Dell PowerEdge 1950, PERC 6/i problems

sathia

Hello, I'm trying to have this server installed with pfsense, but it doesn't seem to like
the raid controller.

I've checked on the forum but I've found 2 years old solutions only, do you have any idea
if we can get it working with this machine?

	Primary Controller:
SAS 6/iR Integrated Controller	 	SAS6I	 	[341-5782]	 	9
	Primary Hard Drive:
80GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA 3Gbps 3.5-in HotPlug Hard Drive	
	73A15	 	[341-3029]	 	8
	2nd Hard Drive:
80GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA 3Gbps 3.5-in HotPlug Hard Drive

Otherwise, is there a way to install it without RAID support?

best regards

drees

Have you tried 1.2 built on FreeBSD 6.3? The official release is on FreeBSD 6.2 and 6.3 has a lot of updated drivers.

http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

David_W

You haven't got a PERC 6/i in that server, you've got a SAS 6/iR, which is a completely different card. The PERC 6/i has hardware XOR and a battery backed 256MB cache, whilst the SAS 6/iR has neither. Nevertheless, the SAS 6/iR will be fine for what you want.

Nevertheless, the answer is the same. You need to use a version of pfSense built around FreeBSD 6.3. There's no support for any series 6 Dell controllers in FreeBSD 6.2 - it was added for 6.3 and 7.0. This means that, for now, you need to use the snapshot, upgrading to the 1.2.1 RC series and 1.2.1 Release when they become available.

I don't know if the RAID functions of the SAS 6/iR are supported in FreeBSD - it may just work as a 'straight' SATA/SAS host adapter. Check the FreeBSD man pages for mpt(4) for more details (SAS 6/iR is an mpt device, PERC 6/i is an mfi device). The RAID functions of the PERC 6/i definitely do work in FreeBSD; I have a 2950 III with a PERC 6/i running FreeBSD 7.0 - but that expensive RAID card would probably be a waste for pfSense.

sathia

I'm sorry, I did forget some informations about the server, it has indeed the perc 6/i


Hard Drive Configuration:
Integrated SAS/SATA RAID 1, PERC 6/i Integrated/SAS6/iR

what do you think about the testing image

http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

will it be as safe as the normal pfsense 1.2?

I couldn't find any answer about that.

thanks

sathia

If anyone else is thinking about installing

http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

please note that is considered perfectly stable.

I've had this confirmation from the paid support.

regards

David_W

I am running that image in production on a Dell PowerEdge R200; it is 1.2-RELEASE running on FreeBSD 6.3-RELEASE-p1. I can't use the 'true' 1.2-RELEASE because FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE has no support for the ICH9 SATA controller in the R200, just as you can't use the 'true' 1.2-RELEASE because FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE doesn't support Dell SAS 6/iR.

You don't have a PERC 6/i in the machine - at least not from the line you posted. That's the hard drive configuration - which simply says "RAID 1 on the controller in the controller slot, whether it is a SAS 6/iR or PERC 6/i". I still believe you've got a SAS 6/iR in your machine. If your disk partitions are showing up as mpt… rather than mfid..., it's certain that you have a SAS 6/iR.

Anyway - I'm glad you've got it working - pfSense is great, particularly on good hardware like the PowerEdge machines that you and I are using.