Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : 3Ware Hardware RAID - Auto Verify ON or OFF

[suhailc]

As per the title, what setting do you use and why please?

We're finding on servers with it OFF that there are no issues, but on servers with it ON every so often it kicks a drive to DEVICE-ERROR status and the unit into DEGRADED status even though further checks on the drive show all is good.

Regards,
Suhail.

[PCS-Chris]

What drives are you using?

50% of our servers are 3Ware cards (9650se, 9690sa, 9740-4i) and I'm pretty sure all of them have auto-verify turned on.

I've never had any issues with it, are you sure there is no chassis vibratrion? We had issues with a few cheaper chassis causing lots of RAID dropouts but since replacing the fans + seating with rubber grommits all is well.

[PCS-Chris]

Unit  UnitType  Status         %RCmpl  %V/I/M  Stripe  Size(GB)  Cache  AVrfy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
u0    RAID-10   OK             -       -       64K     596.025   ON     ON

~]# uptime
 14:40:39 up 304 days,  9:36,  1 user,  load average: 0.31, 0.14, 0.09

[(Stephen)]

We have multiple dozens of 3ware cards, all have auto verify on. In the rare occasion one is kicked out of RAID and rebuilt it generally fails in the next month or so....so we take those device error reports seriously

[suhailc]

Thanks for your replies.

Server chassis are mainly SuperMicro and drives WD Caviar.

The vibration issue is interesting, will look into this.

But my real question is why use auto verify ON? What's the purpose?

[PCS-Chris]

Just to check the integrity of the array. You shouldnt need to have it on, but it doesnt hurt. I've had an array go inconsistent on Adaptec cards before even when the array was optimal.

[barbus]

Always keep it on, and never had a problem.