moving data in MA8000(HSG80)

[CA1326359]

I everyone,

I have to remove my old 36GB disk drive to put new 146GB. So I have to move the data to a temporary space to change the original drive.

Basicaly I need first move the data, change the hard disk, grow the destination and fanaly move the data back. To complicate thing, the client is a W2K with a 2GB Vrep disk (millions of files).

I didn't want to use Windows cut and paste because it will take forever. How can I do that faster?

Is there an internal command I could use in the MA8000 or something in the managent aplayance to do the tricks?

Any suggestion are welcome!

[Sheldon Smith]

You need to move the data, remove the old disks and put in new. You already have access to any storage space the array has. There are no "tricks".

Take a look at Microsoft's Robocopy (command line) utility. I think it's part of the SDK.

[Steven Clementi]

You can use a software replication product that will replicate the data over a period of time. Some work on the same system (that is, source and destination can be on the same server).

Is there any chance to build the new drive set first and make the first data move the final resting place? (no pun intended)

Thats just one of several ways that I have seen this done.


Steven

[CA1326359]

humm!

Thats a problem to use Windows robotcopy, this is a file copy and we got to many files to move (millions) it will take at least 72h for a file level copy. I thing it could be faster at block level and faster if I can find a "e-copy option" or something inside the ma8000 or like a "data mover".

Thank anyway.

Anybody have a alternative to file level copy?

[CA1207380]

I have found Robocopy works really well. About 50 to 90GB per hour. I usually create the receiving disk first then give access to the same system I am doing the copy from, cuts out traffic over the network, or you can use a cross over cable if you can't have the new disk on the same system.
Watch out for the Block level copies, some of the software requires the destination disk to be the same size as the source, and I have found it's a little slower.

Bing

[CA1326359]

As I said before, to many file to copy, it will take forever! Wath about create a mirror disk, detach the original, change drive, miror back the data, detach the temporary disk.

But that way I am stuck with Vrep and same disk size.

[Uwe Zessin]

I don't know what you mean by "Vrep" (Virtual Replicator?), but replacing disk drives with larger ones through a mirror break/rebuild won't work, because you cannot grow the size of a HSG storage set like a disk drive array on a SmartArray controller.

[CA1326359]

It look like I am stuck with Windows files copy. I don't understant why there is nothing better.

Shurly, I am not the first one to replace old disk! 2TB of litle files are not met to be copy and recopy.

Also,I don't understant why a backup software can do a raw device backup (block level) and there's nothing like that in the SAN admin utility!

[Steven Clementi]

Veritas Volume Replicator does block level replication. I am just not sure if your source and destination can be the same server.

I also believe Openview Storage Mirroring does block level repl. and I think it can have the source and dest on the same box.

Do you have any room left in the subsystem to build the new unit? or are you maxed out, thus the need to use temp space (from where?) then rebuild the unit with bigger drives?


Steven

[Uwe Zessin]

Storage Mirroring grabs into the file system layer and replicates byte ranges. You can also specify which folder(s) to replicate.