Raid setup

How to configure Raid in the BIOS

(More detail on how to interact with the console, ctrl-alt-delete, ctrl chars, etc.: Dell#Connecting_to_serial_console)

Target configuration for databases (from Raid and MegaCli):

To completely nuke the existing raid and start over...

follow instructions in Build a new server to get into the BIOS (powercycle the server, console com2, etc.)
hit CTRL-R when prompted to enter the RAID controller setup (PERC H800 Integrated BIOS Configuration Utility 2.02-0025)
- I've had the best luck hitting it several times right about when the HW initialization goes from 0% to 100%.
delete the existing RAID set
- cursor over the Disk Group line, hit F2
- scroll down to 'Delete Disk Group'
- say "Yes" to the "Are you sure?" question. (tab to Yes, hit enter)
create a new RAID set
- select the 'No Configuration Present' line, hit enter
- set RAID level to 10
- leave PD per Span at 2
- select all Physical Disks (space bar to X each one)
- leave VD Size alone
- set VD Name to 'allr10' or something useful.
- select Advanced Settings
- set Strip Element Size to 256KB
- set Read Policy to No Read Ahead
- set Write Policy to Write Back
- check Initialize
- choose OK
- "Initialization will destroy data on the virtual disk. Are you sure?" choose OK
- "Initialization finished" choose OK
You should see "Spanned Disk Group: 0, Raid 10"
You should see a single line under Virtual disks "Virtual Disk: 0, allr10, 11175.00GB" (or whatever size your disks are)
hit 'esc' to exit
- "Are you sure" choose OK
You should see "Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to reboot"
press esc-R esc-r esc-R to reboot

When you're done, ctrl-\ to get out of console, 'exit' to disconnect from the mgmt interface.