Configuring RAIDs for VST Record Storage

The data storage computer requires high speed, large storage for streaming VST data to disk. Configure the RAIDs and file systems to enable high-speed data recording.

  1. Acquire hardware information required to build the RAIDs correctly.
    1. Generate a list of installed NVMe namespaces along with their nodes, models, storage capacities by executing the following command in the Linux terminal: 
      sudo nvme list
      Note For the purpose of the data storage computer, all NVMe drives must have only a single namespace (this is the default configuration).
    2. Get the hardware topology (NUMA topology) of the data storage computer by executing the following command in the Linux terminal: 
      lstopo
      The output of this command groups hardware components by NUMA node. Each hardware component belongs either to NUMANode L#0 (NUMA-0) or NUMANode L#1 (NUMA-1). Record the NUMA node of each NVMe drive to reference when configuring the RAIDs.
    Note There is no single-specified number of RAIDs that must be configured on the data storage computer, however each simultaneously recorded VST channel requires a dedicated RAID. Many of the following steps must be repeated for each RAID that you want to configure. NI recommends planning your RAID configuration prior to executing these steps so that each RAID can be configured at the same time and to reduce the risk of error. Complete every step for each RAID, where required, before proceeding to other steps.
  2. Create each RAID using the following command template: 
    sudo mdadm --create  /dev/[RAID NAME] --chunk=4M --level=0 --raid-devices=[N] [NVME NODE 0] [NVME NODE 1] ... [NVME NODE N]

    Where:

    • [RAID NAME] is a user-specified RAID name. Assign a name using alpha-numeric characters, underscores (_), and/or dashes (-). All other characters are prohibited. For example: md0, md1, md2.
    • [N] is the number of NVMe drives a RAID will be built on (must be 2 or more). For example: 2.
    • [NVME NODE X] is the path to an NVMe device under the /dev directory, as listed in the output of the sudo nvme list in step 1. For example: /dev/nvme0n1.
    Note Each RAID must comply with the following rules:
    • Each NVMe drive within a given RAID must belong to the same NUMA node.
    • Each NVMe drive within a given RAID must be of the same model.
    • Each RAID must be built using at least two NVMe drives.
    • No NVMe drive can be used by more than one RAID.
  3. Configure all RAIDs to be reassembled automatically after reboot by executing the following commands in the Linux terminal only a single time: 
    sudo mdadm --detail --scan | sudo tee -a /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u
  4. Create an XFS file system on each RAID by executing the following command template in the Linux terminal: 
    sudo mkfs.xfs -f /dev/[RAID NAME]

    Where [RAID NAME] is the user-specified name of a RAID created in step 3.

  5. Create a mount point for the file system on each RAID and mount it by executing the following command template in the Linux terminal: 
    mkdir [MOUNT DIR]

    Where [MOUNT DIR] is a user-defined directory where a RAID filesystem should be mounted.

    Note NI recommends that you create each mount directory in the /mnt parent directory, and name each mount directory after the RAID to which it is mounted. For example, the RAID at /dev/md0 has a mount directory at /mnt/md0.
  6. Configure the data storage computer to automatically mount each RAID file system upon reboot by executing the following command template in the Linux terminal: 
    echo '[RAID DEV PATH] [MOUNT DIR] xfs discard,filestreams 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

    Where:

    • [RAID DEV PATH] is the path within the /dev directory to a RAID created in step 3.
    • [MOUNT DIR] is a mount directory created in step 6.
    Note This command appends text to the end of the file at /etc/fstab. NI recommends that you verify the contents of etc/fstab after executing the command template for each RAID to ensure that each RAID has only a single entry at the bottom of /etc/fstab.
  7. Reboot the data storage computer to verify that each RAID is automatically rebuilt and mounted as expected.