Accusys ExaSAN A08S3-PS User manual

ExaSAN A08S3-PS
User Guide
Includes hardware setup information for:
PCIe RAID System Models: A08S3-PS
QSFP HBA Model: Z2M-G3
QSFP PCIe Cables
Optional hardware setup information for:
PCIe Convertor: C1M
Also includes software setup information for:
RAID Management Software:
RAIDGuard X
Accusys Storage Ltd.,
Version: V0.0.1

Revision Sheet
User Guide
Page i
Revision Sheet
Release
No.
Date
Revision Description
V0.0.1
04/30/2014
Initial release

User Guide Page ii
PREFACE
Notice
The product features and specifications described in this guide are subject to change without
notice.
The manufacturer shall not be liable for any damage, or the loss of data resulting from the
performance or use of the information contained herein.
About This Guide
Congratulations on your purchase of the ExaSAN (pronounced X-sa-SAN) A08S3-PS, The first
PCIe 3.0 desktop model of the ExaSAN family, specifically designed for all post production
storage. It delivers stability, exceptional performance, and scalable capacity.
This guide also contains instructions for installing and using the ExaSAN A08S3-PS system and
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technologies and RAIDGuard X (ExaSAN’s
RAID management software).
If you are new to RAID and RAIDGuard X, this guide will help you become familiar with the
technology, and assist you in setting up and using RAID on the A08S3-PS. If you are already
familiar with ExaSAN, use this guide as a reference for implementing your ExaSAN A08S3-PS
solution to achieve maximum performance and reliability.
For details of hardware installation, setup, configuration and considerations, see
Chapter 1, “Introducing ExaSAN PCIe3.0 Storage System”
Chapter 2, “Preparing to Install ExaSAN A08S3-PS”
Chapter 3, “Installing ExaSAN A08S3-PS”
Chapter 4, “Using RAIDGuard X”
Chapter 5, RAID Overview
Guide to Conventions
Inside the double boxes are important information that users should be aware of:
Caution
This indicates the existence of a potential hazard that could result in
personal injury, damage to your equipment or loss of data if the safety
instruction is not observed.
Note
This indicates useful tips on getting the most from your Accusys RAID
system.

User Guide Page iii
Trademarks
Accusys and the names of Accusys products and logos referenced herein are trademarks
and/or service marks or registered trademarks and/or service marks of Accusys Storage Ltd.
Xsan, Mac, Mac OS, and Macintosh are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or service marks
of their respective owners.
All contents of this manual are copyrighted by Accusys Storage Ltd.
The information contained herein is the exclusive property of Accusys Storage Ltd. and shall not
be copied, transferred, photocopied, translated on paper, film, electronic media, or computer-
readable form, or otherwise reproduced in any way, without the express written permission of
Accusys Inc.
Document version V0.0.1
Date Published: January, 2014
© Copyright 2014 Accusys Storage Ltd.
All Rights Reserved.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

User Guide Page iv
ExaSAN A08S3-PS User Guide
Table of content
Page #
Notice.............................................................................................................................................................ii
About This Guide........................................................................................................................................ii
Guide to Conventions ...............................................................................................................................ii
Trademarks.................................................................................................................................................iii
Table of content.........................................................................................................................................iv
Table of Figures........................................................................................................................................vii
1. Introducing ExaSAN PCIe 3.0 Storage Systems.............................................................................1-1
1.1 System Overview ....................................................................................................................1-1
1.1.1 What is the ExaSAN Solution.............................................................................................................1-1
1.1.2 What is the ExaSAN A08S3-PS Solution...........................................................................................1-2
1.1.3 ExaSAN A08S3-PS Components and Accessories.............................................................................1-2
1.1.3.1 ExaSAN PCIe RAID System ....................................................................................................1-2
1.1.3.2 Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for the RAID System.........................................................................1-3
1.1.3.3 ExaSAN QSFP Host Bus Adapter (Z2M).................................................................................1-3
1.1.3.4 QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable) PCIe Copper or Optical Cables ...........................1-3
1.1.3.5 Power Cord................................................................................................................................1-4
1.1.4 Key Features.......................................................................................................................................1-4
1.2 Unpacking the System............................................................................................................1-6
1.2.1 What Is In Your Order........................................................................................................................1-6
1.2.2 Checking the Equipment you’ll need..................................................................................................1-6
1.2.3 Unpacking...........................................................................................................................................1-7
1.3 What’s in the Box ...................................................................................................................1-7
1.3.1 A08S3-PS System...............................................................................................................................1-7
1.3.2 A08S3-PS Accessories .......................................................................................................................1-7
1.3.3 A08S3-PS Disk Tray package ............................................................................................................1-7
1.4 Your A08S3-PS at a Glance...................................................................................................1-8
1.4.1 ExaSAN A08S3-PS ............................................................................................................................1-8
1.4.1.1 A08S3-PS Front Panel & LED Indicators.................................................................................1-8
1.4.1.2 Beeper Codes ............................................................................................................................1-9
1.4.1.3 Disk Mapping..........................................................................................................................1-10
1.4.1.4 Disk Tray and LED Indicators ................................................................................................1-10
1.4.1.5 A08S3-PS Rear Panel..............................................................................................................1-12
1.4.2 ExaSAN QSFP Host Bus Adapter (HBA) and LED Indicators........................................................1-13
1.5 What Else You Need.............................................................................................................1-14
1.5.1 DAS environment.............................................................................................................................1-14
1.5.1.1 Hardware.................................................................................................................................1-14
1.5.1.2 Software ..................................................................................................................................1-15
1.5.2 SAN environment.............................................................................................................................1-16
1.5.2.1 Hardware.................................................................................................................................1-16
1.5.2.2 Software ..................................................................................................................................1-16
2. Preparing to Install ExaSAN A08S3-PS.........................................................................................2-1
2.1 Precaution for Handling the System.....................................................................................2-1

User Guide Page v
2.2 Choosing the Location for the System..................................................................................2-1
2.3 Electrical Power......................................................................................................................2-1
2.4 Operating Environment.........................................................................................................2-2
2.5 Security....................................................................................................................................2-2
3. Installing the ExaSAN A08S3-PS ...................................................................................................3-1
3.1 Installing the System ..............................................................................................................3-1
3.1.1 Installing Disk Drives.........................................................................................................................3-1
3.1.2 Installing the HBA Card .....................................................................................................................3-2
3.1.3 Connecting the HBA to the A08S3-PS System for DAS....................................................................3-4
3.2 Powering the System On and Off..........................................................................................3-6
3.2.1 Powering On.......................................................................................................................................3-6
3.2.2 Powering Off ......................................................................................................................................3-7
3.3 ExaSAN GUI RAIDGuard X Overview...............................................................................3-8
3.3.1 RAIDGuard X Key Features...............................................................................................................3-8
3.3.2 Installation prerequisites.....................................................................................................................3-8
3.3.3 Before You Start.................................................................................................................................3-9
3.3.4 Installing the driver and RAIDGuard X..............................................................................................3-9
3.3.4.1 Installing RAIDGuard X on MAC and Windows .....................................................................3-9
3.3.4.2 Installing ExaSAN RAID system driver on Linux..................................................................3-12
3.3.5 Confirm the ExaSAN RAID system driver on OS............................................................................3-17
3.3.5.1 Confirming the ExaSAN RAID system driver on Mac...........................................................3-17
3.3.5.2 Confirming the ExaSAN RAID system driver in Windows....................................................3-19
3.3.6 Confirm LEDs on HBA....................................................................................................................3-20
4. Using RAIDGuardX GUI.................................................................................................................4-1
4.1 Accessing the RAIDGuardX GUI .........................................................................................4-3
4.1.1 RAIDGuard X Client and Server........................................................................................................4-3
4.1.2 RAIDGuard X Menu Bar....................................................................................................................4-4
4.1.2.1 Adding and Removing Controllers............................................................................................4-5
4.1.2.2 Planning your RAID..................................................................................................................4-9
4.1.2.3 Creating and Deleting an Array...............................................................................................4-11
4.1.2.4 Controller Info.........................................................................................................................4-16
4.1.2.5 Formatting and Mounting Arrays............................................................................................4-19
4.1.2.6 Email Notification Setting.......................................................................................................4-19
4.1.2.7 Preference Setting ...................................................................................................................4-21
4.1.2.7.1 Mode...................................................................................................................................4-21
4.1.2.7.2 Cache..................................................................................................................................4-24
4.1.2.7.3 MISC ..................................................................................................................................4-25
4.1.2.8 Options Function Setting.........................................................................................................4-26
4.1.2.8.1 Slicing.................................................................................................................................4-27
4.1.2.8.2 LUN Map ...........................................................................................................................4-30
4.1.2.8.3 Expansion...........................................................................................................................4-32
4.1.2.8.4 Migrations ..........................................................................................................................4-34
4.1.2.8.5 Snapshot .............................................................................................................................4-36
4.1.2.8.6 Health Center......................................................................................................................4-40
4.1.2.8.7 Unlock Drives.....................................................................................................................4-41
4.1.3 Updating the ExaSAN RAID system Firmware ...............................................................................4-43
4.1.3.1 Preparing the Firmware Update Files......................................................................................4-43
4.1.3.2 Installing the Firmware Update Files ......................................................................................4-44
5. RAID Overview.................................................................................................................................5-1

User Guide Page vi
5.1 How RAID Works ..................................................................................................................5-1
5.2 Data Storage Methods............................................................................................................5-1
5.2.1 Data Striping.......................................................................................................................................5-1
5.2.2 Data Mirroring....................................................................................................................................5-1
5.2.3 Data Parity..........................................................................................................................................5-1
5.3 RAID Levels............................................................................................................................5-2
5.3.1 RAID 0: Striping.................................................................................................................................5-2
5.3.2 RAID 1: Mirroring..............................................................................................................................5-2
5.3.3 RAID 5: Independent data disks with distributed parity.....................................................................5-2
5.3.4 RAID 6: Independent data disks with two Independent parity schemes.............................................5-2
5.3.5 RAID 0+1: Striped set with Mirroring................................................................................................5-2
6. Appendices........................................................................................................................................6-1
Appendix A: FAQs ..............................................................................................................................6-2
Appendix B: Icons ...............................................................................................................................6-5
Appendix C: Customer Service and Support....................................................................................6-6

User Guide Page vii
Table of Figures
Page #
Figure 1: A08S3-PS DAS environment .......................................................................................................... 1-1
Figure 2: A typical Level 2 SAN environment Figure 3: A08S3-PS in SAN
environment.............................................................................................................................................. 1-2
Figure 3: Z2M HBA card.................................................................................................................................. 1-3
Figure 4: QSFP optical cable.......................................................................................................................... 1-3
Figure 5: Power cord....................................................................................................................................... 1-4
Figure 6: A08S3-PS packing list..................................................................................................................... 1-6
Figure 7: A08S3-PS front view ....................................................................................................................... 1-8
Figure 8: A08S3-PS tray front view.............................................................................................................. 1-10
Figure 9: A08S3-PS back view ..................................................................................................................... 1-12
Figure 10: HBA LED indicators .................................................................................................................... 1-13
Figure 11: A08S3-PS DAS environment ...................................................................................................... 1-14
Figure 12: C1M with DAS connection to Mac host..................................................................................... 1-15
Figure 13: Mounting screws on tray.............................................................................................................. 3-1
Figure 14: Insert tray into A08S3-PS.............................................................................................................. 3-1
Figure 15: Z2M duo port card......................................................................................................................... 3-2
Figure 16: Install HBA card............................................................................................................................. 3-3
Figure 17: Install HBA card on a PCIe slot.................................................................................................... 3-3
Figure 18: Connecting PCIe cable to A08S3-PS ........................................................................................... 3-4
Figure 19: Connecting PCIe cable to a host.................................................................................................. 3-4
Figure 20: Connecting the power cord to A08S3-PS.................................................................................... 3-5
Figure 21: power on sequence....................................................................................................................... 3-6
Figure 22: power off sequence....................................................................................................................... 3-7
Figure 23: GUI welcome page ...................................................................................................................... 3-10
Figure 24: GUI license page ......................................................................................................................... 3-10
Figure 25: GUI destination select page ....................................................................................................... 3-11
Figure 26: GUI installation type page .......................................................................................................... 3-11
Figure 27: GUI installation successful page............................................................................................... 3-12
Figure 28: to click about This MAC.............................................................................................................. 3-17
Figure 29: About This MAC .......................................................................................................................... 3-17
Figure 30: more info About this MAC.......................................................................................................... 3-18
Figure 31: MAC Pro info................................................................................................................................ 3-18
Figure 32: device manager in Windows platform....................................................................................... 3-19
Figure 33: GUI “Main screen”......................................................................................................................... 4-1
Figure 34: GUI “MAC OS X platform” ............................................................................................................ 4-3
Figure 35: GUI “SAN environment” ............................................................................................................... 4-3
Figure 36: GUI “Add RAID controller” ........................................................................................................... 4-5
Figure 37: GUI “RAID controller info”............................................................................................................ 4-6
Figure 38: GUI “Manual add RAID controller 1/2” ........................................................................................ 4-7
Figure 39: GUI “Manual add RAID controller 2/2” ........................................................................................ 4-7
Figure 40: Create array with 8 HDDs in RAID 5............................................................................................. 4-9
Figure 41: Create array with 8 HDDs in RAID 6............................................................................................. 4-9
Figure 42: Create array with 16 HDDs in two RAID5 .................................................................................. 4-10
Figure 43: Create array with 8 HDDs in one RAID 5 and one RAID 1........................................................ 4-10
Figure 44: Create array with 16 HDDs in two of two RAID5 and one RAID 1............................................ 4-10
Figure 45: Create array with 18 HDDs in two RAID5 and one RAID1........................................................ 4-10
Figure 46: GUI “Select RAID level” .............................................................................................................. 4-11
Figure 47: GUI “Select sector size” ............................................................................................................. 4-12
Figure 48: GUI “Select hard drives”............................................................................................................. 4-13
Figure 49: parity initialize ............................................................................................................................. 4-13
Figure 50: GUI “Array initializing percentage” ........................................................................................... 4-14
Figure 51: GUI “Delete array”....................................................................................................................... 4-15
Figure 52: GUI “Controller info”................................................................................................................... 4-16
Figure 53: GUI “Controller info for four sections” ..................................................................................... 4-17
Figure 54: GUI “Array member” ................................................................................................................... 4-18
Figure 55: GUI “Array tab”............................................................................................................................ 4-18
Figure 56: GUI “Drive tab” ............................................................................................................................ 4-18

User Guide Page viii
Figure 57: GUI “e-mail setting” .................................................................................................................... 4-20
Figure 58: GUI “Mode setting” ..................................................................................................................... 4-21
Figure 59: DLP concept ................................................................................................................................ 4-21
Figure 60: NCQ concept................................................................................................................................ 4-22
Figure 61: EQ mode concept........................................................................................................................ 4-23
Figure 62: GUI “Cache”................................................................................................................................. 4-24
Figure 63: GUI “MISC” .................................................................................................................................. 4-25
Figure 64: GUI “Slicing”................................................................................................................................ 4-26
Figure 65: slicing concept............................................................................................................................ 4-27
Figure 66: GUI “Slicing 1/3”.......................................................................................................................... 4-28
Figure 67: GUI “Slicing 2/3”.......................................................................................................................... 4-28
Figure 68: GUI “Slicing 3/3”.......................................................................................................................... 4-29
Figure 69: GUI “Lun mapping 1/3”............................................................................................................... 4-30
Figure 70: GUI “Lun mapping 2/3”............................................................................................................... 4-31
Figure 71: GUI “Lun mapping 3/3”............................................................................................................... 4-31
Figure 72: Expainsion concept .................................................................................................................... 4-32
Figure 73: GUI “expansion 1/2”.................................................................................................................... 4-33
Figure 74: GUI “expansion 2/2”.................................................................................................................... 4-33
Figure 75: Migration example 2.................................................................................................................... 4-34
Figure 76: Migration example 3.................................................................................................................... 4-34
Figure 77: GUI “Migration” ........................................................................................................................... 4-35
Figure 78: GUI “Migration percentage” ....................................................................................................... 4-35
Figure 79: Snapshot concept ....................................................................................................................... 4-36
Figure 80: Two types of snapshot function ................................................................................................ 4-37
Figure 81: GUI “Snapshot setting 1/2” ........................................................................................................ 4-38
Figure 82: GUI “Snapshot setting 2/2” ........................................................................................................ 4-39
Figure 83: GUI “health center” ..................................................................................................................... 4-40
Figure 84: GUI “HDD off-line”....................................................................................................................... 4-41
Figure 85: GUI “HDD locked” ....................................................................................................................... 4-42
Figure 86: GUI “Unlock HDDs”..................................................................................................................... 4-42
Figure 87: GUI “Update system code (firmware)” ...................................................................................... 4-44

1. Introduction
User Guide
1. Introducing ExaSAN PCIe 3.0 Storage System