Re: Backup & Restore-Existing SBS W2K3 w/Exchange to....
- From: "Larry Struckmeyer [SBS-MVP]" <lstruckmeyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 08:01:08 -0400
To add some additional info to Cliff's fine explanation, you will want to ask the mfg of the RAID controller if it allows you to install the card in your existing setup and load the driver. After all, Windows won't know, or care, at this point, if the new controller is to manage the boot drives or just additional storage in your system.
BTW, the above is a perfectly legit, and often preferred method of managing a SBS. Two drives in RAID1 for the OS, and 3 or more drives in RAID5 for the data. It is one I recommend and prefer where there is a lot of data and sufficient budget and need for fast response times from the data, as in high transaction SQL applications where it seems the more spindles in the array the better.
So, typically, if you install the card, Windows will ask for the drivers, and the new controller should be ready to go. Booting on it will require that you then make an image or a backup, remove the old drives, create the new array, (will not matter if they are the same or different drives, although I would tend to advise new) and restore the image or the backup that includes the new drivers.
Or, you may want to leave the RAID1 for your OS and move the data off to the new drive set.
One other way to do this would be with one of the hardware independent restore imaging products that allows you to feed the drivers in during the restore of the existing image. This is more frequently used for disaster recovery, where adding the drivers before hand is not possible.
--
Larry
"Cliff Galiher" <cgaliher@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:E52E1E62-17C5-433D-BD8B-D6297601864E@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Unfortunately the answer is usually no. The problem is that the system state contains registry keys and drivers, and a controller capable of raid5 will need a driver in windows to operate properly. Restoring your system state on a raid5 array would be restoring the system state to a pre-raid5 setup and, in most cases where I've seen this attempted, break the system.
To do what you want, you should definitely make a backup in case of problems. But just realize that if you need to restore, you should restore to the same disk configuration you had when the backup was made. As far as going from a non-raid to a raid5, you should consult your raid controller's documentation. Some controllers present themselves as a single SCSI disk to windows after creating an array, so you can get the driver installed. Others have utilities that run in windows that will take a source disk and respan it into an array. But ultimately you should follow the process recommended by the manufacturer, as there are too many variables to account for here in a newsgroup for one 'single-handed' method of doing things.
-Cliff
"Ken Sedlacek" <KenSedlacek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:ED3448E1-C343-4783-911B-FB37669AE33F@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI have a well running SBS W2K3 W/Exchange server.
Light usage 10 users.
I am converting its HD to RAID5.
2 Questions:
1) Is it possible to use SBS Backup to backup the System State & Exchange
data and restore to the new RAID5 drives? Same server, just converting HDs to
RAID5?
2) Where is procedure for this?
Ken
.
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