C240-M3 HDD replacement

[Clifford McGlamry]

Hard drive failed in a C240-M3.  New disk plugged in (hot swap), but array did not automatically detect and rebuild the array to include the new drive in the same slot.

Customer is asking for us to get this taken care of, but they have an intensive change control process that requires documentation of exactly what will be done and how before approval is issued.

I have reviewed the Megaraid documentation, and cannot find anything that really addresses this.  The drive shows up as in the slot, but in an unconfigured status.

What is the process to pull this drive into the array as a replacement for the original drive without destroying all the data on the existing virtual drive?  I'm thinking this is probably easy, but it's not documented anywhere I can find. 

[gsharma4]

Hi Clifford,

Please check below links for answered query in Cisco Support Community & also RAID configuration/Controller Considerations.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/11688921/ucs-c240-m3-no-hard-drive-found

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/hw/C240/install/C240/raid.htmlhttp://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/raid/configuration/guide/RAID_GUIDE/Cisco_UCSM.html

Hope it would helps you and once got the answer please make it answered.

Regards,

Gaurav.

[Clifford McGlamry]

None of these links addresses the question at all.

The new drive is already in place (hot swapped).  The raid array hasn't pulled it in to replace the old drive and it's showing unconfigured.

What has to be done to get it to take the place of the old drive?

[asafayan]

Hi cmcglamry,

I have what appears to be a very similar issue.  My client inserted new drive and it shows up a "unconfigured good".  This is in slot 12 and the previous drive was a "hot spare" 146G and the new drive should also be a hot spare and is 300G. One would think the controller would recognize that the previous drive was a hot spare and make this one a hot spare as well.

I also have to come up with an action plan. Did you by chance generate one for your task?  If so, would you be willing to share it out?  I have LOTS of action plans that I would be happy to share out with you! : )

TIA,

Amir

ucs-c2xx-m2 /chassis/storageadapter # show physical-drive
Physical Drive Number Controller Info Valid Status                 Manufacturer   Model          Predictive Failure Count Drive Firmware Coerced Size   Type
--------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------------------- -------------- -------------- ------------------------ -------------- -------------- -----
1                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
2                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 TOSHIBA        MK3001GRRB     0                        5702           285148 MB      HDD
3                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 TOSHIBA        MK3001GRRB     0                        5702           285148 MB      HDD
4                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 TOSHIBA        MK3001GRRB     0                        5702           285148 MB      HDD
5                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
6                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
7                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
8                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
9                     SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
10                    SLOT-5     Yes        online                 SEAGATE        ST9300653SS    0                        0002           285148 MB      HDD
11                    SLOT-5     Yes        hot spare              TOSHIBA        MK1401GRRB     0                        5702           139236 MB      HDD
12                    SLOT-5     Yes        unconfigured good      TOSHIBA        MK3001GRRB     0                        5702           285148 MB      HDD

[Manuel Velasco]

Hi cmcglamry,

There is two ways to bring the replacement drive into the array:

1) The first one will require to reboot the server and log into the webbios utility of the raid controller. (This is the easiest way)

2.5 Rebuilding Failed Disks (page 2-18)

     To perform a manual rebuild on an individual drive

ftp://ftp.sgi.com/public/Technical%20Support/Pdf%20files/mr_configsw_ug.pdf

The second option is to use the the megaraid cli utility, when you use this utility there is no need to reboot the server, but you need to install it on the OS.  For instruction on how to manually force the drive to rebuild into the array see link below.

Note: You want to start reading where is says: Rebuilding a disk by hand when it doesn't occur automatically

http://hwraid.le-vert.net/wiki/LSIMegaRAIDSAS

Please let me know if this helps

[Clifford McGlamry]

Closer, but still not quite there.

The Megaraid CU seems to be what I need, but it's not there.  There is no option during boot to hit CTRL+M to enter that tool.  I'm offered CTRL+H to go into the WEBBIOS CU, but it doesn't offer the option to rebuild as far as I can tell.

The other tool....not sure how I'd install that.  The C240-M3 is running VMWare with UC on UCS on top of that.  All virtual cisco appliances.

Feels like something is missing here, and I have no idea what it is.

[Manuel Velasco]

The option to get into the webbios will depend on the type of controller you have, that is why you may see ctrl-M or ctrl-H, since you didn't provide the model of the raid controller I just guessed.

Is the virtual drive in a degraded state?

if the drive is not part of a volume already the system won't give you the option to rebuild.  If it is you will see this drive under the degraded volume, so then the only thing you have to do on the may page is to click on the drive, you will then see the option to rebuild.

For the second option you can download the megacli utility from the LSI website.  Just google the type of controller you have and also type megacli utiliy.

if you still don't see an option to rebuild the drive, send me a screenshot like the one i attached to this post.

[Clifford McGlamry]

Array would be degraded since it's missing a drive, and hasn't picked up the new drive as its replacement.  The documentation for the Webbios CU doesn't indicate anything about clicking on the virtual drive to get it to rebuild, so that may be the key here.  Frustrating, but not insurmountable.  It's complicated by the fact that the customer has rigorous change control that really doesn't allow for going into a maintenance window without firm details on exactly what's going to be done.  Since the documentation doesn't address this, and I can't test it out without a window, it creates a real problem.

Guess I'll have to talk to them and see how they'd like to proceed here.   

[Stojmenovic]

Go to CIMC, under storage tab, phisical drives, select the new added disk, go to option configure as a hot spare