Extracting the RAID-Controller Logs via MegaCLI

Summarize the steps used to address the issue and include any detailed instructions on required actions.
This article explains how to extract RAID controller logs on your Dell system using MegaCli utility by Broadcom (formerly LSI / Avagotech). Reviewing the logs from the RAID controller is an important step when troubleshooting HDD and RAID related issues.
 
Note: PercCLI has replaced MegaCLI (not supported by Dell) starting with the PERC Series 8 and newer series. See the List of PERC types for Dell EMC systems to identify which series is your PERC controller.

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Access the RAID Controller logs with MegaCli in Microsoft Windows, Linux, XenServer or VMware operating systems:

Table of content
1. Extracting the RAID controller logs via MegaCli in Windows operating systems
2. Extracting the RAID controller logs via MegaCli in Linux operating systems
3. Extracting the RAID Controller logs with MegaCli in XenServer
4. Extracting the RAID Controller logs with MegaCli in VMware ESX / ESXi

 

1. Extracting the RAID controller logs via MegaCli in Windows operating systems

To extract the RAID controller logs, perform the following procedure:
Note: MegaCLI is supported on Windows Server 2003/2008/2012

1. Download the MegaCli utility  from the Broadcom support site

2. Unzip the downloaded files and copy them to any directory of your installed operating system (e.g.: Windows – C:\temp\megacli)

3. From the command prompt in Windows operating systems, navigate to the newly created directory and run any of the following commands:

   Note: Administrative rights are necessary.

   Command	Action
   MegaCli.exe -FwTermLog -Dsply -aALL > ttylog.txt	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog)
   MegaCli.exe -PDList -aALL > disks.txt	Creates a list with information about the RAID controllers, virtual disks and hard disks installed
   MegaCli.exe -LDInfo -LALL -aALL > LDinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about existing RAID volumes and configurations
   MegaCli.exe -AdpAllInfo -aALL > Adapterinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about RAID controller settings
   MegaCli.exe -AdpBbuCmd -aALL > Battery.txt	Creates a detailed list of the battery status of the RAID controller (state of charge, learning cycle, etc.)
   MegaCli.exe -AdpEventLog -IncludeDeleted -f deleted.txt -aALL	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog) with all information since very first controller initialization (Note: This file will always be saved in the MegaCLI root folder)

2. Extracting the RAID controller logs via MegaCli in Linux operating systems

To extract the PERC logs, perform the following procedure:

1. Download the MegaCli utility from the Broadcom support site

2. Unzip the downloaded files and install them to any directory of your installed operating system (e.g.: Linux – /tmp/megacli)

3. From a terminal window in Linux, install the using the the following command:

   Note: root priviledges required to install MegaCLI:
   # rpm -i MegaCli-8.07.14-1.noarch.rpm

    

4. Then change directory into /opt/MegaRAID/MegaCLI/ and run any of the commands from the table below:

   Command	Action
   ./MegaCli64 -FwTermLog -Dsply -aALL > /tmp/ttylog.txt	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog)
   ./MegaCli64 -PDList -aALL > /tmp/disks.txt	Creates a list with information about the RAID controllers, virtual disks and hard disks installed
   ./MegaCli64 -LDInfo -LALL -aALL > /tmp/LDinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about existing RAID volumes and configurations
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpAllInfo -aALL > /tmp/Adapterinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about RAID controller settings
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpBbuCmd -aALL > /tmp/Battery.txt	Creates a detailed list of the battery status of the RAID controller (state of charge, learning cycle, etc.)
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpEventLog -IncludeDeleted -f deleted.txt -aALL	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog) with all information since very first controller initialization (Note: This file will always be saved in the MegaCLI root folder)

3. Extracting the RAID Controller logs with MegaCli in XenServer

To extract the RAID Controller logs, perform the following procedure:

1. Download the MegaCli utility from the Broadcom support site

2. Unzip the downloaded files and copy the MegaCli-8.07.14-1.noarch.rpm to the XenServer host folder /tmp/MegaCli

3. From a telnet / SSH console such as Putty connected to the XenServer host. Install the package using the following command
   # rpm -ivh MegaCli-8.07.14-1.noarch.rpm

4. From telnet / SSH console switch to the directory opt/lsi/MegaCli and run any of the following commands:

   Command	Action
   ./MegaCli64 -FwTermLog -Dsply -aALL > /tmp/ttylog.txt	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog)
   ./MegaCli64 -PDList -aALL > /tmp/disks.txt	Creates a list with information about the RAID controllers, virtual disks and hard disks installed
   ./MegaCli64 -LDInfo -LALL -aALL > /tmp/LDinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about existing RAID volumes and configurations
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpAllInfo -aALL > /tmp/Adapterinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about RAID controller settings
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpBbuCmd -aALL > /tmp/Battery.txt	Creates a detailed list of the battery status of the RAID controller (state of charge, learning cycle, etc.)
   ./MegaCli64 -AdpEventLog -IncludeDeleted -f deleted.txt -aALL	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog) with all information since very first controller initialization (Note: This file will always be saved in the MegaCLI root folder)

4. Extracting the RAID Controller logs with MegaCli in VMware ESX / ESXi

To extract the RAID Controller logs, perform the following procedure:

1. Activate SSH using Option 1 or Option 2
   • Option 1: vSphere Client to vCenter

     • Connect via the vSphere Client to the vCenter and the ESX/ESXi host.

     • Click on your ESX / ESXi host.

     • Then select Configuration and click on Security.

     • Click on sub-services, then the properties box.

     • Select the SSH - enable option.

   • Option 2: Within ESX / ESXi

     • Connect via the iDrac to the ESX host (virtual console) or connect directly to the ESXi host.

     • Press F2 -> Troubleshooting Options.

     • Select SSH - enable if it is disabled (Figure 1 (English-only)).
       
       
       Figure: Enabling the SSH

2. Download the MegaCli utility from the Broadcom support site

3. Unzip the downloaded files and copy the vmware-esx-MegaCli-8.07.07.vib in the subfolder Vmware-MN to the ESXi host folder /tmp

4. From a telnet / SSH console connected to the ESXi host, install the vmware-esx-MegaCli-8.07.07.vib using the following command:
   esxcli software vib install -v=/tmp/vmware-esx-MegaCli-8.07.07.vib --no-sig-check

5. From telnet / SSH console switch to the directory /opt/lsi/MegaCLI and run any of the following commands:

   Command	Action
   ./MegaCli -FwTermLog -Dsply -aALL > /tmp/ttylog.txt	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog)
   ./MegaCli -PDList -aALL > /tmp/disks.txt	Creates a list with information about the RAID controllers, virtual disks and hard disks installed
   ./MegaCli -LDInfo -LALL -aALL > /tmp/LDinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about existing RAID volumes and configurations
   ./MegaCli -AdpAllInfo -aALL > /tmp/Adapterinfo.txt	Creates a list with information about RAID controller settings
   ./MegaCli -AdpBbuCmd -aALL > /tmp/Battery.txt	Creates a detailed list of the battery status of the RAID controller (state of charge, learning cycle, etc.)
   ./MegaCli -AdpEventLog -IncludeDeleted -f deleted.txt -aALL	Creates the RAID controller log (ttylog) with all information since very first controller initialization  Note: The "deleted.txt" file is always stored in the MegaCLI folder.

   
   
   Figure: Controller log creation