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ATARAID(4)		    Kernel Interfaces Manual		    ATARAID(4)

NAME
       ataraid -- ATA software RAID support

SYNOPSIS
       device ata
       device ataraid

DESCRIPTION
       The  ataraid driver provides support for	so-called software RAID	(some-
       times referred to as fake RAID or pseudo	RAID).

       When a controller that supports software	RAID is	instructed to create a
       RAID array, its BIOS writes data	structures in a	specific metadata for-
       mat to the disks.  These	data structures	are picked up by  the  ataraid
       driver,	so  that  FreeBSD can work with	the array.  The	ataraid	driver
       has to understand the specific metadata format of a controller BIOS  in
       order to	support	its RAID capabilities.

       Read-only  support for a	metadata format	means that FreeBSD can use the
       given RAID array	for normal read/write operations.   Creation  and  re-
       build of	such arrays has	to be done from	the controller BIOS.

       Read and	write support for a metadata format means that FreeBSD can use
       the  given  RAID	array for normal read/write operations.	 Additionally,
       the atacontrol(8) utility can be	used to	create,	 rebuild,  update  and
       fail such RAID arrays.

       The ataraid driver can read the following metadata formats:

          Adaptec HostRAID
          Highpoint V2	RocketRAID
          Highpoint V3	RocketRAID
          Intel MatrixRAID
          Integrated Technology Express (ITE)
          JMicron
          LSI Logic V2	MegaRAID
          LSI Logic V3	MegaRAID
          NVIDIA MediaShield
          Promise FastTrak
          Silicon Image Medley
          Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS)
          VIA Tech V-RAID
          FreeBSD PseudoRAID

       The ataraid driver can write the	following metadata formats:

          Highpoint V2	RocketRAID
          Intel MatrixRAID
          JMicron
          Promise FastTrak
          Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS)
          VIA Tech V-RAID
          FreeBSD PseudoRAID

       It  is  also  possible  to use software RAID on controllers that	do not
       have special software RAID capabilities.	  See  atacontrol(8)  for  de-
       tails.

FILES
       /dev/ar*	 ATA RAID device nodes

SEE ALSO
       ata(4), atacontrol(8)

CAVEATS
       RAID5  is not supported at this time.  Code exists, but it neither uses
       nor maintains parity information.

AUTHORS
       The ataraid driver was  written	by  Soren  Schmidt  <sos@FreeBSD.org>.
       This    manual	 page	 was	written	   by	 Christian    Brueffer
       <brueffer@FreeBSD.org>.

FreeBSD	7.0		       February	17, 2006		    ATARAID(4)

Want to link to this manual page? Use this URL:
<https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ataraid&sektion=4&manpath=FreeBSD+7.0-RELEASE>

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