HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Introducing FLEXRBLD, a Customer Utility to Manage HP-FL Disk Arrays
by Dean Cashen
Storage Systems Division
Overview
This is to announce the release of FLEXRBLD, an online utility which
allows customers to manage the rebuild of their HPC225X FL Disk Arrays.
FLEXRBLD allows you to initiate, monitor, and cancel array rebuilds. As
users of the HPC225X will know, a "rebuild" is the process by which a
failed mechanism can be replaced and the data be reconstructed from the
redundant data available on the remaining striped mechanisms. To be
rebuildable, the array must have been configured and operating in
High-Availability mode (RAID 3).
Support
FLEXRBLD is supported by the online diagnostics subsystem platform.
Previously, an HPC225X disk array was rebuilt using the diagnostic
FLEXDIAG. However, FLEXDIAG, as an HP-only support tool, is a passworded
utility, and is not available for general customer use. To provide
customers with complete control over their array management, independent
of HP support assistance, FLEXRBLD was developed as a non-passworded,
customer-oriented utility. FLEXRBLD is supported on both MPE/iX 5.0 and
HP-UX 10.0.
Operation
Since FLEXRBLD is an online diagnostics subsystem-based utility, you need
to invoke the online diagnostics subsystem platform, then run FLEXRBLD.
The procedure is as follows:
1. At the command prompt, type:
$sysdiag
The online diagnostics subsystem platform starts and displays a
header, then offers the Diagnostic User Interface (DUI) prompt:
DUI>
2. At the DUI prompt, you may invoke FLEXRBLD in one of two ways:
a. Simply run the program:
DUI> FLEXRBLD
Started this way, FLEXRBLD runs and automatically scans the
system for all installed HPC225X disk arrays:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| ====================================================================== |
| ========= ========= |
| ====== HP-FL DISK REBUILD UTILITY ====== |
| ====== ====== |
| ====== (C) Copyright Hewlett Packard Co. 1994 ====== |
| ====== All Rights Reserved ====== |
| ====== ====== |
| ====== Version A.02.00 ====== |
| ========= ========= |
| ====================================================================== |
| |
| Welcome, Today is DDD, MMM DD, YYYY at HH:MM |
| |
| Please wait, scanning system for FL Disk Arrays. . . |
| |
| The following FL-Disk Arrays have been identified: |
| |
| Array |
| Number PDEV Number PRODUCT ID |
| ------ -------------------------------- -------------- |
| 1 n.n.n HPC2254B |
| 2 n.n.n HPC2254B |
| |
_____________________________________________________________________________________
You can then select one of the displayed disk arrays by
selecting its "Array Number" (in this example, either 1 or
2).
b. Choose a specific HPC225X disk array on the DUI command
line by specifying its PDEV number:
DUI> FLEXRBLD PDEV=<pdev number>
FLEXRBLD then tries to select the device specified by <pdev
number>.
Once selected, FLEXRBLD determines the state of the disk
array, including its availability and mode of operation.
If the array is in need of rebuilding, the following
"WARNING" is displayed:
________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| Selected Pdev n.n.n is an HPC2254HA disk array |
| |
| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| * WARNING * |
| * A mechanism in this array is currently failed. * |
| *- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -* |
| * --> NO data has been lost <-- * |
| * * |
| * The redundant nature of this array allows it to * |
| * continue providing data with NO loss of integrity * |
| * despite the failure of this mechanism. However, * |
| * it is not operating in High-Availability mode. * |
| * * |
| * When not in high-availability mode, the failure * |
| * of a SECOND mechanism can result in data loss. * |
| * * |
| * > TO RETURN THE DISK ARRAY TO HIGH-AVAILABILITY < * |
| * > MODE, AND TO AVERT THE POSSIBILITY OF DATA LOSS, < * |
| * > THIS ARRAY SHOULD HAVE THE FAILING MECHANISM < * |
| * > REPLACED AND REBUILT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. < * |
| * * |
| * --> See the "REBUILD" command <-- * |
| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| |
________________________________________________________________________
If the array is not in need of rebuilding, that is, it is
operating in full high-availability mode, the following is
displayed:
__________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| Selected Pdev n.n.n is an HPC2254HA disk array |
| |
| This Disk Array is operating in FULL High-Availability Mode; |
| It does not need to be Rebuilt; the status of all mechanisms are GOOD. |
| |
__________________________________________________________________________________
Once the device has been successfully selected, FLEXRBLD
displays the following prompt and waits for you to enter
any of the following commands:
FLEXRBLD>
Available Commands.
FLEXRBLD provides the following commands:
REBUILD Initiates a rebuild on an HPC225X disk array.
PROGRESS Monitors the progress (%completion) and estimates the
completion time of an ongoing rebuild.
APROGRESS Continuously monitors and displays the progress of an
ongoing rebuild until complete.
CANCEL Aborts an ongoing rebuild.
SHOWDEV Displays information about the currently-selected disk
array.
DEVICE Displays a list of all installed HPC225X disk arrays and
selects from that list an array to manage.
PDEV Selects a disk array to manage by specifying its PDEV.
HELP [cmd] Displays the available commands, or further explains an
individual command.
SUSPEND Suspends FLEXRBLD and returns to the DUI prompt.
EXIT Exits FLEXRBLD and returns to the DUI prompt.
Any of the commands can be abbreviated to the fewest characters that
distinguish one command from another (SU = SUSPEND, for example).
Commands Used Most.
While you may enter any command, the most commonly-used commands are:
REBUILD
PROGRESS
APROGRESS
DEVICE
EXIT
Following are detailed descriptions of each of the above commands.
REBUILD.
Initiates a drive rebuild.
To use this command, you must have system manager/root capability.
The REBUILD command can be invoked by entering:
FLEXRBLD> REBUILD
A rebuild is actually an operation that occurs in the array. FLEXRBLD
does not perform the rebuild, it only initiates the operation. The array
is responsible for completing the rebuild started by the REBUILD command.
In fact, you can exit FLEXRBLD immediately after starting the rebuild,
and the drive continues the rebuild operation until completion, or until
an irrecoverable error occurs.
If you try to start a rebuild on an array that does not need to be
rebuilt, or cannot be rebuilt (due to an invalid configuration, such as a
missing mechanism, or due to not being configured to operate in "Parity"
(RAID 3) mode, etc.), FLEXRBLD issues the appropriate warning and does
not attempt to start the rebuild.
If the drive can be rebuilt (a single mechanism has just been replaced in
a RAID 3 array), the REBUILD command attempts to start the rebuild, and
if successful, displays a "success" message and returns you to the
FLEXRBLD prompt.
PROGRESS.
Determines the progress of a rebuild.
The PROGRESS command can be invoked by entering:
FLEXRBLD> PROGRESS
This command displays the following information about an ongoing rebuild:
REBUILD of this array is XX% complete
ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME:
Rebuild is estimated to complete in 'n' minutes
As can be seen above, the command estimates the time for the rebuild to
complete.
If the array is fully rebuilt (i.e., does not need to be rebuilt and is
not rebuilding), the PROGRESS command displays:
---------------------------------------------------------
REBUILD of this array is COMPLETE (100%); fully rebuilt
---------------------------------------------------------
In this case, you may elect to exit the utility, or select another device
by using the PDEV or DEVICE commands.
If the array is not rebuilding, but needs to be rebuilt, PROGRESS
displays:
__________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| Selected Pdev n.n.n is an HPC2254HA disk array |
| |
| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| * WARNING * |
| *- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -* |
| * * |
| * This disk array is NOT rebuilding, and is * |
| * NOT operating in High-Availability Mode. * |
| * * |
| * A REBUILD should be performed (See "REBUILD") * |
| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| |
__________________________________________________________________
If this is the case, you should initiate a rebuild using the REBUILD
command discussed earlier.
APROGRESS.
Automatically monitors a rebuild progress.
The APROGRESS ("Auto PROGRESS") command can be invoked by entering:
FLEXRBLD> APROGRESS
This command displays the same information as the PROGRESS command about
an ongoing rebuild, but loops on the display every few seconds to allow
automatic monitoring of the progress of an ongoing rebuild.
The command prompts you to verify that you want to continually monitor
progress. This is because once you start the APROGRESS command, it only
stops when the rebuild has been completed.
Upon completion, APROGRESS displays a banner announcing the success or
failure of the rebuild. A banner is displayed to allow you to monitor
the completion of a rebuild at a distance from the terminal FLEXRBLD is
run from.
If the rebuild completes successfully, the following banner displays:
________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| RRRRR E E BBBBB UUUUU IIIIIII LLLLL DDDDD |
| R R E E B B U U I L L D D |
| R E E B U I L D |
| RRRRR E E B U IIIII LLLLL DDDDD |
| R E E B U I L D |
| R R E E B B U U I L L D D |
| RRRRR EEEEE BBBBB UUUUU IIIIIII LLLLL DDDDD |
| |
| --------------------------------------------------------- |
| REBUILD of this array is COMPLETE (100%); fully rebuilt |
| --------------------------------------------------------- |
| |
________________________________________________________________________
If the rebuild should fail, then this banner displays:
______________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| RRRRRRR E BBB U I I LLLLLL DDDDDDD |
| R E E B U I I L L D |
| R E E B U I I L L D |
| RRRRR E E B U I I LLLLLL DDDDD |
| R EEEEEEE B U I I L L D |
| R E E B U I I L L D |
| R E E BBB UUUUUUU IIIII L L DDDDDDD |
| |
______________________________________________________________________
A failed rebuild is likely due to hardware causes, and should be
investigated by HP support personnel.
DEVICE.
Displays arrays and selects one to manage.
The DEVICE command can be invoked by entering:
FLEXRBLD> DEVICE
This command scans the system I/O and displays all installed HPC225X disk
arrays:
______________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| Please wait, scanning system for FL Disk Arrays. . . |
| |
| The following FL-Disk Arrays have been identified: |
| |
| Array |
| Number PDEV Number PRODUCT ID |
| ------ -------------------------------- -------------- |
| 1 n.n.n HPC2254B |
| 2 n.n.n HPC2254B |
| . . . |
| . . . |
| . . . |
| |
| |
______________________________________________________________________________
You may then select one of the displayed devices by specifying its "Array
Number" (in the example above, valid Array Numbers are 1,2,...) at the
following prompt:
Select Array Number from above list >
If only one array is found, it is automatically selected.
EXIT.
Exits the utility.
The EXIT command can be invoked by entering:
FLEXRBLD> EXIT
EXIT is also available at any prompt to return you to the previous level
or to the FLEXRBLD prompt.
To ensure the highest level of data reliability, the EXIT command in
FLEXRBLD interrogates the currently-selected disk array, to determine if
it is in need of being rebuilt.
If it does need to be rebuilt, you are prompted to initiate a rebuild
prior to exiting. If you elect to begin the rebuild (by replying Yes to
the prompt), FLEXRBLD initiates a rebuild on the array before exiting the
utility.
If you choose not to begin a rebuild on the array, despite the prompting,
the utility displays a final warning and then exits.
SUMMARY
FLEXRBLD has been developed to fulfill a long-standing need for customers
to be able to manage their FL disk array rebuilds. There is no fee
associated with its use, and it is not password-protected.