RAID 1, 1T - 1T + 1THOTSPARE

[idata]

Hi,

First of all - good day to all member of forum.

After hours of reading about how raid 1 work (trust me i am beginner) i decided kindly ask to support me.

I am fighting with the simplest configuration - RAID 1 (two disks 1T + 1T) with one HotSpare disk (also 1T).

Lets say:

Disk0 - 1T (matrix use)

Disk1 - 1T (matrix use)

Disk2 - 1T (hotspare).

When i manually remove disk 0, Disk2 goes to matrix and i can see that the matrix is rebuild (from other software, not intel) with Disk1 & Disk2. So far, everything is good.

When insert back Disk0, which i remove earlier, the IntelRapidStorageTechnology program show me information:

Port: Unknown

PortLocation: Unknown

Status: Missing

Usage: Array disk

Size 0MB

Serial number: XYZ

In attachement you can see this disk with yellow warning sign. This screen is during rebuilding. Right now status is ~52%

My questtion is:

1. Is it normal that operating system does not see this disk? - Status Missing?

2. What are the next steps after rebuilding has finished? Disk1 & Disk2 should make an array and Disk0 will be HOT SPARE?

Thank you in advance for detailed information.

[idata]

Hello Suhu,

Thank you for contacting the Intel community. In this case, if your disk 2 got part of the raid 1 when rebuild using third party software it will continue being part of that raid when disk 0 rebuilds using the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology, basically you will have a raid 1 with three HDDs. Now, the operating system does not see the HDD that is with the exclamation mark because even though is out of the raid array at that moment it still belongs to the raid, once it is part of the raid again it will be working as normal. I hope this can help. Best wishes, Ivan.

[idata]

Hi Ivan,

Thank you for response.

To clarify - the matrix is rebuilding using Intel software (RST). What i want to say - that i "look" for the matrix status firstly from RST and to confirm from other tool too.

So, the main question is:

1. After rebuilding will be done - disk0 will automaticly become a hot spare? or i should configure it?

2. It's depended on the answer for question 1.

If yes, it is possible to change configuration - as oryginal - Disk0 & Disk1 in matrix and Disk2 as HotSpare?

Is it important which disks are in matrix and which is a HotSpare?

[idata]

Hi All,

I try and now i know how it works.

Maybe someone can confirm me what i observer:

1. When we have RAID 1 and do a manuall test: remove on of the matrix DISK, for instance DISK0 in configuration DISK0&DISK1 in matrix use, DISK2 as HotSpare, RST immediately start rebuilding matrix with DISK2.

So now DISK1&DISK2 are creating matrix..

DISK0 with status missing.

2. After instert back DISK0, nothing happened. DISK0 is still with status: missing, and DISK1&DISK2 are still rebuilding. We must wait after RST will finish rebuilding matrix.

3. After rebuidling is finished in RST we see that DISK1&DISK2 are in matrix and they are OK.

DISK0 are in status: OFFLINE with action info "Clear metadata - Clear incompatybile RAID configuration data on this disk in order to return its usage to available".

4. After action 'clear metadata' disk0 appear with status: available, with info - 'Mark As Spare'.

5. Confirming 'Mark As Spare', we make Disko0 as HotSpare

The last question - is it possible to in this state change configuration to oryginal - Disk0&Disk1 in matrix and Disk2 as HotSpare?

[idata]

I'm sorry, that's basically what I was trying to explain above, Disk1 and Disk2 to become a raid volume after rebuild finishes and you can make Disk0 as HotSpare disk.

Now, for you to have Disk0 and Disk1 in matrix and Disk2 as HotSpare you will need to do the process of disconnecting one driver and rebuild with Disk0 and then use Disk2 as HotSpare. Best regards, Ivan.