Installing an HA two-system JBOD configuration

Use this procedure to help you to install an HA two-system JBOD configuration.

To avoid problems during installation, follow the steps exactly as written.

Attention:

Consider using an HA RAID configuration rather than an HA JBOD configuration due to the increased redundancy, performance, and reliability provided by the RAID subsystem.
Both controllers must have the Dual Initiator Configuration option set to JBOD HA Single Path before being connected to the disk drives, all of the disk drives must be formatted to JBOD (512 bytes per sector) format, and the correct cabling must be used. Remove any devices from the disk expansion drawer that are not set to JBOD or reformat them to JBOD 512 bytes per sector.
It is normal for errors to be logged when updating SAS expander microcode due to the fact that there is only a single path to the expander in this configuration.

Install and update the AIX® SAS controller package on each system or partition. See Controller software for more information.
Install the SAS controllers into the system or partition. Do not attach any cables to the SAS controllers at this time.
Update each controller to the latest SAS controller microcode from the code download Web site. See Updating the SAS RAID controller microcode.
Set the Dual Initiator Configuration mode. Before connecting the AE cables to either controller, change the Dual Initiator Configuration to JBOD HA Single Path on each controller in each system.
1. Navigate to the IBM® SAS Disk Array Manager by using the steps found in Using the Disk Array Manager.
2. Select Diagnostics and Recovery Options.
3. Select Change/Show SAS RAID controller.
4. Select the IBM SAS controller you want.
5. Select Dual Initiator Configuration and choose JBOD HA Single Path.
To prevent errors while connecting the cables, unconfigure the SAS controller on each system or partition:
1. Navigate to the IBM SAS Disk Array Manager by using the steps found in Using the Disk Array Manager.
2. Select Diagnostics and Recovery Options.
3. Select Unconfigure an Available SAS RAID controller.
  Note: In some environments, it might not be possible to unconfigure the controllers. To perform an error-free installation in these environments, perform a normal shutdown of the system or partition before you attach the cables.
Attach an AE cable from the shared disk expansion drawer to the same SAS connector on each controller. To see examples of how to cable the HA configurations, see Serial attached SCSI cable planning.
Configure the SAS controllers, or power on system or partition if powered off earlier:
1. Navigate to the IBM SAS Disk Array Manager by using the steps found in Using the Disk Array Manager.
2. Select Diagnostics and Recovery Options.
3. Select Configure a Defined SAS RAID controller.

Verify that the cabling and functioning of the controllers are correct by using the Change/Show SAS Controller information screen. Each system or partition should show the SAS controller in an Operating Mode of Standalone and a Dual Initiator Configuration of JBOD HA Single Path.

Navigate to the IBM SAS Disk Array Manager by using the steps found in Using the Disk Array Manager.
Select Diagnostics and Recovery Options.
Select Change/Show SAS RAID controller.

Select the IBM SAS controller that you want. The Change/Show SAS Controller screen displays information similar to the following example:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                           Change/Show SAS Controller                           |
|                                                                                |
|Type or select values in entry fields.                                          |
|Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.                                   |
|                                                                                |
|                                                        [Entry Fields]          |
|  SAS adapter                                         sissas0                   |
|  Description                                         PCI-X266 Ext Dual-x4 3>   |
|  Status                                              Available                 |
|  Location                                            04-08                     |
|  Operating mode                                      Standalone Adapter        |
|  Preferred Dual Initiator Operating mode             No Preference           + |
|  Dual Initiator Configuration                        JBOD HA Single Path     + |
|  Serial Number                                       YL3087087597              |
|  World Wide ID                                       5005076c0703e900          |
|  Remote HA Link Operational                          No                        |
|  Remote HA Serial Number                                                       |
|  Remote HA World Wide ID                                                       |
|  Remote AWC Link Operational                                                   |
|  Remote AWC Serial Number                                                      |
|  Remote AWC World Wide ID                                                      |
|                                                                                |
|F1=Help             F2=Refresh          F3=Cancel           F4=List             |
|F5=Reset            F6=Command          F7=Edit             F8=Image            |
|F9=Shell            F10=Exit            Enter=Do                                |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+