Step by step RAID 1 Configuration on an IBM Machine.

How to configure the IBM Machine to RAID 1 configuration via BIOS.

Introduction:

What is RAID?

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit for the purposes of data redundancy and performance improvement. Data is distributed across the drives in one of several ways, referred to as RAID levels, depending on the specific level of redundancy and performance required.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID

What is RAID 1 Configuration?

RAID 1 comprises mirroring (without parity or striping). Data are written identically to two (or more) drives, thereby producing a "mirrored set". The read request is serviced by any of the drives containing the requested data. This can improve performance if data is read from the disk with the least seek latency and rotational latency. Conversely, write performance can be degraded because all drives must be updated; thus the write performance is determined by the slowest drive. The array continues to operate as long as at least one drive is functioning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID#RAID_1

To setup IBM Machine to RAID 1 you need to follow these steps through BIOS:

Let's assume that you don't have any existing RAID configuration on a particular IBM Machine, because if you have any configuration existed, you are unable to configure the RAID unless you will delete the configuration and this deletion will eventually reformat the drive, so, be sure to backup all of your data on an particular drive before you proceed.

• The first thing you need to do is to prepare your IBM Machine and Reboot it and Enter the BIOS.
• When you reboot your IBM Machine, you will see the system initialization, wait until it's done.
• After that, initial screen will appear, wait until the MENU to appear and press F1 to enter SETUP as seen on the screenshots below.

• Press F1 to Enter the BIOS.

• In the BIOS, Highlight "SYSTEM SETTINGS" Menu and press the ENTER key.

• In the "System Settings", Highlight the "STORAGE" Menu and press the ENTER key.

• In the "Storage" Menu, You will see the available controller that your machine had. 
• In the screenshot below, it has the "LSI SAS2 MPT Controller SAS2004", yours might have different controller name.
• Highlight the controller and press the ENTER key to configure it.

• Now, you will see the controller with its version.
• Press the ENTER key to configure it.

•  In the "Configuration Options", Highlight the "Controller Management" and press ENTER key.

•  Highlight the "Controller Management" and press the ENTER key.

• In the "Controller Management", You will see this menus, "View Controller Properties", "Change Controller Properties", "Create Configuration", and "Save Controller Events".

• You can explore those menus, but, proceed with cautions.

• This part is the actual configuration of RAID 1 on this machine.
• Highlight the "Create Configuration" and press the ENTER key.

• On this part, you see the "RAID level" Selection. Currently the RAID level is RAID 0.
• Press the ENTER key to choose the RAID level and select RAID 1 as seen in the screenshots.

• RAID 1 highlighted, Press the ENTER key to select.

•  As seen in the screenshot, the RAID level has been RAID 1.

• This part will be the selection of Physical Disks that your machine had. 
• On this guide, you will be seeing four (4) Physical Disks, because the Machine has actually two (2) internal HDD and two (2) external HDD attached to it, the external HDD is attached through SAS Connectivity Card (CIOv). So the Physical Disks that will be seen in your machine will depend on the configuration of the machine and also to the machine itself, such as the IBM BladeCenter.

• Now, highlight the "Select Physical Disks" and press the ENTER key to select.

•  Now, you are seeing four (4) Physical Disks as I have mentioned it.
• On this part, before selecting the Physical Disks, make sure that the "Interface Type" and the "Media Type" are correction according to the specification of the Disks.
• On this machine, the Interface Type is SAS (this can be SATA, too) and the Media Type is HDD (this can be SolidState, too), so, make sure of that or else, it might cause to trouble. PROCEED WITH CAUTIONS!
• So, as in the screenshot, this configuration is correct.
• Let's proceed to the selection of Physical Disks.

•  Now, Select the Physical Disks.
• I selected the two (2) internal HDD of the machine, the other two (2) there are the external HDD.
• I recognize the internal and external through their number coding, the 0:1:0 and 0:1:1 are the internal which is the second digit in the three (3) digit number coding states as the primary and the last digit states the order of the Physical Disk, and the 0:4:0 and 0:4:1 are the external disks.

•  After the selection of Physical Disks, Highlight the "Apply Changes" and press the ENTER key.

•  And you will be ask to confirm the creation of the configuration.

•  Confirmed the Creation of the configuration by the checkbox.

•  And then, highlight and select the "YES" to continue the creation.

•  And a message will tell you regarding the creation.
• Operation Completed Successfully.

•  Highlight and select the "OK" to continue.
• And Congratulation, you just configured the internal HDD to RAID 1.

• Now, I am going to configure the RAID 1 of the external HDD, but I will reduce the explanation or note because the procedure is just the same, and will make a note whenever there is a changes that is not seen in the above procedure. OK! let's do it now.

• Ok, let's start here.
• Select Controller Management.

•  Then, Create Configuration.
• Oppszz! Did you notice the "Clear Configuration" menu? It will appear whenever you have a configuration to clear, just like the configuration that we already created a while ago.
• The clear configuration will gone if there is no configuration existed on the controller.
• OK! Let's proceed to the creation of the configuration.

• Then, select the RAID level to RAID 1.

•  RAID 1, selected.

•  Proceed to the selection of Physical Disks.

•  Make necessary changes, and select the Physical Disks.

• Oppszz! Notice something?
• The only physical disks that are available are those that was not yet configured, so the selection are now easy.
• Select those two (2) physical disks.

• Apply Changes.

• Message appeared that asking you to confirm.

• Confirm it.

• Select YES to continue.

• And, TAdaAaah! Another successful operation. ^_^
• Congratulation once again.

• Select OK to continue.

• In a few minutes, we are able to configure the RAID 1 of the machine, for internal and external HDD.
• Now, to save what we done here, let's go back to the start of the screen of the BIOS.
• Do as seen in the screenshots.

• Press the ESC key until you reach the very start of the SETUP.

• Now that you already reach the very beginning of the SETUP, and your screen is like the screenshot below, highlight the "SAVE SETTINGS" and press the ENTER key.

• Your screen might go to blank for a few second during the process.
•  And then, after that, your screen will return.

• Highlight the EXIT SETUP to exit the setup.

• Confirm the the Exit message.

And... you are done. we have successfully configured RAID 1.

Very easy, isn't it? you can explore the Setup but, like I said, PROCEED WITH CAUTIONS or you might get troubles.

I just learnt this thing by observing the Engineer setup our server and just sharing it. ^_^

Thank you for reading my very first article in my blog. I hope this article help you as it help me.

Just comment your opinion about this, thanks.



Have a nice day and best regards.