Our PS6100 had a bad controller battery and it was simpler to just replace the controller then mess around with batteries (price point).
When replacing the controller, we forgot to switch the SD card from the older one. Once we failed service to the new controller, the unit went offline.
We removed the new controller. Tried to boot with the original controller, the backup controller but the unit remains offline.
We are able to connect through serial but are limited in knowledge and basic actions cannot be performed due to device initializing status.
Unfortunately, this SAN is out of warranty. I called Dell to see if I could get anywhere but I have to spend a 1 time fee for an engineer, which I won't be able to get approved at this time of the year (holidays).
What would be the procedure from here to restore service on this SAN?
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ATTENTION! A critical health condition exists on the array. User intervention is required. Please call your support provider. Once the problem is repaired the array MUST be rebooted.
CLI> member show The storage array is still initializing. Limited commands will be available until the initialization is complete. Please try again later.
Running commands on the second controller results in This operation is only available on the active control module.
What version of the EQL FW is that member running? What version did the replacement CM boot? It's critical to swap the SD cards to maintain the proper FW version. It's possible that damage to the logs has resulted. Which can only be repaired by Dell Engineering.
At the CLI> run support exec sh
At the # prompt type:
#raidtool
#uname -a
#echo hs | ecli
#diskview -j
#cord -b
Please paste the TEXT output, not a screen capture of the output.
ATTENTION! A critical health condition exists on the array. User intervention is required. Please call your support provider. Once the problem is repaired the array MUST be rebooted.
PS Series Storage Arrays Unauthorized Access Prohibited
login: grpadmin Password: Last login: Wed Dec 22 08:48:20 2021 on console
Welcome to Group Manager
Copyright 2001-2019 Dell Inc.
The storage array is still initializing. Limited commands will be available until the initialization is complete. Please try again later.
CLI> 790128:3940:netmgtd:23-Dec-2021 08:58:00.423940:rcc_util.c:1026:INFO::25.2.9:CLI: Login to account grpadmin succeeded, using local authentication. User privilege is group-admin.
Is there only one controller installed at the moment? Do you have the original CM that had the battery warning? Was the battery on that controller in a FAILED state?
If that battery had not actually failed yet, then it's possible the missing cache is in that controller. Probably a long shot. You would have to power off the array. Put that controller in. Pull the one that is active now out a an inch and power up. Connect the serial cable to that controller. Make sure the 10.0.3 sd card is installed in that CM! If it works then the array will boot up and you can install the other controller. Then do a proper shutdown. Pull out the bad controller, swap the SD card to your replacement controller and boot back up. I would inspect the replacement CM cache battery. Look for an expiration date. That replacement CM could also have an old battery. that may also expire before too long.
If the array does not come up, OR that battery had actually expired then there is something else you can do. It is a command that will tell the array to disregard the missing cache data. HOWEVER, this could result in lost data or at worst the missing data is in the block allocation database. Which would also prevent the array from booting and would need to be rebuilt by Dell engineering at a cost.
The command at the CLI> prompt, not the # is clearlostdata It's discussed in the CLI guide
The controller the commands were ran from is the working controller. The second controller is also in and it is the one with the batterie issue.
I think I tried removing the good controller and only booring from the one with the battery issue but it remained in secondary state and would not let me run commands on it. Will try this again and see.
As for the Data, this is a backup unit so Dataloss is not a major concern but the rebuilding part is
If the battery on the other controller has failed then it won't become the active controller.
If worse case, the allocation log is damaged you can reset that array back to factory default and recreate it. So, trying the clealostdata command would be my next suggested step..
Long shot here, If I replace the battery on the controler with the one that came with the new controller, would that let the controller complete its switch and resolve the issue?
I know this may be a very old post, but is sounds I am in the exact same situation as DaniJ1981 . Then I’d kindly like to ask how did he resolved the issue at the end (if fully resolved). If also anyone can provide me any good directions, in order to avoid data loss.
I have already tried to contact the Dell support, but is like a week now of keep trying calling and emailing them, without receiving the real support I need.
dwilliam62
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Posted December 22nd, 2021 10:00
Hello,
What version of the EQL FW is that member running? What version did the replacement CM boot? It's critical to swap the SD cards to maintain the proper FW version. It's possible that damage to the logs has resulted. Which can only be repaired by Dell Engineering.
At the CLI> run support exec sh
At the # prompt type:
#raidtool
#uname -a
#echo hs | ecli
#diskview -j
#cord -b
Please paste the TEXT output, not a screen capture of the output.
Regards,
Don