure 2-3: Removing the Controller Module

Step 4. Remove the DDR DIMM module. You can access the DIMM

module from the opening on the right side of the controller canister.

To remove the DIMM module, press the white, plastic ejectors (clips)

on the sides of the DIMM socket. Grasp the DIMM module by its
edges and pull it out of the socket without touching the electrical
components nearby. Place the module in an anti-static bag.

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Figure 2-4: Accessing a DIMM Module

Step 5. Install the replacement DIMM module. Carefully remove the

replacement module from its anti-static bag. Grasp the module by
edges. Make sure the white, plastic ejectors on the sides of DIMM
socket are open. Carefully align the DIMM module to the socket.
Pressing firmly on both ends, push the module into the socket until the
ejectors return to the closed position.

Figure 2-5: Accessing a DIMM Module

Step 6. Install the controller and the BBU module (if installed). Proceed

with the following to install the controller:

1. Insert the controller into the respective module slot with the

ejector levers at the lowest position.

2. Push the controller in until you feel contact resistance with its

back-end connectors. Use slightly more force to engage the back­end connectors.

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3. Use the ejector levers on the sides to secure the controller into the

chassis slot. Make sure the squared notches of the ejector levers
lock onto the metal grooves on the interior walls of the module
slot. Once in place, pull the levers up to secure the controller.

Insert and fasten the retention screws underneath each ejector

4.
lever to secure the modules. After the controller is properly
installed, install the BBU module by pushing it into the module
slot and fasten its retention screws.

Figure 2-6: Installing the Controller Module

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2.7. Rackmounting the Subsystem

2.7.1 Package Contents

The slide rail kit (32- or 36-inch versions) includes the following components. You
should check to ensure that the slide rail kit you received contains the items listed below.

NOTE:

Except for the different length of mounting brackets, the 32- and 36-inch versions
use the same mounting screws and mounting holes on rack posts.

32-inch/812.8mm; 36-inch/914.4mm

Item

Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Quantity

1
2
3
4
5

6
7

8
9

10

Mounting bracket assembly, left
Mounting bracket assembly, right
End bracket, left
End bracket, right
Screw, cross recess round head, M5x35, rev.: 1.0

Screw, M5x5mm, position screws for square racks, free cutting
steel, rev.: 1.0

Screw, crosshead flat head, #6-32x8mm, rev.: 1.0
Screw, M5 cage nuts, rev.: 1.0
Screw, crosshead round screws, P+6#-32x6mm, rev.: 1.0
4U spacer behind forearm handle

1
1
1
1
4

8
6

4
4
2

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Figure 2-7: Package Contents

The rackmount rails secure the Galaxy 4U chassis to standard 19-inch wide, four-post
cabinets or racks that are between 23 and 36 inches deep. These heavy-duty
rackmount rails provide an easy and safe access to the subsystems as well as a solid
support.

Prepare the tools needed to install the enclosure into rack. The following
should be necessary:

• A medium-sized cross-head screwdriver.

• A small-sized cross-head screwdriver.

• A medium-sized flathead screw driver.

2.7.2 Installation Steps

Step 1. Determine the exact position where you want to install the

Galaxy RAID enclosure in the rack, and then measure the
position.

Step 2. The mounting kit comes with M5 cage nuts that can be used

with racks that have square, unthreaded holes. Align the front
edge of a support bracket against a rack post and adjust spacing

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

so that the front and rear edges of the bracket fit the vertical
rack posts.

Figure 2-8: Fitting a Support Bracket to Rack Posts

Step 3. Determine where in the rack the subsystem is going to be

installed. Attach four (4) M5 flathead screws (#6 in the packing
list) to secure the bracket to the front and the rear rack posts.
See the drawing above. Note that the lower part of the L­shaped brackets should always face inward.

Step 4. Attach two (2) M5 cage nuts (#8 in the packing list) onto each

front rack post. The first cage nut is inserted through the hole
right above the M5 screw at the bottom. Cage nuts should be
attached from the inside of the rack facing outward. Leave six
holes between the two cage nuts on each rack post. These cage
nuts allow you to secure the enclosure from the front of the
chassis through the mounting holes on the forearm handles.

Repeat the process to install another support bracket on the left.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Figure 2-9: Attaching M5 Cage Nuts to Rack Posts

CAUTION!

The mounting positions on the rack posts must be carefully measured so that rails are
mounted parallel to each other. Also pay attention to the clearance between the rack­mounted units.

Step 5. Attach a spacer (#10 in the packing list) to the back of each

enclosure forearm handle using three (3) included flathead
screws (#7 in the packing list).

Figure 2-10: Attaching Spacers to the Back of Enclosure Forearm Handles

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Step 6. Use the included crosshead round screws (#9 in the packing

list) to secure two (2) end brackets (#3 or #4) to the back of the
subsystem.

Figure 2-11: Attaching End Brackets to the Rear Side of Enclosure

Step 7. Gently slide the subsystem into the rack by aligning the tips of

the end brackets with the support brackets. Carefully rest the
tips of the end brackets onto the support brackets and slide the
chassis forward.

Step 8. When the chassis is inserted towards the end of the rack, the

recessed parts of end brackets should engage the two rivets on
the support brackets. Once the enclosure reaches the end,
proceed with securing the chassis through the mounting holes
on the forearm handles.

Figure 2-12: Installing Enclosure

Step 9. Slide the subsystem in as far as it will go, then secure the

system using four (4) pan head screws (see #5 in the packing

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

list) through the holes on the left- and right-side handles to
both of the front rack posts.

Figure 2-13: Securing Enclosure through the Front

2.8. Hard Drive Installation

2.8.1 Hard Drive Installation Overview

WARNING!

1. Handle hard drives with extreme care. Hard drives are very delicate.

Dropping a drive onto a hard surface (even from a short distance) and hitting
or touching the circuits on the drives with your tools may all cause damage to
drives.

2. Observe all ESD prevention m e t hods when handling hard drives.

3. Only use screws supplied with the drive canisters. Longer screws can damage

the disk drives.

2.8.2 Hard Drive Installation Pre-requisites

CAUTION!

The hard drives and drive trays should only be installed into the subsystem after
the subsystem has been mounted into a rack cabinet. If the hard drives are
installed first, the subsystem will be too heavy to lift into position and the possible

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

impact during installation may damage your hard drives.

Hard drives for the subsystem must be purchased separately. When purchasing the hard
drives, the following factors should be considered:

 Capacity (MB/GB): Use drives with the same capacity. RAID arrays use a “least-

common-denominator” approach meaning the maximum
applicable capacity from each member drive in the array is
the maximum capacity of the smallest drive.

 Profile: The drive trays and bays of the system are designed for 3.5-

inch wide x 1-inch high hard drives.

 Drive type: The Galaxy subsystem complies with SATA-II interface hard

drives.

2.8.3 Drive Installation

NOTE:

Although your drives have been preinstalled and tested you may need to replace a
faulty drive. Use the following procedure to replace a faulty drive.

Step 1. Place the hard drive into the drive tray. Make sure the hard drive is

oriented that the drive’s SATA connector is facing the open side of the
drive tray and its label side facing up.

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Figure 2-14: Installing a Hard Drive

Step 2. Adjust the drive’s location until the mounting holes in the drive

canister are aligned with those on the hard drive. Secure the drive with
four (4) supplied 6/32 flathead screws. See the diagram below for the
screw hole locations using a drive tray with or without a MUX board.

Figure 2-15: Screw Hole Locations

WARNING!

Only use screws supplied with the drive canisters. Longer screws can damage the
hard drives.

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2.9. Drive Tray Installation

Before drive tray installation, you need to access the drive bays on the left- and right-side
columns:

To access drive bays hidden behind the forearm handles, first release the retention latches
on the enclosure front handles, and then swing the handles to the left and right-hand
sides. To close the handles, see Figure 2-16, first swing the handles towards the center to
reveal the retention latch, release the latch, and then close the handles.

Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Figure 2-16: Closing the front handles

Install the drive trays into the subsystem once the hard drives have been installed in the
drive trays.

Step 1. Use a flat blade screwdriver to turn the ro tary bezel lock to the

unlocked position, i.e., the groove on its face is in a horizontal

orientation. If the groove is in a vertical position, then the bezel lock is
locked and the front bezel cannot be opened.

Clip

Figure 2-17: Drive Tray Front Bezel

Step 2. Open the front bezel by pushing the release button. The front bezel

will automatically swing open.

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Figure 2-18: Opening Front Bezel

Step 3. Line up with the tray slot in which you wish to insert it. Once the

drive tray is lined up with the slot, gently slide it in. This should be
done smoothly and gently.

Step 4. Close the front bezel. Make sure the front bezel is closed properly to

ensure that the back-end connector is firmly mated with the
corresponding connector on the backplane. If the front bezel is not
closed properly, the connection between the hard drive and the
subsystem will not be secure.

Figure 2-19: Installing a Drive Tray

Step 5. Lock the bezel. Use a flat blade screwdriver to turn the rotary bezel

lock until the groove on its face is in a vertical orientation.

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Figure 2-20: Drive Tray Bezel Lock Rotation

WARNING!

All the drive trays must be installed into the enclosure even if they currently do
not contain a hard drive. If the drive trays are not installed, then the ventilation
required for cooling will not be normalized and the subsystem will be damaged.

2.10. Power Cord Cable Clamp Installation

Several cable clamp assemblies are included in the accessories boxes in the RAID
shipping package. When installing the subsystem, it is recommended to secure all power
cords using these cable clamps to help prevent accidental disconnection that could result
in costly down time.

2.10.1 Component Description

Each cable clamp consists of the following:

1. A cable strap with a “push barb” anchor mount

2. An adjustable cable clamp

The cable strap is secured to the chassis by inserting the barb anchor into th e pre-drilled
hole located under each power supply module. The cable clamp is then secured to the
cable strap and is wrapped around the power plug to hold it in place to ensure that the
power cord connection can withstand vibration and accidental impact.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Figure 2-21: Cable Clamp and Cable Strap (Cable Mount)

2.10.2 Cable Clamp Installation

Step 1. Connect a power cord to a subsystem power socket so that you can

determine the correct position of the cable clamp along the cable
strap. The diagram below shows the relative positions of a power
cord, cable clamp, and cable strap.

Figure 2-22: Power Cord, Cable Clamp and Cable Strap Positions

Step 2. Connect the cable clamp to the cable strap. Insert the flat angled

end of the cable strap through the small opening (the tie head)
underneath the cable clamp with the smooth side of the strap facing up

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Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

and the ribbed side facing down. Press the release tab and adjust the
position of the cable clamp along the strap.

Figure 2-23: Inserting Cable Strap into Cable Clamp

Step 3. Mount the cable strap to the chassis by inserting the push -in barb

anchor into the pre-drilled hole underneath the power supply.

Step 4. Secure the power cord with the cable clamp Flip open the cable

clamp and wrap it around the power plug. If necessary, press on the
release tab to adjust the location of the clamp so it aligns with the b ase
of the power plug as shown below. Press the clip lock on the side of
the clamp until it snaps into position.

Figure 2-24: Power Cord Locked into Position

Step 5. Repeat the process to secure every power cords to the subsystem.

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Subsystem Monitoring

3.1. Subsystem Monitoring Overview

The Galaxy GHDX2-2430S-24F4D and GHDX2-2430R-24F4D subsystems are equipped
with a variety of self-monitoring features that keep you informed of the subsystem’s
operational statuses. These monitoring features provide vital feedback to help you
maintain the operational integrity of the subsystem. Prompt response to warnings and
component failure notifications will help ensure data integrity and the longevity of the
RAID subsystem.

Chapter 3

Self-monitoring features include:

 Management firmware (FW): The firmware manages the array, provides device

status information, and is preinstalled in the subsystem controller. You can access
firmware functionalities using either the LCD keypad panel or a PC running a
terminal emulation program and is connected through the subsystem’s COM 1 RS­232C (audio jack) serial port. The firmware is fully described in the firmware
Operation Manual that came with the subsystem. Please refer to this manual for
further details.

 RAIDWatch: RAIDWatch is a Java-based program that came with the subsystem

and can be used to monitor and manage the subsystem locally or remotely over
TCP/IP. You can use the powerful Configuration Client or Notification Process
Center (NPC) sub-modules to keep you informed over a variety of communications
methods such as fax, pager, email, etc. For further details on the installation and
operation of RAIDWatch, please refer to the RAIDWatch User’s Manua l .

 LEDs: Device-status-indicating LEDs are placed on all of the active components to

inform users of the integrity of a given component. You should become familiar with
the different LEDs and be aware of their functions.

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 Audible alarm: The audible alarm on the subsystem controller board will be

triggered if any of a number of threatening events occurs. These events usually
jeopardize the functional and operational integrity of the controller board and must
be heeded at all times. Events such as a breach of the temperature threshold will
trigger the alarm and if an onsite subsystem manager is present, the manager should
use either the LCD keypad panel or a PC running terminal software to determine the
cause of the alarm and take appropriate corrective measures.

2

 I

C: An I2Cbus connects sensors and presence detection circuitries within the

subsystem (present/not present, ready/failed, etc.).

Subsystem monitoring is a necessary part of subsystem management. When system fault
events or other disruptive events are detected and reported, the subsystem manager must
take appropriate actions to rectify the problem. Failure to act in a properly specified
manner to a system event (such as overheating) can cause severe and permanent damage.

3.2. Status-indicating LEDs

3.2.1 Controller Module LEDs

The controller module faceplate is shown in Figure 3-1 below. The LEDs are numbered
from 1 to 6 and their definitions are shown in Table 3-1 below.

Figure 3-1: Galaxy HDX2 Controller Faceplate

LED Name Color Status

GREEN indicates that the controller is active and

1

Ctrl
Status

Green/
Amber

operating normally.

AMBER indicates the controller is being initialized
or has failed. The controller is not ready.

ON indicates that data is currently cached in

2 C_Dirty

Amber

memory or is supported by the BBU during a power
loss.

3 Temp.

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System Monitoring

Amber

ON indicates that one of the preset temperature

Chapter 3 Subsystem Monitoring

thresholds is violated.

4

BBU
Link

Green ON indicates BBU is present.

FLASHING indicates there is active traffic through

5 Hst Bsy

Green

the host ports.

OFF indicates there is no activity on the host ports.

FLASHING indicates there is active traffic on the

drive channels.

6 Drv Bsy

Green

OFF indicates there is no activity on the drive
channels.

Table 3-1: Controller Module LED Definitions

3.2.1.1 Fibre Port LEDs

Each I/O module provides 4G FC SFP ports. Each of these ports has two (2) LEDs for
displaying the link and speed statuses. Host port LEDs are used here as examples.

Name Color Status

Steady GREEN indicates that channel
link is valid.

OFF indicates no valid link is made
through the FC port.

Link

Green

Steady GREEN indicates 4Gb/s link
speed.

Speed

Green/
Amber

Steady AMBER indicates 2Gb/s link
speed (drive channels only).

Off indicates incongruous link status.

Table 3-2: Fibre Port LED Definitions

3.2.1.2 Restore Default LED

A restore default LED is located above the Restore Default push button on the lower right
corner of the controller faceplate. To restore firmware defaults, press and hold the button
before powering on the subsystem. Once the factory defaults are successfully restored,
the restore default LED lights green and then you can release the button.

CAUTION!

Restoring default is more or less a last-resort method. Although logical drives

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

remain intact after default restoration, configuration data such as LUN mapping
and performance preferences will be erased. Before using this button, make sure
you have a written record or a previously saved configuration profile (one of
firmware’s functionalities, “Save NVRAM”).

Please refer to Chapter 1 for the correct procedures of default restoration.

3.2.2 LAN Port LEDs

A shielded Ethernet cable is recommended for connecting the RJ-45 Ethernet
management port to a local network after you configu re an IP address. This enables you
to manage your subsystem via LAN/WAN. Two (2) LEDs on the Ethernet port indicate
connection statuses. Please refer to Error! Reference source not found. for the LED
definitions.

Name Color Status

Link

Activity

3.2.3 LCD Keypad Panel

The LCD keypad panel comes with three (3) status-indicating LEDs, from top to bottom,
PWR, BUSY, and ATTEN. The definitions of these LEDs are shown in Table 3-5.

Figure 3-2: LAN Port Indicators

Green

Green

Table 3-3: LAN Connector LED Definitions

ON indicates the management port is connected to a
node or networking device.

BLINKING indicates active transmission

3-4

System Monitoring

Chapter 3 Subsystem Monitoring

Figure 3-3: LCD Panel LEDs

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

LED Name Color Status

PWR Blue

BUSY White

ATTEN Red

ON indicates that power is supplied to the subsystem.
OFF indicates that no power is supplied to the subsystem

or the subsystem/RAID controller has failed.
ON indicates that there is active traffic on the host/drive

channels.
OFF indicates that there are no activities on the host/drive

channels.
ON indicates that a component failure/status event has

occurred.
OFF indicates that the subsystem and all its components

are operating correctly.

Table 3-4: LCD Panel LED Definitions

NOTE:

 During the power up process, the LCD panel ATTEN LED will be turned on.

If the subsystem boots up successfully, then the ATTEN LED will be turned
off after the boot up procedure is complete.

 The MUTE button silences the alarm temporarily until the next controller

event occurs.

3.2.4 Drive Tray LEDs

Each drive tray comes with two (2) status-indicating LEDs. One indicates power and the
other hard drive activities. Their definitions are shown in Table 3-5.

Figure 3-4: Drive Tray LEDs

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System Monitoring

Chapter 3 Subsystem Monitoring

LED Name Color Status

Drive Busy Blue/Amber

Power
Status

3.2.5 BBU Module LED

The hot-swappable BBU module comes with an LED that indicates module failure, or
when battery cells are being replenished.

FLASHING blue indicates there is read/write
activity on the drive from Controller A.

FLASHING amber indicates there is read/write
activity on the drive from Controller B (in a
redundant-controller mode).

OFF indicates there is no read/write activity on
the drive.

Green/Red

GREEN indicates that power is supplied to the

hard disk drive and the disk drive is present.

RED indicates that there is a disk drive failure or
the disk drive is absent.

Table 3-5: Drive Tray LED Definitions

Figure 3-5: BBU Module LED

LED Name Color Status

BBU Status

Amber

ON indicates the BBU has failed and cannot sustain
the cache memory.

OFF indicates the BBU is sufficiently charged and
can sustain cached data.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

FLASHING indicates the batteries are being charged.

Table 3-6: BBU LED Definitions

IMPORTANT!

In addition to BBU failure itself and the charger failure, the subsystem may
also light the BBU fault LED when the following occur:

1. The temperature sensor embedded with the charger circuit reports a

temperature reading exceeding 45 degree Celsius.

2. The BBU (battery backup unit) has been charged for over 12 hours. The

BBU charger will enter a timer fault state.

When the above conditions occur, the charger circuit will enter a low-power
and self-protection state.

You may correct the faults when receiving a “BBU Thermal
Shutdown/Enter Sleep-Mode!” event message:

1. Check proper ventilation within the subs ystem. You may also check the

readings from other sensors within the enclosure. Airflow might have been
disrupted by the absence of one or several major modules or the failure of
a cooling fan. Once the thermal condition is improved, charging will
resume automatically.

2. If a new battery module has been charged for over twelve (12) hours and

this event is issued, you may remove and re-install the battery module. An
empty battery module may take more than 12 hours to be fully charged.
There is a timer embedded with the charger, doing so can reset the timer.
Charging will resume automatically.

3. Whenever you install/re-install a BBU, the subsystem reco gnizes a BBU

only after a system reset.

3.2.6 PSU Module LED

Each PSU module has one (1) LED just below the retention screw to indicate the
operational status of the PSU module. Please refer to Table 3-7 for PS U L ED definitions.

3-8

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Chapter 3 Subsystem Monitoring

Figure 3-6: PSU Module LED

Color Status

Static Green

Static Red

The PSU is operating normally and experiencing no problems

The PSU has failed and is unable to continue providing power to
the subsystem.

Blinking
Green

OFF

The PSU is not turned on. This LED blinks when the power cord
is connected but the power switch is not turned on.

The PSU is not turned on, no power is supplied to the PSU or the
power plug is not connected.

Table 3-7: PSU Module LED Definitions

3.2.7 Cooling Module LED

Figure 3-7: Cooling Fan Module LEDs and Cooling Fan Locations

Each cooling module has two (2) red LEDs. Each LED corresponds to a single cooling
fan within the module.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

LED Status

OFF

ON

The respective cooling fan is operating normally.

The respective cooling fan has failed and the module must be
replaced.

3.3. Audible Alarm

Different controller environmental and operational parameters (such as temperature, etc.)
have been assigned a range of values between which they can fluctuate. If either the
upper or lower thresholds are exceeded, an audible alarm will automatically be triggered.
The alarm will also be triggered when an active component of the subsystem fails. If the
subsystem manager is onsite and is alerted by the alarm, the manager needs to read the
error message on the LCD screen or on the PC terminal to determine what has triggered
the alarm and then take appropriate actions to rectify the problem.

WARNING!

Table 3-8: Cooling Fan Module LED Definitions

Whenever an alar m is triggered, you must determine the cause of th e problem. If
the audible alarm is ignored or not taken seriously and the problem is not rectified,
permanent damage to the system can result.

3.3.1 Default Threshold Values

Table 3-9 shows the default threshold values for the subsystem. If these values are
surpassed, the alarm will sound. The enclosure sensor default is set at a higher value than
the suggested ambient temperature threshold; however, it is crucial you maintain an
ambient temperature below 40ºC (and below 35ºC if BBUs are applied) at your
installation site.

Parameter Upper Threshold Lower Threshold

+3.3V +3.6V +2.9V

+5V +5.5V +4.5V

+12V +13.2V +10.8V

Enclosure Ambient 40ºC 0ºC

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Chapter 3 Subsystem Monitoring

CPU Temperature 90ºC 5ºC

Board Temperature 80ºC 5ºC

Table 3-9: Default Threshold Values

The thresholds in Table 3-9 are the default threshold values. To see how to change these
values, please refer to the firmware Operation Manual that came with your system.

3.3.2 Failed Devices

If any of the following devices fail, the audible alarm will be triggered:

 RAID controller module
 Cooling modules
 PSU modules
 BBU modules
 Hard drives
 Temperature sensors

3.4. I2C Monitoring

The PSUs, cooling modules, temperature sensors, and disk drive failure outputs are
monitored through an I
through the various methods described above.

2

C serial bus. If any of these modules fails, you will be notified

System Monitoring

3-11

Chapter 4

Connection and Operation

This chapter outlines some basic rules you should follow when configuring a
storage system and introduces basic information about how to connect the
cabling and design a topology for the Galaxy 24bay RA ID subsystems. You can
follow these sample topologies or use them as a guide for developing your own
unique topologies. A complete description of the power on and power off
procedures is also given in this chapter.

4.1 FC Host Connection Prerequisites

4.1.1 Choosing the Fibre Cables

It is recommended to apply Galaxy certified Fibre Channel transceivers and
optical cables. The Fibre host ports connect to Fibre Channel host adapters
(HBA) that features a 4/2Gbps transfer rate, SFP interface, and support for full­duplex transfer, best interfaced through a 64-bit/133MHz PCI-X or higher speed
system bus. In order to bring out the best of your RAID performance, HBAs of
high speed interface are recommended.

WARNING!

All Fibre cables are sensitive and must be handled with care. To prevent
interference within a rack system, the cable routing path must be carefully
planned and the cables must not be bent.

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4.1.2 FC Lasers

CAUTION!

Lasers can be hazardous and may cause permanent eye damage, and
therefore must be treated with respect and used with caution. Never look
at lasers without knowing that they are turned off.

Wavelengths: The lasers on fiber optic cables emit either short wave (SW)
beams (770nm-860nm) or long wave (LW) (1270nm-1355nm) beams. Cables
using either of these wavelengths can be used.

Laser types: Two (2) types of laser devices can be used in FC cables: Optical
Fibre Control (OFC) and non-OFC lasers. The OFC lasers are high -pow ered an d
can be used over long distances.

Safety features: Due to their high power output, OFC lasers usually come with
a safety mechanism that switches the laser off as soon as it is unplugged.
Although non-OFC lasers are low power and do not come with this safety
feature, they can still inflict damage.

4.1.3 FC Speed Auto-negotiation

Speed auto-negotiation is currently not supported. All networking devices, e.g.,
HBAs, switches, must operate at the configured speed. Channel speed can be
configured via the rear panel DIP switches.

NOTE:

1. Fibre Channel transmission speed is also determined by cable length

and other factors. Make sure your connection and device
configuration meet the requirements specified by your cabling
devices vendors.

2. Currently Fibre host channels only operate at either the fixed 4Gb or

2Gb speed. For example, if set to 4Gb/s, all networking devices must
support the 4Gb/s transfer rate.

4.1.4 SFP Transceivers

The SFP transceivers for connecting your storage network should comply with
4Gbps or 2Gbps bi-directional data link specifications, and come with a laser
transmitter (for fiber optic cables), LC type connector, and a metal enclosure to
lower EMI.

4-2 Subsystem Connection and Operation

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

NOTE:

LC connectors are small form-factor, fiber-optic connectors based on a

1.25-mm ceramic ferrule with the familiar latching mechanism of the RJ­45 modular plug and jack.

Other beneficial features of a typical SFP transceiver include a single power
supply, low power dissipation, and hot-swap capability. It is also important that
any transceiver you use meets the FC performance and reliability specifications.

NOTE:

SFP transceiver modules must be purchased separately. You may also
purchase the SFP transceivers from your Galaxy subsystem
vendor/distributor.

4.2 Topology and Configuration
Considerations

4.2.1 Basic Configuration Rules

When you are configuring your subsyste m, the following are some basic rules
that should be followed.

• When selecting the number of hard drives to be included in a logical

configuration, the host channel bandwidth and the mechanical performance
of individual disk disks should be considere d.

It is a good practice to calculate performance against the host port
bandwidth when designing an application topology. As shown below, if
eight (8) members are included in a logical drive, this logical drive should
be associated with a host ID, and accessed through a host channel making
efficient use of the channel bandwidth. If, for example, two 8-drive logical
arrays are associated with IDs residing on a single host channel, there may
be a trade-off with the best performance.

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Figure 4-1: Drive Mechanical Speed and Logical Drive Speed

There are other considerations. For example, a spare drive carries no data
stripes and will not contribute to disk-level performance. Refer to the
documentation that came with your hard drives for performance data.

• Follow all the Fibre Channel specifications when cabling. Pay attention to

signal quality and avoid electronic noise from adjacent interfaces.

• The disk drives included in the same logical array should have the same

capacity, but it is preferred that all disk drives within a chassis have the
same capacity. Even disk drives of the same model name may carry
different block numbers. One way to get around this issue is to tune down
the “Maximum Drive Capacity” to a lower number. Please refer to your
firmware operation manual for details.

• A spare drive should have a minimum capacity equivalent to the largest

drive that it is expected to replace. If the capacity of the spare is smaller
than the capacity of the drive it is expected to replace, then the controller
will not proceed with the failed drive rebuild.

4-4 Subsystem Connection and Operation

4.2.2 Fibre Channel Topologies

The Fibre Channel standard supports three (3) separate topologies: point-to­point, Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL), and fabric switch.

• Point-to-Point: Point-to-point topology is the simplest topology that

can be used. It is a direct connection between two (2) Fibre Channel
devices. System firmware has a related configuration option, and when
set to “Point-to-Point,” only one target ID is available on each channel.

• FC-AL: This is the most common topology currently in use. The Fibre

Channel devices are all connected in a loop and each device is assigned
an arbitrated loop physical address (AL_PA). FC-AL supports 124
devices on a single loop.

• Fabric: The fabric topology supports up to 2

This topology allows many devices to communicate at the same time.
A Fibre switch is required to implement this topology.

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

24

Fibre Channel devices.

4.2.3 Host-side Topologies

In a configuration designed for high data availability, the primary concern for
host-side topologies is to avoid points of failure. It is therefore recommended
that an application server be connected to at least two (2) HBAs. It is also
preferable to connect the RAID subsystems to the host computer(s) through a
Fibre switch. The 24bay Galaxy RAID subsystems come with the onboard hub.
In a directly-attached application, the onboard hub feature provides path
redundancy and saves you the cost of a FC switch.

NOTE:

To create fault-tolerant data paths on the host side, a third-party multi­pathing software is necessary for managing access routes to the RAID
subsystem to avoid access contention and path failover.

4.2.4 Drive-side Topologies

Each disk drive is connected through a dedicated channel. Note that the drive­side expansion is made through the SAS expansion port on each controller.

4.2.5 Internal Connections

The internal connections described here apply to the redundant controller
subsystem, GHDX2-2430R-24F4D. The two (2) RAID controllers are connected
to each other internally through a common backplane. This enables the

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controllers to synchronize cached data and configuration profile. When the
onboard hub is enabled by the enclosure DIP switches, the two (2) host channels
on individual RAID controllers are connected internally via bypass. This
mechanism provides access routes to a surviving controller in the event of a
single controller failure.

• Make sure you select the appropriate host port topology option thro ugh

the firmware configuration utilities. The available options include:

- Loop Only

- Point-to-point

• If the onboard hub is enabled, the host IDs on the two (2) host ch annels

are associated with specific WWN node names and port names. If a
controller fails, the surviving controller will avail itself using the
original node names and port names.

• In the event of cable disconnection or RAID controller failure, a valid

data link through the existing controller will continue data transfer that
was previously served by the failed controller.

4.2.6 Unique Identifier

The unique identifier is a user-specified, 16-bit hexadecimal number that is used
to generate FC ports’ node names, port names, and also the Ethernet port MAC
address. Each subsystem has a factory-assigned hexadecimal number and there
is no need to change it unless you accidentally lose the identifier.

4.2.7 ID/LUN Mapping

I/O load distribution between the dual-redundant RAID controllers (in the
GHDX2-2430R-24F4D) is determined by the host ID /LUN mapping, a process
done by associating logical configurations of disk drives with host channel
ID/LUN combinations. Different logical groups of drives can be mapped to
channel IDs or the LUN numbers under a host ID. For a multi-path
configuration, a logical drive configuration can be mapped to different ID/LUN
combinations. In this case, the multi-path management software or file locking
mechanism is required on the host side. ID/LUN mapping procedures are
described fully in the interface-specific firmware Operation Manual.

4-6 Subsystem Connection and Operation

4.3 Fibre Channels

4.3.1 Onboard Hub Settings

The subsystem comes with embedded hub on their host channels. Channel bus
and access routes configurations with different DIP switch settings are
diagrammed below.

4.3.2 Jumper Assignments

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

Figure 4-2: Location of the DIP Switches

• Pin #4: CH0 and CH1 onboard hub en/disable

The onboard hub enabled on CH0 and
CH1.

The onboard hub disabled on CH0 and
CH1.

•

Pins #5 and #6: CH0 and CH1 4G/2G speed selector

These combinations set all host
ports to 4Gbps speed.

The pin combination sets all host
ports to 2Gbps speed.

DIP switches are located on the upper left corner of the subsystem rear panel.
Use a ballpoint pen to change the setting.

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DIP Switch Configurations and Host Port Connectivity:

• Pin #4: The host channels of the partner controllers are connected together

across the backplane signal paths. Host ports are combined into
host loops; for example, the CH0 ports on Controller A and
Controller B form a 4-port host loop.

Every host I/O port connects to both of the RAID controllers.

Figure 4-3: Hub Enabled: Controller A and B ports Combined

into Host Loops.

4-8 Subsystem Connection and Operation

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

Figure 4-4: Host Port Bandwidth when the Onboard Hub is Enabled or

Disabled

IMPORTANT:

1. One drawback of using the hub function is that the host ports hubbed

together may not be connected to the N_ports on a fabric switch.
When host ports are hubbed together, they are ideal for connecting
other RAID enclosures and direct-attached servers with path
redundancy without the costs on expensive FC switches.

2. Another drawback is that if host ports are hubbed together, the

overall host port bandwidth is halved.
For example, the Channel 1 host ports on each controller feature a

4Gb/s bandwidth and a total of 8Gb/s bandwidth from the host ports

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on two controllers.
If host ports are hubbed together, all four “Chann el 1” host ports on

bother controllers share a 4Gb/s bandwidth.

Figure 4-5: Channel Bus Connection and Cascaded Subsystems

o Usage: The onboard hub applies when an additional RAID enclosure

is needed and when you run short of the available switch
ports, HBA ports, or installation space.

4-10 Subsystem Connection and Operation

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

o Concern: On e major concern for this topology is to avoid ID conflicts

on the host channels. When cascaded, logical drives from
different RAID subsystems should be associated with
different host channel IDs.

o Hub Disabled: When the onboard hub is disabled, SFP ports are

specific to each RAID controller. If you connect
application servers through FC switches, disable the
onboard hub. Namely, the onboard hub should be
disabled where FC port bypass can be provided
externally.

• Pins #5 + 6: Currently the Fibre Channel device Au to- Negotiation

does not work with all FC HBAs or switches. Please
contact Galaxy tech support for certified equipment
list for more information. Host-side connections must
operate either at the fixed 4Gbps or 2Gbps speed. If
your current storage network comprises of 2Gbps
devices, set channel speed to 2Gbps.

WARNING!

When the speed selection is manually switched for host channels to run at
a 2G speed, subsystem firmware must also be adjusted accordingly. You
may access the firmware using the LCD in front of the subsystem, RS­232C hyper terminal screen, telnet and RAIDWatch management software.
If the Fibre port speed options are not coordinated with the firmware, the
data transfer rate may eventually slow down and cause system error.

Make sure the Channel bus Data Rate setting in firmware is consistent
with your DIP switch selection. The firmware configuration options can be
found in Main Menu, “View and Edit Channels,” “Data Rate.”
Changing the configuration requires resetting the subsystem.

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NOTE:

To answer questions re lated to firmware config uration such as the chan nel
speed selection, please refer to the FC to SATA RAID Subsystem
Operation Manual that came with the Product Utility CD in your
subsystem package.

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Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

4.4 Host Connection Sample Topologies

4.4.1 Simple, Direct Connection to Host Computers

The subsystem is directly connected to two application servers. Each server is
equipped with two HBA cards.

Figure 4-6: Direct-attached Clustered Servers Connections – Hub Disabled

Note that if a logical drive is associated with both an AID and a BID, logical
drive’s performance may not be as good as those associated with two AIDs or
two BIDs. A logical drive is managed by Controller A if it is associated with
AIDs.

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Shown below is an example showing logical drives each managed by a single
RAID controller, host ports hubbed together, and access routes forming fault­tolerant pairs. Multiple IDs will appear through the host ports; namely, multip le
RAID volumes will appear through a host data link. Host management software
will be necessary to manage access contention and provide failover capability.

Because each channel’s host ports on controller A and controller B are hubbed
together, a BID (ID managed by controller B) can appear through a host link to
an SFP port on controller A.

Figure 4-7: Direct-attached Clustered Servers Connections – Hub Enab led

Channel Settings

Host

CH0 and CH1

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Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

Drive
4th DIP Switch

Configuration Information

RAID Controllers
Application Servers
Data path Connection
Host Channel Bandwidth
Max. Number of Drives

• This is a direct-attached configuration showing two (2) host computers

sharing the storage volume of one (1) RAID subsystem. Disk drives in the
enclosure can be configured into one or more arrays, and made available
through individual host ports.

• Operating system(s) might boot from the array. Operating using a protected

capacity decreases th e cha nce of serv er downtime. The logical arrays can be
associated with different controller IDs on different host channels so that if
a cable link fails, the host can still access the arrays through another channel
link. File locking or access management utilities will be necessary to avoid
access conflicts.

Via system bus, through the backplane
Hub enabled/disabled

2
2
Fault-tolerant paths
800 MBps
24

• Depending on I/O characteristics, each configured array should be properly

optimized either for Random or Sequential I/Os.

• Multiple logical drives or multiple RAID partitions can be created and made

available separately through different ID/LUNs on the host ports.

4.4.2 Direct-attached Connections with Data Link Fault
Tolerance

This is a direct-attached configuration making use of all connection points and
shares storage with four (4) host computers, each of the host computers with two
(2) single-ported HBAs for path redundancy.

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Figure 4-8: Clustered Servers with Redundant Paths

Channel Settings

Host
Drive
4th DIP Switch

CH0 and CH1
Via system bus, through the backplane
Hub disabled

Configuration Information

RAID Controllers
Application Servers
Data Path Connection
Host Channel Bandwidth
Max. Number of Drives

2
4
Fault-tolerant data paths
1600 MB/s
24

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Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

• This is a direct-attached configuration showing four (4) host computers

sharing the capacity in one (1) RAID subsystem. Disk drives in the
enclosure can be configured into one or more arrays, and made available
through individual host ports.

• Each configured array (logical drive) is separately mapped (or associated)

with more than one host ID/LUN. A logical configuration of drives may
appear as two array volumes to the host, and the multi-path management
software on the host should recognize them as access routes to the same
storage volume.

• In the sample diagram above, up to two IDs may appear through a host link.

To avoid access contention, you will need access management provided by

rd

party software.

3

• If a RAID controller fails or a data path is disconnected, the host computer

can still access the array. By associating an array with IDs on two different
host buses and two different RAID controllers, the host computer can
access the array in the event of single component failure.

• If Controller A fails, Controller B will take over to eliminate any downtime

for high-availability applications.

• Operating system(s) might boot from the array. Operating using a protected

capacity decreases the chance of server downtime. Each server may use
separate capacity volumes or share volumes using file locking or access
management utilities.

• Depending on I/O characteristics, each configured array should be properly

optimized either for Random or Sequential I/Os.

• You may also partition a logical capacity into two or more volumes and let

each server access separate partitions.

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4.4.3 Hub Disabled and Switched Fabric Connection

With disabled hub, the individual host channels from individual RAID
controllers are connected to two separate switched fabric networks. This can
apply to applications using the RAID subsystem as a common storage pool
where component and path redundancy is also important.

For simplicity reason, only two servers are sh own in the diagram. More cable
links can be used to connect more application servers within a switched fabric.

Figure 4-9: Hub Disabled and Switched Fabric

Please note, in the example shown in Figure 4-9, the channels are configured as
follows:

Channel Settings

Host
Drive
4th DIP Switch

CH0 and CH1
Via system bus, through the backplane
Hub disabled

Configuration Information

RAID Controllers
Host Servers

2
Multiple through fabric links

4-18 Subsystem Connection and Operation

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

Data Path Connection
Host Channel Bandwidth
Max. Number of Drives

The onboard hub can be disabled so that individual host ports provide access to
individual RAID controllers.

• This is a SAN storage application using two (2) host channels through four

(4) separate FC links from individual RAID controllers.

• Path bypass redundancy is provided externally by a fabric switch.

• Depending on switch port configuration, change your FC host-side protocol

through firmware utilities to fit the connection type either to the N_ports or
the NL_ports as specified by your FC switches.

• Access management software can be implemented to direct data flow

through an existing host link if one of the data paths fails. The precondition
is that an array should also be available through the host ID/LUNs on
another host link.

Fault-tolerant data paths
1600 MB/s
24

CAUTION!

Figure 3-10: Faulty Connections in a Public Loop

Please DO NOT connect the cascade ports of a single host channel on a
RAID controller to two different FC switches. A public loop contains only one
FL_port, and hence the second FL_port will become non-functional.

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4-20 Subsystem Connection and Operation

4.4.4 Expansion Links

A redundant-controller RAID enclosure connects to a maximum of two (2) 16
drive SAS expansion enclosures which house either SAS or SATA disk drives.
SAS link cables are provided with the expansion enclosures.

A unique enclosure ID should be individually configured for each expansion
enclosure using the rotary ID switch on its LED panel.

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

Figure 4-11: Expansion: Redundant Controller Configuration

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

A single-controller RAID enclosure connects to a maximum of four (4) 16 bay
SAS expansion enclosures which house either SAS or SATA disk drives. SAS
link cables are provided with the expansion enclosures. The single-controller
configuration provides no data link redundancy.

Figure 4-12: Expansion: Single Controller Configuration

4.5 Power On

Once all of the components have been installed in the subsystem and the host
ports have been connected, the subsystem can be powered on.

4.5.1 Check List

BEFORE powering on the subsystem, please check the following:

 Memory module: Memory modules have been correctly installed on

the controller boards.

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Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

 BBU: If used, make sure the optional BBU has been installed correctly

in the single-controller enclosure.

 Hard drives: Hard drives have been correctly installed in the drive

trays.

 Drive trays: All the drive trays, whether or not they contain a hard

drive, have been installed into the subsystem.

 DIP switch settings: All the appropriate DIP switch settings have been

made. The hub has been enabled/disabled (as requ ired) and the chann el
speed has been properly configured.

 Cable connections: The subsystem has been correctly connected to

host computer(s), external networking devices, expansion enclosures,
and/or cascaded subsystems.

 Power cords: The power cords have been connected to the PSUs on

the subsystem and plugged into the main power source.

 Ambient temperature: All the subsystem components have been

acclimated to the surrounding temperature.

4.5.2 Power On Procedure

When powering on the subsystem, please follow these steps:

Step 1. Power on the Fibre Channel connection devices.

These devices include the FC switches and any other such
device that have been connected to the subsystems. Please
refer to the documentation that came with your networking
devices to see their power on procedure.

Step 2. Power on the cascaded subsystems or the expansion JBODs

that are not connected directly to the host computers.

Step 3. Power on the subsystem.

The subsystems should be powered on before the host
computers. Turn the power switch on. (See Figure 4-13) One
(1) power switch that controls all PSUs is shielded by an anti­tamper plastic cover.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

Figure 4-13: Power Switch

CAUTION!

Although the PSUs are redundant and the subsystem can withstand a
single PSU failure, it is advisable to replace a failed PSU immediately.
The subsystem will be held in an idle state if two PSUs have already failed
in the subsystem.

Step 4. Power on the host computers.

The host computers are the last devices that are turned on.

Please refer to the documentation that came with your host
computers to see their own power on procedures.

4.5.3 Power On Status Check

Once the subsystem has been powered on, the status of the entire subsystem
should be checked to ensure that all components are receiving power and
functioning without complications or malfunctions.

 Controlle r module LEDs – The controller ready, host and drive por ts

active LEDs should all flash green after a successful initialization.

 Drive tray LEDs – The blue LED for all the drive trays (that contain

hard drives) should light up, showing that there is power.

 LCD panel LEDs – The blue LED on the LCD panel should be lit,

indicating that power is supplied to the system.

 Firmware and RAIDWatch – The overall status of the system can be

checked using the firmware or the RAIDWatch GUI.

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Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

 Audible alarm – If any errors occur during the initialization process,

the onboard alarm will sound in a hastily repeated manner.

Drive tray LEDs should normally start flashing, indicating the RAID controller
units are attempting to access the hard drives.

System firmware can be configured to support a d elayed sequence for starting
drives. Please consult your interface-specific Operation Manual for more
details.

NOTE:

The subsystem has been designed to run continuously. If a component
fails, the fault can be corrected online.

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4.5.4 LCD Screen

When powering on the subsystem, the following messages should appear on the
front panel LCD screen. Wait for the front panel LCD to show “READY” or
“No Host LUN” before the host boots up.

Model Name

GHDX2-24

Ready

Status/Data Transfer Indicator

Figure 4-14: The LCD Initial Screen

The LCD screen startup sequence is shown and described in the sequence
below.

Initializing….
Please Wait...

Power On Self
Test Please Wait…

Power on
Init Completed..

This screen appears when the PSUs are
turned on.

System is performing a self test.

System power-on self test is completed.

GHDX2-24

GHDX2-24
512MB RAM, Wait...

GHDX2-24
No Host LUN

GHDX2-24
Ready

4-26 Subsystem Connection and Operation

System is accessing various interfaces.

Verifying installed memory.

System is ready. You can now start to
configure the subsystem.

System is ready for I/Os.

Chapter 4: Subsystem Connection and Operation

4.6 Power Off Procedure

To power off the subsystem, please follow these steps:

NOTE:

When powering off the subsystem, please ensure that no time-consuming
processes, like a “logical drive parity” check or a “Media Scan,” are running.

Step 1. Stop I/O access to the system.

Use the software provided on the host computer to stop all I/O
accesses to the subsystem. Please refer to the documentation
that came with your application servers and operating systems.

Some operating systems may require “unmounting” disk
volumes (mapped LUNs) before powering off the array.

Step 2. Flush the cache.

Usually the cached writes will be distributed in a short time.
You may also use the “Shutdown Controller” firmware
function to flush all cached data. This prepares the RAID
subsystem to be powered down.

Step 3. Turn off the power.

Turn off the power switch at the rear panel of the RAID
subsystem. Once the RAID subsystem has been powered off,
other devices connected to the subsystem may be powered
down.

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4-28 Subsystem Connection and Operation

Chapter 5

Subsystem Maintenance

5.1. Introducing Subsystem Maintenance and
Upgrading

5.1.1 Maintenance

Constant monitoring and maintenance of your subsystem will minimize
subsystem downtime and preserve the working integrity of the system for a
longer period of time. If any of the subsystem components fail, they must be
replaced as soon as possible.

WARNING!

Do not remove a failed component from the subsystem until you have a
replacement on hand. If you remove a failed component without replacing
it, the internal airflow will be disrupted and the system will overheat
causing damage to the subsystem.

All of the following components can be replaced in case of failure:

1. RAID controller module – Section 5.2.3

2. DIMM module – Section 5.2.4

3. BBU module – Section 5.3

4. PSU modules – Section 5.4

5. Cooling modules – Section 5.5

6. Hard drives – Section 5.6.2

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5-2 Subsystem Maintenance

Chapter 5: Subsystem Maintenance

5.1.2 General Notes on Component Replacement

 All of the components on the subsystem, including the RAID controllers,

PSU modules, cooling modules, and drive trays, are hot-swappable and can
be changed while the subsystem is still in operation.

 Qualified engineers who are familiar with the subsystem should be the only

ones who make component replacements. If you are not familiar with the
subsystem and/or with RAID subsystem maintenance in general, it is
strongly advised that you refer subsystem maintenance to a suitably
qualified maintenance engineer.

 Normalized airflow is directly dependent upon the presence of all

subsystem components. Even if a subsystem component fails, it should not
be removed from the subsystem until a replacement is readily at hand and
can be quickly installed. Removing a subsystem component without
replacing it can lead to permanent subsystem damage.

 When replacing any hot-swappable component, caution should be taken to

ensure that the components are handled in an appropriate manner. Rough or
improper handling of components can lead to irreparable damage.

WARNING!

When inserting a removable module, DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE
FORCE! Forcing or slamming a module into the chassis can damage the

connector pins on the module or the backplane. Gently push the module in
until it reaches the end of module slot. Once you feel the contact
resistance, use slightly more pressure to ensure the module connectors are
properly mated. Use the extraction levers or retention screws to secure the
module.

5.2. Replacing Controller Module Components

5.2.1 Overview

The controller module consists of the components shown below:

Component Maintenance Procedures

DIMM Module The DIMM module can be replaced when it fails

or if a larger capacity DIMM module is required.

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Galaxy GHDX2-2430S/R-24F4D Installation and Hardware Reference Manual

BBU Module The BBU can be installed after the initial

installation procedure or replaced if a previously
installed BBU module is faulty or fails to hold its
charge.

Main Board If the controller module in a single controller

model fails, it is necessary to power the system
down and replace the controller.

5.2.2 Notes on Controller Module Maintenance

 The controller module contains a DIMM module and a BBU module. When

replacing the controller module, these components can be removed and used
on the new controller module if they are functioning normally.

 When replacing the controller module, you must remember that the

controller board is one of the most sensitive components in the subsystem.
All previously stipulated safety precautions (see Chapter 2) must be strictly
adhered to. Failure to adhere to these precautions can result in permanent
damage to the controller board, resulting in timely delays.

5.2.3 Removing the Controller Module

CAUTION!

1. It is recommended to apply Galaxy certified memory modules to avoid

compatibility issues.

2. The installed BBU and controller module must be removed prior to installing

new memory modules. Do this with care. Sensitive components can be
damaged during the process.

3. The BBU is hot swappable and can be independently swapped from the

controller. However, as a safety precaution and in case your memory still
holds cached data, it is recommended to remove the BBU before handling
the DDR RAM module. If the BBU is supplying power to the memory when
the DDR module is being removed, damage may occur!

To remove the controller module:

Step 1. Prepare a clean, static-free work pad on which to place the

controller that will be removed from the chassis.

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Chapter 5: Subsystem Maintenance

Step 2. If working on the dua l-controller Galaxy HDX2, the workload

should have been taken over by the surviving RAID controller
in the event of single controller failure.

Step 3. Remove the BBU module if one has been installed. Loosen

the BBU module’s retention screw and then simply retrieve it
from the chassis.

Figure 5-1: Removing the BBU Module

Step 4. Disconnect all cables that are connected to the controller

module you wish to replace. These include the FC cables
connecting to the host or cascaded enclosures the SAS cable to
the expansion enclosure, an Ethernet cable to the management
port, and any cables connected to the RS-232C audio jacks.

Step 5. Loosen the retention screws that secure the controller’s

ejection levers to the enclosure chassis.

Figure 5-2: Removing the Retention Screws

Step 6. Gently press both of the ejector levers in a downward

motion at the same time to disconnect the controller from the

back-end PCB. When the ejector levers are at their lowest

Subsystem Maintenance 5-5