IT_Fanatic
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"Failure Predicted" Can I hot swap these drives?
I checked one of my servers today and Dell Open manage shows "Predictive Failure reported: Physical Disk 0:0:1 Controller 0, Connector 0". The server is on a RAID 5 with 4 Drives. Im guessing getting a new drive is what i have to do but what will be the procedure to swap this drive out and put the new one in.
Thanks in advance
The server is a Dell PowerVault NX300
Thanks in advance
The server is a Dell PowerVault NX300
Adam Brown
The drives on a powervault are *usually* hot-swap capable, but with a drive down in a raid 5, you may want to swap out the drives prior to boot and let the RAID controller reconfigure the array with the new drive.
ASKER
So what you are saying what I need to do is shutdown that server. Take that drive out and put the new one in. Once its in just turn on the server and it will automatically rebuild itself and thats it?
If the drive is accessible from the front of the system, it is hot-swappable. Never power down to replace a hot-swap drive.
ASKER
Yes the HDD's are all in the front and i can just pop them out. So with the server on just pop it out and put the new one in while its online? Do I need to put that HDD on offline from Dell Open Manager prior to taking out and then when I put the new one in do I select Blink? The only Available Task for each HDD on Dell Open Manage is Blink, Unblink and Offline.
For pred fail, yes, force it offline first. The pred fail drive will be alternating amber/green lights, but you can blink it to be sure you have the right one.
ASKER
Ok So let me just make sure I get this all right.
1) The server is on no need to shut down.
2) The bad drive that is blinking amber, green on Dell Open Manage put it to Offline
3) Take the drive out and put the new one in
4) Thats it? Will the server automatically rebuild it?
1) The server is on no need to shut down.
2) The bad drive that is blinking amber, green on Dell Open Manage put it to Offline
3) Take the drive out and put the new one in
4) Thats it? Will the server automatically rebuild it?
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ASKER
Where would I go to do number 4 if thats what actually happens?
Clear the foreign configuration in Storage, PERC, Information/Configuration (link at top of page), Foreign/Clear from dropdown menu of Available Tasks for the controller.
Assign hot-spare in disk menu under Physical Disks or in VD menu under Virtual Disks.
Assign hot-spare in disk menu under Physical Disks or in VD menu under Virtual Disks.
If you havent done this before i would urge you to backup everything ASAP
Also remember that the whole time you are in RAID-5 degraded mode, your data is at risk
Also remember that the whole time you are in RAID-5 degraded mode, your data is at risk
ASKER
I put the drive on Offline mode and swapped it with the new drive. Its now on the rebuilding state. But my virtual disks Virtual Disk 0 and 1 are on a Degraded state. Is that normal while the drive is rebuilding and it should go back to normal?
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And as had been said already your data is at HIGH risk until the rebuild completes!
ASKER
Thank you all for the help. Server is back online and rebuilt. Bought an extra drive from dell as a just in case.
If you have room for another drive in your server, you can assign it as a hot-spare, then if another drive fails, it will automatically rebuild to take its place, eliminating the delay in the failure being discovered (picture a long weekend or vacation, etc.).
ASKER
I wish. The dell power vault only comes with 4 bays
I couldn't remember on the NX300 :)