Avago Technologies Syncro 9361-8i User Manual
Syncro® CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e
Controllers
User Guide
Version 2.0
November 2014
55410-00, Rev. B
Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Controllers User Guide
November 2014
For a comprehensive list of changes to this document, see the Revision History.
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Data subject to change. Copyright © 2014 Avago Technologies. All Rights Reserved.
Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Controllers User Guide
November 2014
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1 Concepts of High-Availability DAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 HA-DAS Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Solution Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4 Hardware Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.5 Overview of the Hardware Installation, Cluster Setup, and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.6 Performance Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 2: Hardware and Software Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1 Syncro CS 9361-8i Controller Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Syncro CS 9361-8i Cluster-in-a-Box Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 Syncro CS 9380-8e Controller Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.4 Syncro CS 9380-8e Two-Server Cluster Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.5 Syncro CS Cluster-in-a-Box Software Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Revision History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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Chapter 1: Introduction
This document explains how to set up and configure the hardware and the software for the Syncro® CS 9361-8i and
the Syncro 9380-8e high-availability direct-attached storage (HA-DAS) solution.
The Syncro CS solution provides fault tolerance capabilities as a key part of a high-availability data storage system.
This solution combines redundant servers, LSI® HA-DAS RAID controllers, computer nodes, cable connections,
common SAS enclosures, and dual-ported SAS storage devices.
The redundant components and software technologies provide a high-availability system with ongoing service that is
not interrupted by the following events:
The failure of a single internal node does not interrupt service because the solution has multiple nodes with
cluster failover.
An expander failure does not interrupt service because the dual expanders in every enclosure provide redundant
data paths.
A drive failure does not interrupt service because RAID fault tolerance is part of the configuration.
A system storage expansion or maintenance activity can be completed without requiring an interruption of
service because of redundant components, management software, and maintenance procedures.
Concepts of High-Availability DAS
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Concepts of High-Availability DAS
In terms of data storage and processing, High Availability (HA) means a computer system design that ensures a high
level of operational continuity and data access reliability over a long period of time. High-availability systems are
critical to the success and business needs of small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, such as retail outlets
and health care offices, who cannot afford to have their computer systems go down. An HA-DAS solution enables
customers to maintain continuous access to and use of their computer system. Shared direct-attached drives are
accessible to multiple servers, thereby maintaining ease of use and reducing storage costs.
A cluster is a group of computers working together to run a common set of applications and to present a single logical
system to the client and application. Failover clustering provides redundancy to the cluster group to maximize up-time
by utilizing fault-tolerant components. In the example of two servers with shared storage that comprise a failover
cluster, when a server fails, the failover cluster automatically moves control of the shared resources to the surviving
server with no interruption of processing. This configuration allows seamless failover capabilities in the event of
planned failover (maintenance mode) for maintenance or upgrade, or in the event of a failure of the CPU, memory, or
other server failures.
The Syncro CS solution is specifically designed to provide HA-DAS capabilities for a class of server chassis that include
two server motherboards in one chassis. This chassis architecture is often called a cluster in a box (CiB).
Because multiple initiators exist in a clustered pair of servers (nodes) with a common shared storage domain, there is a
concept of device reservations in which physical drives, drive groups, and virtual drives (VDs) are managed by a
selected single initiator. For HA-DAS, I/O transactions and RAID management operations are normally processed by a
single Syncro CS controller, and the associated physical drives, drive groups, and VDs are only visible to that controller.
To assure continued operation, all other physical drives, drive groups, and VDs are also visible to, though not normally
controlled by, the Syncro CS controller. This key functionality allows the Syncro CS solution to share VDs among
multiple initiators as well as exclusively constrain VD access to a particular initiator without the need for SAS zoning.
Node downtime in an HA system can be either planned and unplanned. Planned node downtime is the result of
management-initiated events, such as upgrades and maintenance. Unplanned node downtime results from events
that are not within the direct control of IT administrators, such as failed software, drivers, or hardware. The Syncro CS
9361-8i solution protects your data and maintains system up-time from both planned and unplanned node
downtime. It also enables you to schedule node downtime to update hardware or firmware, and so on. When you
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bring one controller node down for scheduled maintenance, the other node takes over with no interruption
of service.
1.2 HA-DAS Terminology
This section defines some additional important HA-DAS terms.
Cache Mirror: A cache coherency term describing the duplication of write-back cached data across two
controllers.
Exclusive Access: A host access policy in which a VD is only exposed to, and accessed by, a single specified server.
Failover: The process in which the management of drive groups and VDs transitions from one controller to the
peer controller to maintain data access and availability.
HA Domain: A type of storage domain that consists of a set of HA controllers, cables, shared disk resources, and
storage media.
Peer Controller: A relative term to describe the HA controller in the HA domain that acts as the failover controller.
Server/Controller Node: A processing entity composed of a single host processor unit or multiple host processor
units that is characterized by having a single instance of a host operating system.
Server Storage Cluster: An HA storage topology in which a common pool of storage devices is shared by two
computer nodes through dedicated Syncro CS controllers.
Shared Access: A host access policy in which a VD is exposed to, and can be accessed by, all servers in the HA
domain.
Virtual Drive (VD): A storage unit created by a RAID controller from one or more physical drives. Although a
virtual drive can consist of multiple drives, it is seen by the operating system as a single drive. Depending on the
RAID level used, the virtual drive might retain redundant data in case of a drive failure.
Chapter 1: Introduction
HA-DAS Terminology
1.3 Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Solution Features
The Syncro CS solution for these controllers supports the following HA features.
Server storage cluster topology, enabled by the following supported operating systems:
— Microsoft® Windows Server®2008 R2
— Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
— Microsoft Windows Server 2012
— Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
— Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2012
— Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2012 R2
— Red Hat® Enterprise Linux 6.3
— Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4
— CentOS® 6.5
— SuSE® Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3
— SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP2
Clustering/HA services support:
— Microsoft failover clustering
— Red Hat High Availability Add-on
— SuSE High Availability Extensions
Dual-active HA with shared storage
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Controller-to-controller intercommunication over SAS
Write-back cache coherency
Shared and exclusive VD I/O access policies
Operating system boot from the controller (exclusive access)
Controller hardware and property mismatch detection, handling, and reporting
Global hot spare support for all volumes in the HA domain
Planned and unplanned failover modes
CacheVault® modules to provide cache cached data protection in case of host power loss or server failure
Full MegaRAID® features, with the following exceptions.
— CacheCade® is not supported.
— Dimmer switch is not supported.
— SGPIO sideband signaling for enclosure management is not supported.
— SATA drives are not supported.
— SSD drives that do not support SCSI-3 persistent reservations (PR) for the VDs are not supported.
— System/JBOD physical drives are not supported (that is, the individual physical drives are not exposed to the
operating system).
— Drives that are directly attached to the controller (not through an expander device) are not supported.
— Cluster-active reconstruction operations (RAID-Level Migration or Online Capacity Expansion) are not
supported.
— Patrol Read operations that were in progress do not resume after failover.
— Firmware-level node incompatibility details are not reported for non-premium features.
— The Maintain Pd Fail History feature is not supported. This feature, which is available in the WebBIOS utility
and the MegaRAID Command Tool, maintains the history of all drive failures.
— Cache memory recovery is not supported for I/O shipped commands. I/O shipping occurs when a cluster
node has a problem in the I/O path, and the I/O from that cluster node is shipped to the other cluster node.
— Battery backup units are not supported.
— HA-DAS does not support configuration of a global hot spare (GHS) when no VDs exist on the two nodes.
Configuring a GHS when no VDs exist on the two nodes and then rebooting both nodes can cause problems.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Hardware Compatibility
1.4 Hardware Compatibility
The servers, disk drives, and optional enclosures you use in the Syncro CS solution must be selected from the list of
approved components that LSI has tested for compatibility. Refer to the web page for the compatibility lists at
http://www.lsi.com/channel/support/pages/interoperability.aspx.
NOTE The Syncro CS solution requires the use of SAS SSD drives that support
SCSI-3 persistent reservations (PR) for the VDs. The compatibility list
shows the SAS SSD drives that meet the HA-DAS requirements.
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Overview of the Hardware Installation, Cluster Setup, and Configuration
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.5 Overview of the Hardware Installation, Cluster Setup, and Configuration
Chapters 2 describes how to install the hardware and software so that you can use the fault tolerance capabilities of
HA-DAS to provide continuous service in event of drive failure or server failure and expand the system storage
Chapter 2 documents how to connect the CacheVault modules, and then install the Syncro CS controllers and the
remote mount boards in the CiB enclosure. In addition, it lists the steps required after controller installation and cable
connection, which include the following:
Configure the drive groups and the virtual drives on the two controllers
Install the operating system driver on both server nodes
Install the operating system on both server nodes, following the instructions from the manufacturer
Install StorCLI and MegaRAID Storage Manager™ utilities
Refer to the 12Gb/s MegaRAID SAS Software User Guide at http://www.lsi.com/downloads/ for information about
running the configuration utilities.
Refer to the Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Solution User Guide at http://www.lsi.com/downloads/ for the
procedures used to perform the following actions after the hardware is fully configured and the operating system is
installed:
Install and enable the Cluster feature on both servers.
Set up a cluster under the supported operating systems
Configure drive groups and virtual drives
1.6 Performance Considerations
SAS technology offers throughput-intensive data transfers and low latency times. Throughput is crucial during
failover periods where the system needs to process reconfiguration activity in a fast, efficient manner. SAS offers a
throughput rate of 12 Gb/s over a single lane. SAS controllers and enclosures typically aggregate 4 lanes into an x4
wide link, giving an available bandwidth of 48 Gb/s across a single connector, which makes SAS ideal for HA
environments.
Syncro CS controllers work together across a shared SAS link to achieve sharing, cache coherency, heartbeat
monitoring and redundancy by using a set of protocols to carry out these functions. At any point in time, a particular
VD is accessed or owned by a single controller. This owned VD is a termed a local VD. The second controller is aware of
the VD on the first controller, but it has only indirect access to the VD. The VD is a remote VD for the second controller.
In a configuration with multiple VDs, the workload is typically balanced across controllers to provide a higher degree
of efficiency.
When a controller requires access to a remote VD, the I/Os are shipped to the remote controller, which processes the
I/O locally. I/O requests that are handled by local VDs are much faster than those handled by remote VDs.
The preferred configuration is for the controller to own the VD that hosts the clustered resource (the MegaRAID
Storage Manager utility shows which controller owns this VD). If the controller does not own this VD, it must issue a
request to the peer controller to ship the data to it, which affects performance. This situation can occur if the
configuration has been configured incorrectly or if the system is in a failover situation.
NOTE Performance tip: You can reduce the impact of I/O shipping by
locating the VD or drive groups with the server node that is primarily
driving the I/O load. Avoid drive group configurations with multiple
VDs whose I/O load is split between the server nodes.
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MSM has no visibility to remote VDs, so all VD management operations must be performed locally. A controller that
has no direct access to a VD must use I/O shipping to access the data if it receives a client data request. Accessing the
remote VD affects performance because of the I/O shipping overhead.
NOTE Performance tip: Use the MSM utility to verify correct resource
ownership and load balancing. Load balancing is a method of
spreading work between two or more computers, network links, CPUs,
drives, or other resources. Load balancing is used to maximize
resource use, throughput, or response time. Load balancing is the key
to ensuring that client requests are handled in a timely,
efficient manner.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Performance Considerations
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Chapter 2: Hardware and Software Setup
This chapter explains how to set up the hardware and software for the Syncro CS 9361-8i solution and the Syncro CS
9380-8e solution with two controller nodes and shared storage. For this implementation, use a Cluster-in-a-Box (CiB)
configuration in which the two server nodes with Syncro CS controllers and the shared disk drives are installed and
connected inside a single CiB enclosure.
The Syncro CS cluster-in-a-box (CiB) system design combines two servers and a common pool of direct attached
drives within one custom-designed enclosure. After you initially set it up, the CiB system design simplifies the
deployment of two-node clusters because all components and connections are contained in one closed unit.
The Syncro CS cluster-in-a-box configuration requires a specially designed server and storage chassis that includes
two Syncro CS controller boards and multiple SAS drives selected from the LSI disk compatibility list (see the URL in
Section 1.4, Hardware Compatibility).
2.1 Syncro CS 9361-8i Controller Kit
The LSI Syncro CS 9361-8i controller kit includes the following items:
— Two Syncro CS 9361-8i controllers
— Two CacheVault Flash Modules 04 (CVFM04) (pre-installed on the controllers)
— Two CacheVault Power Modules 02 (CVPM02)
— Two CacheVault Power Module mounting clips and hardware
— Two CacheVault Power Module extension cables
— Two low-profile brackets
— Syncro CS 9361-8i and Syncro CS 9380-8e Controllers Getting Started Guide
Chapter 2: Hardware and Software Setup
Syncro CS 9361-8i Controller Kit
The Syncro CS 9361-8i controllers in the kit include the CacheVault Module Kit LSICVM02, which consists of a
CacheVault Flash Module 04 (CVFM04), a CacheVault Power Module 02 (CVPM02), a clip, and a cable.
The CVFM04 module is an Open NAND Flash Interface (ONFI) flash module that is pre-installed on the Syncro CS
controller. The CVFM04 module provides cache off-load capability to protect cached data in case of host power loss or
server failure.
The CVPM02 module is a super-capacitor pack that provides power for the backup of your data in case of host power
loss or server failure. The CVPM02 module provides both capacitor charge maintenance and capacitor health
monitoring functions similar to those of an intelligent battery backup unit.
If a power failure occurs, the CVPM02 module unit provides power to transfer the cache memory contents from DRAM
to a nonvolatile flash memory array on the CVFM04 module the next time the controller is power on. Cached data can
then be written to the storage devices.
The following figure shows a high-level diagram of a CiB Syncro CS 9361-8i CiB configuration connected to a network.
The diagram includes the details of the SAS interconnections.
NOTE The CB220 Quanta CIBs midplane has two SAS 8088 connectors. You
can connect cables from these connectors to the enclosure external
storage modules (ESMs). You should connect two cables from each
port to the two ESM modules (one cable to a module) present in the
storage enclosure.
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Figure 1 CiB Syncro CS 9361-8i Configuration
Syncro CS 9361-8i Cluster-in-a-Box Hardware Setup
Chapter 2: Hardware and Software Setup
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2.2 Syncro CS 9361-8i Cluster-in-a-Box Hardware Setup
Follow these steps to set up the hardware for a Syncro CS 9361-8i CiB configuration. The setup procedure might be
somewhat different for CiB models from different vendors, so be sure to also read the CiB manufacturer’s
documentation.
NOTE The Syncro CS solution includes two Syncro CS controllers, so you
must perform the installation procedure for both controllers, one in
each server module inside the CiB enclosure.
1. Unpack the controller kit in a static-free environment and check the contents. Remove the components from the
antistatic bags and inspect them for damage. If any components are missing or damaged, contact LSI or your
Syncro CS OEM support representative.
2. Turn off power to the CiB enclosure, if necessary, and unplug the power cords from the power supply. Remove the
cover from the CiB.
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