Fast Init option on FasTrak controller cards

[kaw]

What is the fast init option when creating an array using a Promise FastTrak controller (S150 SX4). I have looked in the manuals, their web site and tried a search here but it is disabled.

[kaw]

Well, I still have not found out what fast init does, I left it off and all is well. I emailed Promise but have not heard back. I am thinking it is not a Promise specific thing but a general RAID option from what I have seen looking through google.

[Ice Czar]

Id assume its fast initialization

it took the better part of 8 hours to iniotialize my SX6000
dont recall that option

[kaw]

Thanks Ice I figured that is what it stood for but what is the initialization process? That is not refering to formating is it? It took a good while to format (in Windows) the drive but it is a level 5 with 4 120GB drives so that is to be expected.

[Ice Czar]

my best guess is that the RAID BIOS \ XOR Engine maps the data structures of the assorted HDDs (at least for the first long initialization of an array)

see > HDD Architecture (http://www.lostcircuits.com/hdd/hdd2/2.shtml) > Zones & Servo Bursts (next page) and > Defect Mapping (http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/errorMapping-c.html)

after thats done, every time you boot up, the array is initialized
basically it spins up and reports in, possibly the fast int your refering to skips a few steps in that process, Im really not sure, this is all guesswork