convert CIFS to NTFS

CIFS is not a filesystem you would find on a disk. It is used in Windows 2003 (Samba) servers to share networked data. The disks themselves on which the data resides could be using any filesystem, depending on the OS accessing them. If the OS was Windows, most probably it will already be NTFS. If it is a form of linux, which in a SAN is much more likely, it will be a filesystem built for linux, like ext3, reiserfs or xfs. A SAN usually runs an OS and then it uses Samba to share the data on it to windows' PCs, There will also be other progs similar to samba on it, so the data can also be accessed by other Systems, like MAC OS, or Netware.

The Celera runs linux so should I be able to just rezone the disks to a windows server instead and all be ok?

Probably not, as there will be a filesystem which windows doesn't understand. Also, the disks are probably part of a raid system, so that wouldn't be an option. I think your only option is to copy your files from the Celera to other Disks or to tape.

What do you mean with "Flaky", by the way?

keeps falling over and emc are dragging their collective heels in helping.
Basically one of the datamovers keeps going into reset state and the other "panics" and reboots itself instead of taking over the disk

I don't know how far your access to the linux OS goes, but probably it is possibly to update the firmware? I assume the OS is in the firmware and not loaded on Disk?

I don't have access which is why I was asking about moving the SAN disk over to a wondows based system. Are you saying that this can't be done without a copy/backup job?

Cool
I already have a backup it's just the size 2.5TB to restore
never mind

Thanks.