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MegaRAID Storage Manager Online Help System |
Importing or Clearing a Foreign Configuration
A foreign configuration is a RAID configuration that already exists on a replacement set of drives that you install in a computer system.
After you create a security key, you can run a scan for a foreign configuration. (You can import unsecured or unlocked configurations when security is disabled.) If locked drives are present and security is enabled, you can use the “Unlock foreign drives” dialog to enter the security key and unlock the configuration. The import dialog appears next for you to select to import a foreign drive.
In addition, if one or more drives are removed from a configuration, by a cable pull or drive removal, for example, the configuration on those drives is considered a foreign configuration by the RAID controller.
You can use the MegaRAID Storage Manager to import the foreign configuration to the RAID controller or to clear the configuration so you can create a new configuration using these drives.
To import a foreign configuration, you must first enable security to allow importation of locked foreign drives. After you create a security key, you can run a scan for a foreign configuration and import the configuration. If MSM detects a foreign configuration, the import screen appears. To import the drives, you must provide the security key used to secure them. If the drives are locked and the controller security is disabled, you cannot import the foreign drives. Only unlocked drives can be imported.
Verify whether any drives are left to import as the locked drives can use different security keys. If there are any drives left, repeat the import process for the remaining drives. After all of the drives are imported, there is no configuration to import.
Perform the following steps to import or clear a configuration.
- Enable drive security to allow importation of locked foreign drives. See Enabling Drive Security for the procedure used to enable drive security.
- After you create a security key, right-click the controller and click Scan for Foreign Configuration.
If there are locked drives (security is enabled), the Unlock foreign drives dialog box appears.- Enter the security key and unlock the configuration.
The The Foreign Configuration Detected screen appears, as shown in Figure 27.Figure 27 Foreign Configuration Detected Screen
- Click Import to import the foreign configuration from all of the foreign drives, Clear to remove the configuration from all foreign drives, or Advanced to preview and import specific foreign configurations.
- Click OK.
The operation cannot be reversed after it is started. Imported drives display as Online in the MegaRAID Storage Manager menu.Foreign Configurations in Cable Pull and Drive Removal Scenarios
If one or more drives are removed from a configuration, by a cable pull or drive removal, for example, the configuration on those drives is considered a foreign configuration by the RAID controller.
The following scenarios can occur with cable pulls or drive removals. Use the Foreign Configuration Preview screen to import or clear the foreign configuration in each case.
If you want to import the foreign configuration in any of the following scenarios, you should have all of the drives in the enclosure before you perform the import operation.
- Scenario #1: If all of the drives in a configuration are removed and re-inserted, the controller considers the drives to have foreign configurations.
Import or clear the foreign configuration. If you select Import, automatic rebuilds will occur in redundant virtual drives.
Start a consistency check immediately after the rebuild is complete to ensure data integrity for the virtual drives. See Running a Consistency Check for more information about checking data consistency.
- Scenario #2: If some of the drives in a configuration are removed and re-inserted, the controller considers the drives to have foreign configurations.
Import or clear the foreign configuration. If you select Import, automatic rebuilds will occur in redundant virtual drives.
Start a consistency check immediately after the rebuild is complete to ensure data integrity for the virtual drives.
See Running a Consistency Check for more information about checking data consistency.- Scenario #3: If all of the drives in a virtual drive are removed, but at different times, and re-inserted, the controller considers the drives to have foreign configurations.
Import or clear the foreign configuration. If you select Import, all drives that were pulled before the virtual drive became offline will be imported and then automatically rebuilt. Automatic rebuilds will occur in redundant virtual drives.- Scenario #4: If the drives in a non-redundant virtual drive are removed, the controller considers the drives to have foreign configurations.
Import or clear the foreign configuration. No rebuilds occur after the import operation because there is no redundant data to rebuild the drives with.
DB09-000202-02 37857-00 Rev. C August 2009 Copyright© 2009 by LSI Corporation. All rights reserved. You can find a list of the LSI U.S. distributors, international distributors, sales offices, and design resource centers on the LSI web site at: http://www.lsi.com/cm/ContactSearch.do |