How to tell when drive has failed in RAID1?

TNGL · 24 Aug 2011 at 12:44

So as the title says, how do you tell when a drive has failed in a RAID1 configuration? Say if you have three drives... one fails, but the system runs as normal, how would you tell:
A.) If a drive has failed?
B.) What drive has failed?

This has got my head spinning, and I just need some clarification :confused:

#Chri5# · 24 Aug 2011 at 13:09

Either by an audible alarm, the status LEDs on each hot swap drive (assuming it's a proper server) or via alerts from the RAID controller management software. You might be able to configure the controller / software to send out e-mails to report problems rather load up the software.

memyselfandi · 24 Aug 2011 at 17:45

It will depend enormously on the specific platform in question ... it may well be reported at the OS level logs.

TNGL · 24 Aug 2011 at 17:47

Thanks for the replies guys.
Do you think the Intel Matrix Storage Manager would tell me?

nightmare99 · 24 Aug 2011 at 19:46

Yes it will

PistolPete · 24 Aug 2011 at 21:56

The array would show degraded - this example it's running fine

SMN · 26 Aug 2011 at 12:54

Tingle said:
So as the title says, how do you tell when a drive has failed in a RAID1 configuration? Say if you have three drives... one fails, but the system runs as normal, how would you tell:
A.) If a drive has failed?
B.) What drive has failed?

This has got my head spinning, and I just need some clarification

RAID 1 with 3 drives? Pour qoui? And the software manager for the RAID will be able to tell you; if its an enterprise grade server it'll no doubt beep incessantly also and flash an LED if its hot swap.

DIABLO · 26 Aug 2011 at 21:28

Intel Controllers will show a drive failure during boot during the RAID portion of the boot process, and the matrix strorage manager will warn you when you boot into windows as well.

TNGL · 26 Aug 2011 at 21:33

Okay, thanks for the confirmation guys.

bremen1874 · 27 Aug 2011 at 01:01

SMN said:
RAID 1 with 3 drives? Pour qoui? And the software manager for the RAID will be able to tell you; if its an enterprise grade server it'll no doubt beep incessantly also and flash an LED if its hot swap.

On the subject of beeping, did Dell ever relent and go back fitting audible alarms to their RAID adapters?

With the PERC3 and PERC4 you were always informed about drive failures very quickly because the beeping was so annoying. With the PERC5 and PERC6 there was no alarm which seemed like a strange decision.

Skidilliplop · 27 Aug 2011 at 11:48

bremen1874 said:
On the subject of beeping, did Dell ever relent and go back fitting audible alarms to their RAID adapters?

With the PERC3 and PERC4 you were always informed about drive failures very quickly because the beeping was so annoying. With the PERC5 and PERC6 there was no alarm which seemed like a strange decision.

No they havent. But that's mostly because they have proper monitoring software you can download that will email you health status alerts.
Plus 99.9% of the servers they sell with those adapters in will be sat locked away in server rooms and datacentres that are so deafeningly loud and freezing cold from fans, aircon and hundreds of hard drives that no one stays in them very long to hear any beeping.

Also to OP RE: identifying the drive, on proper servers with higher end controllers you can set the drive light to flash in software. I doubt this can be done in intel matrix storage manager so you will need to make sure your wiring and labelling is spot on. I.E SATA 0 to bay 1 SATA 1 to bay 2 etc etc