Silicon Graphics InfiniteStorage 4000 Series, Configuring And Maintaining

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Chapter 11: Maintaining a Storage Array 201
A volume is automatically initialized when you first create it. If the volume starts
showing failures, you might be required to re-initialize the volume to correct the
failure condition.
Consider these restrictions when you initialize a volume:

You cannot cancel the operation after it begins.

You cannot use this option if any modification operations are in progress on the
volume or the volume group.

You cannot change the cache parameters of the volume while the initialization
operation is in progress.
To initialize a volume, use this command:
start volume [ volumeName ] initialize
where
volumeName
is the identifier for the volume.
Redistributing
Volumes
When you redistribute volumes, you return the volumes to their preferred controller
owners. The preferred controller ownership of a volume or a volume group is the
controller of an active-active pair that is designated to own the volumes. The preferred
owner for a volume is initially designated when the volume is created. If the preferred
controller is being replaced or undergoing a firmware download, ownership of the
volumes is automatically shifted to the other controller. That controller becomes the
current owner of the volumes. This change is considered to be a routine ownership
change and is reported in the Event Log.
To redistribute volumes to their preferred controllers, use this command:
reset storageArray volumeDistribution
NOTE
If you run this command without a multi-path driver on the hosts, stop I/O
activity to the volumes to prevent application errors.
NOTE
You cannot run this command if all of the volumes are currently owned by their
preferred controller, or the storage array does not have defined volumes.
Under some host operating systems, you must reconfigure the multi-path host driver.
You might also need to make operating system modifications to recognize the new I/O
path to the volume.
Replacing Canisters
Beginning with the CE6998 controller tray, components, such as the controller
canisters, the power-fan canisters, and the interconnect-battery canisters, have a
Service Action Allowed indicator light. This indicator light is a blue LED. The
Service Action Allowed indicator light helps to make sure that you do not remove a
canister before it is safe to do so.