WiebeTech SIS5-UR User manual

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SilverSATA™ V UR
Quick Start Guide
Revised November 17, 2006
Thank you for purchasing WiebeTech’s SilverSATA V UR, a high-performance RAID subsystem
with the ultimate in data-protection capabilities! This Quick Start Guide covers the essentials for
getting your product up-and-running quickly. For more comprehensive technical information,
see the full User Manual.
Table of Contents
Pre-Installation Steps 2
Hard Drive Installation 4
Connecting the unit to a computer 6
Understanding RAID 7
Using the LCD Front Panel Interface 8
Main Menu Options 8
Creating RAID Sets and Volume Sets 9
Creating Hot Spares 9
Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup 9
Environmental Monitoring 12
System Information 12
Warnings and Notices 13
Technical Specifications 14

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Pre-Installation Steps
1. Check the accessories with your SilverSATA V. Please contact WiebeTech if any parts
are missing or damaged. The box should contain the following items:
SilverSATA unit
5 drive trays (inside the unit)
They will be pre-configured with drives if so ordered
Ultra320 SCSI Cable
Ultra320 SCSI Terminator
RS232 cable
Power cord
User’s Manual & Warranty Statement (on CD)
2. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the parts of the SilverSATA V. This will help
you to better understand the remaining instructions.
Front Panel of SilverSATA:
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Trays Rear panel
WARNING: Do not block the v
fan during operation. Overheating
damage the device or hard drives.
entilation
may
3. (Optional) Install a SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) into an empty expansion slot inside
your computer. If your computer already has a SCSI port, you can skip this step. The
following general steps will work for most cards. Instructions for individual cards may vary, so
consult your host card’s user manual.
a) Power down the computer system.
b) Insert the card into an available slot. Do not force it, but it will take firm
pressure to insert it. Gently rocking the card into place may help.
c) Make sure the card is fully seated in the slot. Secure with a screw.
d) Turn the computer back on.
e) Install the appropriate software drivers for the card.
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Hard Drive Installation
If you purchased your SilverSATA with pre-configured drives, you may skip to the next section.
1. Remove a tray from the SilverSATA enclosure. Insert the included key into the lock
hole to release the tray’s handle then slide the tray straight out.
2. Remove the plastic insert from the tray. The purpose of the plastic insert is to protect
the trays during shipment. They are not needed to operate the unit.
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3. Install your SATA hard drive into the tray. Lay the drive into the frame of the removable
tray, making sure it lays flat. Align the 4 screw positions then use the included screws (#6-32)
to secure the drive into position.
4. Insert the tray into the SilverSATA unit. Gently push the tray along the sliding track into
the hard drive compartment and then close the tray, as illustrated below. Repeat the previous
steps for each of the other trays.
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Connecting the unit to your computer
(required)
(optional)
(required) (required)
(optional)
1. Connect the SCSI cable to one of the ports on the back of the SilverSATA. Connect the
other end to the host computer. If your computer does not have an available SCSI port, you will
need to install a SCSI host bus adapter (HBA). If the SCSI port on your computer is a different
type and the cable will not fit, you may need to use an adapter.
2. Plug the SCSI terminator into the other SCSI port on the back of the SilverSATA.
3. Connect the power cord to the SilverSATA and a grounded electrical outlet.
Turn on the power switch on the back of the unit. If you purchased the unit preconfigured, you
can begin using it right away. Otherwise, proceed to the next section.
WARNING: Plug in the SCSI terminator
before attempting to use the device. If the
terminator is not plugged in, the device will
not be detected by the host.
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Understanding RAID
A RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is an array of multiple independent hard disk
drives that provide high performance and/or fault tolerance. The SilverSATA RAID subsystem
controller implements several types of RAID technology. You may select your desired RAID
level when volume sets are defined or created. This decision is based on disk capacity, desired
data safety, and desired performance.
Summary of RAID Levels
The SilverSATA supports RAID Levels 0, 1, (0+1), 3, and 5. RAID level 5 is most commonly
used by customers seeking an optimal balance of speed and data safety. The following table
provides a summary of RAID levels.
RAID Features and Performance
RAID
Level
Description Min.
Drives
Max.
Drives
Data
Reliability
Data Transfer
Rate
I/O Request Rates
0 Also known as striping. Data is
distributed across multiple drives
in the array. There is no data
protection
1 5 No data
Protection Very high Very high for both reads and writes
1 Also known as mirroring. All data
is replicated on N separate disks.
N is almost always 2.
This is a high availability solution,
but due to the 100% duplication, it
is also a costly solution.
2 2 Higher than
RAID 0, 3, 5.
This offers the
highest level
of data
protection.
Reads are
higher than a
single disk;
Writes are
similar to a
single disk
Reads are twice as
fast as a single
disk.
Writes are similar
to a single disk.
0+1 Also known Block-Interleaved
Parity. Data and parity information
is subdivided and distributed
across all disks. Parity must be
equal to the smallest disk capacity
in the array. Parity information is
normally stored on a dedicated
parity disk.
3 5 Higher than
RAID 0, 3, 5 Transfer rates are more like
RAID 1 than
RAID 0
Reads are twice as
fast as a single
disk.
Writes are similar
to a single disk.
3 Also known Bit-Interleaved Parity.
Data and parity information is
subdivided and distributed across
all disks. Parity must be equal to
the smallest disk capacity in the
array. Parity information normally
stored on a dedicated parity disk.
3 5 Lower than
RAID 1, 10;
Higher than 0
or a single
drive
Reads are
similar to RAID
0; Writes are
slower than a
single disk
Reads are similar
to RAID 0.
Writes are slower
than a single disk.
5 Also known Block-Interleaved
Distributed Parity. Data and parity
information is subdivided and
distributed across all disks. Parity
must be equal to the smallest disk
capacity in the array. RAID 5 is
considered by many to be the best
blend of speed and redundancy.
3 5 Lower than
RAID 1, 10;
Higher than 0
or a single
drive
Reads are
similar to RAID
0; Writes are
slower than a
single disk
Reads are similar
to RAID 0.
Writes are slower
than a single disk.

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Using the LCD front panel interface
The front panel keypad and liquid crystal display (LCD) is the primary user interface for the
RAID subsystem. All configuration and management of the controller and disk arrays can be
performed from this interface. This is the easiest way to set up your RAID.
The four buttons near the LCD on the front panel perform the following functions:
Key Function
▲Scroll upward / rightward through menu options
▼Scroll downward / leftward through menu options
ENTER Submit selection or confirm a selected item
ESC Return to previous screen (Exit an option submenu)
Use the up and down arrow buttons to move left and right and highlight a menu item. Press
ENTER to select the displayed item. Press UP/DOWN to browse the options. Press ESC to
return to the previous screen.
Main Menu Options
After selecting an option, related information or submenu items will be displayed. The submenus
for each item are explained in the full user manual. The main menu options are:
Option Description
Quick Volume And RAID Set Setup Create a default configuration using all the drives
RAID Set Functions Create a customized RAID set
Volume Set Functions Create a customized volume set
Physical Drive Functions View individual disk information
RAID System Functions Setting the RAID system configurations
U320 SCSI Target Configuration SCSI Ultra-320 configuration
Ethernet Configuration Ethernet LAN settings
Show System Events Record all system events in the buffer
Clear All Event Buffer Clear all event buffer information
Hardware Monitor Information Show all system environment status
Show System Information View the controller information
NOTE: The SilverSATA may ask for a password
before allowing access to the main menu. The
default password is “0000”. For security purposes,
it is advisable to change the password upon first
usage. The password feature may be enabled or
disabled via the LCD menu system.
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Configuring RAID Sets and Volume Sets
RAID Set refers to the set of physical drives that are a part of a given configuration. Most users
create a single RAID Set that includes all five hard drives.
Volume Set refers to a RAID created using a portion of a RAID set. Most users create a single
Volume Set that uses all available drive space. However, it is possible to create multiple
volumes using the same RAID Set. For example, a RAID Set may consist of five 500GB drives,
for a total of 2500GB of capacity (in RAID level 0). You may create a single Volume Set using
all that capacity, or create two Volume Sets of 1250GB apiece.
The simplest way to configure your SilverSATA is to use “Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup”.
This is the method covered in this Quick Start Guide. Manual configuration is more complex but
allows more configuration possibilities. Manual configuration is explained in the full user
manual. Whichever method you choose, you will follow these basic steps:
1. Designate hot spares (optional)
2. Create the RAID Set using the available physical drives
3. Define Volume Set(s) using the space in the RAID Set
4. Initialize the Volume Set(s)
5. Format the Volume Set(s) in the host computer’s OS.
Creating Hot Spares
A useful feature of the SilverSATA RAID subsystem is its ability to set up hot spares. A hot
spare drive is an unused but available online drive, ready to replace a failed hard drive. In a
RAID level 1, 0+1, 3, or 5 RAID set, any unused, available drive installed but not belonging to a
RAID set can be defined as a hot spare. When the RAID subsystem detects a drive failure, the
system will automatically and transparently rebuild using hot spare drives. The RAID set will be
reconfigured and rebuilt in the background, while the RAID subsystem continues to handle
system requests. During the automatic rebuild process, system activity will continue as normal;
however, the system performance will be affected, and fault tolerance will be lost until the
rebuild operation is completed.
WARNING: The hot spare must have at least
the same capacity as the drive it replaces.
Drives of insufficient capacity will be failed
immediately by the RAID subsystem without
starting the Automatic Data Rebuild.
Recognizing a Drive Failure
A drive failure can be identified by an amber LED which illuminates on the front of the unit.
Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup
Using this type of configuration, the RAID Set and Volume Set are created simultaneously. The
RAID Set consists of all the drives installed in the unit, and one Volume Set is created on the
RAID Set. You are able to modify the RAID level, stripe size, and capacity. If the Volume Set
does not use all the available capacity, you can create a second Volume Set later to use the
remaining space. In this setup, you designate Hot Spares and RAID level at the same time.
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The Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup option creates a RAID set with the following properties:
•All of the physical disk drives are contained in a single RAID Set.
•The RAID level, hot spare, capacity, and stripe size are selected during the configuration
process.
•A single volume set is created and consumes all or a portion of the disk capacity available
in this RAID set.
The volume set default settings will be:
The default setting values can be changed after configuration is complete.
NOTE: Try to use hard drives of the same capacity. If
you use drives with different capacities, all the drives
in the array are treated as though they have the same
capacity as the smallest drive.
Follow the steps below to create a RAID using Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup:
Step Action
1 Choose Quick Volume and RAID Set Setup from the main menu.
2 RAID 5 (without hot spare) is displayed by default. If you wish the change the RAID level, scroll
through the options (using the UP/DOWN keys) until you find the RAID level you prefer.
The number of physical drives in a specific array determines the RAID levels that can be
implemented with the array.
•RAID 0 requires one or more physical drives
•RAID 1 requires at least 2 physical drives
•RAID 1+ Spare requires more than 2 physical drives
•RAID 3 requires at least three physical drives
•RAID 5 requires at least three physical drives
•RAID 3+ Spare requires at least four physical drives
•RAID 5 + Spare requires at least four physical drives
When your chosen RAID level is displayed, press ENTER to confirm it.
3 > 2TB Support: The default is No. If you are using 500GB drives or larger, you will need to
change this setting if you wish to create a volume over 2000GB. Scroll UP/DOWN until you see
the option “For Windows”. This is the best option for most computers (even for non-Windows
computers such as Macs).
4 Available Capacity: Set the capacity size for the volume set.
The selected capacity for the current volume set is displayed. Use UP/DOWN if you wish to
change the volume size. Press ENTER to continue.
Parameter Setting
Volume Name Volume Set # 00
SCSI Channel / SCSI ID / SCSI LUN 0/0/0
Cache Mode Write Back
Tag Queuing Yes
Max Sync Rate Depends on your host adapter setting
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