Re: RAID on server

Hi Smiley:

First: see my previous post about understanding this server and its
controller.

Second: Please confine your questions to one server at a time. It is very
difficult to follow you when you say that the backup server "is configured
as". Does this mean "the same as", or "in place of"? Upon rereading your
post, I suspect it means "the same as", but I can't be sure.

What is the size of the partitions on your "live server" drive, and what is
the used and free space on each?


You have confirmed that there is only one physical drive in the system.
Therefore, by definition, it_is_not_RAID. It is just one drive.

You have two questions, actually. The first is how to increase the
available space. The second is how to make the system fault tolerant so
that if one drive fails you can keep working without losing your
information.

IMHO, the second is actually more important than the first. Fortunately,
they can be accomplished together.

In all cases you want a viable, confirmed, tested backup. I might even put
a second drive in the system and mirror that and take one of them out (after
breaking the mirror) and put in on the shelf for safety before messing with
the only good drive.

First question: How to increase the available space.
1. Backup your existing drive, take it out, install a bigger drive,
install the Windows portion of SBS, bring it to the same service pack as
your working system, restore from backup.
2. Use your disk imaging tool and a partition changing tool, such as
Partition Magic. Create the image, remove the existing drive, install a new
bigger drive, restore the image. If you tool does not allow for expanding
the partitions, use a second tool that does.
3. Follow the manufactures directions, if possible, and add two or more
drives of the same type and size to the server and make RAID5.
Raid5 will give you space equal to the number of drives added together -
one. That is, 4 80 GB drives x 4 = 320 - 80 = 240 GB. The more drives you
add, the greater the efficiency. Add another drive as a hot spare if the
controller supports it.

Second question: How to initiate fault tolerance.
1. RAID1. During the migration from a smaller drive to a bigger one,
install two drives and create a RAID1, using the HP controller, then restore
your backup to the now mirrored drives.
2. RAID5. See answer 3 above.

Larry



"Smiley" <firework123@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fe53kt$4bq$2$830fa7b3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Morning,

Thank you for everyone's help.

After reading the following you may have a bit of inkling where my
confusion come in. A bit of the background info. First of all, the person
(my manager) who assigned the initial job to work on this backup server,
told me it is on RAID. (BTW, never touch a server before or any hardware,
so just take in what I was told) And I have to get the RAID working.
Finally, it was my manger who configured the RAID on this server. Then
problem with various issue, one day HP engineer was called. The engineer
confirmed this server RAID is not a hardware RAID, it is only software
RAID. (My manager thought I was b****king when I told him the server is on
software RAID). As thing move on and I never dare to ask question about
the RAID.

At present, this backup server is config (by my manager) as the live
server. The free space on the live server is running out and need
solutions to resolve the free space issue.

I was trying to do the following.
1. this backup server at present is a mirror image of the live server,
except the data is not up to day. Took a disk image of current backup
server on to another drive (with bigger capacity). Hoping this newly
'mirror' disk would be boot up from this backup server. However, due to
'RAID' issue, the server cannot see the drive at all, let alone bootup
from this drive.When I was doing this, the bigger drive was in slot 1 and
the original drive was still in slot 0.
2. Since option 1 doesn't work, I tried - took out the original drive from
slot 0 and put in the bigger drive in slot 0, to see whether it will boot
from this bigger drive. Of course it doesn't. As my manager question me
whether I have done anything to the RAID. I didn't.
3. Since option 1 and 2 doesn't work, my posting before I do anything
else. If I carry on with option 2 but 'config' the RAID for the bigger
drive, if the server would boot up from this bigger drive, great, all
issue resolved. However if it doesn't bootup from this bigger drive and I
have 'configured' the RAID for this bigger drive in the server, if I put
the original drive back to slot 0, Will the RAID be rebuild from this
drive info, will I be able to boot from this originally working drive and
will data be lost.

Other then option 3, if anyone have a way to increase the size of drive c
in a server that would also resolve my problem.



"Larry Struckmeyer" <lstruckmeyer(at)mis-wizards(dot)com> wrote in message
news:ed$2iUoBIHA.464@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Smiley:

No, you don't upset me or anyone else. Just that RAID0 causes any server
geek to get the willies.

You have a little work to do. Not so bad, really. Find the
documentation for your LSI adapter and read it. If you don't understand
it, call LSI or the mfg of the computer (HP from the looks of it, and you
will probably have better luck there than with LSI, since this seems to
be a card made for and branded by HP) and ask them. This is fairly
important. In fact it is VERY important.

Either do that, or hire an outside person who is SBS centric. Not an
enterprise person who has never seen SBS.

BTW, google can be your friend:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/arraycontrollers/smartarray641/index.html

which says in part:

<snip>
The Smart Array 641 Controller (SA-641) is a 64-bit, 133-MHz PCI -X,
single channel, SCSI array controller for entry-level hardware-based
fault tolerance. Utilizing the internal SCSI channel of the SA-641 allows
you to configure up to 6 internal hard drives to store up to 1.80 TB of
storage.

The 64MB and 128MB BBWC (Battery Backed Write Cache) Enabler upgrade
allows the SA-641 controller an option to add transportable BBWC for
improved controller performance and increases the total controller
memory, up to 192MB. The SA-641 also features complete data compatibility
with previous generation's Smart Array controllers to ease data migration
from server to server and for easy controller upgradeability.
<snip>

Sounds like a nice card and server. 1.8 TB of storage... should take you
some time to fill that up. <g>

Once you, or someone you trust understands your hardware, in particular
the storage subsystem and its controller, you can figure out how to add
more drives to this system to give you either RAID1 or RAID5.

If you need additional help on which of the above to use, open a new
thread.

Larry

"Smiley" <firework123@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fe2h1n$q$2$8302bc10@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Larry,

If I have upset you in any way, please pardon me. Never intend to upset
anyone but my lack of knowledge might 'p*****' some of you off.

I know things doesn't seems to add up at my end which is why I am lost
when doing work.

Forget the word RAID in my posting. The reason which I referring to it
was that was what I have been told.

Yes, there is only one physical drive in the SBS production server and
it has 4 partition.

It is SCSI hotswop drive.

The controller - don't know how to check but when I boot up the server,
it always say Smart Array 641 controller. Is this what you are asking. I
have also check the Hardware device manager which said
LSI Adaptor, Ultra 320, SCSI 2000 Servie (1020/1030)
LSI Adaptor, Ultra 320, SCSI 2000 Servie (1020/1030)
Smart Array 641 controller.

Hope this help to identify my muddled query.

Many thanks and Kind regards,

"Larry Struckmeyer" <lstruckmeyer(at)mis-wizards(dot)com> wrote in
message news:%23gCsG9QBIHA.4880@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Smiley:

One drive is not RAID anything. If you have only one drive you cannot
directly mirror it and get more space. Can't imagine why you refer to
this arrangement as RAID0, unless you interpret multiple partitions on
the physical drive in that manner.

So first you need to verify that there is in fact only one physical
drive in the SBS production server. Just open the case and look.
Next, it would be helpful to know if PATA, SATA, SAS or SCSI, and what
controller is in place.

Also, how is the drive partitioned.

Larry



"Smiley" <firework123@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fdtl4u$t5r$2$8300dec7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Larry,

Sorry to get you in such a state.

My answer to your queries

1. There is only one drive in the production server. I am afraid this
is NOT what you are hoping to see.
2. NO, they are RAID0 for one drive. It is only a software raid (FYI,
I found this out the hard way. My manage didn't believe me at the time
till the 3rd party engineer told him so).
3. Yes, I do have space in the drive cage for more physical drives
4. I am not sure about this as I have no experience in checking this,
I know the server do have a raid controller installed
5. I am sure the controller will allow me to "MIRROR" the new drive if
the existing raid would allow me to do so. Which is exactly the
question which I was asking, If I make a disk image of current drive
on a larger capacity drive then take the existing drive out, put in a
new larger capacity drive, if that doesn't boot up, can I put back the
old drive in and will the server rebuild the RAID from the information
on the drive. If this is not possible, I have to look for other way to
recalculate my risk factor again.

Hope you would give me some new direction.

Many thanks


"Larry Struckmeyer" <lstruckmeyer(at)mis-wizards(dot)com> wrote in
message news:%23chaCSEBIHA.3400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Typo:

Please confirm:

there are two drives in the production server.
they are joined in RAID1 to = the combined size of them added
together. (80+80 = 160)

Make that RAID0 in the above sentence. The word frightens me so
badly I can't even type it correctly.

you have space in the drive cage for more physical drives.
you can add more drives to the controller
the controller will allow you to MIRROR the new drive to the
"seen as one" existing pair.

Larry


"Smiley" <firework123@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fdr2vm$a25$2$8300dec7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,

Know this is a very slim chance for rectification but I like to ask
before I give up.

Server on RAID0, due to space problem, need to seek other way to
add extra spaces to the OS drive. One lucky thing is I do have a
spare server which is configured as the live server. However, if I
put in any drive in this server for testing, I will break the RAID
on this server. I am right on this??? If I have the RAID broken,
will it be rebuild if I put the original drive back ???? If not,
Anyone knows of anyway which I would add extra space on the os
drive to the current live server ?

Many thanks

















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