HighPoint SSD7505 operation manual

SSD7000 RAID Management Guide

Version 1.04

Table of Contents

SSD7000 RAID Management Guide ........................................................................................................................... 1

HighPoint RAID Management Software .................................................................................................................... 4

Using the HighPoint RAID Management (WebGUI) Software ................................................................................ 5

Starting the WebGUI ...................................................................................................................................... 5

How to login WebGUI in Windows/Mac ............................................................................ 5

How to login WebGUI in Linux ........................................................................................... 6

Verify the Controller Status ............................................................................................................................ 7

Creating an Array ........................................................................................................................................... 9

Single controller to create an array ................................................................................... 9

Using the Cross-Sync feature to create an array ............................................................. 11

Array Type .................................................................................................................................................... 13

Adding Spare Disks ....................................................................................................................................... 17

Obtaining Logical Device Information .......................................................................................................... 18

Array Information &Maintenance Options: Normal Status ......................................................................... 19

Array Information & Maintenance Options: Critical Status ......................................................................... 20

Array Information & Maintenance Options: Disabled Status ....................................................................... 21

Physical Device Information ......................................................................................................................... 22

System Setting ............................................................................................................................................................. 23

System Setting .............................................................................................................................................. 24

Password Settings ........................................................................................................................................ 25

Email Setting ................................................................................................................................................ 25

Email Precautions ......................................................................................................................................... 26

Event Tab ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29

SHI (Storage Health Inspector) ................................................................................................................................. 29

How to Enable SMART Monitoring ............................................................................................................... 30

How to Use the Health Inspector Scheduler ................................................................................................ 32

How to Create a New Verify Task ................................................................................................................. 33

Using the HighPoint Command Line Interface (CLI) ............................................................................................. 34

How to use the CLI in Windows ................................................................................................................... 34

How to use the CLI in a Linux system ........................................................................................................... 34

CLI Command Reference .............................................................................................................................. 35

Query Commands ......................................................................................................................................... 35

query controllers ............................................................................................................. 35

query enclosures .............................................................................................................. 36

query devices ................................................................................................................... 38

query devices {device_id} ................................................................................................ 40

query arrays ..................................................................................................................... 41

query arrays {arrays_id} ................................................................................................... 42

Init Commands ............................................................................................................................................. 42

init {device_id} ................................................................................................................. 43

init {array_id} {start|stop} ............................................................................................... 43

Create Commands ........................................................................................................................................ 43

Delete Command ......................................................................................................................................... 46

Unplug Command ........................................................................................................................................ 47

Rebuild Commands ...................................................................................................................................... 48

rebuild {array_id} {device_id} .......................................................................................... 48

rebuild {array_id} {start|stop} ......................................................................................... 49

Verify Command .......................................................................................................................................... 49

Rescan Command ......................................................................................................................................... 50

Lscard Command .......................................................................................................................................... 51

Events Commands ........................................................................................................................................ 51

events .............................................................................................................................. 51

events clear ...................................................................................................................... 52

events save {file_name} ................................................................................................... 52

Mail Commands ........................................................................................................................................... 52

mail recipient ................................................................................................................... 53

mail recipient add {recipient_name} {mail_address} [Inf|War|Err] ................................ 53

mail recipient delete {recipient_name} ........................................................................... 54

mail recipient test {recipient_name} ............................................................................... 54

mail recipient set {recipient_name} {Inf|War|Err} .......................................................... 54

mail server ....................................................................................................................... 55

mail server set {server_address} {port} {ssl} {status} {from_address} [username]

[password] ....................................................................................................................... 55

mail server set {a|p|s|m|u|t} {value} ............................................................................. 56

Task Commands ........................................................................................................................................... 57

task .................................................................................................................................. 58

task rebuild {array_id}{name=}{once|daily|weekly|monthly={day} interval={interval}

start=mm/dd/yyyy end=mm/dd/yyyy time=hh:mm:ss ................................................... 58

task verify ........................................................................................................................ 59

task delete {task_id} ........................................................................................................ 60

task enable {task_id} ........................................................................................................ 60

task disable {task_id} ....................................................................................................... 61

Set Commands ............................................................................................................................................. 61

set .................................................................................................................................... 61

Help Commands ........................................................................................................................................... 64

help .................................................................................................................................. 64

help {command} .............................................................................................................. 64

Exit Command .............................................................................................................................................. 65

Clear Commands .......................................................................................................................................... 65

Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................................................... 65

Table 1. WebGUI Icon Guide .................................................................................................................................... 66

Table 2. RAID Level Reference Guide ...................................................................................................................... 68

HighPoint Recommended List of NVMe SSDs and Motherboards ....................................................................... 69

Contacting Technical Support ................................................................................................................................... 71

HighPoint RAID Management Software

Your Choice – Graphical or Text-only interfaces

HighPoint understands that one size doesn’t fit all - when it comes to maintaining critical storage configurations, each customer has specific needs and preferences. We have developed both graphical and text-based management interfaces for the SSD7101A-1 / 7103 / 7120 / 7202 / 7204 / 7104 / 6540 / 6540M / 7184 / 7180 / 7505 / 7140 NVMe RAID Controllers. To simplify installation and upgrade procedures both interfaces are packaged into a single download, and are available for each operating system platform.

Both management interfaces share universal layouts across all major operating systems, and can be administered locally or remotely via an internet connection. – if you are comfortable with the Windows release, you will have no problem managing NVMe RAID configurations installed for a Linux distribution.

The Web RAID Management Interface (WebGUI), is a simple, and intuitive webbased management tool available for Windows and Linux operating systems. It is an ideal interface for customers unfamiliar with RAID technology. The Wizardlike Quick Configuration menu allows even the most novice user to get everything up and running with a few simple clicks. Experienced users can fine tune configurations for specific applications using the Advanced Options menu.

The CLI (command line interface) is a powerful, text-only management interface designed for advanced users and professional administrators. The universal command lines work with any platform, and are shared across our entire product line. Comprehensive user guides are available for the CLI, and are included with the most recent product updates available from the SSD7101A-1 / 7120 / 7103/ 7202 / 7204 / 6540 / 6540M / 7184 / 7104 / 7505 / 7140 Software Updates webpage.

Using the HighPoint RAID Management (WebGUI) Software

This guide provides an overview of the Web-RAID Management graphical user interface, also known as the WebGUI. The WebGUI is an intuitive, yet comprehensive management tool designed for users of any experience level.

Starting the WebGUI

How to login WebGUI in Windows/Mac

Double click the Desktop ICON to start the software using the system’s default web browser. It will automatically log-in to the WebGUI.

The password can be set after the first log-in. To change the password, select Setting>Security from the menu bar (see page 25 for more information).

How to login WebGUI in Linux

Enter http://127.0.0.1:7402 into the browser to log into the WebGUI, 7402 is the WebGUI’s Port Number, which can be modified.

The password can be set after the first log-in. To change the password, select Setting>Security from the menu bar (see page 25 for more information).

Verify the Controller Status

a) The Global View Tab will display the overall status of the

controller.

b) RAID configurations are listed under Logical Device

Information.

c) The individual M.2 SSDs are listed under Physical Device

Information.

SSD7202:

SSD7101A/7120/7103/7204/7104/6540/6540M/7505:

SSD7184/7180/7140:

Creating an Array

Single controller to create an array

1. Open the WebGUI

2. Select the proper controller from the drop down on the top left

3. Click the Logical tab

4. Click Create Array

SSD7202：

SSD7101A/7103/7204/7104/6540M/7505：

SSD7184/7180:

SSD7140:

Using the Cross-Sync feature to create an array

Note: This function is only supported by SSD7101A-1, SSD7120, SSD7202 controllers

For more information about Cross-Sync, please submit a Support Ticket via our Online Support Portal, or contact sales@highpoint-tech.com

1. Open the WebGUI

2. Select the appropriate controller using the drop-down menu found in the upper left-hand corner of the interface

3. Click the Logical tab

4. Click Create Array – it should recognize the SSD’s attached to both cards. SD7101A-1:

SSD7120:

SSD7202:

5. You can view information about both controllers using the Physical tab. Note, the interface will refer to the controllers as “Enclosure 1” and “Enclosure 2”.

Array Type

This drop-down menu allows you to specify the RAID level. An array is a collection of physical disks that will be one virtual drive by your Operating System (OS).

The SSD7202 is capable of creating the following types of arrays:

• RAID 0 — Striping

• RAID 1 — Mirroring

The SSD7101A-1, SSD7103, SSD7120, SSD6540, SSD6540M, SSD7104, SSD7204，SSD7184, SSD7505 and SSD7140 controllers can create the following types of arrays:

• RAID 0 — Striping

• RAID 1 — Mirroring

• RAID10 — Striping Mirrored array

Each RAID level has its pros and cons based on the application you use it for (Note: Refer to RAID level Quick Reference)

Array Name: the name that will be displayed in Logical Device Information (Default: RAID_<level>_<array number>)

Initialization Method: Initialization of a disk sets all data bits to 0, essentially clearing all the data on the drive. It is important to initialize disks as previous data physically stored on the drive may interfere with new data.

• Keep Old Data: This option skips the initialization process and

all data on each physical disk of the array will be untouched.

• Quick Init: This option grants immediate access to the RAID

array by skipping the initialization process, but it will delete all data. Note: Skipping initialization is generally not recommended as residual data on disks may interfere with new data in the future.

• Foreground: The array initialization process will be set at

high priority. During this time array is not accessible, but the initialization process will complete much faster.

• Background: The array initialization process will have a lower

priority. During this time the array will be accessible, but the initialization process will take much longer to complete.

Note: Using a Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB as an example; RAID 1 Initialization (Foreground) time is approximately 10 minutes. Initialization using the Background option would take 12 minutes to complete.

Background and Foreground Initialization Foreground initializing the array will completely zero out the data on the disks, meaning the disk will be completely wiped and every bit on the disk will be set to 0. Background initialization means the array will still be created, and you can still write new data onto the array. But when your array requires rebuilding, residual data left behind may interfere with the process.

Block Size (default: 512K) SSD7103/7202/7505: [supported block sizes: 128K/256K/512K]

SSD7101A-1/SSD7120/7104/6540/6540M/7204/7184/7180/7140: [supported block sizes: 16K/32K/64K/128K/256K/512K/1024K]

Adjusting the block size towards your disk usage can result in some performance gain.

In a typical RAID configuration, data of the virtual drive is striped (or spread across) the physical drives. Having a smaller array block size will increase the likelihood of accessing all physical drives when processing large I/O requests. Multiple physical drives working in parallel increases the throughput, meaning better performance.

For smaller I/O requests (512 bytes to 4 kilobytes), it is better to have each individual disk handle their own I/O request, improving the IOPS (I/O per second), rather than having one tiny I/O request being handled by multiple disks.

Capacity (Default: Maximum)

This section allows you to set the total amount of space you want the RAID array to use. When creating RAID levels, disk capacities are limited by the smallest disk.

An example of how disk capacities are limited by smallest disk:

• You have 2 drives connected to the enclosure.

• The first drive is 6 TB, the second is 4 TB

• After creating a RAID level 1 using both drives and maximum

capacity, the first drive will have 2 TB, the second 0 TB of free capacity

• The free capacity on the second drive can be used to create a

separate array with other drives.

Adding Spare Disks

Note: This function is only supported by SSD7101A-1, SSD7103, SSD7505, SSD6540, SSD6540M, SSD7120, SSD7184, SSD7180, SSD7104, SSD7204 and SSD7140 RAID controllers.

Spare disks are physical disks that will immediately replace critical disks in an array.

To add spare disks:

1. Open the WebGUI

2. Click Logical

3. Click Spare Pool:

4. Check the box for the disk you want as a spare under Available Disks

5. Click Add Spare, and confirm by selecting OK from the pop-up

window:

6. The disk has now been assigned as a spare. Click OK to confirm:

Disks added to the spare pool will be displayed under Spare Pool and

can be removed by checking the box before the target drive, then

clicking the Remove Spare button. Physical drives marked as a spare will automatically be added to an array whenever there is a disk failure. This feature minimizes the chances of a data loss by reducing the time an array is in the critical status.

Obtaining Logical Device Information

The Logical device tab is the default page after clicking the Logical tab of the HRM. This page contains information about your RAID arrays and the individual disks your system detects.

Logical Device Information

Arrays you create and the properties associated with them will appear here.

Maintenance

Once an array has been created, the Maintenance menu provides options to maintain or edit it. To access the Maintenance menu, click the

Maintenance button towards the right-hand side of the array name.

Array Information

Clicking on the Maintenance button will show you the Array information box. Different array statuses (Normal, critical, disabled) will have different maintenance options.

Array Information &Maintenance Options: Normal Status

Arrays with the Normal status are healthy and functioning properly, and have the following options:

Delete – deletes the selected RAID array

Verify – verifies the integrity of the RAID array

Rename – renames the RAID array.

Array Information & Maintenance Options: Critical Status

Arrays in the Critical status can be accessed and utilized, but are no longer fault tolerant. A Critical array should be rebuilt as soon as possible to restore redundancy. A critical status array has all the normal status options except the

following:

• The Array can no longer be renamed

• Add Disk replaces the Verify Disk option

Once the array status changes to critical, the faulty disk will be taken offline and you can either:

• Reinsert the same disk

• Insert a new disk

Reinserting the same disk should trigger the rebuilding status, since data on the disk would be recognized.

If you insert a new disk, clicking Add Disk will give you the option to select that disk and add it to the array.

Array Information & Maintenance Options: Disabled Status

An array with the Disabled status means that the RAID level does not have enough disks to function.

• Your data will be inaccessible

• Rebuilding will not trigger, since the RAID array does not

have enough parity data to rebuild.

Your options in Maintenance are:

• Delete

Delete – will delete the array

Physical Device Information

• Model — model number of the drive connected

• Revision — revised version of drive

• Location — which controller and port the drive is in

• Max Free — total capacity that is not configured

• Status — Current state of drive

• Serial Num — Serial number of the drive

• Capacity — total capacity of the drive

• PCIe Width — PCIe width occupied by the driver

• PCIe Speed — Rate of current bandwidth

Rescan

Clicking Rescan will ask the driver to recheck and report the array status. When Rescan is initiated by the WebGUI; the driver will immediately check and see whether the status of any disk has changed. If there are any changes, the status of the disks and RAID array will be updated to reflect this.

• Disk Status – if any disks were added or removed, or if a disk is no

longer responding, the status will change.

• RAID status – the RAID array’s status may change depending on

the status of the disks.

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