Application Note
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Product Details
The RA8000/ESA12000 storage systems utilize the Compaq HSG80 RAID controller running Array
Controller Software (ACS) V8.5. The ACS software is designed to support multiple platforms
providing features including: dual controller operation, two controller failover modes – Transparent
and Multiple-Bus, mirrored write back cache, read ahead cache, RAID implementation, disk
mirroring, and disk partitioning capabilities. In addition, ACS manages host interconnect and protocol
services to provide data for event notification and status such as displayed by SWCC.
The HSG80 controller has two FC host ports providing up to a total of nearly 200 Mbytes per second
of available bandwidth. Disk drives are connected to the controller through 6 UltraSCSI channels
providing up to 40 Mbytes per second per channel of available bandwidth. Servers can use multiple
host bus adapters (HBAs) to multiple RA8000 FC systems for unlimited storage capacity.
The RA8000 FC is supplied in two basic building blocks, a pedestal style cabinet and what has been
termed a “rackable” model. The pedestal is a self-contained desk height cabinet; it is available in
Digital Classic Top Gun blue and in Compaq Opal. The rackable is shipped ready to be mounted in a
19” Compaq rack or a 19”cabinet/rack using an included universal RETMA/metric mounting kit.
RA8000 FC controllers come with 64 MB of cache. Cache options allow for 128 MB, 256 MB and
512MB of cache in each controller. ESA12000 FC controllers come with 256 MB of cache. Cache
options allow for 512MB of cache in each controller. Cache features include read ahead and mirrored
write back cache for use in optimizing performance where redundant capabilities are required for high
availability system configurations. In the rare event that a storage controller fails the mirrored data is
immediately available to the remaining controller for continuing operation.
The RA8000 FC pedestals and rackables come in both single controller and in dual controller models
to allow the customer to select the level of high availability required for their application. A single
controller model can be upgraded to a dual controller model when warranted by the application.
High availability is supported by the use of redundancy and hot swappable components. The RA8000
FC disk enclosures include redundant cooling, and have 5 power supplies providing N+1 redundancy.
Power can be upgraded to full redundancy with the addition of 3 more supplies and a 2nd power
distribution unit for AC input redundancy. StorageWorks components are “hot” swappable including
storage controllers when operating as a redundant pair.
You can configure and monitor the RA8000 and ESA12000 FC using the StorageWorks Command
Console (SWCC). SWCC is included in the HSG80 Software Solutions Platform kit. Using this
client/server tool, you can configure RAID sets locally or over a TCP/IP network. The client provides
an easy to use graphical user interface. It can be used to monitor your storage system and notify you
of events by updating a graphical display, sending electronic mail, or alerting via a pager. The
Command Console Client includes applications (or Storage Windows) that communicate with the
Command Console Agent software running on the host platform.
The Command Console client is available on Windows 95, Windows 98, and on Intel platforms
running Windows NT. A Storage Window for the HSG80 controller supports the Array Controller
Software (ACS) V8.5 and offers integration with Compaq's Insight Manager(CIM). Insight Manager
can receive SNMP traps from the Command Console Agent and Insight Manager services can
directly launch SWCC for notification or configuring operations.
