NetRAID-1M

[Owen_11]

Ok this might be the last :)

When I did a day course of HP servers a few years ago the raid controllers then had the option to be able to define an array larger than current hardware capacity (# of disks) but inside the max capacity of the storage hardware present.

eg. I have 6x36Gig drives (I know I said 34 before :)) but only 3 avaliable, so I configure an array of 180 meg but only fill with 3 drives until the other 3 become become avaliable. The space that is virtually there can't be used but providing that space later is as easy as adding the disks to the fray and the space can then be used.

So my target Array is RAID5 with 6 disks, but I only have 3 avaliable for the initial install.


Secondly is it better to have logical drives that are arrays or just partition an array into logical drives?

Thanks again in advance

Owen

[Owen_11]

Did I say meg?

Gig!

oops

[Greg Carlson]

Owen,

That feature was called virtual sizing and is disabled by default. It was used primarily by netware as well if I recall. It works great with NT 4.0 and with 2000 you needed to be at SP3

It is better to keep your array config as simple as possible. Partition in the OS, and not at the hardware level. The reason why is if you needed to recreate your array and try to get back to it like you have been posting about. Then every time you are recreating your array, you'll have to make sure you size it exactly. Default netraid settings make it more likely that you won't run into any of those problems.

hth,
Greg

[Owen_11]

Hi Greg!

Do you think that virtual sizing is my only option for this scenario and are you aware if my old school NetRAID-1M can do it?

What I can't seem to imagine is if I partition a drive for my NOS and one for all the data and then I add capacity, what actually happens to my drive sizes? Am I correct in saying that you get an unpartitioned area in Disk Management that you can extend a current partition into? If so does the will a basic disk suffice or will I need a dynamic disk?

So many questions!

Thanks so far.

[Greg Carlson]

Virtual sizing would be a good option for your scenario if you want to be able to have just one partition in your NOS when you are done with your whole project. Just remember that virtual sizing is not the default setting so make sure that you enable it when you are recreating your array and going back to it. I would stick with basic disk if at all possible.

Ciao,
Greg

[Greg Carlson]

Owen,

After talking it over with some other friends. I would probably go back to my original suggestion of default netraid config which means leaving Virtual sizing disabled. Then if you need to expand your basic disk after adding capacity. You can use diskpart which is a utility provided by MS. It was never officially supported by HP. Although I know many users in the disk storage family who use it.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/new/diskpart-o.asp

Ciao,
Greg

[Owen_11]

Nice one!

My current server has a C: D: and an E: drive

C: for NOS
D: for Page File
E: for Exchange Data

Do you think that is all necessary?

What would you recommend? (Exchange 2003 Server)

[Greg Carlson]

Owen,

Here are the MS recommended partition requirements.

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/downloads/2003/IMF/sysreqs.asp

Partitions and array configurations are all over the board and vary by your usage. If you have all of your partitions on one array, you aren't going to have any performance improvements. Smaller orgs will run with 1-2 logical drives where large orgs will have logical drives for each partition.

hth,
Greg