Can a RAID array be rebuilt through DRAC?

Question

I have a Poweredge T610 and I was wondering if it is possible to completely erase and rebuild the RAID array remotely with DRAC

Solution 1

The DRAC is simply a remote-control and monitoring system. Assuming you have the Enterprise version and can view the console, you can do anything you want to the server as though you were in front of it. However, the DRAC can't actually do anything with the RAID at all - you'd need to boot the server and go in to the RAID configuration tool during startup to change the configuration. You simply be accessing this screen through the DRAC as opposed to sitting in front it physically.

Solution 2

A RAID array can be configured via racadm raid. See "RAID And Storage Configuration using RACADM Commands in iDRAC7".

• racadm help raid displays command syntax.
• racadm raid deletevd:<VD FQDD> deletes a virtual disk given by the FQDD.
• racadm raid createvd:<VD FQDD> <options> -pdkey:<comma seperated PD FQDD> <more options> creates a virtual disk with name specified for VD FQDD given by the the list of physical disk FQDDs.
• racadm raid init:<VD FQDD> initializes the virtual disk given by the FQDD.

As of iDRAC7, it is not possible to perform this operation without interrupting the physical host:

After creating a virtual disk, you must create a job and restart the server operating system (OS) to apply a configurations of a virtual disk.

This means that RAID configuration can be scripted/managed/queued via DRAC, but will not be applied until the server has been powercycled.

Comments

[Ruscal]

Not a useful answer as it isn't at all supported but instead hinges on a "why not" argument. (and in fact, the answer is "sort of", as is displayed by the marked answer since the DRAC actually doesn't allow you to reconfigure RAID controllers but with Enterprise enablement will allow remote virtual console to the PERC configuration session)

[Aaron Hudon]

Actually DRAC can access bios settings (EFI), sensors, io ports and network packets. But I think for PERC you can only query the drive status (with IPMI).

[sjas]

this should be the accepted answer.