Create Raid 5 Array out of this mess !

[Patrick_10]

Please excuse my ignorance.

I have recently taken over from another engineer and I need to create a raid 5 array out of 3 x 18gb drives on an LHPro with a Netraid 3Si card. Unfortunately, their current state is confusing me, and I'm struggling to know where to begin. Non of the 3 disks have data on them. On channel 0 ID's 4 & 6 are reported as failed, having previously participated in a 8gb Raid 0 array ! (4gb each ? - Strange) ; ID 5 is 'ready'. How can I remove this array and create a new 36gb Raid 5 array.

Any help would be grately appreciated.

Patrick

[Patrick_10]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that this is a production server with NTSP6a, BDC with Exchange, all in in raid 5 array on channel 1. If I go into netraid express (CTRl M), highlight the failed disks in the non-used array, will this effect the good array on channel 1 ? If not, will this then allow me to create a Raid 5 array, reclaiming all the correct disk space from the 3 18gb disks on channel 0 ?

Thanks

Patrick

[Marino Meloni_1]

hy

--you need to clear the configuration in the netraid in order to begin a new raid,
the clear config need to be performed with the tree disk in the cage, usualy in id 0,1,3 (who are the tree hight position , some time due to a jumper position wou can have 1,2,3)
--then you will see the tree hdd in ready.
-- at this point you can start with new configuration creating a raid 5 and inizializing it, and install the O.S

bye

marino

[Patrick_10]

Server already has OS on it and is in use - its on channel 1, ID's 1,2,3 !

[Marino Meloni_1 · Accepted solution]

hi

first of all !! BACKUP YOU DATA !!
then you have two tools to check the configuration or your array: express tool you can access trough Ctrl-M and array assistant wich you can access booting with the Navigator, in > netserver utilities > other utilities > netraid assistant


in Express tools you can see without modifying the actual config in > Management menu > objects >phisical drives, the system will scan and then give you the actual status, if I have understoud, you will found something like

id 1 on-line A0-0
id 2 on-line A0-1
id 3 On-line A0-2
id 4 ready
id 5 ready
id 6 ready

I suppose you actualy have a raid 5 with 3 hdd in the hight part of the hot swap cage, the id are 1,2,3, and you have to add the tree hdd of 18 gb in the lower part of the hotswap cage where the id are 4,5,6, on the LHpro you have only one hotsap cage, so probably you will found all your disk on chanel 0 or 1 (don't know model of netraid)

if you start with the Navigator, you will found a grafical interface wich is more easy to use to create a second logical drive.

you start the wizard, then you select !!CUSTOM MODE !! and you select the hdd in ready to create the new array, after you initialize it and after restarting, you will see the Free space in the disk manager of windows, the new raid 5 will have the capacity of 36 Gb (18 x 3 -18), !creating a new logical array doesn't recalain the first one

bye
marino