RAID array not recognized on new Intel server

[clevershark]

I've been trying to install OpenBSD-AMD64 (4.2) on an Intel SR1530ALHX server with a C2D CPU, 4G RAM and two Seagate 500G hard drives set up in a mirrored RAID configuration.

However when OpenBSD boots up I don't see my array in the list of drives I can install to. I can install to drive 0 or drive 1, but not to the array. When I installed FreeBSD I do see the array listed as my "third option".

The server has an Intel S3000AH motherboard (3000 chipset). In the BIOS I can change the SATA controller (two options: LSI and Intel Storage Matrix), but neither option seems to make a difference when it comes to OpenBSD recognizing the array.

I'd still like to use OpenBSD, but obviously I don't want to do without the array. Does 4.3 support the RAID controller(s) on this motherboard? Does anyone else have some experience and/or tips regarding this sort of situation?

[wilfried]

That MB doesn't have "real" raid, it's all done in software

[jggimi]

Is SR1530ALHX a typo? Did you mean the SR1530AHLX instead? If so, this Intel motherboard can be optionally configured with either the Intel SRCS28X or SRCS16 RAID controller. Both of these controllers are based on the American Megatrends "MegaRAID" chipset, which is supported by the ami(4) driver.

If you purchased either of these RAID controllers, you should see this in the dmesg during boot. Do you?

[clevershark]

Originally Posted by jggimi

Is SR1530ALHX a typo? Did you mean the SR1530AHLX instead?

That was a typo, AHLX is correct. I'm still not seeing ar0 (or anything like that) in my list of installation targets, but I'll try installing to wd0, rebuilding the array at next boot, and then seeing what's involved with the ami driver...

[clevershark]

After the installation and reboot I see a "softraid0 at root" message in dmesg, so I'm guessing that my array is working as intended (?).

[BSDfan666]

The softraid message is not related to hardware RAID.

To quote the man page:

Originally Posted by softraid(4)

The softraid device emulates a Host Bus Adapter (HBA) that provides RAID and other I/O related services.

The message you see in dmesg simply mean that the kernel supports it.

[jggimi]

You haven't posted your dmesg. If you did, we might be able to help you further. I'm guessing either a) there is a message in the kernel with reference to ami, or b) you may not have one of these optional boards installed.

If your RAID controller is configured properly, you will be able to manage the RAID array via bioctl(4) and address any RAID sets as virtual SCSI - sd(4) - devices.