Silicon Graphics InfiniteStorage 6120 User manual

SGI®InfiniteStorage 6120 RAID
User’s Guide
007-5533-001

COPYRIGHT
© 2009 SGI. All rights reserved; provided portions may be copyright in third parties, as indicated elsewhere herein.
No permission is granted to copy, distribute, or create derivative works from the contents of this electronic
documentation in any manner, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of SGI.
LIMITED RIGHTS LEGEND
The software described in this document is “commercial computer software” provided with restricted rights (except
as to included open/free source) as specified in the FAR 52.227-19 and/or the DFAR 227.7202, or successive
sections. Use beyond license provisions is a violation of worldwide intellectual property laws, treaties and
conventions. This document is provided with limited rights as defined in 52.227-14.
The electronic (software) version of this document was developed at private expense; if acquired under an agreement
with the USA government or any contractor thereto, it is acquired as “commercial computer software” subject to the
provisions of its applicable license agreement, as specified in (a) 48 CFR 12.212 of the FAR; or, if acquired for
Department of Defense units, (b) 48 CFR 227-7202 of the DoD FAR Supplement; or sections succeeding thereto.
Contractor/manufacturer is SGI, 1140 E. Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085.
TRADEMARKS AND ATTRIBUTIONS
SGI and the SGI logoare registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics International Corp. in the United States and/or
other countries worldwide.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Preface
007-5533-001
iii
Preface
What is in this guide
This user guide gives you step-by-step instructions on how to install, configure and connect the
SGI InfiniteStorage 6120 system to your host computer and how to use and maintain the system.
International Standards
The InfiniteStorage 6120 complies with the requirements of the following agencies and standards:
•CE
•UL
Potential for Radio Frequency Interference
USA Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case
the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Properly shielded and grounded cables and connectors must be used in order to meet FCC emission
limits. The supplier is not responsible for any radio or television interference caused by using other
than recommended cables and connectors or by unauthorized changes or modifications to this
equipment. Unauthorized changes or modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
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.
European Regulations
This equipment complies with European Regulations EN 55022 Class A: Limits and Methods of
Measurement of Radio Disturbance Characteristics of Information Technology Equipments and
EN50082-1: Generic Immunity.
Safe Handling
• Remove drives to minimize weight.
• Do not try to lift the enclosure by yourself.
• Do not lift the InfiniteStorage 6120 by the handles on the power cooling module (PCM); they are
not designed to support the weight of the enclosure.

iv 007-5533-001
Preface
Safety
NOTE : If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the
protection provided by the equipment may be impaired.
Caution ! Safety goggles should be worn when maintaining the equipment.
WARNING: The InfiniteStorage 6120 MUST be grounded before applying power.
Unplug the unit if you think that it has become damaged in any way and before you
move it.
Caution ! To maintain proper airflow through the system, operate the system with the
enclosure top covers closed.
• Plug-in modules are part of the enclosure and must only be removed when a replacement can be
immediately installed. The system must not be run without all modules in place.
• In order to comply with applicable safety, emission, and thermal requirements, the top covers
should remain closed while running.
• The InfiniteStorage 6120 system must only be operated from a power supply input voltage range
of 200VAC to 240VAC.
• The equipment is intended to operate with two (2) working PCMs. Before removal/replacement
of any module, disconnect all supply power for complete isolation.
• A faulty PCM must be replaced with a fully operational module within 24 hours.
• Do not remove a faulty PCM unless you have a replacement module of the correct type ready for
insertion.
• The power connection must always be disconnected prior to removal of the PCM from the
enclosure.
• A safe electrical earth connection must be provided to the power cord.
• Provide a suitable power source with electrical overload protection to meet the requirements
given in the technical specifications.
WARNING: Do not remove covers from the PCM. Danger of electric shock inside.
Return the PCM to your supplier for repair.
WARNING: To minimize the risk of electric shock, disconnect the
power from the power supply, either by turning off the switch or by
physically removing the power cable, prior to removing the PCM from
the enclosure.

Preface
007-5533-001
v
WARNING: Operation of the InfiniteStorage 6120 with ANY modules missing will
disrupt the airflow and the drives will not receive sufficient cooling. It is ESSENTIAL
that all apertures are filled before operating the unit.
Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
At the end of the product’s life, all scrap/ waste electrical and electronic equipment should be
recycled in accordance with National regulations applicable to the handling of hazardous/ toxic
electrical and electronic waste materials.
NOTE : Observe all applicable safety precautions, such as weight restrictions, handling
batteries and lasers, etc. detailed in the preceding paragraphs when dismantling and
disposing of this equipment.
ESD Precautions
Caution ! It is recommended that you check and fit a suitable anti-static wrist or ankle
strap and observe all conventional ESD precautions when handling the InfiniteStorage
6120 plug-in modules and components. Avoid contact with backplane components and
module connectors.
Data Security
• Power down your host computer and all attached peripheral devices before beginning
installation.
• Each enclosure contains up to 60 removable disk drive modules. Disk units are fragile. Handle
them with care, and keep them away from strong magnetic fields.
•ALL the supplied plug-in modules and blanking plates must be in place for the air to flow
correctly around the enclosure and also to complete the internal circuitry.
• If the enclosure is used with modules or blanking plates missing for more than a few minutes,
the enclosure can overheat, causing power failure and data loss. Such use may also invalidate
the warranty.
• If you remove a drive module, replace it immediately. If it is faulty, replace it with a drive
module of the same type and capacity.
• Ensure that all disk drives are removed from the enclosure before attempting to move the rack
installation.
• Do not abandon your backup routines. No system is completely foolproof.

vi
Related Publications
You should also see the following document:
SGI InfiniteStorage 6120 RAID CLUI Command Reference (007-5561-xxx)
You can find this document on the SGI Technical Publications Library (http://docs.sgi.com).
Product Support
SGI provides a comprehensive product support and maintenance program for its products. SGI also
offers services to implement and integrate Linux applications in your environment.
• Refer to http://www.sgi.com/support/
• If you are in North America, contact the Technical Assistance Center at
[phone]SGI or contact your authorized service provider.
• If you are outside North America, contact the SGI subsidiary or authorized distributor in your
country.
Reader Comments
If you have comments about the technical accuracy, content, or organization of this document,
contact SGI. Be sure to include the title and document number of the manual with your comments.
(Online, the document number is located in the front matter of the manual. In printed manuals, the
document number is located at the bottom of each page.)
You can contact SGI in any of the following ways:
• Send e-mail to the following address: techpu[email protected]
• Contact your customer service representative and ask that an incident be filed in the SGI incident
tracking system.
• Send mail to the following address:
•SGI
Technical Publications
1140 East Arques Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94085–4602
SGI values your comments and will respond to them promptly.

007-5533-001 vii
Table of Contents
1.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.1 A SAN Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.2 Features of the InfiniteStorage 6120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2.1 Enclosure Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.2.2 Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2.3 Power Cooling Module (PCM). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.2.4 Drive Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2.5 Drive Expander Module (DEM) Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.2.6 LED Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.2.6.1 Front Panel Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.2.6.2 Internal Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.1 Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.2 Setting Up the InfiniteStorage 6120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.2.1 Unpacking the InfiniteStorage 6120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.2.2 Rack-Mounting the InfiniteStorage 6120 Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.2.3 Connecting the InfiniteStorage 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.2.3.1 Host Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.2.3.2 Expansion Enclosure Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.2.3.3 Power Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.2.4 Powering On the InfiniteStorage 6120 (and Expansion Enclosure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3 Configuring the InfiniteStorage 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.3.1 Planning Your Setup and Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.3.2 Drive Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.3.3 Initial Configuration via RS-232 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.3.3.1 Serial Interface Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.3.3.2 Configure Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.3.4 Setting System Time & Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.3.5 Checking Status of Physical Disks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.3.6 Installing Licensed Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.3.7 Creating Storage Pools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.3.8 Creating Virtual Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.3.9 Creating Spare Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.3.10 Initializing the Host System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.1 Managing the InfiniteStorage 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3.1.1 Management Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3.1.2 User Logins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.1.3 Available Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.1.3.1 Basic Key Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.2 Configuration Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3.2.1 Monitor Status of Storage Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3.2.1.1 Disk Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3.2.1.2 Storage Pool View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
3.2.1.3 Virtual Disk View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Table of Contents
007-5533-001 viii
3.2.1.4 Spare Pool View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
3.2.1.5 Visual Indication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
3.2.2 Storage Pool and Virtual Disk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
3.2.2.1 Changing the Disk’s Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
3.2.2.2 Creating a Storage Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
3.2.2.3 Storage Pool Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.2.2.4 Naming a Storage Pool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.2.2.5 Deleting a Storage Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.2.2.6 Creating a Virtual Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2.2.7 Naming a Virtual Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2.2.8 Deleting a Virtual Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2.3 Spare Pool Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3.2.3.1 Creating a Spare Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3.2.3.2 Naming a Spare Pool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3.2.3.3 Deleting a Spare Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3.2.4 Drive Rebuild. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.2.4.1 Full and Partial Rebuilds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.2.4.2 Sparing Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.2.4.3 Manual Drive Replace/Rebuild. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3.2.5 SATAssure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3.2.6 Cache Coherency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.2.7 Setting the System’s Date and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.2.8 Restarting the InfiniteStorage 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
3.3 Performance Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3.3.1 Background Job Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3.3.2 Rebuild Policy Priority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
3.4 Firmware Update Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.4.1 Displaying Current Firmware Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.4.2 Firmware Update Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.4.2.1 Windows Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.4.2.2 Linux Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3.5 The System Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.6 Remote Management of InfiniteStorage 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.6.1 Network Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.6.2 Network Interface Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.6.3 Logins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4.1 Status LED Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.1.1 Front Panel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.1.2 Power Cooling Module (PCM). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4.1.3 Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.1.4 HDD (Hard Disk Drive). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.1.5 DEM (Drive Expander Module). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.2 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.2.1 Initial Start-up Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.2.2 RAID$ Prompt Not Shown Correctly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.2.3 System Faults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.2.4 Power Supply/Cooling Faults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Table of Contents
007-5533-001 ix
4.2.5 Thermal Alarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4.3 Component Failure Recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.3.1 Replacing a Power/Cooling Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.3.2 Replacing a Drive Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
4.4 Recovering from a Drive Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.4.1 Automatic Rebuild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.4.2 Drive Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4.4.3 Spare Not Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4.4.4 Manual Rebuild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
4.5 Manual Intervention Required (MIR) Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Appendix A. Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Appendix B. Safety Requirements for Rack Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

SECTION 1
Introducing the
InfiniteStorage 6120

Introduction
007-5533-001 3
1.1 Introduction
This section describes the features of the SGI InfiniteStorage 6120 and its hardware.
1.1.1 A SAN Solution
The InfiniteStorage 6120 is a compact network storage system. It combines a controller chassis and
disk enclosure chassis into a single self-contained enclosure.
The InfiniteStorage 6120 plugs seamlessly into existing network environments, thereby protecting
andupgradinginvestmentsmadein legacy storage and networking products to substantially improve
their performance, availability and manageability.
TheInfiniteStorage6120 isdesignedtosupportmixedworkloadenvironmentswithindustry-leading
density, a large number of small random IOPS, and high sequential throughput to make it perfect
shared storage for transactional, backup, or rich-media markets. It enables a multi-vendor
environment comprised of standalone and clustered servers, workstations, and PCs to access and
back up data stored in centralized or distributed storagedevices in aneasy, cost-effectiveandreliable
manner. This modular architecture ensures high data availability and uptime along with application
performance.
1.1.2 Features of the InfiniteStorage 6120
The InfiniteStorage 6120 incorporates the following features:
•Fibre Channel connectivity
The InfiniteStorage 6120 provides up to 4 individual 8Gb/s Fibre Channel (FC) host port
connections, including simultaneous access to the same data through multiple ports. Each FC
host port supports point-to-point and switched fabric operation.
•Active/Active operation with cache coherency and failover
Both controllers operate in active mode at all times meaning I/O requests can be serviced by
either controller from any host port and failover is transparent to the host.
•RAID 5 & RAID 6
The system is based on a high performance software RAID engine with default RAID5 support
and an optional/licensed RAID6.
•Configurable RAID group sizes
(5 or 9 drives per RAID 5 group, 6 or 10 drives per RAID 6 group)
This feature allows you to configure the system with the desired RAID and redundancy levels
based on the importance of your data. Each RAID group is configured independently and any
valid combination for the number of drives in the array is supported.
•Stripe size of 64KB, 128KB, 256KB
Configurable stripe sizes aid in system tuning for the application’s data pattern. Stripe sizes are
uniquely configurable per RAID set.
•2MB maximum request size
This is the maximum transfer size a host may request from the unit and covers nearly all
commonly found uses.
•SAS/SATA storage pool
This feature allows in-box storage pooling, where high-performance SAS drives are used for
primary data and high-capacity SATA drives are used for secondary data or active archiving.

Introduction
007-5533-001 4
Flexible configurations along with the intermix of SATA and SAS drives within the same
enclosureissupported. However, forperformanceand reliability reasons,therearebest-practice
guidelines.
•Optional SATAssure data protection
SATAssure technology is designed to improve the reliability of enterprise SATA drives and to
ensure that data integrity is always maintained for all I/O operations.
•Partial rebuild
This feature reduces rebuild times by updating only the data that has changed while the drive
was down.
•Hot-swappable and redundant components
Adhering to enterprise RAS standard, almost all hardware components–such as drives,
controllers, power cooling modules, and drive expander module (DEM) cards–are redundant
and hot-swappable.
•Hot spares
The unit supports as many hot spares as desired and they can be allocated as global hot spares
or assigned to a specific RAID set.
•Comprehensive, centralized management capability
The InfiniteStorage 6120 provides a wide range of management capabilities via a secured
command line user interface (CLUI): configuration management, performance management,
and firmware update management.
•Management options via RS-232 and Ethernet (SSH)
A RS-232 port and Ethernet port are included to provide local and remote management
capabilities.

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
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1.2 The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
The InfiniteStorage 6120 is a four-unit (4U), rack-mountable enclosure that houses two power
cooling modules, two controllers, and slots for up to 60 SAS or SATA drives (Figure 1). The
controllers provide system management and host connectivity interfaces.
The InfiniteStorage 6120 design concept is based on a subsystem together with a set of plug-in
modules and (as supplied) comprises:
• Enclosure chassis with front panel drive status indicator
• Two (2) power cooling plug-in modules (PCMs)
• Two plug-in controllers
• Up to 60 top loadable hard disk drives in a 5x12 matrix
• SAS and SATA drive intermix allowed
• Eight (8) SAS drive expander modules (DEMs)
Figure 1. The InfiniteStorage 6120 - Front and Rear Views

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
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1.2.1 Enclosure Chassis
The chassis assembly contains 60 drive bays at the front, each of which accommodates a plug-in
drive module capable of holding a 3.5-inch SAS or SATA hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state disk
(SDD). The 60 drive bays are arranged in five rows of twelve drives (5x12) (Figure 2). At the rear, the
chassis assembly contains two (2) power cooling modules and two (2) controllers (Figure 3).
The chassis is fitted with 19-inch rack mounting features which enables it to be installed into 19-inch
wide racks and uses four (4) EIA units of rack space. A mid-plane separates the front and back of the
chassis and provides the interconnect system between the power cooling modules, controllers, and
the baseboard.
Figure 2. InfiniteStorage 6120 Top View
30 Drive Bays
30 Drive Bays
Front of
Unit
Figure 3. InfiniteStorage 6120 Rear View
Power Cooling Module 2
Power Cooling Module 1
Controller 2
Controller 1

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
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1.2.2 Controller
The two controllers are redundant and hot-swappable modules which provide the intelligence and
active/active data protection features of the InfiniteStorage 6120 (Figure 4).
If a controller fails, the remaining controller will assume its functionality and continue to provide
data access at a reduced performance level.
There are two 8Gb/s host ports for Fibre Channel host connections. You may connect your host
systems directly to these ports or connect the ports to your Fibre Channel switches and hubs. When
an FC signal is present on the port, the respective LED turns green.
The EXPANSION port is used to connect to a 60-drive expansion enclosure.
The CLI connector provides local system monitoring and configuration capabilities.
The Ethernet port provides remote monitoring and configuration capabilities. The LINK LED is off
when there is no Ethernet link.
The Firmware Status LED blinks green when the InfiniteStorage 6120 firmware is loading. It stays
solid green when the InfiniteStorage 6120 is ready to be accessed.
The Power LED turns green when there is power applied to the controller.
The Identify LED turns blue when an SES identify command is received.
Figure 4. A Controller
EXPANSION CLI
LINK SPEED
PORT 2
PORT 1
Firmware Status LED
Power LED
Identify LED
Power Switch
Ethernet Port
Host Port 1
Host Port 2
Expansion Port
CLI Port
RESE
(DO NOT USE)

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
007-5533-001 8
1.2.3 Power Cooling Module (PCM)
Installed in the rear of the chassis (Figure 5) are two (2) power cooling modules.
The InfiniteStorage 6120 must always be operated with two PCM installed. Module replacement
should only take a few minutes to perform but must be completed with 10 minutes from removal of
the failed module. Four (4) LEDs mounted on the PCM indicate the status of the module and the fans
(Figure 6). Figure 7 provides a description of the color and status of the LEDs.
Figure 7. PCM LED Description
LED Description Color Status
PCM AC Green ON - AC input to PCM within tolerances
OFF - PCM failed
PCM DC Green ON - DC output of PCM within tolerances
OFF - PCM failed
PCM Fault Amber ON - PCM fault detected
OFF - no detected PCM faults
PCM ID Blue ON - receiving SES identify command
OFF - NOT receiving SES identify command
Figure 5. Power Cooling Module
Power Switch
Power Cord Connector
Figure 6. Power Cooling Module LEDs
Normal Operation LEDs Faults LEDs

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
007-5533-001 9
1.2.4 Drive Modules
The drive module comprises a hard disk mounted in a carrier (Figure 8). Each drive bay can house a
single low profile 1.0-inch high, 3.5-inch form factor disk drive in its carrier. A fully loaded
enclosure contains 60 drive modules.
The module handle provides the following functions:
• Camming of the module into and out of drive bays
• Positive spring loading of the drive/baseplane connector
• Drive Status LED incorporated in handle assembly
NOTE : The InfiniteStorage 6120 design allows for drive bays to be left empty without
the need for fitting dummy drive modules.
The InfiniteStorage 6120 supports a SATA interposer card which allows simultaneous access to the
SATA HDD from both controllers installed in the enclosure. Note that a SATA interposer card,
which is part of the drive carrier assembly, is required to run SATA HDDs.
Figure 8. Drive Module
Drive Status LED
Handle Open

The InfiniteStorage 6120 System Hardware
007-5533-001 10
1.2.5 Drive Expander Module (DEM) Card
The InfiniteStorage 6120 contains eight (8) top-loadable, hot-swappable DEMs (Figure 9). The
DEMs provide the SAS connectivity between the controllers and the HDDs located with the
enclosure.
The DEMs are organized into four module pairs, with each module pair controlling a bank of 15
drives. If a DEM card fails, its sister card will provide continuous operation of the unit until a
replacement is inserted bringing the unit back to full redundancy.
EachDEM (Figure 10) connectstoasingleport ofthe HDDbasedonthe locationwithinthe enclosure
within which it is installed. Each card provides power control signals to each drive slot. It controls
HDD identify/service LEDs and monitors the status from partner DEM. Each pair of DEMs supports
15 drives.
Figure 9. DEM Card Locations (Viewing from Top)
DEM Card x 8
Figure 10. DEM Card
Locking Mechanism