Using a RAID-card with FreeBSD

[Micheal Patterson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alexander Haderer" <alexander.haderer at charite.de>
To: "Micheal Patterson" <micheal at cancercare.net>;
<freebsd-questions at freebsd.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: Using a RAID-card with FreeBSD


> At 12:39 02.07.2003 -0500, Micheal Patterson wrote:
>
> >[...]
> >It works equally well with Adaptec hardware raid with 5 SCSI drives in a
> >Raid 5 configuration. Gotta love FreeBSD. Although, not everyone needs
raid
> >5, but it's nice to know that it works and works well.
>
> hello Michael,
>
> please could you tell us which Adaptec hardware you are using at which
> FreeBSD version.
>
> How do you manage the raid on the running system? Is there a console
> application to do things like configuration, drive-shutdown etc...
>
> with best regards,
>
> Alexander
>

As I recall, that particular system is running an Adaptec 2100S under
FreeBSD 4.8. I've not found any software that can access that particular
raid directly for configuration from within the running OS. The only way to
access it that I'm aware of is with the standard Control A at system startup
to access the on board settings of the card. Here, the raid type can be
configured. I will say that I've had a drive failure on this system with
little effect on the normal operation of the OS. However, since there aren't
any hot swappable bays in this particular system (company didn't want to
spend for them), the system has to be shut down to replace the failed drive.
However, the system will still boot in diminished mode and continue this way
until the new drive has been restored.

--

Micheal Patterson
TSG Network Administration
405-917-0600