Re: [smartmontools-support] LSI controllers

[Clarinet <cla...@at...>]

On 10/14/2011 5:59 AM, Sandon Van Ness wrote:

>>>>>> I have gone through the supported hardware list for smartmontools
>>>>>> but I
>>>>>> have not found an answer to my questions:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. Are newer LSI controllers like LSI SAS 9200 or LSI SAS 9211
>>>>>> with SAS
>>>>>> hard drives connected supported by smartmontools?
>>>>> Yes when controllers with IT or megaraid firmware, no with IR
>>>>> firmware.
>>>>>> 2. Do I understand it correctly that on 3ware and Areca
>>>>>> controllers the
>>>>>> SAS drives are not supported (while SATA drives are)?
>>>>> Right about 3ware. Areca sas controller is not supported at all.
>>>>>
>>>> Yes, only Areca SATA controllers are supported. Provided IOCTL do not
>>>> allow to pass SCSI commands.
>>>>
>>>> See quote from Areca support:
>>>>
>>>> "there is no support for sas and sata drives for sas controllers with
>>>> smartmontools, there is no support for smart with areca's CLI and there
>>>> is no confirmed schedule yet about both."
>>>>
>>>> BTW with megaraid/lsi controllers it could be dangerous to use
>>>> smartmontools with SATA drives (and no problems with SAS). Usually
>>>> listing smart attributes works fine, but more complicated actions could
>>>> increase drive error counter and in the worst case degrade your array.
>>>>  From my point of view it is result of the firmware bugs.
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
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>>>> Sma...@li...
>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/smartmontools-support
>>>
>>> Actually areca SAS controllers are now supported. I got them to add
>>> support for it. I have a beta firmware that for the ARC-1880 and
>>> ARC-1222 (SAS controllers) that support smartctl with SATA disks
>>> attached. Also they said they would add support for smart info on SAS
>>> disks as well but they might not if I don't push the issue we shall see.
>>
>> Do you have any information on when this fw could possibly be released
>> or when one can get a copy of beta version?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Jiri Polach
>>
> I would think it would be pretty soon but I can contact areca to find
> out. What model of controller are you using? I have the firmware for the
> ARC-1222 and ARC-1880.
>
> I pushed out the new firmware to around 600 machines running areca
> controllers with no problems so far. After all of our 1000+ servers I
> found that around 60 drives in various machines had drives that were
> actually smart failing (mainly re-allocated sectors and end-to-end) and
> the controller had not kicked the drive yet =(. I am later going to go
> through and start replacing drives with>100 re-allocated sectors as well.

Sandon,

Thank you. Can you please contact Areca and ask? Or is there a chance I 
can get your copy of beta firmware? I use ARC-1222 (I wanted to buy SATA 
ARC-1220, but I have been told it is not available any more).

Best regards,

Jiri Polach