LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card QIG

LSI Nytro MegaRAID
Application Acceleration Card

Quick Installation Guide
Version 1.2
April 2013
DB15-000144-02
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

April 2013
Revision History
Version and Date
Description of Changes
Version 1.2, April 2013
Made miscellaneous corrections to this document.
Version 1.1, February 2013
Added the Nytro MegaRAID8110-4e and the Nytro MegaRAID8120-4e to this document.
Version 1.0, August 2012
Initial release of this document.
LSI and the LSI & Design logo, Storage. Networking. Accelerated., Nytro, MegaRAID, MegaRAID Storage Manager, SandForce, and Fusion-MPT are trademarks or registered trademarks of LSI Corporation
or its subsidiaries. All other brand and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Linux is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries. Solaris is a trademark of Oracle America, Inc. Red Hat and
Enterprise Linux are registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. SUSE is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc.
LSI Corporation reserves the right to make changes to the product(s) or information disclosed herein at any time without notice. LSI Corporation does not assume any responsibility or liability arising out of
the application or use of any product or service described herein, except as expressly agreed to in writing by LSI Corporation; nor does the purchase, lease, or use of a product or service from LSI Corporation
convey a license under any patent rights, copyrights, trademark rights, or any other of the intellectual property rights of LSI Corporation or of third parties. LSI products are not intended for use in life-support
appliances, devices, or systems. Use of any LSI product in such applications without written consent of the appropriate LSI officer is prohibited.
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Document Number: DB15-000144-02
Copyright 2013 LSI Corporation
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April 2013
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1 Key Features and Benefits of the Nytro MegaRAID Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.2 Configuration Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 Operating Systems Supported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3 Installing the Nytro MegaRAID Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4 Installing an Operating System Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1 Installing a Driver in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2 Installing a Driver in a New Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5, or 6 OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2.1 Installing from a CD or a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2.2 Installing from a Driver Update Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.3 Installing a Driver in a New SuSE Linux Enterprise Server System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3.1 Installing from a CD or a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3.2 Installing from a Driver Update Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.4 Creating a RAID 1 Virtual Drive with WebBIOS Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5 Installing MegaRAID Storage Manager (MSM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.1 Hardware and Software Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.2 Installing MegaRAID Storage Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5.3 Setup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
6 Getting Started with the Nytro MegaRAID Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
6.1 Auto Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
6.2 Manual Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.2.1 Caching Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.2.2 Caching and Boot Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.2.3 Deleting the Caching or Boot Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.3 Creating Elastic Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6.4 Configuring File System Hinting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7 Using the Nytro Cache Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7.1 Associating a Source Virtual Disk to a Nytro Cache Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7.2 Disassociating a Source VD from Nytro Cache Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.3 Right-Click Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
8 Other Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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Overview
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick

Installation Guide
This document provides the steps necessary to install the LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card in a
Microsoft Windows environment. The Nytro MegaRAID card (NMR card) works with many other operating systems
and for installation instructions on those OSs, see the software user guide listed below. The user of this document
should be familiar features like RAID, MegaRAID, virtual disk (VD), Nytro Cache, Cache volumes and other such
features. For detailed information about these subjects and more, see the glossary at the back of this document or see
the following documents.
Table 1 Nytro MegaRAID Documentation Set
Document Type
Document Name
NMR Software OSs LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Software User Guide
and Features
Document
Number
DB15-000990-xx
NMR Card
Characteristics
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card User Guide
DB15-000967-xx
NMR OS Drivers
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Device Driver Installation User 53889-00
Guide
NMR Firmware
LSI MegaRAID Firmware Functional Specification
47978-00
Overview
The LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card is a combination of LSI proven MegaRAID controller coupled
with built-in Flash modules to be used as data cache devices with the help of Nytro caching software. The Nytro
MegaRAID card for direct-attached storage (DAS) is designed to accelerate applications with RAID performance from
DAS combined with intelligent caching using Nytro Flash modules. The Nytro MegaRAID card increases the storage
performance up to 30, but retains the current investment in DAS. Using intelligent caching algorithms to help
identify application hot data, the frequently accessed data is stored and accessed from Flash enabling the lowest
possible latency. The Nytro MegaRAID cards are available with either an internal connector or an external connector
for DAS devices. The following figures illustrate the flow of data on an internal and an external Nytro MegaRAID card.
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Overview
Figure 1 Data Flow on a Nytro MegaRAID Card
ATTENTION
Convention of usage of important terms:
Nytro Cache: This term refers to the Nytro Flash module that is
used for user data cache, called Nytro Cache.
SSD: This term refers to external Solid State Disks.
LSI offers a family of Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Cards that provides enterprise proven performance acceleration
and data protection for direct-attach storage devices. The differences between the Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration
Cards are internal or external SAS/SATA connectors and the amount of Flash memory as shown in the following table.
Table 2 Nytro MegaRAID Board Sizes
Nytro MegaRAID Card
Flash Capacity
SAS Connector
Nytro MegaRAID8100-4i
128 GB
SFF-8087
256 GB
SFF-8087
1 TB
SFF-8087
Nytro MegaRAID8110-4e
256 GB
SFF-8088
Nytro MegaRAID8120-4e
1 TB
SFF-8088
These cards address the growing demand for increased data throughput in database applications, cloud computing,
and data centers. These cards provide:
An internal or external four-lane mini-SAS connector for disk connection to 6.0 Gb/s SAS/SATA hard disk drives
An eight-lane, PCI Express 3.0 host interface
Nytro Flash module up to 1TB capacity (2 Nytro Flash modules)
Flash volumes for caching
Nytro Flash modules automatically configured to single Nytro cache drive by default
Existing and new Nytro cache drives automatically assigned for caching
Optional SuperCap connection to protect DRAM content in the event of power failure
Caching lightens the HDD load so that HDD RAID rebuilds complete faster and removes traditional HDD head
wear from accessing small block requests typical in database environments
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Overview
Key Features and Benefits of the Nytro MegaRAID Card
The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card provides accelerated performance and improved manageability to MegaRAID
with its two embedded Nytro Flash modules. The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card uses Nytro Flash memory in
front of the connected hard disk drive (HDD) volumes to create high-capacity and high-performance acceleration
cache pools.
The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card is based on the LSISAS2208 RAID On-a-Chip (ROC). This device is compliant
with the Fusion-MPT architecture and provides a PCI Express 8 interface.
The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card provides enterprise class data protection and transparent performance
acceleration to direct-attached SCSI storage volumes. The card provides reliability, high performance, and
fault-tolerant drive subsystem management. Performance acceleration is powered by intelligent caching using the
onboard Nytro Flash module.
NOTE
1.1
You need to carefully assess any decision to mix SAS drives and SATA
drives within the same virtual drive (VD). Although you can mix drives,
this practice is strongly discouraged because the drives have different
performance and reliability characteristics.
Key Features and Benefits of the Nytro MegaRAID Card
Automatic self-starting and self-configuring

Supports Read and Write caching
Transparent to applications, file systems, OSs, and device drivers
Provides an economical solution for accelerating applications by storing frequently accessed data on
low-latency Nytro Flash modules, while maintaining existing SAS or SATA connected hard drives, to achieve a
balance of performance and cost savings
Uses Nytro Flash module reducing compatibility issues with present and future flash modules
Specialized server off load processors include the LSISAS2208 dual core RAID-on-Chip process and two LSI
SandForce SF-2582 Flash Storage Processors
MD2 Low profile (6.6" X 2.536")
8 PCI Express 3.0 host interface
RAID level support for Nytro Flash modules are RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 1 with Elastic Cache (EC)
RAID1 is enabled when the user enables the write-back mode of the cache
On initial power up, the card auto configures as Nytro Cache Drive Group 0, RAID 1, Write Back configuration
RAID level support for hard disk drives
RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 6
RAID spans 10, 50, and 60
Internal or external drive bay support
JBOD mode support
Nytro Flash module helps protect cache in the event of power fail no battery required
SuperCap kit (option) to protect DRAM content in the event of power failure
Faster rebuilds will occur due to servicing most storage requests from Nytro Flash module
Compatible with existing MSM management interfaces supported by Nytro MegaRAID
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Configuration Scenarios
You can use the Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Cards in the following scenarios:
Low-end, SATA configuration:

In this configuration, use the RAID card as a high-end SATA, SATA II, or SATA III compatible card that
directly-connects up to four drives or to an expander. This configuration is mostly for low-end or entry servers.
Enclosure management is provided through an out-of-band I2C bus.
Midrange SAS configuration:

This configuration is like a SATA configuration, but with high-end SAS drives. This configuration is more suitable
for low-range to mid-range servers.
The following figure shows a direct-connect configuration. The Inter-IC (I2C) interface communicates with peripherals.
The external memory bus provides an 8-bit and 16-bit Flash read-only memory (ROM) and an 8-bit nonvolatile static
random access memory (NVSRAM) data interface. The card can connect to a drive bay that uses an expander.
Figure 2 Example of an Nytro MegaRAID Card with Direct-Connect Application
Memory
Address/Data
Bus
SAS/SATA Devices
SAS/SATA Device
SAS/SATA Device
Flash ROM/
PSBRAM/
NVSRAM
I2C
Interface
SAS
PCI Express
RAID Controller
SAS/SATA Device
I 2C
Nytro Flash Module
SAS/SATA Device
Nytro Flash Module
SAS/SATA Devices
SAS/SATA Devices
SAS/SATA Devices
PCI Express Interface
Memory
Address/Data
Bus
SAS/SATA Devices
Drive Bay with
SAS Expander
SAS/SATA Devices
SAS
PCI Express
RAID Controller
I2C
Interface
Flash ROM/
PSBRAM/
NVSRAM
I2C
Nytro Flash Module
SAS/SATA Devices
Nytro Flash Module

SAS/SATA Devices
1.2
Overview
8
PCI Express Interface
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Operating Systems Supported

Operating Systems Supported

The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Cards supports all of the major operating systems. For a current list of the operation
systems supported, go to: http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/download-search.aspx.
Refer to the Nytro MegaRAID SAS Device Driver Installation User Guide for more information about the drivers. To
download the latest operating system drivers, go to: http://www.lsi.com/cm/DownloadSearch.do.
The Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card uses Fusion-MPT architecture for all major operating systems.
For your operating system to communicate with your Nytro MegaRAID card, you need to install a driver that matches
your OS. The drivers perform these functions:
They support the PCI Express protocol.

They support multiple RAID storage adapters.
They provide the ability to see newly configured logical drives in the configuration software utility without
rebooting the system.
They permit the random deletion of logical drives that were created by using Nytro MegaRAID Storage Manager
(refer to the MegaRAID SAS Software User Guide for more information).
They support the use of the remaining array capacity by Nytro MegaRAID Storage Manager.
Installing the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Use the following steps to install of your Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card. These steps are for experienced
computer users or installers.
1.
Unpack the card and inspect it for damage. Unpack the card from the antistatic bag, and carefully inspect the
device for damage. If you notice any damage or if any component is missing, contact LSI or your reseller
support person.
CAUTION
Back up your data before changing your system configuration.
2.
Prepare the server. Turn off the power to the server, all drives, enclosures, and server components, and
disconnect the AC power cord.
3.
Open the cabinet. Follow the instructions in the server technical documentation.
4.
If required, replace the mounting bracket (server dependent) and install light pipe in the Life (upper) position.
5.
If required, install optional SuperCap and external LED before installing the card in the PCIe slot.
6.
Insert the Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card in an available PCIe slot. Locate an empty PCIe slot that offers
the maximum airflow. Remove the blank bracket panel on the server chassis that aligns with the empty PCIe slot.
Save the bracket screw, if applicable.
Align the card to a PCIe slot. Press down gently, but firmly, to correctly seat the card in the slot. The following
figure shows how to insert the card in a PCIe slot.
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Installing the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Figure 3 Inserting the Card in a PCIe Slot
CAUTION
The PCIe slot must meet the 300 linear feet per minute (LFPM)
minimum airflow requirement, but 500 LFPM is optimal for
thermal performance.
Figure 4 Internal SAS Cables for Connecting SAS or SATA Devices
7.
Secure the card to the servers chassis. Install the bracket screw, if applicable, or engage the server retention
mechanism to secure the card to the servers chassis.
8.
Connect the SAS or SATA devices to the Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card. Make sure that the cable you use
conforms to all specifications.
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9.
Installing an Operating System Driver

Installing a Driver in Windows
Perform a safety check. Make sure the cables and card are installed correctly, then close cabinet.
10. Reconnect the AC power cord to the server.

11. Turn on the power to the server. The server powers-up and Auto Configuration creates a Nytro Cache Drive
Group 0, RAID 1, Write Back configuration.
Nytro MegaRAID card installation is complete.
4.1
Installing a Driver in Windows

After installing the Nytro MegaRAID card, perform the following steps to install the MegaSAS device driver in a
Windows operating system (OS).
1.
Turn the server on and let it start up.
2.
Wait for the Nytro MegaRAID firmware to initialize.

The server starts the OS. After successful log in, the OS finds new hardware and the install driver wizard appears,
Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard.
4.2
3.
If the Wizard does not appear, select My Computer > Manage > Device Manager to start the Hardware Wizard.
4.
Follow the prompts to install the OS driver.
5.
The system prompts you to restart the server.
Installing a Driver in a New Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5, or 6 OS

You can install the MegaRAID device driver in a new system from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux CD, DVD, or from a
driver update disk.
4.2.1
Installing from a CD or a DVD

Perform the following steps to install the MegaSAS device driver in a new Red Hat Linux OS from the Red Hat
Enterprise Linux installation media:
4.2.2
1.
Refer to your system documentation, if needed, and boot the server with the installation CD or DVD.
2.
Follow the installation procedure for the Red Hat OS. The driver is loaded automatically during installation.
Installing from a Driver Update Diskette

Perform the following steps to install the MegaSAS device driver in a new Red Hat Enterprise Linux OS, create the
driver update diskette using the Linux driver image:
1.
Boot the server with the installation CD or DVD. Refer to your system documentation, if needed.
2.
Enter the following boot option to load the driver disk during installation: linux dd.
3.
Press Enter to continue the install.
4.
When prompted, insert the driver diskette.

The utility locates and loads the driver for your controller.
5.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F4 to verify that the driver is loaded.
6.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F1 to return to the installation.
7.
Follow the Red Hat installation procedure to complete the installation.
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4.3

Installing a Driver in a New SuSE Linux Enterprise Server System
Installing a Driver in a New SuSE Linux Enterprise Server System

You can install the MegaRAID device driver in a new system from the SuSE Linux CD or from a DVD.
4.3.1
Installing from a CD or a DVD

Perform the following steps to install the driver in a new SuSE Linux Enterprise Server system from the SuSE Linux
Enterprise Server installation CD or DVD:
1.
Boot the server with the SuSE Linux Enterprise Server SP CD or DVD. The system BIOS must support booting from
a CD-ROM. BIOS settings might require changes to allow CD-ROM booting. Refer to your system documentation.
2.
Follow the installation procedure for the SuSE OS.

The driver is loaded automatically during installation.
4.3.2
Installing from a Driver Update Diskette

To install the MegaSAS device driver in a new SuSE Linux Enterprise Server, create the driver update diskette by using
the Linux driver image. Perform the following steps to install the driver:
1.
Refer to your system documentation, if needed, and boot the server with the installation CD or DVD.
2.
At the installation message, perform one of these actions:
Press F5 for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10.

Press F6 for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 11.
3.
Continue the installation procedure and, when prompted, insert the driver diskette. The utility locates and loads
the driver for your controller.
4.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F4 to verify that the driver is loaded.
5.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F1 to return to the installation.
6.
Follow the SuSE installation procedure to complete the installation.

NOTE
4.4
If you use Service Pack (SP) 1 or SP 2, you need to load the driver. If you
use SP 3 RC 2, the MegaSAS driver is already on the SuSE Linux CD.
Creating a RAID 1 Virtual Drive with WebBIOS Configuration Utility

These steps describe how to create the virtual drive used for an OS. You can add other virtual drives to the running OS
after the OS has been installed. The Nytro MegaRAID pre-boot BIOS utility (WebBIOS) that creates the virtual disk for
the OS is accessible during the power-on self-test (POST) part of boot-up.
Refer to the Nytro MegaRAID SAS Software Users Guide, Chapter 8, for more information about the WebBIOS
configuration utility (CU).
The following procedure describes the creation of a RAID 1 array. You can use other RAID levels, and the steps are the
same except when selecting the RAID level. In RAID 1, the RAID controller duplicates all data from one drive to a
second drive. RAID 1 provides complete data redundancy, but at the cost of doubling the required data storage
capacity. It is appropriate for small databases or any other environment that requires fault tolerance but small
capacity. Follow these steps to create the virtual disk in WebBIOS:
1.
When the host computer is booting, hold down the Ctrl key and press the H key when the following text appears
on the window:
Press <Ctrl><H> for WebBIOS
The Adapter Selection window appears.
2.
If the system has multiple SAS/SATA controllers, select a controller.
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3.
Installing MegaRAID Storage Manager (MSM)

Creating a RAID 1 Virtual Drive with WebBIOS Configuration Utility
Click Start.
The main WebBIOS Config Utility Virtual Configuration window appears.
4.
Click Configuration Wizard.
5.
Select New Configuration.
The first Configuration Wizard window appears.
6.
NOTE
If you choose the first or second option, all of the existing data in the
configuration is deleted. Make a backup copy of any data that you
want to keep before you choose an option.
NOTE
The two Nytro Flash modules shows up in the Physical and Logical
views as two attached disk drives. Do not use the Nytro Flash modules
to create virtual drives.
Click Next.
A dialog warns that you will lose all data on all virtual drives (if you have created them).
7.
Are you sure you want to clear the configuration? Click Yes to continue.
The Select Configuration window appears.
8.
Select Virtual Drive Configuration.
9.
Click Next.
The Select Configuration Method window appears.
10. Select Automatic Configuration.

You have a choice of Redundancy. No Redundancy creates a RAID 0 system. Redundancy when possible creates
a RAID 1 system.
11. Select a redundancy option.
12. Click Next.
The Configuration Preview window appears showing the configuration selected.
13. Perform one of these steps:
If the selection is not correct, click Back and go back to step 10.
If the selection is correct, click Accept.
The Confirm Page appears.

14. Click Yes to confirm the configuration.
For manual configuration, see Chapter 7, WebBIOS Configuration Utility, in the LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application
Acceleration Card Software User Guide.
15. After the initialization is complete (the elapsed time depends on the RAID level and the disk size), click the Home
button and then click Exit in the left window frame.
16. Select Exit Application, and reboot the computer.

This section explains how to install the MegaRAID Storage Manager software on your workstation or on your server
for the supported operating systems: Microsoft Windows.
To install the MegaRAID Storage Manager software on Red Hat Linux (except RHEL 3/4), and SuSE Linux, refer to the LSI
Nytro MegaRAID Software User Guide, Chapter 9: MegaRAID Storage Manager Window and Menus.
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5.1

Hardware and Software Requirements
Hardware and Software Requirements

The hardware requirements for the MegaRAID Storage Manager software are as follows:
PC-compatible computer with an IA-32 (32-bit) Intel Architecture processor or an EM64T (64-bit) processor.
Minimum 256 MB of system memory (512 MB recommended)
A hard drive with at least 400 MB available free space.
The supported operating systems for the MegaRAID Storage Manager software are as follows:
Microsoft Windows Windows XP SP2 (64-bit), Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2, Windows Vista-SP2, Windows
Server 2008-SP2/Server 2008 R2-SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7-SP1
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) Version 10 SP4, Version 11 GA, Version 11 SP1
CentOS-6.3
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Version 5.6, Version 6.0 to 6.2
VMware Version 4.0U2 ESX, Version 4.0U2 ESXi, Version 4.1U1 ESX, Version 4.1U1 ESXi, Version 5.0 ESXi
Solaris x86 Version 10U8, Version 10U9, Version 10U10, Version 11
Refer to your server documentation and to the operating system documentation for more information on hardware
and operating system requirements.
NOTE
The MegaRAID Storage Manager software is supported in the Network

Address Translation (NAT) environment also. If the server is installed in
a remote machine and you want to connect to that server over a NAT
environment, through a remote client, you can connect to the remote
server by providing the NAT IP address.
NOTE
The MegaRAID Storage Manager software uses the local IP address in

the same subnet as the SMTP server to deliver email notifications to
the SMTP server.
You can use the MegaRAID Storage Manager software to remotely monitor the systems running the VMware ESXi (3.5
and above) operating system.
NOTE
StorLib libraries need the capability to be installed with more than one
version. All the StorLib libraries have been moved to a private location.
Please do a clean un-installation and only then install the MegaRAID
Software Manager to avoid any conflicts.
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5.2

Installing MegaRAID Storage Manager Software

To install the MegaRAID Storage Manager (MSM) software on a system running the Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows XP,
Microsoft Windows Vista, or Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, perform the following steps:
NOTE
Refer to the Installing MegaRAID Storage Manager in the LSI Nytro

MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Software User Guide for install
and uninstall instructions of MSM in Windows and other OSs.
1.
Insert the MegaRAID Storage Manager software installation CD in the CD-ROM drive. If necessary, find and
double-click the setup.exe file to start the installation program.
2.
In the Welcome screen that appears, click Next.

If the MegaRAID Storage Manager software is already installed on this system, an upgraded installation occurs.
3.
Read and accept the user license and click Next.

The Customer Information window appears, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 5 Customer Information Window
4.
Enter your user name and organization name. In the bottom part of the screen, select an installation option:
If you select the All users radio button, any user with administrative privileges can use this version of the
MegaRAID Storage Manager software to view or change storage configurations.
If you select the Only for current user radio button, the MegaRAID Storage Manager software shortcuts and
associated icons are available only to the user with this user name.
5.
Click Next to continue.
6.
Accept the default destination folder, or click Change to select a different destination folder, as shown in the
following figure.
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Figure 6 Destination Folder Window
7.

The Setup Type window appears, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 7 Setup Type Window
8.
Select one of the setup options. The options are fully explained in the window text.
Select the Complete radio button if you are installing the MegaRAID Storage Manager software on a server.
Select the Custom Installation radio button if you want to select individual program components.
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9.


If you select Custom Installation as your setup option, the second Setup Type dialog appears, as shown in the
following figure. If you select Complete as your setup option, the LDAP Login information appears.
Figure 8 LDAP Logon Information
10. To specify LDAP configuration details, select Yes, and perform the following sub steps, or if you do not want to
specify LDAP configuration details, click No and click Next.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Enter the LDAP servers IP address in the Server IP field.

Enter the LDAP servers user name in the User name field. An example of a user name can be
username@testldap.com.
Enter the name of the Domain Controller in the Distinguished User name field. As an example, the Domain
Controller name can be dc=TESTLDAP, dc=com.
Enter the LDAP servers port number in the Port field.
Select the Use LDAP as default Login check box to always connect to the LDAP server.
All the values entered in this dialog are saved in the ldap.properties file.
11. Click Next.

12. In the dialog that appears, click Install to begin the installation.
13. Select one of the setup options. See Section 5.3, Setup Options, for specific information
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Setup Options
Figure 9 Custom Setup Window
14. Click Next to proceed.

15. Click Install to install the program.
16. When the final Configuration Wizard window appears, click Finish.
If you select Client installation for a computer that is used to monitor servers, and if no available servers exist with
a registered framework on the local subnet (that is, servers with a complete installation of the MSM software), the
server window appears. The MegaRAID Storage Manager - Host View window does not list any servers. You can
use the MegaRAID Storage Manager - Host View window to manage systems remotely.
5.3
Setup Options
The MegaRAID Storage Manager software enables you to select from one of the following setup options when you
install it:
Select the Client radio button if you are installing the MegaRAID Storage Manager software on a computer that is
used to view and configure servers over a network. To begin installation, click Install on the next window that
appears. In the Client mode of installation, the MegaRAID Storage Manager software installs only client-related
components, such as the MegaRAID Storage Manager GUI. Use this mode when you want to manage and monitor
servers remotely. When you install the MegaRAID Storage Manager software in Client mode on a laptop or a
desktop, you can log in to a specific server by providing the IP address.
Select the Server radio button to install only those components required for remote server management. To
begin installation, click on Install on the next window that appears.
Select the StandAlone radio button if you want to use the MegaRAID Storage Manager software to create and
manage storage configurations on a stand-alone workstation.
To begin installation, click on Install on the next window that appears.
NOTE
If you select Client or StandAlone as your setup option, the LDAP

Logon Information dialog appears.
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Getting Started with the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Auto Configuration
Select the Local radio button if you want to view only the workstation that has the MegaRAID Storage Manager
software installed. You will not be able to discover other remote servers and other remote servers will also not be
able to connect to your workstation. In a local mode installation, you will be using the loopback address instead
of the IP address.
Select the Custom radio button if you want to specify individual program features to install.
If you select Custom, a window listing the installation features appears. Select the features you want
on this window.
6.1
Auto Configuration
NOTE
The Auto Configuration method, RAID 1 is created with Write Back

write policy option only by using the Nytro Flash module. The Default
or Auto Configuration is created on system initialization by
firmware using the Nytro Flash modules present on the Nytro
MegaRAID controller.
The Default or Auto Configuration is created on system initialization by firmware using the Flash memory modules
present on the Nytro MegaRAID controller.
Any modification made by you is treated as a change in the configuration, and the configuration is changed from
Default or Auto Configuration to Manual configuration. If you modify the Default configuration, the new Manual
configuration data is stored in NVRAM, and you cannot revert to Auto or Default configuration. To revert to Auto or
Default configuration, you must select the factory default settings at the controller level. When the Auto or Default
configuration is modified, firmware generates an event to notify the administrating application.
Based on the type of the RAID level and over provisioning, the size of the Nytro cache varies.
Nytro MegaRAID software supports only RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 1-EC levels for Flash-based cache volume based
on the Nytro MegaRAID Firmware Configuration parameters. If for some reason, the Auto or Default configuration
fails, it is switched to the Manual configuration.
You cannot create a cache volume from a combination of Flash memory modules and external SSD drives,
however if there are external SSD connected, they are treated as normal SATA physical drives.
Operations, such as spare commission, rebuild, consistency check, initialization, and copy back are not supported
on cache volume. Multiple volumes can be created using the Flash drives. Using either RAID 0 or RAID 1 level.
By default, auto configuration creates only one Nytro cache volume. You cannot change it unless you delete and
create a new Nytro cache volume manually.
You can apply the factory default settings using the WebBIOS, MegaCLI, or PrebootCLI (but not through MSM).
These are the typical operations performed:
Clear the configuration.

Create configuration.
Create VD.
Create Nytro Cache.
For more information about using Nytro MegaRAID on WebBIOS, refer to Chapter 7, WebBIOS Configuration Utility.
For more information about using Nytro MegaRAID on MegaCLI, refer to Chapter 9, MegaRAID Command Tool.
For more information about using Nytro MegaRAID on MSM, refer to Chapter 11, MegaRAID Storage Manager
Window and Menus, in the LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Software User Guide.
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6.2

Manual Configuration
The following procedure lets you perform the Manual configuration:
1.
Right-click on a controller in the device tree in the left pane of the MegaRAID Storage Manager Window. You can
use the Nytro MegaRAID software to create a regular Nytro Cache drive configuration or a Nytro Boot Cache drive.
2.
Select Create Nytro Cache.

The Create Nytro Cache - Specify Type dialog appears.
Figure 10 Create Nytro Cache - Specify Type: Only Caching Group
3.
Perform one of these actions:
Select the Only Caching radio button as shown in the following figure to create a regular Nytro Cache drive.
Select the Caching and Boot radio button to create a Boot Nytro Cache drive.
Select the Caching and Boot radio button to use a part of the available Nytro Flash module space to create
the Boot Nytro Cache drive. The remaining space is used to create a regular virtual drive, which can be used
as a boot drive.
4.
6.2.1
Click Next.
Caching Option
The following table contains a description and benefits of the five different Nytro Flash Caching modes.
Table 3 Nytro Flash Caching Modes
Mode Name
R0/Write Through
R0/Write Back
Description
Benefits
Read caching. Write committed to HDD

and acknowledged back to OS.
Write cached in Nytro flash and

acknowledged back to OS.
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Performance improvement in Read.

No risk of losing "dirty data upon flash failure
Best performance
Dirty data not protected against flash failure

April 2013

Table 3 Nytro Flash Caching Modes (Continued)

Mode Name
R1/Write Through
R1/Write Back
Description
Benefits
Mirrored caching on the Nytro flash

modules
Not a commonly used mode because data
is written through to HDD
Mirrored caching. Write cached in Nytro

flash and acknowledged back to OS.
Elastic Cache/Write Back Caching with Uncommitted writes

mirrored. Writes are cached and mirrored
in Nytro flash and acknowledged back
to OS.
No risk of losing dirty data upon flash failure

Consistent performance, even in the event of single
flash module failure
Balanced performance
Dirty data is protected upon single flash module
failure due to mirroring
Lower flash capacity used compared to standard
R1/Write back, resulting in higher cache hits and
performance.
Dirty data is protected upon single flash module
failure due to mirroring.
If you select the Only Caching option, the following dialog appears.
Figure 11 Create Nytro Cache Drive Group - First Screen
1.
Select a RAID level for the Nytro Cache drive from the RAID level drop-down list.
After you select an unconfigured Nytro Cache drive, the Add button is enabled as shown in the following figure.
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Figure 12 Create Nytro Cache Drive group Second Dialog
2.
Click Add to add the selected Nytro Flash drive into the Nytro Cache Drive Group box on the right pane.
After you click Add, the Create Nytro Drive group button is enabled.
3.
Click Create Nytro Drive group.
4.
Click Next.
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5.

Provide a name in the Nytro Cache drive name box.

The Create Nytro Drive Third Dialog appears.
Figure 13 Create Nytro Cache Drive
Nytro Write Back Caching RAID 1 WB caching delivers high application performance acceleration for
write-intensive random I/O workloads.
Nytro Write Through Caching RAID 0 and RAID 1 Write Through caching delivers high application
performance acceleration for read-intensive random I/O workloads.
The newly created Nytro drive group appears in the Nytro Drive groups box on the right pane as shown in the
preceding figure.
The dialog confirming the creation of Nytro Cache drive appears.
6.
Click Next.
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7.

Click Create Virtual Drive.

The Create Nytro Cache Virtual Drive first dialog appears.
Figure 14 Create Nytro Cache Virtual Drive First Dialog
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8.


The following dialog appears.
Figure 15 Create Nytro Cache Virtual Drive Second Dialog
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9.

Click Next.
Figure 16 Create Nytro Cache Virtual Drive Third Dialog
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The summary dialog appears.

Figure 17 Create Nytro Cache Summary
10. Verify the details added.

11. Click Finish.
Select the Logical tab on the MegaRAID Storage Manager application window to check the details of the Nytro
Cache drive.
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6.2.2

Caching and Boot Option

1.
Click Next on Figure 10, Create Nytro Cache - Specify Type: Only Caching Group (Caching and Boot option).
Figure 18 Create Nytro Cache Specify Type: Caching and Boot
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2.

Select the required boot drive size, and click Next.

Figure 19 Create Nytro Cache Drive Summary
3.
Verify the details added.
4.
Click Finish.
Select the Logical tab on the MegaRAID Storage Manager application window to check the details of the Nytro
Cache drive.
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6.2.3

Deleting the Caching or Boot Drive

1.
Right-click the Nytro MegaRAID controller as shown in the following figure.
Figure 20 MegaRAID Storage Manager Physical View
2.
Select Delete Nytro Cache and Boot Drives.

The following confirmation message dialog appears.
Figure 21 Delete Nytro Cache and Boot Drives
3.
Click Yes to delete.
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6.3

Creating Elastic Cache

Perform step 1 through step 6 provided in Section 6.2.1, Caching Option.
Elastic cache is host write-only mirroring (HWOM) meaning the host writes are cached with RAID 1 protection on the
cache device and the host reads are not mirrored at the cache level.
1.
Select RAID level R1-EC as shown in the following figure.
Figure 22 Create Nytro Cache Group - R1-EC Dialog 1
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2.

Click Next.
3.
Select the drives and click Create Drive Group.
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4.

Click Next.
5.
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6.

Click Next.
The summary dialog appears.
Figure 25 Nytro Cache Group Dialog 4
7.
Use the MegaRAID Storage Manager Logical tab to view the RAID Level R1-EC Nytro Cache drive properties.
Figure 26 Logical Tab View
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6.4
Using the Nytro Cache Drive

Configuring File System Hinting
Configuring File System Hinting

File system hinting establishes a handshaking protocol with Nytro MegaRAID firmware to maintain file system blocks
in Nytro Cache drive group as hot data; this helps reduce the latency when accessing frequently accessed data.
Perform these steps to enable file system hinting:
1.
Install the File System Hinting supported MegaRAID driver RPM supplied with the Nytro MegaRAID package.
2.
Install the nytroHinting RPM supplied with the Nytro MegaRAID package.
3.
Create a Nytro Cache VD.
4.
Create a source drive for which you want to enable File System Hinting.
5.
Associate the source VD with Nytro Cache VD.
6.
Enable File System Hinting on the source VD created (step 4 and step 5) by using the MegaCLI and StorCLI utilities.
NOTE
If your root partition or boot is on a SAS drive which is being

discovered by the Nytro MegaRAID driver, you must use the
driver update disk supplied in the Nytro MegaRAID package to
update your Nytro MegaRAID driver in order to support File
System Hinting.
If you have an existing Nytro MegaRAID driver installed on the
system, you must upgrade the existing Nytro MegaRAID driver
with the Nytro MegaRAID driver supplied with Nytro MegaRAID
package to support File System Hinting.
7.1
Associating a Source Virtual Disk to a Nytro Cache Drive

You can associate a source VD and then create a Nytro cache and vice versa.
Perform these steps to associate a source VD.
1.
Scenario 1: Create a source VD or use an existing source VD.

a.
Right-click the controller and select Manage Nytro Caching.

The Manage Nytro Cache dialog appears.
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Figure 27 Manage Nytro Cache
b.
Select the corresponding virtual drive Enable check box, or if there are more than one VD, select the All
check box to select all of the VDs.
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c.

Click OK.
Figure 28 Enable Nytro Cache
d.
Click OK.
The VD is now associated.
NOTE
During I/O, the controller automatically uses this Nytro Cache VD.
NOTE
e.
f.
g.
h.
You can choose to associate the Nytro Cache drive anytime later by
using the Manage Nytro Cache option.
Check if the source VD is associated with Nytro Cache drive.
Click the source VD under the controller.
Check on the right pane of MSM Window for Nytro Cache caching properties.
Right-click the source VD to view whether the Disable the Nytro Cache drive option shows, (it must show).
2. You neither have a source VD nor Nytro Cache drive

a.
b.
Create a source VD using the MSM application (normal RAID creation method), at the time of creating a
source VD.
Click the Finish.
c.
Create the Nytro Cache drive using the steps mentioned in Section 6.2, Manual Configuration.
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Disassociating a Source VD from Nytro Cache Drive
3. Scenario 2: Create a source VD or use an existing source VD.

a.
Right-click the controller and select Manage Nytro Cache.

b.
Select the corresponding virtual drive Enable check box, or select the All check box to select all of the VDs.
The VD is now associated.
NOTE
During I/O, the controller automatically uses this Nytro Cache drive.
NOTE
c.
d.
e.
f.
7.2
You can choose to associate the Nytro Cache drive anytime later by
using the Mange Nytro Cache option.
Check if the source VD is associated with Nytro Cache drive.
Click the source VD under the controller.
Check on the right pane of MSM Window for Nytro Cache drive caching properties.
Right-click the source VD to view whether the Disable the Nytro Cache drive option shows, (it must show).
Disassociating a Source VD from Nytro Cache Drive

If you do not want to associate the source VD to the Nytro Cache drive or vice versa, right-click the source VD and
select Disable the Nytro Cache drive.
Figure 29 Disable Nytro Cache
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7.3

Right-Click Operations
You can use the following right-click operations on the MegaRAID Storage Manager GUI as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 30 MegaRAID Storage Manager Right-Click Options
Rename Virtual Drive

Delete Virtual Drive
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Other Documents
Set Virtual Drive Properties

Clear Nytro Cache
Other Documents
The following is a list of documents that support the Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card. These document
help you customize Nytro Cache VD RAID level and caching modes. They also help with customizing HDD VD
configuration and settings.
LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Software User Guide

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Device Driver Installation User Guide
LSI MegaRAID Firmware Functional Specification
Technical Support
For assistance with installing, configuring, or running your Nytro MegaRAID Acceleration Card, contact LSI
Technical Support.
Click the following link to access the LSI Technical Support page for storage and board support:
http://www.lsi.com/about/contact/Pages/support.aspx
From this page, you can email or call Technical Support, or submit a new service request and view its status.
NOTE
Record your controller serial number in a safe location in case you

need to contact LSI.
Email:
http://www.lsi.com/support/email/Pages/default.aspx
Support Request:
http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/submitsupportrequest.aspx
Telephone Support:
http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/call-us.aspx
1-800-633-4545 (North America)
00-800-5745-6442 (International)
NOTE
The international toll-free number does not require country-specific

access codes.
Documents and Downloads:

http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/download-search.aspx
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Glossary
Glossary
B
BIOS
Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. Software that provides basic read/write capability. Usually kept as
firmware (ROM-based). The system BIOS on the motherboard of a computer boots and controls the system.
The BIOS on your host adapter acts as an extension of the system BIOS.
C
Cache
Fast memory that holds recently accessed data. Use of cache memory speeds subsequent access to the same
data. When data is read from or written to main memory, a copy is also saved in cache memory with the
associated main memory address. The cache memory software monitors the addresses of subsequent reads
to see if the required data is already stored in cache memory. If it is already in cache memory (a cache hit), it
is read from cache memory immediately and the main memory read is aborted (or not started). If the data is
not cached (a cache miss), it is fetched from main memory and saved in cache memory.
Caching
The process of using a high speed memory buffer to speed up a computer systems overall read/write
performance. The cache can be accessed at a higher speed than a drive subsystem. To improve read
performance, the cache usually contains the most recently accessed data, as well as data from adjacent drive
sectors. To improve write performance, the cache can temporarily store data in accordance with its write
back policies.
Capacity
A property that indicates the amount of storage space on a drive or virtual drive.
D
device driver
drive group
A program that allows a microprocessor (through the operating system) to direct the operation of a
peripheral device.
A drive group is a group of physical drives. These drives are managed in partitions known as virtual drives. A
group of drives attached to a Nytro MegaRAID controller on which one or more virtual drives can be created.
All virtual drives in the drive group use all of the drives in the drive group.
E
elastic cache
Elastic cache is host write-only mirroring (HWOM). The host write is cached with RAID 1 protection on the
cache device. Host reads are not mirrored at the cache level.
external SAS
device
A SAS device installed outside the computer cabinet. These devices are connected using specific types of
shielded cables.
F
Flash
Fusion-MPT
architecture
Nytro Flash module that is 100x to 1000x faster than hard drives yet provides non-volatility. Flash memory
does not have the mechanical limitations and latencies of hard drives, so a Nytro Flash module is attractive
when considering speed, noise, power consumption, and reliability.
An acronym for Fusion-Message Passing Technology architecture. Fusion-MPT consists of several main
elements: Fusion-MPT firmware, the Fibre Channel and SCSI hardware, and the operating system level drivers
that support these architectures. Fusion-MPT architecture offers a single binary, operating system driver that
supports both Fibre Channel and SCSI devices.
H
HDD
Hard disk drive
host
The computer system in which a RAID controller is installed. It uses the RAID controller to transfer
information to and from devices attached to the SCSI bus.
HWOM
Host Write-Only Mirroring
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Glossary
I
Initialization
Internal Drive
Bay
internal SAS
device
The process of writing zeros to the data fields of a virtual drive and, in fault-tolerant RAID levels, generating
the corresponding parity to put the virtual drive in a Ready state. Initialization erases all previous data on the
drives. Drive groups work without initializing, but they can fail a consistency check because the parity fields
have not been generated.
A bay internal the case and usually used for hard disk drives that do not require any access by the user.
A SAS device installed inside the computer cabinet. These devices are connected by using a shielded cable.
M
main memory
Mirroring
MSM
The part of computer memory that is directly accessible by the CPU (usually synonymous with RAM).
The process of providing complete data redundancy with two drives by maintaining an exact copy of one
drives data on the second drive. If one drive fails, the contents of the other drive can be used to maintain the
integrity of the system and to rebuild the failed drive.
MegaRAID Storage Manager software
N
Nytro Cache
This term refers to the on-board Flash module used for user data cache, called Nytro Flash module.
P
PCI Express
(PCIe)
Acronym for peripheral component interconnect Express. A high- performance, local bus specification that
allows the connection of devices directly to computer memory. PCI Express is a two-way, serial connection
that transfers data on two pairs of point-to-point data lines. PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in
that it is intended as a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations, mobile, server,
communications, and embedded devices.
peripheral
devices
A piece of hardware (such as a video monitor, drive, printer, or CD-ROM) used with a computer and under the
control of the computer. SCSI peripherals are controlled through a SAS MegaRAID SAS RAID controller (host
adapter).
PSBRAM
Pipelined synchronous burst static random access memory
R
RAID
Acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks (originally Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). An
array (group) of multiple independent drives managed together to yield higher reliability, performance, or
both exceeding that of a single drive. The RAID array appears to the controller as a single storage unit. I/O is
expedited because several drives can be accessed simultaneously. Redundant RAID levels (RAID levels 1, 5, 6,
10, 50, and 60) provide data protection.
RAID levels
A set of techniques applied to drive groups to deliver higher data availability, performance characteristics, or
both to host environments. Each virtual drive must have a RAID level assigned to it.
RAID 0
Uses striping to provide high data throughput, especially for large files in an environment that does not
require fault tolerance.
RAID 1
Uses mirroring so that data written to one drive is simultaneously written to another drive. RAID 1 is good for
small databases or other applications that require small capacity but complete data redundancy.
RAID 1 EC
RAID 1 with elastic cache (EC). Elastic cache is host write-only mirroring (HWOM). The host write is cached
with RAID 1 protection on the cache device but host read requests. Host reads are not mirrored at the
cache level.
RAID 5
Uses disk striping and parity data across all drives (distributed parity) to provide high data throughput,
especially for small random access.
RAID 6
Uses distributed parity, with two independent parity blocks per stripe, and disk striping. A RAID 6 virtual
drive can survive the loss of any two drives without losing data. A RAID 6 drive group, which requires a
minimum of three drives, is similar to a RAID 5 drive group. Blocks of data and parity information are written
across all drives. The parity information is used to recover the data if one or two drives fail in the drive group.
LSI Corporation
- 41 -

April 2013
Glossary
RAID 10
A combination of RAID 0 and RAID 1, consists of striped data across mirrored spans. A RAID 10 drive group is
a spanned drive group that creates a striped set from a series of mirrored drives. RAID 10 allows a maximum
of 8 spans. You must use an even number of drives in each RAID virtual drive in the span. The RAID 1 virtual
drives must have the same stripe size. RAID 10 provides high data throughput and complete data
redundancy but uses a larger number of spans.
RAID 50
A combination of RAID 0 and RAID 5, uses distributed parity and disk striping. A RAID 50 drive group is a
spanned drive group in which data is striped across multiple RAID 5 drive groups. RAID 50 works best with
data that requires high reliability, high request rates, high data transfers, and medium-to-large capacity.
NOTE Having virtual drives of different RAID levels, such as RAID 0 and RAID 5, in the same drive group is not
allowed. For example, if an existing RAID 5 virtual drive is created out of partial space in an array, the next
virtual drive in the array has to be RAID 5 only.
RAID 60
A combination of RAID 0 and RAID 6, uses distributed parity, with two independent parity blocks per stripe in
each RAID set, and disk striping. A RAID 60 virtual drive can survive the loss of two drives in each of the RAID
6 sets without losing data. RAID 60 works best with data that requires high reliability, high request rates, high
data transfers, and medium-to-large capacity.
NOTE The MegaSR controller supports the standard RAID levelsRAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. The
MegaSR controller comes in two variants, SCU and AHCI, both supporting a maximum of eight physical
drives. A maximum of eight virtual drives can be created (using RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 only) and
controlled by the MegaSR controller. One virtual drive can be created on an array (a maximum of eight if no
other virtual drives are already created on the MegaSR controller), or you can create eight arrays with one
virtual drive each. However, on RAID10, you can create only one virtual drive on a particular array.
ROC
RAID On-a-Chip
S
SAS device
SATA
SuperCap
Any device that conforms to the SAS standard and is attached to the SAS bus by a SAS cable. This includes
SAS RAID controllers (host adapters) and SAS peripherals.
Acronym for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. A physical storage interface standard, SATA is a serial
link that provides point-to-point connections between devices. The thinner serial cables allow for better
airflow within the system and permit smaller chassis designs.
SuperCap has reference to a module containing many capacitors. Sometimes called, SuperCap, Super
Capacitors, and Ultra Capacitors. Also called RAID Cache Protector and RAID CaseVault.
V
VD
Virtual Drive
A storage unit created by a Nytro MegaRAID controller from one or more drives. Although a virtual drive can
be created from several drives, it is seen by the operating system as a single drive. Depending on the RAID
level used, the virtual drive can retain redundant data in case of a drive failure.
W
Write-back
Write-through
In Write-Back Caching mode, the controller sends a data transfer completion signal to the host when the
controller cache has received all of the data in a drive write transaction. Data is written to the drive
subsystem in accordance with policies set up by the controller.
These policies include the amount of dirty/clean cache lines, the number of cache lines available, and
elapsed time from the last cache flush.
In Write-Through Caching mode, the controller sends a data transfer completion signal to the host when the
drive subsystem has received all of the data and has completed the write transaction to the drive.
LSI Corporation
- 42 -

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card QIG

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LSI Nytro MegaRAID

Application Acceleration Card

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Version 1.2, April 2013

Made miscellaneous corrections to this document.

Version 1.1, February 2013

Version 1.0, August 2012

Initial release of this document.

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card User Guide

LSI MegaRAID Firmware Functional Specification

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Figure 1 Data Flow on a Nytro MegaRAID Card

Convention of usage of important terms:

SSD: This term refers to external Solid State Disks.

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Key Features and Benefits of the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Automatic self-starting and self-configuring

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Low-end, SATA configuration:

Midrange SAS configuration:

Nytro Flash Module

Nytro Flash Module

PCI Express Interface

Nytro Flash Module

Nytro Flash Module

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Operating Systems Supported

Operating Systems Supported

They support the PCI Express protocol.

Installing the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Back up your data before changing your system configuration.

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Installing the Nytro MegaRAID Card

Figure 3 Inserting the Card in a PCIe Slot

Figure 4 Internal SAS Cables for Connecting SAS or SATA Devices

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Installing an Operating System Driver

10. Reconnect the AC power cord to the server.

Installing an Operating System Driver

Installing a Driver in Windows

Turn the server on and let it start up.

Wait for the Nytro MegaRAID firmware to initialize.

Follow the prompts to install the OS driver.

The system prompts you to restart the server.

Installing a Driver in a New Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5, or 6 OS

Installing from a CD or a DVD

Installing from a Driver Update Diskette

Press Enter to continue the install.

When prompted, insert the driver diskette.

Press Alt+Ctrl+F4 to verify that the driver is loaded.

Press Alt+Ctrl+F1 to return to the installation.

Follow the Red Hat installation procedure to complete the installation.

LSI Nytro MegaRAID Application Acceleration Card Quick Installation Guide

Installing an Operating System Driver

Installing a Driver in a New SuSE Linux Enterprise Server System

Installing from a CD or a DVD

Follow the installation procedure for the SuSE OS.

Installing from a Driver Update Diskette

At the installation message, perform one of these actions:

Press F5 for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10.

Press Alt+Ctrl+F4 to verify that the driver is loaded.