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Re: Advice Needed with StorageWorks 4200 / 4214T

 
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Giles Funnell_2
New Member

Advice Needed with StorageWorks 4200 / 4214T

Hello all,

Just looking for a bit of advice. I├в ve had a "slight" problem with one of our arrays. This is what happened....

We're using an ML370 for a storage server. Configured as one logical drive, RAID 5, 6 x 36GB disks. In the past every time I├в ve added an additional disk I├в ve expanded the array without any problems. I then attached a StorageWorks (4214T) via the built in external SCSI port on the ML370. Added two 36GB disks to the StorageWorks array and rebooted the ML370 with the array attached and powered on. The array and disks were initialised fine at boot up. I then went into the array config utility and proceeded to expand the logical drive in the ML370 to include the two hard disks in the external array. At about 1% of completion I got the ol├в blue screen and it killed the logical drive. On reboot the logical drive had been completely destroyed.

Luckily I had backed up most of the data to another server. But can you offer me any advice before I rebuild it? Should I just have the OS on a couple of 9GB disks in the ML370 and have a separate logical drive on the array holding all our data? We are using the integrated smart array controller on the ML370, should this be sufficient to carry on using or would an upgrade be better? Should I use any additional software with the StorageWorks array?

Thank you for your help, it's much appreci
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JohnWRuffo
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Advice Needed with StorageWorks 4200 / 4214T

Giles:
The opportunity exists that you can improve the performace of the storage by adding a separate controller.

If you add another controller you will reduce the disk channel contention you may have had while the O/S was on the same array as your data.

Yes, a mirror of 9Gb drives for your O/S (installed in the ML370 drive cage) run by the integrated controler.

The rest of the drives in a RAID 5 on the StorageWorks Enclosure run by another controller.
A Smart Array 532 could be an inexpensive solution: http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/arraycontrollers/smartarray532/index.html

If you do go this route you should use the SmartStart CD that will come with it to configure the Array.

G'luck!
Enjoy!
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Giles Funnell_2
New Member

Re: Advice Needed with StorageWorks 4200 / 4214T

Hi,

Thanks for the reply and advice John.

If anyone else has any other useful info about the best way to configure this setup I would be very grateful.

This array has been redeployed from a different area of the company. I don't have any software, manuals... Is there any software I need to make additional configuration changes (Secure Path??)?

Cheers,

Giles
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor

Re: Advice Needed with StorageWorks 4200 / 4214T

Secure Path is a filter driver + management interface. You need it if you have multiple paths to you disks - that is not the case with a single backplane RAID controller.
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