Configuring Adaptec SCSI Storage Adapters via Arcconf CLI

Maintaining large-scale database server environments running Adaptec SCSI storage controllers requires low-level command line administration to provision, tune, and expand physical RAID volumes. When deploying servers from automated JumpStart server images, taking nodes down into graphical BIOS controller utility menus wastes valuable time.

In this manual, I explore how to authenticate across bare-metal storage management binaries, query attached Adaptec Storage Controllers, configure hardware read/write cache settings, and provision redundant RAID 1 and RAID 10 logical disk groups via arcconf.

Step 1: Navigating Storage Control Binary Trees

Access your server deployment directories containing compiled storage management binaries (/opt/StorMan) and review attached controller topologies.

# Navigate to storage management binaries path
cd /opt/StorMan

# Output summary data across Controller 1
./arcconf getconfig 1

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Step 2: Querying Controller and Logical Device Details

Before allocating new storage groups or diagnosing degraded performance, execute a deep query to inspect active cache modes, stripe sizes, and drive group assignments.

# Get logical device state details
./arcconf getconfig 1 LD

Controllers found: 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Logical device information
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Logical device number 0
   Logical device name                      : Device 0
   RAID level                               : 10
   Status of logical device                 : Optimal
   Size                                     : 571392 MB
   Stripe-unit size                         : 256 KB
   Read-cache mode                          : Enabled
   Write-cache mode                         : Enabled (write-back)
   Write-cache setting                      : Enabled (write-back) when protected by battery
   Partitioned                              : No
   Protected by Hot-Spare                   : No
   Bootable                                 : Yes
   Failed stripes                           : No
   --------------------------------------------------------
   Logical device segment information
   --------------------------------------------------------
   Group 0, Segment 0                       : Present (0,0) 0012357225AT        3SE225AT
   Group 0, Segment 1                       : Present (0,1) 00123572AY9Q        3SE2AY9Q
   Group 1, Segment 0                       : Present (0,2) 00123374NQHT        6SE4NQHT
   Group 1, Segment 1                       : Present (0,3) 001234710119        6SE10119

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Step 3: Removing and Provisioning RAID Disk Groups

When re-architecting bare-metal drive enclosures, you can invoke destruction of outdated logical partitions and assemble custom RAID arrays dynamically across precise hardware channels.

1. Destroying Legacy Logical Partitions

Safely eliminate obsolete logical volumes to return underlying drives to an unconfigured spare state:

# Usage: DELETE <Controller#> LOGICALDRIVE <ld#> [noprompt]
./arcconf delete 1 logicaldrive 0 noprompt

2. Constructing Redundant RAID 1 Volume Groups

Combine two drives on dedicated hardware channels (0,0 and 0,1) into an exact mirror copy:

# Create RAID 1 volume using drives on channels 0,0 and 0,1
./arcconf create 1 logicaldrive MAX 1 0 0 0 1

3. Provisioning High-Throughput RAID 10 Striped Mirrors

Construct an optimized RAID 10 array across six independent channels (0,2 through 0,7) for highly intensive database I/O workloads:

# Construct a 6-drive RAID 10 array
./arcconf create 1 logicaldrive MAX 10 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 7

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Step 4: Storage Optimizations and Verification

Following logical drive creation, tune physical controller cache behavior to prioritize high-speed write operations and initiate hardware-level integrity verifications.

# Set write cache behavior to Write-Back (wb) mode
./arcconf SETCACHE 1 LOGICALDRIVE 0 wb

# Execute bus rescans across attached SCSI enclosures
./arcconf RESCAN 1

# Launch verification task across device 0 0
./arcconf TASK start 1 DEVICE 0 0 verify_fix

References

• Microchip Adaptec Arcconf Command Reference
• Enterprise Solaris SmartRAID Controller Configuration