topic Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Sandeep9 — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 21:41:37 GMT

Hi All,

We have two internal disks in BL 460C G10 blade (in C7000) and on one of them the OS is installed and rest of the app data is also stored. The another disk is not in use.

Now, we want to create a RAID 1 from these disks. Is it possible to do this without losing data?

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Torsten. — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 21:50:03 GMT

It depends.
If the dis currently is a RAID0 you can extend to RAID1, if it is a plain disk you need to backup and restore.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Sandeep9 — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 21:55:18 GMT

Hi Torsten,

No, we haven't configured any raid, its just a separate disk.

Is there any way we could put these disk (one used + one used) in RAID1 and mirror the used disks data onto another disk.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Torsten. — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 22:12:45 GMT

It depends on what disk controller model is used.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Sandeep9 — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 23:03:09 GMT

Hi Torsten,

We have "HPE Smart Array P204i-b SR Gen10" disk controller. FW - 2.62

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Torsten. — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:26:41 GMT

I think it should be possible to create a RAID0 on the other drive, copy your data and finally extend the RAID0 to RAID1.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Sandeep9 — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:30:29 GMT

Hi Torsten,

How to copy data? Are you talking about rsync?

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Jimmy Vance — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:52:09 GMT

If currently the disk is not in a RAID array, there really isn't a simple path to get to where you want to be without destroying the data on the disk.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Torsten. — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:52:17 GMT

Consider a disk cloner of your choice, clonezilla etc.
Depends on your OS.

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Sandeep9 — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 22:21:56 GMT

Hi Torsten,

If i use dd to clone the used hard disk with the another unsed one (which i add to RAID0), will it work?

Will the cloning of hard drive from dd in rhel7 will do tht work?

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

AmRa — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 08:44:54 GMT

Per HPE Smart Array P204i-b Controller Overview, the controller supports Migrate RAID/Stripe Size, A RAID migration allows you to convert a RAID-Ready system into a RAID 0, 1, 5, or 10 configuration, or from a RAID 0, 1, or 10 volume to a RAID 5 volume.

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-a00020050en_us

For more information on RAID migration, please refer HPE Smart Storage Administrator User Guide

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c03909334

IMPORTANT: An array expansion, logical drive extension, or logical drive migration takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. While this process is occurring, no other expansion, extension, or migration can occur simultaneously on the same controller. Controllers that do not support battery-backed write cache do not support this process. As a best practice always take data backup before performing RAID migration.

Steps to migrate RAID 0 to RAIDX (where X is RAID level)

1. Access HPE Smart Storage Administrator.

2. In HPE Smart Storage Administrator, Select the controller, the Logical Devices on the left, the “Logical Drive 1” from “Array A” and then “Migrate RAID/Strip Size”

3.. The below image show what options you have – RAID 5 could be migrated to RAID 0 and RAID 5 Level

Re: Create a new RAID 1 with existing hard drive without losing data

Torsten. — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 12:36:46 GMT

The problem is obviously, the data is on a non-RAID drive (HBA mode).

Hence the suggestion to clone to a RAID0 drive, then migrate RAID 0 to RAID 1.