Dell U320 SCSI User Manual
Adaptec™ 39320A/U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 User's
Guide
Introduction
Hardware Installation
BIOS RAID Configuration And Management
Windows Operating System Driver Installation
SCSI Cables and Connectors
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Specifications
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Troubleshooting
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID Regulatory Information
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID Glossary
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid
the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2004 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium,
and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and
names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
Model Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1
March 2005 P/N NC234 Rev. A00
Initial release: April 2004
Last revised: March 2005
Back to Contents Page
Introduction
Adaptec™ U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 User's Guide
Overview
RAID Storage Management Utilities
System Requirements
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Features
Configuration Features
RAID Performance Features
RAID Management Features
Fault Tolerance Features
Software Utilities
Operating System Drivers and Utility
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Firmware
Overview
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 is a high-performance 64-bit/133-MHz PCI-X, dual-channel SCSI card with
integrated RAID 0 and 1. It provides data protection at the fastest SCSI speeds available up to 640 MB/sec total
throughput using Ultra320 SCSI Low Voltage Differential (LVD) devices.
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller has the following features:
Two independent bootable SCSI channels
15 multifunction devices per channel
Mixing of LVD and SE devices, with associated performance degradation. (HVD devices are not supported.)
Wide or Narrow SCSI data path
CRC-32 error detection for Ultra320/Ultra160 modes during data I/O phases in LVD mode only
Automatic termination control
Manual termination override for multi-initiator environments
Fuse-protected (up to 1.25 A) termination power circuit
SCSI card and devices are configurable using SCSISelect®, the BIOS Configuration utility
RAID Storage Management Utilities
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 includes the following software tools to manage your storage subsystem:
RAID Storage Manager—Browser based storage management software that provides all of the creation,
management, data logging, messaging, and control needed to manage arrays on the operating system. For details,
refer to the RAID Storage Manager documentation.
BIOS Configuration utility—Configuration utility that is part of the controller's built-in BIOS-based code. The
utility can be started by pressing <Ctrl><A> during BIOS startup. For details, refer to "BIOS RAID
Configuration And Management".
System Requirements
The following system requirements are discussed:
Storage Requirements
SCSI Drive Requirements
Hardware Requirements
Storage Requirements
RAID Storage Manager and the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 device drivers require 20 MB of disk space.
NOTE: This information is provided as a guide for allocating resources on your system. Space requirements
may vary in subsequent releases. Allocate more room on your hard drive if in doubt.
SCSI Drive Requirements
While the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 is designed to work with Ultra320 and Ultra160 SCSI hard disk drives, it
will operate, at a reduced level of performance, with all legacy Ultra2, Ultra, and Single-Ended (SE) SCSI devices. Use
of High Voltage Differential (HVD) devices is not supported.
More details about configuring and using SCSI drives are available in "Configuring SCSI Drives".
Hardware Requirements
Specification Requirement
Voltage Requirements 5-V/33 MHz and 3.3V/66-MHz
System Bus Interface Requirements PCI/X 133 MHz
Mouse Yes
Monitor SVGA color monitor using a resolution of at least 800 x 600 with 16-bit color
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Features
Feature Support
RAID Levels RAID 0, 1
On-board Memory 512-KB (to 4-megabit) FLASH, EFI capable
4-KB SEEPROM with 3-wire interface
System Bus Interface PCI-X/PCI
BIOS Utility SCSISelect
OS Utility RAID Storage Manager
Hot Spares Global Hot Spare Support
Supported Operating Systems Microsoft Windows 2000/XP (32 bit and 64 bit), Red Hat Linux 4.0 (32 bit and 64
bit)
Flashable ROM Yes
Event logging and
notification
Interface hard disks LVD, Ultra320, Ultra160, Ultra2, Wide SE
NOTE: For information on RAID configuration and planning, see "RAID Configuration and Management". For
more information on hardware installation, see "Installation".
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 enables you to connect up to 30 SCSI devices—such as Ultra320/Ultra160 hard
disk drives, scanners, and CD-ROM drives—to any Intel-based or Intel-compatible system with 64- or 32-bit
PCI/PCI-X expansion slots. Ultra320 is an enhanced SCSI technology that transfers data at up to 640 MB/sec.
Ultra320 SCSI allows cable length of up to 12 meters for optimal connectivity and flexibility.
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 has two independent SCSI channels, each with a maximum throughput of 320
MB/sec.
For optimum performance and throughput, the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 card must be installed in a 64-bit,
133-MHz, PCI-X slot with Ultra320 devices. However, the HBA is fully functional in legacy PCI systems because it
supports conventional 33- and 66-MHz PCI transactions in both 32- and 64-bit modes. The HBA also supports legacy
SCSI operations, such as SPI-3 Double Transition (DT) clocking.
Yes
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 card is backwards compatible with virtually any legacy Ultra2, Ultra, and
Single-Ended (SE) SCSI device, except High Voltage Differential (HVD) devices. However, performance is degraded
to SE speed, and SE cable length restrictions must be adhered to, when an SE device is connected to the bus. Dualindependent channels allow LVD and SE devices to operate separately at peak performance.
Configuration Features
Specification Feature
RAID Levels RAID 0, 1
Interface Channels Two independent SCSI channels
Devices supported per channel 15
Host Interface PCI-X 133 MHz
Storage Interface Ultra320 SCSI
Multiple logical drives/per controller 2
Event logging Controllers supported in system System Event Log and Controller Event Log
Online Capacity Expansion Yes
Hot spare support Gobal Hot Spare Support
Flashable firmware Yes
Hot swap devices supported Yes
Supported Devices See your system documentation for supported devices
Mixed capacity hard disk support Yes
Internal Connectors Two 68-pin Internal LVD/SE connectors
External Connectors Two 68-pin External VHDCI connectors
Disk Configuration Features
Specification Feature
Supported hard disk Capacity Maximum 2 TB
Online RAID Migration Single volume to RAID 1 in SCSISelect BIOS utility
User Specified Rebuild Rate Yes
RAID Performance Features
Specification Feature
Storage Interface transfer rate 320 MB/s per channel
Maximum Outstanding I/Os per drive 16
Supported Stripe Sizes 16KB, 32KB, 64KB
Maximum number of concurrent commands 32
RAID Management Features
Specification Feature
Drive roaming Yes
Support for concurrent multiple stripe sizes Yes
Management utility support in OS Yes
DMI Support Yes
Fault Tolerance Features
Specification Feature
SMART Support Yes
Drive failure detection Automatic
Drive rebuild using hot spares Yes
Parity Generation and checking Yes
Software Utilities
Specification Feature
Graphical user interface Yes
Management utility Yes
Operating System Drivers and Utility
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 includes drivers to support the following operating systems:
Microsoft® Windows®2000, XP (32 bit and 64 bit)
Red Hat Linux 4.0 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Firmware
Specification Feature
Disconnect/Reconnect Optimizes Ultra320 SCSI Bus seek
Tagged Command Queuing Tagged Command Features
Scatter/Gather Yes
Supported Stripe Sizes 16, 32, 64 KB
Rebuild Supported
Back to Contents Page
Back to Contents Page
Hardware Installation
Adaptec™ U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 User's Guide
Safety Precautions
Installing the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Controller
Configuring SCSI Drives
Installing Hard Drives
Safety Precautions
For more information on safety instructions for your system, see the System Information Guide or Product Information Guide
that came with your system.
Do not handle the card until you discharge any static electricity by touching a grounded metal object (such as the exposed
metal parts on the back of your system.)
NOTE: Handle the card by its edges or metal bracket. Do not touch the gold connector or any components on the card.
Installing the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Controller
CAUTION: Be sure to disconnect the system's power before you remove the cover and install the Adaptec
U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller.
CAUTION: Be sure to use an approved ESD workstation and wrist-strap when handling the host adapter to
prevent damage from discharge of static electricity.
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller card fits into any available:
64-bit PCI/PCI-X expansion slot
32-bit PCI expansion slot
NOTE: Installing the Adaptec U320 RAID 0 or 1 controller in a 32-bit slot will decrease the maximum performance
of the controller.
To install the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller:
Open the system chassis.
1.
Remove the inside slot cover of an appropriate slot on the system board. See the documentation that came with your
2.
system for more information.
Install the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller into the open slot as follows:
3.
4. Secure the controller with the system's retaining bracket.
Attach the activity light cable to the activity light connector on the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller and the
5.
motherboard if needed. Make sure that pin 1 on the connector is aligned with pin 1 of the cable.
Configuring SCSI Drives
There are several things you may need to do to your SCSI hard drives and devices before you connect them to the Adaptec
U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1:
Check the SCSI IDs
Set the termination
Connect the power cables
Since setup can vary from device to device, always refer to the device's documentation for specific instructions.
NOTE: If you connect Wide Ultra/Ultra SCSI devices to the same SCSI channel as Ultra320/160 and Ultra2 SCSI
devices, the data transfer rate for the Ultra320/160 and Ultra2 SCSI devices will drop to Ultra SCSI performance levels.
To achieve maximum data transfer rates for the newer SCSI devices, be sure to connect them on their own SCSI
channel.
The following are some guidelines for setting SCSI IDs and termination on your devices.
SCSI IDs
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 and each device you connect to it must have a unique SCSI ID number ranging from 0
to 15 on each channel. No two devices on the same SCSI channel can have the same SCSI ID.
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 is preset to ID 7 for each channel and should not be changed. If you boot from a SCSI
hard disk, make sure the hard disk SCSI ID is set to 0. (Most SCSI hard disks are preset to SCSI ID 0 at the factory.) The
SCSI IDs for internal devices are usually set with jumpers; SCSI IDs for external devices are usually set with a switch on the
back of the device.
SCSI Termination
Proper termination of channels used with SCSI devices is critical in having the system work properly. The basics of
termination are:
Use SCSI cables certified for Ultra320 operation to allow the system to work at full speed.
NOTE: The cable provided with the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 has a built-in multi-mode terminator on one end.
This is meant to be located at the opposite end of the cable from the attachment to the controller. None of the drives
attached to this cable should be terminated.
Enable termination of the devices on each physical end of a SCSI cable (see note above). Use multi-mode terminated
cables only with termination on that channel disabled.
When using multiple SCSI channels on a single controller, as is possible on the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1,
terminate each channel separately.
SCSI termination for Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 is configured through the BIOS configuration utility. The controller has
two possible termination settings, as shown:
Setting Function
Auto (Default) Used for most cabling conditions
Disabled Disabled controller termination unconditionally
The following figures show various SCSI cabling examples:
SCSI Cables
Dell recommends using Ultra320 SCSI drives and LVD SCSI cables designed and rated for Ultra320 use. These can be
purchased from Dell at www.dell.com
the system.
. Using cables not rated for U320 operation may adversely impact the performance of
Installing Hard Drives
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 Controller supports up to 4 drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the
same model and capacity. The drives' matched performance allows the array to function at the highest performance level.
While the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 is designed to work with Ultra320 and Ultra160 SCSI hard disk drives, it will
operate, at a reduced level of performance, with all legacy Ultra2, Ultra, and Single-Ended (SE) SCSI devices. Use of High
Voltage Differential (HVD) devices is not suggested. HVD devices will adversely affect other devices attached to the same
channel and could cause a working Ultra320 channel to become nonfunctional, due to distance constraints inherent in using
some of these older devices.
The Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller supports the following RAID levels:
RAID Level 0 : Up to 4 hard drives
RAID Level 1 : 2 hard drives
Plan to utilize the number of hard drives supported by the controller and the desired RAID level.
More details about configuring and using SCSI drives and devices are available in "Configuring SCSI Drives
".
Connecting Internal Hard Drives
To connect your internal SCSI drives:
1. Install the hard drives into the hard drive bays of your system. Refer to your system documentation for more
information.
Attach the nonterminated end of the 68-pin internal LVD SCSI cable to the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 adapter's
2.
Channel A Connector.
NOTE: You may connect your SCSI hard drives to the internal LVD/SE or external VHDCI connector on the
Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 adapter.
3. Plug the internal Ultra320/160 and Ultra2 SCSI devices to the other cable connectors, starting with the connector at
the terminated end of the cable.
Repeat for each additional hard drive as applicable.
4.
Attach power cables to drives as applicable.
5.
Connecting External Devices
NOTE: Refer to your system documentation to determine which devices are supported with your system.
To connect your external SCSI devices:
Connect one end of an external SCSI cable to the external Ultra 320/160 connector on the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID
1.
0 or 1.
2. Connect the other end of the cable to a SCSI connector on the back of an external device. If you are installing only
one external device, terminate the device and skip to "step 4
3. Connect the other external SCSI devices by linking each device to the previous one, as shown below. Terminate only
the device at the end of the chain.
".
4. Connect power cables to all external device(s) and to the system.
Back to Contents Page
Back to Contents Page
BIOS RAID Configuration And Management
Adaptec™ U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 User's Guide
Configuration Strategies
RAID Availability
Configuration Planning
Entering the BIOS Configuration Utility
Controller Configuration
Using SCSISelect Settings
Using HostRAID Settings
Array Setup
Managing Arrays
Deleting Arrays
Using SCSI Disk Utilities
Configuration Strategies
Three factors drive the implementation of RAID configurations:
Fault Tolerance, (Drive Availability)
Performance
Capacity
The needs and priorities in regards to each of these factors determine the optimal RAID level and configuration for the
specific usage for which the RAID array is intended.
Maximizing Fault Tolerance
RAID Level Fault Tolerance Description
0 Not fault tolerant. Drive failures are not tolerated.
1 Disk mirroring; a complete copy of data on a secondary hard drive. One drive failure can be tolerated.
Optimizing Performance
RAID Performance Characteristics
0 Highest Read and Write Performance, no fault tolerance.
1 Good Read Performance and Lower Write Performance.
Maximizing Capacity
RAID Level Description Drives Supported Capacity
0 Striping 0 - 4 maximum drives supported (Number of disks) x (smallest disk's capacity)
1 Mirroring 2 Smallest disk's capacity
RAID Availability
RAID availability depends not only on the RAID level and number of attached hard drives, but also on whether spare
drives are available.
Spare Drives and Data Recovery
Spare drives can be utilized by physically replacing drives following a hard drive failure. Hot Spares are drives that are
attached to the controller, but are not actively available for data storage. Upon a hard drive failure the hot spare
replaces the failed drive and fault tolerance is restored by rebuilding data onto the spare drive.
NOTE: A spare can only be used by the system to rebuild an array if it is the same size as, or larger than, the
failed drive.
The following types of spares are supported by the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 controller:
Global Hot Spares —Protects every array that the spare drive has sufficient available capacity to protect.
Global Hot Spares
When an array member (a drive) fails, a global hot spare of sufficient capacity is automatically used to restore the data
contained on the failed drive. The behavior of the system after a failure depends on the size of the spare relative to the
drive it is replacing:
If the global hot spare is the same size, or less than 100 MB larger than the drive it is replacing, it becomes a
member of the array with the failed drive and ceases to be marked as a global hot spare.
If the global hot spare is larger than the drive it is replacing by 100 MB or more, the spare replaces the failed
drive, yet remains a global hot spare. The unused portion of the global hot spare is available for use in the event
of future failure.
NOTICE: It is recommended that you not use the unused portion of the global hot spare as it may result in a
single drive RAID 1.
Drive Roaming
Drive roaming enables a RAID volume to be moved from one controller to another controller without interruption.
Each drive has a unique ID which can be physically changed by setting a jumper to allow drive roaming.
Formatting
Most drives can re-assign sectors to recover from failures.
Formatting a drive may allow re-assigning of failed sectors, allowing a RAID controller to utilize the drive. See
"Verifying or Formatting a Disk" for more information.
Rebuilding
The Rebuild feature of the Adaptec U320 SCSI RAID 0 or 1 allows for an array to synchronize the hard drives, and
restore fault tolerance in a redundant RAID array. See "Rebuilding Arrays" for more information.
Configuration Planning
Optimal configurations are different for each unique purpose. When planning your RAID configuration, factors to
consider are:
Number of hard drives
Purpose of the Array
Fault Tolerance
Performance
Capacity
Spare Drives
Global Hot Spares
Entering the BIOS Configuration Utility
During POST of the system a splash screen will appear:
Enter the BIOS utility by pressing <Ctrl><A>.
SCSI Controller ID 0-15 7
From the device menu that appears, select a channel and press <Enter>.
The BIOS Configuration Utility menu displays the following options:
Configure/View SCSI Controller Settings
Configure/View HostRAID Settings
SCSI Disk Utilities
NOTE: To select an option from this menu or from any of the menus, move the cursor to the option with the
Up/Down arrow keys and press <Enter>. In some cases, selecting an option displays another menu. Press
<Esc> at any time to return to the previous menu.
Configure/View SCSI Controller Settings—enables you to change SCSI device and controller settings without
opening the system chassis or handling the card.
Configure/View HostRAID Settings—enables you to create, manage, and delete arrays from the controller's BIOS.
SCSI Disk Utilities—includes low-level format and disk media verification SCSI hard disks.
Controller Configuration
The Controller Configuration section allows a user to change SCSI and controller specific options. The following table
lists the available and default settings for each SCSISelect option. For dual channel cards, the settings marked as Autosync are automatically synchronized for both SCSI channels—for example, if you change the Boot Channel option to
B First on Channel A, the change will apply to Channel B as well. All other options can be set separately for each of
the two SCSI channels.
The default settings are appropriate for most systems and should not be changed. Run SCSISelect if you need to
change or view current settings, or if you need to use the SCSI disk utilities. See "Using SCSISelect Settings" for
descriptions of each option.
SCSISelect Options Available Settings Default
Setting
SCSI Bus Interface Definitions:
SCSI Controller Parity Enabled
Disabled
Enabled
SCSI Controller Termination:
Ch. A
Ch. B
Boot Device Configuration Options—BBS Systems Only:
Select Master SCSI Controller
[Auto-sync]
Boot SCSI Controller [Auto-sync] A, B A
Boot Device Configuration—Non-BBS Systems Only:
Select Master SCSI Controller
[Auto-sync]
Boot SCSI Controller [Auto-sync] A, B A
Boot SCSI ID [Auto-sync] 0-15 0
Boot LUN Number* [Auto-sync] 0-7 0
SCSI Device Configuration Options:
Automatic, Disabled
Automatic,
Disabled
A, B A
A, B A
Automatic
Automatic
Sync Transfer Rate (MB/sec) 320, 160, 80.0, 66.6, 40.0, 33.3, 20.0,
10.0, ASYN
Packetized Yes, No Yes
QAS Yes, No No
Initiate Wide Negotiation Yes, No Yes
Enable Disconnection Yes, No Yes
Send Start Unit Command Yes, No Yes
BIOS Multiple LUN Support* Yes, No No
Include in BIOS Scan** Yes, No Yes
Advanced Configuration:
320
(Enabled)
(Disabled)
(Enabled)
(Enabled)
(Enabled)
(Disabled)
(Enabled)
Reset SCSI Bus at IC Initialization Enabled, Disabled Enabled
Display <Ctrl> <A> Messages during BIOS Initialization
[Auto-sync]
Extended INT 13 Translation for
DOS Drives > 1 GB
Enabled, Disabled Enabled
Enabled, Disabled Enabled
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