Intel RAID (RMS3CC080), how to "Online RAID Expansion", cant find it in BIOS or RWC3

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi

We have a S1200SPOR with RMS3CC080, the below document on page 6 (real PDF page 16) says this controller (and all others that are 12Gb) will:

"Online capacity expansion to add space to an existing drive or a new drive"

"Online RAID level migration"

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/server-products/raid-products/12G_RAID_Controllers_UG.pdf https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/server-products/raid-products/12G_RAID_Controllers_UG.pdf

Ive completed both of the above before with PROMISE controllers and LSI / AVAGO, however i can find anyway in the BIOS or with RWC3 (RAID Web Console 3) to do this, when i select the Virtual Drive there are no options to expand or change the RAID level.

So how is this done?

[idata · Accepted solution]

Hello Ashley,

Thank you for contacting Intel(R) Technical Support.

I understand that you are trying to do Online Capacity Expansion (OCE) using an Intel(R) Server Board S1200SPOR with an Intel(R) RAID Controller RMS3CC080,

You can use Intel® RAID Web Console 3 to increase the capacity of an existing virtual disk by adding physical disk drives to it. In order to add physical drives, you must be logged on to the system in All Access mode.

Caution Before you change a virtual disk's capacity, back up the data on the virtual disk.

To increase the capacity of a virtual disk, follow these steps:

User Logical View and select a Drive Group icon in the left panel, and then select Go To -> Drive Group -> Modify Drive Group.

The Modify Drive Group window is displayed.

Click Add Drive.

Note:Depending on the current RAID level, targeted migrated RAID level, and available Unconfigured Good drive numbers, the pop-up window may allow you to select: Adding drives, Removing drives, Migrating RAID level. In the panel, check the disk drives that you want to add to the virtual disk.

When you are finished adding disk drives, click Next. The next screen appears. This screen allows you to review the summary and go back if you need to make corrections.

When everything is acceptable, click Finish to accept the new configuration. A Reconstruct operation begins on the virtual disk. You can monitor the progress of the reconstruction in the Group Show Progress window. Select Manage -> Show.

This information is from the https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/server-products/raid-products/SWUG_full_featured_entry_RAID.pdf Intel® RAID Software User Guide.

Looking forward to your results.

Best regards,

Jeremiah A.

Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi, please see the image below:

QUESTIONS:

"use logical view", i dont see any buttons to change the view type

"Go To -> Drive Group -> Modify Drive Group." - also dont see this option

[GRIFFCOMM]

I found the problem.... for what ever reason to migrate the RAID from 0 to 1, the added disks must be equal or larger then the current drive in the Drive Group EVEN if the virtual drive is smaller than the new disk.

Drive Group = 1 x 4Tb disk (RAID 0)

: Virtual drive in group = 1Tb (3Tb free, not used)

To migrate the above Drive Group to RAID 1 i MUST add another disk of 4TB OR MORE, i cant do it with a 2Tb disk, even though the Virtual drive in the group is 1Tb, it wont let me, in my case i should of used the 2Tb disk as the first drive then added the 4Tb as that would have worked....

Promise controllers do not work this way, clearly this is an LSI / AVAGO "issue"..

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I'm glad you were able to solved the issue. Please let me know if there is anything else we can help you with, or we can proceed in closing this case. More than glad to continue assisting you.Best regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Ive opened another thread as i seem to have found a bug with the Virtual Drive Expansion

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

Thank you for your quick response.Can you please provide more information in regards the bug you have found in the Virtual Drive Expansion or if you opened a new thread, can you provide the case number?Regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi Jeremiah

There link is

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

Let me investigate more about this "bug" you mentioned and get back to you with information..Regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi Jeremiah

Thanks, for now i have had to do the below configuration which is by far not optimal.

How it is now (due to this "bug")

Drive 0 = 1Tb

Drive 1 = 1Tb

Drive 2 = 4Tb

Drive 3 = 4Tb

RAID 1 = Drive 0+1 (Drive Group = 1Tb)

RAID 1 = Drive 2+3 (Drive Group = 4Tb)

The above means if ANY drive is upgraded then the Drive Group in each RAID can be "Expanded to use this new space".

The plan SHOULD Have been, if it wasnt for this bug

Drive 0 = 4Tb

Drive 1 = 4Tb

Drive 2 = 4Tb

Drive 3 = 4Tb

RAID 5 = Drive 0, 1, 2, 3 (Drive Group = 0.5Tb, Drive Group = 11.5Tb)

However the above means if all drives are upgraded the drive groups CAN NOT be expanded due to the RAID having more than 1 Drive Group.

Can see the "MAJOR" issue here.

Many Thanks

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

Thank you for your update. I will use this information as well for the investigation.Regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I hope you are doing well today.I'm still investigating about this issue, and as soon as I get new information I will get back to you.Best regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Thanks for the update

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

More than glad to help you.Regards,Jeremiah A.Intel(R) Technical Support

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I'm still investigating about this issue. I will get back to you as soon as I get new information.Best regards,Intel(R) Technical Support

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I'm still investigating about this issue. I will get back to you as soon as I get new information.Best regards,Intel(R) Technical Support

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I'm still investigating about this issue. I will get back to you as soon as I get new information. Best regards, Intel(R) Technical Support

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

I hope you are doing well today.I'm still investigating the issue. I wanted to check with you: Is the server board BIOS set to boot from the UEFI feature, or you are using CTRL G keys to access the RAID controller BIOS?Regards,Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

Totally UEFI.

Cant find it in the BIOS management or RAID utility.

[idata]

Hi Ashley,

Thank you for your quick response.Another thing, just for testing purposes, is it possible for you to recreate the migration using RAID WEB CONSOLE 2 (RWC2) instead of RWC3?Regards,Intel(R) Technical Support

[GRIFFCOMM]

This server is now in production, so i cant test anymore on it.

However it appears (from google searching) this maybe an LSI bug, if the RAID array has more than one volume configured, it doesnt allow for Expansion, it appears the whole of the internet knows this, are you aware of this "fairly sizable bug"?