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Apple RAID Controller Tech Spec

I

igorsa

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 12, 2010
4
0
NYC
There are zillions of different RAID card vendors, which are using different settings for different RAID configurations, with exception of ONE - Apple. Apple has only TWO cards, which support the INTERNAL MAC PRO RAID - black card (for Mac Pro early 2009 and later) and the original - blue card (for Mac Pro up to early 2008, which is Mac3.1).
What are standard Drive Order, Offset, Block Size, Block Order for these cards? Is it any difference for different RAID levels?
These parameters, opposite to other vendors, Apple establishes "by default", with exception of Block Size in a process of initial installation, which user can choose. It means these data are constant and it could be great to get it from Apple or Forum users. Without these data it's practically impossible to restore data if RAID failed.

Thank you in advance, Apple!
 
Sorry, but I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. :confused:

The specifics of each card tend to be IP created by the card maker (BTW, Apple's card is made by LSI), but if you transfer the disks to another card by the same maker (save perhaps Highpoint, as their products come from different ODM's), it will be recognized (nice in the event of a card failure).

As alphaod pointed out, the Apple RAID Pro is too underwhelming for what it costs. It's slow, only works for a single OS, and the battery reconditioning can place your data in danger (recollection of a former user that lost the array and all the data during one of these cycles while using the array).

You can get a better card for less money (faster, better features, and works in multiple OS's; Areca and ATTO's cards can boot either EFI or BIOS, depending on which firmware is loaded in the ROM).
 
Raid Card spec

Well, I have what I have...
Actually, I have Areca 1680 with external 8x1TB HD RAID 6 and try to use 1880, which doesn't work with my Mac (computer doesn't boot - stops on the first steps). Areca promise to fix this problem: they think this is power supply or timing incompatibility.
What I am asking for - Apple RAID Card spec. I need these data to restore my existing internal 4x1TB RAID 5. As a result of Barracuda HD firmware failure (famous SN6 FW), one HD stopped reply, and later - the second one. Data are intact and can bee restored. The card can see all drives, but one is roaming, and RAID "needs your attention". I am using R-Studio, which are requesting these parameters.
You know, just four HD sequence combinations are equal 4! (factorial)=24. Plus other parameters...

Too much...
 
igorsa said:
Well, I have what I have...
Actually, I have Areca 1680 with external 8x1TB HD RAID 6 and try to use 1880, which doesn't work with my Mac (computer doesn't boot - stops on the first steps). Areca promise to fix this problem: they think this is power supply or timing incompatibility.
What I am asking for - Apple RAID Card spec. I need these data to restore my existing internal 4x1TB RAID 5. As a result of Barracuda HD firmware failure (famous SN6 FW), one HD stopped reply, and later - the second one. Data are intact and can bee restored. The card can see all drives, but one is roaming, and RAID "needs your attention". I am using R-Studio, which are requesting these parameters.
You know, just four HD sequence combinations are equal 4! (factorial)=24. Plus other parameters...

Too much...
Click to expand...
Did you return or RMA the 1880?
They apparently have a fix (capacitor = wrong value).

As per the settings you're after in order to use R-Studio, you'd have to contact Apple (I've a feeling they may have changed, as it's a custom card for Apple), and ask to speak to an engineer (keep escalating it until you get someone that knows what you're after).

I wish you luck on this, as it's going to be difficult to get that information IMO (always a problem when RAID cards are ODM'ed, such as the Apple RAID Pro).
 
Thanks!

I think, they have a fix as a result of my negative experience with 1880 - card had been replaced with 1680 around two month ago after long discussion with Areca engineers. So far - so good...

I'll try to contact Apple. But you know, it's not an easy task, and expencive also. I will try to convince R-TT to contact Apple - they have R-Studio for Mac, which I use, and for them it's more natural to request the data, which all their customers can utilize, not only one guy like me.
 
I've bought a new 1680 and returned my 1880, which didn't work.
Anyway, the idea to buy 1880 was based on a simple concept - to buy something that you can use later. My HD are 3GB/s drives, and I don't want to buy a new card when I switch to 6GB/s in a future.
 
igorsa said:
I've bought a new 1680 and returned my 1880, which didn't work.
Anyway, the idea to buy 1880 was based on a simple concept - to buy something that you can use later. My HD are 3GB/s drives, and I don't want to buy a new card when I switch to 6GB/s in a future.
Click to expand...
I don't blame you, and the 1880 series is a better value than the 1680 series. If the available stocks no longer have the capacitor issue, I'd send the 1680 back, and get a new 1880 series card (better suited for future disks, so you won't need a new card any time soon, especially if you shift to SSD's in the next 1 - 2 years).
 
nanofrog said:
Did you go with an RMA, or is a newly purchased card (units available for sale have the correct capacitor already)?
Click to expand...


I ended up returning the original card for refund and bought a revised one when they became available after Oct 4.
 
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