Problematic Pegasus2 R6

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  • Last Post 28 December 2016
Paul Chernoff posted this 22 December 2016

We use the Pegasus2 R6 on our backup server. I've been having problems with the server for a few weeks and today finally realized that the Pegasus2 is the problem. The backup server software (Archiware PresSTORE 6) was having problems and the logs showed I/O errors on the RAID.

Systems would include backup server problems when copying from the RAID to tape and frozen Finder. I did the following today:

1-Updated the Pegasus2 firmware.

2-Started the background activity Media Patrol to ensure that the drives are in good shape.

The Pegasus Utility showed it chugging away and there were a few errors of bad sectors and poor resonse to inquiry to drive, but I expected that. All drives have bad sectors. But after a while any activity involving the Pegasus2 hung. The Pegasus Utility froze. The Finder works unless I try to look into the RAID. The backups that were in progress stopped. Only the first drive shows activity when I look at the unit so I assum that it is being checked.

After a while I decided to shut down the Mac (Mac OS X 10.11.6). After 5 minutes I had to force shut it down. Instead of turning off the Pegasus is still on and the drive activity light is still flickering so I assume that the Pegasus is checking the drive itself, as opposed to the controlling the process.

I turn the Mac back on and the Pegasus2 is not visible the Mac. Pegaus Utility does not see it. I decided to shut down the Mac (worked fine this time).

Before this happened I did look through the utility and I didn't see any problems reported.

What is my next step?

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Venkatachalam Settu posted this 23 December 2016

Hi Paul,

Thank you for choosing Promise Technologies, Inc. for your storage needs. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Please clarify the below mentioned queries.

- Are you facing issue while performing a backup or doing I/O operations in the volume?

- Has anything changed in the environment recently?

- How does the current performance when you are doing normal read/write operation to the volume?

Thank you.

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Paul Chernoff posted this 27 December 2016

Since I wrote everything has gone to heck.

1) The problems were showing themselves when copying from the Pegasys RAID to tape, so heavy read operations (the indexes are on the internal drive, not hte Pegasys). Eventually the Finder would freeze.

2) No changes to the environment

3) We have done a lot of successful writing to the RAID, backing up files from workstations and servers to the RAID.

4) When I returned to the office today the top drive was still flashing activity, so it has been checking the drive since Thursday. The Mac was off since Thursday. I could not turn off the RAID so I pulled the plug.

5) Currently the RAID is nonfunctional. Disk Utility does not see the RAID volume. Promise Utility does not bring up any Windows. So what do I do now to bring the Pegasys back online. Erasing the RAID is acceptable. All of the lights on the RAID look normal.

Paul Chernoff posted this 27 December 2016

Now the Pegasus seems to be checking the 2nd to the top drive. It's activity light is blinking frantically and the other drives show no activity. I am suspecting I need to replace Drive 1 but will do nothing until it shows no activity.

Paul Chernoff posted this 27 December 2016

And now that the Pegasus is offline I am backing up servers directly to tape. Speed seems faster than backing up to RAID. This is a good test of the backup indexes which are on the internal drive and should confirm problems only when Pegasus RAID is involved.

Paul Chernoff posted this 28 December 2016

Today leaves me a little perplexed. When I checked this morning Media Patrol said it was working on disk 1 and it looks like drives 2-6 were checked. At around 26% of the way through checking drive 1 the operation stopped and the status for Media Patrol is Yielded. The Runtime Events showed 10 minor events for this drive, bad sectors with the last event being a command timed out on physical disk. But the RAID seems to be working but there is a long delay when I open a folder in the Finder that has not been opened before. I am running one backup to the RAID which seems to be working OK.

I just checked background tasks and Media Patrol is running again, with current PD progress at 26%. 

I am not sure what to do at this point. When the MP is done will I get a report? Does it sound like Drive 1 is questionable and I should go ahead and replace it?

Paul Chernoff posted this 28 December 2016

Media Patrol has served its purpose. Not suprisingly it has identified one of the drives as dead and I'll replace it.

Mario Martinez posted this 28 December 2016

Media Patrol has served its purpose. Not suprisingly it has identified one of the drives as dead and I'll replace i

Hi Paul

Please call us for replacement. Note that if your Pegasus unit is still in warranty we can replace the drive. Our support number is 408 228 1500.

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Paul Chernoff posted this 28 December 2016

Thats. I already ordered an identical drive elsewhere. I called and we are out of warantee, but thank you for mentioning it.

 

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