topic Re: Delete an Array without data loss in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

Delete an Array without data loss

M4Biz — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:55:42 GMT

Hi!

I've a Proliant DL380 G5 server with two 73GB SAS disks in RAID1 array.

The server is a VMware ESXi 5.1 server

The question is: is possible to delete the array without loose data stored: OS, VMs, etc. so that I have one disk with original OS and VMs installed and working and a second - free - 73 GB SAS disk, available to store other, new, VMs?

In other words: if I delete the array when I reboot the server, the ESXi server OS start without problem with all VMs?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Delete an Array without data loss

Patrick Wallek — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:17:52 GMT

Deleting the array will very likely wipe out all of your data.

Re: Delete an Array without data loss

Jimmy Vance — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:18:00 GMT

Deleteing an array theoretically wipes out the data. If you create a new array exactly the same, I've seen the old data still present. After deleting you would then need to create a new array with just single disks, during this proceess the previous data would be clobbered.

This paper tells you how to break a mirror using ACU.

http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.BINARYPORTLET/public/kb/docDisplay/resource.process/?spf_p.tpst=kbDocDisplay_ws_BI&spf_p.rid_kbDocDisplay=docDisplayResURL&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.rst_kbDocDisplay=wsrp-resourceState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c00378986-8%257CdocLocale%253D&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

Standard disclaimer. Have a known good backup before you start messing around with array confgurations

Re: Delete an Array without data loss

David Orwig — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 20:42:02 GMT

I second what Jimmy says, I have deleted RAID 1 sets and then rebuilt them with the same drives (to do a slick and clean reload) and have at times, seen the data still there. Want you want to try is "breaking" the mirror, again as he says. I did not know you could do that with the older controllers and I know there are some caveats to the new controllers as to what you can do if you have (or don't have ) the BBWC installed.

Backup

The gouge he posted looks exactly what you need.

Re: Delete an Array without data loss

M4Biz — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:49:15 GMT

Hi, many thanks to all.
I thinks is better and safest to follow another way and don't breack the mirror : al least 7 years of misfortune ;)