Acer RS700 Installation Guide

AcerAltos RS700 EnclosureAcerAltos RS700 Enclosure

Installation GuideInstallation Guide

CopyrightCopyright

Copyright  1998 by this company. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may 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 permission of this company.

DisclaimerDisclaimer

This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or
implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any
warranties, merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Any
software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should the
programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not this
company, its distributor, or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all
necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential damages
resulting from any defect in the software. Further, this company reserves the
right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the
contents hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revision or
changes.

All brand and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of their respective holders.

ii

IMPORTANT SAFETYIMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONSINSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these instructions carefully. Save these instructions for future
reference.

2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

3. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use
liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

4. Do not use this product near water.

5. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The
product may fall, causing serious damage to the product.

6. Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided
for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect
it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered.
The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed,
sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should never be placed
near or over a radiator or heat register, or in a built-in installation unless
proper ventilation is provided.

7. This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the
marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult
your dealer or local power company.

8. This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug
having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding­type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert
the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete
outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type plug.

9. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this
product where persons will walk on the cord.

iii

10. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total
ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does
not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the
total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed
15 amperes.

11. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as
they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the
product.

12. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing
covers may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

13. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified
service personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed
b. If liquid has been spilled into the product
c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water
d. If the product does not operate normally when the operating

instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment of
other controls may result in damage and will often require
extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to

normal condition.
e. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged
f. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating

a need for service

14. Replace battery with the same type as the product's battery we
recommend. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or
explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified serviceman.

15. Warning! Battery may explode if not handled properly. Do not
recharge, disassemble or dispose of in fire. Keep away from children
and dispose of used battery promptly.

iv

16. Use only the proper type of power supply cord set (provided in your
keyboard/manual accessories box) for this unit. It should be a
detachable type: UL listed/CSA certified, type SVT/SJT, rated 6A 125V
minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent. Maximum length is 15 feet
(4.6 meters).

v

FCC Class B Radio FrequencyFCC Class B Radio Frequency

Interference StatementInterference Statement

Note:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:

1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

2. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

3. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

Notice 1:

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

Notice 2:

Shielded interface cables, if any, must be used in order to comply with the
emission limits.

vi

About this ManualAbout this Manual

Purpose

This manual aims to give you all the information you need to install the
enclosure.

Conventions

The following conventions are used in this manual:

NOTE

Gives bits and pieces of additional
information related to the current topic.

CAUTION

Suggests precautionary measures to avoid
potential hardware or software problems.

vii

viii

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction

Overview .......................................................................................1

Standard Configuration..................................................................1

Features .......................................................................................3

Front Panel..........................................................................5

Rear Panel..........................................................................6

Getting Started...............................................................................6

Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Drive Tray and Back Plane Board .................................................8

Drive Tray ...........................................................................8

To install a hard disk drive:.................................................9

Back Plane Board .............................................................11

Removing and Installing the Redundant Power Supply...............12

Removing a Redundant Power Supply.............................13

Installing a Redundant Power Supply ...............................13

Installing the RS700-RM101/102 into the AcerAltos

Rack..................................................................................15

Vertical Mounting Hole Pattern .........................................15

Chapter 3 Setting Up the RS700

For RS700-TR101/RM101 Models..............................................18

For RS700-TR102/RM102 Models..............................................19

Connecting Two RS700s into a SCSI Channel (for

TR102/RM102 only)..........................................................20

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Chapter 4 Removing and Installing the Enclosure

Panels

Removing the Left and Right Panel ............................................22

Installing the Enclosure Frame ...................................................23

Chapter 5 Cluster Server Connection

Introduction ................................................................................. 24

Cluster solution for AcerAltos Server ...............................25

Acer’s Cluster Solution................................................................ 26

Solutions ........................................................................ 26

The Architecture of Acer’s Cluster Server........................ 28

Two-node Cluster Cable Kits for Rackmount or Stand-

Alone................................................................................. 29

System Requirements.................................................................30

Hardware Requirements ..................................................30

Software Requirements....................................................30

Hardware Installation and Configuration..................................... 31

Hardware Installation........................................................31

Hardware Configuration....................................................31

Planning your Cluster Environment.............................................36

Windows NT Configuration...............................................36

Network Requirements.....................................................36

Software Installation and Configuration ...................................... 38

Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node1....................................39

Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node2....................................40

Check the Functions of Network Between Two Nodes............... 41

Format the Shared Drives on the AcerAltos RS700 ................... 42

Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on node1.....................44

x

Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on node2......................54

How to Confirm Acer’s Cluster Server.........................................57

Chapter 6 Manageability

Acer RAID Manager ....................................................................58

Advanced Server Manager (ASM)...............................................58

Appendix A AcerAltos 3102RS RAID (Redundant Array

of Independent Drive) Controller

Basic Features.............................................................................59

Channel Connection Setup Table................................................61

Appendix B SCSI Expander

Features .....................................................................................62

Layout .....................................................................................63

SCSI Terminator Jumper..................................................64

Installing the SCSI Expander.......................................................64

Connecting the SCSI Expander...................................................65

Extending the Cable Length of SE Signals.......................65

Appendix C Troubleshooting ...................................... 67

xi

Chapter 1 Introduction

Overview

The AcerAltos RS700 RAID Enclosure series is designed to expand more
disk capacity and enhanced fault-tolerant RAID (Redundant Array of
Independent Disk) with Ultra-2 SCSI performance for PC servers. This
installation guide will show you how to install the basic system components
such as disk drives and power supplies. Descriptive illustrations accompany
the installation procedures.

Standard Configuration

RS700 comes in four models:

RS700-TR101

(Tower enclosure without RAID)

RS700-TR102

(Tower enclosure with RAID)

1

RS700-RM101

(Rack Mount enclosure without RAID)

For RS700-TR 101:

RS700-RM102

(Rack Mount enclosure with RAID)

• Single SCSI Channel with 7 drive bays

Default SCSI ID is 8,9,10,11,12,13, and 14

• One internal Ultra-2 SCSI terminator

• One external Ultra-2 SCSI cable (1000mm)

For RS700-TR 102:

• Dual Internal SCSI channel:

• First SCSI channel with 3 drive bays. Default SCSI ID is 0, 1, and

2

• Second SCSI channel with 4 drive bays. Default SCSI ID is 0, 1,
2, and 3

• One external Ultra2 SCSI cable (1000mm)

• Two internal Ultra2 SCSI terminators

• One SCSI expander (SE to LVD converter)

• One AA-3102RS RAID Controller with 16 MB EDO RAM (Refer to

Appendix A for default setting)

2

For RS700-RM 101:

• Single SCSI Channel with 7 drive bays

Default SCSI ID is 8,9,10,11,12,13, and 14

• One internal Ultra2 SCSI terminator

• One external Ultra2 SCSI cable (2500mm)

For RS700-RM 102:

• Dual Internal SCSI channel:

• First SCSI channel with 3 drive bays. Default SCSI ID is 0, 1, and

2

• Second SCSI channel with 4 drive bays. Default SCSI ID is 0, 1,
2, and 3

• One external Ultra2 SCSI cable (2500mm)

• Two internal Ultra2 SCSI terminators

• One SCSI expander (SE to LVD converter)

• One AA-3102RS RAID Controller with 16 MB EDO RAM (Refer to

Appendix A for default setting)

Features

RS700 supports the following features:

• Hard Drive Interface

• Supports up to seven 1” or 1.6” drives (Ultra-2)

• Supports 4 GB, 9 GB, and 18 GB hard drive

• 7,200 RPM and 10,000 RPM hard drive support

• Ultra-2 (80 MB/sec.) interface (for TR101/RM101 model only)

• Cooling fan for each hard disk drive tray

• Hot-swappable drive tray for on line maintenance

3

• Power Supply

• Supports up to two 300W power supplies

• Redundant and hot-swappable for on line maintenance

• Manageability (for RM102/TR102 models only)

• Components can be monitored with management utility (hard disk

drive, power supply, hard disk drive cooling fan and housing fan)

• Power and hard drive failure LED

• Easy-to-use GUI for configuring RAID system

• Capable of monitoring system events

• Key lock security

• Lock/unlock front bezel (for TR101/TR102 models only)

• Lock/unlock hard drive bays

• Lock/unlock power supplies

• External Ultra-2 SCSI round cable

• SCSI connection (68-pin to 68-pin) between RS700 and host

server

• AcerAltos 3102RS RAID controller (for RM102/TR102 models only)

• Ultra-SCSI to ultra-SCSI

• Supports RAID 0,1,3, and 5

• Front panel LCD

• Three SCSI channels (one for host channel)

• SCSI expander (for RM102/TR102 models only)

• Converter which changes single-ended electrical signal type to low

voltage differential (LVD) electrical signals

• Used when legacy Ultra Wide SCSI device is attached

4

Front Panel

Power Switch

Power LED

SCSI RAID Controller (for

TR102/RM102 models only)

Hot-swap Removable

Drive Bays

ID Number LED

The Power LED blinks if the power supply fails.
The ID number LED displays a “]” sign when the
fan of the SCSI hard disk drive tray fails.

5

Rear Panel

slots

COM Ports

SCSI Expansion

Hot-swap

Redundant

Power Supplies

Disable Power

Alarm Button

(red)

Redundant Fans

Cooling Fan

Power Connector

Getting Started

Before you turn on the storage enclosure do the following:

1. Make sure the power voltage switch (115 volts or 230 volts) is set
correctly to the right voltage before turning on the power.

2. Install the RS700 into the Rack (for RM101 and RM102 models only).

3. Install the SCA hard disk drives into the drive trays and check the hard
disk drive ID numbers.

4. Lock all drive trays.

6

5. Connect the external Ultra-2 SCSI cable between the host server and
RS700.

6. Power on the RS700.

7. Configure the Acer RAID controller on the RS700 (for TR/102 and
RM102 models only). Refer to the AcerAltos 3102RS and Acer RAID
Manager User’s Guides for more information.

8. Unlock the drive trays if they do not have a hard disk drive inside (for
TR102 and RM102 models only).

9. After unlocking the drive trays, the fan defect alarm will sound. Press the
“ENT” button on the Acer RAID controller for two seconds to disable the
error message (for TR102 and RM102 models only).

10. Power on the Host server.

11. Make sure that the SCSI adapter’s ID number does not conflict with the
host channel’s ID number with Acer RAID controller (default ID is “0”) (for
TR102 and RM102 models only).

12. The LUN function of the SCSI adapter must be enabled if users want to
configure multiple LUNs on the Acer RAID controller (for TR102 and
RM102 models only).

7

Chapter 2 Hardware Installation

Drive Tray and Back Plane Board

Before touching any electrical equipment, ground yourself by touching the
metal part of your computer chassis. This discharges any static electricity
and will prevent any damage to your computer.

Drive Tray

The LED display determines the status of the drive tray and the hard disk
drive. The key lock protects the drive tray from unauthorized use.

• The ID number LED has two functions: It displays the ID number
assigned to this particular drive tray and displays a ] symbol whenever
the fan fails to work.

• The HDD access LED blinks whenever the drive is being accessed.

• The HDD Power/Fail LED lights up (green) when the HDD is on and is

working fine. For the TR102 and the RM102 models, the HDD
Power/Fail LED has another function: It turns to orange (a) if the hard
disk drive tray is empty and (b) if the hard disk drive fails to operate
properly.

ID number LED

HDD Access LED

HDD Power/Fail LED

8

Drive Tray Cover

Key Lock

To install a hard disk drive:

1. Unlock a drive tray and pull it out.

2. Use both hands to push out the top cover of the drive tray as shown
below and then the bottom cover to expose the drive tray frame.

3. Insert the hard disk drive into the SCSI connector board frame.

9

Make sure that the hard disk drive is properly
inserted.

4. Secure the hard disk drive with four screws.

5. Replace the top and bottom cover by placing the cover to one side of the
frame and then pushing down the other side to close it as shown below.

10

6. Set the ID number for the drive using the turn key. The ID number dial is
located at the rear of the disk tray.

ID Number Dial

Make sure that you do not use duplicate ID
numbers.

7. Insert the tray back into the enclosure and lock it (which also powers up
the drive tray). The ID number LED should indicate the ID number you
set for this hard disk drive, and the HDD Power/Fail LED should be green
to indicate that the drive is functioning properly.

Back Plane Board

The RS700 includes one 4-bay and one 3-bay back plane board. The
simplified design and hot-swappable hard disk drive tray allows you to
remove and install the hard disk drive tray any time you want.

A cooling fan is also installed to keep the temperature of the drives at a
constant while also maintaining system integrity by sounding off an alarm
whenever the fan stops working.

The back plane board panel supports ultra wide (40 MB/s) and ultra-2 (80
MB/s) SCSI hard disk drives.

11

Removing and Installing the Redundant Power Supply

Follow the instructions in this section when you want to install or remove the
redundant power supply modules.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, make sure to
disconnect all power supply cables from the wall
socket before opening the system enclosure.

The power supplies have a power indicator and a voltage selector switch.
The power indicator lights up whenever the system is on and the power
supply is in use. If the power supply fails, an alarm will go off and the Power
LED in the front panel will start blinking.

Power Indicator

12

Key Lock

Power Voltage
Switch

Make sure the power voltage switch is set
correctly to the right voltage before turning on the
power.

To stop the alarm, simple press the red button located at the rear of the
enclosure. However, the Power LED will continue blinking until the power
supply is working properly.

Removing a Redundant Power Supply

1. Unlock the power supply. This action also turns off the power supply.

2. Lift the handle and carefully pull the power supply until it detaches from
the enclosure.

Installing a Redundant Power Supply

1. Insert the power supply into the enclosure. Make sure the power voltage
switch is set correctly to the right voltage before turning on the power.

2. Secure it with the lock (which also turns on the power supply).

Make sure that the power supply is properly
inserted.

13

14

Installing the RS700-RM101/102 into the AcerAltos
Rack

The RS700-RM101/102 model is specifically designed for the AcerAltos
Rack. This model also includes two angular steel bars for installation
purposes.

Vertical Mounting Hole Pattern

The four vertical rails of the AcerAltos Rack contain mounting holes arranged
in a manner shown in this figure:

4th U

3rd U

3rd hole

2nd U

1st U

2nd hole

1st hole

The RS700-RM101/102 enclosure occupies 4U in the AcerAltos Rack.
Count the U positions and hole numbers from the bottom up.

The unit of measurement used in this document is
"U" (1U = 1.75 inches or 44.45 mm). The total sum
of the heights of all components in the rack
measured in "U" cannot exceed the height of the
rack. For more information, please refer to the
AcerAltos Rack Installation Guide.

15

The distance from the center of two holes with closer spacing to the center of
the next pair is equivalent to 1U.

When installing components, you must start your measurement from the
center of the two holes with closer spacing. Otherwise, the screw holes on
the component may not match with those on the rack.

To install the RS700-RM101/102 into the AcerAltos Rack:

1. Locate an unoccupied spot in the rack (for reference to storage
subsystem spacing and positioning, please refer to the AcerAltos Rack
Installation Guide).

2. Secure the angular steel bars on the 2nd and 3rd holes of the 2nd U using
four screws. Please refer to the previous section for more information.
Make sure that both of the angular bars are at the same level.

The RS700-RM101/102 enclosure occupies 4U
in the AcerAltos Rack. Count the 2nd U of the
rack from the bottom.

16

3. Slide in the RS700 enclosure into the AcerAltos Rack and secure it with
four screws as shown below.

Support Bar

When you slide in the enclosure make sure that
the lower part of the support bar is resting on the
angular bar.

17

Chapter 3 Setting Up the RS700

The setups defined here are samples to show you how to take advantage of
the features of the RS700 to extend and expand its functions.

For RS700-TR101/RM101 Models

External SCSI Cable (1000mm in TR101,

External SCSI Cable

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD Cable

LVD cable

LVD Cable

connection

LVD Terminator

LVD Terminator

Using the SCSI Expander to extend the cable length of the enclosure.

(1000mm in TR101
2500mm in RM101)

Expander
LVD-to-SE

Ultra-Wide

SCSI Cable

SCSI Cable

Ultra Wide SCSI
Control (e.g. on-board

On-board /add-on

Adaptec SCSI 2940UW

SCSI 7880

HBA

Host Bus Adapter

2500mm in RM101)

External SCSI Cable

(1000mm in TR101
2500mm in RM101)

Add-on-card
LVD SCSI
7890/7896(eg.
Adaptec)

Control (e.g. on-board

or

Adaptec SCSI 7896 or

DPT LVD RAID
Controller

card)

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD Cable (250mm I/E)

LVD Cable(250mm I/E)

LVD cable(125mm I/I)

One channel

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD Terminator

LVD Terminator

HBA

Host Bus Adapter

Using an add-on card LVD SCSI controller to connect to the enclosure.

18

For RS700-TR102/RM102 Models

AA3102RS RAID controller

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD Cable
(125mm I/I)

LVD Cable
(250mm I/E)

Two channel
connection
using
AA3102RS

LVD Terminator

Expander LVD-to-SE

LVD Cable
(375mm I/I)

LVD Terminator

External SCSI Cable (1000mm in TR101,
2500mm in RM101)

Expander

LVD-to-SE

Ultra Wide SCSI
Control (e.g. on-board

On-board /add-on

Adaptec SCSI 7880 or
Adaptec SCSI 2940UW

SCSI 7880

HBA

Host Bus Adapter

Using two SCSI Expander to extend the cable length of the enclosure.

AA3102RS RAID controller

AA3102RS RAID controller

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD HDD

LVD Cable
(125mm I/I)

LVD Cable
(250mm I/E)

LVD Cable
(375mm I/I)

LVD Terminator

Two channel

Two channel

connection

connection

using

using

AA3102RS

AA3102RS

Expander LVD-to-SE

Ultra-2 Wide SCSI
Control (e.g. on-board
Adaptec SCSI 7896 or
Adaptec SCSI 2940U2W
card)

Host Bus Adapter

HBA

LVD HDD

LVD Terminator

Using the SCSI Expander to connect directly to an add-on card LVD SCSI
controller.

19

For more information about the SCSI Expander, please refer to Appendix B.

Connecting Two RS700s into a SCSI Channel (for
TR102/RM102 only)

To connect two RS700s into one host server:

1. Remove a screw to open the top panel of the enclosure .

2. Disable the terminator of the SCSI expander in the first RS700. The
terminator of the SCSI expander in the second RS700 should be
enabled. Refer to Appendix A for the location of the terminator.

3. Connect the external SCSI cable to the SCSI Out port of the first RS700
to the SCSI In port of the second RS700.

4. Change the ID number of channel Ch0 of the AA3102RS RAID controller
in the first RS700 to 0 and the ID number of channel Ch0 of the
AA3102RS RAID controller in the second RS700 to 1 to avoid system
conflicts. Please refer to AA3102RS RAID Controller User’s Guide for
more information and also refer to Appendix B for the Channel
Connection Setup Table.

20

Host

HBA

Server

Second RS700

Storage Enclosure

First RS700

Storage Enclosure

Chapter 4 Removing and Installing the

Enclosure Panels

Before touching any electrical equipment, ground yourself by touching the
metal part of your computer chassis. This discharges any static electricity
and will prevent any damage to your computer.

Removing the Left and Right Panels

1. Turn off power to the system unit and unplug all cables.

2. Place the system unit on a flat, steady surface.

3. Remove the screws of the left and right panels. Set the screws aside.
You will need them when replacing the panels.

4. Slowly pull out both of the panels.

To reinstall the left and right panels, simply reverse the procedures discussed
above.

22

Installing the Enclosure Frame

1. After removing the left and right panels, remove the screws located on
the four corners of the enclosure.

2. Gently pull out the entire frame to access the inside components.

To reattached the enclosure frame, simply reverse the procedures discussed
above.

23

Chapter 5 Cluster Server Connection

Introduction

A cluster is a group of independent network servers that present themselves
to a network as a single system. Often MIS administrator only manage a
cluster as a single system.

MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) clustering provides three main benefits:

1. High availability of resources. Single device failure will not cause the
service stopped.

Fail Over

Server 3

Network

Server 1 Server 2

Server 1 Server 2

Server 3

Network

Server 1

High Availability Scalability

2. Scalability. Add more servers to increase the capacity of the cluster
server.

24

3. Centralized administration. The administration of applications and

Node 1

Node 2

Private Net

Shared SCSI Bus

Public Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cluster

services is centralized through the use of CLUSTER ADMINISTRATOR.

Cluster solution for AcerAltos Server

You can use the two AcerAltos servers, one hub and the cluster cable kits of
Acer’s cluster to build up the cluster environment, and then setup the MSCS
by using the Microsoft Windows NT server 4.0, Enterprise Edition.

25

Acer’s Cluster Solution

Solutions

1. Two-node Cluster that comply with MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server).

2. Two AcerAltos Servers + AcerAltos RS700 RAID Storage.

3. AcerAltos 3102RS RAID Box supporting three Ultra SCSI Channels:
One for host channel, and two for drive channels.

4. SCSI Expander (Optional)

a) Convert Single-ended into LVD.

b) Built-in SCSI Expander on RS700 RAID storage.

5. Support up to two AcerAltos RS700 RAID storage units.

6. The cabling length of the SCSI host bus can be up to 12 meters.

26

Acer’s Cluster Server

SCSI Expander

27

The Architecture of Acer’s Cluster Server

Hub

External LVD
Cable

Private Network

CH0

Public Network

CH1

CH2

AcerAltos

Server

BPB

3102RS
RAID Box

BPB

28

68-pin Ultra SCSI

SCSI Expander Card

Ultra2 SCSI Card

AcerAltos

RS700

Two-node Cluster Cable Kits for Rackmount or Stand­Alone

Cluster Cable kit for RackMount

Includes the following items:

1. External Ultra2 SCSI Cable (2500mm) * 1

2. STP Cross-Over Cable * 1 (for private network)

Cluster Cable kit for Stand-Alone

It includes the following items:

1. External Ultra2 SCSI Cable (1000mm) * 1

2. STP Cross-Over Cable * 1 (for private network)

29

System Requirements

Hardware Requirements:

• AcerAltos Server * 2 (w/I two SCSI channels and two NICs)

• AcerAltos RS700 RAID Storage * 1

• One Network Hub + LAN Cables

• Two-node Cluster Cable Kit

Software Requirements:

• Microsoft Windows NT server 4.0, Enterprise Edition

• Other Applications (Optional) (i.e., SQL Server, Exchange Server, etc.)

30

Hardware Installation and Configuration

Hardware Installation

1. Ensure that you have got the all of the hardware requirements of Acer’s
cluster server, and refer to the architecture of Acer’s Cluster to build up
the cluster.

2. Connect the private network between two nodes by using the STP cross­over cable.

3. You must insert another NIC on each node and connect them to the
Public Network (Hub).

4. Connect the External SCSI Cables between two Hosts and the AcerAltos
RS700.

Hardware Configuration

1. Host configuration

a) Power on each AcerAltos Server and press <Ctrl>+<A> for the

SCSISelect™ Utility when the screen shows this message:
"Adaptec AIC-7880 Ultra/Ultra W BIOS V 1.x".

b) Click the "Configure/View Host Adapter Setting" and choose the

SCSI channel 1(which connects to the AcerAltos RS700).

c) Enable the Host Adapter SCSI Termination function.

d) Enable the Multiple LUN Support function in the Advanced

Configuration options.

e) Set the host’s SCSI ID to 6 for SCSI channel 1 of Host 1. Set the

host’s SCSI ID to 7 for SCSI channel 1 of Host 2.

31

2. Configuring the RAID Box. It is very important to configure the RAID Box
to create Acer’s cluster server.

a) Assume we insert three 4GB hard disks on the AcerAltos RS700,

and their ID is 0, 1, and 2.

b) Planning the SCSI Channels of the RAID Box.

Assign channel 0 to the Host channel.
Assign channel 1 to the Device channel
Assign channel 2 to the Device channel

3. Serial Port Connection and Setup:

a) The AcerAltos RAID Box can be configured via a PC running a VT-

100 terminal emulation program, or a VT-100 compatible terminal.
The provided interface cable converts the RS-232 signal of the 10­pin header connector on the controller into a 9-pin D-Sub male
connector. The pin layout of the 9-pin D-Sub male connector is
similar to that of a PC’s serial port and is set as a DTE device. The
proper connection of the cable and pin layout is shown below.

32

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

b) The following are guidelines on using the serial port:

• The serial port’s default is set at 9,600 baud, 8 bits, 1 stop bit
and no parity.

• In most cases, connecting RD, TD and SG are enough to
establish communication with a terminal.

• If you are using a PC as a terminal, any VT-100 terminal
emulation software will suffice. Microsoft Windows includes a
terminal emulation program as presented with the "T" terminal"
icon in the Accessories window.

4. Building a RAID System Drive.

The following figure is a basic flowchart when configuring a RAID system.
Hardware installation must be completed before any configurations take
place.

Create

Logical Drive

Partition

Logical Drive

Map

Host LUN

(System Drive)

When power is turned on, the AcerAltos 3102RS RAID box scans all the
hard drives that are on all the drive channels. If a hard drive was
connected after the controller completes initialization, use the "SCAN
SCSI DRIVE" function to let the controller recognize the newly added
hard drive and configure it as a member of a logical drive or a spare
drive.

In accordance to your requirement, configure a logical drive to contain
one or more hard drives based on the desired RAID level, and partition
the logical drive into one or several partitions. Map each partition as one
system drive (LUN). The host SCSI adapter will recognize the system
drives after re-scanning the host SCSI bus.

33

Since the controller is totally operating system independent, the
operating system of the host computer will not be able to find out whether
the attached devices are physical hard drives or virtual system drives
created by the RAID controller.

A ‘Logical Drive" is a set of drives grouped together
to operate under a given RAID level and appears as
a single contiguous drive. The 3102RS RAID Box is
capable of grouping connected drives to as many as
8 logical drives, each configured on the same or
different RAID levels. A logical drive can be further
divided into a maximum of 8 "Partitions". During
operation, the host sees an unpartitioned logical
drive or a partition of a partitioned logical drive as
one single physical drive.

5. Configuring the SCSI Channel

a) Choose "View and Edit SCSI Channels" to configure the SCSI

Channels.

b) Click each SCSI Channel to configure the Channel model, ID and

Terminator.

c) For Example:

Channel Model ID Terminator

0 Host 0
1 Device 7 On
2 Device 7 On

6. Create one Logical Drive (LG 0).

a) Choose "View and Edit Logical drives" to create Logical drive 0.

b) Choose the RAID Levels (assume RAID 5 is chosen).

c) Select three 4GB hard disks to create RAID 5.

Off

34

7. Create four partitions in LG 0.

Microsoft Cluster needs two or more physical drivers, so you can choose
"LG 0" and "Partition logical drive" to create four partitions in one logical
driver.

For example:

Partition Offset(MB) Size(MB)

0 0 2000
1 2000 2000

2 4000 2000
3 6000 2000

8. Map Host LUN:

a) Choose "View and edit Host Luns" and make sure to map the logical

drive.

b) Select the SCSI channel 0:

i. Choose LUN 0 to map "LG_DRV=0 & PARTITION=0".

ii. Choose LUN 1 to map "LG_DRV=0 & PARTITION=1".

iii. Choose LUN 2 to map "LG_DRV=0 & PARTITION=2".

iv. Choose LUN 3 to map "LG_DRV=0 & PARTITION=3".

9. Reset RAID Box. Choose "System Functions" and "Reset Controller" to
reset RAID Box.

35

Planning your Cluster Environment

Windows NT Configuration

1. Cluster servers must be in the same domain.

2. Install the cluster as domain administrator.

3. Cluster servers may assume the following models in an NT domain:

a) PDC-BDC

b) BDC-BDC

c) Member servers

4. Cluster servers belong to only one cluster.

5. They do not support FAT and only support NTFS.

6. At least one disk on each node must not be attached to any of the
shared buses. This disk must be used as the system disk on each node.

7. Windows NT Server 4.0 must be installed entirely on each node’s non­shared disk.

8. All Paging files and system files must be on non-shared disks.

9. An Administrator account must be created on each with the same
password.

Network Requirements

1. At least one shared LAN for intracluster communication (for Private
Network).

2. At least one shared LAN for client access to the cluster (for Public
Network).

36

3. One static TCP/IP address of the cluster and one for each resource
group that will be created.

4. All nodes must be the same subnet.

37

Software Installation and Configuration

Set up the cluster server software by taking the following steps:

1. Power on the External Shared Storage. Don’t power off the External
Shared Storage while setting up the Cluster.

2. Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node1.

3. Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node2.

4. Check the functions of the network between the two nodes.

5. Format the shared drives on the AcerAltos RS700.

6. Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on node1.

7. Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on node2.

8. Confirm the installation is successful.

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Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node1

1. Put at least one HDD on node 1.

2. Power on node1 and begin to install Windows NT server 4.0 by using the
software "MS Windows NT server 4.0, Enterprise Edition" (Don’t power
on node 2).

3. Format the system drive to NTFS.

4. Create the cluster domain, and then configure this node as PDC (Primary
Domain Controller).

5. Install & configure TCP/IP protocol. You must configure two LAN Cards.

a) Intel 82557 Chip-Based LAN Adapter (for Private Network)

For example:

IP address : 192. 0. 0. 1
Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

b) (ii) Add-on LAN card (for Public Network)

For example:

IP address : 192. 10. 10. 1
Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

39

Install Windows NT server 4.0 on node2

1. Put at least one HDD on node 2.

2. Don’t power off node 1.

3. Power on node2 and begin to install Windows NT server 4.0 by using the
software "MS Windows NT server 4.0, Enterprise Edition".

4. Format the system drive to NTFS.

5. Join the cluster domain of node 1, and then configure this node as BDC
(Backup Domain Controller).

6. Install & configure TCP/IP protocol.

7. You must configure two LAN Cards.

a) Intel 82557 Chip-Based LAN Adapter (for Private Network)

For example:

IP address : 192. 0. 0. 2
Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

b) Add-on LAN card (for Public Network)

40

For example:

IP address : 192. 10. 10. 2
Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

Check the Network Functions Between the Two Nodes

1. Ensure that node 1 can ping the IP address and computer name of node

2.

For example,

A:> Ping 192.0.0.2
A:> Ping 192.10.10.2
A:> Ping node2

2. Ensure that node 2 can ping the IP address and computer name of node

1.

For example,

A:> Ping 192.0.0.1
A:> Ping 192.10.10.1
A:> Ping node1

41

Format the Shared Drives on the AcerAltos RS700

After finishing the installation of node 1 and node 2, begin to format the
shared drives on the AcerAltos RS700.

1. Power on the node 1 and Power off node 2.

2. Assume that there is one HDD and one CD-ROM on node 1.

3. Configure the system drive as drive C: and CD-ROM as drive D:. You
will find the other four drives on the Disk Administrator.

4. Format these four drives to NTFS, and assign the sticky drive letters to
all shared disks. For example:

Assign I, J, K, and L to these four drivers, and you can find the drive
configuration on the Disk Administrator.

5. Power on node 2, but don’t power off node 1.

6. Assume that there is one HDD and one CD-ROM on node 2.

42

7. Configure the system drive as drive C: and CD-ROM as drive D:.

8. You will find the other four formatted drives on the Disk Administrator.

9. Assign the sticky drive letters which are the same as the driver letters of
node 1 to all shared drives. For example:

Assign I, J, K, and L to these four drivers of node 2.

43

Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on Node1

1. Power off node 2.

2. Put CD 1 of "Windows NT Server 4.0, Enterprise Edition" in the CD­ROM, and run the d:\sp3\Spsetup.bat to install Service Pack 3.

3. Begin to Install Service Pack 3:

You must install Service Pack 3 to complete the installation of Windows
NT Enterprise Edition.

44

4. Put CD 1 of "Windows NT Server 4.0, Enterprise Edition" in the CD­ROM, and run the d:\i386\Nhloader.exe to install MSCS.

5. Begin to install MSCS.

45

6. Select the "Microsoft Cluster Server" to install.

7. Insert CD 2 of “Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition".

46

8. Select "Form a new cluster" to create a cluster.

9. Input the name of the Cluster.

47

10. Input the path for cluster files.

11. Input the User name and Password of this Domain account.

48

12. Add or Remove the shared disks.

13. Select the shared disk on which to store permanent cluster files.

49

14. Input the network name associated with the Adapter Name "EI59x1".

15. Input the network name associated with the Adapter Name "E100B2".

50

16. Select the node1-pri and click "UP" to get the highest priority.

51

17. Enter the IP Address and Subnet Mask of the Cluster.

18. MSCS has been successfully installed.

52

19. Reboot node 1.

20. Open the connection to the cluster:

a) Select the "Administrator tools" and then open the "Cluster

Administrator".

b) Input the Name of this Cluster.

c) Confirm the successful installation of node1.

53

Install MSCS (Microsoft Cluster Server) on node2

1. Don’t power off node 1.

2. Stop the cluster service of node 1 from Services of the Control Panel.

3. Power on node 2.

4. Begin to Install Service Pack 3.

5. Restart the cluster service of node 1 from Services on the Control Panel.

6. Put CD 1 of "Windows NT Server 4.0, Enterprise Edition" in the CD­ROM, and run the d:\i386\Nhloader.exe to install MSCS.

7. Begin to install MSCS.

8. Select "Microsoft Cluster Server" to install.

9. Insert CD 2 of “Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition".

54

10. Select "Join an existing cluster" to create a cluster.

11. Input the name of the Cluster.

12. Input the path for cluster files.

13. Input the Password of this Domain Account.

14. MSCS has been successfully installed.

15. Reboot node 2.

16. Open the connection to the cluster:

a) Select the "Administrative tools" and then open the "Cluster

Administrator".

b) Input the Name of this Cluster.

c) Confirm the successful installation of node 2.

55

56

How to Confirm Acer’s Cluster Server

1. Open the Cluster Administrator to connect both nodes in the cluster.

2. Attempt to start and stop the cluster service from the control panel.

3. Attempt to take resources off-line and bring them online.

57

Chapter 6 Manageability

Acer RAID Manager

• Allows you to control and monitor RS700 RAID Storage, either from a
local host, or from a remote station connected through a LAN, telephone
line, or the Internet.

• GUI running under Windows NT/Win 95/Win 98.

• Supports remote management over the network of host/agents running

Windows NT or Windows 95/98 via the SNMP.

• Provides innovative, user-configurable event notification functions.

Please refer to the Acer RAID Manager’s manual for more information.

Advanced Server Manager (ASM)

• ASM is composed of two major components: ASM Agent (for servers)
and ASM Station (for any Windows workstation).

• ASM Agent gathers information from the network servers and then
passes the data to ASM Station for analysis and display.

• ASM Station monitors the agent server system and warns of potential
danger to prevent system malfunction and breakdown.

Please refer to Advanced Server Manager user’s guide for more information.

58

Appendix A AcerAltos 3102RS RAID

(Redundant Array of Independent
Disks) Controller

The AcerAltos 3102RS RAID controller is an Ultra-Wide-SCSI-to-Ultra-Wide­SCSI RAID controller specifically designed to provide RAID 0, 1, 3, or 5
capability to any host system equipped with a SCSI interface. It is totally
independent of the host system’s operating system. All RAID functions are
performed by a 486 CPU coupled with high-speed DRAMs and firmware in
the Flash Memory. In effect, it endows the host system with a high-speed
and fault-tolerant disk storage operation using the RAID technology. It is an
ideal solution for weaving several hard disks into one contiguous volume.

The controller has comprehensive drive failure management that allows
automatic reassignment of reserved blocks when a bad sector is encountered
during a write. Hot-swapping is supported through automatic disconnection
of a failed drive and detection of a reserved drive followed with background
building of data. The controller also controls spare drive operation. What is
remarkable is that all of these failure recovery procedures are transparent to
the host system.

The controller has been designed with ease of integration and maintenance
in mind. All major factors are described in the next chapter. The AA-3102RS
already includes all the major operational requirements of the RAID sub
system. The overall features of a fully-built RAID system will, however,
depend on the actual components used and the creativity of the integrator.

Basic Features

• Five operating modes:

• Non-RAID Disk-spanning

• RAID-0 Disk striping

• RAID-1 Disk mirroring and striping (RAID 0+1)

• RAID-3 Disk striping with dedicated parity

• RAID-5 Multiple block striping with interspersed parity

59

• Comprehensive failure management including:

• Automatic bad sector reassignment

• Hot-swapping

• Spare drive operation (supports both global spare and local spare)

• Background rebuilding (rebuild priority selectable)

• Verify-after-write supported on normal writes, rebuild writes and/or

RAID initialization writes

• Works with any operating systems without additional software drivers

• 5.25” drive profile allows easy integration into external subsystem

enclosures directly into the host system’s drive bay

• Up to five drive channels (optional 3-channel upgrade) for a total of 75

connected drives

• Supports up to 15 SCSI IDs per channel

• Up to 8 logical drives, each with independent RAID modules

• Up to 8 partitions per logical drive

• Dynamic mapping of LUNs to logical drives. Two or more LUNs can be

mapped to the same logical drive for redundant host operation

• Performance optimization for Sequential or Random I/O

• Allows multiple drive failure and concurrent multiple drive rebuild of a

RAID (0+1) logical drive

• Two or more SCSI channels can be simultaneously set as host interface

for redundant host system operation

• EDO DRAM supported for enhanced performance

• Up to 128 Mbytes of intelligent Read-Ahead/Write-Back cache with

optional battery backup

• Optional battery backup module to protect data in Write-Back cache

when a power failure occurs

• Front panel LCD and push buttons for configuration and message

display

• Acer RAID Manager and RS-232 terminal interface for RAID

management

60

• Supports Fault-bus for enclosure management

Channel Connection Setup Table

Channel # Host/Drive

Channel

CH0 Host 0 On Connect to the SCSI

CH1 Drive 7 On Connect to the first 3

CH2 Drive 7 On Connect to the last 4

ID# Terminator Connection

expansion slots and
ready to connection
with the host server

drive trays

drive trays

61

Appendix B SCSI Expander

SCSI Expander (EP-SL) Single-ended and Low Voltage Differential signals
are incompatible at the electrical level: however, you can use a converter to
change the signals.

The SCSI Expander is an extension and a converter card for SCSI devices. It
converts Single-Ended (SE) electrical signal type to Low Voltage Differential
(LVD) electrical signal type extending the limited cable length of SE signals.
The converter also provides signal filtering and re-timing to avoid signal
degradation or interference. The extension board consists of one external
port (LVD) and two internal ports (one LVD and one SE).

Single-Ended Electrical Signal System (SE)

This type of signal is the most common type of SCSI, but the cable length of
the bus is extremely limited. The maximum cable length for this type of signal
is approximately 3 meters.

Low Voltage Electrical Signal System (LVD)

The use of two conductors per signal makes the LVD signal much more
elastic and less likely to be corrupted. This allows the use of much longer
cabling than single-ended (SE) SCSI. The maximum cable length for this type
of signal is approximately 12 meters.

Features

• Operates as a SCSI bus converter and extender

• No software requirements

• Supports shared disk clusters

• High availability and scalability

• Complete support for Fast Wide SCSI, Wide Ultra SCSI, and Wide

Ultra-2 SCSI

• Does not consume a SCSI ID

62

Layout

* Black shading indicates pin 1

Connector/

Jumper

Description

CN1 Internal 68-pin Wide SCSI connector (LVD)
CN2 External 68-pin Wide SCSI connector (LVD)
CN3 Internal 68-pin Wide SCSI connector (SE)
JP1 Power connector
JP2 SCSI Terminator

1-2 On (Default)
2-3 Off

63

SCSI Terminator Jumper

When set to On, you can only use either one of the connectors (CN1 or
CN2). If set to off, both the internal (CN1) and external (CN2) 68-pin Wide
SCSI connectors (LVD) can be used.

Installing the SCSI Expander

Always observe the following electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions
before installing a system component:

• Do not remove a component from its antistatic packaging until you are

ready to install it.

• Wear a wrist grounding strap before handling electronic components.

Wrist grounding straps are available at most electronic component
stores.

To install the SCSI Expander into a storage enclosure:

1. Insert the SCSI Expander card into an empty expansion hole located at
the back of the storage enclosure and screw it tightly. For the location of
the expansion hole, please refer to the Rear Panel section.

2. Attach the small end of the power cord into JP1 (see Layout for the
location of JP1) and the larger end to an available power connector in the
storage enclosure.

64

Connecting the SCSI Expander

The SCSI Expander card not only converts SE electrical signals but also
extends its limited cable length by converting SE to LVD.

Interconnection Table

Items Fast Wide SCSI Wide Ultra SCSI Wide Ultra2

SCSI

Transfer
Rate (MB/s)

Max. Cable
Length :
Number of
drives

As shown above the longer the cable for SE signal the lesser the number of
supported drives (for Wide Ultra SCSI). LVD on the other hand can support a
maximum of 16 drives with a 12M cable.

Extending the Cable Length of SE Signals

You can extend the cable length of SE signal as long as the maximum cable
length does not exceed the transfer rate and the number of drives. Using the
Expander, connect a 3M cable from the host system to the Expander and
another 3M cable from the Expander to a storage enclosure as illustrated
below.

20 40 80

SE

6M : 8D

SE

1.5M : 8D

12M : 16D

3M : 4D

Host Bus

Server

Ultra Wide

3 meters maximum

Storage

Housing

SCSI
Expander

65

The expander converts the signal to LVD allowing it to extend the range of the
signal. Here are a few example of how to use the expander to extend and
expand signal length.

Host Bus

Server

Ultra Wide

SCSI Expander

12 meters maximum

Storage

Housing

Using two SCSI Expanders to extend the signal length of a Ultra-wide SCSI
controller to the storage housing.

Host Bus

Server

Ultra 2

12 meters maximum

Storage

Housing

SCSI
Expander

Using a SCSI Expander to connect directly to the Ultra-2 SCSI controller.

66

Appendix C Troubleshooting

No

Yes

Yes

No

What’s that alarm sound?

The alarm sound is a warning that means that there is something wrong with
the enclosure. It might be one of two things: the power supply or the
housing fan failed. To disable the alarm, push the red button located at the
back of the housing. See chapter 1 for the location of the red button.

The Alarm Sound

Power Failed

Power LED is blinking

SPS Failed

• Disable the alarm by
pushing the red
button located at the
back of the housing.

• Replace the power
supply.

Fan Failed

ID number LED

turns to “]”

HDD Tray Fan Failed

Replace the HDD tray

fan

Housing Fan Failed

Replace the housing

fan.

67