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Change SROMBSAS18E in S5000PSL to SRCSASRB

MHei_
Beginner
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Hello,

my problem is that the SROMBSAS18E controller is faulty. I must change the controller. Can i transfer the configuration of the RAID5 to the other controller SRCSASRB without any data loss?

Thanks for your support.

Mario

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idata
Employee
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RAID Controller Migration is supported from a SRCSAS18E, or SROMBSAS18E (LSI 1068 SAS Controller) to a SRCSASRB (LSI 1078 SAS Controller) without loss of configuration or data. However, to avoid a configuration mismatch, it is wise to reset the new controller configuration prior to attaching the array drives. If a configuration mismatch occurs care must be taken to use the configuration on the drives or all data may be lost.

Regards,

John

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MHei_
Beginner
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It means, that i have to do a reset of the configuration of the new SRCSASRB to factory default and than i have to put the hdd's on the controller? I thought i must save the configuration of the SROMBSAS18E and than load it into the new one. What can you tell me?

Regards

Mario

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idata
Employee
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The issue of configuration mismatch occurs when there is a mismatch between the configuration held on the controller and that on the disks. The configurations are written when the array is created.

Usually we see the issue of configuration mismatch when disks are moved to a new controller that has an existing configuration in it's NVRAM. Hence the warning to reset the new controller configuration prior to attaching the array drives.

You can chose to write a known good configuration when the configuration mismatch occurs, but care must be taken to use the configuration on the drives or all data may be lost.

If you feel more comfortable saving the configuration before the controller replacement, by all means, do that. However, the RAID Controller Migration is usually used when a controller fails and is replaced. In this instance there wouldn't be the opportunity to save a configuration before the necessary replacement.

To be as safe as possible, it is strongly recommend to backup your data before any changes. That way, if anything happens, your protected.

John

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idata
Employee
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John,

I have a similar need to move from one controller to another model. One controller is bad and I don't have a direct replacement on hand.

If I reset the configuration on a replacement controller then use the configuration from the foreign drives, does the new controller change the configuration on the drives in such a way that the drives cannot go back to the old controller model?

My goal is to use tempoary hardware until a replacement controller is delivered.

Thx,

Mark

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idata
Employee
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Mark,

Depends on the controllers. What are you going from and to?

John

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idata
Employee
570 Views

John,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I wanted to go from a SROMBSAS18E to another controller but it didn't have the correct SAS/SATA connector.

The SROMBSAS18E has a high density connector with the same on the other end that plugs into the backplane. I'm not sure about the technical name. The server is a SR4850HW4 with AHW4U3SASKIT.

What other controllers can drop in to replace the SROMBSAS18E?

Thx,

Mark

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idata
Employee
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Mark,

Direct "equivalent" Intel controllers to the SROMBSAS18E are the SRCSAS18E, SRCSAS144E and SRCSASPH16I. The SROMBSAS18E is a module where the others are discrete controllers that plug into PCIe slots. You can find more information on each if you go to http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support and search for the controller. The Technical Product Specifications are good resources for information.

Looking at the http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-020912.htm compatibility list for the SR4850HW4, not many SAS controllers are listed. Even less PCIe ones. The ones that are listed are LSI Logic* 1068 SAS ROC controllers, like the SROMBSAS18E.

I think you're going to have a hard time finding the 1068 controllers. Most have ceased being manufactured.

The SAS backplane in the SR4850HW4 uses a SFF8087 connector. This is pretty common among RAID controllers. SFF8087 to SFF8087 cables should be available almost anywhere.

As noted, the SROMBSAS18E or SRCSAS18E uses a LSI Logic* 1068 SAS ROC. From this thread subject, the SRCSASRB uses the LSI Logic* 1078 SAS ROC. A 1078 controller should work, but I don't know if it'll fit or exact compatibility because we haven't validated it with the SR4850HW4.

If you choose to try, I can't express the importance of a backup enough in case something goes wrong.

The generic process to follow would be to install the new controller and reset it's configuration without any connection to the backplane/disks. This will eliminate the "import foreign configuration" encountered if you have different configurations on the controller and disks (array). Obviously you want the configuration on the existing array. Once the configuration is reset, power off and connect the drives and power on. If all goes well, the DDF configuration from the drives should be imported automatically by the RAID controller and you'll be up and running.

If something doesn't look normal, stop. You don't want to create more issues. This is where a backup comes in handy. You could just recreate the array with the new controller and restore your data.

Good Luck,

John

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idata
Employee
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John, Thank you for the excellent information. Based on the info I am headed in 3 directions (in a good way). I do NOT have current backups. Because of that, I am trying to be very careful.

  1. First, I have ordered a SROMBSAS18E which I hope comes in quickly and corrects the problem.
  2. Second, I have also ordered a SRCSAS144E which appears to have the same connector to drop into the SR4850 using existing wiring. However, I am concerned with ports on the controller which has 4 internal and 4 external. The SR4850 has 5 "internal" hard drives connected to the backplane. Will the SRCSAS144E run the 5 drives when plugged into the backplane with the same cable used by the SROMBSAS18E?
  3. Third, as a last resort, I have a spare Dell Powredge 6850 with an LSI Logic controller. I tried this a few days ago but never went past the "data loss" waring part of configuration. I think it is a 1068. I have attached a picture. Can you tell me if that is a 1068? If I go that route, I would like to know how far can I go before there is no going back?

Thx,

Mark

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idata
Employee
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John,

Sorry . . . One last question.

The original controller was posting erratically then not posting at all. It had a green led and an orange led lit up on the top edge. I removed the card, disconnected the battery, reconnected and reinstalled card. Now it will post reliably and the orange led is no longer lit. So the card posts ok, but now it does not see any drives.

What are the odds that something could be wrong with the Backplane? Or ROM on MB?

Thx,

 

Mark
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idata
Employee
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John,

Thank-you very much for your help and suggestions. Without your help I would still be floundering.

Option 1 above fell through today so I went with option 2.

I'm happy to say that the SRCSAS144E (New) dropped in connected and booted with any changes. Not even a driver change.

I hope this thread helps others out there that run into the same problem.

Thx,

Mark

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idata
Employee
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Glad you got things working Mark. Thanks for the feedback. That's what makes the communities work for others.

John

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