HighPoint RR640L - User Manual

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Overview

Function Description
Important Technical Specifications
Usage Features
Maintenance Features

This document provides an installation guide for the HighPoint RR640L/620L Controller on Linux Debian. The controller is designed to manage RAID arrays, offering various configurations and features for data storage.

Function Description:

The RR640L/620L Controller serves as a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controller, enabling users to combine multiple physical disk drives into a single logical unit for data redundancy, performance improvement, or both. It supports different RAID levels, including RAID0, RAID1, RAID10, and RAID5, depending on the specific controller model. The RR640L supports RAID0/1/10/5, while the 620L supports RAID0/1. The installation guide details the process of setting up the controller, installing the necessary Linux Debian operating system, and configuring the RAID arrays.

Important Technical Specifications:

Supported Operating System: Linux Debian (specifically Debian 10.1/10.2/10.3/10.4/10.5/10.6/10.7/10.8/10.9/11.3/11.4/11.5/11.6).
Controller Models: RR640L and RR620L.
RAID Levels Supported:
- RR640L: RAID0, RAID1, RAID10, RAID5.
- RR620L: RAID0, RAID1.
Hardware Requirements: The installation process emphasizes preparing the hardware, including checking system EFI settings and flashing the UEFI ROM to the RR Series RAID Controller.
Driver Installation: The controller requires specific drivers for Linux Debian, which are provided as a .bin file (e.g., rr64xx_linux_x86_64_src_vxx.x.x_xx_xx_xx.bin).
UEFI Compatibility: The installation guide extensively covers UEFI settings, including secure boot, boot from storage devices, and boot from PCI-E expansion devices, highlighting the importance of proper UEFI configuration for successful installation.

Usage Features:

Array Creation: Users can create RAID arrays using a command-line interface. The create command allows specifying the RAID type (RAID0/1/10/5), member disk list (e.g., 1/1, 1/3), and capacity (e.g., 10GB). Examples include create RAID0 * (all disks, max capacity), create RAID1 1/1, 1/3 10 (disk 1/1 and 1/3, 10GB capacity), create RAID10 *, and create RAID5 *.
Array Deletion: Existing RAID arrays can be deleted using the delete {array ID} command. For instance, delete 1 deletes the first array from the logical device list.
Information Display: The info command displays the physical device list and logical list, providing an overview of the connected disks and configured arrays.
Help Functionality: The help command (H/h/help) provides a list of supported commands and their syntax.
System Installation: The guide details a step-by-step process for installing Linux Debian, including preparing the hardware, checking EFI settings, flashing UEFI ROM, creating arrays, preparing the driver diskette, and installing Linux Debian.
Driver Loading: The driver is loaded during the Debian installation process using commands like sh /tmp/hptdd/preinst.sh and sh /tmp/hptdd/postinst.sh.
Graphical Installation: The Debian installation can be performed graphically, with instructions on navigating the installer, partitioning disks, and detecting disks.
Troubleshooting: The document includes a troubleshooting section, although its content is not fully detailed in the provided snippets.
RAID Management Software: HighPoint RAID Management Software is used to configure and keep track of hard disks and RAID arrays attached to the RR Series RAID controller.

Maintenance Features:

Driver Update: The guide provides instructions for updating the driver, including running the .bin file and following prompts.
Rebuilding Driver Module: When the system updates kernel packages, the driver module (rr640l.ko) needs to be manually built and installed before rebooting. Users are directed to the README file distributed with the open-source package for detailed instructions on this process.
System Update Operations: After the driver installation is complete, users can perform system update operations.
Driver Uninstallation: The guide mentions that if a user wants to uninstall the driver, they can run hptuninrr640l.

The document emphasizes the importance of correct UEFI settings, proper driver installation, and the use of command-line tools for managing RAID arrays. It also highlights the need to rebuild the driver module after kernel updates to ensure continued functionality.