From owner-freebsd-hardware Thu Feb 27 6:35:29 2003 Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8472E37B417 for ; Thu, 27 Feb 2003 06:35:25 -0800 (PST) Received: from nym.alias.net (nym.alias.net [18.26.0.252]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id A40C843FBD for ; Thu, 27 Feb 2003 06:35:24 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from charms@nym.alias.net) Date: 27 Feb 2003 14:35:21 -0000 Message-ID: <20030227143521.4371.qmail@nym.alias.net> From: charms To: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.org, gaf@boywonder.geekazoid.com Subject: Re: ATA RAID Suggestions In-Reply-To: <200302212309.h1LN9Eq87527@boywonder.geekazoid.com> Sender: owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Geekazoid and Friends wrote: > I am looking for ATA RAID suggestions. I have tried a Promise FastTrak TX2000 > with 2 Hot-Swap Trays. I receive an error message that the controller does not > support the 'rebuild' feature of 'atacontrol'. > > So, my question is thus...Can anyone recommend a solid ATA RAID Controller that > supports re-mirroring on the fly? Also, any recommendations about hot-swap > trays/bays? > > Any assistance would be Greatly Appreciated! > > Just to be a pain, I am not subscribed to this list. :-| Could you please > reply 'geeks@geekazoid.com'? I deploy a lot of FreeBSD platforms that use HighPoint HPT370 controllers in an *unmirrored* configuration, for end-of-the-day backups. The HPT370 allows me to reliably hot swap *identical* (i.e. ST3400021A) unmounted drives using the following procedure: 1) power down a drive 2) invoke /sbin/sysctl -w hpt37x2.status="hpt rescan all" to prod the kernel into realizing that a drive is down 3) swap the drive 4) power up a replacement drive 5) invoke /sbin/sysctl -w hpt37x2.status="hpt rescan all" to prod the kernel into realizing that a drive is back on line Observation/question: 1. ATA gurus tell me that ATA detection magic only occurs during a hard boot. Something beyond my comprehension prevents a PC from recognizing an ATA drive with a different geometry "on the fly." Therefore, I use drives with identical geometry for hot swaps. 2. So far, /sbin/sysctl only seems to work with HighPoint controllers. Does anyone know of any other controller that can accommodate a hot swap by using /sbin/sysctl? -- charms To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message