Convert RAID 0 to RAID 5 - DL160GEN8 Smart Array B120i RAID Controller

[Srikesh_Maharaj]

Good-day All,

I have a Domain Controller (also a storage server) with 3 x 500GB Drives (Server 2012) and it is configured to RAID 0. However I now need to convert this (migrate) to RAID 5 as instructed from our HQ.

However, after checking HP Array Configuration Utility (ACU) I can see the Logical Drive as RAID 0 but no option to convert/migrate it to RAID 5.

I have tried this on a older server (DL380 G5 - Smart Array P400) which has a RAID 5 config and noticed there is an option to Migrate from RAID 5 to RAID 0, so I was hoping if someone could assist me with a reason as to why I cannot migrate from RAID 0 to RAID 5?

Please see images below for further info....

Your assistance is much appreciated.

Thanks....

P.S. This thread has been moved from Storage>General to ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL). -HP Forum Moderator

[Matti_Kurkela · Accepted solution]

Smart Array B120i will support RAID5 only if an optional 512MB FBWC write cache module is installed.

Your older server apparently has a similar cache module installed for its Smart Array P400 controller - although the P400 can do RAID5 on its own, the RAID mode conversions will require the cache module.

The P400 probably has a BBWC (Battery-Backed Write Cache); the newer models accept FBWC (Flash-Backed Write Cache) instead.

I'm afraid the B120i won't support non-destructive RAID mode conversions at all.

[Srikesh_Maharaj]

Thank you for your response and support. So if I purchase the FBWC for the B120i, will the controller then be able to support non-destructive RAID mode conversions thereafter?