Fresh Install

[Owen_11]

Hi All,

I currently have a Win2k Domain and I am going to start from scratch. I sense your pity :). Luckily it's only 30 Workstations.

Basically, I want to get the 2003 domain up and running after hours (over a few nights) and then execute the switch over when it is at that stage.

Right now the NetRAID-1M controller is running 2 drives (raid0...*shudder*) and I have 4 more for the new install. Obviously when the server is up and running with the 4 newies I want to re-intergrate the 2 drives that have the current install on them back into the mix.

Q1. Can I, shut down the server, take out the drives, create a new array with the new drives, install the new OS and configure after hours, and then take them out and put the old drives back in for the next day of business etc etc.?

Q2. Which RAID level do you recommend for 6x34Gig Drives?

Q3. What is the best way to configure the 4 drives initially so that I can add the 2 drives at a later date and achieve that raid level (using 6x34Gig Drives)?

[Greg Carlson · Accepted solution]

Owen.

Shudder is right. Make sure you have a good backup before starting this procedure because its always possible that you lose the array and end up right at the final step.

Q1-> Yes, you can pull the first two hdds out, clear the config and install the new hdds to create a new array, initialize the new array (only initialize this one array one time) and install the NOS. Make sure you document the old config first before starting though and remember which drive goes where.

At end of install and config, reverse the process.. You'll have to recreate the array each time you are switching from new to old drives. JUST DON'T INITIALIZE the array when you are going back to your old array as you will lose your data. I had a raid 5 pulled from a system running linux for 6 months, then I reinstalled Windows on a jbod drive and reconfigured the array and all my data was still there.

Q2-> Raid 5 for 6 hdds would be recommended. 6 in the Raid or 5 + 1 hot spare.. Could always go with 3x RAID 1 and span them to create RAID 10 also. Depends on your needs.

Q3. Depends on your choice on Q2. I would still go RAID 5 and then just add capacity to it when you are ready.

Ciao,
Greg

[e4services]

Owen,
I can verify what greg said here. We do it all the time. I will reiterate:
-write down everything about both array configurations before switching.
-Mark each drive as to where it goes so you get them back the same each time.
-Select the drives in the configuration, in the same order each time.
-make sure the parameters are the same each time.
Once the new Array is configured, you never have to "Initiaize" again. This is the "format" part of the operation, so when you reconfigure each switch, when you get to that point, "just say no". All you need to is select the drives in the configured order, save and reboot.

Some like to hold the OS in a RAID1 set and the Programs and data in the RAID5 set. We do it that way. Others like a single RAID5 set