Netraid Array disk upgrade & change

[Bjørn Kelsen]

I have 2 arrays on an NW 4.x server
A0:5 x 18 GB (SYS + VOL1)
A1:5 x 36 GB (VOL2)

I need to replace the A0 18GB disks with 36GB disks, and I want to do it as follows:

Remove VOL2 array, insert new disks in A1.
Use ServerMagic to copi SYS and VOL1 to disks in A1.
Remove A0 disks and replace with A1 disks.
Replace original A1 disks (VOL2) in A1.

My problem is keeping the Array configuration of the original A1 array.

How is this done using the BIOS (CTRL-M) and/or the NetRaid util for Netware ?

[Mark Medici]

Bjorn,

You're on the right track.

Consider this:

a.) Use ServerMagic as described.

b.) In the BIOS-based NetRAID Express Tools, record the important settings for A1 (the 36GB drives you will be saving). The important settings are the position of each element of the array (i.e., which drive is A0-1, A0-2, etc), logical drive size, array stipe size (depth?).

c.) Pull your 18GB drives and put them on the side as a roll-back option.

d.) Move your existing 36GB drives to their desired final position. Make sure you put them back in the same order.

e.) In the BIOS-based NetRAID Express Tools, (Ctrl-M), clear the current configuration and start a new configuration.

f.) Select the drives in the same order they were previously defined. Specify the original size of the array, and make sure the stripe size (depth) is the same as it was before. DO NOT INTIALIZE THIS NEW LOGICAL DRIVE.

g.) Save this configuration and exit the NetRAID Express Tools facility WITHOUT INITIALIZING the new logical drive.

h.) Restart your server and allow it to start NetWare. You should be fully operational, except for the loss of the 18GB drives.

i.) Add your new 36GB drives and configure them with your choice of NetRAID utilities (BIOS-based or on-line).

The important things are:

1.) Make sure to add each physical drive element to the array in the same order it was originally defined.

2.) Make sure the logical drive size and array stripe size are the same as originally defined.

3.) Do NOT initialize the 36GB drives containing your data -- or you will need to roll-back to the 18GB drives and start again, or restore from tape.

Something else to consider:

Might you actually WANT to recover from tape, instead? This would defragment your NetWare filesystems -- something that I don't think ServerMagic will do. Of course, given the amount of storage you have, a full restore will take about 18 hours, plus another 1.5 - 2 hours to get NetWare to the state where you can start the restore.

[Bjørn Kelsen]

Hi Mark,

To make sure I get your points, I'll outline my exact procedure (please confirm the ? I have):

a) record full settings for original A0 (disks to upgrade) and A1 (disks to keep)
b) down server and remove A1 array disks
c) add new 36GB disk in array A1
d) restart server, Ctrl-M to clear current config and configure new drives in A1 (clear config clears settings for both A1 and A0, right ?)
e) take note of A1 disk settings and save without INITIALIZE
f) restart server (config for A0 is automatically read from disks, right ? and I can just ignore the Mismatch error ?)
g) start up in Netware and do the ServerMagic bit (copy total content of A0 to A1)
h) shutdown server, remove A0 disks, move A1 disks to A0, and insert original A1 disks to A1
i) start server (ctrl-M), clear current config and select settings for A0 disks as they were when positioned in A1. Select settings for A1 original disks as defined originally.
j) save config without INITIALIZE
k) restart server in netware, and we're in business!!

I trust that this procedure will be much faster than a restore - possibly around 4-6 hours instead of the approx. 20 hours

looking forward to confirmation :-)