Silicon Graphics InfiniteStorage 3000 User Manual

SGI® InfiniteStorage Server 3000 (ISS3000)
User’s Guide

007-5721-001

COPYRIGHT

© 2010, 2011 SGI. All rights reserved; provided portions may be copyright in third parties, as indicated elsewhere herein. No permission is granted to copy,
distribute, or create derivative works from the contents of this electronic documentation in any manner, in whole or in part, without the prior written permis sion
of SGI.

LIMITED RIGHTS LEGEND

The software described in this document is “commercial computer software” provided with restricted rights (except as to included open/free source) as specified
in the FA R 52.227-19 and/or the DFAR 227.7202, o r successive sections. Use beyond license prov isions is a violation of worldwide intellectual property laws,
treaties and conventions. This document is provided with limited rights as defined in 52.227-14.

The electronic (software) version of this document was developed at private expense; if acquired under an agreement with the USA government or any
contractor thereto, it is acquired as “commercial computer software” subject to the provisions of its applicable license agreement, as specified in (a) 48 CFR

12.212 of the FAR; or, if acquired for Department of Defense units, (b) 48 CFR 227-7202 of the DoD FAR Supplement; or sections succeeding thereto.
Contractor/manufacturer is SGI, 46600 Landing Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538.

TRADEMARKS AND ATTRIBUTIONS

Silicon Graphics, SGI, the SGI logo, Roamer, Supportfolio, and XFS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics International Corp. or its
subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries worldwide.

3ware is a registered trademark of 3ware, Inc.

AMD Opteron is a trademark or registered trademark of Advanced Micro Devices Corporation.

Intel and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

LSI is a registered trademark of LSI Corporation.

PCIe and PCI-X are registered trademarks of PCI SIG.

Red Hat and all Red Hat-based trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

SUSE LINUX and SUSE logo are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Adaptec, HostRAID, and the Adaptec logo are registered trademarks of Adaptec Inc.

Record of Revision

Version Description

001 March 2011

Original printing.

007-5721-001 iii

Contents

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Related Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

Product Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Reader Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii

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

The ISS3000 3U Server Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

General Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Configurable Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Support Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Key Components of ISS3000 3U Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Power Supply Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 Pre-Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Server and Rack Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Electrical Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Operating Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Rack Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Getting Ready to Install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Determine Server Positioning in the Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Installing into a Rack or Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Installing into a Telco Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

007-5721-001 v

Contents

Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4 Installing Hard Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Drive Insertion Order. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Installing a Hard Drive into the Hard Drive Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5 Using the Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Powering the Server On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Powering the Server Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Working with Roamer Remote Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

6 RAID Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Configuring Hardware RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

LSI Hardware RAID (SAS or SATA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3ware-Based Hardware RAID (SATA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Configuring Software RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

7 Software Installation and Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Linux Server Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Operating System Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Filesystem Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Data Drive Configuration (Hardware RAID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Exporting Filesystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Tuning Linux NFS Server Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Tuning Linux Client Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Using Smartmontools Software to Improve Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Windows Server Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

A Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

B Safety Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Electrical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Handling Your Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

C RAID Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

RAID Implementations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

RAID 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

vi 007-5721-001

Contents

JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

RAID 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

RAID 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

RAID 6 (Dual Parity) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

007-5721-001 vii

Audience

. About This Guide

This guide provides an overview of the SGI® InfiniteStorage Server 3000 (ISS3000) along with
instructions for system installation and general operation. The appendices include technical
specifications, safety practices, and an overview of RAID.

This guide is written for owners, installers, system administrators, and users of ISS3000 servers.
It is written with the assumption that the reader has a good working knowledge of computers and
computer systems.

007-5721-001 ix

About This Guide

Related Publications

Depending on your choice of system components and operating system, the following SGI
documents may be relevant to your ISS3000 server:

• SGI InfiniteStorage Server 3500 (ISS3500) User’s Guide (007-5653-00x)

• SGI InfiniteStorage series documentation

• Man pages (online)

You can obtain SGI documentation, release notes, or man pages in the following ways:

• Refer to the SGI Technical Publications Library at http://docs.sgi.com. Various formats are

• Refer to the SGI Supportfolio webpage for documents whose access require a support

• You can also view man pages by typing man <title> on a command line.

available. This library contains the most recent and most comprehensive set of online books,
release notes, man pages, and other information.

contract. See “Product Support” on page xi.

x 007-5721-001

Product Support

About This Guide

SGI provides a comprehensive product support and maintenance program for its products. SGI
also offers services to implement and integrate Linux® applications in your environment.

• Refer to http://www.sgi.com/support/

• If you are in North America, contact the Technical Assistance Center at
[phone]SGI or contact your authorized service provider.

• If you are outside North America, contact the SGI subsidiary or authorized distributor in
your country.

Be sure to have the following information before you call Technical Support:

• Product serial number

• Product model name and number

• Applicable error messages

• Add-on boards or hardware

• Third-party hardware or software

• Operating system type and revision level

• Motherboard BIOS revision

007-5721-001 xi

About This Guide

Reader Comments

If you have comments about the technical accuracy, content, or organization of this document,
contact SGI. Be sure to include the title and document number of the manual with your comments.
(Online, the document number is located in the front matter of the manual. In printed manuals, the
document number is located at the bottom of each page.)

You can contact SGI in any of the following ways:

• Send e-mail to the following address: [e-mail]

• Contact your customer service representative and ask that an incident be filed in the SGI
incident tracking system.

• Send mail to the following address:
SGI

Technical Publications
46600 Landing Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538

SGI values your comments and will respond to them promptly.

xii 007-5721-001

Chapter 1

1. Overview

The ISS3000 3U server series is one of the best and most reliable servers on the market today. It
is designed with some of the most state-of-the-art features available, using non-proprietary
components to provide the most scalable and cost-effective server solution possible.

This chapter describes the ISS3000 3U server series, its hardware and service features, as well as
key components of the server.

The ISS3000 3U Server Series

The ISS3000 3U server series consists of the following models:

Model Description

3006 A maximum of 6 hard drives

3009 A maximum of 9 hard drives

3012 A maximum of 12 hard drives

3118 A maximum of 18 hard drives

If your server was ordered from SGI and was not constructed in one of the standard 3U form
factors that are detailed in this manual, then this manual will provide a general guideline to your
product. Details that are specific to your design can be found in the datasheet or custom
documentation that came with your product. For example, standard-depth models like the
ISS3500 server have separate user’s guides.

007-5721-001 1

1: Overview

General Features

Among the distinctive features of the ISS3000 3U servers are the following:

• Open architecture

• Front-facing I/O for easiest serviceability
(The ISS3118 has two hard disk drives accessible from the rear.)

• Leading thermal management & power efficiency

• Ideal for multi-server deployments

• Best-in-breed software options

• Chassis mountable as half-depth back-to-back for double density, two-post front or center
mount

• Auto-switching 100–240VAC or –48VDC (–36 to –73VDC) power supply options

• Three rack units (3RU) high

Configurable Options

• Supports up to two Intel®, Xeon®, or AMD Opteron™ processors

• Configurable number of hard drives:
– Up to 6 removable hard drives (ISS3006 model)
– Up to 9 removable hard drives (ISS3009 model)
– Up to 12 removable hard drives (ISS3012 model)
– Up to 18 removable hard drives (ISS3118 model)

• Supports SAS and SATA hard drives

• CD/CW-RW and DVD/DVD-RW

• Rackable Roamer™ remote management with LCD display option

•PCIe

2 007-5721-001

®

expansion card slots available

Support Services

Support Services

Among the support services included with the ISS3000 servers are the following:

• World-class customer support and services

• Availability of our professional services team to help with solutions outside
traditional support packages

• Flexibility of server configurations to accommodate customer-specific
operating system solutions

• Warranty options with full telephone and online support

007-5721-001 3

1: Overview

D

nt

Hard drive carriers (12)

supply

Key Components of ISS3000 3U Servers

The configurations of the various ISS3000 servers are quite similar. Figure 1-1 shows the
components of the front and rear panels of the ISS3012 server.

CD or

VD drive

LCD

display

Front

panel I/O

Power
button

LED

indicator

lights

PCI
expansion
slot

RJ-45
manageme
port

Rear fans

Figure 1-1 Front and Rear Panel Components

Power

4 007-5721-001

Key Components of ISS3000 3U Servers

Table 1-1 describes the various components illustrated in Figure 1-1.

Table 1-1 Front Panel Components

Component Description

Disk drives These removable hard drives can be placed in drive carriers

and can be hot-swappable. The drive carriers are connected
to the system internally via a custom backplane that
interfaces with a RAID storage card. Spe cifics of the RAID
card used depend on the system specifications of your
order.

DVD/CD drive Depending on the configuration of your server, a

DVD/DVD-RW or CD/CD-RW may be present. Also, in
this area is space for an LCD display that is used with a
Roamer remote management module if one was purchased
with the server.

Front panel I/O The I/O in terface to the motherboard. The configuration of

the various I/O ports is dependent on the motherboard used
in your configuration. For detailed I/O specifications, refer
to the motherboard manual included with the
documentation and accessory kit. Typical I/O includes the
following:

– serial port (RS-232, 9600 baud)
– USB ports
– PS-2 connector for mouse and keyboard
– VGA port
– Ethernet ports (RJ-45, eth0/eth1, 10/100/1000Mb)

LCD (Optional)

The LCD screen is used to display messages from the
Roamer remote management solution. The Roamer
module has the ability to display information relating to the
system that can be customized according to your need.

007-5721-001 5

1: Overview

Table 1-1 Front Panel Components (continued)

Component Description

LED indicator lights These LEDs provide you with critical information related

to different parts of the system.

Green (PWR): The LED farthest to the left indicates that
power is applied to the server and the system is on. When
the LED is off, the system is of f, even if the AC power cord
is plugged into the server.

Blue (HDD): The LED in the middle indicates that the hard
drive(s) are currently being accessed and activity is
occurring.

Red/Tri-color (ID2): The LED to the far right may have
several functions depending on the configuration of your
server. If your server was purchased with the Roamer
remote management module, then this LED can be turned
on or set to blink via Roamer so that a technician can easily

identify a unit that may need service.
PCI expansion slot This slot is to accommodate add-on PCIe cards.
Power button This single-push, push button is a power on/off button.

When the system is in an off state, pushing the button once

powers the system on. When the system is in an on state,

pushing and releasing the button power the system off. This

button does not have a reset function.
Power supply connector AC:Connect only 100-240 V olt AC, 5.5A maximum, 50-60

Hz. Use a standard AC connector to connect power to the

server. An AC power cord is included in your

documentation and accessory kit.

DC:Connect only.
Power switch This power switch tur ns the server on and off. It controls

the power supply that is inside the chassis.

6 007-5721-001

Key Components of ISS3000 3U Servers

Table 1-1 Front Panel Components (continued)

Component Description

Rear fans Keep the area behind the fans clear and unobstructed. This

will ensure proper airflow to the components inside the
server chassis.

Serial connector
(RJ-45 management

port)

This port is accessed with an RJ-45 connector. When the
Roamer remote management module is installed, this port
functions as an interface to the module. When the Roamer
remote management module is not installed, the pinout for
the serial connector is as shown in Table 1-2.

Table 1-2 describes the pinouts for the serial connector when Roamer is not installed.

Table 1-2 Pinouts for the Serial Connector J3

Pin Name Description

1 RTS Request To Send (JP1 “A”)

CTS Clear To Send (JP1 “B”)
2 DSR Data Set Ready
3RxD Receive Data
4 GND Ground Return
5 GND Ground Return
6 TxD Transmit Dat a
7 DTR Data Terminal Ready
8 CTS Clear To Send (JP1 “B”)

007-5721-001 7

RTS Request To Send (JP1 “B”)

1: Overview

Power Supply Options

SGI offers both DC and AC options for its servers. The make and model of the power supply that
is present in your system can vary depending on what was ordered. SGI does have a standard
power supply for both AC and DC configurations. In addition to single AC or DC power supplies,
SGI offers a Redundant Power Supply (RPS) configuration option for some configurations.

AC

For AC powered servers, SGI typically uses a 250W or 450W power supply (or a redundant
supply for RPS systems). The power supply provides a small footprint and can handle a peak of
450W DC output. The input is 100-240VAC, 43-63Hz.

DC

For DC powered servers, SGI uses a 250W or 450W power supply. The power supply provides a
small footprint and can handle a peak of 450W DC output. The DC input threshold is +/-38 –
+/-75VDC.

8 007-5721-001

Chapter 2

2. Pre-Installation Guidelines

T o ensure safe and efficient operation of your server , proper planning is essential. Factors such as
the proper location of the server in its rack, adequate power to the components in the rack, and the
appropriate operating environment for the rack. The guidelines described in this chapter are
categorized as follows:

• “Server and Rack Positioning” on page 9

• “Electrical Power” on page 10

• “Operating Environment” on page 10

• “Rack Stability” on page 11

• “Cables” on page 11

• “Security” on page 11

Server and Rack Positioning

Follow these guidelines to ensure that the server is safely and appropriately positioned for efficient
operation and service.

• When determining the location for the server, position it so that there is adequate space for

airflow and servicing.

• When positioning the server in a rack, be sure to allow adequate space for airflow and

servicing from the front and the rear.

• Clearance in the front of the server should be a minimum of 36” to allow the chassis to easily

slide in and out of the rack.

• Clearance in the rear should be approximately 30” to allow for sufficient space for airflow

and ease of servicing.

• Do not cover the front or rear of the server or any of the openings on the server front and rear

panels.

007-5721-001 9

2: Pre-Installation Guidelines

Electrical Power

• If you are installing multiple servers or other components in the rack, place the components
and servers in positions that they can be easily opened and serviced. For example, the
heaviest components—such as a uninterruptible power supply—are placed at the bottom of
the rack; servers are often in the middle of the rack.

If installing this server in a rack that contains multiple components, be sure that the power
connections to the rack are sufficient for the combined power requirements of all the components.
Ensure adequate and safe power by following these guidelines:

• Check documentation of all the components in the rack to obtain the total power requirement
that the rack will use. Cross-reference this need with information on the total available
power to see if the power supply for the rack is sufficient for the planned components.

• When planning electrical power arrangements, make sure you have more power available
than specified for all components. Also, make sure the power load is distributed evenly
among circuits to the location of the rack.

• Make sure power connections for the server and all other components are grounded.

• See the Appendix A, “Technical Specifications” for specific data on the electrical power
requirements for this server.

Operating Environment

The operating environment where the server is installed must meet the following temperature and
ventilation requirements:

• Verify the temperature range of the datacenter or room where the server is installed. Ensure
that it is within the limits established for the server and all other components. This server is
designed to function within the temperature range of 10-35°C / 50-90°F.

• Adequate ventilation must be present to maintain the specified temperature range. This is
particularly important for a server or rack enclosed in a cabinet.

10 007-5721-001

Rack Stability

Cables

Rack Stability

The rack must be strong enough to hold the installed components.

• Ensure that the leveling jacks at the bottom of the rack are fully extended and are secure.

• If using a two-post (telco) rack, be sure that the rack is securely fastened to the building at

the top and the bottom.

• In single rack installations, stabilizers should be attached to the rack.

• When working with components in the rack, never slide out more than one unit at a time.

For optimal efficiency in server operation and ease of maintenance, handling cables properly is
required.

• Arrange all component cables so they do not interfere with access to the rack.

• To ensure full signal strength for Ethernet, serial, and other connections, make sure the

cables do not exceed established length limits.

Security

The following are security considerations:

• If using a server cabinet that is not in a secure room, be sure the cabinet is adequately locked

and access is limited to authorized staff.

• Control access to the server environment with a plan for distributing and controlling keys

and access information.

• Store a copy of server access information at a safe location away from the server site.

007-5721-001 11

Chapter 3

3. Installation Guidelines

This chapter describes how to install your server into the rack.

Warning: Your server is designed for rack mounting. It is not designed for use as a

desktop system. Do not place a monitor on the server or place anything on top of the
enclosure. Additional weight on top of the server could cause damage to internal
components.

Your server can be installed in these types of racks:

• Open four-post rack, 19” wide, 24-26” deep or 29-36” deep

• Cabinet with four-post rack inside, 19” wide, and 29-36” deep

• Two-post Telco rack, 19” wide.

The server is three rack units (3RUs) tall.

007-5721-001 13

3: Installation Guidelines

Getting Ready to Install

You can install the server into any four-post rack or two-post (Telco) rack. Preparations for
installing are the same regardless of what type of rack you using for the server. The ISS3000
servers do not require convention rack or server rails to be installed. The servers are designed to
slide easily between the mounting rails of a rack.

Important: Check the documentation for your rack for any special instructions or requirements.

Before beginning work with the server and rack, make the following preparations:

• If possible, arrange to work with another person for safety.

• Assemble the tools, brackets, and connectors you will need for installation.

• Note the screw sizes that you will need to use with your rack. Typically, racks use one of the
following two:

– English size 10-32 or 12-24
– Metric size M5 for racks with metric holes
Check the documentation for your rack and if screws are provided, use those.

• Clear a table, cart, or other flat surface near the rack. You will need a space to temporarily
place the server during installation.

Determine Server Positioning in the Rack

Review the guidelines for positioning the server in the rack explained earlier. Then follow these
steps to determine its positioning.

1. Determine the exact position where you want to attach the server and mark it on the side of
the rack.

Some racks have marks already to aid in positioning a server. If your rack does not have such
aids, measure and count holes to determine desired positioning. The distance between holes
on a rack varies on racks made by different manufacturers.

2. Once positioning is correctly determined in the rack you are ready to connect the server to
the rack. The server can be connected to standard Telco two- or four-post racks.

14 007-5721-001

Installing into a Rack or Cabinet

A rack can be either open or enclosed in a cabinet. Follow the same instructions to attach the server
to either type of rack. For a cabinet, it helps to remove the door before installing the server. The
server does not require conventional rack or server rails to be installed. The server is designed to
slide easily between the mounting rails of the rack. Once the exact position of the server is
determined on the rack, installation of the server is as follows:

1. Position the server so that the two “ears” on the side of the server are positioned equally and

level in the rack.

2. Install four screws through the mounting ears and into the rails of the rack.

Typical screw sizes are 10-32 and 12-24. Check the accessory kit for spare screws.
If your rack does not have threaded holes, you will be required to provide threaded inserts to

snap into the rails.

Installing into a Telco Rack

Installing the server into a Telco rack is exactly the same procedure as just described. The only
difference in the installation procedure will be the positioning of the server mounting ears to the
rack. The ears should be moved to the middle of the server to accommodate installation into a
Telco rack.

Installing into a Rack or Cabinet

007-5721-001 15

3: Installation Guidelines

Cabling

Once the server is secured in the rack, you can connect the ethernet cables and power cord directly
to its front and back panels, respectively.

Gather the cables you will connect to the server. Make certain each cable has the proper connector
and that it is designed for use in a high-capacity server.

Label each cable so that you can locate a specific cable quickly.

Ethernet ports on the server are numbered 0 and 1. 0 is the primary ethernet port, and 1 is the
secondary.

Warning: Because the server is being installed into a rack with other equipment, be

certain that the power used with the rack is designed to carry the electrical load of all of the
devices in the rack. Refer to Appendix A, “Technical Specifications” for details on the
power requirements for this server.

16 007-5721-001

Chapter 4

4. Installing Hard Drives

You must install your hard drives into the chassis. Install them only after you have securely
installed the server in a rack or cabinet. The order in which you populate the hard drive slots is
significant. This chapter describes the drive insertion order and the procedure for inserting hard
drives.

Drive Insertion Order

Table 4-1 shows the drive insertion order for model ISS3006.

Table 4-1 Drive Insertion Order—ISS3006

04
15
26

Table 4-2 shows the drive insertion order for model ISS3009.

Table 4-2 Drive Insertion Order—ISS3009

048
159
2610

The chassis for the ISS3006 and ISS3009 use a 1x3 backplane. Drive slots 3, 7, and 11 (where
applicable) are skipped.

007-5721-001 17

4: Installing Hard Drives

Table 4-3, Table 4-4, and Table 4-5 show the drive insertion order for several configurations of

the ISS3012.

.

Table 4-3 Drive Insertion Order—ISS3012 (6Gb Backplane, SAS/SATA with One 12-port

SAS/SATACard)

0123
4567
891011

Table 4-4 Drive Insertion Order—ISS3012 (6Gb Backplane, SAS/SATA with Two 8-port

SAS/SATA Cards)

0-0 0-1 0-2 0-3
0-4 0-5 0-6 0-7
1-0 1-1 1-2 1-3

.

Table 4-5 Drive Insertion Order—ISS3012 (3Gb Backplane)

3210
7654
11 10 9 8

18 007-5721-001

Drive Insertion Order

Table 4-6 and Table 4-7 show the disk insertion order for configurations of the ISS3118 with 3Gb

or 6Gb backplanes.

.

Table 4-6 Drive Insertion Order—ISS31 18 (3Gb Backplane)

3210
7654
11 10 9 8
15 14 13 12

.

Table 4-7 Drive Insertion Order—ISS31 118 (6Gb Backplane)

0123
4567
891011
12 13 14 15

007-5721-001 19

4: Installing Hard Drives

Installing a Hard Drive into the Hard Drive Carrier

To install a hard drive into the hard drive carrier, perform the following steps after removing the
hard drive from the chassis:

1. Place the hard drive carrier on a flat, stable surface such as a desk, table, or work bench.

2. Slide the hard drive into the carrier with the printed circuit board side facing down (see

Figure 4-1).

3. Carefully align the mounting holes in the hard drive and the carrier. Make sure the bottom of
the hard drive and bottom of the hard drive carrier are flush.

4. Secure the hard drive using all four screws (see Figure 4-1).

5. Replace the drive carrier into the chassis. Make sure to close the drive carrier using the drive
carrier handle.

SAS/SATA

hard drive

4

2

Hard drive

carrier

Figure 4-1 Inserting Hard Drive into Carrier

20 007-5721-001

4

Use a hard, stable

surface when installing

the hard drive

Chapter 5

5. Using the Server

This chapter describes the following:

• “Powering the Server On” on page 21

• “Powering the Server Off” on page 22

• “Working with Roamer Remote Management” on page 22

Powering the Server On

After the server chassis is connected to AC power, the server can be turned on in any of the
following ways:

• Press the power-control button on the front of the server.

While the server is powering up, the power LED on the front of the chassis is lit.

• If a power failure occurs, the server can be started automatically when power is restored.

This is only available if the Rackable Roamer remote management module was ordered for
the server.

• If the operating system you installed on the server supports the Wake on LAN feature, the

Wake on LAN feature can turn on the server.
The W ake on LAN feature only works if it was not disabled through the system BIOS, and if

the server was previously turned on and the operating system was shut down properly.

007-5721-001 21

5: Using the Server

Powering the Server Off

When the server is turned off, it remains connected to AC power through the server chassis. The
server can respond to requests to turn on remotely or locally through Roamer. T o remove all power
from the server, power must be disconnected from the server chassis.

Shut down your operating system before turning off the server. Refer to the operating system
documentation in reference to proper operating system shutdown. Improper shutdown of a server
will not allow the server to be restarted using Wake on LAN.

The server can be turned off in the following ways:

• Press the power-control button on the front of the server.
This begins the shutdown of the operating system, if this feature is supported by your

system.

• If the operating system stops functioning, you can press and hold the power-control button to
turn off the server.

• The Roamer remote management module (if one is present in your server) can be used to
turn off the server.

Working with Roamer Remote Management

If the server you purchased has the optional Roamer remote management hardware present, then
the server can be managed remotely using this option. The Roamer option provides standard
motherboards with enhanced remote control and serial redirection capabilities. The Roamer is
accessed locally using an RJ-45 serial connection (shown in Figure 1-1).

With the Roamer option comes a LCD display. This display can be directly programmed within
the OS. The LCD display can also be used to display server status, and other information as
needed.

22 007-5721-001

Chapter 6

6. RAID Configuration

This chapter describes how to configure your server to use hardware RAID and to use software
RAID. For an overview of RAID, refer to Appendix C, “RAID Basics”.

Configuring Hardware RAID

The hardware RAID setup procedures vary depending on the manufacturer of the RAID controller
card(s). SGI typically ships the ISS3000 configurations with 3ware™ or LSI
cards. This chapter describes the setup of 3W are and LSI RAID controller card configurations. If
your server does not have a 3ware or LSI card, refer to the documentation that accompanied your
RAID controller card for instructions.

LSI Hardware RAID (SAS or SATA)

1. During the boot-up sequence, access the LSI controller configuration screen by pressing

Alt-3.
The system displays instructions to guide you.

2. Follow the instructions to create the RAID partition of choice on each RAID controller.

3. (Optional) Once the server is fully operational, install the LSI management software

(available at http://www.lsi.com).

The LSI storage management software allows administrators to perform RAID diagnostics and
provide automatic notification of drive failures.

®

RAID controller

007-5721-001 23

6: RAID Configuration

3ware-Based Hardware RAID (SATA)

1. During the boot-up sequence, access the 3ware controller configuration screen by pressing
Alt-3.

The system displays instructions to guide you.

2. Follow the instructions to create the RAID partition of choice on each RAID controller.

3. (Optional) Once the server is fully operational, install the 3ware 3DM™ management
software (available at http://www.3ware.com).

The 3ware storage management software allows administrators to perform RAID diagnostics and
performs automatic notification of drive failures.

Configuring Software RAID

Software RAID arrays are configured through the server operating system. To configure a RAID
array using software RAID, do the following:

1. Follow the hardware RAID setup instructions above for the RAID card that is installed on
the server.

2. Enter the RAID card BIOS screen and erase any RAID arrays that exist.
This should leave all drives in a JBOD state.

3. Repeat for every RAID card in the server.

4. After you remove all arrays, create new RAID arrays within the operating system.

Software RAID array management is performed using operating system level utilities.

24 007-5721-001

Chapter 7

7. Software Installation and Tuning

The ISS3000 series of servers can be configured as one of the following:

•Linux

• Windows

This chapter describes installation and tuning guidelines for each of these.

Linux Server Configuration

®

server

®

server

Any variant of Linux can be installed to created a Linux NAS server on the ISS3000 series. SuSE®
or Red Hat
with the installation and tuning of Linux systems. This section assumes a moderate level of Linux
system administration skills.

Operating System Installation

The system may include separate boot drives that are isolated from the RAID array(s). Install the
operating system on the drives that are separate from the drives in the array. When using software
RAID on the data drives, isolate the boot drive from the array.

If there are not any separate boot drives, then install a boot partition (for /boot) on a small part
of one of the RAID volumes (100-200MB is sufficient). Leave the remaining capacity for data.
To create partitions, use a partitioning tool such as parted or fdisk.

®

versions are recommended due to overall stability. The following sections will assist

007-5721-001 25

7: Software Installation and Tuning

Filesystem Selection

There are several production-quality filesystems available for Linux. Choose the filesystem that
suits the needs of the server application. Table 7-1 lists some examples of common and useful
filesystems.

Table 7-1 Popular Linux Filesystems
Filesystem Description

Ext4 The widely supported, default Linux filesystem. Supports filesystem

XFS

The Red Hat distribution installer does not support XFS by default. Newer releases of RHEL and
Fedora™ support XFS if filesystem support is enabled in the installer. Keep /boot as an Ext4
filesystem when installing Red Hat Linux.

journaling. Average performance with small- and large-file streaming.

®

Supports filesystem journaling. Average small-file transaction
performance and high-performance large-file streaming.

Data Drive Configuration (Hardware RAID)

When using hardware RAID, one SCSI device will be visible to the operating system for each
hardware RAID partition that is created during RAID card BIOS configuration. In Linu x, these
devices will be visible as /dev/sdx (where x is a letter). Identify the correct device name that is
to be configured.

Create a filesystem using the method applicable for the filesystem that was selected earlier. For
example, to create an XFS filesystem on /dev/sda, enter the following command:

mkfs.xfs /dev/sda

After the filesystems have been created, create mount points. Add the mount points to the
/etc/vfstab file so that they are mounted on bootup.

Mount the mount points to mount the filesys tems. Command df will show the available capacity.

26 007-5721-001

Exporting Filesystems

T o export the filesystems via NFS, entries need to be added to the /etc/exports file. Add
no_subtree_check to increase NAS performance. Add async to the export options to cache

disk writes in system memory prior to being written to disk.

Windows clients will need to set up Samba to export filesystems via CIFS protocol. For more
information on Samba, visit the Samba website http://samba.org.

Tuning Linux NFS Server Performance

Increase the size of the data read-aheads to increase the large-file streaming performance of the
server. To accomplish this, the following lines need to be added to /etc/sysctl.conf:

vm.max-readahead = 256
vm.min-readahead = 128

Enter sysctl -e -p /etc/sysctl.conf to apply the changes.

Linux Server Configuration

Tuning Linux Client Performance

Client-side optimization is required to achieve the most performance possible with a Linux server
configuration. Varying the mount options is the most effective way to optimize the Linux client.

Using NFS v3 over UDP with the RSIZE and WSIZE mount options set to 32768 will optimize
the client for streaming environments. These settings will provide the highest throughput rates
provided the network does not show excessive packet retransmits. For older networking
equipment, try smaller block sizes (4K or 8K) for more optimized results.

T o improve large-file single-stream performance, modify the /etc/sysctl.conf file with the
following lines:

net.core.rmem_max = 262143
net.core.wmem_max = 262143
net.core.rmem_default = 262143
net.core.wmem_default = 262143

Enter sysctl -e -p /etc/sysctl.conf to apply the changes.

007-5721-001 27

7: Software Installation and Tuning

Using Smartmontools Software to Improve Availability

Note: This section applies if the system is using a 3ware SATA RAID controller card in either
hardware or software RAID modes. The Smartmontools package (available at the website
http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net) should be used in conjunction with the RAID management
package that accompanied the RAID controller card. Refer to Chapter 6, “RAID Configuration.”

The Smartmontools utility provides a mechanism to run long integrity tests on individual hard
drives through a 3ware controller card. It is useful to detect SATA drives that are likely to fail in
the future but have not resulted in a failure yet. This allows for preventative drive replacement
prior to a significant RAID failure. Running Smartmontools tests on drives periodically will allow
for improved server and data availability. You can schedule the test s to run without manual
intervention.

Verify that the test has completed by entering the smartctl command with the appropriate port
number and device specified, as shown in the following example:

smartctl -a -d3ware,4 /dev/sda

After test completion, you can analyze the test data. If any tests return errors, submit the test data
to SGI Support to determine the appropriate support action. The drive may need to be replaced to
prevent future RAID array failure.

Windows Server Configuration

Windows 2003 or 2008 Server operating systems can easily be installed on the ISS3000 series of
servers to create a standard Windows file or application server. Use the following guidelines:

• Install the server operating system onto drives that are separate from the RAID array if
possible.

• Ensure that the RAID card drivers are compatible with the RAID card firmware.

• A reboot is necessary after operating system and driver installation.

Use the standard Windows administration tools to create new partitions and drive letters for the
RAID volumes on the array.

28 007-5721-001

Appendix A

A. Technical Specifications

Table A-1 lists the physical and environmental specifications for the ISS3000 series of 3U servers.

Table A-1 Technical Specifications
Attribute ISS3006 ISS3009 ISS3012 ISS3118

Processor options Intel Xeon (2) or

AMD Opteron (2)

Drive options Up to 6 hot-swap SAS

or SATA

Expansion cards Up to 5 PCIe slots Up to 5 PCIe slots One PCIe slot

Controller support SAS or SATA SAS or SATA SAS or SATA SAS or SATA

RAID levels
supported

Chassis mount Half-depth

Power supply
(typical power
supply
configurations
listed)

0,1,5,6,10,50 0,1,5,6,10,50 0,1,5,6,10,50 0,1,5,6,10,50

back-to-back or
two-post front or
center

1+1 redundant
autoswitching (RPS)

Output: 250W/450W
Input:100-240VAC

(standard),
–48VDC (optional)

Intel Xeon (2) or
AMD Opteron (2)

Up to 9 hot-swap SAS
or SATA

Half-depth
back-to-back or
two-post front or
center

Output: 250W/450W
Input: 100–240VAC

(standard),
–48VDC (optional)

Intel Xeon (2) or
AMD Opteron (2)

Up to 12 hot-swap
SAS or SATA

(dedicated to RAID)

Half-depth
back-to-back or
two-post front or
center

Output: 250W/450W
Input: 100–240VAC

(standard),
–48VDC (optional)

Intel Xeon (2) or
AMD Opteron (2)

Up to 18 hot-swap
SAS or SATA

Up to 7 PCIe slots

Full-depth with
four-post rack

1+1 redundant
autoswitching (RPS)

Output: 250W/450W
Input: 100–240VAC

(standard),
–48VDC (optional)

007-5721-001 29

A: Technical Specifications

Table A-1 Technical Specifications (continued)
Attribute ISS3006 ISS3009 ISS3012 ISS3118

Dimensions 3U chassis

5.25”x17.6”x15.5”
(rack ears mounted)

3U chassis

5.25”x17.6”x15.5”
(rack ears mounted)

3U chassis

5.25”x17.6”x15.5”
(rack ears mounted)

3U chassis

5.25”x17.3”x27.3”

Gross weight 39 lbs. 45 lbs. 51 lbs. 84 lbs
Operating

10-35° C/50-90° F 10-35° C/50-90° F 10-35° C/50-90° F 10-35° C/50-90° F

temperature

Operating humidity 8-80% 8-80% 8-80% 8-80%
Max. thermal

1600BTU/hr 1800BTU/hr 2000BTU/hr 2000BTU/h

sustained output
Compliance US

(FCC, CFR47 Part 15,
Class B)

Europe
(CE, EN55022 &
EN55024)

Australia (C-TICK)
Japan (VCCI)

US
(FCC, CFR47 Part 15,
Class B)

Europe
(CE, EN55022 &
EN55024)

Australia (C-TICK)
Japan (VCCI)

US
(FCC, CFR47 Part 15,
Class B)

Europe
(CE, EN55022 &
EN55024)

Australia (C-TICK)
Japan (VCCI)

US
(FCC, CFR47 Part 15,
Class B)

Europe
(CE, EN55022 &
EN55024)

Australia (C-TICK)
Japan (VCCI)

30 007-5721-001

B. Safety Guidelines

Electrical Safety

Appendix B

The safety guidelines categorized as follows:

• “Electrical Safety” on page 31

• “General Safety” on page 32

• “Handling Your Server” on page 33

Observe the following basic electrical safety precautions to protect yourself from harm and the
server from damage:

• Be aware of the locations of the power on/off switch on the chassis as well as the room's

emergency power-off switch, disconnection switch, or electrical outlet. If an electrical
accident occurs, you can then quickly remove power from the system.

• Do not work alone when working with high voltage components.

• Power should always be disconnected from the system when removing or installing main

system components—such as the motherboard, memory modules, and drives. When
disconnecting power, you should first power down the system with the operating system first
and then unplug the power cords of all the power supply units in the system.

• When working around exposed electrical circuits, another person who is familiar with the

power-off controls should be nearby to switch off the power if necessary.

• Use only one hand when working with powered-on electrical equipment. This is to avoid

making a complete circuit, which will cause electrical shock. Use extreme caution when
using metal tools, which can easily damage any electrical components or circuit boards they
contact.

• Do not use mats designed to decrease static electrical discharge as protection from electrical

shock. Instead, use rubber mats that have been specifically designed as electrical insulators.

007-5721-001 31

B: Safety Guidelines

General Safety

• The power supply power cords must include a grounding plug and must be plugged into
grounded electrical outlets.

• Verify that the electrical outlets and pow er stri ps used by the server have reli able earthing.

• Verify that the server is plugged into an electrical outlet with appropriate circuit overloading
protection.

The following are general safety guidelines:

• Keep the area around the server clean and free of clutter.

• The server weighs approximately 20 lbs when fully loaded. When lifting the system, two
people at either end should lift slowly with their feet spread out to di stribute the weight.
Always keep your back straight and lift with your legs.

• Place the chassis top cover and any system components that have been removed away from
the system or on a table so that you will not step on them.

• While working on the system, do not wear loose clothing such as neckties and unbuttoned
shirt sleeves, which can come into contact with electrical circuits or be pulled into a cooling
fan.

• Remove any jewelry or metal objects from your body. They are excellent metal conductors
that can create short circuits and harm you if they come into contact with printed circuit
boards or areas where power is present.

• After accessing the inside of the system, close the system back up and secure it to the rack
unit with the retention screws after ensuring that all connections have been made.

• If you replace the motherboard battery, ensure that you install it properly. This battery must
be replaced only with the same or an equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer.
Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Caution: There is a danger of explosion if the onboard battery is installed upside down, which
will reverse its polarities

• To ensure proper cooling when the server is operating, take care to ensure that all chassis
covers are in place, that all drive bays either have a drive or a blank installed, and that the
room ambient temperature is within the specified operating temperature range.

32 007-5721-001

Handling Your Server

When handling the server, use the following guidelines:

• When the server is removed from the rack, set it on a sturdy and flat surface. Do not set any

• When connecting or disconnecting a cable, always hold the cable by its connector.

• Never force a connector into a port. If the connector and port do not join with ease, check the

• Protect the server and its components from direct sunlight and rain or other moisture.

• Keep all ventilation openings clear and unobstructed. Without proper air circulation,

Handling Your Server

heavy objects on top of the server. Any additional weight could possibly damage essential
internal components.

matching of the connector with the port. Correct positioning when joining a connector to a
port is also essential.

components can overheat, causing damage or unreliable operation.

007-5721-001 33

Appendix C

C. RAID Basics

To assist you in building RAID arrays, this chapter gives a general overview of RAID and
describes various levels of RAID along with JBOD.

RAID Implementations

RAID can be implemented in either dedicated hardware or software running on standard
hardware. Occasionally, you might want hybrid RAID systems—combining software- and
hardware-based solutions.

With software implementations of RAID, the operating system manages the disks through the
normal drive controller (SAS/SATA). Software RAID can be faster than hardware-based RAID
at the cost of using CPU power. One exception to this is when a dedicated hardware RAID system
has a write cache dedicated to managing the RAID.

A hardware implementation of RAID requires a RAID controller. This may be a PCIe expansion
card or may be a card onboard the system motherboard in some systems. Disks may be of any
type:SAS or SATA. The cont rol ler links to the system with a high-speed SCSI, or iSCSI
connection. The controller handles the management of disks, including parity calculations (error
checking) which is suited for larger arrays of disks. Hardware RAID tends to have better
performance and makes operating system support easier. Hardware RAID typically supports
hot-swapping of drives as well. Both hardware and software versions support the use of a hot
spare, a preinstalled drive which is used to immediately replace a failed drive.

Some software RAID systems allow building arrays from partitions instead of whole disks.

007-5721-001 35

C: RAID Basics

RAID 0

RAID 0 (also known as a stripe set) splits data evenly across two or more disks with no parity
information for redundancy. RAID 0 is not redundant. RAID 0 is used to increase performance,
and can be used as a way to create a small number of large virtual disks out of a large number of
small physical ones.

RAID 0 can be created with disks of differing sizes, but the storage that is added to the array by
each disk is limited to the size of the smallest disk.

Example: A 120GB drive is striped with a 100GB drive. The size of the array will be
200GB (100+100).

RAID 0 is useful for read-only NFS servers where mounting many disks is time-consuming and
redundancy is irrelevant.

JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks)

JBOD is a popular method for combining multiple physical disk drives into a single virtual one.
Disks are merely concatenated, beginning to end. JBOD is commonly used to turn several
odd-sized drives into one useful drive.

One advantage JBOD has over RAID 0 is in the case of drive failure. When a single drive of a
RAID 0 array fails, usually it will result in the loss of all data in the array. When a drive failure
occurs in a JBOD array, only the data on the affected drive is lost.

RAID 1

RAID 1 creates an exact copy (or mirror) of all the data on two or more disks. This is useful where
redundancy is more important than using all of the disk storage capacity. The array in a RAID 1
can only be as big as the smallest member disk. An ideal RAID 1 set contains two disks. Since
each member can be addressed independently if the other fails, reliability is a linear multiple of
the number of disks in the array. RAID 1 benefits most when an independent disk controller is used
for each disk.

Seek time with a RAID 1 remains low because each drive can be accessed independently , and the
requested sectors can be split evenly between disks. When writing, the RAID 1 array acts like a
single disk because all writes must be written to all disks.

36 007-5721-001

RAID 5

RAID 5

RAID 1 has administrative advantages: it allows 24/7 environments to do backups on the array.
Mirroring is useful when critical data needs to be stored and backed up.

A RAID 5 array uses block-level striping with parity data distributed across all the member disks.
RAID 5 is the most popular RAID level and is used in both hardware and software RAID. You
can create a RAID 5 array using disks of different sizes, but the storage space added to the array
by each disk will be limited to the size of the smallest disk in the array.

Example: If a 120GB disk is used to build a RAID 5 array with two 100GB disks, each disk
will donate 100GB to the array. 200GB will be used for storage while 100GB will be used
for parity information.

Every time a data block is written on a disk, a parity block is generated within the same stripe. If
another block is written on that same stripe, the parity block is recalculated and rewritten. The disk
used for the parity block is staggered from one stripe to the next.

The parity blocks are not read on data reads. The parity blocks are used when a read of a data sector
results in a CRC (cyclic redundancy check) error. In a case like this, the sector in the same relative
position within each of the remaining data blocks in the stripe and within the parity block are used
to reconstruct the sector with the error. Also, if a disk were to fail in a RAID 5 array, the parity
blocks from the surviving disks are combined mathematically with the data blocks from the
surviving disks to reconstruct the data on the failed drive.

The maximum number of drives in a RAID 5 array are theoretically unlimited. However, with a
greater number of disks in an array, there is a greater chance of drives failing in succession.

RAID 6 (Dual Parity)

Striped set with dual distri buted par ity. Provides fault tolerance from two drive failures; the array
continues to operate with up to two failed drives. With dual parity, it gives time to rebuild the array
without the data being volatile while the failed drive is being recovered.

007-5721-001 37