HP Smart Array

[dctw]

Hi, need some opinions and advice from you guys.

I'm going to order a A9890A HP Smart Array 6402/128MB Controller to be installed in one of my server.

Currently my server has DataProtector running.

What I would like to know is what are the ways to configure the Smart Array to host my current data.

What I had in mind is to :-

1. Backup everything on the server using DataProtector
2. Install the Smart Array card.
3. Redefine all necessary mount points with respective RAID configurations.
4. Full restore from DataProtector.

Any comments on this method? Any other method that I can consider?

P.S. This thread has been moved from Disk to Servers > Integrity. - hp forum moderator

[Torsten.]

Hard to suggest something, because you did NOT mention the server model and the OS!

"mount point" sounds like a flavour of unix, but what is it?

[dctw]

Ooops.. sorry.. my bad....

It's a RX4640 server.
Running on HPUX 11.23

[Torsten.]

Do you want to use the controller for internal or external disks - for data or for OS?

In case of external disks - do you have a MSA30 connected?

[dctw]

The controller is for external HDD (data), and yes I have a MSA30 connected to it.

[Torsten.]

OK, if the MSA30 has a MI I/O module, it is not supported with a smart array controller, but SB and DB modules are working.

If you have the DB version you can use 2 different "normal" SCSI adapters and use LVM to mirror the data - the Smartarray is a SPOF.

If you want to use RAID5 it may be slower than RAID1(+0) or LVM mirroring.

After considering all this you may want to install the smartarray (or not).

If you want to do this, take a backup first.
vgexport the VG and rmsf the device files for all the external disks.

Install the HBA and current RAID software.

Use "saconfig" from hp-ux to create RAID(s) and logical drives, create a VG and LVOLs.

If you need help with saconfig, come back to this thread.

Restore the backup - you are done.

[Torsten.]

Do you already know the manual?

HP A9890A Smart Array 6402 Controller Installation Guide: HP-UX, Linux, Windows & OpenVMS

http://docs.hp.com/en/A9890-96016/index.html

[dctw]

Yup.. I've seen the manual.

I'm thinking are there any better / safer method to migrate the data other than what I mention above after I installed the Smart ARray card.

[Torsten.]

If you use the same MSA at this time under LVM control and you want to use it with the SmartArray you need to backup/restore the data, if you have another MSA you can consider to mirror (LVM) the data from the "plain" disks to the RAID.

[dctw]

FYI, I have only one unit of MSA which has 8 SCSI HDD in it. Currently, all these 8 HDD are used for data.