IRST Users Manual

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From this page:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-020670.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-020670.htm

titled:"IntelR Rapid Storage Technology - Reference documents for use of IntelR Matrix Storage Console"I can only find IMSM reference manuals(i.e., 8_x_RAID_AHCI_Users_Manual.pdf and

reference_content_intelmatrixstorageconsole.pdf), but not IRST manuals.

If they are referring to the same technology and procedure, just a name change.

Then, this is another saying from reference_content_intelmatrixstorageconsole.pdf:

>>

This document contains instructions on how to perform common tasks or

resolve issues using the IntelR Matrix Storage Console. It is intended for

reference only, in case you cannot (or do not plan to) upgrade to IntelRRapid Storage Technology, which has an entirely new user interface."

<<

I haven't found IRST console(user interface) documents beyond these:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm

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According to this:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-020649.htm

It is just a name change and the same documentation should basically apply, even though the interface has changed - it should have similar options that

work in the same way. You're right though, it's too bad they haven't updated all their docs yet - I suppose they figured it hasn't changed that much,

On the the IRST console there ia a Help menu that allows you to access the documentation, isn't there?

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Hey .. so the old User's Manual is still valid, except for any steps that refer to the user interface in Windows* - because the new user interface is totally different.

Because the new user interface seems so much more intuitive, we did not rewrite all the content that explained how to do tasks. The original content was created over a period of years, as we saw what sort of tasks users ran into problems with and subsequently needed content that told them how to perform them. That is the plan for the new user interface as well.

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Hi, Elizabeth:

Thank you for taking my question.

Without the reference manual, it would be hard for system installers to test all RAID features because:

1). They can not tell what has been changed from IMSM 8.8/8.9 to IRST 9.5 procedure wise and user interface wise

Yes, it said in the following links briefly that you don't have to use F6 installation for IRST any more. But, does it hold true for XP, Vista, and Win 7 all alike?

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm

comparing with IMSM procedure:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-021701.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-021701.htm

But, is this F6 driver installation method all the procedure-wise difference between IRST and IMSM?

Can IMSM or IRST users all bypass Option ROM (i.e., Ctrl + I in BIOS) and just use IMSM/IRST console to create/delete RRT/RAID for the system drive unless they choose Linux RAID? Intel China support has confirmed that. IF THE ANSWER IS TRUE, THEN THE ONLY OBVIOUS PROCEDURE DIFFERENCE IS THE DRIVER INSTALLATION METHOD.

2) Any feature differences between IMSM and IRST?

For example, will the IRST Rapid Recovery Volume automatically switch in for the failed Primary in either Continuous Mode or Update On Request Mode?

I know users can convert between RAID 1 and Rapid Recovery Volume, but what can Rapid Recovery Volume do natively?

Or, any possibility to use eSATA HDD as the Rapid Recovery Volume and then take advantage of AHCI hotswap capability to make an extra copy of Recovery Volume?

Without the feature overview and corresponding procedures, it would be hard to know what can be possibly done and how to properly do it without having system installers take any risk on the Intel boards.

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Ok .. I think there's some confusion .. let me see if I can help ..

1). Yes, it said in the following links briefly that you don't have to use F6 installation for IRST any more. But, does it hold true for XP, Vista, and Win 7 all alike?

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-009330.htm

comparing with IMSM procedure:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-021701.htm http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-021701.htm

But, is this F6 driver installation method all the procedure-wise difference between IRST and IMSM?

Those 3 links all apply whether you're using Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager or Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology. The only thing that changed on those pages was the name of the product. The content is the same.

This is the note you are referring to:

Note: http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-030152.htm The F6 installation method is not required for Microsoft Windows Vista* or Microsoft Windows 7*.

The text did not change. It refers to the need for the F6 procedure on Windows Vista* or Windows 7*. You do not need to use the F6 installation method to install the RAID driver on those OSes because there is a RAID driver included in the final version of the OS. This was the case when the product was called Intel Matrix Storage Manager. It is the case now that the product is called Intel Rapid Storage Technology.

In other words, the procedure applies to the operating system - it does not matter what version of the product you are using.

Can IMSM or IRST users all bypass Option ROM (i.e., Ctrl + I in BIOS) and just use IMSM/IRST console to create/delete RRT/RAID for the system drive unless they choose Linux RAID? Intel China support has confirmed that. IF THE ANSWER IS TRUE, THEN THE ONLY OBVIOUS PROCEDURE DIFFERENCE IS THE DRIVER INSTALLATION METHOD.

Yes - the option ROM is an entirely different component from the driver/software. You can always bypass it. And again, the procedure is not related to a particular version of the product (for example, version 8.x which is named Intel Matrix Storage Manager of version 9.x which is named Intel Rapid Storage Technology), it is related to the operating system that you are installing.

2) Any feature differences between IMSM and IRST?

There is a new user interface.

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Let's see if I got it right on the IMSM/IRST installation procedure.

A. After 8.9, IMSM just changed its name to IRST, and all installation procedures are pretty much identical between the two.

B. Installation procedures are rather OS-dependent

For example,

1. For XP users, when they need to install IRST driver, they still HAVE TO use F6 installation during the Windows XP's installation after they enabled the AHCI/RAID and drive mode is set from Legacy to Enhanced in BIOS. They can neither install their XP system first nor leave their already installed XP intact, and install IRST driver afterward. They must reinstall or install a new XP image and use F6 method for the driver.

2. For Vista and Windows 7 users, they don't need to install either IRST or IMSM driver to use RAID/RRT. They just need to install the console software, and then it is ready to work as long as AHCI/RAID is enabled and drive mode is set from Legacy to Enhanced in BIOS.

3. Option ROM can be bypassed and you can use IMSM/IRST console in the Windows environment to ceate a RAID volume for either RAID 1 or RRT Recovery Volume. But, IMSM/IRST console will give your more configuration options than Option ROM such as set Recovery Volume to "Update Continuously" or "Update on Request" mode.

C. If Option ROM can be bypassed to use IMSM console to create RAID volume for the system drive, then the description in IMSM 8.x user's manual p.57 Appendix A.4 as show below is no longer valid. ??

"Hard Drive Has System Files ... error message appears after selecting a hard drive as a member hard drive during the Create RAID Volume process...This hard drive has system files and cannot be used to create a RAID volume"

But, how about elaborating the feature wise difference between IMSM 8.x and IRST 9.5?

Why can't the new IRST user console be documented so that users can see whether there are some new possible mixes of configuration, such as the ones I brought up in the previous message like RAID1-like recovery volume or hot swap-able eSATA RRT?

I'd like to know the details about the Intel RRT features so that I can compare P55 chipset features with those On-Demand RAID cards. Or, simply choose setting up RAID1 instead of Rapid Recover.

This is extracted from 8_x_RAID_AHCI_Users_Manual.pdf, page 13 - [2.9 Intel® Rapid Recover Technology]

>>

Intel® Rapid Recover Technology utilizes RAID 1 (mirroring) functionality to copy data 

from a designated master drive to a designated recovery drive. The master drive datacan be copied to the recovery drive either continuously or on request.When using the continuous update policy, changes made to the data on the masterdrive while the system is not docked are automatically copied to the recovery drivewhen the system is re-docked. When using the on request update policy, the masterdrive data can be restored to a previous state by copying the data on the recoverydrive back to the master drive.Table 5 provides an overview of the advantages, the disadvantages, and the typicalusage of Intel® Rapid Recover Technology.

-------------------------------

Table 5. Recovery Volume Overview 

Hard DrivesRequired:2Advantage: More control over how data is copied between master and recovery drives;fast volume updates (only changes to the master drive since the last updateare copied to the recovery drive); member hard drive data can be viewed inMicrosoft Windows Explorer*.Disadvantage: No increase in volume capacity.Application: Critical data protection for mobile systems; fast restoration of the masterdrive to a previous or default state.Refer to the following web site for more information on Intel® Rapid RecoveryTechnology: http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-026142.htm http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-026142.htm

<<

At the left lower corner of page 13, you can find "ver7.0 / User's Manual" in this Intel® Matrix Storage Manager 8.x User's Manual, date of January 2009.

Then, it proceeds to [2.10 Advanced Host Controller Interface] without elaborating the possible mixes of configurations between AHCI and RAID.

Question: Do those words like "system dock/undock" and "Critical data protection for mobile systems" imply the possible eSATA hotswapping Recovery Volume for RRT?

Based on "Benefits of Intel® Matrix Storage Technology White Paper"(Dec 2005), it said that "Intel Matrix Storage Technology allows for the 'hot swap' of any member disk of a redundant RAID array. This eliminates the need to power down the system in the event of a drive hardware failure." But, can the Recovery Volume be considered as a redundant RAID array in this case for the hot swapping feature?

Question: Is it possible to have Recovery Volume automatically switch in for the failed Primary without firstly converting it to RAID1? Now, with IRST 9.5 introduced, is there any new RAID features or mixes of configurations?

Based on the same White paper, RAID 1,5,10 all provide fault tolerance. But, does the RAID 1-like RRT provide fault tolerance in real time as well? Or. does it take manual effort to switch in the Recovery Volume for the failed Primary?