Adaptec RAID Controller Features

Adaptec's Storage Manager—Browser Edition supports the Adaptec RAID controller features listed below.

Note: Refer to your controller documentation to verify the features supported by your controller. Not all controllers support all features.

Optimized Disk Utilization

Array Reconfiguration

Supported Array Migrations

Drive Enclosures

Hot Spares

Automatic Rebuild on Replacement

Optimized Disk Utilization

Adaptec’s Optimized Disk Utilization feature allows you to create an array using a portion or 'segment' of a disk drive. When you create an array, you assign segments of the same size however the segment size does not have to equal the capacity of the smallest drive. Unused disk space is known as 'available space' and can be used in another array. This feature is available only on controllers supporting the advanced feature set.

Array Reconfiguration

Adaptec's array reconfiguration feature supports expanding existing arrays, migrating from one array type to another, and changing the stripe size. The following table lists the migrations supported by Adaptec Storage Manager. See also Modifying Arrays. Be sure to check your controller documentation to verify if your controller supports this feature.

Supported Array Migrations

Current Array

New Array

RAID 0

RAID 5 or 10

RAID 1

RAID 0, 5, or 10

RAID 5

RAID 0 or 10

RAID 10

RAID 0 or 5

RAID 50

RAID 0, 5, or 10

Some operating systems for example, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT and Novell NetWare, support Online Capacity Expansion (OCE). This allows you to use the additional capacity when the array expansion is completed without having to reboot the system. If you are using these operating systems, refer to your operating system documentation for instructions on using the additional capacity.

Drive Enclosures

Adaptec RAID controllers support drive enclosures that include either SES or SCSI Accessed Fault Tolerant Enclosure (SAF-TE) management hardware.

Hot Spares

A hot spare is a 'dedicated' drive assigned to a single array or a 'global' spare assigned to a group of arrays. If a drive in an array fails, the spare replaces the failed drive and the array is rebuilt. Hot spares are appropriate for RAID levels 1, 5, 10, and 50. Be sure to check your controller documentation to verify if your controller supports this feature.

Automatic Rebuild On Replacement

Adaptec RAID controllers support an automatic rebuild on drive replacement. This is useful when a hot spare is not available and the failing drive is an SES or SAF-TE drive enclosure. Enable this feature to automatically rebuild an array when a failed drive is removed and replaced. Be sure to check your controller documentation to verify if your controller supports this feature.