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ATARAID(4)		 BSD 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	format
     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 un-
     derstand 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 rebuild
     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:

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

     The ataraid driver	can write the following	metadata formats:

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

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

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>.

BSD			       February	17, 2006			   BSD
NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | FILES | SEE ALSO | CAVEATS | AUTHORS

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