Raid 5 Array/Snap Appliance

[Clart]

ok so i have inherited a Snap Appliance 4500, its got 4x 250GB drives in a Raid 5 array.

1) I've booted the thing up but have no idea what the IP address is or how to change it

2) I beleive that the physical drive order may have been mixed up *ahem* at some point - if so am i screwed or is there any way to tell what the original order was?

 

[Nightwalker]

These things are usually configured via a webpage. I have not used a Snap before but if it were me I would connect it up on a network with a DHCP server so it should pick up an IP on its own. Then do an IP scan (use 'Angry IP Scanner'). You should hopefully get a hit on the IP the Snap box has, then get your web browser open and type the IP in after http://

Failing that I found a user guide on the net: ftp://ftp.cesnet.cz/.vol/ftp.adaptec.com/pdfs/quick_start_guides/snap_server_4500-4200_v26_qsg.pdf

 

[Griff]

Server admin guide for the 4500 here - http://www.snapserver.com/pdf/snap_server_administrator_gos_ug_v3_0.pdf

IP settings on page 14

 

[Clart]

cheers guys, i've read through that guide - it looks like the device is up and operational and i've connected using a crossover to the lan port, but cannot find any ip addresses using an ip scanner. hmmmmm

 

[Nightwalker]

You have a crossover direct from your PC/Laptop to the Snap or from the Snap into a router/switch?

 

[sn00p]

cheers guys, i've read through that guide - it looks like the device is up and operational and i've connected using a crossover to the lan port, but cannot find any ip addresses using an ip scanner. hmmmmm

Install wireshark and see if it's emitting any packets, with any luck it'll be spewing out something that'll lead you to it's IP address. You'll probably want to cycle the power after scanning as it's probably more likely to do something straight after boot.

 

[DMS]

Assuming you've connected it correctly as above, see here:

http://wiki.procooling.com/index.ph...ess.2C_Admin_Password.2C_.26_Network_Settings

or rather here:

http://wiki.procooling.com/index.php/Snap_Server_Resets

Also as above, if you install a protocol analyser such as Wireshark or Ethereal you might be able to find something that leads you to its IP address. Maybe look for broadcast packets and check the source IP address?

 

[Clart]

am i right in thinking the whole thing will be shagged if the disks are in the wrong order?

 

[DMS]

Yes and no.
The RAID array will probably be broken and the data all but lost, but there'll be nothing stopping you from rebuilding the array and using it again (as if starting from scratch).
RAID 5 arrays usually take a while to build and synchronise though.

 

[Clart]

well, i'm in! crossover cable, ip sniffer, got the ip address, then downloaded the snap manager software and change the ip to sit on our network. Its got 1 failed disk unit - the HDs in the device are not made any more - will new version of the same model work in the array or do you have to replace all 4 at the same time?

cheers.

 

[PinkoCommie]

Any drive of the same size (or bigger) should do the trick. If it is bigger though you will not get the advantage of any extra space from that drive, it will only use the capacity of the old drive.

Also, if it's in RAID5 and only one disk has failed, all the data should still be on it.

If you don't care about the data, just slam some bigger drives into it and rebuild the array.

edit: Oh, also, dpending on how the array thinks the drive is failed, you may just be able to do a rebuild onto the existing drive (though if it's not seeing said drive then it's no good, this will only work if it's a case that the drive has fallen out of the array)