How to Import a Foreign Configuration
To make the foreign configuration effective, ensure that you have installed the latest version of Server Administrator.
You can import a foreign configuration only if it contains a virtual disk that is either in a Ready or Degraded state. In other words, all of the virtual disk data must be present, but if the virtual disk is using a redundant RAID level, the additional redundant data is not required.
For example, if the foreign configuration contains only one side of a mirror in a RAID 1 virtual disk, then the virtual disk is in a Degraded state and can be imported. On the other hand, if the foreign configuration contains only one physical disk that was originally configured as a RAID 5 using three physical disks, then the RAID 5 virtual disk is in a Failed state and cannot be imported.
In addition to virtual disks, a foreign configuration may consist of a physical disk that was assigned as a hot spare on one controller and then moved to another controller. The Import Foreign Configuration task imports the new physical disk as a hot spare. If the physical disk was set as a dedicated hot spare on the previous controller, but the virtual disk to which the hot spare was assigned is no longer present in the foreign configuration, then the physical disk is imported as a global hot spare.
The Import Foreign Configuration task is only displayed when the controller has detected a foreign configuration. You can also identify whether a physical disk contains a foreign configuration (virtual disk or hot spare) by checking the physical disk state. If the physical disk state is Foreign, then the physical disk contains all or some portion of a virtual disk or has a hot-spare assignment.
Setting the check consistency rate
The Set Check Consistency Rate task changes the amount of system resources dedicated to the check the consistency rate.
The check consistency rate, configurable between 0% and 100%, represents the percentage of the system resources dedicated for running the check consistency task. At 0%, the check consistency has the lowest priority for the controller, takes maximum time to complete, and has least impact to system performance. A check consistency rate of 0% does not mean that the check consistency is stopped or paused.
At 100%, the check consistency is the highest priority for the controller. The check consistency time is minimized and has most impact to system performance.
Performing a Consistency Check
The Check Consistency task verifies the accuracy of the redundant (parity) information. This task only applies to redundant virtual disks. When necessary, the Check Consistency task rebuilds the redundant data. If the virtual disk is in a Failed Redundancy state, running a check consistency may be able to return the virtual disk to a Ready state.
