FreeBSD Preferred RAID controllers

[Gabe]

> --- On Sat, 2/14/09, Gabe <nrml at att.net> wrote:
> 
> > From: Gabe <nrml at att.net>
> > Subject: Re: FreeBSD Preferred RAID controllers
> > To: "Matthew Seaman"
> <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk>
> > Cc: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> > Date: Saturday, February 14, 2009, 8:41 PM
> > --- On Sat, 2/14/09, Matthew Seaman
> > <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk> wrote:
> > 
> > > From: Matthew Seaman
> > <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk>
> > > Subject: Re: FreeBSD Preferred RAID controllers
> > > To: nrml at att.net
> > > Cc: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> > > Date: Saturday, February 14, 2009, 8:30 AM
> > > Gabe wrote:
> > > > --- On Mon, 2/9/09, Matthew Seaman
> > > <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk> wrote:
> > > > 
> > > >> From: Matthew Seaman
> > > <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk>
> > > >> Subject: Re: FreeBSD Preferred RAID
> > controllers
> > > >> To: nrml at att.net
> > > >> Cc: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> > > >> Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 3:08 PM
> > > >> Gabe wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>> Now with a gstripe+gmirror setup,
> would
> > it be
> > > possible
> > > >> to fail a
> > > >>> specific drive on purpose? I mean
> fail a
> > > (good) drive,
> > > >> pull it out,
> > > >>> replace it and rebuild(?) it. I know
> I
> > know,
> > > but humor
> > > >> me.
> > > >>
> > > >> Yes.
> > > >>
> > > >> 	Cheers,
> > > >>
> > > >> 	Matthew
> > > >>
> > > >> Well, to 'fail' the drive,
> you'ld
> > have
> > > to
> > > >> physically pull the drive
> > > >> from the chassis which will involve a
> power
> > cycle
> > > unless
> > > >> you've got
> > > >> hot-swap drives.  Of course, you should
> > confirm
> > > that your
> > > >> system will
> > > >> boot with the RAID in a degraded state
> and
> > that
> > > rebuilding
> > > >> the RAID will
> > > >> continue even if interrupted by a
> reboot. 
> > > gmirror(8)
> > > >> passes those
> > > >> tests.  You do have to type some
> commands to
> > get a
> > > mirror
> > > >> to rebuild
> > > >> (examples are shown in the man page)
> unlike
> > some
> > > hardware
> > > >> RAIDs where
> > > >> simply inserting an unused disk is
> > sufficient.
> > > >>
> > > >> -- Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.      
>     
> >     
> > >   7
> > > >> Priory Courtyard
> > > >>                                         
>     
> >   
> > > Flat 3
> > > >> PGP:
> http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey
> >    
> > > Ramsgate
> > > >>                                         
>     
> >   
> > > Kent, CT11
> > > >> 9PW
> > > > 
> > > > Hello again all,
> > > > 
> > > > So I wanted to test out gmirror on software
> RAID
> > so I
> > > installed a completely vanilla FBSD 7, as base an
> > install as
> > > you can get, it hasn't even been on the
> network.
> > Anyway,
> > > I did the following upon first boot to get
> gmirror
> > going:
> > > > 
> > > > # sysctl kern.geom.debugflags=17
> > > > 
> > > > Then:
> > > > # gmirror label -vb round-robin gm0 /dev/ad0
> > > > 
> > > > Then:
> > > > # gmirror load
> > > > 
> > > > Then:
> > > > # echo
> 'geom_mirror_load="YES"'
> > > >> /boot/loader.conf
> > > > 
> > > > Then I edited /etc/fstab to show:
> > > > /dev/mirror/gm0s1b    none        swap    sw
>     
> >     
> > >    0       0
> > > > /dev/mirror/gm0s1a    /           ufs     rw
>     
> >     
> > >    1       1
> > > > /dev/mirror/gm0s1e    /tmp        ufs rw    
>  0  
> > 0
> > > > /dev/mirror/gm0s1f    /usr        ufs rw    
>  2  
> > 2
> > > > /dev/mirror/gm0s1d    /var        ufs     rw
>     
> >     
> > >    2       2
> > > > 
> > > > I then rebooted the system, once I setup the
> > mirror:
> > > > 
> > > > # gmirror insert gm0 /dev/ad1
> > > > # gmirror status
> > > > 
> > > > and it shows as COMPLETE. Okay, here comes
> the
> > > annoying part, I've got hot-swappable bays
> and I
> > went
> > > ahead and pulled the drive. I then tried to write
> to
> > the
> > > disk so that it realizes the disk is no longer
> there:
> > > > 
> > > > # touch file
> > > > 
> > > > once I do that and execute: gmirror status
> it
> > shows as
> > > degraded. All fine and dandy. However when it
> comes
> > time to
> > > pop the drive back in the drive is not recognized
> at
> > all. I
> > > mean, the green light on the bay comes on so it
> > definitely
> > > makes a connection but then thats it, atacontrol
> list
> > > doesn't list it and gmirror status still
> shows the
> > same,
> > > degraded.
> > > > 
> > > > What gives? I wonder if this is hardware
> related?
> > Bios
> > > related even? Any clues?
> > > 
> > > See atacontrol(8)
> > > 
> > >    # atacontrol list
> > > 
> > > shows what your system knows is there
> > > 
> > >    # atacontrol attach X
> > > 
> > > where X is the channel number, probes and
> attaches any
> > > devices on that
> > > channel in exactly the same way it is done at
> system
> > boot.
> > > 
> > > See camcontrol(8) if you've got SCSI drives.
> > > 
> > > 	Cheers,
> > > 
> > > 	Matthew
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                  
> 7
> > Priory
> > > Courtyard
> > >                                                  
> Flat
> > 3
> > > PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey    
> > Ramsgate
> > >                                                  
> > Kent,
> > > CT11 9PW
> > 
> > They're SATA drives. The two drives are on the
> same
> > channel when using atacontrol list. I'm unsure
> that
> > atacontrol attach ata0 would work but I'll give it
> a
> > shot, hopefully that works. I'll report back.
> > 
> > Thanks again
> 
> No go. atacontrol attach ata0 fails with "Device
> exists" probably because both sata drives are on the
> same channel. Still though, once inserted the kernel should
> show that it was inserted in /var/log/messages but it
> doesn't.

lol I find it extremely hilarious how every time I hit this wall everyone shrugs and walks away. This is going to haunt me for the rest of my days. I must know what is causing this, I must!