Applied Users Forums

Hardware & Infrastructure => Hardware => Topic started by: Bloody Jack Kidd on September 22, 2011, 08:19:05 PM

Title: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Bloody Jack Kidd on September 22, 2011, 08:19:05 PM
We've recently noticed multiple Dell servers with PERC 6 RAID controllers that appear to have had a default setting where no READ cache was enabled.  Changing this to Adaptive Read yielded an average 20% improvement in sequential read performance.

Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Hans Manhave on September 23, 2011, 02:42:28 PM
I guess one has to be at the console and start some firmware / keystroke combo to get into that option?  I am looking forward to reboot the server and see.  Normally I don't like to do that at all.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Bloody Jack Kidd on September 23, 2011, 03:09:17 PM
Dell's Open Manage Server Administrator tool, if installed, will let you check and change this from Windows.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Jeff Golas on September 23, 2011, 03:40:39 PM
Or if you have Drac or iDrac cards.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Hans Manhave on September 24, 2011, 11:45:25 AM
Quote from: Bloody Jack Kidd on September 23, 2011, 03:09:17 PM
Dell's Open Manage Server Administrator tool, if installed, will let you check and change this from Windows.

Including if one has Windows installed virtually?
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Jeff Golas on September 24, 2011, 03:59:41 PM
Looks like it has to be installed within the Hypervisor...

http://deinfotech.blogspot.com/2011/08/installing-dell-openmanage-server.html

Granted just checking a raid setting would only require one reboot - installing OM takes a few it looks like, but then you have it accessibly moving forward. Better to just get iDracs on any new boxen - you may even be able to get it for an existing server.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Mark on September 26, 2011, 09:30:07 AM
So.. remembering the username and password combination for your iDRAC is somewhere on the list of important things then, I take it.

The only hint I left myself is that it 's not root/calvin and that I have forgotten it before.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Jeff Golas on September 26, 2011, 09:43:02 AM
What...you're not using the Vortex password manager by Nick's buddy?

http://www.maelstromsolutions.com/Password_Tool.aspx

Yeah I prob forgot all mine too lol.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Mark on September 26, 2011, 09:44:43 AM
Quote from: Jeff Golas on September 26, 2011, 09:43:02 AM
What...you're not using the Vortex password manager by Nick's buddy?

http://www.maelstromsolutions.com/Password_Tool.aspx

Yeah I prob forgot all mine too lol.

Hah!  Nah, my password manager is physically mounted on a stick just above my shoulders.  Found my password written on the bottom of my virtual keyboard ;)

BUT, not seeing where this setting is in the iDRAC yet.
Title: Re: Check your RAID settings
Post by: Jeff Golas on September 26, 2011, 05:02:30 PM
Hrmm maybe the idrac doesn't cover raid, I thought it did. I'll take a look later this week when the list at my desk goes under 5 people.