RE: Write Caching

John

Accept the defaults for the PERC 4DC. If you enable write back caching in
your scenario, if NODE 1 has a failure and there is data in cache there is no
way for that data to replicate to NODE 2. In other words the cache between
the NODES Raid Controller cards has no way to update. You don't have this
problem in a SAN as the cache is held on the Storage Processor. Please not
the KB you referenced does not mention this particular recommendation in a
cluster. This is a major performance hit for your solution.

Regards

CT

"John" wrote:

> Not sure if I have my array setup correctly. Trying to setup Exchange 2003
> on Windows 2003 cluster. 2 poweredge 1850 with PERC 4DC to connect to a
> PowerVault 220s DAS. 3 raid arrays. 2 RAID 1 arrys and a RAID 5 array. The
> PERC 4DC are in cluster mode and by default set to write through caching.
> Article below indicates that write back caching on a controller is acceptable
> as long as you have battery backup on the controller. Not sure of the write
> back caching on the disks though.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/288700
>
> I have two questions.
>
> 1) I get the following errors sometime when I try and failover the cluster
>
> Event Type: Warning
> Event Source: Ftdisk
> Event Category: Disk
> Event ID: 57
> Date: 5/26/2005
> Time: 4:57:59 PM
> User: N/A
> Computer: NODE2
> Description:
> The system failed to flush data to the transaction log. Corruption may occur.
>
> Event Type: Warning
> Event Source: Ntfs
> Event Category: None
> Event ID: 50
> Date: 5/26/2005
> Time: 4:57:46 PM
> User: N/A
> Computer: NODE2
> Description:
> {Delayed Write Failed} Windows was unable to save all the data for the file
> . The data has been
>
> lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or
> network connection. Please
>
> try to save this file elsewhere.
>
> 2) Wouldn't write back caching even with battery backup still not be a good
> idea? If there is data in the write cache when a failover initiates,
> wouldn't there be a possiblity of data lose since the controller on the other
> node will not have the same data in its controller cache?
.

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