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Migrate or add to Raid1

Hi all, I have inherited a server from previous support company, server is an HP Proliant ML150G6, total diak size is 500GB and space is running out quick. Disk management shows 2 X logical drives totalling 500GB, I assume the server has 2 X 500GB drives in Raid1. What would be the easiest and safest way to either migrate the exisiting drives to 2 new larger drives by imaging the two logical partitions or to create a new raid1 set to the existing array. I have never performed a migration like this and a bit nervous to make a mistake. Not familiar witht he raid utility but if I add the 2 new drives can I add a new raid1 set tot he existing array without comprising the exsiting array and Server OS. Any assistance would be appreciated

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rindi

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David

Don't go for simple .... take this opportunity to make sure you have a proper disaster recovery mechanism. So use whatever backup software you have to do a full bootable backup. Then build a naked RAID1 with nothing in it, and restore from your backup.

If it boots OK then not only did you have a successful clone, but you had a successful disaster recovery restore!

KTM200

ASKER

Thank you both, both options are possible. the addition to the storage by adding the 2 new drives and making a Raid1 "data" drive will give this server a few years more. The backups have been a problem so although I am making a "mirror" backup the regular Windows Server Backup with baremetal option has never worked since taking over the site, keeps failing with VSS errors which I have not managed to repair. I did post this problem here but didn't get a single response so I am currently using a standard backup. The previous admin was playing with Hyper-v which was removed and for what I can see that is the cause of the backups failing. What software would you recommend Dlethe that I should use to create full bootable backup which I can restore to the clean Raid1 through a bootable console or GUI

rindi

Backups that fail with VSS errors are usually caused either by malware, corrupt file-systems, not enough space for VSS, etc.

A very good tool for backing up is CloneZilla, but you can't use it while your server's OS is up and running (you need to boot the server to the LiveCD):

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=clonezilla

For backup software that needs to run from within the server's OS, you either need to use what is built-into the OS, or commercial paid products. Paragon makes very good and inexpensive software when compared to others:

http://www.paragon-software.com/small-business/download.html

David

I would use clonezilla, but then I've got 20+ years of UNIX under my belt. Clonezilla does take some reading and it isn't straightforward. If you want easy then pay some money and go with paragon or acronis.

Member_2_231077

The simplest is actually to shut it down and remove one disk, Power it on and fit one of the new ones in its place, wait for RAID rebuild to complete then repeat for the other disk. RAID rebuild doesn't always work but at least there's that disk we took out in the first step which still has a clean copy of the OS/data on it.

Unlikely you have 2*500GB disks mirrored if the OS sees 500GB though since disk sizes are reported in GB by the disk manufacturer but by GiB by Windows. May be 2x600GB though. Can't be sure of what controller you have or disk arrangement since the ML150G6 has several storage configurations, if you run the Array Diagnostic Utility you can generate a report that you can attach to the thread and I'll look through it.