HightPoint Technologies RocketStor 6314A User Manual

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RocketStor 6314A

User Manual

Sept. 25, 2015

Revision v1.02

HighPoint Technologies, Inc.

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Summary of Contents for HightPoint Technologies RocketStor 6314A

Page 1 RocketStor 6314A User Manual Sept. 25, 2015 Revision v1.02 HighPoint Technologies, Inc.
Page 2 Copyright Copyright © 2015HighPointTechnologies, Inc. This document contains materials protected by International Copyright Laws. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced, transmitted or transcribed in any form and for any purpose without the express written permission of HighPoint Technologies, Inc.
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Contents Kit Contents ............................... 5 Getting Started ..............................8 Setting Up the Hardware ..........................8 Install and Update Drivers ........................14 Install/Update Drivers on existing operating systems ..............16 Creating a Bootable Array (Mac Only) ....................22 Installing HighPoint WebGUI ........................22 Navigating the WebGUI ..........................
Page 4 Utilizing the Health Inspector Scheduler ..................51 Creating a New Verify Task ......................... 52 Initializing your Disks........................... 53 Formatting your Disks ..........................53 Replacing a Failed Disk ..........................54 Rebuilding Your Array ..........................54 Critical Condition ............................55 Rebuilding Interrupted Due to Bad Sectors ..................55 Critical array disabled when you removed wrong disk ..............
Page 5: Kit Contents
Kit Contents  RS6314A Enclosure (with 4 disk trays pre-installed)  Accessories Box  Screw bag (including 2 sets of 18 screws for HDD/SSD)  Thunderbolt™ Cable  UL Power Cord  Quick Installation Guide for RS6314A For any damaged or missing items contact your reseller or submit a support ticket online at www.highpoint-tech.com/websupport/...
Page 6 Product Information RocketStor 6314A Thunderbolt™ 2 Port Technology Onboard Storage processor RAID-On-Chip Onboard Onboard Cache Memory 512MB DDR 3 Cache Memory with ECC Protection 2x Thunderbolt™ Port Port Type RAID Level 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and JBOD Max. Capacity...
Page 7 Operating Environment (operating) 5° C – 45° C Temperature (non-operating) -40° C – 65° C (operating) 8% – 90% RH (Non-condensing) Relative Humidity (non-operating) 5% – 95% RH (Non-condensing) Figure 1. RS6314A Front Panel Figure 2. RS6314A Back Panel Figure 3. Isometric view of disk tray with physical drive installed (drive not included) Figure 4.
Page 8: Getting Started
The technical support may ask for the S/N of the enclosure unit. Please record the S/N of the unit. The S/N is located on the sticker on the bottom of the enclosure unit as below. The S/N has 13 characters and the S/N format for the RocketStor 6314A is “****M3M******”...
Page 9 Setup the hardware Step 1. Plug in the power cord for your RS6314A. Note: To prevent physical drive damage, keep the RS6314A oriented upright when in use. Figure 5. Power Cord plugged into back panel Step 2. Plug one end of the Thunderbolt™ cable to either of the RS6314A ports and the other end to your computer’s Thunderbolt™...
Page 10 Step 6. Switch the power button on. Figure 9. Power Button located on Back Panel (figure shows enclosure switched ON) Step 7. Make sure the power LED on the front of the enclosure is LIT. Step 8. (For Windows) Install RS6314A drivers and the HighPoint WebGUI Management Utility to access and manage your arrays.
Page 11 Disk Tray Bottom   When array is When disk has a normal status, problem, LED LED will be will be SOLID UNLIT  When disk is under Rebuilding, LED will be Blinking Power LED  When enclosure is powered on LED will be SOLID BLUE ...
Page 12  Unit is powered OFF UNLIT  Disk tray is empty Shutting Down the RS6314A The 6314A enclosure will automatically power down when your computer is turned off. For turning off the 6314A safely without shutting down your PC, take the following steps: 1.
Page 14: Install And Update Drivers
Install and Update Drivers Drivers provide a way for your operating system to communicate with your new hardware. Update to the latest driver to ensure you have the latest performance and stability updates. Check if drivers are currently installed For Mac users: Click on the Apple Icon ( Click About this Mac Click More Info...
Page 15 Note: Alternatively, you can search Device Manager in your start menu search bar. 6. Click the Storage controllers tab  If driver is installed it will show RocketRAID 4520 SAS Controller, If driver is not installed it will be located in Other devices as RAID Controller ...
Page 16: Install/Update Drivers On Existing Operating Systems
 Click Properties, then click the Driver Tab to find out the version installed. Figure 9. Driver version 1.4.74.22 (version may vary) Install/Update Drivers on existing operating systems  For users that already have an operating system installed, and want to use the RS6314A as a data array (data storage) device, follow the instructions below.
Page 17  Navigate to your specific HBA controller page (Refer to How to View HBA Properties to find model name) 2. Once downloaded, locate the folder you downloaded the driver to and double click on the file named “HighPointIOP_Mac_###.dmg” Note: File name varies, but extension is .dmg. 3.
Page 19 4. After reboot, check drivers are installed properly using device manager Alternate Install Method: 1. Obtain latest driver software for RocketRAID 4520 SAS Controller from our website http://www.hptmac.com/series-rs6314a-resources.php 2. Take note the location you downloaded the driver file to, then open Windows Device Manager.
Page 20 5. When prompted, select Browse my computer for driver software 6. Locate the driver files you downloaded and select them. 7. Press next and follow the on screen instructions 8. Reboot...
Page 21 Uninstall Drivers To uninstall the drivers, take the following steps For Mac Platform: 1. Double click on “HighPointIOP_Mac_106_####.dmg” Note: File name subject to change, make sure extension is .dmg. 2. Double click on uninstall.command 3. A terminal window will pop up prompting you to type in your administrator password. Type in your administrator password to allow uninstall.
Page 22: Creating A Bootable Array (Mac Only)
Creating a Bootable Array (Mac Only) A bootable array differs from a data array simply from the fact that you install and boot your operating system from the RAID array you created. For Mac Users: 1. You must have an existing installation of the Mac operating system installed. 2.
Page 23 5. Log in the WebGUI by double clicking the desktop icon created or by typing http://localhost:7402 in your preferred browsers address line (it is recommended to use the latest version of your browser.)
Page 24: Navigating The Webgui
Navigating the WebGUI The HighPoint WebGUI management utility allows you to do several key things:  Create and remove arrays  Monitor disk health  Update firmware and BIOS  Change enclosure settings  Troubleshoot faulty drives  View general system overview Tab Name Function View HBA (Host Bus Adapter) and Storage...
Page 25: Logging In Highpoint Webgui
Logging In HighPoint WebGUI You can reach the HighPoint WebGUI log in page either by:  Double clicking on the HighPoint RAID Management icon created on your desktop  Opening your preferred web browser and typing http://localhost:7402 in the address bar. For the Windows WebGUI, please use the default user name: RAID and password: hpt for log-in.
Page 26 Remote Login A user connected to a local network can remotely access the WebGUI using the IP address of the host device. To obtain your IP address For Mac users: 1. Open a terminal window on the host computer (computer that is connected to the RS6314A enclosure) 2.
Page 27: Global Tab
Note: Make sure Restrict to localhost access is disabled in WebGUI Setting (Refer to setting) You can then remotely access the WebGUI using any other computer that is in your local network by opening any web browser and typing http://{IP address of host computer}:7402 (default port is 7402) Global Tab...
Page 28: Viewing Hba Properties
The GUI Global view provides an overview of what each HighPoint controller card connected to your computer detects. It is also the first page you see when logging in.  Host Bus Adapter Properties  Storage Properties On the top left of the page is a drop down menu that allows you to select which controller you want to manage (if you have multiple HighPoint controllers connected).
Page 29: Physical Tab
Physical Tab The physical tab shows general and extended information about the controller you are using. Information about the firmware, BIOS, and operating temperatures are all located here. This information is useful for identifying what RAID controller model you have and to make sure you have the most updated version available.
Page 30: Updating Bios/Firmware
Extended Information: Gives you additional information concerning the HBA (Host Bus Adapter) in the enclosure  IOP Model: IOP chip model number  CPU Temperature: Displays computer temperature in Celcius (°C).  Board Temperature: Displays the board temperature in Celcius (°C). ...
Page 31 The following properties are part of the Physical Devices Information box under the physical tab.  Model – Model number of the physical drive  Capacity – Total capacity of the physical drive  Revision – HDD device firmware revision number ...
Page 32 * Disk properties that can be adjusted. Read Ahead Enabling disk read ahead will speed up read operations by pre-fetching data and loading it into RAM. Write Cache Enabling write cache will speed up write operations. NCQ (Native Command Queuing) A setting that allows disks to queue up and reorder I/O commands for maximum efficiency.
Page 33: Logical Tab
Logical Tab The Logical tab is where you are edit, delete, and maintain your RAID configurations, as well as, adding drives to your spare pool. The logical tab has the following settings:  Create Array  Spare Pool  Logical Device ...
Page 34 An array is a collection of physical disks that will be seen as one virtual drive by your Operating System (OS). The RS6314A has a RocketRAID 4520 SATA/SAS controller capable of creating the following array types...
Page 35 Array Type:  JBOD – Just a Bunch of Disks  RAID 0 - Striping  RAID 1 - Mirroring  RAID 5 – Rotating Parity bit  RAID 1/0 – Striping of Mirrored Drives  RAID 6 – Double Parity Bit Each RAID level has its pros and cons based on the application you use it for (Note: see RAID level Quick Reference) Array Name...
Page 36 Block Size (default: 64K) [16K, 32K, 64K, 128K, 256K, 512K, 1024K are the supported block sizes] Adjusting the block size towards your disk usage can give some performance gain. In a typical RAID configuration, data of the virtual drive is striped (or spread across) the physical drives.
Page 37 DV Mode This mode is specifically designed for video applications. The default firmware cache policy provides balanced performance for standard applications such as workstations, file servers, and web servers. But for DV mode, a special cache firmware is implemented specifically for large sequential writing (large I/O requests such as video files).
Page 38: Adding Spare Disks
Margin [5% - 25%] When DV mode is enabled, you have the option to set the margin. This percentage represents the amount of space the designated cache will hold before flushing the data onto the drive. Increasing the margin % will result in more stable performance, but decrease the maximum write performance.
Page 39: Obtaining Logical Device Information
To add spare disks: 1. Log in WebGUI 2. Click Logical 3. Click Spare Pool 4. Check the box for the disk you want as a spare from Available Disks 5. Click Add Spare Disks added to the spare pool will show under Spare Pool and can be removed by checking the disk checkbox from Spare Pool >...
Page 40 A Normal Status Array has the following options  Delete  Unplug  Verify  Change Cache Policy  Change Margin  Rename  ORLM Delete – deletes the selected RAID array Unplug – powers off the selected RAID array Verify –...
Page 41: Expanding An Existing Array
Reinserting the same disk should trigger rebuilding status, since data on the disk would be recognized. If you insert a new disk, clicking add disk will give you the option to select that disk and add it to the array. Disabled Status A disabled status array means that your RAID level does not have enough disks to function.
Page 42 2. Select desired controller from drop down menu on top left 3. Click Logical 4. Click Maintenance for the array you want to change  Select a different RAID level to Migrate  Select the same RAID level to Expand 5.
Page 43 Physical Device Information  Location – which controller and port the drive is located in  Model – model number of the drive connected  Capacity – total capacity of the drive  Max Free – total capacity that is not configured Rescan Clicking rescan will force drivers to report array status.
Page 44: Setting Tab
If device is currently beeping, clicking Beeper Mute will mute the sound immediately. Note: This button does not permanently mute the alarm. In order to permanently mute the alarm, go to Setting > Enable audible alarm > Disabled. Setting Tab Under this tab, user can ...
Page 45: System Settings
System Settings Enable auto rebuild (default: Enabled) When a physical drive fails, the controller will take the drive offline. Once you re-insert or replace the disk, the controller will not automatically rebuild the array unless this option is enabled. Enable continue rebuilding on error (default: Enabled) When enabled, the rebuilding process will ignore bad disk sectors and continue rebuilding until completion.
Page 46: Changing Your Webgui Password
Changing your WebGUI password Under Password Setting type your new password and confirm it, then click submit Recovering your WebGUI password If you wish to revert to the default password: hpt, delete the file hptuser.dat. For Mac Users: 1. Open Terminal 2.
Page 47 3. Type in the email address of the sender (email account that is going to send the alert) 4. Type in the account name and password of the sender 5. Type in the SMTP port (default: 25) 6. Check support SSL box if SSL is supported by your ISP (port value will change to 465, refer to your ISP if you have a specific SMTP port.
Page 48: Recover Tab
Recover Tab Previously created arrays will be stored under this tab. Recovering an array from here will attempt to recover a ‘disabled’ array and make it ‘normal’. The Recover List will list all your previous and current created arrays. Each entry will list the following properties: ...
Page 49: Reloading Your Backup Recover List
Reloading your Backup Recover List In the case that you cleared the recover list or it does not appear for any reason, you can recover it if you saved the list beforehand. To reload your recover list 1. Log in to WebGUI 2.
Page 50: Shi (Storage Health Inspector)
 Sector errors  Communication errors  Verification errors Hardware related problems Error  Hard disk failure  Broken errors  Memory failure The event view is a basic error logging tool built into the HighPoint WebGUI. SHI (Storage Health Inspector) ...
Page 51: Changing Hdd Temperature Threshold
2. Select the proper controller using the drop down menu on the top left 3. Click the SHI tab 4. Click SMART on the desired disk 5. Click Enable to enable SMART monitoring Disabling SMART monitoring You have the option the disable SMART monitoring on each individual disk. To disable: 1.
Page 52: Creating A New Verify Task
The Health Inspector Scheduler (HIS) enables you to schedule disk/array checkups to ensure disks/array are functioning optimally. Creating a New Verify Task All arrays will appear under New Verify Task 1. Log in to WebGUI 2. Select the proper controller from the top left drop down 3.
Page 53: Initializing Your Disks
Initializing your Disks After your array is created, the logical drive will be detected by your operating system (OS). But the drive is not accessible until after you initialize and format it to your corresponding OS filesystem. For Mac Users: When you insert a new drive or a drive with a different filesystem, Mac OSX will prompt that the disk is not readable and that you must initialize it.
Page 54: Replacing A Failed Disk
1. Click Start 2. Go to Control Panel 3. Click System and Security 4. Under Administrative Tools click Create and format hard disk partitions.  Alternatively you can search Disk Management in the start search bar 5. Find the disk you wish to format 6.
Page 55: Critical Condition
Critical Condition When your disk is critical, that means your array as a whole is still accessible, but a disk or two is faulty (depending on your RAID level) is in danger of failing.  Unplugging disk that is part of an array ...
Page 56: Critical Array Disabled When You Removed Wrong Disk
Critical array becomes disabled when disk removed You removed the wrong disk from a critical array, now you have a disabled array and your data is inaccessible. 1. Shut down your PC 2. Shut down the RS6314A Enclosure 3. Place all the disks back to original configuration 4.
Page 57: Help
Help Online Help  Register Product  Online Help redirects you to additional documentation concerning the HighPoint WebGUI. Register Product takes you to HighPoint’s web support. On this page you can create a new customer profile where you can register your product or post an online support ticket.
Page 58: Webgui Icon Guide
WebGUI Icon Guide Critical – missing disk A disk is missing from the array bringing it to ‘critical’ status. The array is still accessible but another disk failure could result in data loss. Verifying The array is currently running a disk integrity check. Rebuilding The array is currently rebuilding meaning you replaced a failed disk or added a new disk to a ‘critical’...
Page 59 Normal The array status is normal Initializing The array is initializing, either foreground or background initialization Initialization Stopped The initialization has been stopped. Current status is uninitialized. Critical – Inconsistency Data in the array is inconsistent and needs to be rebuilt. Critical –...
Page 60: Raid Level Reference Table
Table 3. RAID Level Reference Table Type Descriptio Min. Usable Advantage Disadvantage Application disks space JBOD Just a bunch of 100% Each drive can be accessed as a No fault tolerance - failure Backup disk single volume of one drive results in complete data loss RAID 0 No fault tolerance –...
Page 61: Highpoint Recommended List Of Hard Drives
HighPoint Recommended List of Hard Drives HighPoint maintains a list of tested hard drives suitable for RAID applications. Since not every hard drive in the market can be tested, this list is meant to be a general guideline for selecting hard drives operating in a RAID environment.