I'm having an odd issue whenever I am attempting to run a parity sync/check with my array. I recently purchased a used NetApp DS4243 for my disks and a NetApp 111-00341 PMC Sierra PM8003 HBA card to interface with the disk shelf. Under normal operating conditions, the disks are readily accessible and running extended SMART tests has shown that they are healthy, however starting a Parity Check causes random disks to be knocked out of the array it seems and, of course, read errors start happening. If I run the array without the parity disk, I don't see any errors or other issues even when the server is under as much load as the dockers/vm provide. I have done a full pre-clear on the parity disk to check for issues, just in case, and it succeeded without any errors.

 

Google searches have not provided me with any answers that I can find, so far. Can anyone assist me in diagnosing this problem?

tower-diagnostics-20190409-0938.zip

If you can try a different controller, like an LSI.

10 minutes ago, johnnie.black said:

If you can try a different controller, like an LSI.

I was previously using an LSI controller in this machine until I ran out of disk slots. It's an internal SAS and I don't have any QSFP to SAS cables. I can look into acquiring a QSFP to SAS cable for testing this, though.

Before I spend about $100 to just try to diagnose if the card is the issue, is there a way to connect this disk shelf (that uses QSFP cables) to an internal LSI card? I see somewhat expensive QSFP to MiniSAS (8088) cables but nothing that is QSFP to MiniSAS internal (8087). I realize under normal circumstances, you'd probably never want that particular combination, but in this one case, I sort of would. Anyone know an easier way I can try to test using my LSI 9201-8i to the NetApp DS4243 that uses QSFP than buying a new LSI external card and the QSFP to MiniSAS cable to go with it?

You could use one of these, but would still have to buy it:

1 minute ago, johnnie.black said:

You could use one of these, but would still have to buy it:

Yeah, I saw some of those while searching. Since I was previously using MiniSAS to SATA breakout cables it ends up about the same cost either way with the extra cable purchases for internal to internal. 

 

Thank you for the suggestion.