| 5.2. Double CF handling | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Chapter 5. Abilis Compact Flash |  |
| 5.2. Double CF handling | ||
|---|---|---|
| | Chapter 5. Abilis Compact Flash | |
Those Abilis equipped with TWO Compact Flash can be setup to behave in four different modes, each will be carefully described:
NORMAL;
NORMAL with MIRROR;
SAFE;
SAFE with MIRROR.
For those Abilis equipped with only ONE CF it is possible to add a CF using a USB card reader, but in this case the SAFE modes will not be available.
The CF-MODE can be set/changed/recovered only on
the running Abilis, it' can't be done offline. The commands to be used are
in SYS
CFMODE commands section:
[17:40:59] ABILIS_CPX:sys cfmode ?
INFO Display Compact Flash Mode settings
LOG Display log of Compact Flash Mode activities
RECOVERY Recovery from SAFE-DEGRADED mode
SET Set Compact Flash Mode
[17:41:06] ABILIS_206:sys cfmode set ?
NORMAL Set Compact Flash Mode to NORMAL
SAFE Set Compact Flash Mode to SAFE
[17:41:13] ABILIS_206:sys cfmode recovery ?
NORMAL Recovery from SAFE-DEGRADED to NORMAL
SAFE Recovery from SAFE-DEGRADED to SAFE
[17:41:17] ABILIS_CPX: The CF-MIRROR can also be executed manually and
on the second CF there is a log of the last MIRROR execution that can be
inspected (file MIRROR.LOG). The commands to be used
are in SYS
MIRROR.
[16:55:18] ABILIS_CPX:sys mirror ?
COMPARE Execute system mirror compare
LOG Display log of last system mirror execution
RUN Execute system mirror
[16:55:21] ABILIS_CPX: Any action that take place on CFMODE and CFMIRROR can generate an email which is sent to the configured recipients in the D G section.
----------------------------- Mail defaults ----------------------------------- SYS-MAIL-FROM: AUTO (abilis@abilis_cpx_) SYS-MAIL-TO: SYS-MAIL-TO-LIST: # SYS-MAIL-BODY: STANDARD ----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: NORMAL <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: # (Mirror schedule not set) CF-MAIL-FROM: SYS (abilis@abilis_cpx_) CF-MAIL-TO: SYS () CF-MAIL-TO-LIST: SYS (#) CF-MAIL-BODY: SYS (STANDARD)
This is the default mode where only the first CF (C:) is involved in system activities.
----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: NORMAL <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: # (Mirror schedule not set)
In this mode the system still start and proceed on the first CF (C:) , but a daily mirror from C: to D: will be executed at the scheduled time.
The second CF is a fully functional system CF, in case of need it can replace the first CF (e.g. if first CF is damaged) and start the system, of course with "user data" of the last mirror execution.
The procedure makes the MIRROR of the system relevant files and user data, but it copies only CURRENT run / PREVIOUS run / NEXT run Abilis version to preserve system integrity without bloating the second CF with unnecessary old versions.
----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: NORMAL <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: 04:02 (Next execution at Saturday 03/11/2018 04:02:00)
The MIRROR procedure does the follow:
Copy from C: to D: of system files and user data files only if timestamp or size changed.
Remove on D: files and directories that are no more present on C:.
Remove of versions directories that are different from CURRENT, PREVIOUS, NEXT ( those visible with "sys display boot" command)
[12:48:45] ABILIS_CPX:sys display boot
Abilis CPX Boot Manager configuration:
Previous version Current version Next Version to load
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-6-10 8-7-0 8-7-0
[12:48:49] ABILIS_CPX:This mode is available when Abilis is equipped with TWO SATA/IDE CF.
Purpose of this mode is to start system from the first CF and then swap to the second CF for the normal read/write operations. In case of problems with the second CF the system should anyway start and proceed on the first CF to permit a system rescue.
The core aspect of SAFE mode is that the first CF is minimally involved in write operations, actually just in case of version update and configuration saving, thus minimising the risks of failure and unbootable system.
In this mode the first and second CF are kept automatically aligned for system files (directories of Abilis versions, root, licence), not the APP and USR directories that can be eventually updated once a day by activating the MIRROR service.
In safe mode there are a lot of actions taken to guarantee that both CF are as they should be, if such checks fails the system goes in SAFE-DEGRADED mode and the system proceeds with the CF from where it started. This mode can be recovered to SAFE or to NORMAL with the respective commands, providing that the required conditions are met.
----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: SAFE <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: # (Mirror schedule not set)
Note that when system starts the first and second CF are respectively C: and D:, but after all verification succeeds and SAFE mode is confirmed the drive letters are changed: first CF is changed from C: to Z:, second CF is changed from D: to C:.
![[Important]](../images/important.png) | Important |
|---|---|
Do not make any change on disk Z: unless you know what you are doing. |
In addition to SAFE mode a MIRROR is daily executed at the specified time for the user data.
----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: SAFE <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: 02:00 (Next execution at Saturday 03/11/2018 02:00:00)
The MIRROR procedure makes the MIRROR from C: to Z:.
This mode is entered when a system that was in SAFE mode does not detect anymore the conditions to run in SAFE mode, which can be any of:
Only one disk out of two is present/detected.
Disks signatures do not match.
Disks misalignments on the relevant parts.
Serious errors detected on the second CF.
In this mode the MIRROR service is automatically disabled. This is to prevent inadvertently erase of content of a "wrong" CF.
----------------------------- Compact Flash ----------------------------------- CF-MODE: SAFE-DEGRADED <Read Only> CF-MIRROR: - (Mirror disabled because CF-MODE is SAFE-DEGRADED)
Recovery to NORMAL.
When recovered to NORMAL the system will consider current disk as the main disk C:, and the current disk D: can be used for MIRROR.
The content of the CFs in the system is not modified.
Recovery to SAFE.
Recovery to SAFE is possible only if the system is again equipped with TWO IDE/SATA CF. The recovery command asks if APP and USR must be recovered from disk C: or disk D:, this must be properly chosen to avoid user data loss. Whether to choose C: or D: depends on where the user data to preserve are actually present.
Content of the CFs in the system is always modified as consequence of the recovery.
| |  | |
| 5.1. System CF (System Compact Flashes) |  | Chapter 6. Command language |