Distro with CCISS driver support

razing32 · 10-16-2017, 03:53 PM

Hi

Need some advice on distros.
I run Checkpoint software on HP ProLiant G7-8 servers.
We use CCISS for a hard disk array.
Whenever we had issues with the CP software we tried recovery only to find most distros failed to pick up the CCISS array.
Is there any distro with this support ?
Is it possible to re-compile the kernel to include the drivers ? (or build something using something liek ubuntu ultimate)

Just a nudge in the right direction would be appreciated.

Ser Olmy · 10-17-2017, 08:30 AM

Slackware has CCISS support compiled into the installation and "huge" kernels. System Rescue CD also has CCISS support included as standard.

The CCISS driver is classified as a "block device" driver rather than a SCSI driver, which is probably why it's omitted by many distributions.

razing32 · 10-17-2017, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ser Olmy

Slackware has CCISS support compiled into the installation and "huge" kernels. System Rescue CD also has CCISS support included as standard.

The CCISS driver is classified as a "block device" driver rather than a SCSI driver, which is probably why it's omitted by many distributions.

Was not aware.

Will give Slackware a go

Thanks.

May also read up on block vs SCIS drivers

Ser Olmy · 11-25-2017, 08:50 AM

And now you won't have to, since as of kernel 4.14 the hpsa driver is taking over. The man page for the cciss driver has been updated accordingly: http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man4/cciss.4.html

One of the reasons stated for replacing cciss is the dual-personality nature of the driver; it behaves a block driver when it talks to RAID arrays, but works as a SCSI driver for tape drives.