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Table of Content Zone

Table of Contents

Verify Video Recording

Before replacing a hard drive, log in to 3VR OpCenter and verify that the appliance otherwise appears to be functioning properly. If live video is not displayed, new events are not being generated, or if video does not play when an event card is selected, contact 3VR Technical Support for assistance before proceeding.


                        

3VR OpCenter 6.0                                                                                3VR OpCenter 7.0

Identify Failed Drive Number

The drive number of the failed drive can be identified in the following places:



The drive number of the failed drive can be identified in the following places:

  1. In the Health panel of System Manager (Monitor Health in
    System Manager 6.0), the health alert generated by the drive
    failure will state which drive needs replacing.

    Select the health alert to display the alert details in the lower
    panel.

    Info

    RAID array degradation detected since 7/8/2011 at 11:28
    am (10 minutes). Please contact your technical support
    representative to replace the drive. No data has been lost.

    =DETAILS BELOW=

    A drive has failed in array 1 at position 1; it is recommended that a replacement drive be inserted there.


  2. On a P-Series or Enterprise Appliance, the system status
    indicator on the front panel will flash from white to blue when the system detects a RAID drive has failed.
    The number of blue flashes indicates which drive needs replacing (e.g., two flashes means Drive 2 has
    failed  ().



Replace the Failed Drive


Note

Hard drive replacement is only supported for appliances with RAID (P-Series, E-Series, S-Series 40, and Enterprise Appliances). S-Series 30 and S-Series 35 units do not have RAID and do not support drive replacement.

Replacement Instructions for P-Series, S-Series 40, Enterprise Appliance

                                              

Required Materials

  • Philips head #2 screwdriver
  • Replacement drive supported by 3VR with the appropriate storage capacity for the model of appliance. If you are unsure about the storage capacity of a system’s drives, email the serial number to support@3VR.com for assistance. See Appendix A to view supported hard drive models.
    • Connection to the appliance using one of the following connection methods:
      • Laptop connected to appliance using the 3VR USB-to-Ethernet Network Service Adapter
      • Network connection to the appliance
      • Monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to the appliance

Replace Failed Drive

  1. Stop the system from recording:


  • If connected to the appliance with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse: Click the Stop Input System button on the 3VR Administration Console.

3VR Administration Console 6.0

3VR Administration Console 7.0

If connected to the appliance using the System Manager client application:

  • Software Version 6.0: In the Manage Servers tab, click the display name of the appliance, then click Halt Video
    Recording.
  • Software Version 7.0: In the Configure panel, click the display name of the system. Click Common Operations, then click
    Halt Video Recording.

2. The system status indicator on the front of the unit will turn red while the input system is stopped. Note that the unit can remain
powered on during drive replacement.
3. Unlock the drive bay containing the failed drive.

4. Unlatch the drive tray.

5. Slide out the drive tray.

6. Remove the screws from both sides of the drive tray (four screws total).

7. Swap out the failed hard drive for the replacement drive. Ensure that the SATA interface of the new drive (inset) is positioned on
the end opposite from the latch.

8. Replace the screws on the drive tray.

9. Insert the drive tray back into the drive bay and re-latch the tray.

10. Re-lock the hard drive bay.

11. Restart video recording:

  • If connected to the appliance with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse:
    Click the Start Input System button on the 3VR Administration Console.
  • If connected to the appliance using the System Manager client application:
    • Software Version 6.0: In the Manage Servers tab, click the display name of the appliance, then click Start Video
      Recording.
    • Software Version 7.0: In the Configure panel, click the display name of the system. Click Common Operations, then click Start Video Recording.
  • Skip ahead to section 4, Rebuild RAID Array.

Replacement Instructions for E-Series

Required Materials

  • Philips head #2 screwdriver with at least a 5” shank and magnetized tip
  • Replacement drive supported by 3VR with the appropriate storage capacity for the model of appliance. If you are unsure about the storage capacity of a system’s drives, email the serial number to support@3VR.com for assistance. See Appendix A to view supported hard drive models.
  • Connection to the appliance using one of the following connection methods:
    • Laptop connected to appliance using the 3VR USB-to-Ethernet Network Service Adapter
    • Network connection to the appliance
    • Monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to the appliance

Replace Failed Drive



  1. Stop the system from recording to power down the appliance.
  • If connected to the appliance with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse:
    • Click the Stop Input System button on the 3VR Administration Console.

3VR Administration Console 6.0

3VR Administration Console 7.0

If connected to the appliance using the System Manager client application:

  • Software Version 6.0: In the Manage Servers tab, click the display name of the appliance, then click Halt Video
    Recording.
  • Software Version 7.0: In the Configure panel, click the display name of the system. Click Common Operations, then click
    Halt Video Recording.

2. Wait one minute, then press the power button once (the leftmost button on the front of the appliance, represented by .

3. After the system has shut down, disconnect the power cable from the outlet.

4. To remove the cover from the appliance:

a. In Front (side of the server nearest to the power buttons): remove two screws on top

b. In Back (side of the server nearest to the power cord and camera inputs): remove a single large screw.

5. Slide the cover back to remove the cover from the unit.

6. The hard drive enclosure is on the right-hand side at the front of the appliance. Remove the two screws from the top through cutouts on the
chassis at the front of the enclosure.

7. Disconnect the SATA and power cables from the hard drives in the enclosure.
8. To remove the enclosure, tilt the front of the enclosure up, then slide the
enclosure up and lift it out.
9. Remove the four screws used to secure that drive in the drive enclosure
(each drive is secured by two screws on either side).
10. To remove the failed drive from the drive enclosure, slide the drive forward
and out.
11. Slide the replacement disk into the empty position in the drive enclosure.


12. Replace and tighten screws removed in step 8 to secure the drive in the drive enclosure.
13. Reconnect the SATA and power cables to the drives in the appropriate order. Ensure that all cables are tightly connected.
14. Slide the drive enclosure back into its original position in the chassis. A tab at the bottom back of the drive enclosure will fit into a slot in the bottom of the server chassis to ensure the enclosure is properly seated.

15. Replace the screws removed in step 6 to secure the drive enclosure.
16. Place the cover back on the chassis and replace the three screws removed
in step 3.
17. Reconnect the power cable and turn on the system by pressing the power
button.
18. When the appliance has fully booted up, restart video recording:

  • If connected to the appliance with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse: Click the Start Input System button on the 3VR Administration
    Console.
  • If connected to the appliance using the System Manager client application:
    • Software Version 6.0: In the Manage Servers tab, click the display name
      of the appliance, then click Start Video Recording.
    • Software Version 7.0: In the Configure panel, click the display name of the system. Click Common Operations, then click Start Video Recording.







Rebuild RAID Array

Warning

In order to decrease the time it takes to rebuild the RAID array, Disk Write Cache will automatically be enabled on a 3VR appliance when it enters the RAID rebuild state. It is critical that the appliance not lose power during the rebuilding process or else file system corruption and/or data loss could occur. 3VR recommends the use of a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) to protect the appliance in the event of a power failure.

After replacing the failed drive, use the following steps to initialize the RAID rebuild process:

3VR Software Version 6.0



  1. In the Manage Servers tab of System Manager, select the name of the appliance with the new RAID drive.




  2. Click RAID/Disk Settings.





  3. In the RAID/Disk Settings window, click Rebuild RAID Array. If the Rebuild RAID Array link is not present, see Appendix B: Troubleshooting.





  4. It will take about a minute to initialize the RAID rebuild.



After the rebuild has started:



5. Verify that the RAID Array Status field displays “Rebuilding”.


6. Launch 3VR OpCenter and verify that the appliance appears to be functioning properly.

If new events are not being generated, or if video does not play when an event card is selected, contact 3VR Technical Support for assistance.

Info

See Appendix D for more information about hot spares on a P-Series appliance.

Within 10 minutes of initializing the rebuild:

  • The P-Series 3VR status indicator will return to solid
    white (normal) ()
  • The RAID/Disk Issue health alert in the Monitor Health tab will display the percentage remaining in the rebuild process

  • This value will be updated every 10 minutes until the system has finished rebuilding the array, at which point the health alert will state RAID array rebuild done.

    Note

    Note that the rebuild will be complete at this point, even if the Percentage Complete value displayed is not 100%.




3VR Software Version 7.0



  1. In the Configure panel of System Manager, click the appliance name  in the left-hand panel to view the system settings.






  2. Click Common Operations, then click RAID/Disk Settings.








  3. In the RAID/Disk Settings window, click Rebuild RAID Array.
    If the Rebuild RAID Array link is not present, see Appendix B: Troubleshooting. 






  4. It will take about a minute to initialize the RAID rebuild.






After the rebuild has started:



5.  Verify that the RAID Array Status field now displays
“Rebuilding”.


6. Launch 3VR OpCenter and verify that the appliance is recording video and appears to be functioning normally.


If new events are not being generated, or if video does not
play when an event card is selected, contact 3VR Technical
Support for assistance.

Info
titleWhat Are Hot Spares?

See Appendix D to learn more about the hot spares
feature of the P-Series appliance.

Within 10 minutes of initializing the rebuild:

7. The P-Series (or Enterprise Appliance) status indicator will
return to solid white, indicating normal operation.

8. The RAID/Disk Issue health alert will display the percentage remaining in the rebuild process.

9. This value will be updated every 10 minutes until the system has finished rebuilding the array, at which point the health alert will state “RAID array rebuild done”.

Note

Note that the rebuild will be complete at this point, even if the Percentage Complete value displayed is not 100%.







Next Steps

While the array is rebuilding, video will continue to be recorded, and events will still be generated and stored. However, users may notice diminished performance when using OpCenter or System Manager.

The rebuild process may take hours or days to complete, depending upon system resource usage. Technicians performing drive replacements may leave the site after initializing the RAID rebuild, once they have verified that the system is still functioning normally.

Anchor
AppendixA
AppendixA
Appendix A: 3VR Hard Drive Replacement Policy

Supported Hard Drive Models

The following replacement drive models are approved for use in 3VR appliances as of the release date of this document. See the Hard Drive Replacement Policy page at www.3VR.com (under Services and Support > FAQ) for the most up-to-date list.

CapacityMakeModel
250 GBWestern DigitalWD2502ABYS
500 GBWestern DigitalWD5002ABYS
1 TBWestern DigitalWD1002FBYS
2 TBWestern DigitalWD2002FYPS

To determine the appropriate replacement drive capacity for a specific 3VR appliance, email the following information to support@3VR.com:

  • Appliance serial number (from System Manager)
  • Appliance part number (from System Manager)
  • Appliance model name (from System Manager)
  • Failed disk number (from Health Alert)

Hard Drive Replacement Policy

There are three options for handling in-warranty hard drive replacements (see the Warranty Policy FAQ at www.3vr.com under Support > FAQ for the most up-to-date warranty information).

  • Option A. Obtain a replacement hard drive from 3VR (processing fee applies)
    (Part # RS-HD-RPL, see 3VR Commercial Price Guide for more information)

  • Option B. Obtain a replacement hard drive directly from the hard drive manufacturer

  • Option C. Maintain a hard drive inventory at reseller location

Anchor
AppendixB
AppendixB
Appendix B: Troubleshooting

If the Rebuild RAID Array Link Does Not Appear in System Manager

The Rebuild RAID Array option should be displayed only after a drive has been replaced. If there is no Rebuild RAID Array link in the RAID/Disk Settings window:

  1. Verify that the power and SATA connections on all drives are properly connected.

  2. Verify the replacement drive manufacturer, model, and capacity matches that of the drive which is being replaced.

  3. Verify the replacement drive is not defective. Follow the drive replacement instructions using another replacement drive if available.

  4. Verify that the drive tray has been completely inserted into the drive bay and is locked in place.

  5. If the above options have not resolved the issue, contact 3VR Technical Support for further assistance.
Info
titleContact Technical Support

If you are having trouble with a 3VR system or application, contact 3VR Technical Support by phone at 415-513-4572 or email support@3VR.com Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time) for assistance.


Anchor
AppendixC
AppendixC
Appendix C: About the RAID/DISK Issue Health Alert

The 3VR appliance will generate a RAID/Disk Issue health alert when it detects a degraded RAID array. This health alert will remain open and be updated throughout the rebuilding process:

RAID Degradation Detected

60 minutes* after the system detects a hard drive failure, a RAID/Disk Issue alert will be generated.

Info

RAID array degradation detected since 7/8/2011 at 11:28 am (10 minutes). Please contact your technical support representative to replace the drive. No data has been lost.
=DETAILS BELOW=
A drive has failed in array 1 at position 1; it is recommended that a replacement drive be inserted there.

RAID Rebuild in Progress

Within 10 minutes of initializing the RAID rebuild, the RAID/Disk Issue alert will update to track the progress of the rebuild.

Info

RAID array rebuild in progress since 7/8/2011 at 3:33 PM (3.7 hours). A failed drive has been replaced and the new drive is being initialized into the array. This may take several days on a system with high activity.
=Details Below=
Percent complete: 23%

RAID Rebuild Completed

When the RAID rebuild is complete, the health alert details panel will display “RAID array rebuild Done” at the top. In addition, the status of the RAID/Disk Issue alert will change to Resolved.

Resolved on 7/10/2011 at 5:05 PM
Notes: RAID array rebuild Done.

Note

The Hard Drive Failure Threshold setting controls the length of time that the system will wait before generating a health alert reporting a failed drive. The default value for this setting is 60 minutes.

Anchor
AppendixD
AppendixD
Appendix D: About Hot  Spares

The P-Series VIP appliance features the ability to install up to two extra hard drives, referred to as “hot spares”, on the unit.

When an appliance with a hot spare installed detects the failure of one of the RAID array member disks, the appliance will automatically begin rebuilding the array using a spare disk. The failed drive can then be replaced and the new disk re-incorporated on the system as a hot spare.



  1. Hot spares should be of equal size to the main drives, and can be installed on the system following the instructions in section 3. Make sure to stop the input system as described at the start of the section.

  2. When installing spares on a brand new P-Series, the drives should be arranged as follows shown in the figure.



  3. Once a hot spare has been physically installed, click the Add Hot Spare link in the RAID/Disk Settings window to notify the
    RAID controller of its presence.


  4. The number of hot spares in the RAID Array Status field of the RAID/Disk Settings window will be incremented.


When an appliance with a hot spare installed detects that one of its disks has failed:



  1. The appliance will automatically begin rebuilding the RAID array with the spare drive, generating a RAID/Disk Issue health alert (see Appendix B for more information).


  2. This health alert will be updated to indicate which drive failed. The failed drive may now be replaced to become the new hot
    spare.


  3. Once incorporated into the RAID array, the spare disk becomes a member disk and will be listed in the RAID/Disk Settings
    window.