Getting a Global Hot Spare ready to go
I have a Dell 1950 as my SQL Server attached to a MD1000 with multiple RAID arrays for mass storage. A drive failed in the RAID5 virtual array, and my global hot spare took over, as is it went to Online status - no problem. I received the replacement, removed the failed drive and installed the replacement. The array manager now shows the replacement status as Ready.
1) Am I better off swapping out the former hot spare mfg in 2006, with the replacement drive mfg in 2008?
2) Before I press the replacement drive into service either as one of the next hot spares or swap it out, is there further prep work required on this drive?
1) Am I better off swapping out the former hot spare mfg in 2006, with the replacement drive mfg in 2008?
2) Before I press the replacement drive into service either as one of the next hot spares or swap it out, is there further prep work required on this drive?
ASKER
Hoard,
Dell Support first wanted all drivers updated, etc just to determine the issue was indeed the drive itself. Then once I convinced them to replace the drive under the warranty and it worked, they took the position that if it is working,, to leave it alone. Seems contracictory to me. Anyway your comments are helpful. Once we got it working the MD1000 has worked like a dream for us.
Are there any considerations you can think of for the NEW hot spare, in the way of cconditioning or whatever, to be ready to join the array when it is called upon?
Dell Support first wanted all drivers updated, etc just to determine the issue was indeed the drive itself. Then once I convinced them to replace the drive under the warranty and it worked, they took the position that if it is working,, to leave it alone. Seems contracictory to me. Anyway your comments are helpful. Once we got it working the MD1000 has worked like a dream for us.
Are there any considerations you can think of for the NEW hot spare, in the way of cconditioning or whatever, to be ready to join the array when it is called upon?
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ASKER
Ours is PERC 5e and yes the SAS technology seems much easier to deal with when things go bad, as opposed to SCSI. Thanks again for all your reassurances.
The new replacement should be your new hotspare. You'll just have to use the Openmanage or CTRL R to set it as the new hotspare.
In the past working for Dell I've just seen to many problems arise when you start degrading the raid array just to get the original configuration.
If you were to swap them at this point; the PERC 5/6 controller will actually see the headers on the "original hotspare" and put it in a foreign state which would require you to clear foreign and a few other steps before you can rebuild.
Just not worth the hassle and possible problems as far as I'm concerned