TracyFazackerley
asked on
Migration from Software RAID 0 to Expanded Hardware RAID 5
Hi
We currently are using software RAID with 3x SCSI hot swappable disks and fast running out of room especially on our C: drive with operating system which resides on one disk only. New users are being added and Exchange is growing!
We have purchased 3 more SCSI U320 drives to fil up all 6 bays in the cage and also a RAID controller card. I would like to know the best way to migrate from the persent set up:
WIN 2003 SBS
3x 36GB SCSI drives
C: on Disk 1(17GB with only 1GB free!!)
Mounted drive for User folders on Disk 1 (9 GB)
F: Data on Disk 2&3 Striped
I know now this was not a very good set up to start with and found I cannot expand C: with OS it seems.
My thought is to mirror the OS on 2 existing 36GB disks and then RAID 5 the Data F: with the 3x new 72GB disks. User Home folders could be moved to F:
At present the new hardware has not been installed in the server. What are the steps in this migration hopefully without having to re-install the entire OS and set up again. I have created a CD Boot Disk in case and the present Back up Tape drive writes the Boot Sector to every tape. Do I have to re-do this once the new hardware is installed? Unfortunately the tape drive does not support booting with a RAID controller.
Thanks for your help.
We currently are using software RAID with 3x SCSI hot swappable disks and fast running out of room especially on our C: drive with operating system which resides on one disk only. New users are being added and Exchange is growing!
We have purchased 3 more SCSI U320 drives to fil up all 6 bays in the cage and also a RAID controller card. I would like to know the best way to migrate from the persent set up:
WIN 2003 SBS
3x 36GB SCSI drives
C: on Disk 1(17GB with only 1GB free!!)
Mounted drive for User folders on Disk 1 (9 GB)
F: Data on Disk 2&3 Striped
I know now this was not a very good set up to start with and found I cannot expand C: with OS it seems.
My thought is to mirror the OS on 2 existing 36GB disks and then RAID 5 the Data F: with the 3x new 72GB disks. User Home folders could be moved to F:
At present the new hardware has not been installed in the server. What are the steps in this migration hopefully without having to re-install the entire OS and set up again. I have created a CD Boot Disk in case and the present Back up Tape drive writes the Boot Sector to every tape. Do I have to re-do this once the new hardware is installed? Unfortunately the tape drive does not support booting with a RAID controller.
Thanks for your help.
Dusty Thurman
You weren't specific about the server or the controller you are using so the answer cannot be specific. From my experience, however, you will need to reinstall. A hardware raid controller has to write metadata to the disks. This is a record of the raid levels and configurations and serves as a "map" to the data similar to partition file tables, etc. in Windows. That must be written in a specific location which is controlled by the firmware. That will likely overwrite data currently on the disks. I would think that you could do a 36 Gb mirror for the OS and the third 36 Gb drive as a hotspare to rebuild in case of a disk failure. Then a raid 5 with the 3 73Gb drives. If this was my system, that is probably what I would do. You could also do two raid 5's to take advantage of all of the disk space you can. It is really a question of what is more important in your environment. Hope this helps.
Forgot to mention:
Even if you could create the array without losing the current install, that would not change the partition size. Resizing boot partitions is never very pretty.
Even if you could create the array without losing the current install, that would not change the partition size. Resizing boot partitions is never very pretty.
ASKER
Sorry forgot to say the server is a HP ML150 G2 and the RAID controller an Adaptec 2120S
As this server is SBS 2003 it does everything and it would be a huge job to re-install OS and rebuild. Is there no other way? I've read that maybe an image of the system can be restored to put everything back quickly. Does this only work if the OS partition was to stay the same size?
As I'm new at this have you got any more specific steps to take to do this migration.
As this server is SBS 2003 it does everything and it would be a huge job to re-install OS and rebuild. Is there no other way? I've read that maybe an image of the system can be restored to put everything back quickly. Does this only work if the OS partition was to stay the same size?
As I'm new at this have you got any more specific steps to take to do this migration.
17 GB is more than enough disk space for a C: drive... if it's configured properly. If the server came with SBS, it probably isn't. I have a web page on bootdrivesize with about 20 things you can do to free up disk space... check out http://www.lwcomputing.com/tips/static/bootdrivesize.asp -- note: things like Exchange, ClientApps, pagefile, etc should be moved OFF of the C: drive.
Since we won't be expanding the C: drive, you can install the 3 drives as a Hardware RAID 5 and then kill the existing software RAID 0 (or span) once the data is on the new RAID. Then you can mirror the boot drive (c:) (probably through software since converting a RAID on the boot drive from software to hardware can be problematic at best) using one of the other 36 GB drives and take the 3rd drive and use it for Volume Shadow Copy and your page file (and maybe WSUS or ClientApps - something that wouldn't be the end of the world if you lost it.
Since we won't be expanding the C: drive, you can install the 3 drives as a Hardware RAID 5 and then kill the existing software RAID 0 (or span) once the data is on the new RAID. Then you can mirror the boot drive (c:) (probably through software since converting a RAID on the boot drive from software to hardware can be problematic at best) using one of the other 36 GB drives and take the 3rd drive and use it for Volume Shadow Copy and your page file (and maybe WSUS or ClientApps - something that wouldn't be the end of the world if you lost it.
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ASKER
Thanks Leew for the link - very useful! Should I go through this and free up space first before installing new hardware? For example move the Exchange across to the existing RAID 0?
So installing the RAID controller will not kill the C: partitions on Disk 1? Does your process involve Imaging as in Ryansoto's advice as I don't have imaging software at this stage.
I am starting to feel better about attacking this project now thanks!
So installing the RAID controller will not kill the C: partitions on Disk 1? Does your process involve Imaging as in Ryansoto's advice as I don't have imaging software at this stage.
I am starting to feel better about attacking this project now thanks!
Maybe I can clear up your problem by stating, somewhat dogmatically, you CANNOT migrate a raid 0 directly to a raid X onto a different controller -- it just doesn't work -- oh some can get it working, but it is a hack.
Your task is simple. Buy a single IDE drive with enough room for the whole RAID 0 array, and XCOPY the contents of the array from the RAID 0 to the IDE drive, using either an image program, or by booting to an OS that will allow copying of the crucial windows system files that are locked when the windows OS is running.
After you do this, remove the raid 0 array, and boot from the IDE drive. When you get it working, insert the new controller and RAID 5 or 10 array, and again, xcopy the contents of the IDE drive to the new array. Once you solve the problem of the locked system files, this is a duck soup solution. Also, keep the IDE drive as a system backup, it will boot when your raid fails ... notice, I said, when, not if.
Your task is simple. Buy a single IDE drive with enough room for the whole RAID 0 array, and XCOPY the contents of the array from the RAID 0 to the IDE drive, using either an image program, or by booting to an OS that will allow copying of the crucial windows system files that are locked when the windows OS is running.
After you do this, remove the raid 0 array, and boot from the IDE drive. When you get it working, insert the new controller and RAID 5 or 10 array, and again, xcopy the contents of the IDE drive to the new array. Once you solve the problem of the locked system files, this is a duck soup solution. Also, keep the IDE drive as a system backup, it will boot when your raid fails ... notice, I said, when, not if.
As usual I disagree with scrathcyboy... primarily disagreeing that his suggestion is the best option...
I wouldn't move exchange to the RAID 0 - or anything else - until after you have a RAID other-than-0 running on another controller. The odds of a RAID 0 failing are about twice as great as the odds of a non-RAID disk because if EITHER disk in a RAID 0 fails, you lose all the data. Focus on getting the RAID 5 up and running, then move everything to the new RAID drive. Finally setup your existing C: drive as a software mirror (unless the controller it's on supports a hardware mirror, but I would doubt that).
I wouldn't move exchange to the RAID 0 - or anything else - until after you have a RAID other-than-0 running on another controller. The odds of a RAID 0 failing are about twice as great as the odds of a non-RAID disk because if EITHER disk in a RAID 0 fails, you lose all the data. Focus on getting the RAID 5 up and running, then move everything to the new RAID drive. Finally setup your existing C: drive as a software mirror (unless the controller it's on supports a hardware mirror, but I would doubt that).
ASKER
My system is a SCSI cage with SCSI drives, are you talking External HD plugged into the USB? At present my SCSI controller has an external drive connection but I use tape for backup. So I already have the data (RAID 0) all backed up from Disk 2&3.
My data is on RAID 0 and OS is not in any RAID at present so I am confused by what you are saying sorry.
My data is on RAID 0 and OS is not in any RAID at present so I am confused by what you are saying sorry.
ASKER
My last comment was meant for scrathcyboy. I am thinking I will give your suggestion leew a trial tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.
ASKER
Well things didn't go as expected....I'm probably just missing some crucial steps.
Here is what I did:
Installed the RAID card and 3x new SCSI drives to existing 3 drives = 6 drives
Updated the firmware and drivers for the RAID card.
Made a disaster recovery bootable CD thru my Yosemite Backup software
Powered down and attached scsi cable from SCSI controller to RAID controller card.
Used the ARC Utility on boot up to initialise and create RAID 5 with 3x new drives
It restarted and booted afterwards and found all logical drives incl the RAID 5 array and then got through to the Win 2003 Server screen but after a minute the screen just goes blank and stays there!!
Tried starting from the Boot CD which works but says will recover boot disk and overwrites existing data so decided to cancel that in case I lost OS files.
I have given up for now and re-connected to the SCSI controller so it at least boots up and is operating normally for now. I seem to be missing something here between making the RAID 5 and copying old data from RAID 0. Any advice greatly appreciated leew.
Do I need to initialise the Disk 1 with OS on it with ARC or will that wipe all data on it?
Here is what I did:
Installed the RAID card and 3x new SCSI drives to existing 3 drives = 6 drives
Updated the firmware and drivers for the RAID card.
Made a disaster recovery bootable CD thru my Yosemite Backup software
Powered down and attached scsi cable from SCSI controller to RAID controller card.
Used the ARC Utility on boot up to initialise and create RAID 5 with 3x new drives
It restarted and booted afterwards and found all logical drives incl the RAID 5 array and then got through to the Win 2003 Server screen but after a minute the screen just goes blank and stays there!!
Tried starting from the Boot CD which works but says will recover boot disk and overwrites existing data so decided to cancel that in case I lost OS files.
I have given up for now and re-connected to the SCSI controller so it at least boots up and is operating normally for now. I seem to be missing something here between making the RAID 5 and copying old data from RAID 0. Any advice greatly appreciated leew.
Do I need to initialise the Disk 1 with OS on it with ARC or will that wipe all data on it?
Let me get this straight... you attached the drive(s) containing the C: drive to the RAID card that was attached to the SCSI card? That's probably the issue - you've changed the controller windows is trying to boot from... kinda surprised you didn't get a stop error...
What I was suggesting is that you leave the existing SCSI drives with the C: drive on the SCSI controller and then add the new drives as a hardware RAID to the hardware controller and setup a RAID container as a RAID 5.
Your existing drives are 36 GB and the new drives are 72, right? If so, this will create a single RAID volume of 144 GB (usable) which should be about double what you have now.
What I was suggesting is that you leave the existing SCSI drives with the C: drive on the SCSI controller and then add the new drives as a hardware RAID to the hardware controller and setup a RAID container as a RAID 5.
Your existing drives are 36 GB and the new drives are 72, right? If so, this will create a single RAID volume of 144 GB (usable) which should be about double what you have now.
ASKER
Hi leew
I was wondering that but my problem is that I have a SCSI drive cage and card with only 1 connector so it can only be either SCSI controller or RAID controller it's connected to. I don't think it can be connected to both can it?
I found a copy of Server Magic, will that help?
Thanks for your help so far, hope I can get out of this mess. I need the server running tomorrow for the business.
I was wondering that but my problem is that I have a SCSI drive cage and card with only 1 connector so it can only be either SCSI controller or RAID controller it's connected to. I don't think it can be connected to both can it?
I found a copy of Server Magic, will that help?
Thanks for your help so far, hope I can get out of this mess. I need the server running tomorrow for the business.
ASKER
Sorry Guys I meant to split points across leew and ryansoto but not sure how to do this. Can i go back and split points afterwards?
TracyF
TracyF