HighPoint RocketRAID mini-SAS 6G HBA Series User manual

RocketRAIDeSATA6GHBASeriesBootableRAID
InstallationGuide.
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Overview:Thisinstallationguideprovidesstepandstepinstructions
onhowtoconfiguretheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gstoragetosupport
bootingtoMacOSX.Thisguidealsoprovidestroubleshootingtips
whenproblemsoccur.
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Part1–WhatisaBootRAIDConfiguration?
Part2–Pre‐requisiteforBootRAIDConfiguration.
Part3–HardwareInstallationStepsandVerificationSteps
Part4–SoftwarePackageInstallationandVerificationGuide
Part5‐ReadyfortheExperience
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Part1–WhatisaBootRAID?
ABootRAIDissettingupaRAIDarray(0,1,5,10orJBOD)ontheRocketRAID
eSATA6GseriescontrollerthencloningtheonboardMacOSXbootdrivetothe
RAIDarraythenbootingMacOSXfromtheRAIDarray.
RAIDarraysoffersadvantagesofperformanceandprotectionwithredundancy.
RAIDBasics?
RAIDstandsforRedundantArrayofIndependentDrives.Thismeanstaking
multiplematchingdrivesandarrangingthemtogethertoachievelargestorage
space,speed,dataprotection,oranycombinationofthethree.TheRocketRAID
eSATA6GseriescontrollersupportsthefollowingRAIDtypes:
RAID0“Stripe”
Speed:Dataisalternatedacrosstwoormoredrivestogainspeedbyessentially

distributingtheworkload.
Protection:Nobuilt‐inprotection.
Capacity:Usablespaceisthecombinedcapacityofallthedrives.
RAID5“Stripe&Protection”
Speed:DataisstripedlikeinaRAID0,sosignificantspeedgainsareseen.
Protection:Utilizesmathematicalparitytoachievedataprotectionwhiletakingup
aminimumofspace.Onedrivecanfailandalldatawillstillbeaccessible.
Capacity:Allbutonedriveworthofcapacityisusable.Minimumthreedrivesare
neededtocreateaRAID5array.InathreedriveRAID5array,thereistwodrives
worthofusablespace.
CombinedRAIDs:RAID10
Speed:CombinesmultipleRAID1orRAID5setsbyusingRAID0“Striping”togain
speed.
Protection:TherearetwoRAID1“Mirrored”setsusedinordertotolerate1‐2
drivesfailingdependingonwhichdrivestheyare.
Capacity:Usablespaceishalfofthecombinedcapacityofallthedrivesused
RAID1“Mirror”
Speed:Nospeedbenefitsgained.
Protection:Onedrivecanfailandalldatawillstillbeaccessible.
Capacity:Onedriveworthofusablespaceoutofthetwototaldrivesused.
JBOD(IndependentDriveModes)
Speed:Nosignificantspeedgains.
Protection:Nobuilt‐indataprotection.
Capacity:InJBODmode,thecapacitiesarecombined.Whensetupasindependent
drives,eachdrivepresentsitsstatedcapacityforuse.
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Part2PreRequisiteforBootRAIDConfiguration
Overview–TheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gb/sseriescontrollersupportbootingtoMac
OSX10.5.xandabove.BootableRAIDconfigurationsincludeRAID0,1,5,10arrays.
Thisdocumentwillincludetheinstallationsstepstoconfigureandsetupyour
hardwaretosupportbootingRAIDarraystoMacOSX.
Thehardwareandsoftwarepre‐requestsarelistedbelow:
•RocketRAIDeSATA6Gb/sseriesHBA
•RocketRAIDeSATA6Gb/s32/64bitEFIROMimage
•RocketRAIDeSATA6Gb/sforMacdrivers
•MacProsystem2006toPresent
•MultiplebayeSATAexternalstorage
•MacOSX10.5.xandabove
•3rdpartyclonesoftware(cloneonboardbootOStoRAIDarray)
SystemRequirements
MacProHardware:Intel‐basedMacwithanavailablePCIe2.0or1.0slotcapable
ofsupportinganx4(4‐lane)lengthPCIecard.Foroptimalperformance,useaPCIe
2.0slotrunningatx4speedsorgreater.
SlotrecommendationsfortheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontroller.
MacProModel Core/CPUSpeedGHz EFI SlotNumber
2006 QuadCore/2.0,2.66,3.0 32‐bit 3,4
2006 EightCore/3.0 32‐bit 3,4
2008 QuadCore/2.8 64‐bit 2,3,4
2008 EightCore/2.8,3.0,3.2 64‐bit 2,3,4
2009 QuadCore/2.66/2.93/3.33 64‐bit 2,3,4
2009 EightCore/2.26,2.66,2.93 64‐bit 2,3,4
2010 QuadCore/2.9,3.2 64‐bit 2,3,4
2010 SixCore/3.3 64‐bit 2,3,4
2010 EightCore/2.4 64‐bit 2,3,4
2010 TwelveCore/2.66,2.93 64‐bit 2,3,4
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OperatingSystem:MacOSX10.5.x

Note:A32or64‐bitEFIromimageisneededontheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseries
controllertosupportbootingtoMacOSX.Refertotheabovetableloadthecorrect
EFIromimagetosupportyourMacProsystem.
Tip:The32or64‐bitEFIromimageisfoundintheCDoftheRocketRAIDeSATA6G
seriescontrolleranditisalsoavailablefordownloadonthe
http://www.hptmac.comwebsite.
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Before,installingtheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollermakesurethe
computeristurnedoffandunpluggedfromitspowersource.Takeappropriate
electrostaticdischargeprecautions:
Yourcomputerisastatic‐sensitivedevice.Itissusceptibletoinvisibledamageifnot
protectedduringinstallation.
Werecommendpropergroundingbyusingagroundingstrap.Makesuretoworkin
acleanandstatic‐freearea,andavoidwearingclothingthatretainsstaticcharges.
Part3HardwareInstallationandVerification
BeforeinstallingtheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontroller
•Makesurecomputeristurnedoffandunpluggedfromitspowersource
•Takeappropriateelectrostaticdischargeprecautions:.
RemovethePCIeslotcover.
GentlyinserttheRocketRAIDeSATA6GseriescontrollerintothePCIeslotand
securethebrackettothecomputerchassisaccordingtoyourchassisspecifications.
AfterinstallingtheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontroller,restartyourcomputer.
Afteryourcomputerhasstarted,inserttheDriver&SoftwareInstallationDiscto
installthenecessarydriversforyourcomputer’soperatingsystem.
HardwareVerification
VerifyingtheRocketRAIDeSATA6GseriescontrollerisinstalledintotheMacPro
system:
Step1:ClickonAboutthisMac

Step2:ClickonMoreInfo
Step3:ClickonSystemReport
Step4:ClickonPCICards
Step5:TheRocketRAIDeSATA6GseriescontrollerwillbeidentifiedasRAID
CONTOLLER.
Step6:VerifytheRocketRAIDeSATA6GHBAisdetectedandnodriversare
installed.
InMacOSX10.5.xand10.6.xtheDriverInstalledwillbe“No”.
OnceyouhaveverifiedthattheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerisdetected
youcanproceedtotheDriverandSoftwareInstallation.
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TroubleshootingTip:IftheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerisnotdetected
pleasetrythefollowingtroubleshootingtips.
Step1:ShutdowntheMacProsystemthenremoveandinserttheRocketRAID
eSATA6GseriescontrollerthenfollowthestepsfromHardwareVerification.
Step2:IfStep1fails,theninserttheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerintoa
differentPCIeslot.

Step3:IfStep2fails,trytheRocketRAIDeSATA6GseriescontrollerinanotherMac
Prosystem.
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InMacOSX10.7.xtheDriveInstalledwillbereportedas“Yes”fortheRocketRAID
eSATA6Gseriescontroller.
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Part4DriverandSoftwareInstallation
TheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollercomeswithadisccontainingthe
driversandsoftwareforMacProsystem.Forthelatestdriversandsoftwarevisit
theproductpagefortheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrolleron
http://www.hptmac.com/
MacOSX10.x
OnceyouhaveinstalledtheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerandbootedinto
yourMac,followtheseinstructionstoinstallthedriversandtheRocketRAIDeSATA
6Gseriescontrollersoftware:
1.InserttheRocketRAIDeSATA6GCardInstallDiscintoyourMacandnavigateto
the“MacOSX”folder.
2.Double‐clickonthefiletomountthediscimagecontainingtheMacOSXsoftware
anddrivers.
3.Double‐clickontheinstallerpackagetostarttheinstallationprocess.
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4.Followtheon‐screenstepstocompletetheinstallationprocessandyouwillbe
promptedtorestartyourcomputer.
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VerifySoftwareInstallation
Step1:ClickonAboutthisMac
Step2:ClickonMoreInfo
Step3:ClickonSystemReport
Step4:ClickonPCICards
Step5:TheRocketRAIDeSATA6GseriescontrollerwillbeidentifiedasRAID
CONTOLLER.
Step6:VerifytheRocketRAIDeSATA6GHBAisdetectedandDriverInstalledis
“Yes”.
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Note:OnceDriverInstalledisverifiedas“Yes”,theWebGUIisalsobe
installed,too.BecausethedriverandWebGUIareinonepackage.Youcanjuststart
thebrowsertologinWebGUI.
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TroubleshootingTip:IftheafterinstallingthesoftwarepackageandtheDriver
Installedisstill“No”,pleasetrythefollowingtroubleshootingtips.
Step1:ConfirmthatyouhavetheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollersoftware
packageandnotanotherHighPointRocketRAIDseriescontrollerthatsupportMac
OSX.
Step2:Runtheuninstallscript,reboottheMacProsystemandreinstallthe
RocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollersoftwareoncemore.
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MacOSX10.7.xsoftwareInstallation
Note:SincethedriverfortheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerisembedded
into10.7.x,youwillonlyneedtoinstalltheHPT‐eSATAwebGUIforMac10.6which
canalsobeappliedtoMac10.7.x.
OnceitisconfirmedthatthedriverisinstalledandwebGUIisinstalledyoucannow
proceedtologintothewebGUItocreateaRAIDarray.
Note:RemembertoflashEFIBIOSbeforecloning.
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Part5–ReadytoExperienceLogintowebGUI
LogintothewebGUIbyenteringopeningabrowserandenteringthefollowingURL
http://localhost:7402
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TroubleshootingTip:IfyouarenotabletologintotheURL,pleasecheckprevious
troubleshootingstepstoverifythatthedriverisinstallandthattheRocketRAID
eSATA6Gseriescontrollerisdetected.

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OnceyouhavesuccessfullyloggedintothewebGUI,youcancreateanysupported
RAIDarrayorcheckanyoftheHDDattributes.
Note:AnysingleHDDattachedtotheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerwill
bedetectedautomatically.

CloningBootOS
Use3rdpartysoftwareutilitytoclonebootdrivetotheHDDorRAIDarrayattached
totheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontroller.Oncetheclonehascompletedyou
canselecttheHDDorRAIDarrayattachedtotheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseries
controllerasthebootdevice.
Note:Therearetwomethodstoselectthebootdevice.
First:Duringbootup,holddownthealtoptionkeyandselectthebootdevice
attachedtotheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontrollerasthebootupdevice.

Second:InSystemPreferences

SelecttheStartupDiskandchoosethebootvolume.


RestartthesystemtobootfromtheRocketRAIDeSATA6Gseriescontroller.