Chapter 1
Introduction

Table of Contents

Overview
Features Summary
Management

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Overview

The SafeStor\FT is a fault tolerant enclosure that provides data storage for Cubix subsystems and PC based servers. A Cubix subsystem is a unit that accommodates multiple 80386, 80486, and Pentium computers in a managed platform. The computers contained in each subsystem are single board PCs that are primarily used as network resources such as file servers, e-mail servers, fax servers, and other types of specialty servers. The SafeStor\FT stores data for these computers on up to twelve SCSI hard disk drives in one fault tolerant enclosure. Figure 1-1 illustrates the SafeStor\FT.

Cubix subsystems are typically rack mounted into Cubix System 1010 Cabinets. The SafeStor\FT mounts into the same cabinet and provides additional hard disk drive storage for the following subsystems:

. ERS II - The ERS II subsystem contains a sixteen slot ISA style backplane that can be divided into eight separate bus groups. By installing a single board computer in each group, the maximum density of eight complete PCs within a single ERS II is obtained.

. ERS/FT II - The ERS/FT II is a fault tolerant version of the ERS II that supports both ISA and EISA backplane configurations.

. ERS - An older version of the ERS II.

. ERS/FT - An older version of the ERS/FT II.

Features Summary

A summary of the SafeStor\FT features is provided below. A detailed explanation of these features is included in Chapter 3 - Subsystem Components.

. Supports up to twelve 3.5" SCSI hard disk drives

. Accommodates fast and fast/wide SCSI

. Allows disk drives to be "hot swapped"

. Provides fault tolerance by including two power supplies and two power input receptacles

. Allows SCSI drives to be assigned to up to six servers

. Allows the number of drives assigned to each server to be configured in the field

. Indicates disk power and disk activity via LEDs on the front panel

. Optionally provides subsystem and environmental diagnostics

. Optionally integrates into the Cubix Management System (CMS) - refer to the subsequent Management section

Management

Cubix provides a multi-tiered management scheme for the Cubix family of products. The Intelligent Environmental Sensor (IES) is a critical component of the Cubix management scheme. An IES is an optional SafeStor\FT component. The tiers of the management scheme are:

. IES-Only - refer to Figure 1-2.

• Monitors the SafeStor\FT environment
• Illuminates diagnostic LEDs in the event of a fault

. IES Supervisory System - refer to Figure 1-3.

• Connects up to thirty-one Cubix enclosures on an out-of-band Cubix data highway
• Includes BCVision, a DOS-based user interface application
• Allows the user to monitor and control all of the enclosures on the data highway
• Provides disk utilization information of SafeStor\FT units on the data highway
• Notifies the user of any active faults
• Provides SNMP instrumentation

. Cubix Management System (CMS) - refer to Figure 1-4.

• Provides all of the IES Supervisory System functions in a Windows environment
• Manages all Cubix devices installed on a NetWare network (no limit to the number of devices)
• Performs SNMP communications with Cubix devices via a NetWare LAN

This document, and all Web contents, Copyright © 1997 by Cubix Corp., Carson City, NV, USA.