RAID 5 on AIX 1

[butchrecon]

Can you set up RAID5 on and AIX machine with the OS on the RAID array? James Collins
Field Service Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[bjverzal]

Nope - you'll need a hardware SCSI RAID adapter for that. You can do software RAID-1 (mirroring) though.

Bill.

 

[butchrecon]

Even with a Hardware adapter is it possible to load AIX on a RAID 5 system? James Collins
Field Service Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[bjverzal]

I've never tried it, but when you boot from the install CD, AIX will tell you the candidates where it can install.

Most likely, it will not install to the RAID-5 array, because you need to have AIX up and running to configure the RAID array.

Bill.

 

[butchrecon]

If its a hardware RAID why would AIX need to configure it? I am new to AIX so I have some questions on it. James Collins
Field Service Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[bjverzal]

Well, you have to tell the RAID subsystem which disks to use, you'll need to "build" the array, etc...

You can't do that until the O/S commands to do it area accessible.

Bill.

 

[butchrecon]

Ok now let me see if I got this. In AIX you can not configure RAID 5 until the OS is loaded. Now this is opposite of LINUX which will install directly onto the RAID array. So why can we not make AIX part of the reduntnt array? Sounds ignorant. James Collins
Field Service Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[butchrecon]

DARN OS. (AIX) James Collins
Field Service Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[bjverzal]

Don't quote me on all of this. Hopefully some others will chime in. I'm only about 85% on this one. Let me toss it out on an AIX list I'm on and I'll get back to ya.

Bill.

 

[bjverzal]

You can with an Advanced SerialRAID Adapter 6225/6230, without FW cache. You
set it using stand alone diagnostics before you install.

Here is some info from SSA FAQ at the SSA home page:

Can Risc System 6000 or 9076 SP Systems support BOOT from the Advanced
SerialRAID Adapter?
Any RS/6000 or SP node based on the Common Hardware Reference Platform
(CHRP) can be booted from an Advanced SerialRAID adapter (FC 6225) or
Advanced SerialRAID Plus adapter (FC 6230). For adapters with a microcode
level below 7000 the boot disk must be non-RAID. Adapters with a microcode
level above 7000 support booting from any type of SSA resource; RAID or
non-RAID. Please note that fastwrite must NOT be enabled on the boot
resource for any SSA adapter. AIX version 4.3.3 onwards supports installing
directly from the CD-ROM to SSA disk(s) attached to an Advanced SerialRAID
(Plus) adapter. AIX versions 4.2.1 and 4.3.2 may be installed to SSA disks
using AIX's Network Install Manager (NIM). RS/6000 Standalone Diagnostics
version 4.3.3 onwards contains the SSA RAID configuration software which may
be used to configure SSA resources prior to system installation and in the
event that a system cannot be booted normally.
To create SSA RAID Arrays from the RS/6000 Diagnostics CD version 4.3.3
onwards.


Boot from the IBM RISC System/6000 diag CD (4.3.3 onwards)
Select the Task select option
Select SSA service Aids
Select SSA RAID ARRAYS
Create your RAID Array