Expanding RAID in Proliant 3000 w/ Smart 3200 controller.

[Mike Chapis]

Have an NT server w/ 5 drives in RAID-5 config. Want to add two drives and expand the array (with the intent on enlarging two existing data partitions) Any gotcha's or advice on how to best proceed?

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello Mike,
Please do the following:

1. Make a full backup;
2. Update the firmware of the Smart Array 3200 controller if it's not done already. The link is appended:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/14694.html

Even though the softpaq would ask for 4 floppies you need to create the first one only and then escape out.

I hope this helps.

[e4services]

The Array Configuration Utility has no relation to an Operating System, therefore it can't add space to an operating system partition. If the OS sees the new space created by the Array Configuration Utilty, then it has done it's job.
ACU will "Expand" the capacity of an existing array with the addition of additional HDs and it can "Extend" the logical drive that exists in that array to use all the additional space once the data has been redistributed over the new HDs.
Making the extra capacity of the logical drive available to the OS has to be done by either:
1. Creating a new partition IN the logical drive with the OS and formating.
2.Incresing the size of tan existing partition by using the OS utility (if available)(NT and 2000 can do Volume SET Extention) or a third party partitioning tool (ServerMagic or VolumeManager by PowerQuest).
Do to the additional chance of data loss, both HP and Compaq (and even Microsoft)strongly recommends backing the data from the D drive, deleting this partition, creating a new partition using all of the free space and restoring from backup, as the prefered method of partition expansion for limiting chance of data loss.
Hey, you should have backed the data up anyway.