Intel SRCMR, User Manual

Page: 31 / 180

Getting Started 31
Operational States of an Intel RAID Controller SRCMR
Firmware Disk Array
Operational States for RAID 4/5
An array drive under the Intel RAID Controller SRCMR firmware operating system can assume
seven different operational states: Idle, Ready, Fail, Build, Rebuild, Expand and Error.
Table 9. Operational States
State Description
Idle State This state is characterized by the fact that the redundant information of the disk
array has never been entirely created. The disk array is in this state after its first
configuration and until you quit Storage Console (StorCon). Should an error occur
while the array is in the build state, the array returns to the Idle state (exception: if
during build state the dedicated drive of RAID 4 fails, the state changes to fail.
Build State After the disk array has been configured for the first time, it assumes the build state
as soon as you quit StorCon. While the array is in the build state, redundancy
information is calculated and stored to the hard disks of the array.
Ready State The disk array is fully operational when in the ready state. All redundant
information is present, that is, a hard disk can fail without impairing the functionality
of the disk array. This is the normal state of a disk array. The state ready/expand
indicates that the RAID level and/or capacity are currently migrated/expanded.
Fail State The disk array changes to the fail state whenever a Logical Drive fails.
Redundancy information is still present, thus allowing the remaining hard disks to
continue working. This state should be eliminated as soon as possible by replacing
the defective hard disk. If a so-called Hot Fix drive has previously been assigned
to a disk array with StorCon, the controller will automatically replace the defective
drive and start the reconstruction of the data and the redundant information.
Therefore, under these circumstances the fail state is only temporary and will be
eliminated by the controller itself.
Rebuild State The disk array will assume this state after the automatic activation of a Hot Fix
drive or after a manual replacement is carried out with StorCon. The data and the
redundant information are reconstructed and stored to the new drive.
Expand State If the capacity or RAID level of an existing disk array is changed, the disk array
changes its state into expand. As soon as the expansion or migration is
completed, the state changes back to ready.