[Pc_Support] RE: 3DM and Intel Chipsets with PCI-X/64 -- WAS: 3ware RAID controller scripts

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Mon, 2005-11-28 at 03:17 -0500, Bob Lewkowitz wrote:
> Bryan thx. I found that in their manual and I am planning to test that
> software along with the CLI program first thing.

The 3Ware Device Manager (3DM) is the greatest advantage of 3Ware.  The
overwhelming majority of disk controllers _fail_ to have good management
software for Linux.  This is where 3Ware _excels_.

3DM v2 (3DM) ships with the 3Ware 9000 series, but it also works for the
7000/8000 series too.  It runs as a service, and provides an HTTPS://
interface on port 1088 by default.  From that interface you can find
_everything_.  You can setup SMTP and other notification, rebuild
arrays, safely remove disks, etc...

While you don't have to run it, since the on-board intelligence can do
everything necessary and still send all the kernel messages, smartd
notification (kernel 2.6), etc... (3Ware is _very_ keen on complying
with Linux standards -- _unlike_ most other vendors), 3DM2 is too
powerful to ignore.

BTW, if 3DM2 is running, you can't use the CLI.  You have to pick one or
the other -- or just shut down the 3DM2 service before running the CLI.

> I figured I would ask on the list anyway to see if someone has
> customized scripts which do more than the 3ware tools.

The 3Ware tools do _everything_.  They will send you e-mail alerts on
all sorts of issues -- all configurable from the 3DM2 interface.  The
3Ware ASIC is _far_more_intelligent_ than just an ATA controller, and
can sense issues, failures, etc... far better than the standard smartd
of the integrated drive electronics (IDE).

> I am in the process of going through the list archives to get more
> helpful hints. That is how I learnt about the 3ware suggestion. I have
> found that you seem to have a lot of experience with these cards so I
> was hoping you could suggest a good Pentium 4 motherboard to use with
> them.

Get a mainboard with 64-bit PCI (@66MHz) or PCI-X slots (which can do
64-bit @ 66MHz).  The 3Ware cards are 3.3V with 5V tolerance, so they
will work with either.  You do _not_ want to put such a powerful card in
a standard PCI slot -- you will saturate the PCI bus and it will be a
major bottleneck.

> I would have asked this question on the list but it seems that people
> there don't seem to like offtopic posts.

Yeah, well I've argued that we need a "Practices/Concepts" list, but
that always seems to fall on deaf ears (although I prefix any such posts
with "[Practices]").  I've also suggested we are large enough to switch
to a Linux/Sun-Managers format, but that too falls on deaf ears.  I'm
considering started an "ELManagers" (Enterprise Linux Managers) list
myself, but I'm trying to do that in a way that doesn't piss anyone off.

Regardless, I help run a PC Support "anything goes" list here:  
  http://lists.matrixlist.com/mailman/listinfo/pc_support  

> I have bought this hardware in bits and pieces so I have the P4
> processors,

Processors? (plural?)  You _do_ know that Socket-478 and LGA-775 are
_uniprocessor_ only, correct?  You have to go Socket-603/604 Xeon to get
multiprocessor.

And sadly enough, it's difficult to find 64-bit PCI or PCI-X in a
ServerWorks ServerSet IV or the Intel E7200/7500 (re-branded ServerWorks
chipset) on anything but Socket-603/604 Xeon.

> raid cards, hard drives but now I'm looking into motherboards. Have
> you come across any favorites after playing with these cards?

The last Intel platforms I've deployed were Socket-370 Pentium III with
ServerWorks ServerSet III.  Other than a few Socket-603/604 P4-Xeons
with ServerWorks ServerSet IV/E7500, I have _never_ deployed Pentium IV.
I've only deployed Opteron since.

There are a few PCI-X chipsets Intel had ServerWorks create for
Socket-478 and LGA-775 mainboards that are more "server" class:  

1) ServerWorks GrandChampion (GC) SL (Entry-Level)
Socket-478, 603/604, DDR, PCI-X
   http://www.broadcom.com/products/Enterprise-Small-Office/SystemI-O-Chips/GC-SL  

2) ServerWorks GrandChampion (GC) WS (Workstation)
Socket-478, 603/604, DDR, PCI-X
  http://www.broadcom.com/products/Enterprise-Small-Office/SystemI-O-Chips/GC-WS  

3) Intel Enterprise 7210 (E7210)
Socket-478, 603/604, DDR, PCI-X
  http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/e7210/  

4) Intel Enterprise 7210 (E7221)
LGA-775, DDR2, PCI-X
  http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/e7221/  

5) Intel Enterprise 7210 (E7230)
LGA-775 "dual-core", DDR2, PCI-X, PCIe x8 (non-video)
  http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/e7230/  

The more enterprise GC-HE (Quad capable), GC-LE and GC-SL chipsets would
basically become the foundation of the Intel E7500 server chipsets.
They pre-date the introduction of both the E7500 and then the latter,
more "entry-level" E7200 series that removed extra PCI-X channels.
Although you will typically find the E7210 on the dual or single
processor P4-Xeon, there were some Socket-478 mainboards released.

The E7221 was designed specifically for LGA-775, and the latest E7230
adds a PCI x8 slot to the PCI-X bus -- clearly the Intel platform
equivalent to the new ServerWorks HT1000/HT2000 chipset(s) for Opteron.

At NewEgg.COM, if you have Socket-478 Pentium 4s, you will find E7210
mainboards here:  
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=Go&description=E7210  

For LGA-775 Pentium 4s, the E7221 mainboards here:
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=Go&description=E7221  

And for LGA-775 "Pentium D" (dual-core), the E7230 mainboards here:  
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=Go&description=E7230  

You should _always_ consider the _mainboard_ *FIRST* when building a
system, _not_ the processor.  The mainboard is the computer -- mainly
the chipset and its I/O capabilities.  ;->

Please don't do what other people do and complain about the cost of
these mainboard ($200-300+).  If you want the I/O that can take the
3Ware card, you need PCI-X or at least 64-bit PCI.  Do _not_ stick this
card in a 32-bit at 33MHz PCI slot or you'll be killing both your PCI bus
and the cards potential.  PCIe disk controllers are few and far between
right now (only the Areca is available, and I haven't tested it's Linux
abilities yet, although it is promising).

If cost is really an issue, consider either an older Pentium III
mainboard with a ServerWorks ServerSet III mainboard, or an older
(possibly used) Socket-603 P4-Xeon mainboard with a ServerWorks GC-SL
chipset if you can find one cheap (most new are $350-600!).  I
personally have a ServerWorks ServerSet IIILE at home and my 3Ware card
is in a 64-bit PCI slot (although the slot is capable of 64-bit @ 66MHz,
the card is an older 3Ware that runs 64-bit @ 33MHz).


-- 
Bryan J. Smith   mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org
http://thebs413.blogspot.com
------------------------------------------
Some things (or athletes) money can't buy.
For everything else there's "ManningCard."