aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

[Kurt Newman]

Since the e-mail for Luben Tuikov, the original writer of the aic94xx
driver, no longer works, I was hoping to ask someone a couple simple
questions since it relates to the SATA subsystem.

If this is the incorrect mailing list, I'm very sorry.  Could you refer
me to the proper one?  I'm at a dead end and hoping someone can point me
in a better direction.

My question is:
Does the aic94xx driver enable the use of the Adaptec SATA Raid
functionality, such that, I'm able to see a single "raided" drive,
instead of multiple, individual ones.

Background information:
Thus far, loading the aic94xx module simply says:
"aic94xx: Adaptec aic94xx SAS/SATA driver version 1.0.2-2 loaded".

However, beyond that message and several /sys entries added, I'm unable
to access the raid-1 "drive" created by the adaptec utility.  With or
without that driver loaded, I still only have access to each individual
drive (/dev/sda and /dev/sdb) using ata_piix.

I'm currently attempting to use kernel 2.6.18 (which is patched by
RedHat to create kernel-2.6.18-128.7.1.el5).

Re: aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

[James Bottomley]

On Wed, 2009-08-26 at 12:09 -0500, Kurt Newman wrote:
> Since the e-mail for Luben Tuikov, the original writer of the aic94xx
> driver, no longer works, I was hoping to ask someone a couple simple
> questions since it relates to the SATA subsystem.
> 
> If this is the incorrect mailing list, I'm very sorry.  Could you refer
> me to the proper one?  I'm at a dead end and hoping someone can point me
> in a better direction.
> 
> My question is:
> Does the aic94xx driver enable the use of the Adaptec SATA Raid
> functionality, such that, I'm able to see a single "raided" drive,
> instead of multiple, individual ones.

no ... the raid add on for the 94xx was Aic proprietary.   To get RAID
to work you need to use the linux md software RAID.

> Background information:
> Thus far, loading the aic94xx module simply says:
> "aic94xx: Adaptec aic94xx SAS/SATA driver version 1.0.2-2 loaded".
> 
> However, beyond that message and several /sys entries added, I'm unable
> to access the raid-1 "drive" created by the adaptec utility.  With or
> without that driver loaded, I still only have access to each individual
> drive (/dev/sda and /dev/sdb) using ata_piix.
> 
> I'm currently attempting to use kernel 2.6.18 (which is patched by
> RedHat to create kernel-2.6.18-128.7.1.el5).

Adaptec is supposed to use an industry standard RAID format, so it's
theoretically possible that MD might understand it, but I'd really
advise initiallising the volume from linux using mdadm and simply
dumping the adaptec tool ... that way you won't get any nasty
compatibility surprises.

James

Re: aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

[Kurt Newman]

James Bottomley wrote:
>> My question is:
>> Does the aic94xx driver enable the use of the Adaptec SATA Raid
>> functionality, such that, I'm able to see a single "raided" drive,
>> instead of multiple, individual ones.
> 
> no ... the raid add on for the 94xx was Aic proprietary.   To get RAID
> to work you need to use the linux md software RAID.

After further research into learning what HostRAID (read: software raid)
really is, you're definitely correct.  As far as I can tell, there
wouldn't be much of a gain from using that driver anyways.

Since I've already been using linux md to begin, I might as well
continue to do so.

Was just a fruitless hope that it would simplify the development process.

Thanks for the response.
Kurt

Re: aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

[Robert Hancock]

On 08/26/2009 11:09 AM, Kurt Newman wrote:
> Since the e-mail for Luben Tuikov, the original writer of the aic94xx
> driver, no longer works, I was hoping to ask someone a couple simple
> questions since it relates to the SATA subsystem.
>
> If this is the incorrect mailing list, I'm very sorry.  Could you refer
> me to the proper one?  I'm at a dead end and hoping someone can point me
> in a better direction.
>
> My question is:
> Does the aic94xx driver enable the use of the Adaptec SATA Raid
> functionality, such that, I'm able to see a single "raided" drive,
> instead of multiple, individual ones.
>
> Background information:
> Thus far, loading the aic94xx module simply says:
> "aic94xx: Adaptec aic94xx SAS/SATA driver version 1.0.2-2 loaded".
>
> However, beyond that message and several /sys entries added, I'm unable
> to access the raid-1 "drive" created by the adaptec utility.  With or
> without that driver loaded, I still only have access to each individual
> drive (/dev/sda and /dev/sdb) using ata_piix.

ata_piix will be for an Intel integrated chipset SATA controller, not an 
aic94xx. Are you sure the drives are actually hooked up through the 
Adaptec controller?

>
> I'm currently attempting to use kernel 2.6.18 (which is patched by
> RedHat to create kernel-2.6.18-128.7.1.el5).
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Re: aic94xx and the adaptec sata raid controller (aic-9410)

[Kurt Newman]

Robert Hancock wrote:
> On 08/26/2009 11:09 AM, Kurt Newman wrote:
>> My question is:
>> Does the aic94xx driver enable the use of the Adaptec SATA Raid
>> functionality, such that, I'm able to see a single "raided" drive,
>> instead of multiple, individual ones.
>>
>> Background information:
>> Thus far, loading the aic94xx module simply says:
>> "aic94xx: Adaptec aic94xx SAS/SATA driver version 1.0.2-2 loaded".
>>
>> However, beyond that message and several /sys entries added, I'm unable
>> to access the raid-1 "drive" created by the adaptec utility.  With or
>> without that driver loaded, I still only have access to each individual
>> drive (/dev/sda and /dev/sdb) using ata_piix.
> 
> ata_piix will be for an Intel integrated chipset SATA controller, not an
> aic94xx. Are you sure the drives are actually hooked up through the
> Adaptec controller?
> 

Yes.  I can use the Adaptec bios utility to create a mirror and spend
the hour (or so) to synchronize them.