DAE as JBOD - changing sector size to 512 over Fibre Channel? 1

[rhino99]

Hi folks,

Have a DAE connected to a Brocade via db-9 copper gbics. Dual-paths are visible to my Linux host, however ignores them since the drives have 520-byte sector size. I need to change the sector formatting (possibly even firmware on the drives), but am not sure how to proceed.

Debian Linux (2.4.24)
Emulex LightPulse FC SCSI 7.1.14 (

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://sourceforge.net/projects/lpfcxxxx&e=10053)

TIA,
Rhino

 

[rhino99]

Perhaps a silly question, but do/should I need to update the 36GB drive with non-EMC firmware ?

/dev/sg9
Vendor = SEAGATE
Product = ST336704 CLAR36


Thanks in advance.

 

[Chacalinc]

ok, finally I found the tool used to change the disk format, download the demo from:

http://www.scsitoolbox.com/

 

[rhino99]

Have requested the demo. Any reason Seatools isn't working ?

Would you happen to have the non-EMC f/w for the drive, and I can try that route while waiting for the demo key?

 

[Chacalinc]

As I know, it is not necessary to put new firmware.

 

[rhino99]

Waiting on demo.. will keep you posted.

Just wish there was a linux version !

 

[Chacalinc]

cool.. thanks.

 

[maultier]

Don't know if this is useful or not but... I was able to use Seatools Enterprise to format a 520 9gb in an FC DAE under WinNT 4. No Brocade..just direct attached. It took 15 minutes to format the 9gb and it did show up with 512 sector formating when I resized the bus. I only did one disk (in slot 9).

 

[rhino99]

Unfortunately I've got copper FC-AL on the DAE, and optical on the HBA

Going to try Seatools Enterprise from a Windows XP box to see if that makes any difference.

 

[rhino99]

Have installed ScsiToolBox32, and the first drive is blinking nicely (formatting).

Will post update when available.

Rhino.

 

[rhino99]

Since this is a 10-day trial, and I expect to have a DPE in the future.... Will the DPE (or Navisphere) convert the disks back to EMC 520-byte sector format ?

 

[maultier]

I've just been experimenting with that drive I formatted. While you can go into Navisphere and select 'format' in Engineering Mode, it will not format the drive to 520. If you try to build a raid group with that drive and you get an invalid configuration error. Inserting the 512 drive into an existing Raid 5 group (in hopes of an automated recovery), suspends sniffing and the lun just sits there. Inserting a 520 sector drive, allows the rebuild to occur with Lun activity lights flashing normally. I'm using an FC5600 and an fC5300 for my test.

 

[rhino99]

Has anyone successfully used SeaTools to change the sector format ? With my Emulex 8000 on Windows XP, I received an 'HBA not detected' or something of the sort. ScsiTools worked fine though

 

[Chacalinc]

Since this is a 10-day trial, and I expect to have a DPE in the future.... Will the DPE (or Navisphere) convert the disks back to EMC 520-byte sector format ?

No, DPE will not format in low level mode, you will need to reformat with scsitools again from 512 to 520.

 

[rhino99]

Just a follow up... All 20 drives (and a spare) have been formatted to 512-byte, and everything is working.

Now to figure out how to use mdadm with multipath support

Thanks again for all your help.
Rhino.

 

[Chacalinc]

that's great!

web pages for mdadm have very good examples.

Good luck!