Compaq ML370 - Adding new disks to the RAID array

[David Sutcliffe]

My question relates to a Compaq ML370 server in place at one of our branch offices.

The server has a Compaq Smart Array 431 Controller installed, and currently has two 18gb disks configured in a RAID1/mirrored configuration.

The server is currently running Netware 5.1, but we are soon to upgrade to Netware 6.5.

We intend to upgrade or increase the disk space available to the server, and have purchased two additional 18gb hard disks.

My question is this. With the current configuration of RAID1/mirrored, if I insert the two additional 18gb disks into the server and run the 'cpqonlin' netware on-line array controller utility, what will the array controller do with the additional disks?

In an ideal world, I would like the server to be running RAID5, with one of the four disks as a hot-spare, one for parity and two disks usable, i.e. doubling the current available disk space whilst adding in a better level of fault tolerance. However, I am unsure what will happen. Will it simply create a second array? will it migrate to RAID5?

The current array has a small DOS partition and a Netware partition. Prior to the Netware upgrade I need to manipulate the existing partitions to facilitate a larger DOS partition... I plan to use ServerMagic to do this, but need more disk space to do so.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[Janine Bertolo]

Hello;

By using the online array configuration utility with the cpqonlin.nlm command, you can add a third drive to the array.

The controller will recognize that the number of disks is no longer compatible with RAID1 and offer you a change to RAID0 or RAID5.

Pick RAID5 for fault tolerance and let the expansion finish.

Then you can add the fourth drive as an online spare using the same online configuration utility.

Cheers,

Janine