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Volibrawl

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RAID setup recommendations for SQL Server machine.

I am looking for recommendations on what type of RAID system we should implement for this server and (why).

Here is the situation:
1. Windows NT 2000 server - Applications: SQL Server 2005, Great Plains, miscellaneous utilities (our Exchange / Mail is a different server)
2. All SQL server Tables, GP tables and data
3. All user's (50) document folders, they store all their documents on this server.

Here's what I would like to achieve:
1. If we crash, instant or easy restoration of the operating system, all configuration, SQL Server and GreatPlains configurations.
2. Easy restoration of 'data' files.

We already own:
Adaptec 3200s, 2 channel Scsi RAID controller
8 identical 32gig SCSI drives .

My 3rd party network vendors are suggesting 2 Arrays of 4 drives each (32gigs), both would be RAID LEVEL 5.

Channel 1would have the OS in one partition, SQL server and GP in another.
Channel 2 would have 'data' files only in one partition, a second partition for 'other' stuff.

Can / should I 'ghost' or image the operating system and SQL installtion to another drive on our network as a precaution?  Configuration does not change from day to day.





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dglenp
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Volibrawl

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Thanks  ...

Your suggestion is well-taken and where I would like to go with my setup.

Right now, my network guys have returned the server (bootable), with updates, Backup tape, etc.
The setup is 2 RAID 5's.  OS is on the first Array
Data (preserved) is on the second Array.

Is there a way to "break up" Array0 (4 drive RAID5) so I can re-configure it as 2 RAID1's ? (consistent with your idea adn M$ suggested setup for GP.)

Bear in mind:
1. I don't want to have to re-install NT and all the updates from scratch
2. I don't want to chance losing my data (on Channel2 RAID5).

M$ suggests:
RAID 1 for operating system and applications (2 disks)
RAID 1 for SQL database log files (2 disks)
RAID 5 (4 disk minimum) for SQL data files
RAID 1 for TempDB (2 disks) - OPTIONAL, but recommended - maybe later ...
If you split the 4-disk RAID 5 into two RAID 1's, you will lose the data.  You may already know that RAID 5 requires at least 3 drives to set up.  It can run with degraded performance if one drive fails, but it takes 3 to set up.  RAID 1 is simply mirroring, so it only requires 2 drives.  To re-configure the server you could Ghost the channel 0 volume or make a complete backup using some other tool, re-configure the array, then restore the image onto one of the RAID 1 arrays and make it the boot volume.  The backup and restore would be good disaster recovery practice anyway.

Through all of this, the data on the other volume wouldn't be disprupted.
Thanks, that is exactly what I am doing now...

1. Mirroring our current C: drive onto an IDE drive.
2. Mirroring our current 2nd RAID array (Array1 RAID5- Our data) onto the same IDE drive (for failsafe BU).

Once we are comfortable that we still have all our data on the IDE, we can break apart our OS RAID5 and reconfigure it into the 2 RAID1s.

Then we will try to boot from the IDE and mirror the OS back to the newly created  Array.
Working on it right now  ..

I need to look at "how to ghost and restore from Ghost".  Will be my next question...
Depending on which edition of Ghost you have, it should allow you to boot from the CD and copy from volume to volume.  You may have completed the task by now, though.  It's late here.  Just checking the update...
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Always anxious to hear logically supported recommendations .....