RAID help

[Tricky_Dicky]

Hi,

 

Is there anyway of telling how the RAID is configured on a server without taking the server down?

 

I have found the original order form for the server which states it has 3 Fujitsu 72Gb Hard Drives and an Intel RAID controller but it doesn't say how it's configured.

 

If it is(and I'm hoping it is) configured in RAID 5 can I just add another disc of the same size in and should the computer pick it up and format it to part of the Array or will I have to rebuild the entire array thus loosing data?

 

Any help is much appreciated as I'm down to 3Gb and closing ....

 

Rich

[SYNACK]

What kind of intel raid controller is it as there may well be online management and monitering software that will tell you the current setup and status.

 

You should be able to work it out from the drive sizes also to a certain degree, it could be raid 0 (72GB * 3) Raid 1 + spare (72GB * 2) or Raid 5 (72GB*3 - 72GB parity).

[Guest richard_s]

Do you have any raid utilities installed on the server. If so you should be able to check the current state and type of array that is set up. If not and you know the raid controller installed then go and grab it from the intel site.

[Tricky_Dicky]

It's showing C: 24.4GB and D: 111 so a total of 135.4 which I'm hoping is RAID 5.

 

Is it possible to just put another drive in?

 

Rich

[Tricky_Dicky]

richard_s,

 

I can't see any software that is already installed and there is now decent information on the sales order. Only that it is Intel, so I'm a bit wary of just installing one.

 

It might be just faster to reboot it at lunch and look then.

 

Rich

[plexer]

If it's raid5 the capacity won't be 72gb * 3 it will be 72gb * 2

 

Ben

[Ex-MGSTech]

Assuming it's a windows server look in the device manager for the model of RAID controller, then search Intels website for an online configuration tool.

 

I've been using HP/Compaq RAID controllers for years and just had the first one ever stuff up the array!

 

Only newer models of controller will allow you on the fly array expansion....most require you backup the data, destroy the original array and recreate it to incluse the new drive.

 

Don't forget if you add one more 72Gb HDD you don't gain 72GB on the volumes....

 

Steve

[Tricky_Dicky]

"Only newer models of controller will allow you on the fly array expansion....most require you backup the data, destroy the original array and recreate it to incluse the new drive"

 

How hard is it to do that if I get some new drives?

 

I asked the original vendor for a price and it came in at £300 per drive and then 3 days labour at £300 a day which I thought was crazy, hence I didn't get it done.

 

Rich

[SYNACK]

Raid 5 (72GB*3 - 72GB parity).

 

If it's raid5 the capacity won't be 72gb * 3 it will be 72gb * 2

 

72 * 3 = 216GB - 72GB = 144GB raw avalible

[Ex-MGSTech]

Adding a drive on the fly or destroying the array and re-creating it?

 

Adding a drive on the fly will depend entirely if your controller supports it, but something like this:

 

NO RESPONSIBILITY IS ACCEPTED FOR THIS ADVISE AS ITS NOT AUTHORITIVE TO YOUR SITUATION

 

Depending on what your controller supports, either

1. Power off the server and add your additional drive

or

2. add the disk Hot (without switching off the server

 

Run the array configuration utility either during POST or in the OS

 

If the array controller/software supports it you should see your array and an additional disk

 

See if there's an option to add the drive to the array.

 

Plan B

 

Backup all you data on the volumes that are present on the array (you can have multiple volumes on one RAID array.

 

Run the array config utility and delete the correct array then re-create it with the additional drive included.

 

Re create the volume(s) in your OS, format and restore the data

 

Not really a job for term time though or for someone who's never played with RAID before as there are some fairly big gotcha's if you have for example multiple arrays on one controller....

 

Steve

[Ex-MGSTech]

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