Enterprise Storage Array/HSZ70 controller questions

Hi, we've still got an Enterprise Storage Array with HSZ70 controllers
in use (not in production, thankfully), connected to an Alphaserver
4100 running VMS.

One of the drives in the array seems to have failed (the orange light
started blinking). Reseating it resulted in no change. We were able
to get our hands on "new old stock" of the same drive (I took the hot-
plug container apart), and now when I plug it in with the new drive
the green light along with the orange light come on for about 5-10
seconds, then they both go out, then the orange light starts flashing
again.

As we don't have any manuals for the thing anymore and I can't find
anything really helpful on HP's site, I'm just wondering if I'm doing
everything correctly - eg, I'm assuming the array works like a modern
array - if a drive fails, plug in a replacement of the same specs and
it should rebuild that drive automatically.

Otherwise, I guess I'm going to have to assume that particular slot on
the array has gone bad..

Thanks for all suggestions.

[email]mabbuttg@yahoo.ca[/email] wrote:[color=blue]
>
> Hi, we've still got an Enterprise Storage Array with HSZ70 controllers
> in use (not in production, thankfully), connected to an Alphaserver
> 4100 running VMS.
>
> One of the drives in the array seems to have failed (the orange light
> started blinking). Reseating it resulted in no change. We were able
> to get our hands on "new old stock" of the same drive (I took the hot-
> plug container apart), and now when I plug it in with the new drive
> the green light along with the orange light come on for about 5-10
> seconds, then they both go out, then the orange light starts flashing
> again.
>
> As we don't have any manuals for the thing anymore and I can't find
> anything really helpful on HP's site, I'm just wondering if I'm doing
> everything correctly - eg, I'm assuming the array works like a modern
> array - if a drive fails, plug in a replacement of the same specs and
> it should rebuild that drive automatically.
>
> Otherwise, I guess I'm going to have to assume that particular slot on
> the array has gone bad..
>
> Thanks for all suggestions.[/color]

You may have to delete the container(s) (unit, mirror/RAID/stripe-set) that
drive was a member of, depending, then delete the device and add it back (RUN
CONFIG), then add the container(s) back. See the HSZ CLI reference manual, if
you have it.

It's possible the HSZs won't realize the device was replaced until you do that.

--
David J Dachtera
dba DJE Systems
[url]http://www.djesys.com/[/url]

Unofficial OpenVMS Marketing Home Page
[url]http://www.djesys.com/vms/market/[/url]

Unofficial Affordable OpenVMS Home Page:
[url]http://www.djesys.com/vms/soho/[/url]

Unofficial OpenVMS-IA32 Home Page:
[url]http://www.djesys.com/vms/ia32/[/url]

Unofficial OpenVMS Hobbyist Support Page:
[url]http://www.djesys.com/vms/support/[/url]

In article <1178662418.974458.284430@n59g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>, [email]mabbuttg@yahoo.ca[/email] writes:[color=blue]
>One of the drives in the array seems to have failed (the orange light
>started blinking). Reseating it resulted in no change. We were able
>to get our hands on "new old stock" of the same drive (I took the hot-
>plug container apart), and now when I plug it in with the new drive
>the green light along with the orange light come on for about 5-10
>seconds, then they both go out, then the orange light starts flashing
>again.[/color]

I don't know but I assume: that the HSZ set the drive at that position
to be 'failed' means as a member of the FAILEDSET. You know, you have
RAIDSETs or MIRRORSETs and (hopefully) one or more drive in the SPARESET.

When the HSx detects a drive becoming bad, it moves it to the FAILEDSET
and move a drive from the SPARESET to the MIRRORSET/RAIDSET with now
a disk less and starts to rebuild this MIRRORSET/RAIDSET automatically.
You can influence HOW the recovery happens (faster or not to influence
the host).
[color=blue]
>As we don't have any manuals for the thing anymore and I can't find
>anything really helpful on HP's site,[/color]

A manuals is not always up to date. Use HELP in the software.
At least it corresponds to the sw version you run...
[color=blue]
> I'm just wondering if I'm doing
>everything correctly - eg, I'm assuming the array works like a modern
>array - if a drive fails, plug in a replacement of the same specs and
>it should rebuild that drive automatically.[/color]

Yes it does. As long as you did/do your job to help it.
[color=blue]
>Otherwise, I guess I'm going to have to assume that particular slot on
>the array has gone bad..[/color]

No. The drive in the slot is still marked as failed. You need to tell
that you replaced the drive. Means you need to remove the slot out of
the FAILEDSET (and into the SPARESET again).

Good luck

--
Peter "EPLAN" LANGSTOEGER
Network and OpenVMS system specialist
E-mail [email]peter@langstoeger.at[/email]
A-1030 VIENNA AUSTRIA I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist