Solaris Volume Manager (SVM): Understanding the "Needs Maintenance" and "Last Erred" States (Doc ID 1004417.1)

Last updated on APRIL 10, 2023

Applies to:

Solstice DiskSuite Software - Version 4.2.1 to 4.2.1 [Release 4.0]
Sun Solaris Volume Manager (SVM) - Version 11.9.0 to 11.11 [Release 11.0]
Oracle Solaris on SPARC (32-bit)
Oracle Solaris on x86-64 (64-bit)
Oracle Solaris on x86 (32-bit)
Oracle Solaris on SPARC (64-bit)

Purpose

The current state of Solaris Volume Manager (SVM) metadevices is shown by the metastat command. The normal state is "Okay". If errors have occurred, a metadevice may show a state of "Needs Maintenance" or "Last Erred". This article explains the reason metadevices can enter one of these states, and the difference between them.

Scope

A metadevice in an errored state requires your attention. If the error is due to a transient problem and there is no persistent hardware issue, it may not be necessary to replace a disk. You can simply use the metareplace command to return the metadevice to the "Okay" status if it is part of a RAID-1 (mirror) or RAID-5 redundant metadevice.

In the following example, c1t0d0s0 experienced a transient failure.

If there is a disk hardware failure, the disk must be replaced. Disk replacement procedures are described in detail in the Solaris Volume Manager Administration Guide. Please consult the appropriate chapter: