Changing SCSI raid controllers

[MicrodigitUK]

OK I have a server with a LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-0X and need to replace it with a new LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-2E (because I need the SCSI 320-0X for a older server that doesn’t support PCI express)

 

To do this I intend to install the controllers side by side load the new drivers for the 320-2E, then power down and plug HDD’s into the new controller and power on.

 

As long as the settings are identical on the controllers pre boot menu are identical I’m presuming it should boot up with no problems.

 

Obviously I don’t want to rebuild the entire RAID array and reload from backup if I can ovoid it.

 

Anyone see any big problems with this plan?

 

Can I hook the drives upto another raid controller with no data loss?

 

Is there any danger that if i try a different controller, my data will be lost?

[Geoff]

Hardware RAID array formats are specific to controllers (even down to firmware versions). It is quite unlikely (although possible) the new controller will be able to read the array created by the old one. Expect to have to rebuild the array and restore your data from backup.

[MicrodigitUK]

Hardware RAID array formats are specific to controllers (even down to firmware versions). It is quite unlikely (although possible) the new controller will be able to read the array created by the old one. Expect to have to rebuild the array and restore your data from backup.

 

OK well ill leave that Job for the summer, Thanks Geoff

[Butuz]

Yep - I wouldn't expect it to work quite like you want it to. Have your backups ready as Geoff says

 

Butuz

[meastaugh1]

I once had a RAID card swapped because the wrong cache size card has been installed when the server was built. After the card was swapped, when a drive failed the array refused to rebuild when the drive was replaced, not good.

[Batman]

I once swapped two raid disks from a sony media centre pc into a hp workstation. I then ghosted the contents across to a bigger array, took out the bigger disks and put them into the media pc. It all worked fine, because I chose a controller that I knew had to be similar to the media station controller... they were both LSIs.

 

So you're right to be cautious and back up first, but I reckon it will just work. I mean, it's not like LSI reinvent their technology every time they make a new card, is it?

 

If you have a nice big network share somewhere a ghost image is a good get out if it does go south (in other words, do it allowing yourself time to ghost it, and if you don't have to that's a bonus ).

Edited July 7, 2009 by Batman