Compaq Smart Array 532 Controller - Raid 1 Query

I will soon need to install new Hard Drives into a Compaq ML330 G2 Server
with a SA 532 Card.

Currently Array A contains a Raid 1 array with 2 x 18 GB SCSI Drives and
contains the boot partition, and a data partition.
Array B contains 2 x 36GB SCSI Disks, and will not be touched.

The C Partition is very low on space, so we will be replacing the drives
with 73GB Drives.
I am going to ghost the current partitions on this drive to a larger 73GB,
then build a new Raid 1 with another 73GB drive.

So far I have managed to Ghost the 18gb drives to the 73GB drives, and
resize the partitions to utilise the extra space. My concern now is that the
next stage I need to take is to delete the current Array A. This is what the
server currently boots off. I am unsure of what will happen.

When I delete Array A, what will exactly happen. Will Array B still be array
B or will it be changed to Array A?
Would I be able to recreate Array A as it was originally setup with the 2 x
18GB Drives, if I needed to revert back to the original configuration.

The way I have currently planned on doing this operation, is to:
- Install a 73GB Drive, as a Raid 0 Array C
- ghost the 18.2 GB mirrored drives to a 73GB drive, specifying new
partition sizes
- Remove the 18.2GB drives.
- Delete the Array A
- Remove the 73GB Drive
- Delete the Array C

This is where I am unsure of how to proceed.
What I need to do at this stage is to create a mirror from the 73 GB drive
and make it Array A, so that the server can boot.

If anyone has ever done anything like this before then please let me know
how you did it.
If you have any suggestions I would love to know them.

Thank you,

Richard.

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 16:31:17 +1100, "Richard Denny"
wrote:

I will soon need to install new Hard Drives into a Compaq ML330 G2 Server
with a SA 532 Card.

Currently Array A contains a Raid 1 array with 2 x 18 GB SCSI Drives and
contains the boot partition, and a data partition.
Array B contains 2 x 36GB SCSI Disks, and will not be touched.

The C Partition is very low on space, so we will be replacing the drives
with 73GB Drives.
I am going to ghost the current partitions on this drive to a larger 73GB,
then build a new Raid 1 with another 73GB drive.

So far I have managed to Ghost the 18gb drives to the 73GB drives, and
resize the partitions to utilise the extra space. My concern now is that the
next stage I need to take is to delete the current Array A. This is what the
server currently boots off. I am unsure of what will happen.

When I delete Array A, what will exactly happen. Will Array B still be array
B or will it be changed to Array A?
Would I be able to recreate Array A as it was originally setup with the 2 x
18GB Drives, if I needed to revert back to the original configuration.

The way I have currently planned on doing this operation, is to:
- Install a 73GB Drive, as a Raid 0 Array C
- ghost the 18.2 GB mirrored drives to a 73GB drive, specifying new
partition sizes
- Remove the 18.2GB drives.
- Delete the Array A
- Remove the 73GB Drive
- Delete the Array C

This is where I am unsure of how to proceed.
What I need to do at this stage is to create a mirror from the 73 GB drive
and make it Array A, so that the server can boot.

If anyone has ever done anything like this before then please let me know
how you did it.
If you have any suggestions I would love to know them.

Thank you,

Richard.


You can also remove one of the 18GB drives and put one of the 73GB
drives in its place. The 532 will rebuild the mirror. When the
rebuild is complete, remove the other 18GB drive and put the other
73GB drive in its place.

The next step will be to use ACU to perform "Online array capacity
expansion". This will increase the size of Array A leaving you with a
large chunk of free space after the two partitions. Then Partition
Magic should be able to move the data partition and increse the size
of the boot partition.

This process is documented in "HP Recommended Smart Array
Rebuilding/Restoring Techniques" at
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/se...eplacement.pdf
and the 532 User Guide at
http://h200001.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/s...M_227227e1.pdf.

Do you have a tape drive or other backup device? A full system backup
would be a good idea in this situation.

Aidan Grey


On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 16:31:17 +1100, Richard Denny wrote:

I will soon need to install new Hard Drives into a Compaq ML330 G2 Server
with a SA 532 Card.

Currently Array A contains a Raid 1 array with 2 x 18 GB SCSI Drives and
contains the boot partition, and a data partition.
Array B contains 2 x 36GB SCSI Disks, and will not be touched.

The C Partition is very low on space, so we will be replacing the drives
with 73GB Drives.
I am going to ghost the current partitions on this drive to a larger 73GB,
then build a new Raid 1 with another 73GB drive.

So far I have managed to Ghost the 18gb drives to the 73GB drives, and
resize the partitions to utilise the extra space. My concern now is that the
next stage I need to take is to delete the current Array A. This is what the
server currently boots off. I am unsure of what will happen.

When I delete Array A, what will exactly happen. Will Array B still be array
B or will it be changed to Array A?
Would I be able to recreate Array A as it was originally setup with the 2 x
18GB Drives, if I needed to revert back to the original configuration.

The way I have currently planned on doing this operation, is to:
- Install a 73GB Drive, as a Raid 0 Array C
- ghost the 18.2 GB mirrored drives to a 73GB drive, specifying new
partition sizes
- Remove the 18.2GB drives.
- Delete the Array A
- Remove the 73GB Drive
- Delete the Array C

This is where I am unsure of how to proceed.
What I need to do at this stage is to create a mirror from the 73 GB drive
and make it Array A, so that the server can boot.

If anyone has ever done anything like this before then please let me know
how you did it.
If you have any suggestions I would love to know them.

Thank you,

Richard.

Thanks for the help there.

There is a tape drive and a full backup will be done the night before.

HP/Compaq support also advised the same course of action.

Thanks,
Richard

"Aidan Grey" wrote in message
k.com...
Do you have a tape drive or other backup device? A full system backup
would be a good idea in this situation.

Aidan Grey


On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 16:31:17 +1100, Richard Denny wrote:

I will soon need to install new Hard Drives into a Compaq ML330 G2 Server
with a SA 532 Card.

Currently Array A contains a Raid 1 array with 2 x 18 GB SCSI Drives and
contains the boot partition, and a data partition.
Array B contains 2 x 36GB SCSI Disks, and will not be touched.

The C Partition is very low on space, so we will be replacing the drives
with 73GB Drives.
I am going to ghost the current partitions on this drive to a larger 73GB,
then build a new Raid 1 with another 73GB drive.

So far I have managed to Ghost the 18gb drives to the 73GB drives, and
resize the partitions to utilise the extra space. My concern now is that
the
next stage I need to take is to delete the current Array A. This is what
the
server currently boots off. I am unsure of what will happen.

When I delete Array A, what will exactly happen. Will Array B still be
array
B or will it be changed to Array A?
Would I be able to recreate Array A as it was originally setup with the 2
x
18GB Drives, if I needed to revert back to the original configuration.

The way I have currently planned on doing this operation, is to:
- Install a 73GB Drive, as a Raid 0 Array C
- ghost the 18.2 GB mirrored drives to a 73GB drive, specifying new
partition sizes
- Remove the 18.2GB drives.
- Delete the Array A
- Remove the 73GB Drive
- Delete the Array C

This is where I am unsure of how to proceed.
What I need to do at this stage is to create a mirror from the 73 GB drive
and make it Array A, so that the server can boot.

If anyone has ever done anything like this before then please let me know
how you did it.
If you have any suggestions I would love to know them.

Thank you,

Richard.