NVRAM battery assembly
Isilon IQ nodes have two batteries that provide redundant power to temporarily maintain non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) journal
information in the event of an unexpected power outage and shutdown of the node. The battery units are accessible from the
back of the node.
Failure of an NVRAM battery causes the node to switch to a read-only state as well as generate alerts. Read-only status can
be confirmed on the Node Status page on the web administration interface, on the front panel display, or through the
command-line interface.
After replacing an NVRAM battery, the node performs a quick test to ensure that the new battery is charging properly. It can
take up to seven hours for the battery to fully charge. After charging successfully completes, a full battery test is scheduled
for the next day. A full battery test runs in the background and can take up to 60 hours.
General ESD guidelines
Always follow electrostatic discharge (ESD) prevention procedures when removing and replacing cards, memory, and other
system components. You must use a wrist strap, attached to the node chassis, for grounding.
Required hardware
•
Replacement non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) battery assembly
•
ESD grounded wrist strap
Replacing an NVRAM battery assembly
After an alert is issued, it is important to replace the NVRAM battery as soon as possible.
Note: Replacing the NVRAM battery assembly does not require powering down the node. However, verify that
the node is in read-only state prior to replacing the NVRAM batter assembly. Use the Node Status page on the
web interface, front panel LCD display, or
isi readonly show
from the command-line interface to verify
the node is read-only.
1. Remove the failed NVRAM battery assembly from the node.
For more information, see
Removing an NVRAM battery assembly from a 4U node
on page 11.
2. Install a new battery assembly.
For more information, see
Install the NVRAM battery assembly
on page 12.
3. Return the failed battery assembly to Isilon, unless otherwise directed by Isilon Technical Support.
Removing an NVRAM battery assembly from a 4U node
You can safely remove an NVRAM battery assembly from a node as long as the remaining battery assembly status LED
lights green, indicating a good battery.
Important: Do not remove both NVRAM batteries at the same time. Removing both NVRAM batteries puts
data at risk in the event of a power loss.
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