IBM MegaRAID 8480 User Manual

USER’S

GUIDE

MegaRAID® 8480 Storage Adapter

July 2007

IBM P/N: 42D8846

This document contains copyrighted information of LSI Corporation.

LSI products are not intended for use in life-support appliances, devices, or systems.

Purchase of I Associated Companies, conveys a license under the Philips I use these components in an I

C standard Specification as defined by Philips.

the I

C components of LSI Corporation, or one of its sublicensed

C system, provided that the system conforms to

C Patent Rights to

IBM P/N: 42D8846, July 2007. This document describes the current version of the LSI Corporation MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter and will remain the official reference source for all revisions/releases of this product until rescinded by an update.

LSI Corporation reserves the right to make changes to any products herein at any time without notice. LSI does not assume any responsibility or liability arising out of the application or use of any product described herein, except as expressly agreed to in writing by LSI.

TRADEMARK ACKNOWLEDGMENT LSI, the LSI logo design, Fusion-MPT, and MegaRAID are trademarks or registered trademarks of LSI Corporation. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. SUSE is a trademark and NetWare is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc. Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. UnixWare is a registered trademark of The Open Group. OpenServer is a trademark of Caldera International, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other brand and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies.

To receive product literature, visit http://www.ibm.com/support/ and click on Product publications.

Preface

Audience

Organization

This book is the primary reference and user’s guide for the LSI MegaRAID instructions and specifications for the adapter.

For details on how to configure the storage adapter, refer to the

MegaRAID 8480 Software User’s Guide

operating system drivers, refer to the

Installation User’s Guide

This document assumes that you have some familiarity with RAID controllers and related support devices. The people who benefit from this book are:

8480 RAID Storage Adapter. It contains installation

. For information about the

MegaRAID 8480 Device Driver

• Engineers who are designing a system that will include a MegaRAID

8480 SAS Storage Adapter

• Anyone installing a MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter in a

RAID system

This document has the following chapters and appendix:

• Chapter 1, Overview, provides a general overview of the MegaRAID

8480 Storage Adapter.

• Chapter 2, MegaRAID 8480 Hardware Installation, describes the

procedures for installing the MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter.

• Chapter 3, MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter Characteristics,

provides the characteristics and technical specifications for the MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter.

MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter User’s Guide iii

• Appendix A, Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations, lists and

Related Publications

MegaRAID Battery Backup Unit User’s Guide

explains the terms and abbreviations used in this manual.

IBM Document Numb

er: 42D8847

This document explains how to install and use the LSI battery backup unit for MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter. The 8480 board uses the LSI intelligent Transportable Battery Backup Unit 02 (LSIiTBBU02).

MegaRAID 8480 Device Driver Installation User’s Guide

IBM Document Numb

er: 42D8845

This document explains how to install the MegaRAID device driver for your operating system. The information in this document is independent of the back-end bus and applies to the Megaraid 8480 Storage Adapter.

MegaRAID 8480 Software User’s Guide

IBM Document Numb

er: 42D8848

This document explains how to use the MegaRAID Storage Manager, WebBIOS, and Command Line Interface (CLI) utilities to configure, monitor, and maintain MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter and the storage-related devices connected to them.

iv Preface

Conventions

Throughout the manual, the conventions described in the following table are used to describe user interaction with the product:

Notation Example Meaning and Use

courier typeface .nwk file Names of commands, files, and directories as well as

code and screen messages are shown in courier.

bold typeface fd1sp In a command line, keywords are shown in bold, non-italic

italics

Initial Capital letters Undo

semicolon, and other punctuation

module

In command lines and names italics indicate user vari-

Edit Apply

typeface. Enter them exactly as shown.

ables. Italicized text must be replaced with appropriate user-specified items. Enter items of the type called for, using lowercase.

Names of menu commands, options, check buttons, text buttons, options buttons, text boxes, list boxes, and so on., are shown in text with Initial Capital lettering to avoid misreading. These elements may appear on your screen in all lowercase.

Use as shown in the text.

Note:

Notes contain supplementary information that can affect system performance.

Attention

: Attention notices identify actions that might adversely affect

equipment operation, system performance, or data integrity.

Revision History

IBM Document Number Date/Version Remarks

42D8846 Version 1.2

July 2007

42D8846 Version 1.1

April 2007

42D8846 Version 1.0

June 2006

Preface v

Revised Table 1.1 about the number of physical drives allowed for each RAID level.

Made edits and added information about controller limitations, and the number of physical drives supported at each RAID level.

Initial release of document.

IBM Customer Support

If you have feedback or questions, you can contact IBM.

E-mail:

askibm@vnet.ibm.com

Phone:

(Toll free) 1-800-IBM-4YOU (1-800-426-4968)

Web site:

https://www.ibm.com/support/us/fbmast.html

Safety Instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer system from potential damage and to ensure your own personal safety.

Note:

Use the MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter with UL-listed Information Technology Equipment (ITE) products only.

When Using Your Computer System – As you use your computer system, observe the following safety guidelines:

• Do not operate your computer system with any cover(s) (such as

computer covers, bezels, filler brackets, and front-panel inserts) removed.

• To help avoid damaging your computer, be sure the voltage selection

switch on the power supply is set to match the alternating current (AC) power available at your location:

– 115 volts (V)/60 hertz (Hz) in most of North and South America

and some Far Eastern countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

– 230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Also be sure your monitor and attached peripherals are electrically rated to operate with the AC power available in your location.

vi Preface

• To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds

after you turn off the system before you remove a component from the system board or disconnect a peripheral device from the computer.

• To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer and peripheral

power cables into properly grounded power sources. These cables are equipped with 3-prong plugs to ensure proper grounding.

• Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a

cable. If you must use an extension cable, use a 3-wire cable with properly grounded plugs.

• To help protect your computer system from sudden, transient

increases and decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

• Be sure nothing rests on your computer system cables and that the

cables are not located where they can be stepped on or tripped over.

• Do not spill food or liquids on your computer. If the computer gets

wet, consult the documentation that came with it.

• Do not push any objects into the openings of your computer. Doing so

can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out interior components.

• Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do

not block cooling vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your computer; do not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or on a rug.

When Working Inside Your Computer –

Attention

1. Review all of the safety information provided with your computer.

2. Turn off your computer and any peripherals.

3. Disconnect your computer and peripherals from their power sources.

Also note these safety guidelines:

: Always follow the installation and service instructions

provided with your computer closely.

Also disconnect any telephone or telecommunications lines from the computer.

Doing so reduces the potential for personal injury or shock.

Preface vii

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its

strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

• Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the

components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a microprocessor chip by its edges, not by its pins.

Protecting against Electrostatic Discharge – Static electricity can harm delicate components inside your computer. To prevent static damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electronic components, such as the microprocessor. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer.

As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to remove any static charge your body may have accumulated. In addition to the preceding precautions, you can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge:

• When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping

carton, do not remove the component from the antistatic packing material until you are ready to install the component in your computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your body.

• When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an

antistatic container or packaging.

• Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use

antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.

viii Preface

Chapter 1 Overview

Contents

1.1 Overview 1-1

1.2 MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller Description 1-3

1.2.1 Controller Limitations 1-3

1.3 General Description 1-3

1.4 Configuration Scenario 1-4

1.4.1 Number of Physical Disks Supported 1-6

1.5 Benefits of the SAS Interface 1-7

1.5.1 PCI Express Architecture 1-8

1.5.2 Operating System Support 1-8

1.6 Summary of MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller Characteristics 1-8

1.6.1 SAS Features 1-9

1.6.2 SATA II Features 1-9

1.6.3 PCI Express Performance 1-10

1.6.4 Usability Features 1-10

1.6.5 Flexibility Features 1-11

1.6.6 Drive Roaming 1-11

1.6.7 Drive Migration 1-12

1.7 Hardware Specifications 1-13

1.8 Technical Support 1-14

Chapter 2 MegaRAID 8480 Hardware Installation

2.1 Requirements 2-1

2.2 Quick Installation 2-2

2.3 Detailed Installation 2-2

2.4 SAS Device Cables 2-6

2.4.1 Connecting the MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller to

MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter User’s Guide ix

Drive Boxes and Drive Expanders 2-8

2.5 Replacing a Failed Controller Containing Data in the LSIiTBBU02 2-9

2.6 After Installing the Storage Adapter 2-10

Chapter 3 MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter Characteristics

3.1 MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller 3-1

3.1.1 MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller 3-2

3.2 MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter Characteristics 3-4

3.3 Technical Specifications 3-4

3.3.1 Storage Adapter Specifications 3-5

3.3.2 Array Performance Features 3-6

3.3.3 Fault Tolerance 3-6

3.3.4 Electrical Characteristics 3-7

3.3.5 Operating and Non-operating Conditions 3-7

3.3.6 Safety Characteristics 3-7

Appendix A Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

xContents

Figures

1.1 Example of LSI SAS Direct-Connect Application 1-5

1.2 Example of RAID Controller Configured with LSISASx12 Expand-

er 1-6

2.1 Example of MegaRAID Board Installation in a PCI Express Slot

2-4

2.2 Internal SAS Cable for Connection to SAS and/or SATA II Physi-

cal Disks 2-6

2.3 SATA II Connectors 2-7

2.4 SAS and SATA II Plugs and SAS Backplane Receptacle Connec-

tor 2-8

2.5 Connecting the MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller with External

Connectors to a Drive Box or Drive Enclosure 2-9

3.1 Card Layout for the MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller 3-2

Contents xi

xii Contents

Tabl es

1.1 Physical Drives Required for Each RAID Level 1-6

1.2 MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter

Specifications 1-14

3.1 MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller – Connectors 3-3

3.2 MegaRAID 8480 Characteristics 3-4

3.3 Storage Adapter Specifications 3-5

3.4 Array Performance Features 3-6

3.5 Fault Tolerance Features 3-6

3.6 Maximum Power Requirements 3-7

Contents xiii

xiv Contents

Chapter 1 Overview

This section provides a general overview of the Megaraid 8480 Storage Adapter with RAID control capabilities. It consists of the following sections:

• Section 1.1, “Overview”

• Section 1.2, “MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller Description”

• Section 1.3, “General Description”

• Section 1.4, “Configuration Scenario”

• Section 1.5, “Benefits of the SAS Interface”

• Section 1.6, “Summary of MegaRAID 8480 RAID Controller

Characteristics”

• Section 1.7, “Hardware Specifications”

• Section 1.8, “Technical Support”

1.1 Overview

The MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter is a high-performance intelligent PCI Express-to-SCSI/Serial ATA II adapter with RAID control capabilities. The MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter provides reliability, high performance, and fault-tolerant disk subsystem management. It is an ideal RAID solution for the internal storage of workgroup, departmental, and enterprise systems. The MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter offers a cost-effective way to implement RAID in a server.

SAS technology brings a wealth of options and flexibility with the use of SAS devices and Serial ATA (SATA) II devices within the same storage infrastructure. However, SAS and SATA devices bring individual characteristics that make each one a more suitable choice depending on your storage needs. MegaRAID gives you the flexibility to combine these

MegaRAID 8480 Storage Adapter User’s Guide 1-1

+ 35 hidden pages

IBM MegaRAID 8480 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Chapter 1 Overview

1.1 Overview