Adding A Hot Spare While Remirror RAID Configuration

Hello Andrew,

To my suggestion, first, do a full data back up before any disk replacement, to be safe.

Now, after replacing a failed drive with a new one, it usually should rebuild RAID by itself. But at times, it doesn't. When it doesn't, you can either rebuild the RAID or assign the new disk as dedicated hotspare via Open Manage, this should start rebuild your RAID soonest.

Just make sure that the new replacement disk is the same specification as the existing one, or preferable the same DPN# to avoid any complication. But at time, trying to find the same disk would be difficult, I understand. 

I have to add to this as I am having a very interesting situation.  The drives as first ordered were 15K 600GB SAS driver 3.5" W347K Now looking at the information in Open Manage I am not sure why I didn't match up the drive Prod # AL13SXL600N as being a 2.5 in drive but did not know the Dell part number which looking at the drive is a WPJY9 .  So, when I installed the 3.5" drive it was able to rebuild the RAID with no problem and the RAID is no longer degraded.  However, under Predicted Failure column it is showing YES.  Now, I am not sure if that is due to an inherent problem with the drive in which case I will just have them replace the drive or whether that error is due to the drive not being an exact match for the ones in there already.  Unfortunately, the machine is out of warranty and  company I ordered the doesnt have a support team.  

I also ordered a second drive to designate as a hot spare and it is in and is showing no errors.

So, Do I need to replace the drive with a problem or do I need to have them replace both the drives.  

Hello Medusanyc,

First check if it is a reporting error by doing a flea power drain and check results after.

drain flea power (shut down, disconnect power cables and Network cables, hold in power button 20 seconds with cords removed).  After flea power drain, system has to set for 3 minutes for DRAC to reset without any power plugged in, then plug in NIC and power but wait 2 minutes before power on to give DRAC time to initialize. Check results.

You should have built in hardware diagnostics in the LifeCycle Controller (F10 in POST) you can run to test the drives.

When we have a predictive fail drive that is still an online member of the array, there are 2 things that need to be done before pulling and replacing: using OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA)

1.Consistency check:

In OMSA: Expand Storage>expand controller. Select ‘Virtual Disk’. Choose ‘Check Consistency’ from dropdown and Execute.

2.When completed consistency check then Put drive offline before replacing:

In OMSA: Expand Storage>expand controller>expand connector>enclosure>select physical disks (or array disks). Select the drop down next to hard drive , choose offline and execute.

I'd also recommend update the firmware on the #W347K drives if you have any more left in the system.

 ES68 firmware: https://dell.to/3LqCAyo

A controller log will be helpful for you here also. See if it indicated a puncture in the array.

To get controller log: in Open Manage, expand Storage>select the controller.

Click Information/Configuration hyper link at top.

Use the ‘Controller Task’ drop down>

select Export Log, click Execute and Export on next page.

Log will be in Windows folder with file name LSI_####.log

OK will do those things once I get a successful backup tonight.  Not sure that answers my question about whether I should have the company I got the drive from to replace that drive (it is under warranty) or whether the issue is due to some of the drives being 2.5" drives and the new one is a 3.5".  If the 3.5" W247K is ok with the other ones then I would sooner just have them replace it with one that doesn't have that error.

Hi @Medusanyc,

Mixing 2.5" and 3.5" should not affect or raise any issue with having any error on predictive failure. Predictive failure is mainly for the individual disk itself. Some times, outdated RAID controller firmware can cause the error, as the algorithm of predictive calculation is wrong. Is the predict failure status on the new drive? From what I can think of is to try consistency check on the VD: https://dell.to/3sKlzJc to see if it helps the issue. But before that, advisable to do full data backup. 

By the way, I tried looking at PN# WPJY9; it isn't coming out as any disk in the Dell database, it's probably a 3rd party disk, non-Dell? 

This is the drive.

Yes, the predicted failure was on the drive I just installed to replace one that failed.  It is covered by warranty and will get it replaced as it is brand new to me.  As long as there is no need to match the drives will not deal with returning them to replace them with 2.5" drives. 

Not sure if it is due to the predicted failure on that drive but our daily backups seem to be taking twice as long as usual.  I am assuming it has to do with that drive as even in the degraded state it wasnt that slow.  

Will run consistancy check after tomorrow's backup so if there are any issues i will have the weekend to deal with it

Thank you all!

Hi @Medusanyc,

Thanks for the picture. I found the PN#. 

It can affect the RAID if a disk is detected as predictive failure. My opinion is to run a consistency check after a full data backup. Also check firmware level, make sure they are up to date If the status of the disk is still a predictive fail disk, have it replace under warranty. Some times consistency checks can determine the other disk failures, something like scandisk in Windows.