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Import Foreign Configuration

Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator Storage Management User's Guide

Does my controller support this feature? See "Appendix: Supported Features."

A foreign configuration is data residing on array disks that have been moved from one enclosure to another or to a different controller. Virtual disks residing on array disks that have been moved are considered to be a foreign configuration. Some controllers enable you to import a foreign configuration so that virtual disks are not lost after moving the array disks.

To be imported, the foreign configuration must contain a virtual disk that is in either Ready or Degraded state. In other words, all of the virtual disk data must be present but redundant data in a redundant virtual disk does not need to be present.

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 Degraded state and can be imported. On the other hand, if the foreign configuration contains only one array disk that was originally configured as a RAID 5 using three array disks, then the RAID 5 virtual disk is failed and cannot be imported.

In addition to virtual disks, a foreign configuration may consist of an array 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 array disk as a hot spare. If the array disk was 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 array 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 or not an array disk contains a foreign configuration (virtual disk or hot spare) by checking the array disk state. If the array disk state is Foreign, then the array disk contains all or some portion of a virtual disk or has a hot spare assignment.

If you have an incomplete foreign configuration which cannot be imported, you can use the "Clear Foreign Configuration" task to erase the foreign data on the array disks.

Note: The import foreign configuration task imports all virtual disks residing on array disks that have been added to the controller. If more than one foreign virtual disk is present, you cannot choose which one to import. All will be imported.

To import a foreign configuration:

Click Import Foreign Config when you are ready to import all virtual disks residing on array disks that have been added to the controller. To exit without importing the foreign configuration, click Go Back To Controller Information Page.

To locate this task in Storage Management:

1. Expand the Storage tree object to display the controller objects.
   
   
2. Select a controller object.
   
   
3. Select the Information/Configuration subtab.
   
   
4. Select Import Foreign Config from the Available Tasks drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click Execute.
   
   

Related Information:

• "Clear Foreign Configuration"
  
  

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