How Do I Configure RAID 1 With the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager OROM?

Article Summary:

This article provides information on how to configure RAID 1 with the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager OROM.

Table of Contents:

1. Overview of RAID 1
2. Enable the SATA RAID Setting in the BIOS
3. Create a RAID 1 Volume
4. Delete a RAID Volume with the Intel Matrix Storage Manager OROM
5. Rebuilding a Degraded RAID 1 Volume with the Intel® Matrix Storage Console and the Matrix Storage Manager

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Issue 1.

Overview of RAID 1

RAID level 1 uses a data-redundancy storage technique known as "mirroring" to enhance data integrity. When data is written to the primary drive, the data is also duplicated, or mirrored, on the second drive in the configuration. A RAID level 1 configuration sacrifices high data-access rates for its data redundancy advantages (Figure 1 (English)).

Figure 1: Graphical Depiction of RAID 1 Logic
If a drive failure occurs, subsequent read and write operations are directed to the surviving drive. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the surviving drive.

	Note:
	In a RAID level 1 configuration, the size of the configuration is equal to the size of the smallest drive in the configuration.

It is possible to configure RAID 0 and/or 1 on select Dell systems with eSATA technology. Though Dell does not support RAID technology with eSATA.

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Issue 2.

Enable the SATA RAID Setting in the BIOS

 

1. Reboot the computer.
2. When prompted during POST, press the <F2> key to enter the setup screen.
3. On the System Setup screen, use the <Down Arrow> key until Drives is highlighted, then press the <Enter> key.
4. On the Drives menu, use the <Down Arrow> key until SATA Operation is highlighted, then press the <Enter> key.
5. On the SATA Operation menu , use the <Left Arrow> or <Right Arrow> key to select RAID On and press the <Enter> key.
6. To exit press the <Esc> key.
7. At the Exit menu, use the <Right Arrow> key to select Save/Exit and press the <Enter> key to restart the system.

 

	Note:
	If RAID AUTO is configured in the BIOS, the only way the controller banner will be presented is if the SATA hard drives have a RAID signature written to them. RAID On must be set for the initial configuration of the RAID array.

For more information on System Configuration and Setup, refer to the User Guide located at Dell Support.

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Issue 3.

Create a RAID 1 Volume

 

	Notice:
	This procedure removes ALL data from the system. For this reason, it is important to ensure that data has been backed up.

To configure the Intel Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM (OROM) for a RAID 1 setup:

1. Reboot the computer.
2. When prompted during power-on self-test (POST), press and hold the <Ctrl> key and tap the <i> to enter the Intel Matrix Storage Manager OROM.
3. When the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager screen appears, use the <Up>or <Down> arrow key until 1. Create RAID Volume is highlighted, then press the <Enter> key.
4. When the Create Volume menu appears, leave the default value for the Name: field, Volume0, and press the <Enter> key.
5. Use the <Up>or <Down> arrow key on the RAID Level field to select RAID1(Mirror) and press the <Enter> key.
6. Leave the default value for the Capacity field and press the <Enter> key.
7. When the Create Volume option is highlighted, press the <Enter> key. 
8. When the WARNING: ALL DATA ON SELECTED DISKS WILL BE LOST. caution appears, press the <Y> key if all required data has been backed up and all backup media is available.
9. When the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager screen appears and the RAID 1 volume has been created, press the <Esc> key.
10. When the CONFIRM EXIT message appears, press the <Y> key.
    
    The system restarts.

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Issue 4.

Delete a RAID Volume with the Intel Matrix Storage Manager OROM

 

	Notice:
	This procedure will remove ALL data from the system. For this reason, it is important to ensure that data has been backed up.

To delete a RAID array from the Intel Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM (OROM), perform the following steps:

1. Reboot the computer.
2. When prompted during POST, press ad hold the <CTRL> key and tap the <i> to enter the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager OROM.
3. At the Intel Matrix Storage Manager screen, use the <Down Arrow> or <Up Arrow> key until 2. Reset Disks to Non-RAID is highlighted, then press the <Enter> key.
4. At the RESET RAID DATA menu, use the <Down Arrow> or <Up Arrow> keys to highlight the drive that is to be removed from the RAID volume and press the <Space Bar> key.
    

   	Note:
   	Repeat Step 4 for each drive that is to be removed from the RAID volume.

5. Press the <Enter> key on the drive with the green arrow that is to be deleted.
6. Press the <Y> key at the Are you sure you want to reset RAID data on selected disks? (Y/N): screen if all required data has been backed up and all backup media is available.
7. Press the <Esc> key.
8. At the CONFIRM EXIT screen, press the <Y> key to restart the system.

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Issue 5.

Rebuilding a Degraded RAID 1 Volume with the Intel® Matrix Storage Console     and the Matrix Storage Manager

To attempt to rebuild a degraded RAID array using the Intel Matrix Storage Console, perform the following steps:

1. Reboot the system.
2. After the Degraded RAID status, press the <F1> key to continue into Windows.
3. Once in Windows, click Start, click All Programs, click Intel Matrix Storage Manager, and click Intel Matrix Storage Console.
4. In the Intel Storage Console, right-click the available hard drive and click Rebuild to this Disk to begin the rebuild process.

To attempt to rebuild a degraded RAID array using the Intel Matrix Storage Manager, perform the following steps:

1. Reboot the computer.
2. When prompted during power-on self-test (POST), press and hold the <Ctrl> key and tap the <i> to enter the Intel Matrix Storage Manager OROM.
3. When the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager screen appears, a Degraded Volume Detected message will promptly follow with a list showing the blank hard drives in the system, press the <Enter> key to select the hard drive to add to the pre-existing RAID 1 array.
4. When the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager screen appears, the RAID 1 volume will now have a status of Rebuild, press the <Esc> key.
5. When the CONFIRM EXIT message appears, press the <Y> key to restart the system and allow the rebuild process to complete once in the OS.

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