Powerware Model V-2000B - Manual (Page 90)

88 = Hard Disk Management
P 10 11 12
RAID Level 5:
“Independent Access Array with Rotating Parity”
High Data Reliability & Transfer Capacity
Disk 2 Disk 1 Disk 0 Disk 3
4 5 P 6
1 2 3 P
7 P 9 8
Disk Array
Controller
DATA
Array Management Software
Provides Logical to Physical Mapping
Physical
Figure 29: RAID 5 Array Schematic
Improved Write Performance
The Image Server uses new designs to improve RAID-5 write performance for both large
sequential and small random transactions. This advanced block caching firmware delivers
extremely high performance for RAID-5 write operations.
Managing Disk Arrays
The Image Server’s Disk Array Configuration Utility provides tools for monitoring and
managing the disk array. Monitoring and troubleshooting programs automatically check the
array, report problems, and provide access to RAID status information and service options.
A single drive fault should not cause data loss, but the drive array is degraded and no longer
has storage redundancy. Hence, another disk failure may cause a complete loss of data and
system failure. After a drive failure it is strongly recommended that at the earliest time
diagnostics be performed, and the server be taken off line while the RAID array is rebuilt.
Error Notification and Repair
The Image Server will notify users in the event of a fault by flashing the front panel DRIVES
light. A flashing DRIVES light can be trigged by a variety of conditions. The first step in
response to a flashing light is to open the RAID CHECK STATUS window from the On-Screen
Start Menu. Click Start > RAID Status to launch the Array Configuration Utility.