Cannot create a RAID 1E with an even number of disk drives - IBM Systems

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H21211

Symptom

When attempting to create a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) 1E array on the IBM ServeRAID H1110 SAS/SATA Controller, option 81Y4492, by way of any controller configuration utility, the utility states that any number of disk drives between three (3) and 10 can be used to create a RAID 1E. In fact, only odd numbers of drives between three (3) and nine (9) can be used.

Affected configurations

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM option part numbers:

• LSI2004 RAID Integrated Controller, any embedded
• ServeRAID H1110 SAS/SATA Controller, option part numbers 81Y4492, any replacement part number
• ServeRAID H1135 Controller for IBM Flex System and BladeCenter, option part numbers 90Y4750, any replacement part number

This tip is not system specific.

This tip is not software specific.

The version 15.00.00.00 and earlier levels of firmware for the ServeRAID H1110 SAS/SATA Controller is affected.

The system has the symptom described above.

Solution

This behavior will be corrected in a future release of IBM ServeRAID H1110 SAS/SATA Controller firmware.

The target date for this release is first quarter 2014.

The file will be available by selecting the appropriate Product Group, type of System, Product name, Product machine type, and Operating system on IBM Support's Fix Central web page, at the following URL:

http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral

Additional information

RAID 1E arrays actually can contain only an odd number of drives between three (3) and nine (9). This issue occurs due to a typographic error in the configuration utilities themselves, stating that users can create a RAID1E with any number of drives between three (3) and 10.

The fix for this issue will align the utilities with the configuration utility functionality. The utilities will then state that a RAID1E can be created with only odd numbers of drives between three (3) and nine (9).