Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Adaptec AAR-2820SA
Summarization of Contents
Copyright and Legal Information
Copyright Notice
Legal statement regarding reproduction and distribution rights.
Trademarks
Lists registered and unregistered trademarks used in the document.
Document Changes and Disclaimer
Notes on document accuracy, errors, and liability limitations.
Adaptec Customer Support
Technical Support Identification (TSID)
Information on the TSID number and its importance for support.
North America Support
Contact details and resources for technical support in North America.
Europe Support
Contact details and resources for technical support in Europe.
Japan Support
Contact details and resources for technical support in Japan.
Limited 3-Year Hardware Warranty
Warranty Terms and Conditions
Details the warranty period, repair/replacement policy, and exclusions.
Limitations of Liability
Specifies limitations on incidental, consequential, and personal injury damages.
Regulatory Compliance Statements
FCC Radio Frequency Interference Statement
Compliance statement regarding FCC rules for digital devices.
European Union Compliance Statement
Compliance with EMC Directive and specific EN standards.
Australian/New Zealand Compliance Statement
Compliance with Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 3548.
International Compliance
Canadian Compliance Statement
Compliance with Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Japanese Compliance Statement
Compliance with VCCI Voluntary Control Council Initiative.
About This Guide
What You Need to Know Before You Begin
Prerequisites for understanding computer hardware, RAID, and I/O technologies.
Terminology Used in this Guide
Defines key terms like controller, disk drive, and array for the manual.
How to Find More Information
Lists additional documents and resources for more product information.
Kit Contents and System Requirements
Kit Contents
Lists all items included in the Adaptec RAID controller kit.
System Requirements
Outlines the hardware and software prerequisites for installing the controller.
About Your RAID Controller
Standard RAID Controller Features
Describes common features like hot-swapping, event logging, and utilities.
Array-level Features
Details RAID levels, hot spares, online expansion, and array migration.
Adding Enhanced Features
Explains how to upgrade the controller with features like Copyback and Snapshots.
Battery Backup Module Support
Lists supported battery models for Adaptec RAID controllers.
Controller Firmware Upgrade
Instructions on how to update the controller's firmware.
Adaptec 4000SAS Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 4000SAS controller.
Adaptec 4800SAS Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 4800SAS controller.
Adaptec 4805SAS Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 4805SAS controller.
Adaptec 2420SA Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 2420SA controller.
Adaptec 2820SA Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 2820SA controller.
Adaptec 2130SLP Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 2130SLP controller.
Adaptec 2230SLP Overview
Technical specifications and features of the Adaptec 2230SLP controller.
Getting Started
Choosing a RAID Level
Overview of supported RAID levels and their drive requirements.
Selecting Disk Drives
Guidance on choosing compatible SAS, SATA, and SCSI disk drives.
Selecting Cables
Information on SAS, SATA, and SCSI cable options and requirements.
Installation Options
Describes bootable array installation vs. standard installation.
Basic Installation Steps
Outlines the sequential steps for installing the controller.
Installing the Controller and Disk Drives
Before You Begin Installation
Safety precautions and prerequisite checks before controller installation.
Installing the Controller
Step-by-step guide for physically installing the RAID controller in a computer.
Connecting Disk Drives to SAS Controllers
Methods for connecting SAS/SATA drives to SAS RAID controllers.
Connecting Disk Drives to SATA Controllers
Steps for connecting SATA drives to SATA RAID controllers.
Connecting Disk Drives to SCSI Controllers
Steps for connecting SCSI drives to SCSI RAID controllers.
Connecting External Devices
Instructions for connecting external disk drives or enclosures.
Creating a Bootable Array
Setting the Boot Controller
Procedure to designate the RAID controller as the system's boot device.
Creating an Array
Overview of methods for creating a RAID array using utilities.
Creating an Array with the ACU
Detailed steps for creating an array using the Array Configuration Utility.
Creating an Array with Adaptec Storage Manager
Detailed steps for creating an array using the Adaptec Storage Manager software.
Making Your Array Bootable
Final steps to configure the created array as a bootable volume.
Installing Driver and Operating System
Before You Begin Driver Installation
Prerequisites for installing the RAID controller driver.
Creating a Driver Disk
Steps to create a bootable floppy disk with the necessary driver.
Installing with Windows
Guide for installing the driver during Windows OS installation.
Installing with Red Hat Linux
Guide for installing the driver during Red Hat Linux OS installation.
Installing with SuSE Linux
Guide for installing the driver during SuSE Linux OS installation.
Installing with NetWare
Guide for installing the driver during NetWare OS installation.
Installing Driver on Existing OS
Before You Begin Existing OS Install
Prerequisites for installing the driver on an already installed OS.
Creating a Driver Disk
Steps to create a bootable floppy disk with the necessary driver.
Installing on Windows
Steps to install the driver on an existing Windows OS.
Installing on Red Hat or SuSE Linux
Steps to install the driver on existing Red Hat/SuSE Linux.
Installing on NetWare
Steps to install the driver on an existing NetWare OS.
Managing Your Storage Space
About Adaptec Storage Manager
Introduction to the Adaptec Storage Manager software application.
Installing Adaptec Storage Manager
Instructions for installing the Adaptec Storage Manager software.
Adaptec RAID Controller Configuration Utility (ARCCONF)
Description of the command-line utility for array management.
Adaptec RAID Controller Utility (BIOS-based)
Description of the BIOS-based utility for configuration.
Adaptec Flash Utility (AFU)
Description of the DOS-based utility for firmware updates.
Which Utility Should I Use?
Guidance on selecting the appropriate utility for specific tasks.
Solving Problems
Troubleshooting Checklist
A list of common issues and checks for installation or usage problems.
Silencing the Alarm
How to silence the controller's audible alarm using software.
Recovering from Disk Drive Failure
Procedures for data recovery when a disk drive fails.
Handling Disk Drive Failure Scenarios
Covers scenarios like hot spares, multiple failures, and RAID 0.
Resetting the Controller
Steps to reset or flash the controller's firmware to a default state.
Introduction to Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)
Terminology Used in SAS
Defines key terms and concepts related to SAS technology.
How SAS Devices Communicate
Explains the communication mechanisms between SAS devices via links and phys.
What's a SAS Port?
Describes the nature of SAS ports and their addresses.
What's a SAS Connector?
Details the physical SAS connectors and their link capabilities.
SAS Cables Explained
Description of various SAS cable types and their uses.
SAS Connection Options
Overview of direct-attach and backplane connection methods.
SAS Expander Connections
Explanation of expanders for increasing SAS device connectivity.
SAS vs. Parallel SCSI Comparison
Compares SAS interface features and performance against parallel SCSI.
Understanding RAID
RAID Drive Segments
Explains how disk drives are segmented for RAID arrays.
RAID 0 (Non-RAID Arrays)
Details RAID 0 for striping data across drives for performance.
RAID 1 Arrays
Details RAID 1 for mirroring data across drives for redundancy.
RAID 1E Enhanced Arrays
Details RAID 1E for mirrored and striped data with more drives.
RAID 10 Arrays
Details RAID 10 for striped and mirrored arrays for performance and redundancy.
RAID 5 Arrays
Details RAID 5 for striping data with parity for redundancy and performance.
RAID 5EE Arrays
Details RAID 5EE with distributed spare for improved rebuild speed.
RAID 50 Arrays
Details RAID 50 for striping data across multiple RAID 5 arrays.
RAID 6 Arrays
Details RAID 6 for striping data with two parity sets for enhanced redundancy.
RAID 60 Arrays
Details RAID 60 for striping data across multiple RAID 6 arrays.
Selecting the Best RAID Level
Table comparing RAID levels based on performance, redundancy, and usage.
Using the Adaptec RAID Controller Utility
Introduction to the Utility
Overview of the BIOS-based utility and its tools.
Running the Controller Utility
Steps to start and access the Adaptec RAID Controller utility.
Using ACU to Create/Manage Arrays
Instructions for creating and managing arrays with the ACU.
Creating Bootable Arrays
Steps to configure an array as a bootable device.
Initializing Disk Drives
How to initialize disk drives for use in arrays.
Rescanning Disk Drives
How to rescan disk drives to detect changes.
Secure Erasing Disk Drives
Method for securely erasing all data from a disk drive.
Modifying Controller Settings (-Select Utility)
Using the -Select utility to modify controller and drive settings.
General Controller Settings
Configuration options applicable to most Adaptec controllers.
SAS-specific Controller Settings
Specific settings for SAS controllers, including PHY rate and CRC.
SATA-specific Controller Settings
Specific settings for SATA controllers, including write cache.
SCSI-specific Controller Settings
Specific settings for SCSI controllers, including channel ID and termination.
Formatting and Verifying Disk Drives
Procedures for low-level formatting and verifying disk media.
Viewing the Event Log
How to access and view the controller's event log.
Using the ACU for DOS
Getting Started with DOS ACU
Prerequisites and steps to prepare the ACU for DOS floppy disk.
Working in ACU Using Menus
Navigating the ACU interface via menus in DOS.
Running the ACU Using Scripts
Using script files to automate ACU operations.
ACU Script File Keywords
Explanation of keywords used in ACU script files for array configuration.
Using the Adaptec Flash Utility (AFU)
System Requirements for AFU
Outlines the DOS and memory requirements for the AFU utility.
Before You Begin AFU Use
Prerequisites and steps for preparing to use the AFU.
Creating Firmware Floppy Disks
Steps to create bootable floppy disks for firmware updates.
Running the Menu-based AFU
Instructions for using the AFU via its menu interface.
Running AFU from Command Line
Instructions for executing AFU commands via the DOS command prompt.
Updating Flash via AFU Command Line
Specific commands to update controller firmware using the command line.
Safety Information
General Safety Precautions
Guidelines for ensuring personal safety and equipment protection.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Prevention
Procedures to prevent damage from static electricity to components.
Technical Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Details ambient temperature, humidity, and altitude ratings.
DC Power Requirements
Lists DC voltage and ripple/noise specifications.
Current Requirements
Table showing maximum current draw for different Adaptec models.
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